American Express Lounge at El Dorado International Airport in Bogotá [Review]

I’ve been to huge lounges, and I’ve been to small lounges. And now I’ve been to a lounge that likely holds a world record for the smallest lounge.

The American Express Lounge at Bogotá’s El Dorado International Airport (BOG) caught my eye while I was looking for a lounge to visit, having exhausted the 3-hour visit maximum at the Avianca Lounge Bogotá during a multi-hour layover.

As you might expect from its extremely small size, the offerings were nothing special. This lounge is offered by American Express but is not part of the Centurion Lounge network. And it definitely doesn’t offer what you might see at other lounges that are part of the American Express Global Lounge Collection.

But I got a bite to eat and complimentary drinks, and I didn’t have to hunt for seating near my crowded departure gate. Let’s look at what you’ll find if you visit this lounge.

Location

The American Express Lounge is in Terminal 1, near gate 45 in the international departures area. You’ll find it on the same side of the hallway as the boarding gates, opposite the shops and bathrooms lining the other side of the main hallway.

The location makes it convenient if you’re departing from nearby gates. However, it could be far from other gates, and it’s not worth going out of your way to visit this lounge if your gate is far away.

Gaining Access

You can access this lounge if you have a Platinum or Centurion card from American Express. That includes personal cards — such as The Platinum Card^® from American Express — and business cards such as The Business Platinum Card^® from American Express.

BEST LOUNGE ACCESS

Terms Apply / Rates & Fees

The Platinum Card^® from American Express

U.P. Rating 

The rating for this card has been determined by our own industry experts who know the in's and out's of credit card products. Bonuses, rewards as well as rates and fees are all taken into account. Compensation from the issuer does not affect our rating. We only recommend products we either use ourselves or endorse.

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

Apply Now(at Amex's secure site)

Apply With Confidence

Know if you're approved with no credit score impact

If you're approved and accept this Card, your credit score may be impacted.

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 Bonus Valuation*:

$1,760

Annual Fee

$695

APR

See Pay Over Time APR

Credit Recommended

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.

Good to Excellent (670-850)

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, 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)

Read Full Review

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.
• The American Express Global Lounge Collection^® can provide an escape at the airport. With complimentary access to more than 1,400 airport lounges across 140 countries and counting, you have more airport lounge options than any other credit card issuer on the market. As of 03/2023.
• $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 get out and about and explore their local area with $15 in Uber Cash for US rides each month, plus a bonus $20 in December. That can be up to $200 in annual Uber savings. Simply download the Uber app and add your Platinum Card^® to your Uber account to get started. Available to Basic Card Member only. Effective 11/8/2024, an Amex Card must be selected as the payment method for your Uber or Uber Eats transaction to redeem the Amex Uber Cash benefit.
• $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.

Financial Snapshot

• APR: See Pay Over Time APR
• Foreign Transaction Fees: None

Rewards Center

American Express Membership Rewards

Staff at the check-in desk had a binder with pictures of Platinum and Centurion cards from multiple countries. They asked which country my card was from and flipped to the “USA” section of the binder. There, they checked that my card matched the photos of eligible cards for entry. I also had to show my boarding pass for an upcoming flight.

Hours of Operation

During my visit in early August 2023, the lounge was operating from 5 a.m. to 10 p.m. daily. If you have a late-night flight, this lounge might not be available, so it’s worth verifying before heading toward gate 45 for a visit.

First Impressions

“This is it?” It’s impossible that anyone could have any other first impression.

This lounge redefines “small.” Even the traditional green wall at the check-in desk was greatly scaled down. I enjoyed my visit, but let’s not pretend this lounge isn’t tiny.

Beyond my shock at the size, my shock extended to the fact I simply stumbled on this lounge while heading to my gate and looking for another lounge. Why hadn’t I known there was an American Express Lounge at BOG? That’s because it didn’t appear on page 1 of the lounge finder within the Amex mobile app.

Thus, you’ll be forgiven for not noticing it in the next-to-last position on page 2 of lounge results — only listed above its twin in the domestic departures area.

I noticed another thing immediately: the open layout. The lounge only had half walls, and I regularly noticed people craning their necks to figure out what I was doing or wondering what this weird waiting space was near the gates. If you’re self-conscious about things like this, get a seat that faces away from people and toward the wall.

Seating

There were 2 types of seats, all to the left of the check-in desk. A handful of tables with 2 chairs each provided a cafeteria-style option. This was the majority of the lounge’s seating that could accommodate roughly 15 people.

Along the back wall, booth-style seating could fit 4 people. The wooden armrest in the middle of this bench also had outlets for charging my electronics.

Food and Beverage

Food

The lounge offered finger sandwiches and miniature desserts during my visit. Nothing was self-serve. Instead, I indicated what I wanted, and an employee brought it to my seat.

Offerings included ham and cheese sandwiches, pigs in a blanket, sliders, miniature quiche, and pão de queijo (traditional Brazilian cheese bread). You could get baklava, cupcakes, muffins, and several types of sweet bread for desserts.

When I asked for a poppy seed roll, the friendly employee heated it in the oven before bringing it to my seat. She did the same when I asked for another later. Toasting items before serving them elevated the experience, rather than providing lukewarm sandwiches to visitors.

Beverages

The lounge had bottled water, Pepsi products, apple juice, and iced tea in a pair of mini fridges under the food bar. It was also possible to order alcohol, and I saw beer, wine, and whiskey available.

Amenities

It will come as no surprise that there weren’t many amenities available at the American Express Lounge in Bogotá.

Wi-Fi

The lounge had a private Wi-Fi network, separate from the public network in the terminal. I struggled to reliably use the internet connection and couldn’t get a speed test to run. Websites kept timing out.

However, the network became stable and usable once I connected to a VPN. Speeds weren’t great, though: just 7.6 Mbps download speeds and 4.4 Mbps for uploads.

No Bathrooms

There weren’t bathrooms within this space. If you need a toilet, head to the public toilets across the hall. Going out and coming back in wasn’t a problem here.

Service

There were 2 employees working during my visit, and I got the impression I was the first visitor for several hours. Thus, they had nothing else to do and were happy to chat with me about the lounge. We discussed its opening in October of 2022, after being in a previous location with fewer amenities, its stark differences from typical Amex lounges, and the fact they turn away most people who come up to the desk. They usually encounter curious people with questions or those thinking they can pay to enter.

The food and drink service was friendly. At most lounges, I’m used to serving myself from a buffet. Here, the employees insisted on serving me after I indicated what I wanted to eat and drink. And they did so with friendly smiles at all times.

I also liked their recycling and compost bins near the buffet station. There was ample space for wheelchair seating, allocated on the right side of the lounge (the side opposite all the chairs) to provide accessibility for all guests.

Being the only guest in such a small space, I could have as much or as little of the employees’ attention as I wanted. They did a great job of chatting when I wanted to and not hovering when I was happy to occupy myself with other things.

The situation and the environment definitely lent themselves to several jokes, both on my part and from staff, about getting lost in the lounge and ironically struggling to find a seat on arrival due to imaginary crowds. I really liked the staff here. Full marks in the service category.

Final Thoughts

It’s not worth extra effort to seek out the American Express Lounge at the Bogotá airport. However, if it’s near your gate, it can provide comfortable seating, complimentary internet access, and food and drinks. And you can find a friendly conversation with great employees.

However, if we consider this space against an average airport lounge, it definitely doesn’t measure up. It lacked things like a quiet space away from boarding announcements (one of my favorite features of an airport lounge, if I’m being honest), and it lacked dedicated spaces for luggage storage, sleeping, or a children’s playroom. The size constraint meant the lounge simply couldn’t offer much beyond smiles, drinks, and mini-size foods. Consider it a great place to wait for your flight if you don’t want to stray from the gate. But if you’re looking for a typical lounge experience or more robust dining, you should head elsewhere.