American Express Centurion Lounge Coming to Heathrow Terminal 5 in 2028
American Express has confirmed a new Centurion Lounge will open at Heathrow Terminal 5 in 2028, complementing its existing Terminal 3 space.
By The Aviation Hub
4 min read
American Express has confirmed it will open a Centurion Lounge Heathrow Terminal 5 (LHR) location, with construction already under way and an opening target of 2028. The new space will sit alongside the existing Centurion Lounge in Terminal 3, making Heathrow the first airport in the network to hold two.
Head for Points reports that the announcement is part of a wider wave of Centurion Lounge investment, which also includes a new lounge at Newark and expansions in Houston and Philadelphia. It is the single most significant development for premium cardholders travelling through Heathrow in several years.
What We Know About the Centurion Lounge Heathrow Terminal 5
The lounge will span roughly 9,000 square feet, according to View from the Wing. That is around 30% larger than the Terminal 3 Centurion Lounge, Head for Points notes, though the source also cautions that 9,000 square feet may still prove tight given demand.
One Mile at a Time reports that the lounge is expected to feature premium food and beverage offerings, a variety of seating, dedicated work areas and a VIP area. The design will, according to the official announcement, "draw inspiration from the many cultures, histories and influences that come together in London," with references to the rhythms and reflections of the River Thames.
Where in Terminal 5 Will It Be?
Head for Points understands that the space comes from landside offices that backed onto the airside area of Terminal 5. Part of the terminal will effectively switch from landside to airside, with the converted office space forming the lounge.
The outlet expects it to emerge near Gates A2 to A4, the wing that currently houses the Plaza Premium lounge, and possibly where the soft play area presently sits. American Express has not confirmed the precise location.
Who Can Use It?
Access follows the same rules as other Centurion Lounges. Head for Points sets out the non-US cardholder terms: Platinum and Centurion cardholders may bring one guest each, supplementary card holders may each bring their own guest, and additional guests beyond that can be admitted for a fee. At the Terminal 3 lounge the guest fee is currently £35 per person, reduced to £24 for children aged 2 to 17. All guests must be on the same flight as the cardholder, and entry is permitted from three hours before departure.
Slots cannot be reserved in advance, although one or two tables are typically held for Centurion cardholders.
What Amex and Heathrow Are Saying
Hannah Lewis, UK Country Manager at American Express, said: "Our lounge at Heathrow Terminal 3 has been incredibly well received since opening, so we're excited to expand our footprint to Terminal 5, giving Cardmembers a dedicated space to relax before their flight in a terminal we know they travel through regularly."
Daniel Edwards, Heathrow's Director of Airport Journeys, added: "We're delighted that American Express has chosen to expand its presence at Heathrow with a second Centurion Lounge, this time in Terminal 5. The new lounge will further enhance the premium experience for American Express customers travelling through Heathrow."
Both quotes were published by Head for Points.
The Wider Centurion Lounge Expansion
The Terminal 5 announcement is one of four projects American Express confirmed on the same day. One Mile at a Time reports that the planned Newark Airport lounge has grown from 18,000 square feet to more than 30,000 square feet across two floors, making it the largest in the network, though its opening has slipped from 2026 to 2027.
View from the Wing notes that the Philadelphia lounge will close from 16 October 2026 through the end of 2027 for a renovation that roughly doubles its current 6,000-square-foot footprint. Houston Intercontinental will see its lounge nearly triple in size, from 8,000 square feet to more than 23,000 square feet, with completion expected in 2028.
The broader context matters. As View from the Wing observes, Centurion Lounges have faced persistent crowding, a decline in food quality and growing competitive pressure from Chase Sapphire and Capital One lounges. The current round of investment is widely seen as a direct response to those pressures.
You can search for details on airlines operating through Heathrow Terminal 5 using Airline Search.
The Bottom Line
A Centurion Lounge in Heathrow Terminal 5 is a meaningful gain for Amex cardholders who regularly fly British Airways or any of the other carriers based there. Terminal 5 has until now offered only Plaza Premium and Club Aspire as independent lounge options, and neither approaches the scale Amex is promising.
The 2028 opening aligns, Head for Points points out, with the first phase of British Airways lounge closures in Terminal 5A as that refurbishment programme begins. Whether 9,000 square feet proves adequate for the volume of eligible cardholders passing through the terminal every day is the question that will define the lounge's success.
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