The credit-card company is planning to open a new Centurion Lounge in 2026 outfitted with a terrace overlooking the Manhattan skyline, a cocktail bar and individual workspaces, according to releases published Tuesday by American Express and the Port Authority of New York & New Jersey.
Airport lounges have grown increasingly popular with credit-card companies competing to showcase the flashiest space with the most luxurious amenities. Capital One Financial Corp. opened up a new lounge at Dulles International Airport just outside of Washington DC this month and JPMorgan Chase & Co. is expected to open at least seven US airport lounges before the end of the year.
The company typically taps local, award-winning chefs for the food offerings in its proprietary lounges, which are usually filled with the company’s custom scent that’s a mix of bergamot, pink peppercorn, lavender, vetiver and leather. Amex in recent years has sent out mailers with scratch-and-sniff sections that offer recipients a whiff of the scent to lure them into applying for the Platinum card.
For the Port Authority, the bi-state agency that operates the New York-area airports, the lounge is another step in modernizing its facilities. The agency is in the midst of a $30 billion renovation to transform the major metro-area travel hubs. Earlier this year, Newark opened the $2.7 billion Terminal A, New Jersey’s largest design-build project that is expected to generate $4.6 billion in regional economic activity.