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I was at John Glenn Columbus International Airport (CMH) and lucked out with my timing. The Escape Lounge – The Centurion® Studio Partner just opened a few weeks ago and I got to check out the crowded yet functional space. Its design is inspired by the German and Victorian villages of Columbus and I spent a few hours here before my United flight just mere steps away.
The Escape Lounges have partnered with American Express to run 13 lounges across 13 airports in the United States (three are not affiliated with American Express and can only be accessed by paying to enter). There are five more scheduled to open soon.
Access
The lounge is located near Gate B32. Access to the Escape Lounge – The Centurion® Studio Partner is given to customers carrying The Platinum Card® from American Express, The Business Platinum Card® from American Express, and The Centurion® Card. These cardholders are entitled to bring two guests. Those with the Delta SkyMiles® Reserve American Express Card or the Delta SkyMiles® Reserve Business American Express Card are granted free entry (when traveling on a Delta flight), but must pay $30 for each guest. Day passes are available for $45. This Escape Lounge is also part of the Priority Pass network. A desk to check credentials is immediately inside the lounge.
Anthony’s Take: It’s nice to have an Escape Lounge at John Glenn Columbus International Airport (CMH). While the space is on the small side and got a bit crowded, I had no problem finding a seat. The food was tasty, but it was rather picked over and the staff was slow to refill it. hat being said, I’ll return when I’m back in the airport in a few weeks and appreciate that the lounge is now open.
Bar
There are both complimentary and paid spirits, wine, and beer. This is a similar setup to what you’ll find in United Clubs℠, Delta Sky Clubs®, and American Admirals Clubs. The bar is in the back of the small lounge and offers a good number of seats around it.
A coffee machine and condiments are found on a separate counter near the windows.
An iced tea dispenser was on the buffet, but almost empty.
Food
There were multiple hot dishes, salads, sandwiches, soup, chips and salsa, and desserts on offer. The food is not as good as what you’ll find in a Centurion Lounge or Sky Club® and many trays were almost empty. Staff slowly refilled some, but a lot was almost out.
Baked Mac & Cheese
Garlic Herb Chicken & Rice
Roasted Broccoli with Parmesan Cheese
Sicilian Subs
Hominy & Corn Salad
Meats and cheeses
Roasted Cucumber Salad and Salsa
White Bean Minestrone Soup
Assorted desserts
Seating & Decor
There are several seats for working, socializing, and relaxing. The lounge was fairly packed during my visit and there were not too many open seats until I was preparing to leave. Decor is minimal, but fun.
Seating only became readily available as it got close to my flight time.
Amenities
Escape Lounge – The Centurion® Studio Partner features free Wi-Fi and all of the food and beverages listed above. I loved the views of the planes going by outside the windows.
Overall Impression:
It’s a small space, but a nice addition to CMH. I’ll definitely return when back in a few weeks.
Anthony’s Credit Card Pick: I love the lounges where The Platinum Card® from American Express grants me access. It has had a prominent place in my wallet for many years now. While it does have an annual fee of $695, it provides many travel benefits and will always be my go-to for lounge access (both Delta Sky Clubs® and Centurion Lounges) and booking airfare from the airlines to earn 5x points (up to $500,000 per calendar year). For rates and fees of the The Platinum Card® from American Express, please visit americanexpress.com.
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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.
