How to quickly access the American Express Centurion Lounge

You pay hundreds of dollars annually for one the card gives you lounge access – and then you arrive at the airport only to face a long line at the entrance to the lounge.

Many TPG readers and staff have experienced this in terms of visitor numbers publisher-branded waiting room has swelled over the past few years.

Luckily, American Express There is some good news: As View From the Wing first reportedAmex has rolled out an online waitlist feature for most Centurion lounge in America

This wider reach comes after Amex tested it in select locations over the past few years. (Amex competitor Capital One has rolled out this app feature for its lounges in February.)

While this feature does not guarantee wait-free access, it is a useful tool to have in your travel toolbox. Here’s how it works.

How to quickly access the Amex Centurion Lounge

Open the American Express app when arriving at the airport or getting off a connecting flight. You should do this when you are 10 minutes or less away from the waiting room.

Log in and select the card that gives you access to the waiting room – most likely American Express Platinum® Card or American Express Business Platinum® Card.

Then, click the “Members” tab at the bottom of the screen.

Scroll down to “Airport lounge access” and the airport you’re at should automatically appear (if not, search for it in the upper right corner). Select “Centurion Lounge.”

If the waiting room is not full, you will click “Get Eligibility Code”; If it’s full, you’ll click “Join Waitlist.”

Next, you’ll confirm input requirements and additional guest information.

If the waiting room is not full, you will receive a QR code shortly afterwards to display at the entrance. It’s valid for 10 minutes and means you won’t have to present your physical Amex card.

If there is a waiting list, you can choose to receive text messages or email notifications when it’s your turn to join. Unfortunately, this message will not give you an estimate of your wait time.

When it’s your turn, you have 10 minutes to enter the QR code provided.

However, it remains to be seen whether each lounge will have separate lines for those with and without a QR code for entry.

TPG Senior Travel Editor Lyndsey Matthews did the right thing by getting a QR code when flying out of Charlotte Douglas International Airport (CLT) this week, but there was no way for her to get to the front of the line to actually get into the lounge.

Hopefully Amex will fix this issue in time because it negates the value of this option without an “express” lane.

Bottom line

Overcrowded waiting rooms have become a major problem and are a common complaint among travelers Premium credit card. Issuers need to do a better job of managing capacity by providing live wait times, reservation systems, and express lanes.

Fortunately, this is a step in the right direction for Amex. However, issuers need to ensure that those who join the waitlist and are granted access are given priority access over those who simply join the queue.

Related: 5 ways to make sure you have lounge access before your next flight