**2020 Update: In light of the spread of COVID-19 Amex has temporarily closed all The Centurion® Lounge locations, starting on Saturday, March 21, 2020 until further notice. American Express will provide notice on https://thecenturionlounge.com/ and on the Amex Mobile App when locations reopen.**
I frequently fly in and out of LaGuardia so this is an airport where lounge access is a bonus for me. Since I was approved for an American Express Platinum Card a few months ago, I took advantage of the Amex Platinum lounge access benefit and popped into the Amex Centurion Lounge before my fight. I visited the Centurion Lounge at Las Vegas McCarran airport last year and already had a general idea of what to expect.
Initial Impression
The lounge entrance has the same look as other Centurion lounges with a green wall behind the check in desk.
After presenting my Amex Platinum card and boarding pass, I was given a card with the wi-fi password and another card with a 4 week online subscription to the New York Times.
The LGA Centurion lounge was very modern but not very large- definitely smaller than the Centurion lounge in LAS. Other than the reception area, this lounge consists of two small rooms and a long hallway lined with couches. Due to its size, the Centurion at LaGuardia lacks amenities found in some of the other US Centurion lounges. There is no family room, spa or showers in this lounge.
One of the two rooms is located in back of the reception area and offers different types of seating. A large work table and two desktop computers are good spots to get some work done.
A hallway leads to the bar/food area.
The hallway is lined with personal sofas on one side and wall mounted TVs on the other.
The sofa was my seat of choice and it was quite comfy. Outlets are available nearby to charge electronics. The free hi speed wi-fi was speedy enough.
Plenty of seats were available during my visit (around 10:30 a.m. on a Monday morning).
At the end of the hallway, turn left for the food/bar area and even more seating options.
Bathrooms are located towards the back of this room behind the bar. The restroom, stocked with L’Occitane amenities, was clean and well maintained.
Food and Drink
Food is served buffet style. Breakfast is available until around 11am and then the lounge switches to the lunch & dinner choices.
When I first stopped by, the lounge was still serving breakfast but it was almost time for lunch. I opted to skip the breakfast dishes and just wait for the lunch setup. I read the lounge is known for fried chicken (not the healthiest food choice, still, one of my favorites) but unfortunately, it was not on the menu that day. It didn’t really matter though as everything I chose was great anyway.
Photos of the breakfast choices:
And photos of the lunch choices on the day of my visit.
All drinks in The Centurion Lounge are complimentary.
I skipped the alcohol (I don’t like to drink when I fly) but here is a photo of the cocktail menu.
The Centurion Lounge LaGuardia website also has a sample food and drinks menu.
Access
The American Express Centurion lounges are not affiliated with any specific airline– they are for American Express card holders only. Other airports in the US with a Centurion lounge include Charlotte, Dallas, Hong Kong, Houston, Las Vegas, Los Angeles, Miami, Philadelphia, Phoenix, San Francisco and Seattle. Lounges are planned for DEN, JFK, and LHR soon.
Centurion lounges are complimentary for holders of Amex Platinum or Centurion cards and up to two (2) guests. The receptionist will ask to see your Amex card, ID and a boarding pass for same-day travel (either arriving OR departing).
Here is a link to the access rules from the Centurion Lounge website.
Location and Hours
The Amex Centurion lounge is located landside on the 3rd floor of Terminal B, between Concourses B and C.
LaGuardia’s Terminal B serves United, American, Southwest, Spirit, Frontier, Virgin America and Air Canada among others. If your flight departs from a different terminal (which is the case if you are flying Delta), you can take an airport shuttle from the arrivals level.
As I was flying United, the lounge was convenient for me. Finding the lounge was not difficult since plenty of signs pointed to the Centurion lounge. After going up an elevator to the third floor, I turned left down a hallway and the lounge was right there.
The American Express Centurion Lounge at LaGuardia is open from 5:30 am – 8 pm (Sunday – Friday) and 5:30 am – 6:30 pm (Saturday). In my opinion, it would be nice if the lounge stayed open an extra hour or so in the evenings.
Overall Impressions
The Amex Centurion Lounge at New York LaGuardia airport was a nice but small lounge. I found the food delicious and the seating comfortable and relaxing. Although not crowded during my visit, I can see the lounge size being a problem during peak times. Still, the Centurion lounge is definitely a great spot to hang out in while waiting at LaGuardia. The only real negatives for me include the lounge location before security and the early closing time.
