Centurion Lounge entry limited to five hours before connecting flights; guests must be on the same flight

no time limit on layovers; guests on any flight → within 5 hours of connecting departure; guests on same flight only

Effective July 8, 2026, American Express tightened Centurion Lounge entry rules at all U.S. locations plus London Heathrow, Tokyo Haneda, Hong Kong, Sydney and Melbourne. Cardholders on a layover may now enter only within five hours of their connecting flight's departure, where previously connecting passengers faced no time limit. Guests must also be traveling on the same flight as the cardholder, closing the prior allowance for guests on separate itineraries. The three-hour limit before an originating flight is unchanged, as is the guest allowance itself. The changes were announced in February 2026 and apply to the Platinum, Business Platinum, Corporate Platinum, Centurion, and Delta SkyMiles Reserve and Reserve Business cards.

What to do: On long layovers, plan on entering no earlier than five hours before your next departure.