American Express is making big moves south of the border.
The issuer announced on Wednesday that it will open its fourth Centurion Lounge at Mexico City International Airport (MEX) on Aug. 1.
The new lounge will be located in the domestic side of the airport's Terminal 1, which is home to Mexican carriers Volaris and Viva Aerobus.
The space will measure 8,400 square feet and offer a slew of the standard Centurion Lounge amenities, including private phone booths, a range of comfortable seating areas, a full bar and complimentary Wi-Fi.
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This lounge will also offer shoe-cleaning services — one of the more unique amenities we've seen from the Centurion Lounge network.
The lounge's menu will be curated by chef Jonatan Gómez Luna, who was recently awarded with a Michelin star for his restaurant Le Chique in Cancun.
Additionally, later this year, Luna will become the exclusive chef partner for Amex's Centurion Lounges across Mexico, which span three additional lounges in Mexico City and two in Monterrey.
"We see incredible demand for the Centurion Lounges in Mexico City, with the majority of our eligible Card Members in Mexico having visited at least one of the lounges during their travels. The opening of our fourth Centurion Lounge in Mexico City is an important milestone as we continue to grow the global footprint of our Centurion Lounge Network and provide Card Members with a premium experience to start their trip," said Audrey Hendley, president of American Express Travel, in a statement.
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Many of Amex's international lounge locations weren't originally branded as Centurion Lounges, but in 2021, the issuer decided to fold its entire proprietary lounge network into the Centurion Lounge brand.
As part of this announcement, Amex renovated many of the international spaces that weren't up to the latest standards, and its newest openings worldwide feature all of the signature Centurion Lounge design elements and amenities.
Amex already operates three Centurion Lounges in Mexico City. There are two in Terminal 1 — one on the domestic side and another on the international side. There's also a Centurion Lounge in Terminal 2.
With this fourth lounge at MEX and the issuer's second in the Terminal 1 domestic area, this move will help alleviate some overcrowding.
This news likely to be viewed as a welcome boost by Amex's premium card members. The issuer continues to invest in building a top-notch lounge network. Just last week, Amex opened the doors to the long-awaited Centurion Lounge at Washington, D.C.'s Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport (DCA).
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The issuer also plans to open an outpost in the new Terminal A at Newark Liberty International Airport (EWR). That location is expected to open in 2026.
There are no other confirmed Amex lounge openings on the horizon, but be sure to follow TPG for more updates on the Centurion Lounge network.
How to access the Amex Centurion Lounge network
American Express card members with a Centurion or Platinum-branded card such as The Platinum Card® from American Express or The Business Platinum Card® from American Express have access to Amex Centurion Lounges.
Delta SkyMiles® Reserve American Express Card and Delta SkyMiles® Reserve Business American Express Card members also get complimentary access to Centurion Lounges when flying on a same-day Delta Air Lines-marketed or -operated flight.
You can't purchase Centurion Lounge access even if you carry another American Express card.
Note that Centurion Lounge guest policies changed last year to clamp down on overcrowding.
Platinum Card members cannot bring complimentary guests into the lounge unless they meet a new $75,000 annual spending requirement on their cards. Otherwise, you'll pay $50 per adult guest and $30 per child (ages 2-17). Children under 2 can enter for free. Centurion and Corporate Platinum card members can continue to bring up to two complimentary guests into the lounge.
The information for the Centurion and Corporate Platinum credit card has been collected independently by The Points Guy. The card details on this page have not been reviewed or provided by the card issuer.
For more about accessing the Centurion Lounge network, be sure to check out our comprehensive guide.
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Editorial disclaimer: Opinions expressed here are the author’s alone, not those of any bank, credit card issuer, airline or hotel chain, and have not been reviewed, approved or otherwise endorsed by any of these entities.