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I had a brief overnight business trip to Cincinnati/Northern Kentucky International Airport (CVG) and got to check out the Escape Lounge – The Centurion® Studio Partner (CVG) while there. The lounge is very similar in size and furnishings to the sister lounge at John Glenn Columbus International Airport (CMH) (full review here). The lounge was fairly empty and the staff was very attentive during my visit. They were fascinated with my taking pictures and even asked if I wanted to pose for one (which I declined).
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 between Gates B21 and B23. 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 the Escape Lounge – The Centurion® Studio Partner (CVG) as an option in the airport (there is also a Delta Sky Club® a few gates away). While the space is on the small side, it was not crowded. The food was mediocre, but the staff was overly attentive. There were almost as many employees working as there were guests during my time there.
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. There are a few tables near the bar.
A coffee machine and water dispensers are found on a separate counter near the bar.
Lemonade and flavored water were also on offer.
Drip coffee, condiments, and soft drinks were also here.
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®. I found the food a bit better here than in Columbus (even though dishes were almost identical). An island provided seating near the buffet.
Roasted Broccoli with Parmesan Cheese and Baked Mac & Cheese
Garlic Herb Chicken & Rice
Italian Wedding Soup
Sicilian Sub
Salads
Cheese and peppers
Chips & Salsa
A separate table held desserts and chips
Cookies, Brownies, and Blondies
Dessert Bars
Cereal from breakfast is always available
Seating & Decor
There are several seats for working, socializing, and relaxing. The lounge was fairly empty during my visit and there were plenty of open seats. Decor is minimal, but fun.
There were seats lined up against a counter near the windows facing the terminal.
More comfy chairs were on the other side.
Amenities
Escape Lounge – The Centurion® Studio Partner features free Wi-Fi and all of the food and beverages listed above.
Overall Impression:
It’s a small space, but a nice addition to CVG. I’ll definitely return in the future.
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.
