American Express announced on Tuesday that it will be opening a new high-end Centurion lounge at Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport in Washington, D.C., starting Wednesday.
“The Centurion Lounge is one of our Card Members’ favorite travel benefits, and the new location at Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport offers Card Members the premium amenities they love in an airport they frequently travel through,” said Audrey Hendley, president of American Express Travel, in a statement.
Reagan National is the 24th-largest airport in the United States by passenger volume, according to the Department of Transportation. This new lounge will be the 15th Centurion lounge that American Express has opened in the country.
Access to the lounge is exclusive to holders of the company’s Platinum or Centurion cards, with the latter often referred to as the “black” card. The new lounge will feature a menu curated by three award-winning chefs and provide amenities such as a meeting room, a shower suite, and an art collection, including a ceiling sculpture with 260 lanterns in the shape of D.C.’s original boundaries.
Offering premium amenities and luxury experiences is a significant aspect of American Express’s strategy to appeal to its cardholders. This commitment is reflected in the company’s recent acquisition of the restaurant reservation management company Tock for $400 million. At an aviation conference hosted by Skift last year, AmEx executive Manisha Jain underscored the importance of the Centurion lounges, which have become a notable feature since their inception a decade ago.
“We always hear from our customers that they arrive early if there’s going to be a Centurion Lounge there,” she said.