I’ve been an Amex Platinum cardholder for almost a year, but haven’t had a chance to visit a Centurion Lounge until this summer on my way to Alaska. I had a layover at SeaTac with my dad and sister. Amex Platinum cardholders can bring up to two guests into Amex Centurion Lounges so we headed over for lunch and relaxation before our flight to Vancouver. Here’s my review of the American Express Centurion Lounge at Seattle-Tacoma International Airport.
The Amex Lounge in Seattle is located in Concourse B across from Gate B3. It’s open daily from 5:00am to 10:00pm. We went around 12:00pm and the lounge was quite crowded. The check-in process was efficient with two attendants checking people in.
I’d heard people say that Amex Lounges tend to get a bit crowded. I visited the Amex Lounge in Seattle after Amex put a cap on the number of guests you could bring in, and I still found it to be pretty crowded. We ended up finding seats at a shared high table in the middle of the lounge. Good for eating, not great for comfort.
This side of the lounge was a bit quieter, but there still wasn’t enough seating for our group of three.
If you’re a Centurion cardholder, you never have to worry about getting a seat because the Amex Lounge sets aside booths.
The TV display was true to theme. I love the old school travel vibe in the Centurion Lounges. They do a good job of carrying out this theme while still making the lounge modern and comfortable.
The bar was in a separate room overlooking several gates. This room felt more spacious and a bit less crowded. The drink menu looked delicious, but I didn’t get to try any since it was only noon.
This picture of the buffet area is blurry because I was rushed taking photos. My sister and dad don’t know I have a blog so I was trying to be secretive! As you can see, there’s a good amount of options on the buffet, and best of all, they were mostly all delicious.
There was a salad bar with lots of toppings. The cheese curds in the bottom left were SO good. Definitely one of my favorite food items here.
Here’s another picture of the salad bar setup.
In addition to the salad, there were a few small sandwiches along with pita chips and hummus. They also had soup setup on the counter behind the buffet.
And don’t forget dessert! The rice crispy treats weren’t the best, but the pecan bars were next level. Behind the food, there was a good selection of soft drinks and coffee.
Last but not least, the bathroom. There were two single stalls, one in the main room and one off the bar. There is also a shower available. The bathrooms are nice and clean, but unfortunately, this is not enough bathrooms for the capacity of the lounge.
Final Thoughts
The Amex Centurion Lounge in Seattle is one of the nicer lounges I’ve been to. It’s a decent size and well-decorated, but the crowd can be a bit annoying. The major highlight of this lounge is the quality of the food. I felt like I was eating it because it tasted good, not just because it was there. I got to stop at this lounge again on my way back from Alaska, and my first stop was the cheese curds! My Platinum Card annual fee is due next month and Centurion Lounge access may be a contributing factor to my decision to keep or cancel the card.
Do you have a favorite Amex Centurion Lounge?
Avoid if possible. As a Platinum card holder I was looking forward to trying out this lounge. I was very disappointed. I was denied access because I was earlier than 3 hours before my flight. Which by the way is the reason I came to the lounge to begin with. I needed a place to work and relax before my flight back to Boston. Then upon returning withing the 3 hour window I was shocked to see very overcrowded space. It had next to nothing to eat. the saving grace was the bar. which was well stocked and manned by a very professional bar tender who served customers relentlessly.
If you want to drink, go here. If you need to work, rest, or eat….avoid it.