by Krish Patel / aviationwithkrish.com

Centurion Lounges are those offered by American Express and can be found at a variety of airports scattered across the country. In American Express Lounges, you can expect to find locally inspired food and drinks, comfortable seating, and plenty of amenities. One of the nicest Amex Centurion Lounges is located in San Francisco International Airport. Here’s what our visit was like to this lounge.

SFO Centurion Lounge Location and Hours

Of SFO’s four terminals (T1, T1, T3, International Terminal), the lounge is located in Terminal 3, which is home to United Airlines and is most likely the carrier you’ll be flying. The lounge is found near gates F3 and F4, up a set of stairs. It’s open daily from 5:00 AM to 11:00 PM.

SFO Centurion Lounge Access Policies

No matter which credit card you use to access the Centurion Lounge, you’re only going to be able to do so within three hours of your scheduled departure time. However, if your flight gets delayed or if you’re visiting during a connection, the rule doesn’t apply. 

The following credit cards include Centurion Lounge access:

• The Platinum Card from American Express

• The Centurion (Black) Card from American Express

• The Delta SkyMiles Amex Reserve Card (only on a same-day Delta ticket)

Even if you have the Hong Kong version of the Platinum Card, the Morgan Stanley, or the Charles Schwab, then you’re good to go and can enter the lounge.

SFO Centurion Lounge Seating, Layout, Ambiance, Amenities

The front desk area of the lounge feels welcoming and cozy, with comfortable seating for guests, a drinks station featuring a coffee machine, as well as Amex’s signature watchdog painting that’s found in all Centurion Lounges.

Past the front desk is a large seating area with comfortable furniture, with many variants of seats to choose from. There are chairs that swivel, plush couches, and booth-style chairs with pillows for additional comfort. If you’re looking to get some work done, there’s plenty of table space offered near each seat, as well as a long conference table. Of course, you’ll notice Amex’s luggage-packed shelves that are travel-inspired.

Found near all of the comfortable seating at this area of the lounge is also a kids area, which serves as a space for families with young children, as there’s seating for one family and a TV running some shows.

There’s a long corridor that’s located slightly behind the entrance, along which is a set of chic bathrooms and shower suites. The bathrooms are clean and are stocked with a variety of L'occitane products, including hand cream and soap. I love the modern wallpaper in the bathroom.

You can reserve one of the shower suites at the front desk, but keep in mind that the wait times for a shower vary. The shower suite is a very generous size and offers plenty of space. In addition to the shower, there’s a toilet and a large sink. Provided at the sink are some skincare products, as well as a dental kit.

Found towards the end of the lounge is a seating area, with a variety of seating options, such as high-top bar seats along the wall of the lounge, spacious couches with pillows, and comfortable chairs. I love the well-accented lighting and the wallpaper that’s inspired by the Golden Gate fog and the Napa mountains of northern California. In the fall of 2022, the Amex Lounge at SFO was expanded, and this seating area in the lounge was a part of the expansion.

There’s a third seating space behind the bar, with plenty of furniture reflecting Amex’s earthy tones. Similarly to the other seating arrangements in the lounge, there’s a sheer variety of seats to choose from, as well as private phone rooms with locally inspired artwork on the walls. You’ll also notice an exclusive seating area for Centurion guests.

SFO Centurion Lounge Food and Drink

The American Express Lounge at SFO airport has two buffet areas, one of which is located behind the front desk. There’s plenty of barlike seating, as well as table space for enjoying a bite. In addition, there’s a dedicated seating space for Centurion guests.

I love the buffet selection, which offers a variety of locally-inspired dishes. There are multiple hot options, ranging from roasted chicken to truffle cheese flatbread. A selection of salads and cold options is also available, and everything tasted great. Unfortunately, there isn’t proper á la carte dining in the lounge, which would have been nice to see.

Directly across from the main buffet is a table of desserts, such as cookies, brownies, and refreshing ginger shots.

One of the lounge’s two bars is located near the main buffet area and offers a selection of locally inspired wines and cocktails. The wines are from the Napa Valley region of northern California, and wine tastings are available as well.

At the opposite end of the lounge is a second buffet area, with a similar inspiring selection. The only difference is that hot soups are available, and aren’t found at the other buffet.

There’s another bar here, which feels nice and modern, with stunning light fixtures and blue tiling. The bartenders in Centurion Lounges are very friendly, and the one here in SFO offered me a mocktail tasting, which I could not resist.

Bottom Line

The Amex Centurion Lounge at SFO is one of the nicest Amex Lounges I’ve visited during my travels. It’s plentiful seating and amenities make it a space where you’ll want to relax before taking off. The food in Amex Lounges is great, this one being no exception. I still prefer the Amex Lounge at New York JFK for its uniqueness, however, I’d certainly visit this lounge again if I found myself in SFO.