Review: Amex Centurion Airport Lounge Dallas, Forth Worth (DFW) – America’s best airport lounge?
If you fly a lot internationally you know that some airlines put out awe inspiring lounges. Singapore Airlines Business And First Class lounges as well as Lufthansa First Class lounge at their headquarters will make you want to stay forever. The ambiance, the food, the ability to work and a friendly service make it better than most places you call home.
Now if you come back to 'the greatest nation on earth' you will be welcomed with a pack of stale carrots and coffee that tastes like it's a couple of days old.
But fear not - American Express is about to change that with its Centurion lounges. There are currently only two - in Dallas/ Forth Worth (DFW) and Las Vegas (LAS).
The lounge is near gate D17 - close to Lufthansa gates and the Grand Hyatt. Since DFW has a Skytrain past security you can get to D17 within 10 minutes from any gate at DFW airport. Try this at LAX :)
The setting of the lounge is a bit awkward on top of a mixed retail/ restaurant block of the airport. But I guess they did not have a lot of choice.
American Express Platinum card holders have access to the lounge with a valid same-day boarding pass.
Now let's dream what a lounge should provide:
- a complimentary 15 minute massage - check
- tasty and healthy food - ideally several courses - check
- drinks that taste like drinks and aren't just a namesake - check
- free and fast WiFi - check, the speed clocked in at 12 Mbit
- a quiet and relax zone for crazy jetlags - check
- good coffee and espresso to wake you up - check
So in summary the AMEX Centurion Lounge is all what you'd expect from a lounge. I found the found on that day (lunch) to be superb - definitely restaurant quality. It would make a good living in most places in San Francisco as a stand alone restaurant!
Being as crazy as I am - I'd plan my next trip around a 3-4 hour layover in Dallas - just to enjoy the full benefits of the lounge - that's how much I liked it!
