Hidden Gems in the Global Lounge Collection: My 6 Favorite Spots With Amex Platinum

Over the past 10 years of travel, I’ve visited more than 100 airport lounges, including many in the Amex Global Lounge Collection. My experiences in these lounges have been mixed, but a handful have stood out as excellent airport lounges.

With The Platinum Card^® from American Express, I can enjoy these airport lounge access benefits. In addition, the complimentary rental car and hotel elite status and various statement credits (enrollment required for some benefits) make my travel experience smoother and help me save money.

The Global Lounge Collection includes over 1,400 lounges that span 140 countries. Today, I’ll dive deeper into my 6 favorite spots in the Amex Global Lounge Collection.

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The Platinum Card^® from American Express

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The Amex Platinum reigns supreme for luxury travel, offering the best airport lounge access plus generous statement credits, and complimentary elite status.

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The Platinum Card^® from American Express

The Amex Platinum reigns supreme for luxury travel, offering the best airport lounge access plus generous statement credits, and complimentary elite status.

Welcome Offer

Earn 80,000 Membership Rewards^® Points after you spend $8,000 on eligible purchases on the Card in your first 6 months of Card Membership.

80,000 points

UP's Offer Valuation*:

Up to $1,760

Annual Fee

$695

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Upgraded Points credit ranges are a variation of FICO^®Score 8, one of many types of credit scores lenders may use when considering your credit cardapplication.

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Why We Like This Card

When it comes to cards that offer top-notch benefits, you’d be hard-pressed to find a better card out there than The Platinum Card^® from American Express.

Make no mistake — the Amex Platinum card is a premium card with a premium price tag. With amazing benefits like best-in-class airport lounge access, hotel elite status, and tremendous value in annual statement credits, it can easily prove to be one of the most lucrative cards in your wallet year after year.

Pros & Cons

Pros

• The best airport lounge access out of any card (by far) — enjoy access to over 1,400 worldwide lounges, including the luxurious Amex Centurion Lounges, Priority Pass lounges (enrollment required), Plaza Premium Lounges, and many more!
• 5x points per dollar spent on flights purchased directly with the airline or with AmexTravel.com (up to $500,000 per year)
• 5x points per dollar spent on prepaid hotels booked with AmexTravel.com

Cons

• $695 annual fee (rates and fees)
• Airline credit does not cover airfare (only incidentals like checked bags)

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Card Highlights

• Earn 80,000 Membership Rewards^® Points after you spend $8,000 on eligible purchases on your new Card in your first 6 months of Card Membership.
• Earn 5X Membership Rewards^® Points for flights booked directly with airlines or with American Express Travel up to $500,000 on these purchases per calendar year and earn 5X Membership Rewards^® Points on prepaid hotels booked with American Express Travel.
• $200 Hotel Credit: Get up to $200 back in statement credits each year on prepaid Fine Hotels + Resorts^® or The Hotel Collection bookings through American Express Travel using your Platinum Card^®. The Hotel Collection requires a minimum two-night stay.
• $240 Digital Entertainment Credit: Get up to $20 back in statement credits each month on eligible purchases made with your Platinum Card^® on one or more of the following: Disney+, a Disney Bundle, ESPN+, Hulu, The New York Times, Peacock, and The Wall Street Journal. Enrollment required.
• With American Express Global Lounge Collection^® you can enjoy access to over 1,400 airport lounges globally, including The Centurion^® Lounge, Unlimited Delta Sky Club^® Access when flying an eligible Delta flight, Escape Lounges, Lufthansa Lounges when flying Lufthansa Group, Plaza Premium, Priority Pass™ Select Lounges, & Additional Global Lounge Collection Partner Lounges subject to visit limitations. Lounges may have their own rules, like additional access rules and guest fees, and for Priority Pass Select, you need to enroll and there are unlimited airport lounge visits for Card Members. With Delta Sky Club Access, Card Members will receive 10 Visits to the Delta Sky Club to be used from February 1 until January 31 of the next calendar year and can unlock Unlimited Delta Sky Club Access by spending $75,000 in eligible purchases on their Card in a calendar year. To find a lounge, visit the membership section in the American Express^® App or visit http://www.americanexpress.com/findalounge#/loungefinder.
• $155 Walmart+ Credit: Save on eligible delivery fees, shipping, and more with a Walmart+ membership. Use your Platinum Card^® to pay for a monthly Walmart+ membership and get up to $12.95 plus applicable taxes back on one membership (excluding Plus Ups) each month.
• $200 Airline Fee Credit: Select one qualifying airline and then receive up to $200 in statement credits per calendar year when incidental fees are charged by the airline to your Platinum Card^®.
• $200 Uber Cash: Platinum Card^® Members can ride or dine in style with $15 in Uber Cash each month, plus a bonus $20 in December after adding their Card to their Uber account. Use your Uber Cash on rides and orders in the U.S. when you select an Amex Card for your transaction.
• $199 CLEAR^® Plus Credit: CLEAR^® Plus helps to get you to your gate faster at 50+ airports nationwide and get up to $199 back per calendar year on your Membership (subject to auto-renewal) when you use your Card. CLEARLanes are available at 100+ airports, stadiums, and entertainment venues.
• Receive either a $120 statement credit every 4 years for a Global Entry application fee or a statement credit up to $85 every 4.5 years for a TSA PreCheck^® (through a TSA official enrollment provider) application fee, when charged to your Platinum Card^®. Card Members approved for Global Entry will also receive access to TSA PreCheck at no additional cost.
• Shop Saks with Platinum: Get up to $100 in statement credits annually for purchases in Saks Fifth Avenue stores or at saks.com on your Platinum Card^®. That's up to $50 in statement credits semi-annually. Enrollment required.
• Unlock access to exclusive reservations and special dining experiences with Global Dining Access by Resy when you add your Platinum Card^® to your Resy profile.
• $695 annual fee.
• Apply with confidence. Know if you're approved for a Card with no impact to your credit score. If you're approved and you choose to accept this Card, your credit score may be impacted.
• Terms Apply.

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• Foreign Transaction Fees: None

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1. Plaza Premium Lounge, Gate 1: Hong Kong (HKG)

I’ve been a big fan of the Plaza Premium Lounge network for years. I’ve visited a handful of its lounges in Canada, Europe, and Asia and have always had a great experience. But after 5 visits to one particular spot, my top pick remains the Plaza Premium Lounge at Hong Kong International Airport (HKG).

Plaza Premium actually operates 4 airport lounges in Hong Kong. You’ll find standard Plaza Premium lounges near Gate 1 (the only one I’ve visited), Gate 36, and Gate 60, plus a first-class lounge near Gate 1. The first-class lounge is reserved for first-class travelers and those accessing the lounge with elite airline alliance status.

You can only access the standard Plaza Premium lounge with the Amex Platinum card, not the first-class lounge. But don’t be disappointed: they’re remarkably similar. The standard Plaza Premium Lounge in Hong Kong has top-notch food, with dim sum, fish balls, and other Hong Kong-inspired bites. There’s also a fully stocked bar and (surprisingly good) espresso drinks.

The lounge’s seating is plentiful, and I’ve never had an issue finding a seat, even during pre-pandemic visits during peak business travel times. I’m a fan of its spacious design, which features dark wood and mood lighting and provides a relaxing place to wait for your next flight.

2. Amex Centurion Lounge: New York-JFK

I spend a lot of time in New York-JFK Terminal 4. This terminal is home to Delta Air Lines, Virgin Atlantic, Singapore Airlines, and other airlines I frequent, and it’s also home to JFK’s American Express Centurion Lounge. The lounge opened in late 2020 and has a modern vibe with stylish furnishings and a speakeasy on the lower level.

I’ve found food and drink to always be high quality at the JFK Centurion Lounge, too. There are often New York-inspired dishes and cocktails, but I’m partial to the local beer selection (which is plentiful). The speakeasy — dubbed “1850” — is a cool concept in the lounge’s lower level. There, you’ll find a rotating cocktail menu with signature and classic cocktails and a darker vibe than the rest of the lounge. I try to visit 1850 every time I go to the JFK Centurion Lounge, but it does fill up quickly.

This lounge is more important than ever for Delta frequent flyers, too. The Amex Platinum card (and other premium American Express cards) now limit Delta Sky Club access every year. With the Amex Platinum card, you get 10 Delta Sky Club visits annually from February 1 until January 31 of the next calendar year. You can only unlock unlimited visits by spending $75,000 in eligible purchases on your card in a calendar year. 

As such, Delta passengers flying from JFK may want to use this lounge instead of the Sky Club since Centurion Lounge access isn’t capped. I hope this doesn’t lead to more overcrowding, which already plagues this lounge during peak travel times, but only time will tell.

3. Delta Sky Club: Chicago O’Hare (ORD)

Speaking of Delta Sky Clubs, I absolutely love the location at Chicago O’Hare International Airport (ORD). This lounge opened in 2022 when Delta moved to ORD’s Terminal 5. At 22,000 square feet, it’s one of the largest Sky Clubs in Delta’s network, and it’s one of the few Sky Clubs I visit frequently where I’ve never had to wait for a seat.

I grew up right outside of Chicago and lived in the city for years, so naturally, I’m a big Chicago hot dog fan. Thus, my favorite part of this Sky Club is the hot dog cart at the back of the lounge. It serves authentic Chicago-style hot dogs, complete with Vienna Beef dogs and all the toppings you’d expect in a “dragged through the garden” Chicago hot dog. (And if hot dogs aren’t your thing, there’s a full buffet at the front of the lounge with more traditional Sky Club bites.)

But that’s not the only thing that makes this Sky Club unique. If your flight departs from Gate M11, you can board your flight inside the lounge. This gate tends to serve the ORD to LGA route, which I often fly to visit family and friends. I’d love to see this roll out to more Sky Clubs.

4. Delta Sky Club: New York (LGA)

Living in western Queens, New York LaGuardia Airport (LGA) is the most convenient airport for my travels. The airport was completely renovated between 2016 and 2022, and a brand new Delta Sky Club came with the renovation. It’s a significant upgrade from the previous LGA Sky Clubs and is my second favorite Sky Club next to the ORD location.

Unlike the older LGA Sky Clubs, this one has a lot of seating. While I’ve seen queues to get into the lounge during peak holiday travel, getting a seat is usually easy enough during regular travel times. The lounge always has substantial food and a nice selection of complimentary drinks, with premium options available for a cost.

My favorite part of the lounge is the Sky Deck. This is an outdoor space where you can relax, watch planes depart, and soak up the sun on a nice New York spring day. During the cooler months, it’s covered and heated.

5. Turkish Airlines Lounge: Washington-Dulles (IAD)

It’s rare to see an airline-branded lounge in the Priority Pass network. Still, there are a handful around the U.S. One that I particularly enjoyed visiting was the Turkish Airlines lounge at Washington-Dulles International Airport (IAD). The decor is a bit dated, but the food was particularly excellent the last time I visited, with various Turkish plates on order.

One perk of the lounge is its tarmac views, which span the entire back half of the lounge. This is my favorite part of the Turkish Lounge at IAD. After all, there’s something special about posting up with your favorite beverage and watching planes depart on a long connection.

The Turkish Lounge at IAD isn’t all good, though. It can get very crowded during peak travel times, and there are often not enough seats for everyone admitted to the lounge. If you’re going to visit this lounge, try to do so during off-peak travel times so you can get a seat near the window.

6. The Club SFO: San Francisco (SFO)

The Club SFO opened in the Harvey Milk terminal at San Francisco International Airport (SFO) last year. I have family and friends in the Bay Area, so I fly through the airport at least once per year. I had the chance to visit the lounge a couple of weeks ago on my way back from Asia and was impressed by both its aesthetics and the bar.

Aesthetically, The Club SFO takes inspiration from the region’s redwood trees by putting wood on the ceiling, the walls, and just about everywhere. This makes the lounge feel somewhat like a log cabin, but it’s cozy and feels more like an upscale Bay Area home than an airport lounge. There’s even a faux fireplace at the front of the lounge for added coziness.

There’s plenty of seating and power outlets throughout the lounge; my wife and I didn’t have an issue finding seats during peak Sunday travel times.

Another highlight is the bar. It’s stocked with Northern California-sourced craft beer and wine and has a locally inspired cocktail menu. There’s plenty of food on offer, with a nice mixture of American and Asian fare. Everything we sampled was delicious, and I’m looking forward to my next visit.

Final Thoughts

American Express’ Global Lounge Collection has lounges around the world, but the quality of lounges varies. I’ve found that this is especially prevalent among Priority Pass lounges. That said, there are a handful of excellent lounges in the network, both in the U.S. and abroad.