Note from the Editor: This is a periodic piece that will be updated regularly with any fresh information.

If you frequently visit American Express Centurion Lounges, here is a friendly reminder that the cost of bringing visitors into the lounge with you will be increasing as of the beginning of the next month.

The majority of American Express cardholders will no longer be able to bring in two friends or family members for free. This change was implemented as part of an amendment to American Express' terms and conditions, which declare that the company would tighten its Centurion Lounge guest policy.

Cardmembers who have The Platinum Card® from American Express and The Business Platinum Card® from American Express will be impacted by these changes. Beginning February 1st, to bring visitors into the lounge with you, you will be required to pay a per-visit charge or spend a significant amount of money on your card to acquire guest rights.

Members of the Corporate Platinum and Centurion card programmes are exempt from the aforementioned modifications.

Here is everything you need to know about the upcoming change in the guest regulations that will be implemented at Centurion Lounges.

The definitive guide to the American Express Centurion Lounges is available here.

The new policy for Amex guests, effective February 2023

Beginning February 1st, the cost to bring a guest into the lounge will increase to $50 for adults and $30 for children under the age of 18. However, admission is free for children under the age of two provided they are accompanied by an adult.

After February 1st, to be eligible for complimentary guest benefits with your American Express Platinum or American Express Business Platinum Card, you will need to spend $75,000 on your card throughout the calendar year. As a result, the amount that you spend in 2022 will be the determining factor when these modifications take effect the month after next. Your privilege of bringing gratis guests into Centurion Lounges will be terminated if you did not spend at least $75,000 on your card in the previous year.

Every year on January 1, the expenditure requirements are recalculated. After achieving the minimum spending threshold, complimentary guest access will typically be approved within seven days, but it might take as long as 12 weeks to become fully operational. American Express provides its card members with a spending tracker that allows them to monitor their progress toward earning guest privileges.

This is sad news for many people, especially because they must pay $695 annually for the Platinum card (see rates and fees). On the other hand, wealthy passengers or those who are travelling alone could find that fewer people in the lounge to their advantage. It would appear that Amex is making an effort to alleviate crowding by limiting the number of complimentary visitors.

In a related development, American Express has implemented live capacity indications for its Centurion Lounges.

A convenient alternative route

The addition of authorised users to your Platinum card is one potential option for people who are unable or unable to spend the maximum amount of $75,000 per year on their Platinum card. According to the terms that were presented before, authorised users will not be required to pay the guest charge of $50 for each visit. For a combined charge of $175 per year, your primary personal Platinum account allows you to add up to three additional Platinum Authorized User Cards at your discretion (see rates and fees). A staggering $350 per year is added to the total bill for authorised users on the Business Platinum plan (see rates and fees).

Because children less than 13 years old cannot be added as approved users, this is a significant devaluation for families, who will now be required to pay $30 to bring their young children into the lounges, some of which have family rooms specifically designated for their use.

Related question: Is it worthwhile to pay the yearly fee for an Amex Platinum card?

Bottom line

Access to Amex lounges will cost visitors $50 for adults and $30 for youngsters between the ages of 2 and 18 beginning the month after next.

If you charge $75,000 or more on your Amex Platinum or Amex Business Platinum Card during the given calendar year, you won't be subject to this fee. Amex might also take into consideration extending the Platinum card's up to $200 yearly airline incidental fee credit (membership is required in advance) to cover the cost of guest fees charged by Centurion Lounges. This would be another solution.

Amex is putting in a lot of effort to grow and remodel its existing network of 15 locations, and the new Centurion Lounge guesting policy arrives at the same time. Airports in Washington National (DCA), Newark Liberty (EWR), and Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta (ATL) are all slated to receive new facilities shortly. Both San Francisco (SFO) and Seattle are currently undergoing expansions (SEA).