When Amex first announced it, the Centurion Lounge Newark was pitched as an 18,000-square-foot space with a 2026 debut. The plan American Express laid out on October 8, 2026 looks very different: more than 30,000 square feet across two floors in Terminal A, opening in 2027 instead.
So Newark flyers wait another year, but they get the biggest lounge in the entire Centurion network when it arrives. The same announcement reshapes lounges in London, Houston and Philadelphia, and the Philadelphia piece arrives fast: that lounge shuts on October 16.
What changes at the Centurion Lounge Newark and three other airports
Here is the before-and-after picture for all four projects, based on the American Express announcement.
| Airport | Before | After | Timing |
|---|---|---|---|
| Newark (EWR), Terminal A | Planned at 18,000 sq ft for 2026 | 30,000+ sq ft on two floors | Expected 2027 |
| London Heathrow (LHR), Terminal 5 | One Heathrow Centurion Lounge (Terminal 3) | A second lounge of 9,000+ sq ft | Expected 2028 |
| Philadelphia (PHL) | About 6,000 sq ft | 12,000+ sq ft over two stories | Closes Oct. 16, 2026; done by end of 2027 |
| Houston (IAH), Terminal D | About 8,000 sq ft | 23,000+ sq ft | Done by 2028 |
Put the Houston numbers side by side and the lounge comes out close to three times its current footprint. Philadelphia roughly doubles. Newark ends up about two-thirds larger than the version first promised.
Inside the Newark Terminal A plan
Amex says the Centurion Lounge Newark will give it something no other card issuer has: its own lounges at all three major New York City-area airports. For anyone based in northern New Jersey, that is the real headline, since a two-floor space this size changes how early you might want to show up.
The announced features include:
- The Blue Roast by American Express Coffee and Wellness Bar
- Three separate bars, named the Main, Specialty and Terrace bars
- A Culinary Collective menu from James Beard Award-winning Resy chefs
- A sculptural installation drawing on New Jersey history
Three bars under one roof makes the Centurion Lounge Newark unusual for the network, and it hints at how Amex wants to spread crowds out rather than funnel everyone to one counter.
Philadelphia loses its lounge for over a year
This is the change with the most immediate effect. Renovation work at PHL begins October 16, 2026, and Amex expects the finished lounge by the end of 2027. When it reopens, it should be more than 12,000 square feet over two stories, with pieces by local artists and nods to the city’s history.
The announcement does not mention a temporary space during construction. If you connect through Philadelphia often, plan on no Centurion option there for roughly 14 months.
Heathrow Terminal 5 and Houston get more room
Heathrow. The new Terminal 5 lounge is slated for 2028 and will run past 9,000 square feet, and its look takes cues from London and the Thames. Amex lists food and drink, seating, work areas and a VIP area. With it, Amex becomes the first card issuer to run two of its own lounges at Heathrow.
Houston. The Terminal D lounge jumps from about 8,000 to more than 23,000 square feet by 2028. Plans call for its own Blue Roast coffee counter, an extra full-service bar, a dining room where plated dishes rotate, premium shower suites, refreshed restrooms and more varied seating.
We can’t wait for Card Members to experience what’s next in Philadelphia, Houston and London.
Audrey Hendley, President of American Express Travel
What to do before these changes
- Passing through PHL soon? Use the current lounge before October 16 if you can.
- Flying out of Newark in 2026? Do not build plans around the Centurion Lounge Newark this year; the target is now 2027.
- Weighing an annual fee? If Centurion access is the main reason you keep a premium Amex card, the timelines matter. The Houston and Heathrow upgrades land in 2028, so the payoff for those cities sits a couple of renewals away.
For a wider look at which cards come with lounge perks, see our breakdown of credit cards with the best lounge benefits. The New York lounge race has been building for a while too, as our earlier piece on Capital One’s flagship lounge at JFK Terminal 4 showed.
What Amex has not said yet
Amex gave only a year for the Centurion Lounge Newark, Heathrow and Houston, not exact opening dates. The announcement also says nothing about access rules, guest policies or opening hours, so for now there is no sign those will change at the new spaces.
These four projects sit on top of earlier plans: a Centurion Lounge at Boston Logan, a Sidecar lounge in Charlotte and an expansion at Dallas Fort Worth. Amex counts 33 Centurion Lounges today within a Global Lounge Collection that tops 1,550 lounges across 140 countries.
Centurion Lounge Newark questions, answered
When does the Centurion Lounge Newark open?
American Express expects it to open in 2027. It was first targeted for 2026, and no exact date has been announced.
Which terminal is the Centurion Lounge in at Newark?
It will be in Terminal A, spread over two levels totaling over 30,000 square feet.
Is the Philadelphia Centurion Lounge closed?
It closes for renovation starting October 16, 2026. Amex expects the expanded lounge to be finished by the end of 2027.
Is there a Centurion Lounge at Heathrow Terminal 5?
Not yet. A Terminal 5 space topping 9,000 square feet is expected in 2028, which will be the second Centurion Lounge at Heathrow.
Should you plan around the Centurion Lounge Newark yet?
Not for 2026 trips. Frequent Philadelphia flyers are the ones who need to act now, by squeezing in a visit before October 16 and setting expectations for 2027. Everyone else can file this under good news on a slow clock: a bigger lounge in Newark next year, and real breathing room in Houston and London after that.
