American Express is going big in Newark. The Centurion Lounge planned for Terminal A at Newark Liberty International Airport (EWR) will now cover more than 30,000 square feet across two floors, up from the 18,000 first announced, which would make it the largest in the network when it opens in 2027. It will also give Amex a lounge of its own at all three major New York-area airports, a first for a credit card issuer.
Newark headlines a four-airport plan the company announced October 8 and is calling its biggest Centurion expansion yet. A second London Heathrow (LHR) lounge is headed for Terminal 5, and the existing lounges in Philadelphia and Houston are both getting substantially larger.
One date matters right away for clients flying out of Philadelphia International Airport (PHL). The Centurion Lounge there closes for construction on October 16 and is not expected to be fully updated until the end of 2027. When it returns, it will have doubled to more than 12,000 square feet over two stories, with work by local artists on the walls.
“We can’t wait for Card Members to experience what’s next in Philadelphia, Houston and London. And in Newark, we’re expanding the new lounge from the 18,000 square feet originally announced to more than 30,000 square feet, making it the largest in our network and creating more space for Card Members to experience,” said Audrey Hendley, president of American Express Travel.
The news comes less than a month after Amex opened its first Centurion Lounge in continental Europe, a nearly 6,000-square-foot space at Amsterdam Airport Schiphol that became the 33rd in the network. The company’s pipeline at the time also included Boston Logan and a Sidecar by The Centurion Lounge concept at Charlotte Douglas. Rivals are building as well: Southwest Airlines said in September it is developing its first-ever lounges with Chase, with four locations targeted for late 2027.
In Newark, New Jersey sets the theme. There will be three bars, including one that riffs on the state’s diner culture and a Pine Barrens-inspired terrace bar serving gelato, Italian pastries, and Italian-leaning cocktails. A Blue Roast coffee and wellness bar will pour espresso from a local roaster alongside smoothies and avocado toast. The menu will feature dishes from James Beard Award winners Kwame Onwuachi, Mike Solomonov, Mashama Bailey, and Sarah Grueneberg.
At Houston’s George Bush Intercontinental Airport (IAH), the Terminal D lounge will nearly triple, growing from roughly 8,000 square feet to more than 23,000 by 2028. Additions include a plated dining area with rotating Gulf Coast-inspired dishes, a second full bar, shower suites, and a Blue Roast bar.
The Heathrow lounge, due in 2028, will measure more than 9,000 square feet and join the existing Centurion Lounge in Terminal 3. Its design takes cues from the River Thames, and plans call for a VIP area and dedicated workspaces.
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