The Los Angeles (LAX) American Express Centurion Lounge – Location, Hours, Amenities, and More

Key Takeaways

• The Amex Centurion Lounge at LAX offers a luxurious pre-flight experience with gourmet dining, cocktails, workspaces, and shower facilities.
• Some unique seating areas are inside the lounge, including a sunrise and moonrise room with themed lighting.
• Access is available to eligible American Express cardholders such as Platinum and Centurion, with guest allowances depending on the card type and capacity restrictions.

One of the newest lounges to the American Express portfolio is the Centurion Lounge at Los Angeles International Airport. With LAX being one of the busiest airports in the U.S., it’s no surprise this metropolis has Amex’s top-tier lounge.

This lounge originally opened shortly before the onset of COVID-19 and closed mid-way through the pandemic for extensive further maintenance renovations. It has recently reopened in a permanent status and welcomes eligible travelers to its home in the Tom Bradley International Terminal.

Let’s go over what is inside this lounge and all the specifics regarding hours and location.

Location of the Amex Centurion Lounge at LAX

The Centurion Lounge at LAX is located in the Tom Bradley International Terminal (abbreviated TBIT), which is home to most of the international airlines at LAX, as well as many domestic flights. This terminal is the largest terminal at LAX and actually spans 2 large piers, one accessible via a walkway from the main building by about a 15-minute walk.

The lounge is located immediately past the TSA checkpoint, and before you enter the main atrium of the terminal. As soon as you go through security, look to the left where you’ll see the American Express Centurion Lounge branding, and an elevator that will take you to the lounge space. If you’ve walked into the terminal and see the shops, restaurants, and gates, you’ve gone too far.

TBIT is walkable from most terminals at LAX, though you’ll want to leave plenty of time to get from the lounge to your gate, as walks can be as long as 20 to 25 minutes.

Aside from flying out of TBIT itself, Terminals 4 to 6 have the easiest access. JetBlue, Alaska Airlines, American Airlines, and Air Canada fly out of these piers. A further walk down from Terminal 6 and you’ll find a walkway to Terminals 7 and 8 where United is located, though this is quite a far walk from the lounge.

Terminals 2 and 3 have access to TBIT via an airside bus, but like Terminals 7 and 8, you’ll want to leave a lot more time to get from the lounge to your gate. You’ll need to ensure you follow the bus schedule between the piers, and this bus drops off and picks up at gate 146.

Keep in mind that TBIT doesn’t just serve international flights but also domestic ones as well. It’s not unusual to see an American Airlines or Delta Air Lines wide-body plane here for a transcontinental flight — or one to Hawaii.

Guest and Check-In Requirements

In order to access the Centurion Lounge at LAX you must hold an eligible premium American Express card:

• Centurion^® Card from American Express
• The Business Platinum Card^® from American Express
• Delta SkyMiles^® Reserve American Express Card (when you book a Delta flight with your Delta Reserve card)
• Delta SkyMiles^® Reserve Business American Express Card (when you book a Delta flight with your Delta Reserve Business card)
• The Platinum Card^® from American Express

Hot Tip: Check to see if you’re eligible for a welcome bonus offer of up to 125k (or 150k) points with the Amex Platinum card. The current public offer is 80,000 points. (This targeted offer was independently researched and may not be available to all applicants.)

Along with your eligible American Express card, you’ll also be asked for your same-day boarding pass and a corresponding picture ID.

To access the lounge, you’ll need to meet several rules:

• Access is limited to within 3 hours of departure of your flight, so you will not be allowed to enter prior to this time.
• If you’re connecting in LAX and have an onward flight connection, you can use the lounge for the entirety of your connection time.
• If you’re arriving in LAX and this is your final destination, you will not be allowed to use the lounge.

Lounge Guest Policy

• Amex Platinum card and Amex Business Platinum cardmembers may enter with up to 2 complimentary guests if they have spent $75,000 in eligible purchases in a calendar year. Otherwise, a guest day pass can be purchased for $50 per adult or $30 per child between the ages of 2 and 17.
• Centurion cardmembers may enter with up to 2 guests or immediate family (spouse or domestic partner, and children under 18) at no additional charge.
• Delta Reserve cardholders may bring up to 2 guests at a per-visit rate of $50 per person, per location.
• Amex Platinum card, Amex Business Platinum card, and Centurion cardmembers may purchase a day pass for any additional guests for $50.

Hot Tip: Check out all of the U.S. and international Centurion Lounge locations in our detailed guides!

Inside the Lounge

Inside the lounge, you’ll find several unique seating areas, some of which are designed to help significantly reduce jet lag. There is a “sunrise” and a “moonrise” room which have appropriately themed lighting to help you get adjusted to your traveling time zone faster. These rooms don’t feature windows and have mood lighting throughout, making them a perfect place to relax if you’re trying to get used to the time where you’re traveling to faster.

In the various seating areas throughout the lounge, you’ll find plenty of tables to work on, and power outlets to charge your devices. Some of these seats in the lounge offer private, desk-like seating, where you can work done or be on a conference call without disturbing your neighbor.

There are also several lounge-style chairs where you can take a nap or relax, though you’ll find most of these in the darker moonrise room with lower-level lighting.

Hours of Operation

The lounge opens at 6 a.m. and closes at 7:30 p.m. The spa is open from 11 a.m to 7:30 p.m.

Hot Tip:

It’s worth noting that the lounge’s hours have been adjusted several times over the past few months, so when you visit, you may find different hours of operation.

Food and Beverage

All Centurion Lounges offer complimentary food and drink, and you’re certainly able to eat a full meal inside, unlike many other lounges that offer only a snack service. The menu is designed by chef and author Nancy Silverton.

For breakfast, you can enjoy entrees such as:

• Avocado Toast, including country bread, garlic mayonnaise, coriander, lemon
• Croissant Bread Pudding, including leeks, spinach, gruyere, Parmigiano Reggiano, thyme
• Uovo in Purgatorio, including San Marzano tomatoes, Parmigiano Reggiano, EVOO
• Puffed French Toast, including baguette, maple syrup, seasonal jam

For lunch and dinner, you can enjoy dishes such as:

• Gem Salads with Fresh Herbs, including chervil, dill, tarragon, celery leaf, lemon vinaigrette
• Grilled Broccolini with lemon dijon vinaigrette
• Roasted Chicken Thighs with charred lemon salsa verde
• Brownies, including bittersweet chocolate and Maldon Sea Salt
• Roasted Carrots, including cumin, dill yogurt, coriander

There are 2 bars in this lounge —- 1 main one, which features a ton of bar-style seating alongside, and then a secondary bar that is much smaller, meant for taking your drinks back to your seat. The open bar features house specialties like the Venice Spritz, which includes Bruto Americano, Dark Horse Brut Sparkling Wine, and Pellegrino Aranciata.

Amenities

Per American Express, here’s what’s on offer inside the LAX Centurion Lounge:

Free Wi-Fi

Throughout the lounge, you’ll find complimentary high-speed Wi-Fi, allowing you to stay connected to work or download your favorite shows before your flight.

TV Showing News or Sports

Along with the standard luggage wall, you’ll find a magazine rack and TV in the lounge. Throughout the day, both sports and news will show on the screen.

The Spa

The spa offers complimentary treatments on a first-come, first-served basis, including:

You’ll want to book a session early on in your visit as there can be a wait for services.

Showers

There are 2 shower facilities on-site, and to book the room you’ll need to speak with someone at the Member Services desk. Towels and soaps are provided, and there is a time limit for using the shower rooms. Because of the red-eye flights that come in and out of LAX, the showers will likely be very busy, so if you’re interested in using one, speak with a staff member earlier on in your visit.

Conference Facilities

Unfortunately, there are no conference facilities in this lounge, and there’s no great place to take a private phone call. This is something to keep in mind if you intend on working inside the lounge. There is a communal conference table in one of the seating areas of the lounge, but it is not private and cannot be reserved.

Family Room

There is a small family room on-site, but aside from smaller chairs and more colorful wallpaper, there’s not much difference between being in this room vs. the main part of the lounge. That said, if you have antsy little ones, you may want to use the family room as a place they can blow off steam without disturbing other guests.

Private Space for Centurion Cardholders

In the back of the lounge, there’s a dedicated space for those with the Centurion card only. Even if the rest of the lounge gets full, those with American Express’ most premium card know they’ll have a place to sit.

Final Thoughts

It’s taken many years for the Centurion Lounge at LAX to become fully operational, and with LAX being the premium airport that it is, it’s no surprise that this lounge will likely be one of the busiest Centurion Lounges worldwide. Unfortunately, because LAX is so big, it may be inaccessible to some travelers, though the nice thing is that it is walkable for passengers departing from the nearby terminals.