Newark Airport is getting the largest Centurion Lounge in American Express's entire network. The new space at Terminal A will cover 30,000 square feet across two floors — nearly double the 18,000 square feet originally announced — and is now expected to open in 2027. That's a slip from the previous 2026 target, but the extra size should soften the blow.
The lounge leans hard into its home state. Plans include a Blue Roast by American Express Coffee and Wellness Bar serving espresso, cold brew, seasonal coffee drinks, smoothies, avocado toast and chia pudding. There will also be three separate New Jersey-themed bars: a Main Bar with craft cocktails and curated wines; a Specialty Bar giving the state's famous diner culture a modern twist; and a Terrace Bar inspired by the Pine Barrens, pouring gelato, Italian pastries and Italian-leaning cocktails. Food comes via the Culinary Collective by The Centurion Lounge, with signature dishes from James Beard Award-winning Resy chefs including Kwame Onwuachi, Mike Solomonov, Mashama Bailey and Sarah Grueneberg.
Why it matters: Newark has long been the weak link in the New York-area lounge line-up, with United dominating the premium space there. Once this opens, Amex will be the first bank with its own proprietary lounges at all three NYC-area airports — LaGuardia, JFK and Newark. Given how consistently crowded Centurion Lounges have become, adding the biggest one yet to the network should take real pressure off, both here and at other locations.
It's also a signal of how competitive the premium lounge game has gotten. Capital One Lounges and Chase Sapphire Lounges are smaller networks, but their quality has raised the bar, and Amex clearly isn't standing still. If you fly through Newark with a Platinum or Centurion card, this gives you a genuine reason to arrive early rather than dreading the wait.
The catch is patience: with the 2026 opening window gone, travellers won't get to try it until sometime in 2027. In the meantime, Newark flyers stuck without lounge access may want to lean on Priority Pass or lounge day passes where available.
