Phoenix American Express Centurion/Escape Lounges – Now Open

Update: Now confirmed to be opened

Update 1/6/20: At the temporary lounges yesterday reader Dan LBR was told that the permanent lounges will be opened today (1/6/2020), it’s unclear if this will be a soft launch without an official announcement or if they will come later today. If anybody is flying through PHX please check to see if these are now open and your initial impressions. Sometimes they give out freebies on opening day from memory as well.

Update 11/26/19: As I correctly predicted this lounge will not be open on time with American Express citing ‘unforeseen construction delays’ (pro tip if every project you manage has unforeseen construction delays you might want to reconsider how you manage projects). American Express hasn’t provided an updated opening date, apart from saying that the lounge is set to open soon. Hat tip to TPG

Update 6/11/19: American Express is now providing renderings of what the lounge will look like when opened. American Express is also stating that the lounges will open in the coming months. I’m unsure of a time when a centurion lounge has opened on time so I suspect that the lounge will be lucky to open in 2019 but maybe we will be pleasantly surprised. Keep in mind the old lounge these are replacing only physically closed in mid April as well.

Upd 2/23/19: It’s now been confirmed that The Club will close and be replaced with a centurion and escape lounge.

In May it was announced that Phoenix Airport would be replacing the current ‘The Club’ lounge with a new 9,532 square foot lounge. In November airport staff selected MAG USA Lounge Management to operate this new lounge (they operate Escape lounges).  According to minutes taken in a bidding processing MAG proposed splitting the lounge in two with the other area being for an American Express Centurion Lounge. Tonight city council will vote to on whether to approve this proposal. This is good news for American Express Platinum cardholders as they would have access to both the Centurion Lounge and the Escape lounge. If the proposal is approved as expected then the aim would be for a late 2019/early 2020 opening. Priority Pass isn’t happy that they will be missing out on the space:

“Following the announcement that the common-use lounge at Terminal 4 at Sky Harbor International Airport will undergo a change of operator, we have written to Mayor Thelda Williams to express our concern that removing access to this lounge for our Members could have a negative impact on the 150,000 Priority Pass Members that use the lounge annually and, in turn, on revenue value to Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport,” Lucie Smith, a spokesperson for Priority Pass, said in an email to the Arizona Republic.

Earlier it was announced American Express centurion lounge at both HeathrowCharlotte.

Hat tip to AZ Central via VFTW

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Raylan
Raylan (@guest_865849)
January 6, 2020 14:18

Anything on DEN? That thing’s been delayed so many times.

AnameOfaguy
AnameOfaguy (@guest_865904)
January 6, 2020 15:27

Last I heard they had barely begun construction. It’s part of a ‘later’ phase of overall DIA construction. I’m betting 2021.

M
M (@guest_865740)
January 6, 2020 11:54

I was told 2 weeks ago the gift would be gift cards(not sure to where)

This was told to me by the person running checkin at the temp lounge.

AnameOfaguy
AnameOfaguy (@guest_865903)
January 6, 2020 15:27
  M

There was no gift this morning.

Steven
Steven (@guest_865701)
January 6, 2020 10:53

Looks like TPG posted a review of the new lounge 2 hours ago.

Anameofaguy
Anameofaguy (@guest_865729)
January 6, 2020 11:29

Not really a review but a promo, paid I’m sure. My review below. Granted it’s their opening day, but really with how not crowded it is I’m surprised how bad the food is. Definitely the worst I’ve had at a centurion lounge and I’ve been to all of them I believe. I skipped the sad Springhill phx breakfast this morning but in hindsight I wouldn’t have missed anything. Too much staff. They need better chef/cooks.

Anameofaguy
Anameofaguy (@guest_865787)
January 6, 2020 13:14

One bathroom stall. Gonna get messy. Faucets to low. I have big hands, but I still shouldn’t have to contact the bowl to get my hands under the faucet. Just one Dyson airblade, no paper towels in lav. I hate those germ blowers and it forces one to touch the door handle after washing. Grab a towel on the way in.

Walked through the Escape side. Same disappointing food but placed in the Escape ramekins. If you find Springhill-level breakfast to be “good” this place is for you. Escape side has cookies and charcuterie items. Very small but probably enough if as utilized as the MSP Escape lounge. I’m sure just for training but again, way too many staff. Unlike OMAAT oft-complaints about not enough attention on his first class flights, I just wish they’d leave me to my business unless I approach them.

CM
CM (@guest_866869)
January 7, 2020 00:40

Come on, SpringHill Suites breakfast is pretty good. That said, the food at the prior PriorityPass PHX was absolutely not (the worst out of any PP lounge I’ve been to); perhaps they’ve retained the same people running it the same old way?

Ctguy102
Ctguy102 (@guest_865690)
January 6, 2020 10:38

Looks like the link is active but not on homepage yet. https://thecenturionlounge.com/locations/PHX

Rox
Rox (@guest_865649)
January 6, 2020 08:37

Spoke to the DFW centurion lounge front desk this morning. It is going to London, LA and Charlotte in that order of opening. Unfortunately she didn’t have the dates.

kj
kj (@guest_865648)
January 6, 2020 08:28

So can PP be used at the new lounge in PHX ?

Steven
Steven (@guest_865699)
January 6, 2020 10:52
  kj

No, you would need AMEX Plat or Centurion.

qmc
qmc (@guest_865612)
January 6, 2020 03:01

Rats… missed it by a week….

Anameofaguy
Anameofaguy (@guest_865610)
January 6, 2020 02:54

AAssholes just canceled my flight ex-PHX after 6 hours of rolling delays. I guess as a bonus Ill wake up early and get to be here day 1!

Anameofaguy
Anameofaguy (@guest_865711)
January 6, 2020 11:14

It’s open! Empty still, but not for long. No welcome gift. Decent idea of space. Limited food. Cold pancakes, undercooked potato wedges, some round egg things that reminds me of freezer food, oatmeal, fruit bowl, yogurt, cold pastries. Since pico with mostly onions but not even salsa it hot sauce for the potatoes. I’m sure it’ll improve, but MEH food today. I would stop by in a delay but not take up time otherwise.

AnameOfaguy
AnameOfaguy (@guest_865744)
January 6, 2020 11:58

If it’s not obvious, I can’t type on a smart phone and I don’t bother spell checking… 🙂

the_shek
the_shek (@guest_865602)
January 6, 2020 02:10

I’ll be flying through tomorrow morning on a 9:30AM Southwest flight out of terminal 4 so I’ll be sure to check it out! I’m tempted to change my itinerary to a flight later in the day if it really is good enough…  Chuck send me an email and I would love to do a guest post review of the lounge for your blog if possible (I can rebook my flight using avios instead of Rapid Rewards)

Jake
Jake (@guest_865595)
January 6, 2020 01:38

LAX PLEASE!

MoreSun
MoreSun (@guest_865626)
January 6, 2020 05:32

#TRUTH