The Amex Centurion Lounge at Heathrow is in Terminal 3 only, open daily from 5:30am to 9pm. You need The Platinum Card, The Business Platinum Card or the invite-only Centurion Card, plus a same-day confirmed boarding pass for a flight departing Terminal 3, and you can enter from three hours before departure (five hours during a layover). Since 8 July 2026, UK Platinum cardholders can bring one guest free, down from two, and that guest must be travelling on the same flight as you. Checked 2026.
Where is the Centurion Lounge at Heathrow?
The lounge is airside in Terminal 3, Level 2, Area A. After security, follow the signs for the Flight Connection route, Area A, to an access point in the main shopping and dining area, then take the lift up to Level 2. It only serves passengers flying from Terminal 3: if your flight departs from Terminal 2, 4 or 5, you can't use this lounge, and should instead check our guide to Priority Pass lounges by terminal or British Airways lounges at Heathrow for your terminal's options.
Opened in late 2021 as the first Centurion Lounge in Europe, it's a large space at 650 square metres with a capacity of 110 guests.
Who can get in?
| Card or membership | Access |
|---|---|
| The Platinum Card (personal) | Yes |
| The Business Platinum Card | Yes |
| The Corporate Platinum Card | Yes |
| The Centurion Card | Yes, invite-only |
| Delta Reserve / SkyMiles Reserve (US cards) | Yes |
| Priority Pass alone (no eligible Amex card) | No |
| Standard Amex Gold or Green | No |
Name on the card and on the boarding pass must match, and you may be asked for photo ID at check-in. You can't be admitted having just landed, unless you have a same-day layover or connecting flight.
What are the opening hours and entry window?
The lounge opens at 5:30am and closes at 9pm daily. Within those hours, cardholders can enter from three hours before their flight's scheduled departure time. During a layover, that window extends to five hours before the connecting flight, tightened from no fixed limit as part of American Express's July 2026 policy changes for UK cardholders. A same-day round trip doesn't count as a connecting flight for this purpose.
The 2026 guest policy change
From 8 July 2026, American Express tightened guest access for UK-issued Platinum and Business Platinum cardholders in three ways:
- Fewer guests: each cardholder can now bring one guest, down from two.
- Same flight only: your guest must be travelling on the same flight as you, which wasn't previously required.
- Tighter layover window: during a stopover, you can now only enter up to five hours before your connecting flight, rather than at any time.
A family of four is still covered if the second adult holds a supplementary Platinum card, since each cardholder gets their own guest allowance. A family of five or more will no longer all get in on one or two cardholders' allowances. Entry is also restricted to over-18s unless accompanied by an adult.
What's inside
The lounge offers a seasonal, curated food menu, a specialty tea cart, and a drinks list of signature cocktails, wine and spirits. Other amenities include:
- Showers
- Flight information monitors
- Conference rooms
- Wi-Fi
- TVs
It's a non-smoking lounge, and service animals are welcome under American Express's published policy. Independent reviewer Head for Points has rated it on a par with Heathrow's other premium lounges, and it has won "Best UK Independent Airport Lounge" at the Head for Points Travel & Loyalty Awards in consecutive years.
Centurion Lounge vs the other Heathrow lounges
Unlike the pay-per-visit lounges covered in our guide to Heathrow lounge value, you can't simply buy a day pass to the Centurion Lounge: access is tied to holding an eligible Amex Platinum, Business Platinum or Centurion Card, not to a ticket class or a one-off payment. It's also a different product from Priority Pass, a separate membership that opens the door to a different set of lounges across all four Heathrow terminals, covered in our Priority Pass by terminal guide. If you hold an eligible card and your flight leaves from Terminal 3, the Centurion Lounge is generally the better-value route in for a short layover, since there's no per-visit charge on top of your card's annual fee.
Frequently asked questions
Which terminal is the Centurion Lounge at Heathrow in?
Terminal 3 only, airside on Level 2, Area A, past security. It isn't available if you're flying from Terminal 2, 4 or 5.
What are the Centurion Lounge Heathrow opening hours?
5:30am to 9pm daily.
How many guests can I bring into the Centurion Lounge at Heathrow?
Since 8 July 2026, UK Platinum and Business Platinum cardholders can bring one guest, down from two, and that guest must be travelling on the same flight as you. A supplementary Platinum cardholder has their own separate guest allowance.
Can I use the Centurion Lounge if I've just landed at Heathrow?
No, unless you have a same-day layover or connecting flight, in which case you can enter up to five hours before that connecting flight departs.
Do I need the invite-only Centurion Card to get in, or does Platinum work?
The standard Platinum Card, Business Platinum Card and Corporate Platinum Card all get you in with a same-day confirmed boarding pass for a Terminal 3 flight. The Centurion Card itself is invite-only but isn't required.
Is the Centurion Lounge the same as a Priority Pass lounge?
No. It's a separate, card-specific product. Priority Pass membership gets you into a different set of Heathrow lounges, listed in our Priority Pass by terminal guide, not the Centurion Lounge.
Checked 2026. For getting to Terminal 3 itself, see our taxis and public transport pages.