The Miami (MIA) American Express Centurion Lounge – Location, Hours, Amenities, and More

Key Takeaways

• The Miami Centurion Lounge, located in Concourse D, is open from 5 a.m. to 10 p.m.
• The lounge offers high-end amenities like first class dining, a premium bar, shower suites, and workspaces.
• Access is exclusive to holders of select credit cards, such as The Platinum Card^® from American Express, Centurion Card^® from American Express, or the Delta SkyMiles^® Reserve American Express Card.

The Miami Centurion Lounge is one of the most popular lounges in American Express’ series of premium lounges for premium cardholders. Because I live in South Florida and have access to the Miami Centurion Lounge, courtesy of The Business Platinum Card^® from American Express, I try to stop by every time I fly out of Miami International Airport (MIA).

This lounge, located in the heart of American Airlines’ massive Miami hub, is popular with business travelers flying to South America, the Caribbean, and Europe, as well as beachgoers seeking Florida sunshine.

This is my favorite lounge at Miami International Airport because it provides a peaceful reprieve from the packed gates (although the lounge is often times crowded) and delivers chef-driven gourmet cuisine and mixologist-prepared beverages.

We’ll look at what the lounge offers, how to access it, and how to make the most of your experience.

Location of the Amex Centurion Lounge at MIA

The Miami Centurion Lounge is a one-of-a-kind spot at the airport, and you can find it in Concourse D, next to gate D12. To access the lounge, take the elevators beneath “The Centurion Lounge” sign up from the main concourse.

As soon as you take the elevators up to the Centurion Lounge, you’ll arrive at the check-in desk.

Note that the lounge may be a long walk from some of the most remote gates, so keep that in mind when you go. If you don’t have much time but still want to use the lounge, leave early so you’re able to catch the Skytrain and get to your boarding gate on time.

Lounge Operating Hours

This lounge is open from 5 a.m. to 10 p.m. for travelers who have layovers or connecting flights. It is not accessible to passengers who have just landed and Miami is their final destination.

Guest and Check-in Requirements

Once you arrive in the check-in area, you’ll be asked to present 1 of 5 American Express cards:

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

It’s very important to note that you cannot access the lounge prior to 3 hours before your departing flight. If you have a flight from Miami to New York, for example, that departs at 1 p.m., you cannot access the lounge before 10 a.m. that day. This rule helps prevent overcrowding.

In addition, you cannot access the lounge when arriving in Miami, except for connecting flights. Assume you have an overnight redeye flight from South America to Miami, and Miami is your final destination; you won’t be able to shower before going home or to work.

If you’re connecting in Miami to another flight, however, you will be able to access the lounge (since you’re still considered a departing traveler).

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.

Seating

Throughout the lounge, the decor is a mix of modern, chic, and naturalistic. The lighting is soft but airy thanks to the many windows, and the atmosphere is laid back yet sophisticated. Members will feel like they can relax but still get work done when needed.

The lounge was recently expanded to help accommodate more guests. You’ll find several separate seating areas, most overlooking the surrounding runways and terminals. There are plenty of seats to relax or work, and you shouldn’t have much difficulty finding a place to sit (especially since the renovation).

In my experience, the best time to visit Miami Centurion Lounge to avoid wait times are before 8 a.m., between 12 p.m. and 3 p.m., and later in the evening hours after 8 p.m.

Food and Beverage

The cuisine at the Miami Centurion Lounge is designed by James Beard Award-winning chef Michelle Bernstein. I’ve dined at several of her critically-acclaimed restaurants in Miami and they have all been excellent. You’ll find fresh local dishes for breakfast, lunch, and dinner that will have your taste buds dancing.

Breakfast can be enjoyed from 5 a.m. to 11:30 a.m., and lunch and dinner are available from 11:30 a.m. to 9 p.m. In addition to the menu items, members can enjoy snacks like fruit, chips, and cookies, which are especially appetizing to kids that may be visiting the lounge.

All the food prepared in the lounge is done in-house, so you’ll surely experience a delicious meal no matter what you choose.

For breakfast, try these items:

• Lemon ricotta pancakes
• Chorizo and kale quiche
• Shakshuka (roast chilies, peppers, tomatoes, and Swiss chard)
• Sweet potato, maple, chicken apple sausage hash

For lunch and dinner, take a look at these items on offer:

• Braised chicken thighs
• Minty pea soup
• Watermelon Greek salad
• Vanilla panna cotta

The lounge’s superb cocktails are crafted by experienced mixologists and the wine list is curated with sophistication in mind. One of the many local cocktails you can enjoy is the 305 Special, which mixes Casa Dragones Blanco Tequila, Aperol, lime juice, and grapefruit juice.

You can also try a Key Lime Gimlet or a Collins Avenue Collins which are both delicious drinks made with a mix of liquors and juices. If none of these drinks appeal to you, just ask for whatever you’d like. Your bartender will be happy to make you the drink of your choice.

Wines are also in abundance on the menu, thanks to world-renowned sommelier Anthony Giglio. Here are some wines available for pouring:

• Red: Malbec, Bodega Tamari ‘Reserva’, 2013, Mendoza, Argentina
• Rosé: Grenache + Syrah, M. Chapoutier Côtes du Rhône ‘Belleruche’, 2014, Rhône, France
• Sparkling: Prosecco, Nino Franco ‘Rustico’, NV, Conegliano-Valdobbiadene, Veneto, Italy
• White: Pinot Grigio, Terlato Family Vineyards, 2015, Friuli-Venezia Giulia, Italy

Non-alcoholic drinks available include sodas, coffee, peach-mango iced tea, and unsweetened iced tea.

Hot Tip: Because of the configuration of the Miami Centurion Lounge, plane-spotting is achievable from almost anywhere inside the lounge. The best views are from one of the tables or seats located beside the floor-to-ceiling glass windows.

Amenities

The lounge features a variety of amenities for business and leisure travelers alike:

Hot Tip: For other options, check out the full list of lounges at Miami International Airport (MIA).

Complimentary Wi-Fi

Wi-Fi in the lounge for all guests is completely free, and it’s high-speed — perfect for working or streaming videos. The password is “MemberSince” and this same password applies to the 40+ Centurion Lounge locations worldwide.

Shower Facilities

While I’ve personally never booked a shower suite at the MIA Centurion Lounge, as you enter the lounge, you’ll see shower facilities off to the left. Each shower room has a toilet, sink, shower, and bench to place your clothes. Everything is included — soap, towels, and other basic amenities such as toothpaste or mouthwash can be requested if you don’t see them in the shower suite.

The shower facilities are first come, first served by waitlist. If there’s no wait, you’re free to check in at the front desk and they’ll open up one of the shower rooms for you.

If you’re placed on the list, all of the folks ahead of you have 30 minutes each to use the room — as the staff cleans the room following usage, you’ll be called.

Hot Tip: If there’s a wait and you’re not one of the first few on the list, it can take quite a while for a shower room to open up. If your flight is departing within an hour or so, don’t wait — you might miss your flight!

Family Room

The family room area is a pretty unique concept for a lounge in the U.S. My kids have spent a lot of time playing in the family room while my wife or I get snacks in anticipation of our upcoming flight.

Complete with colorful furniture and some basic games, toys, and distractions, it’s the perfect place for kids to hang out while a parent relaxes in the spa (or the bar). The family room doesn’t need to be reserved — just walk on in!

Note that no food is allowed inside the family room.

Conference Facilities

This lounge doesn’t have a true conference room, so if you’re trying to get work done with colleagues, you should plan on grabbing seats together. There are semi-private workspaces and seating arrangements, though it can be hard to find several seats together if the lounge is extra crowded.

Hot Tip: If you’re looking for a “hidden” spot of seats, there are a few seats on the left as you go toward the shower facilities. These seats are rarely used since most folks don’t notice them. If you’re without a seat elsewhere in the lounge, this is a good last resort (though it’s not near the food or bar).

The Spa

Spa treatments range from facials to massages and are available to both men and women of all ages. Members get 15 minutes of free spa treatments, and you can pay extra if you or your guests want more time. I’ve experienced massages and nail grooming treatments, and both are very good and a nice touch before a flight. While it’s never explicitly implied to tip, I always bring cash with me to tip the spa staff since the treatments are complimentary.

Exhale is the company that runs the spa services, and there is a published list of treatments available:

Body

• Deep Tissue Chair Massage: If you’ve got any pain throughout your body, this is a perfect treatment
• Flow Chair Massage: Using slow pressure throughout the body, this is the signature massage treatment you can receive
• Fusion Chair Massage: A simple chair massage

Face

• Get Glowing: Combining an exfoliating mask and a deep cleanse, this facial treatment will help you feel very refreshed
• Red-Eye Ready: You’ll receive a deep cleanse, plus an application of several creams perfect for red-eye travel
• Soothe + Treat: Combines an acne treatment and deep cleanse

Hands

• Perfectly Groomed: This is a unisex treatment to help clean up cuticles and hands
• Perfectly Polished: A simple ladies’ manicure

Hot Tip: If you’re pressed for time but still want a quick spa treatment, ask the check-in agent as soon as you arrive at the Centurion Lounge about appointment availability — that way you waste no time.

Rules of the Centurion Lounge

Like any airport lounge, there are rules that guests and members need to follow:

• Outside alcoholic beverages and food are not allowed to be brought into or taken out of the lounge.
• Chewing tobacco, smoking, and vaping are not allowed.
• Airline employees cannot wear their airline uniform or any related regalia inside the lounge (to prevent folks from using the lounge during on-duty hours).

If you’re traveling with a pet, service animals and regular companions are allowed to enter the lounge. They must be leashed at all times and never left without supervision. Before assuming you can bring your pet, call the lounge ahead of time to make sure you can.

Final Thoughts

I usually make an effort to go to the Miami International Airport a little earlier than usual so I can spend some time at the Centurion Lounge. My recent trips to the lounge have seemed less crowded than in years past, partly due to the lounge’s recent expansion which features a lot more seating options.

Located in the same terminal as the American Airlines Flagship Lounge (only accessible to first and business class flyers, plus Oneworld Emerald and Oneworld Sapphire customers), the Centurion Lounge goes toe-to-toe with the American’s top lounge at Miami International Airport.

The next time you find yourself in Miami, be sure to check out the Centurion Lounge.

If you don’t already have the Amex Platinum card or Amex Business Platinum card, think about adding 1 of these premium travel rewards cards to your wallet, so that you may find solace at the Centurion Lounge amidst a busy airport.