Review: American Express Centurion Lounge Seattle

Seattle-Tacoma International Airport is among the few in the USA to be graced with an American Express Centurion Lounge. I’ve been lucky to visit a few of these outfits recently, including the Denver Centurion lounge and Las Vegas Centurion lounge, and the Seattle variant might just be my favorite. 

Let’s take a look at my review of the American Express Centurion Lounge in Seattle and why it’s my favorite Centurion lounge I’ve visited so far.

Accessing the American Express Centurion Lounge in Seattle

I accessed this American Express Centurion Lounge through the complimentary airport lounge access benefit on my Canadian American Express Business Platinum card. International Platinum cards (i.e. cards issued outside the USA) still allow guests for free which allowed me to bring my wife in free of charge. 

The Canadian issued American Express Platinum card would work the same for gaining access with a guest at no additional cost.

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American Express Business Platinum Card

The American Express Business Platinum card earns Membership Rewards points and offers cardholders benefits including complimentary access to the American Express Global Lounge Collection, a $100 NEXUS membership credit, an annual $200 travel credit, and more.

BONUS
120,000 Membership Rewards

MINSPEND
$15,000

NET VALUE
$1,841+

ANNUAL FEE
$799

FOREX FEES
Yes

EXPIRY
–

If you have ventured into the world of US credit cards and hold an American Express Platinum card (US) or American Express Business Platinum card (US), only the cardholder can gain complimentary access. There is an additional charge of $50 per guest unless the cardholder spends $75,000 USD on the card in a calendar year.

The Seattle Centurion Lounge is located in the Central Terminal and is easy to find as it’s on the mezzanine level. The entrance is well-marked and recognizable, with signage and a large glass elevator.

Turning the corner to enter the elevator, you’re met with the lounge hours and some traditional American Express branding.

Arriving at the upper level, you see the staple of all Centurion Lounges, the plant wall with the check-in desk! There’s a reserved line for Centurion holders and some branding for the American Express Global Lounge Collection, which seems kind of redundant.

After showing my photo ID, Platinum card of choice, and boarding pass, I was granted admission to the lounge. The lounge has an airy and open vibe with a great view of the food court below.

Seating

While this is not a new Centurion Lounge, the Seattle lounge has been expanded after a recently completed renovation in February 2023. I never visited the smaller version, but I can definitely see why they needed the extra space! I have visited this lounge many times, and it’s always close to capacity.  

My favorite place to sit is by the bar, which has a lovely view and modern ambiance. The vibe here is unique to the Seattle lounge, as I haven’t seen this metalwork in any other iteration. This seating area is just behind the reception desk and offers floor-to-ceiling windows with gorgeous views.

Oddly, the “rear” part of the lounge tends to be quite crowded, and I’ve never been able to find a good place to sit. This area starts after the buffet, which is located centrally. The rear portion of the lounge begins with some seating reserved for Centurion members, then filters into window and pod seating. 

Here, things start to fall into the status quo with other Centurion Lounges as we see many books and travel decor.

Also in the rear portion, we find the phone room, which can be a lifesaver if you need some quiet time for a phone call.

The rear portion of the lounge is served by a refreshment station that is a spitting image of other Centurion Lounges, which is a good thing! These refreshment stations are well equipped with coffee, espresso beverages, tea, water, flavoring syrups, and juice or iced tea, depending on the time of day.

Returning to the central buffet, we find some diner-style decor and seating. But I don’t love this part of the lounge as there are no windows. I find Air Canada’s Maple Leaf Lounges do a better job of providing consistent natural light.

Food & Beverage

Centurion Lounges often have great food, but the Seattle branch is fantastic! Every time I visited, there were different buffet menus, and they offered holiday dishes during American Thanksgiving.

There are always freshly baked cookies at the end of the buffet, which are tempting, but I prefer the freshly made ice cream!

The freshly made ice cream is available at the Blue Roast Cafe, adjacent to the bar. I’ve spent about four months living in the Seattle area, and having a dedicated coffee bar in the lounge is very authentic. Pacific North Westerners love their coffee!

The Blue Roast Cafe has a variety of quick food options and excellent espresso beverages.

They also offer on-tap Kombucha and freshly made smoothies.

The bar is my favorite place to spend time in the lounge, and it’s close to everything, with Blue Roast and the Buffet being around the corner. I think the windows are what do it for me, though. You can also often hear live music playing from the food court.

Like all other Centurion Lounges, there are a variety of craft beers on tap and an extensive wine and cocktail list. 

Centurion Lounges consistently offer excellent cocktails, and this option is much preferred to the typical “pour yourself” basic spirit selection at most airport lounges. Each Centurion Lounge also has a different cocktail menu!

The cocktails are a favorite of mine as they’re expertly crafted with attention to detail, such as a chilled glass for a martini or a perfectly symmetrical lime wedge. Having an actual bartender to expertly handcraft all cocktails goes a long way in elevating the airport lounge experience.

While waiting for your cocktail (and it’s worth the wait), you can read about the mixologist who created these divine drinks.

At the far end of the bar where you can order drinks, there are some bar snacks available that add a homey feel.

Bathroom

The bathrooms are located just behind the buffet. Unfortunately, the shower facilities have been closed for quite some time.

It would be great to see these open back up eventually, as it is always nice to be able to take a shower after a long flight.

Conclusion

The American Express Centurion Lounge at Seattle Tacoma is easily the best lounge this airport offers and potentially one of the best Amex Centurion Lounges in the United States. 

There’s not much in the way of competition, and this central location is excellent for Platinum Cardholders. With local touches, large windows, and expanded seating, this is the place to spend time before or between your flights in SEA.