Introduction

American Express opened The Centurion Lounge at Amsterdam Airport Schiphol on September 17, 2026. Amex's announcement calls it the 33rd location in the Centurion Lounge Network and the first in continental Europe to carry the Centurion Lounge name. The lounge sits between Concourses E and F, which the lounge's own page describes as an area primarily used for non-Schengen and international departures.

Schiphol handled 68.8 million passengers in 2025, according to the airport's description in Amex's release. "Schiphol is a major travel hub for our Card Members in the Netherlands and around the world," Audrey Hendley, President of American Express Travel, said in the announcement. "That made Schiphol a natural place to bring the Centurion Lounge experience."

What Amex Announced

Amex's release lists hours of 6 a.m. to 9:30 p.m. daily, while the lounge's own page showed 6 a.m. to 6 p.m. when we checked on October 1, 2026, so confirm the hours before you plan around a late departure. Amex says the design is inspired by Dutch art, landscapes, culture and design, with floor-to-ceiling windows and works by Dutch artists including Mieke Jonker, Reinder Schmidt, Geesien Postema and Thirza Schaap. Food is a buffet of seasonal dishes inspired by Dutch and regional European flavors, and there's a full bar plus a Blue Roast Coffee Bar with locally sourced coffee and a barista-led program.

The lounge spans nearly 6,000 square feet. Amex lists armchairs, cafe tables, booths, quiet workspaces and group seating, along with private restrooms, a phone room and complimentary high-speed Wi-Fi.

Amex says the network will keep growing, "with new locations planned at Newark Liberty International Airport (EWR) and Boston Logan International Airport (BOS), as well as Sidecar by The Centurion Lounge at Charlotte Douglas International Airport (CLT)."

Why This Matters

For transatlantic travelers, Amsterdam adds an Amex-run lounge at one of Europe's major hubs. Hendley called Amex "the first global credit card company to operate a lounge at AMS." Eligible Platinum cardholders also keep the rest of the Global Lounge Collection, which Amex puts at more than 1,550 lounges worldwide.

How Access Works

Amex's terms give U.S. Platinum Card Members complimentary access to all locations of The Centurion Lounge, and the Business Platinum Card and the Centurion Card also get you in. Delta SkyMiles Reserve cardholders flying a same-day Delta-marketed or Delta-operated flight booked on a U.S.-issued American Express card get into Centurion Lounges in the U.S. and select international locations listed on the Centurion Lounge site, so check the Amsterdam page before you count on it. Platinum cardholders need a same-day boarding pass with a seat or boarding zone assignment and must arrive within 3 hours of departure, or within 5 hours of a connecting flight.

Guest rules are the part to check before you go. At U.S. Centurion Lounges, U.S. Platinum and Business Platinum Card Members pay $50 for each guest 18 and over and $30 for each child aged 2 through 17, and get up to two complimentary guests per visit after spending $75,000 on eligible purchases in a calendar year. Amex publishes that policy, with local-currency fees, for its lounges in the U.S., London, Hong Kong and Tokyo. Amex says guest access policies may vary at other international locations, so check the Amsterdam page before you bring anyone.

What to Watch

Capacity is the open question. Amex says all access to The Centurion Lounge is subject to space availability. At U.S. Centurion Lounges, eligible Card Members can check in or join a waitlist through the Amex app on the day of their trip, before they arrive.

What This Means for Cardholders

If you transit Schiphol regularly and already hold the Platinum Card or Business Platinum, the Amsterdam lounge is straight upside now that it's open. If you have been weighing whether to add a Platinum-tier Amex specifically for European lounge access, Schiphol moves the needle for transatlantic flyers. The decision still depends on whether you can use the Platinum's other benefits, including the airline fee credit and the hotel credit, but the Centurion network now has a lounge at Schiphol.

If you don't hold one of the eligible Amex cards, the lounge doesn't change much: you'll still rely on your airline's lounge through your status or your ticket. The Centurion addition is an Amex story, not a Schiphol-wide upgrade.

Updated October 1, 2026: The lounge opened September 17, 2026. We rewrote the article from Amex's announcement, the lounge page and Amex's access terms, corrected "first European Centurion" to the first in continental Europe to carry the Centurion Lounge name, and removed unsourced comparisons and a misattributed quote.

Sources

  1. American Express newsroom: New Centurion Lounge at Amsterdam Airport Schiphol (Sept. 16, 2026)
  2. The Centurion Lounge: Amsterdam Schiphol Airport
  3. The Centurion Lounge: access policy
  4. American Express: Platinum Card terms
  5. American Express: Delta SkyMiles Reserve Card terms
  6. American Express: Business Platinum Card

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