Navigating the airport can be an exhausting experience. Whether you're taking your shoes off for the hundredth time or trying to explain to the gate agent that you really do have just one personal item, traveling can take a lot out of you.

This is likely one of the reasons that airport lounges are so popular. These specially designed lounges, crafted as a respite from crowded terminal areas, provide food, drinks and seats removed from the masses. Entrance to these facilities is limited and you'll need to meet the right conditions for access.

If you are an American Express cardholder, you are in luck. AmEx has worked to create a calmer airport experience for its customers, which is why the AmEx Centurion Lounges exist. We'll break it down for you if you're wondering how to get into the AmEx lounge.

American Express Centurion Lounge locations

AmEx was the first card issuer to start creating its own branded lounges, which means it has more than a few locations to offer domestically and overseas.

Domestic Centurion Lounge locations

Charlotte.

Dallas-Fort Worth.

Denver.

Houston-Intercontinental.

Las Vegas.

Los Angeles.

Miami.

New York-JFK.

New York-LaGuardia.

Newark (slated to open in 2026).

Philadelphia.

Phoenix.

San Francisco.

Seattle.

International Centurion Lounge locations

Buenos Aires, Argentina.

Delhi, India.

Hong Kong.

London-Heathrow.

Melbourne, Australia.

Mexico City.

Monterrey, Mexico.

Mumbai, India.

Sao Paulo.

Stockholm.

Sydney.

All told, there are two dozen AmEx Centurion Lounges from which to choose, encompassing some of the largest airports in the world with more on the way.

How to get into a Centurion Lounge

There is only one way to get access to an AmEx Centurion Lounge: You or someone in your traveling party must hold an eligible American Express card.

If you already have an eligible card, there are a couple of ways you can use it to enter the lounge. First, if you have it on hand, you can choose to present the card, your ID and your same-day boarding pass to the lounge agents at your selected location.

Otherwise, you can use contactless mobile check-in via your AmEx app to generate a QR code, which you can scan to get into the lounge. This is a great feature of the app and can come in handy if you've forgotten your card at home.