Smart Travel: Upgrade Your Getaways · Wednesday, September 23, 2026
American Express has opened its first Centurion Lounge in continental Europe, located in Amsterdam. This new lounge is accessible only to passengers flying out of the Schengen area, meaning those on flights departing the broader European travel zone.
“Now, speaking of lounges, we have to talk about American Express because they just opened a Centurion lounge over in Amsterdam. This opened to the public last week. It is the first one in continental Europe.”
“Here's the catch, though. You can only be on a flight that is leaving the Schengen area. And the Schengen area is this group of European countries that's mostly countries in the EU plus a couple of others that allow you to travel between them without the typical border crossing checks of your passport. So this lounge is only accessible to people who are flying and leaving the Schengen area.”