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The newest American Express Centurion Lounge is opening at Schiphol Airport in Amsterdam (AMS), and we got a first look inside before the doors open to the public.
Eligible Amex cardholders can relax in style before their international travels from or through Amsterdam. Inside, you can enjoy premium local food, coffee, cocktails, and other beverages in a spacious area with all kinds of seating — lounges for the family, booths for working, and high tables for food or drinks. The space is tastefully designed with local colors, decor, and artwork.
Here are the details of this new lounge, who has access, and what to expect.
Amex Opens Centurion Lounge in Schiphol Airport
Schiphol (AMS) is the largest airport in the Netherlands and the fourth-largest in Europe after London Heathrow, Istanbul (IST), and Paris (CDG). Nearly 70 million passengers travel through Schiphol annually to over 300 destinations. For its size, Schiphol has relatively few lounges.
That's going to get a bit better when Amex officially opens its new Centurion Lounge Schiphol to the public on September 17, 2026. It will be open daily from 6 a.m. to 9:30 p.m. and is located between Concourse E and F in Departures 3 of the main terminal. The lounge will be available only to passengers departing on non-Schengen international flights.
This opening is fantastic news, as the Centurion Lounge network has a light footprint in Europe. The only other Centurion Lounges in Europe are in London and Stockholm, so having an option in Amsterdam — a popular layover airport — is excellent.
Design and layout
The new Centurion Lounge Schiphol is just under 6,000 square feet, making it smaller than other lounges in the collection (about a third of the size of the Centurion Lounge Salt Lake City). Despite its small size, the lounge does not feel cramped. Only time will tell whether it feels cramped once it opens to the public.
One wall has several floor-to-ceiling windows, and the artwork is beautifully designed to keep the space open. The lounge is airside, but faces away from the runways with a direct view of the control tower.
While each Centurion Lounge has its own distinct decor, some parts are familiar. As you walk into the Amsterdam location, you have a great rendition of the American Bulldog featured in each Centurion Lounge, designed by Jonker.
Most of the lounge's decor comes in hues of blue, green, and brown, reminiscent of Amsterdam's famous canals and architecture. Design lines in the lounge represent the city's canal houses. Black quartzite, brass trim, and warm wood accents complete the contemporary design.
The lounge also features plenty of artwork from local artists, including Mieke Jonker, ReinderSchmidt, Geesien Postema, and Thirza Schaap. Perhaps the most artistic space is called the phone booth, a small alcove with a couple of seats, walls covered in Delft Blue tiles, and a light 3D-printed with recycled plastic by a local artist.
The lounge is divided into four main spaces. On the right is a beautiful room with couches, low seats, and workstations. The second room is the Blue Roast Coffee Bar with both low and high tables and plenty of seats. Next is the buffet with low tables and booths. Finally, there's the bar with high tables and bar seating. From personal experience, every seat is surprisingly comfortable.
Food and beverage
The complimentary buffet is a mainstay of any Centurion Lounge. As expected, the Centurion Lounge Schiphol features many local dishes and regional European flavors. On the buffet line, you can currently find:
- Italian meatballs
- Roasted chicken (cooked to perfection)
- Vegetarian lasagna
- Crispy Dutch potatoes
- Roasted cauliflower
- Greek salad
- Seasonal fruits
- Heirloom tomato and burrata salad
- Couscous, pomegranate, and mint salad
- Plenty of cold cuts
- A salad bar
- A selection of cheeses
- Numerous, delicious desserts
You can use the self-serve coffee and tea bar by the buffet, but this is the fourth Centurion Lounge to feature a Blue Roast Coffee Bar. The bar serves 100% Arabica coffee from an Italian Fairtrade company, and the bartenders know how to craft a perfect cup. As a coffee lover myself, I can say it's just right. Or, if you prefer, you can choose from eight different bags of tea or 12 different loose-leaf teas.
Finally, the bar has a full selection of beers, wines, and cocktails. If you don't drink alcohol, the menu features a few mocktails, and every cocktail is also available as a mocktail. I tried the classic Members Mojito as a mocktail, which was right up my alley as someone who doesn't drink much alcohol. But the Captain's Reserve also looked great with a toasted popcorn finish.
The highlight of the buffet is the bitterballen — one of the Netherlands' quintessential dishes. If you've never had one, it's essentially a deep-fried ball of ragout. Normally, when you get these at a cafe or bar in the Netherlands, they come straight from the deep fryer, ready to burn your taste buds. But the Centurion Lounge served them (at least mine) at just the right temperature to eat immediately.
Other current menu items include a Dutch slider and truffle mac and cheese. Dishes will rotate out seasonally, although the bitterballen will probably be a permanent fixture on the menu.
Amenities
Although the lounge plans to offer its own high-speed WiFi, this wasn't available at the time of opening. In the meantime, you can use Schiphol Airport's free WiFi. When I tested it, speeds were great — around 100 Mbps download speeds and, surprisingly, nearly 80 Mbps upload speeds.
The numerous workstations all provide several outlets for working and charging devices. Four workstations are more private, with a large desk area, while the three by the coffee bar fit two at a smaller table. Personally, I liked the high table by the window to get some writing done during my visit.
Unlike larger lounges, the Centurion Lounge Schiphol doesn't have any shower facilities. While Schiphol Airport is the fourth-largest airport in Europe in both passenger traffic and land size, space is still a premium, and the lounge can only fit so much. In fact, no lounge at Schiphol Airport has premium shower facilities.
If you need a shower at the airport, you can use the free shower cabins in Lounge 2, although no towels or toiletries are provided. Premium showers with towels and toiletries are available for a fee at the Mercure Hotel or the Hilton Amsterdam Schiphol Airport.
Showers aside, the Amex Centurion Lounge Schiphol provides an excellent experience to relax, work, eat, and drink before your next flight. The temperature is just right, the lighting is great, and it will likely be less crowded than other lounges at Schiphol Airport.
Who Can Access the New Amex Centurion Lounge Schiphol?
American Express Card Members with an Centurion® Card from American Express or a Platinum-branded card — such as the American Express Platinum Card® or The Business Platinum Card® from American Express — have unlimited access to the Amex Centurion Lounge Schiphol and other Centurion Lounges in Amex’s global network.
Additionally, cardholders of the
$895
- Earn 5X points for flights booked directly with airlines or with American Express Travel® (up to $500,000 in purchases per calendar year).
- Earn 5X points on prepaid hotels booked with American Express Travel®.
- Earn 5X points on Fine Hotels + Resorts® and The Hotel Collection bookings.
$895Rates & Fees
(Terms apply)
- Earn 5X points on flights and prepaid hotels on AmexTravel.com.
- Earn 2X points on each eligible purchase of $5,000 or more.
- Earn 2X points on each eligible purchase with U.S. construction material and hardware suppliers.
- Earn 2X points on each eligible purchase with U.S. electronic goods retailers and software & cloud system providers.
- Earn 2X points on each eligible purchase with U.S. shipping providers.
- 2X earning rates are subject to a cap of $2 million in purchases per calendar year.
$650
- 3X miles per dollar spent on purchases made directly with Delta
- 1X miles on every eligible dollar spent on purchases.
Eligible cardholders can access Centurion Lounges up to three hours before a scheduled flight by presenting their valid card and a confirmed reservation with a seat assignment for a same-day flight for non-Schengen departures. During a layover, card members can access the lounge within five hours of the connecting flight. Same-day round-trip itineraries are not considered connecting flights.
These lounges are exclusive, so you can't pay to enter without an eligible card. All access is subject to space availability — hopefully this won't end up being a problem in Amsterdam.
Centurion Lounges guest access
Centurion Lounges have very strict guest access policies. Only cardholders who spend at least $75,000 in a calendar year can bring up to two complimentary guests. This Centurion benefit is valid until January 31, two calendar years after you reach the spending threshold. For example, if you earn guest access in July 2026, you will enjoy it until January 31, 2028.
If you don't earn complimentary guests, you can pay to bring friends or family with you to the lounge. You'll pay a $50 fee for up to two Adults 18+ or up to a $30 fee for children aged 2-17. Children under 2 are free.
The new Amsterdam location joins the small but mighty list of Centurion Lounge international locations:
- Hong Kong (HKG)
- London (LHR)
- Tokyo (HND)
- Buenos Aires (EZE)
- Dehli (DEL)
- Melbourne (MEL)
- Mexico City (MEX)
- Monterrey (MTY)
- Mumbai (BOM) (temporarily closed)
- Stockholm (ARN)
- Syndey (SYD)
Our Take
The opening of the Amex Centurion Lounge Schiphol is part of a €10 billion refurbishment and future-proofing program spanning many years at the airport. Passenger experience is central to this program, including upgraded facilities for premium cardholders.
Nearly 70 million passengers travel through Schiphol Airport annually, so it goes without saying that at least a few will have an eligible card to access the new Centurion Lounge. If you are one of those passengers, you now have a luxury lounge experience waiting when flying into or through Amsterdam.
Amex has plans for more Centurion Lounges in the U.S., including Newark Liberty International Airport (EWR) and Boston Logan International Airport (BOS), as well as Sidecar by The Centurion Lounge at Charlotte Douglas International Airport (CLT).
Now, we just have to wait and see what other lounges American Express plans to open overseas to further expand the benefits for cardholders.
For rates and fees of the cards mentioned in this post, please visit the following links: The Business Platinum Card® from American Express (Rates & Fees)
