American Express' Newest Centurion Lounge At this Washington D.C. Airport Is Perfect for Both Foodies and Business Travelers — See Inside

17.07.2024 - 18:49 / travelandleisure.com / James Beard / Michelle Bernstein / Audrey Hendley

Are airport lounges the next culinary frontier? If you are an American Express cardholder passing through Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport (DCA), the answer is a resounding yes. Today, the credit card issuer opens its 29th Centurion Lounge right outside the nation’s capital, and it comes with some serious foodie perks.

Located off the airport's South Security Checkpoint, the new sunlit space boasts 12,000 square feet of upscale amenities, including a shower suite, conference rooms, workstations, local artwork, floor-to-ceiling windows, and access to high-speed WiFi. 

However, the highlight is the food and beverage program, led by not one but three award-winning chefs, spanning Latin, Israeli, and Hawaiian cuisines, a first for any Centurion Lounge.

Courtesy of AmEx

«Food is an important part of any travel experience. It's also a very important part of our lounge experience,» Audrey Hendley, president of American Express Travel, said at a preview for the lounge.

The new space brings together a menu of curated dishes from Miami-based James Beard Award-winning chef Michelle Bernstein, James Beard-nominated chef Ravi Kapur of San Francisco, who showcases a blend of Hawaiian, Indian, and Chinese flavors, and five-time James Beard award winner Michael Solomonov, renowned for his Israeli-inspired cuisine at restaurants like Zahav in Philadelphia and New York City's Goldie, K'Far, and Laser Wolf. 

A rotating selection of dishes by all three chefs will ensure that even frequent travelers find something new to try each time they visit the lounge. Highlights include Chef Kapur's deliciously juicy tamari-honey glazed tofu and pineapple, Chef Bernstein's smoky Chimichurri grilled chicken, and Chef Solomov's tender Shabazi spiced salmon with pomegranate BBQ sauce.

«The experience for [American Express] card members in the lounge should just be that at a restaurant,» Solomonov told Travel+Leisure. «If you're a DCA three times this week, you should be able to come to the lounge and not have fatigue and not say, ‘Well, you know, I had that last time’ … We have Floridian-Caribbean food by Michelle Bernstein, you've got my food, and you've got Ravi from San Francisco—all in DC. What other platform would you have access to those things? It's like an international food hall.»

Food is presented buffet-style and also includes a variety of appetizers, salads, and decadent desserts that can be paired with an assortment of drinks, including cocktails curated by Centurion Lounge mixologist Jim Meehan. For this location, he has dreamed up several locally-inspired options, such as Haku Hanami, a martini with cherry blossom-infused vodka and brandied cherries,  and Ambrosia Spritz, a refreshing spritz featuring bitters and