Coronavirus: American Express closes all Centurion Lounges

American Express is closing all twelve of its exclusive Centurion airport lounges around the world, and there's no word on when the up-market lounges are expected to re-open their doors.

"As the health and safety of our Card Members and colleagues is our top priority, in light of the spread of COVID-19 we are temporarily closing all The Centurion Lounge locations, starting on Saturday, March 21, 2020," American Express says. "We look forward to reopening our lounges and welcoming our Card Members back as soon as we can."

AMEX first pulled down the shutters on its Hong Kong Centurion Lounge on March 5, as passenger numbers through Hong Kong International Airport continued to decline and the coronavirus outbreak entered its third month.

The latest star in the Centurion constellation, at LAX, opened only on March 9, but the speed at which the coronavirus has spread – and of the sweeping travel bans instituted by many countries in response – has taken its toll on the loungescape.

United Airlines this week closed all five of its flagship Polaris airport lounges across the USA, while Cathay Pacific was the first international airline to shut down flagship lounges in the wake of the coronavirus, with three Hong Kong lounges – The Pier First Class, The Deck and The Bridge – closed from February 17 “until further notice."

Qantas also plans to close its Singapore first class lounge from April 20 through to at least September 2020, due to fewer passengers flying to Singapore, and none flying through Singapore to London or back due to the planned rerouting of QF1/QF2 via Perth.

However, the imminent announcement of further cuts to the airline's international network  – including up to 150 long-range aircraft being grounded – could see the Qantas Singapore First lounge closed even sooner.

David Flynn

David Flynn is the Editor-in-Chief of Executive Traveller and a bit of a travel tragic with a weakness for good coffee, shopping and lychee martinis.