Star Chefs, Local Art, Cherry Blossom Cocktails: Meet D.C.’s New AmEx Lounge

17.07.2024 - 23:30 / afar.com / Michelle Bernstein / Audrey Hendley

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American Express this week inaugurated its 29th Centurion Lounge, situated within Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport (DCA). This impressive new location spans nearly 12,000 square feet, offering travelers ample space to eat, drink, work, relax, and explore. Its contemporary design aligns with other recent Centurion Lounges, such as the one in Atlanta, and rivals the innovative spaces created by Capital One and Chase, which are also enhancing airport experiences for today’s credit card loyalists.

The Centurion Lounge at DCA is now open Sunday through Friday from 5 a.m. to 9 p.m. ET and on Saturdays from 5 a.m. to 7 p.m. ET. It is in a repurposed outdoor seating area off the main departure hall in Terminal 2 near the B Gates (which serve Delta flights). After a four-year transformation, the space gleams like a jewel box, with glass walls offering views of the terminal, the Potomac River, and the airfield. The lounge features a variety of seating areas designed primarily for solo travelers seeking privacy. It includes a spacious dining area with bar seating, as well as numerous stylish nooks for working, with artisan cocktails in hand. Exceptional food is a hallmark of the DCA lounge, with celebrity chefs from other Centurion locations—chef Michelle Bernstein from Miami, chef Ravi Kapur from San Francisco, and chef Michael Solomonov from Philadelphia—curating a sumptuous buffet menu.

Terminal 2 passengers can access the lounge from Gates B, C, D, and E, serving airlines such as American, Alaska, Delta, JetBlue, and United. However, passengers departing from Terminal 1, Gate A, which services Air Canada, Frontier, and Southwest, do not have access.

This week I had the opportunity to preview AmEx’s latest lounge, I’m already planning to arrive early for my next flight from DCA to spend some extra time here. Here’s what you need to know about the new Centurion Lounge at DCA, including how to gain entry.

“We all travel for food nowadays, so it was very important for us to bring a strong food component to our newest lounge,” says Audrey Hendley, president of American Express Travel. Different from other Centurion Lounges, which