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One of New York City's most exclusive clubs just opened in an unlikely place: LaGuardia Airport.
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American Express just opened the doors to its newest Centurion Lounge on Monday, the latest feather in LaGuardia Airport's cap after seeing a new terminal building open its doors last year.
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Brand-new structures replaced the 1960s-era Central Terminal Building, giving New York's third-largest airport the more modern facility that it deserves and passengers more room to breathe. LaGuardia and its Terminal B are now dining and retail destinations in a twist no traveler saw coming.
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Now, with American Express reopening its Centurion Lounge at the airport, flyers have another reason to get to the airport early. Take a look inside the new lounge.
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Terminal B currently serves four airlines including American Airlines, United Airlines, Air Canada, and Southwest Airlines. Each airline except Southwest has its own lounge in the terminal but Centurion Lounges are regarded as a step above the traditional airline club.
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American Express Platinum and Centurion cardholders both have access to the lounge, with the former commanding an annual fee of $550. Delta Air Lines flyers with the Reserve American Express card also have access to the lounge but would have to leave security to get to the Delta terminal.
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Immediately greeting all visitors is the iconic portrait of an American Express steamer and dog, accompanied by two armchairs. This setup can be found in every Centurion Lounge.
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The newly-opened lounge comes in at 10,000 square feet with a total of five open seating areas and scores of additional private rooms.
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It's markedly larger than the former Centurion Lounge in the old Central Terminal Building.
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The lounge boasts a capacity of 262 guests but seating is somewhat limited due to the COVID-19 restrictions imposed by the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey, which operates the airport.
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New York City-inspired photography lines the lounge in one of the many local touches that American Express aims to include in each lounge.
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Private rooms are a key feature of the lounge, offering escapes from the hustle and bustle of the main seating areas.
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They typically offer plush seating arrangements and quieter places to dine, work, or relax.
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Most also offer televisions that play the news.
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Another private room is the meeting room, complete with colorful walls and couches.
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It's a multi-use room that can also be a family room since this lounge doesn't have a dedicated family space as others do.
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Nintendo Switch video games including Mario Kart are also available on request.
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Two enclosed phone rooms are also available, complete with a single chair and table.
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They are arguably the most private spaces in the lounge and ideal for solo travelers.
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When it's time to eat, guests can head to the main dining area that houses the hot food buffet.
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Both breakfast and then a combined lunch and dinner are served in the lounge.
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Hot meals, savory snacks, and alcoholic beverages are on offer and guests don't have to spend a dime to enjoy any of it. All of the lounge's amenities are included in the annual fee for whichever card grants access to the club.
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A selection of breakfast foods was on offer until 10:45 a.m. Options included breakfast breads...
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Fruit salad...
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Greek yogurt, detox shots...
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Ricotta toast with tomatoes...
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Acai bowls...
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French toast, turkey sausage links...
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Martabak telur...
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Oatmeal...
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Eggs, and potatoes.
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The menu was crafted by Cedric Vongerichten of Nolita's Wayan restaurant. American Express frequently taps local chefs to create its Centurion Lounge menus and they don't often disappoint.
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The food in this lounge was incredibly fresh and tasty.
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Due to the pandemic, buffet attendants plate food items for guests and deliver them on a tray.
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Then, guests can choose to dine at one of the tables near the buffet or bring their plates back to their desired seating area.
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A selection of water, juices, and hot beverages are also available to top off the meal.
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But for something stronger, there's also a full-service bar in the lounge. All alcoholic beverages are also complimentary in yet another perk of membership.
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Standard drinks and cocktails are available but American Express mixologist Jim Meehan created a special, local-inspired drink menu for the lounge. The famous "blue door" cocktail is also on offer.
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Bar seating is unavailable due to the pandemic. Plexiglass partitions are also installed for social distancing purposes and floor placards lead the way to the bar.
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But bar-adjacent seating is available with high-tops and cushioned benches.
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Seating is mostly open in the lounge, with flyers having their pick instead of being escorted to a seat as is the case in some other American Express lounges.
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Some seats are reserved for larger groups. This arrangement, for example, is reserved for groups of three or more.
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It remains to be seen how American Express will adjust as more travelers take to the skies and COVID-19 measures are lifted.
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But not all seats need to be blocked off as some lend themselves well to social distancing. Lounges thrive on exclusivity and privacy, and some of the seating reflects that with high walls to separate guests.
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This lounge also features the standard single-seat cubbies that are separated from each other by walls measuring around one foot in length.
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Bar seating is also available along the edges of the lounge, offering a unique view of the terminal below.
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Clear windows provide a direct line of sight to the check-in areas below, as well as the art installations on display in the terminal.
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The lounge also has some art of its own, including a massive mural of the Centurion logo.
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Power outlets are ubiquitous in the lounge and guests don't have to travel far to find one, whether it be a 110v AC power outlet or USB charging port.
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Some couches even have power outlets built into the cushioning.
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A small business center complete with outlets and a printer is also available for business travelers passing through the lounge.
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A conference table is also available for business travelers or larger groups.
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An entire pre-trip meeting can be had around the table, complete with built-in power outlets.
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Unique to the LaGuardia lounge is a library-like study space, which American Express designed in partnership with New York City independent bookstore McNally Jackson,.
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It's another private nook for guests to enjoy but digital copies of books are also available.
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Showers are also available in the lounge, although they're not currently open due to pandemic restrictions. But once lifted, guests will be able to have a shower using L'Occitane products.
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The lounge is open from 5 a.m. to 6 p.m. from Sunday to Friday, but only until 5 p.m. on Saturdays.
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Guests departing from LaGuardia can spend a maximum of three hours here but the visit is worth every minute.
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