You pay hundreds of dollars a year for a card that gives you access to a lounge – then arrive at the airport to face a long line at the lounge door.
Many TPG students and staff have experienced this as the number of those gaining access to branded lounges has increased over the past few years.
Fortunately, American Express has good news: As View From the Wing first reported, Amex has launched its online waitlist feature at many Centurion Lounges in the US.
This broader reach comes after Amex tried it in select locations a few years ago. (Amex competitor Capital One rolled out this app feature to its lounges in February.)
While the feature doesn’t guarantee wait-free access, it’s a useful tool to have in your travel toolbox. Here’s how it works.
How to get into the Amex Centurion Lounge fast
Open the American Express app when you arrive at the airport or get off a connecting flight. You should do this when you have 10 minutes or less at rest.
Log in and choose a card that gives you access to the lounge — most likely Platinum Card® from American Express or Business Platinum Card® from American Express.
Then, click on the “Membership” tab at the bottom of the screen.
Scroll down to “Airport Lounge Access,” and your airport should automatically appear (if not, look for it in the upper right corner). Select “Centurion Lounge.”
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If the lounge is not full, you will click “Get Eligibility Code”; if it’s full, you’ll click “Join the Waiting List.”
Next, you will confirm entry requirements and additional guest information.
If the lounge is not full, you will receive a QR code at that time to be displayed at the door. It’s valid for 10 minutes and means you won’t have to show your Amex card.
If there is a waiting list, you can choose to receive a text message or email notification when it’s your turn to join. Unfortunately, this notification will not give you an estimate of the waiting time.
When it’s your turn, you have 10 minutes to enter with the provided QR code.
However, it remains to be seen if each lounge will have separate lines for those with a QR code to enter and those without.
TPG senior travel editor Lyndsey Matthews did the right thing by getting a QR code on her flight out of Charlotte Douglas International Airport (CLT) this week, but there was no way she was going to the front of the line to actually get into the lounge.
Hopefully, Amex will fix this issue soon, as it drops the value of this option if there is no “express” channel.
Bottom line
Overcrowding at resorts has become a major problem and a common complaint for travelers with premium credit cards. Issuers need to do a better job of managing capacity by providing live wait times, booking systems and clear channels.
Fortunately, this is a step in the right direction with Amex. However, the issuer needs to ensure that those who join the waiting list and are granted entry receive priority access over those who simply join the queue.
Related: 5 ways to make sure you have access to the lounge before your next flight
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