Inside the New AmEx Centurion Lounge at DCA

In the 10 years of American Express operating Centurion Lounges, the travel card powerhouse has opened locations across the globe in destination cities like Los Angeles, New York, London, Hong Kong and Sydney.

This week, our nation’s capital gets its first location with the opening of the new Centurion Lounge at Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport in Arlington, Virginia, just outside D.C. proper.

Like the Centurion network’s other locations, this lounge is targeted toward AmEx’s premium cardholders and even includes features reserved for its most exclusive card: The Centurion® Card.

The lounge is located in Terminal 2. If you enter through the South Security Checkpoint, the lounge will be directly to the right once you pass security.

Guests are called into the lounge by a floor-to-ceiling living wall of greenery. Take the stairs or elevator up to the mezzanine level where you can check in at the lounge’s front desk.

The Centurion Lounge at Ronald Reagan National Airport is open Sunday through Friday from 5 a.m. to 9 p.m. On Saturdays, the lounge opens at 5 a.m., but closes early at 7 p.m.

The Centurion Lounge at DCA takes design cues from D.C.’s architectural legacy, with design features that capture the city’s air of dignified sophistication.

The entry area’s gallery features pieces from local artists commissioned specifically for the lounge, and photos of famous American musicians and historical figures dot the walls throughout main seating areas.

What Henry Rollins, former frontman of seminal punk band Black Flag, would think about being featured on a credit card issuer’s luxury lounge wall is up for debate, but the black and white shots of American cultural icons certainly fit the vibe.

In the main dining area, a sculpture installation suspended from the ceiling features more than 260 lightless lanterns arranged in a pattern reminiscent of the nearby Potomac River. The “lanterns” are modeled after the actual markers used to delineate the boundaries of Washington, D.C. upon its founding in 1791.

And while these lanterns don’t shine, the lounge gets plenty of sunlight, with large, nearly floor-to-ceiling windows on three sides. On the entrance side of the lounge, guests get a view of the runway and the Delta Sky Club lounge across the terminal. Other views aren’t quite as scenic, but the abundant natural light is a big perk to be sure.

With new lounges from Chase, American Express, and Capital One opening every few months, it’s becoming a close race to impress cardholders.

Capacity at Reagan Airport’s Centurion Lounge is capped at 302 people.

Just past the check-in desk is the lounge’s self-styled art gallery and sitting room, where pieces from local D.C. artists are hung below brass lighting fixtures. The picture frame wall molding and muted upholstery of the couches and chairs in this space set the stage for the stately design touches found throughout the lounge.

Once inside, the lounge’s seating areas wrap around the central dining space. Seating is ample, with couches, tables and armchairs scattered throughout the area. There’s also a printer available for use. Built-in TVs and a departures board are nestled among books and knick-knacks related to Washington, D.C. and air travel.

In addition to general seating, a multipurpose room, meeting room and phone room are all available on a first-come-first-served basis.

If you’re looking to get some business taken care of while enjoying your respite from the airport crowds, you’ll have no issues keeping your devices charged. Power outlets can be found all throughout the lounge, whether in tables or on the floors and walls.

Beyond the main seating area, Centurion® Card members can escape to a special section reserved for those who carry this exclusive card. With its own beverage station and easy access to the dining space, cardholders can further insulate themselves from the hubbub of airport activity.

The lounge offers just one set of bathrooms (in addition to the shower suite), with a men’s and a women’s room, situated not too far from the dining space along a wall in the main sitting area.

Each features several stalls and sinks for use. The tiling, backlit mirrors and individual sink stations elevate the bathroom to match the rest of the lounge.

The lounge does have a shower that is available for reservation upon arrival. The shower suite is nestled to the right of and around the corner from the check-in desk. While note huge, the suite is spacious enough and includes a toilet and sink for use as well.

Most AmEx cardholders can reserve the shower for 15 minutes at a time, but Centurion® Card members can book a 30-minute block to take a nice, leisurely rinse.

The lounge has linked up with not one, not two, but three noteworthy chefs representing the culinary scenes in Miami, San Francisco and Philadelphia to develop buffet dishes that will please health-conscious travelers looking for a lighter alternative to typical airport fare.

The chefs include Michelle Bernstein and Michael Solomonov, two James Beard Award winners, and Ravi Kapur, the chef behind a James Beard Best New Restaurant nominee.

Chef Michelle Bernstein — known for her work at Café La Trova and a long run of other beloved restaurants in Miami — brings contemporary Latin flavor to the menu with dishes like chimichurri grilled chicken. Michael Solomonov, the force behind Philadelphia restaurants Zahav and Laser Wolf, adds his expertise in Israeli fare, offering contributions like shabazi spiced salmon with pomegranate BBQ sauce and carrot and saffron soup.

Chef Ravi Kapur of San Francisco’s Liholiho Yacht Club rounds out the menu with contributions showcasing his take on Hawaiian cuisine, like tamari-honey glazed tofu and pineapple and grilled ginger-lemongrass asparagus with charred vine tomato.

Food is served buffet style in the lounge’s central dining area. Along with signature dishes from the featured chefs, guests can sample a selection of greens and salad fixings, soups, desserts and other treats like a blackberry agave energy shooter.

Guests can belly-up to the bar beneath the glow of pendant lights and enjoy a menu of wine, cocktails and beer.

The cocktail menu features a curated roster of drinks like the Haku Hanami, a super mellow take on a vodka martini that features delicate notes of D.C.’s famous cherry blossoms, as if blown in on the breeze.

Other menu highlights include the NON Apertivo, a sparkling, alcohol-free number that has the bitter kick of a Campari cocktail without the booze.

In honor of the 40th anniversary of the Platinum Card by American Express, the bar also offer the Platinum 1984, a white chocolate tequila daisy with “a stripe of spice that alludes to swiping your card,” according AmEx’s promotional material.

The bar’s wine list features bottles from nearby Virginia vinyards alongside international selections from Italy, France, and New Zealand. Beers include lagers, IPAs and more available on tap and in cans and bottles.

The lounge features three beverage stations, one of which is only available to Centurion® Card guests in their reserved cardholder section.

The other stations can be found in the dining area and the main lounge seating area and offer guests a selection of coffee, express drinks, teas and other refreshments.

Centurion lounge access is among the simpler policies out there: you can get in if you hold the right American Express card.

In addition to those who hold the Centurion® Card from American Express or the American Express Corporate Platinum Card®, other AmEx cards that offer Centurion Lounge access, not surprisingly, carry steep annual fees. They include: