Amex’s newest Centurion Lounge is now open in Salt Lake Metropolis

American Categorical is bringing its airport lounge empire to one more airport.

On Tuesday, the issuer formally opened its long-awaited outpost at Salt Lake Metropolis Worldwide Airport (SLC).

The excellent news is that this newest addition is sure to be a success with vacationers. It introduces two standout options — a year-round terrace and an on-site barista — and marks SLC’s first credit score card-branded lounge.

Journey perks: 9 home lounges which might be price going out of your manner for

Spanning practically 18,000 sq. toes, the house can accommodate as much as about 350 friends. After all, given the sheer variety of eligible cardmembers (particularly in a key Delta Air Strains hub like Salt Lake Metropolis), demand will doubtless outstrip the provision of accessible seats.

Nonetheless, even in the event you’re on the waitlist, this new lounge might be definitely worth the wait (or the stroll — simply wait till you see the place it is positioned).

Right here’s why.

Amex Centurion Lounge SLC location

The brand new Amex Centurion Lounge in Salt Lake Metropolis is close to Gate B31.

This gate space simply opened Tuesday in tandem with the lounge opening, and it represents one of many key milestones of SLC’s redevelopment program.

Whereas overcrowding appears to be a common problem throughout most airport lounges, this outpost’s location might preserve the waitlist fairly brief.

That is as a result of most Delta flights function from Concourse A, and eligible Delta vacationers will doubtless desire to entry one of many two top-notch Sky Golf equipment at SLC which might be far nearer to Delta gates.

The airways utilizing SLC as an outstation all function from Concourse B, so in the event you’re flying with American Airways, Southwest Airways or United Airways, you can rapidly pop by the brand new Centurion Lounge.

All gates at SLC are related airside, so irrespective of which airline you are flying, you may technically go to the outpost. However given how a lot the locals prefer to groan in regards to the 1,580-foot stroll between the 2 piers, many could also be discouraged from making the trek.

Amex Centurion Lounge SLC entry

The brand new lounge opens day by day at 4:45 a.m. It closes on daily basis at 11:15 p.m.

American Categorical cardmembers with a Centurion- or Platinum-branded card, such because the American Categorical Platinum Card® or The Enterprise Platinum Card® from American Categorical, have entry to Amex Centurion Lounges.

Delta SkyMiles® Reserve American Categorical Card and Delta SkyMiles® Reserve Enterprise American Categorical Card members additionally get complimentary entry to Centurion Lounges when flying on a same-day Delta-marketed or -operated flight.

You’ll be able to’t buy Centurion Lounge entry even in the event you carry one other American Categorical card.

As a reminder, Centurion Lounge visitor insurance policies modified to clamp down on overcrowding.

Platinum Card members can’t convey complimentary friends into the lounge except they meet a $75,000 annual spending requirement on their playing cards. In any other case, you will pay $50 per grownup visitor and $30 per baby (ages 2 to 17). Kids beneath 2 can enter at no cost. These with The Centurion Card from American Categorical or The American Categorical Company Platinum Card can proceed to convey as much as two complimentary friends into the lounge.

The knowledge for the Centurion Card and the Company Platinum Card has been collected independently by The Factors Man. The cardboard particulars on this web page haven’t been reviewed or supplied by the cardboard issuer.

For extra about accessing the Centurion Lounge community, you should definitely try our complete information.

Amex Centurion Lounge SLC format

This outpost options one in every of Amex’s most spectacular designs and layouts but.

As a substitute of going large and boxy, Amex selected small, intimate areas unfold round a virtually 18,000-square-foot footprint.

You enter the lounge on the departures degree and must take both an elevator or the steps as much as the higher degree, the place you will discover the lounge itself.

Lining the doorway are floor-to-ceiling home windows that drench the house with gentle, and there is a beautiful fixture hanging from the ceiling that is presupposed to resemble the salt flats across the Salt Lake Metropolis area.

After coming into the house, you will go by the signature watchdog portrait — a staple in each Centurion Lounge — however this one is Salt Lake Metropolis-themed, with snow-covered mountains within the background.

The principle lounge seating space is simply previous the doorway. You will discover a hearth within the middle, in addition to a wide range of seating across the perimeter of this room.

As you proceed into the lounge, you will discover a hallway connecting you to the remainder of the house. Flip left, and you will find the Blue Roast barista and eating room.

Flip proper, and you will be on the principal bar.

Both path takes you to fantastically appointed areas. The eating room feels fairly homey, whereas the bar feels elegant and understated.

This house is way from the cookie-cutter, copy-and-paste design that Amex adopted when it first opened Centurion Lounges greater than a decade in the past.

The design, accented by domestically impressed art work and murals, feels prefer it was purpose-built for Salt Lake Metropolis.

I additionally love what number of personal nooks you will discover all through the lounge. It is clear that Amex determined to place seating wherever it might.

Let’s simply hope that helps alleviate overcrowding.

Amex Centurion Lounge SLC eating

The Centurion Lounge eating expertise may not be as intensive as that at a Capital One or Chase lounge, however this location does attempt to elevate the sport.

For one, you will discover a totally stocked buffet within the eating room. Anticipate many lounge staples, like salads, soups and crudites with dips, in addition to some signature dishes in partnership with the issuer’s new Culinary Collective, a set of award-winning cooks from eating places which might be in Amex’s Resy eating community.

The Salt Lake Metropolis outpost has Italian dishes impressed by Sarah Grueneberg, chef at Monteverde Restaurant & Pastificio in Chicago.

In the meantime, the bartenders are whipping up cocktails impressed by New York Metropolis’s famed Overstory bar, in addition to serving a choice of signature wines and tried-and-true favorites.

You will additionally discover two nonalcoholic beverage stations within the lounge — one close to the fireside and one other by the buffet.

I really like the design of the fountain soda machine (it feels way more premium than a Coca-Cola Freestyle machine), and the Eversys espresso machines can whip up your favourite morning pick-me-up.

Should you’re in search of an much more specialised espresso expertise, you should definitely cease by Blue Roast from American Categorical, the place the issuer’s on-site barista can put together specialty espresso drinks for you. Amex teamed up with a preferred native espresso store, Millcreek Espresso Roasters, for the caffeinated drinks on this house.

Blue Roast additionally gives a choice of health-forward gentle bites, like apple-infused in a single day oats and smoothies.

Lastly, there’s one more bar on this lounge, and it is on the year-round out of doors terrace. Extra on that under.

Amex Centurion Lounge SLC facilities

When Amex started constructing out its community of Centurion Lounges, it targeted on including distinctive facilities, like stretching areas branded by Equinox or therapeutic massage rooms in partnership with Exhale Spa.

Now, nonetheless, the issuer appears to have realized that crucial factor it might probably do is add extra seating — and that is the technique it has adopted in Salt Lake Metropolis.

The excellent news is that it does not come on the expense of what’ll undoubtedly be a preferred amenity: the year-round out of doors terrace.

In actual fact, that is the second out of doors terrace on the airport, becoming a member of the prevailing one on the Sky Membership in Concourse A. Each have phenomenal views of the planes and the Wasatch mountains within the background.

The terrace has loads of seating, in addition to a fire and powerful heating lamps mounted from the ceiling to maintain you heat all through the winter.

Along with the terrace, you will discover a small multipurpose room that presently options three reclining chairs with therapeutic massage boots. Amex thought this could be a preferred amenity for these heading dwelling from ski journeys and mountain climbing expeditions, although with solely three chairs, I might envision that this may get fairly crowded. (This room was designed to doubtlessly be transformed down the road into extra seating if wanted.)

There are two different hybrid cellphone rooms and multipurpose areas within the lounge, and each are positive to be common with enterprise vacationers and households.

The lounge additionally has a devoted house for these with the invitation-only Centurion card, and this house even has a non-public restroom positioned throughout from it for comfort.

There’s one bathe within the lounge that includes L’Occitane merchandise, and there’s one set of gender-specific restrooms between the bar and the eating room.

As all the time, the fundamentals are coated.

There are many AC shops and USB-A and USB-C ports all through the house, and quick and free Wi-Fi protection is out there all through.

Backside line

The brand new Amex Centurion Lounge in Salt Lake Metropolis is a welcome addition to the airport that hasn’t but had an issuer-branded lounge.

With a spacious format, an inviting year-round terrace and facilities that mix consolation with native aptitude, there’s tons to like.

It is no shock to see Amex eager to put money into Salt Lake Metropolis both, given its deep historical past within the area. (The American Categorical Nationwide Financial institution headquarters are in close by Sandy, Utah.)

Whether or not you’re connecting by way of SLC on Delta or flying one other provider, this outpost is poised to grow to be a must-visit spot for cardmembers trying to unwind earlier than takeoff.

And if there is a lengthy line to enter, do not fret: The new terminal itself remains to be an attractive place to loosen up, too.

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