Amex Is About to Nearly Triple Its Houston Lounge

American Express has laid out a three-airport upgrade for its Centurion Lounge network, and the biggest jump is in Houston. The lounge at George Bush Intercontinental is set to grow from about 8,000 square feet to more than 23,000 square feet, with a specialty dining concept, a second full-service bar, more seating and additional restrooms and showers. It is expected to open in 2028, and the announcement does not say what happens to the existing space in the meantime.

Philadelphia’s change arrives much sooner. The current lounge, about 6,000 square feet, is scheduled to close temporarily starting October 16, 2026 while it is rebuilt as a two-story space of more than 12,000 square feet. Amex expects it to fully reopen by the end of 2027 and plans to add a Blue Roast coffee and wellness bar. Cardholders connecting through Philadelphia over the next year will need a backup plan.

London Heathrow is the third piece. Amex plans a second lounge there, in Terminal 5, to sit alongside the one it already operates in Terminal 3. At roughly 9,000 square feet, it is expected to open in 2028 and will carry a design inspired by London’s cultures, histories and the River Thames, plus premium food and drink and a VIP area.

The common thread is crowding. Centurion lounges have been criticized for long waits and packed seating, and larger footprints are the most direct fix. The tradeoff is timing, since most of the new space is still one to two years out, and Philadelphia travelers face a gap before the improved version appears.

Sources: One Mile at a Time, One Mile at a Time Weekly Review