The ATL airport Centurion lounge is one of the newest in the American Express portfolio having officially opened its doors on February 14th, 20224. It’s located in Concourse E near Gate E11, the lounge is accessible to all travelers post-security, regardless of your departure terminal, and is open daily from 6 AM to 11 PM. As of this writing, the ATL Centurion is the largest in the Centurion network at 26,000 sq. ft. So I was pretty excited to check it out.
WHO GETS IN?
- Holders of The Platinum Card® from American Express
- The Business Platinum Card® from American Express
- Centurion® (Black Card) Card members
- Delta SkyMiles® Reserve Cardholders (when flying Delta and ticket purchased with the card)
Remember, access is granted within three hours of your departure time, unless you’re connecting between flights.
I’ve been a Platinum Card holder for about three years, and while I’ve been in several private airport lounges prior to obtaining my Platinum Card, I had never been in a Centurion lounge prior to last year when I was in the Centurion Lounge at the Miami airport. That experience was something of a let down. Lines to get into Centurion lounges are legendary at this point. And I did indeed wait in line for about 20 minutes trying to gain entry into the Miami Centurion. Once inside the lounge was comfortable enough space to spend some time, but the buffet style food wasn’t anything to write home about. Though they did come by with some pineapple ice cream that was amazing. I lucked out and was able to walk right into the ATL Centurion Lounge. But after staying a couple of hours, I noticed the line to get into the lounge as I was leaving:
A STEP ABOVE
At a minimum, I want a private lounge to have space for me to sit down, eat, work, and charge my devices. Good food and clean bathrooms are a must. Ideally, it’s not so crowded that I have a difficult time finding a seat and feel uncomfortable – I think the crowded conditions were a big reason why I wasn’t blown away by the Miami Centurion lounge. The Atlanta lounge is however a big step up – in addition to the sprawling 26,000 sq. ft. of space, the ATL Centurion offers the following features:
THE RESERVE WHISKEY BAR
Exclusive to Atlanta, The Reserve offers over 40 complimentary American whiskeys and craft cocktails, curated by renowned mixologist Jim Meehan. It’s a haven for whiskey enthusiasts. I personally don’t drink, but obviously this unique feature will be greatly appreciated by many.
OUTDOOR TERRACES
Three terraces provide fresh air and views, a rarity in airport lounges. Equipped with heaters and fans, they’re designed for year-round enjoyment. This was probably my favorite feature of the ATL Centurion lounge as relaxing on this outdoor terrace was not only a respite from typical airport hassles, but also helped put me in the “vacation” mind set.
ARTISTIC AMBIANCE
The lounge features a 50-year-old olive tree, a 60-foot mural, and a custom light sculpture, all reflecting Atlanta’s “city in the forest” vibe. I wasn’t able to find a proper table at which to sit, but I did locate seating at this counter was put me directly under the olive tree. It was a seat with a plug, so I set up my essential devices for charging. It was a nice view, but not the most comfortable place to sit.
CULINARY OFFERINGS
Atlanta based Chef Deborah VanTrece brings Southern (soul food) flair with dishes like black-eyed pea biryani and za’atar grilled chicken thighs. Vegan and gluten-free options are also available.
I tried the chicken curry with jasmine rice along with two different rolls (the whole grain one was much better) and a brownie. You have to give American Express some points for trying to level up the lounge dining experience, but at the end of the day, it’s still a buffet. A buffet only gets so good, and as fancy as AmEx tries to make it… it’s still just a buffet. There’s also the struggle to get something to drink. If you want anything to drink (even just a Coke Zero which is what I wanted) you have to go to the bar:
Unfortunately, with as crowded as these lounges get, you’ll almost certainly have to wait in line to place your drink order:
AMENITIES
The ATL Centurion Lounge offers three all-gender shower suites stocked with L’Occitane products, ensuring you feel refreshed before your flight. Not something I took advantage of, but I know many do appreciate shower facilities in the lounge.
TECH FRIENDLY WORK SPACES
With high-speed Wi-Fi, USB-A and -C outlets at nearly every seat, and private phone booths, it’s ideal for both relaxation and productivity…when you can find an open seat.
OVERALL IMPRESSIONS
The ATL Centurion Lounge felt very new and contemporary, and had some amazing features not found in other lounges. That said, the food was only OK at best, and this lounge suffers from the overcrowding that’s become such an issue at other Centurion and non-Centurion airport lounges alike. All the incredible design and luxury features of this lounge starts feeling like lipstick on a pig if I can’t get food that’s also a step above, find a comfortable place to sit, and quickly grab some Coke Zero without getting in yet another line. The ATL Centurion Lounge was certainly more impressive that the Centurion Lounge I visited last year in Miami, but I still walked away a bit disappointed to be honest. So after spending a couple of hours relaxing, I decided to “lounge hop” over to ATL Terminal F and the Delta Sky Club lounge located there. You can read my review by clicking here.
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