American Express Co. is planning to debut a new luxury lounge at Newark Liberty International Airport, part of the credit-card giant’s continued push into travel and entertainment services.
(Bloomberg) — American Express Co. is planning to debut a new luxury lounge at Newark Liberty International Airport, part of the credit-card giant’s continued push into travel and entertainment services.
The credit-card company is planning to open a new Centurion Lounge in 2026 outfitted with a terrace overlooking the Manhattan skyline, a cocktail bar and individual workspaces, according to releases published Tuesday by American Express and the Port Authority of New York & New Jersey.
The perks will be available to Amex Platinum Card users, who, for a hefty $695 annual fee, have access to more than 1,400 airport lounges across 140 countries. Neighboring airports like New York’s LaGuardia Airport and John F. Kennedy International Airport already boast similar facilities.
Airport lounges have grown increasingly popular with credit-card companies competing to showcase the flashiest space with the most luxurious amenities. Capital One Financial Corp. opened up a new lounge at Dulles International Airport just outside of Washington DC this month and JPMorgan Chase & Co. is expected to open at least seven US airport lounges before the end of the year.
Amex, in particular, has been swiftly expanding its collection of airport lounges in recent years, adding locations in San Francisco, Las Vegas and London. The company has long said the lounges are an important part of why cardholders are willing to pay the whopping $695-a-year fee that comes with the Platinum card.
The company typically taps local, award-winning chefs for the food offerings in its proprietary lounges, which are usually filled with the company’s custom scent that’s a mix of bergamot, pink peppercorn, lavender, vetiver and leather. Amex in recent years has sent out mailers with scratch-and-sniff sections that offer recipients a whiff of the scent to lure them into applying for the Platinum card.
Amex has been rapidly expanding its offerings in New York. The company recently opened Centurion New York near Grand Central, which is effectively a dining club for those with the company’s coveted Centurion Card. The Black card, as it’s sometimes called, comes with a $5,000 annual fee.
For the Port Authority, the bi-state agency that operates the New York-area airports, the lounge is another step in modernizing its facilities. The agency is in the midst of a $30 billion renovation to transform the major metro-area travel hubs. Earlier this year, Newark opened the $2.7 billion Terminal A, New Jersey’s largest design-build project that is expected to generate $4.6 billion in regional economic activity.
“The Port Authority is committed to elevating the travel experience for the nearly 14 million passengers expected to use the new Terminal A this year,” Port Authority Executive Director Rick Cotton said in a statement. “When this new lounge opens, it will become part of the world class amenities available to travelers in the stunning new Terminal A at Newark Liberty airport.”
The airport is also undergoing a replacement of its AirTrain project that is set to cost more than the original $2.05 billion estimate. The replacement is projected to be completed in the second quarter of 2029 at the earliest.
More stories like this are available on bloomberg.com
©2023 Bloomberg L.P.