As travel demand rebounds to 2019 levels and beyond, airports are once again busy.
While you may be queuing at the check-in counter or at security, there is one part of the airport experience that is especially prone to overload these days – lounge.
Whether it is due to the increase in number of passengers in premium cabin or the development of Attractive bonuses on top credit cards encouraged new customers to sign up and take advantage of premium perks, which simply mean that more passengers qualify for lounge access than there are seats in an airport club.
To deal with overcrowding, American Express has been busy expansion of popular Centurion Lounge locations to accommodate as many cardholders as possible.
On December 31, the issuer expanded and renovated its space in San Francisco International Airport (SFO). TPG has been invited for a pre-opening tour and here’s what you can expect on your next visit.
More seats
As you approach the expanded Centurion Lounge in San Francisco, you may not immediately notice the upgrades.
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That’s because the concourse is still facing Gates F1 and F2 in Terminal 3 and the entrance area has not changed. You still need to climb one flight of stairs or take the elevator up one floor to reach the front desk.
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Once inside, however, you’ll begin to enjoy an overhauled space. The title for the expansion is a brand new section located along a long corridor overlooking the mainland portion of Terminal 3.
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The former lounge’s footprint ends next to a row of single-shower bathrooms. Behind the shower are the airport management office and other backyard spaces.
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Earlier during the pandemic, Amex was able to lease this space, and the newly expanded lounge integrates all the old offices into its current floor plan.
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As you pass by what used to be the old shower room, you’ll find some additional booth-style seating, which leads to a new narrow hallway that takes you to the extension.
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The glass windows along this hallway flood the space with natural light and stylish wall art adds a pop of color.
At the end of the hallway, you’ll see a brand new dining room.
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There is a mix of different seating types, from two- and four-sided dining tables to high-end couches and co-working tables.
The perimeter of the area is lined with bar stools, each within reach of a power outlet and USB-A port.
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The dining room boasts a full-service buffet and a bartender.
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Meanwhile, the new bar is significantly larger than the original and will serve your favorite cocktail or, if you’re adventurous, a glass of wine with four pours from local bottles in the region. . (More on that below.)
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From the accent lights to the dark blue mural on the wall, this space feels elegant and luxurious, matching Amex’s latest Centurion Lounge decor.
In fact, Amex has specifically commissioned abstract artist Tracie Cheng to design a new floor-to-ceiling wallpaper design, seemingly inspired by vineyards in Napa and Sonoma, Northern California landscapes, and dew San Francisco’s famous blind.
The addition of a second bar and buffet, along with more dining space, should help alleviate some of the overcrowding that the lounge is experiencing.
In addition to the second dining area, there is a brand new relaxation space located at the end of the hallway.
Turning left at the end of the hallway brings you into this living space — like the dining room — designed with Amex’s signature branding.
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A small portion of this section will be reserved for VIPs and those with Centurion Card from American Express, but the rest of the space will be open to all. (Centurion Card information has been independently collected by The Points Guy. Card details on this page have not been reviewed or provided by the card issuer.)
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Between the benches and single chairs installed along the wall, there should be plenty of space to spread out. Every seat, including those in the center of the room, has easy access to electrical outlets.
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There are even two new phone rooms in this space, offered on a first-come, first-served basis.
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With stylish chandeliers and wallpaper by Cheng, these two private rooms have a particularly opulent feel.
With the addition of new dining and relaxation spaces, the expanded Centurion Lounge in San Francisco now measures nearly 16,000 square feet — or twice as large as its predecessor.
Upgrade utility
Perhaps the biggest innovation at the Centurion Lounge in SFO is the new bathrooms.
Gone are the small restrooms that could never accommodate more than two people at once.
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In the new space, the bathrooms have been moved to the middle of the new hallway connection and they are significantly larger and more beautiful than the bathrooms they replace.
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The men’s room has twice as many urinals as the old room, and the women’s room is significantly larger than before. In addition, Amex has added two private booths for all genders in this area for more convenience.
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Additionally, there are two brand new shower suites, both larger and more spacious than the single range they replace. It is hoped that this will help reduce shower wait times for passengers connecting to or from long-haul flights.
Building on a solid foundation
Opened in 2014, Centurion Lounge in San Francisco is Amex .’s First West Coast Location.
It was designed at a time when there were fewer Platinum cardholders and when embellishments like neon green couches were in vogue.
Along with the expansion, Amex has refreshed the existing lounge space with new chairs, upholstered sofas and plush throw pillows.
There are even some new paintings and prints hanging on the walls.
Unfortunately, I was unable to photograph the upgrades to the existing space, which will be folded into the new, larger lounge, as much of it is still under construction during my visit.
That said, I review the original space completely right before the pandemic, so it definitely gives you a good sense of what you can expect from the physical space.
Along with the expansion and renewal, Amex is bringing a number of other improvements to the San Francisco airport lounge.
This includes a New menu from Chef Ravi Kapur and a refreshing wine list curated by Centurion Lounge’s wine director, Anthony Giglio.
Travelers will also be able to try the new “wine flight” concept, with a menu that changes seasonally. There will be two flights at first, with the bottles offered listed below.
Flight Sonoma Chardonnay:
- Gundlach Bundschu Sonoma Coast Chardonnay 2020
- Head High Sonoma County Chardonnay 2021
- Sonoma-Cutrer Les Pierres Sonoma Valley Chardonnay 2019
- Walt Sonoma Coast Chardonnay 2019
Flight Napa Cabernet Sauvignon
- Iconic Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon 2019
- Miner Emily’s Cuvee Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon 2018
- Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon Critics 2019
- Twenty Rows Napa Valley Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon Wine 2020
Hopefully Amex won’t feel the same pressure to cut costs as United did when it did Stop offering wine flights in business class Polaris in February 2018, just over a year after the launch of the concept due to rising costs and increased alcohol consumption. However, given the San Francisco area’s connections to California’s wine industry, that would be a disappointing outcome.
bottom line
American Express is addressing lounge overload by building larger clubs and expanding existing ones.
The San Francisco outpost, formerly one of the busiest in the country, is undergoing a major upgrade as it nearly doubles in size to about 16,000 square feet.
The expansion brings in an additional dining room and relaxation area, along with overhauled restrooms and more space to spread out. The existing footprint also got a facelift with new and re-upholstered furniture, as well as some new decorations hanging on the walls.
While Amex deserves credit for doing what it can to build larger lounges, it’s likely the San Francisco outpost will continue to suffer from occasional overcrowding.
At some point, it was simply a numbers game. Although the issuer is control guest access as of February 1, 2023there are just so many travelers to or from the Bay Area with an Amex premium card that includes free access for primary cardholders, and those numbers are only likely to grow.
That said, the expansion is definitely better than the pre-pandemic situation. Once you enter the lounge, there are also plenty of amenities and spaces to enjoy.
For more on the Centurion Lounge network, be sure to check out:
