There’s great news for Amex cardholders traveling through the New York City region: the issuer will soon have a Centurion Lounge at all three major airports in the region.
Although American Express already operates Centurion Lounge outposts at New York’s LaGuardia and JFK airports, Newark currently lacks one.
Fortunately, that will change sometime in 2026. On Tuesday, the publisher formally unveiled plans to open a lounge in the airport’s brand new Terminal A. The new lounge will span 17,000 square feet and feature a host of amenities, including several firsts for the Centurion Lounge network.
These exclusive Newark amenities include a 1,300-square-foot covered terrace overlooking the airport with views of the Manhattan skyline, as well as a cocktail bar and piano lounge celebrating New Jersey’s jazz history with live music.
There will even be a so-called archival collection, which Amex describes as a quiet respite with artifacts and antiques that celebrate New Jersey culture and history.
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As you would expect, the new Centurion Lounge will also be equipped with the standard Amex amenities, including a locally inspired menu, a variety of comfortable seating options, private work stations, free high-speed Wi-Fi, shower suites and spacious restrooms.
Longtime readers shouldn’t necessarily be surprised by Amex’s latest announcement.
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That’s because the publisher nearly two years ago secured a 15-year lease on this new space from the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey, which oversees the region’s airports.
Amex will lease the entire expansion area for a 15-year term, with one five-year renewal option, for a total of $121.5 million, which amounts to more than $8 million per year. The issuer will also invest approximately $100 million in the construction of the expansion area.
The Port Authority and the terminal operator in Newark received two proposals for the new lounge and both parties decided to move forward with Amex’s offer. (The other interested party was not disclosed in the resolution or at the board meeting.)
The Centurion Lounge will be located in the airport’s brand new Terminal A, which opened earlier this year. The Amex location will be on the top floor of a three-story, 50,000-square-foot expansion building adjacent to the new terminal. The Port Authority proposed the expansion on the north or south side of the new terminal.
As part of the agreement, Amex will sublease the first and second floors of the new construction extension back to the Port Authority for possible subletting to concessionaires and other interested parties. It is notable that the Port Authority will not make any capital investments in connection with the proposed lease agreement.
When the lease was approved in 2021, the Port Authority said the Amex lounge should open in 2023. Perhaps the Port Authority was too optimistic because Amex’s opening timeline of 2026 is three years after the originally shared year.
The Amex Centurion Lounge will be the only lounge in Newark to be branded by a credit card company – a key differentiator for the issuer compared to Capital One and Chase.
Newark Terminal A is home to three airline lounges: an American Airlines Admirals Club, a Delta Sky Club and a United Club.
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