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A new American Express Centurion Lounge opens at New York JFK in the Virgin terminal

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American Express is opening a new Centurion Lounge at New York JFK this week. It is in Terminal 4.

It looks fantastic, especially the 1850’s style ‘speakeasy’ bar pictured below. To quote:

“Step into a Lounge so spacious it boasts two premium bars—and a speakeasy. Relax with a cocktail, enjoy access to our new Digital Library of newspapers and magazines, or try self-led spa services from Equinox. Or get productive with high-speed wifi and a specialty coffee bar. Either way, you’ll depart refreshed. The Centurion Lounge is proud to serve Irving Farm’s fresh roasted, New York Coffee on both drip and espresso.”

American Express Centurion Lounge JFK Terminal 4

The great news is that Terminal 4 is the home of Virgin Atlantic and its partner Delta Air Lines. It is also the base for – amongst European airlines – Air Europa, SWISS, KLM, Air Serbia and Uzbekistan.

Lounge entry is free to holders of The Platinum Card from American Express and American Express Business Platinum, as well as Amex Centurion cards.

The HfP article from February explains more about how Centurion Lounges work and where they are. A lounge is still due at Heathrow Terminal 3, although clearly we won’t be seeing that for a while.

You can learn more about the JFK Terminal 4 lounge on the Amex website here.

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Getting airport lounge access for free from a credit card

How to get FREE airport lounge access via UK credit cards (April 2025)

Here are the five options to get FREE airport lounge access via a UK credit card.

The Platinum Card from American Express comes with two free Priority Pass cards, one for you and one for a supplementary cardholder. Each card admits two so a family of four gets in free. You get access to all 1,500 lounges in the Priority Pass network – search it here.

You also get access to Eurostar, Lufthansa and Delta Air Lines lounges.  Our American Express Platinum review is here.

You can apply here.

SPECIAL OFFER: Until 27th May 2025, the sign-up bonus on American Express Platinum is increased from 50,000 Membership Rewards points to a huge 80,000 points. Points convert 1:1 into Avios (80,000 Avios!) and many other programmes. Some people may see even higher personalised offers. Click here to apply.

The Platinum Card from American Express

80,000 bonus points and great travel benefits – for a large fee Read our full review

American Express Preferred Rewards Gold is FREE for the first year. It comes with a Priority Pass card loaded with four free visits to any Priority Pass lounge – see the list here.

Additional lounge visits are charged at £24.  You get four more free visits for every year you keep the card.  

There is no annual fee for Amex Gold in Year 1 and you get a 20,000 points sign-up bonus.  Full details are in our American Express Preferred Rewards Gold review here.

SPECIAL OFFER: Until 27th May 2025, the sign-up bonus on the ‘free for a year’ American Express Preferred Rewards Gold card is increased from 20,000 Membership Rewards points to 30,000 points. Points convert 1:1 into Avios (30,000 Avios!) and many other programmes. Some people may see even higher personalised offers. Click here to apply.

American Express Preferred Rewards Gold

Your best beginner’s card – 30,000 points, FREE for a year & four airport lounge passes Read our full review

HSBC Premier World Elite Mastercard gets you get a free Priority Pass card, allowing you access to the Priority Pass network.  Guests are charged at £24 although it may be cheaper to pay £60 for a supplementary credit card for your partner.

The card has a fee of £290 and there are strict financial requirements to become a HSBC Premier customer.  Full details are in my HSBC Premier World Elite Mastercard review.

HSBC Premier World Elite Mastercard

A good package, but only available to HSBC Premier clients Read our full review

Got a small business?

If you have a small business, consider American Express Business Platinum which has the same lounge benefits as the personal Platinum card:

American Express Business Platinum

50,000 points when you sign-up and an annual £200 Amex Travel credit Read our full review

You should also consider the Capital on Tap Pro Visa credit card which has a lower fee and, as well as a Priority Pass for airport lounge access, also comes with Radison Rewards VIP hotel status:

Capital on Tap Pro Visa

10,500 points (=10,500 Avios) plus good benefits Read our full review

PS. You can find all of HfP’s UK airport lounge reviews – and we’ve been to most of them – indexed here.

Category

American Express Platinum card, Etihad and Etihad Guest, Virgin Atlantic and Flying Club, World of Hyatt

Comments (25)

This article is closed to new comments. Feel free to ask your question in the HfP forums.

  • Alex says:
    10 Oct10 October 06:42

    I wish IHG would extend my free night l. It expires in December and they are refusing to extend it to next year.

    • Anna says:
      10 Oct10 October 08:27

      Isn’t that the book-by date though? You then have all next year to complete the stay.

      • Peter K says:
        10 Oct10 October 08:47

        That is correct Anna.

        • Paul Pogba says:
          10 Oct10 October 09:02

          But if there is a lockdown in the location you book for you and you can’t travel you lose the free night. I don’t think the virus is going away any time soon, Australia had pencilled in the end of 2021.

      • EvilGazebo says:
        10 Oct10 October 10:12

        I did not know that, just assumed it was book and stay by end of year. I also have one expiring so thanks!

  • meta says:
    10 Oct10 October 08:02

    Etihad pulled all A380s until the end of schedule. No more F apartment on Abu Dhabi-London route. Probably not returning again. Shame, but I at least got to try it once. Now I need to cancel my booking for January.

  • Brian says:
    10 Oct10 October 08:32

    Why does the headline say ‘Virgin gets….’? Is there a tie-up between Virgin and Amex?

    • Alex W says:
      10 Oct10 October 08:41

      That’s what I thought, but then the article reads like Virgin pax still need a Platinum card to get in. Bit disappointing!

    • Evan says:
      10 Oct10 October 08:56

      I knew someone would say this. It should say Terminal 4 at JFK gets an Amex lounge – good news for some Virgin flyers in PE or economy…. But as Rob keeps explaining you have be economical with headlines.

      • TGLoyalty says:
        10 Oct10 October 09:00

        Why do you even need to say New York is there another JFK?

        JFK T4 gets AMEX Centurion Lounge

    • TGLoyalty says:
      10 Oct10 October 08:56

      No it’s just that it’s in the same terminal that Virgin flies from.

  • Niel says:
    10 Oct10 October 08:56

    Virgins gets Centurion? Misleading and doesnt make sense.

  • pauldb says:
    10 Oct10 October 10:41

    I don’t remember speakeasys like that in the 1850s???

    • TGLoyalty says:
      10 Oct10 October 11:02

      No speakeasy’s were in the 1920-1930’s

      They’ve called it the 1850 as that’s when Amex were founded and I think the style of the decor is 1850’s.

      • cinereus says:
        10 Oct10 October 11:23

        Just saw your comment after posting. Speakeasies were around before the ’20s and existed in Australia in the 1830s hut definitely not in the States that early.

      • pauldb says:
        10 Oct10 October 11:56

        1850s style would be more like Les Mis / GoT tavern! Weird to take design with an obvious 1950s style and name it with a completely different date.

        • TGLoyalty says:
          10 Oct10 October 12:26

          ‘Speakeasy’ style is the fact it’s hidden behind a secret door etc ?

    • Lady London says:
      10 Oct10 October 21:15

      You were there? 🙂

  • cinereus says:
    10 Oct10 October 11:21

    How can there be an 1850s speakeasy when the word wasn’t used in the States until the latter 1880s?

  • Floyd "Money" Mayweather says:
    11 Oct11 October 22:11

    Hi the Etihad offer is ‘UP to a 30% transfer bonus’.
    Marriott Bonvoy, Accor Live Limitless, Shangri-La Golden Circle and World of Hyatt is only a 20% transfer bonus.

This article is closed to new comments. Feel free to ask your question in the HfP forums.

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