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American Express announced today that it is once again redefining luxury travel with two new offerings: The Culinary Collective by The Centurion Lounge and Sidecar by The Centurion Lounge. These initiatives aim to elevate the airport experience with elevated dining, curated cocktails, and spaces designed for travelers with varying needs.
Sidecar by the Centurion Lounge will be separate lounges at airports where there are already locations of The Centurion® Lounge by American Express. Eligible cardholders can grab a quick bite or drink before they board their flight in a space that is created just for travelers with limited time. The speakeasy-inspired lounges will be accessible within 90 minutes before a flight departs. Eligible cardmembers will still continue to have access to the Centurion Lounges. The first location will open in 2026 at the same airport that American Express debuted its original lounge: Las Vegas Harry Reid International Airport (LAS) (review here). Sidecar won’t include amenities beyond restrooms as the focus will be instead on speed.
When The Centurion® Lounge by American Express arrived in the first few airports, the food was excellent. Quality and variety has been slipping for years. It’s great to see that there is a plan in place. Launching July 29th, The Culinary Collective will bring together James Beard Award®-winning chefs Mashama Bailey, Sarah Grueneberg, Kwame Onwuachi, and Mike Solomonov, along with acclaimed Bar Director Harrison Ginsberg, to create a rotating menu available that will be available in all 15 US Centurion Lounges.
Each chef will draw inspiration from their restaurants (which American Express points out are available to book through Resy). From Southern-inspired fare and Afro-Caribbean flavors to Israeli dishes and Italian creations, the Collective represents a diverse blend of culinary styles and flavors.
Highlights include:
- Kwame Onwuachi’s Suya Short Ribs and Tamarind Ice Box Cake
- Mashama Bailey’s gluten-friendly Paprika Chicken and Espresso Crème Brûlée
- Mike Solomonov’s Pomegranate Glazed Salmon with Tabbouleh
- Sarah Grueneberg’s vegan Lemony Orzo with Artichokes and Dill
Drinks are equally imaginative, thanks to Harrison Ginsberg, whose creations include “The Centurion” (vodka, yuzu, lime, and soda) and the non-alcoholic “Green Tea Tonic” (green tea, lemon, grapefruit, and a botanical spirit).
Menus will change seasonally with half of the dishes created by this team and the other half locally inspired. While this is big news for American Express’ US lounges, it’s expanding globally at a pretty rapid pace. It just announced a new lounge at Amsterdam Airport Schiphol (AMS) and its Tokyo Haneda Airport (HND) lounge just opened.
Audrey Hendley, President of American Express Travel, said:
We know how much Card Members love the food and drinks at the Centurion Lounges and look forward to seeing what’s new. With help from our Resy chef partners, we’ve brought together a group of some of the most exciting culinary minds in America to create incredible menus, available all in one place for the first time ever. You’d be lucky to make it to each of their celebrated restaurants across the country, but now visitors to our Centurion Lounges will be able sample dishes created by these chefs.”
Anthony’s Take: I like both of these offerings and hope this reinvigorates the food at the lounges and also helps with crowding once the new spaces open.
(Image Credits: American Express.)
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Advertiser & Editorial Disclosure: The Bulkhead Seat earns an affiliate commission for anyone approved through the links above This compensation may impact how and where links appear on this site. We work to provide the best publicly available offers to our readers. We frequently update them, but this site does not include all available offers. Opinions, reviews, analyses & recommendations are the author’s alone, and have not been reviewed, endorsed, or approved by any of these entities.
1 comment
The Culinary Collection sounds like a nice refresh. The Sidecar idea sounds okay on paper but may prove impractical in real life. Let’s say you arrive an hour before your flight departs. That gives you up to a half hour to get in, sit down, order, get your food and drink, eat and drink, then leave to head to your gate somewhere. Unless you’re just hunting for a quick drink or two that just doesn’t sound reasonable.