Washington, D.C
Inside the new Amex Centurion Lounge in DC's Reagan National Airport – The Points Guy
The credit card airport lounge wars has a new battleground: the nation’s capital.
On Tuesday, American Express took the wraps off of its hotly anticipated Centurion Lounge at Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport (DCA) near Washington, D.C.
The outpost, which was first announced in 2021 and opens on Wednesday, becomes the first credit card-branded lounge at DCA, which will be welcome news for Amex’s most premium cardmembers passing through the airport. (Until now, DCA has only been home to airline-branded lounges.)
Amex’s move is a strong one. The DCA Centurion Lounge measures nearly 12,000 square feet and has a slew of amenities and relaxation spaces, along with a first-ever culinary concept for the Amex club network.
Of course, Amex has also long been the leader in the credit card-branded airport lounge wars. It opened the first Centurion Lounge in 2013 and has since expanded the network across the country and to major cities worldwide.
That said, Capital One and Chase are very much playing fierce catch-up; the former is even planning to open a new dining-focused “Outpost” concept at DCA in the coming months.
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So, what’s it like inside Amex’s new Centurion Lounge? Read on for all the details.
Amex Centurion Lounge DCA location
Amex’s new Centurion Lounge at DCA is located in a newly built extension to the airport’s Terminal 2.
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You’ll find the lounge in the airside National Hall near the entrance to the pier for the B Gates. The space is located just past the south security checkpoint, so I’d recommend clearing security here if you’re planning to use the lounge after completing check-in and security screening.
It’s hard to miss the entrance once you’re in National Hall. It’s located right opposite Lucky Buns, and the glass-lined entrance couldn’t be more prominent.
Amex Centurion Lounge DCA access
The new lounge opens daily at 5 a.m. It closes on every day at 9 p.m., except for Saturdays when it closes at 7 p.m.
American Express cardmembers with a Centurion or Platinum-branded card such as The Platinum Card® from American Express or The Business Platinum Card® from American Express have access to Amex Centurion Lounges.
Delta SkyMiles® Reserve American Express Card and Delta SkyMiles® Reserve Business American Express Card members also get complimentary access to Centurion Lounges when flying on a Delta-marketed or -operated flight.
You can’t purchase Centurion Lounge access even if you carry another American Express card.
Note that Centurion Lounge guest policies changed last year to clamp down on overcrowding.
Platinum cardmembers cannot bring complimentary guests into the lounge unless they meet a new $75,000 annual spending requirement on their cards. Otherwise, you’ll pay $50 per adult guest and $30 per child (ages 2-17). Children under two can enter for free. Centurion and Corporate Platinum cardmembers can continue to bring up to two complimentary guests into the lounge.
For more about accessing the Centurion Lounge network, be sure to check out our comprehensive guide.
Amex Centurion Lounge DCA layout
The new Amex lounge is located on a newly constructed upper level to the departures hall.
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After entering the space, you’ll need to either take an elevator or climb about 50 stairs to reach the reception desk.
From the moment you enter the space, it’s unmistakably a Centurion Lounge. Between the wood tones, the green living wall and the signature Amex scent, the issuer brought all of its flagship Centurion Lounge elements to the space.
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After you’re admitted to the lounge, you’ll turn left and enter the various relaxation areas. The first, located just next to the welcome desk, is a pseudo art gallery featuring pieces crafted by local Washington, D.C.., artists. I particularly loved Maggie O’Neill’s colorful canvas depicting the Capital Building.
The gallery is bookended by a beautiful rendition of the Amex signature watchdog that’s found in every Centurion Lounge. This piece, however, is an updated take on the historical Amex logo and beautifully blends in with the space.
Lining the halls of the gallery are some couches and individual chairs.
As you walk past the gallery, you can continue straight into more of the traditional lounge seating. Here, you’ll find a mix of couches and reclining chairs — all in the same dark blue and deep grey tones that you’ll find across Amex’s newest Centurion Lounges.
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There are also some chairs lining the perimeter of this rectangular relaxation area.
As you reach the end of the lounge, you’ll find two open-style living rooms. The first is more of an entertainment area with a TV built into Amex’s signature library wall.
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Behind this library wall is the second living room area; this one likely will be popular with business travelers.
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There’s a long coworking table here, along with bar-style high-top seating lining the perimeter of the space, perfect for those looking to catch up on work. This is also where you’ll find the lounge’s shared printer.
One thing that I particularly appreciate throughout the lounge is all of the natural light — the lounge has windows on all sides, providing copious amounts of light throughout the day.
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Finally, there’s a small dedicated lounge area reserved for those with the Centurion card, Amex’s invite-only charge card that’s popular with the rich and famous. This area has no more than 15 seats, but it’s cordoned off and looks like it’ll be the most relaxing in the entire lounge.
All in all, this new Centurion Lounge looks just like most of Amex’s other Centurion Lounges. This isn’t a one-of-a-kind space like the newly opened outpost in Atlanta, but it covers all the basics (and more) in a relaxing and inviting environment.
Amex Centurion Lounge DCA dining
Though the lounge itself may resemble other Centurion Lounges, Amex is debuting a unique dining concept in this lounge.
The menu is designed in partnership with three award-winning chefs who have partnered with other Centurion Lounges nationwide. These include Chef Michelle Bernstein, Chef Ravi Kapur, and Chef Michael Solomonov, all of whom have incredibly successful restaurants in Miami, San Francisco and Philadelphia, respectively.
With this trio, travelers will be able to enjoy a wide range of cuisines on the lounge’s all-day buffet. As with all Centurion Lounges (and unlike the Capital One Lounge and Chase Sapphire Lounge), there is no a la carte dining here.
That said, the dishes that I tried at the media preview were all delicious, especially the Shabazi-spiced salmon.
I’m personally a big fan of Chef Solomonov’s Zahav restaurant in Philly, so getting to sample some of his creations in another Amex lounge is a big win in my book (especially given how hard it is to snag a reservation at his flagship restaurant).
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ZACH GRIFF/THE POINTS GUY
At the bar, you can order from the cocktail menu curated by Centurion Lounge mixologist Jim Meehan or from the wine list designed by Anthony Giglio, the issuer’s wine director. Amex always invests in offering a pretty extensive and elevated drink list, and this lounge is no exception.
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In addition to the buffet and signature bar, there are two drink stations located throughout the lounge. Here, you’ll find Eversys coffee machines, Vivreau water taps and even some delectable chocolate chip cookies.
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While the culinary experience is highlighted by delicious food and drinks, you definitely don’t want to miss taking a glance at the dining room, which has a beautiful light fixture hanging from the ceiling. This fixture is a collection of 260 lanterns that are designed to resemble the topography of the Potomac River.
There aren’t many tables in the dining room, though, so during peak periods, I imagine guests will need to take their plates to other areas of the lounge.
Amex Centurion Lounge DCA amenities
Although this space doesn’t offer a spa or an outdoor terrace, it does have all the basics covered (and then some).
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There is one phone booth and one meeting room in the lounge. They are soundproof, and they feature floor-to-ceiling glass windows. I love the design of the walls in these rooms.
Instead of a family room, the lounge features a multipurpose room, which can be used by families and those traveling together as a group. This space is available on a first-come, first-serve basis.
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There is one set of restrooms in the center of the lounge. The men’s room features three stalls and a few urinals.
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There’s even a shower in the lounge, located just next to the reception desk. Be sure to reserve a time with the front desk when you enter.
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The shower suite is beautiful and look like it might just be the single nicest shower in the airport. After all, it wins by default because it’s the first shower available to travelers at DCA.
Most seats are within an arm’s reach of power outlets and USB-A ports. Unfortunately, I didn’t see any USB-C charging ports here, despite this rapidly becoming the new charging standard.
Wi-Fi is available throughout the space, and download and upload speeds topped a whopping 300 Mbps.
Amex Centurion Lounge DCA bottom line
The long-awaited Centurion Lounge in Washington, D.C., is finally here.
This is DCA’s first credit card-branded lounge, and it sets a very high bar. With plenty of space to relax, delicious food and drinks and thoughtful amenities, expect the location to be a hit with travelers. (So much so that I’d imagine overcrowding will unfortunately be a reality during peak departure windows.)
While this space might not feature special amenities like a spa or outdoor terrace, it fits the bill for what Amex’s top cardmembers passing through DCA likely need most.
As long as you can find a place to relax, this lounge is certainly worth a visit. I, for one, will certainly be back for Chef Solomonov’s salmon.
Related reading:
Washington, D.C
The director of the Congressional Budget Office—known for its gloomy national debt data—is very optimistic that a crisis will be avoided entirely | Fortune
Dr Phillip Swagel is an optimist, both by nature and when he looks at the U.S. economy.
This fact is perhaps at odds with what one might assume: Swagel is the director of the Congressional Budget Office (CBO), the nonpartisan agency that offers independent budgetary and economic analysis to Congress.
Very often—an inevitable occupational hazard—the subject of national debt and the interest the U.S. Treasury pays to maintain is its central focus. The numbers are eye-watering: Public debt stands at more than $39 trillion. The interest expense on that borrowing now exceeds $1 trillion a year. Indeed, the latest budget update from the CBO highlights that the government—according to preliminary estimates—paid out nearly $530 billion between October 2025, when the fiscal year starts, and March 2026. This equates to more than $88 billion in interest payments a month, or more than $22 billion a week.
The CBO’s figures are routinely cited by policymakers, think tanks, and lobbyists as alarming evidence that the U.S. needs to find a more sustainable fiscal path or risk dire straits.
Swagel doesn’t subscribe to the notion that the U.S. will face a crisis of its own making. His justification is simple: He was at the Treasury during the 2008 financial crisis, and joined the CBO months before the COVID pandemic began. He has watched as the U.S. economy, seemingly against all odds, has clawed its way out of economic crises before.
That’s not to say Swagel isn’t a staunch advocate of setting the U.S. on a more sustainable fiscal path—rather, he trusts the people in power to do so when the time comes.
Why the optimism?
Among those concerned about national debt are notable names: JPMorgan Chase CEO Jamie Dimon, Federal Reserve Chairman Jerome Powell, and Bridgewater Associates founder Ray Dalio. Tesla CEO Elon Musk is also worried about federal spending and has endorsed a plan floated by Berkshire Hathaway founder Warren Buffett that would render members of Congress ineligible for reelection if they allow deficits to exceed 3% of GDP.
On the other hand, optimistic economists suggest that, despite the value of the debt, it’s not actually an issue: the bond market is holding steady, indicating a reliable market of buyers. Likewise, the U.S.’s own central bank buys huge swaths of the debt, meaning, in the simplest of layman’s terms, the economy can essentially print its own money. There are holes in this argument, not least the fact that Fed chairman nominee Kevin Warsh has suggested he would like to reduce the Fed’s balance sheet and may therefore be less inclined to finance borrowing.
Swagel’s positive outlook doesn’t rely on the argument that a crisis hasn’t happened yet, so therefore it never will: “[My optimism] is rooted in my experience,” Swagel tells Fortune in an exclusive interview in Washington D.C. “First being at Treasury during the financial crisis and seeing very difficult times and the country coming together with an effective response—not saying it’s perfect, lots of controversy—but it was effective.”
“The second thing is policymakers are smart, they’re thoughtful. Interacting with members of Congress makes me optimistic. I know you read about all the squabbles … I’m completely aware of this, but the policymakers that are thinking about these things are thoughtful and effective. Not necessarily always effective at passing legislation, but that’s part of our political system, it was set up to make it difficult ot pass legislation.”
Decisions on the horizon
Swagel’s optimism that Congress will be pushed into action will be tested sooner rather than later, likely at some point in the next six years, he told Fortune. This is partly due to the fact that, according to the Committee for a Responsible Federal Budget (CRFB) both Social Security and Medicare will become insolvent within that time period.
“Making progress to address the fiscal trajectory would be a positive for the U.S. economy,” Swagel said. “Credible steps would lead to lower interest rates that would make the subsequent adjustment easier, there is a reward to virtue. It’s a positive thing, we can’t go on [with] the scolding narrative. My sense is that members of Congress understand the fiscal situation, it’s not that everyone single one has looked at our one-pager of numbers and understands the debt to the third decimal point, but they understand something needs to be done.”
“It doesn’t have to be done immediately, but at some point reasonably soon.”
Swagel is of the opinion that bond investors haven’t increased risk premiums not because they’re not worried about a fiscal crisis, but because they have priced in preventative action from Congress—in his mind “a vote of confidence that my optimism is not misplaced.”
“As a country, we face up to these problems. It’s not happening now, I’m not sure it’s going to happen in the rest of this year or even the next year, or the next two years. But we will face up to it, and the market in some sense expects us to, because otherwise interest rates would be higher,” he explained.
The Cheesecake Factory
The role of the CBO, to some extent, is to provide policymakers with their options if and when they do choose to take action on federal deficits. It’s a menu not unlike the Cheesecake Factory, Swagel says: Large, inclusive of a range of modifications and options, and delivered without judgement.
“Right now it’s maybe a pick three, and you’re looking at a six or seven course menu,” joked Caleb Quakenbush, director of fiscal policy at the Bipartisan Policy Center, in an interview with Fortune. “The longer you delay, the more you’re gonna have to add to your tab, and those options become more expensive.”
Indeed, economists and analysts aren’t necessarily worried about the absolute level of government debt, rather the debt-to-GDP ratio. Depending on whom you ask, the debt-to-GDP ratio stands at around 122% of GDP at present. This measure demonstrates an economy’s spending versus its growth, and the risk associated with lending to a nation that isn’t growing fast enough to handle its spending. To rebalance that ratio, an economy could either cut spending or increase growth—the latter being by far the less painful option.
The growth option is becoming less feasible, Michael Peterson, CEO of fiscal think tank the Peter G. Peterson Foundation, told Fortune in an exclusive interview: “I think it requires government action because we’ve waited so long. We’ve added so many trillions, and the current deficit is so big at 6% that the level of growth you would need really exceeds what is feasible.
“Growth needs to be a part of it, but it’s sort of a vicious cycle. The longer we delay, the more debt we have, the slower growth is going to be. The more we get this under control, I think the greater optimism there is, interest rates go down, more growth comes from that. It’s sort of a virtuous or vicious cycle depending on your policy response.”
TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (WCTV) – Seventy-two veterans took a trip Saturday to our nation’s capital to visit memorials honoring their service in the armed forces.
This year marks the 12th trip to Washington, D.C. for Honor Flight Tallahassee.
Early Saturday morning, veterans and their guardians met to take a charter flight up to D.C.
Throughout the day, veterans were taken to the World War II memorial, as well as the Korean and Vietnam War memorials. The veterans also visited Arlington National Cemetery and the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier.
More Tallahassee news:
The day ended with a wonderful welcome home celebration.
Our Jacob Murphey, Julia Miller, Taylor Viles, and Grace Temple accompanied the veterans, capturing moments from throughout the day.
The team will have live coverage from Washington, D.C. on Monday to share more from the day’s events.
We will continue to have coverage throughout the month of May, leading up to our Honor Flight special on Memorial Day.
To keep up with the latest news as it develops, follow WCTV on Facebook, Instagram, YouTube, Nextdoor and X (Twitter).
Have a news tip or see an error? Write to us here. Please include the article’s headline in your message.
Be the first to see all the biggest headlines by downloading the WCTV News app. Click here to get started.
Copyright 2026 WCTV. All rights reserved.
4 things to know about the weather:
- Chances of rain in the morning
- Gusty Sunday
- Chilly Monday
- Temps will rise again through the work week
Download the NBC Washington app on iOS and Android to check the weather radar on the go.
After a nice and warm Saturday, changes arrive for part two of the weekend.
The first half of your Sunday will have a chance for showers. Winds will pick up with our next system and are expected to gust to about 20-30 mph. Cooler air will settle in, and lows Sunday night fall into the 40s.
Highs temps Monday will reach only into the mid to upper 50s.
However, temperatures will rise through the week, so you won’t need your jackets every day.
QuickCast
SUNDAY:
Showers, then partly cloudy
Wind: NW 10-15 mph
Gusts @ 30 mph
HIGH: Lower 60s
MONDAY:
Partly cloudy
Wind: NW 10-15 mph
Gusts @ 25 mph
HIGH: Upper 50s
Stay with Storm Team4 for the latest forecast. Download the NBC Washington app on iOS and Android to get severe weather alerts on your phone.
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