Lounge review: New Centurion Lounge in Seattle (SEA)

The Centurion Lounge at Seattle–Tacoma International Airport was long the bane of American Express Platinum and Centurion cardholders. Its compact footprint in Concourse B left it as a cramped, overcrowded lounge that one would almost always have to wait in line for 30 minutes or more to access.

Thankfully, this all changed in mid-February 2023. The new Centurion Lounge opened in the Central Terminal above the shops on the ground level. Not only was the location better, the lounge’s new large size makes overcrowding a concern of the past. It might even be the largest Centurion Lounge in the network.

It’s so nice that Delta employees recommended I go to the Centurion Lounge over the Delta Sky Club, even though both are equally easy to access with my Amex Platinum whenever I’m flying on Delta.

In March 2023, I finally had a chance to visit the new lounge.

Lounge layout

The lounge is situated a floor above the main terminal level. You can enter the lounge via the elevator that whisks you from the main concourse floor to the upper level. Alternatively, if it’s your leg day, take the stairs that are nearby the elevator. Whichever medium of conveyance you choose, you’ll end up standing on top of some of the fast food establishments available in the Central Terminal.

The lounge is comprised of three “segments”. This is an open air lounge area that features a bar and spacious seating options. While you’ll find a more comfortable and expansive bar area to sit around, the bartenders remain the same friendly crew that were at the old lounge. An expansive view of the tarmac and runway can be seen from this area too.

This isn’t the end of the lounge though. If peace and quiet is what you seek, continue past the bar into the more intimate part of the lounge. If you go inside, you’ll see a coffee + smoothie bar, the first of its kind in any Centurion Lounge.

While it’s not open the entire time the lounge is open, you can still enjoy its wide selection of coffee, smoothies, parfaits, and more, made possible by the various accoutrements and gadgets used to create your scrumptious refreshments. If you’re looking for a regular beverage or an alcoholic concoction, the regular bar is still located outside with longer hours, ready to meet your thirst-quenching needs and wants.

You may be surprised to learn the coffee + smoothie bar takes your order on the point of sale systems. (Those are the two white tablets at the ordering counter from the previous picture of the coffee + smoothie bar taken from a distance.) Don’t fret—the coffee and smoothies are still very much complimentary. They only take down your order for inventory tracking purposes.

Continuing past the two bars, you’ll find the new and improved buffet along with the dining area.

The addition of counter space allowed the lounge to add more food options, complementing the existing buffet staples with a larger variety that’ll satiate each traveler’s voracious appetite. Of particular note is the availability of various soups and chowders that now reside at the end of the buffet counter.

The dining area is decorated with a wide variety of local specialties and stars. As Seattle is the home of grunge, the lounge prominently features several portraits of Nirvana, Pearl Jam, and Soundgarden along the walls of the lounge, among other famous Seattle stars and things of interest.

Past the dining area are the restrooms and showers. Unfortunately, the showers were out of service at this point in time. But the rabbit hole doesn’t end here!

Past the restrooms is the last section of the lounge. This intimate space features several TVs and comfortable seating modes, including sofas, chairs, bar tables, conference tables, and phone booths. Although it’s not as expansive as the first section of the lounge in the Central Terminal, it contrasts perfectly with the outside. Its location far away from the hustle and bustle of the terminal make it quiet and tranquil enough to be my favorite part of the lounge, and it’s where I find myself sitting every time I come to this lounge. My personal preference is to sit at one of the one-person sofas or ‘mini-cubicles’. Mini tables perfectly complement each one-person sofa, providing a place to set my laptop and plates of buffet food.

Not pictured is a minibar with a water tap dispensing Vivreau filtered water, with the option of either still or sparkling water available. This is perfect for either using the provided glass cups to get some water or to replenish your personal water bottle in preparation for your flight.

You’ll find aptly-chosen photos of grunge bands hanging in this area too.

Lounge food

Truthfully speaking, the Seattle Centurion Lounge does not feature the zenith of culinary excellence among the Centurion Lounge network’s food selections. The new coffee + smoothie bar and the additional counter space in the buffet are key factors in safely ensuring it is not the nadir of the food offerings in the network either. The coffee + smoothie bar does cement this Centurion Lounge as having the widest selection of fresh beverages compared to its peers.

Breakfast is the same as what’s typically featured in other Centurion Lounges. I don’t think it deserves must more explanation beyond that.

Lunch and dinner are where the opportunities of variety spring to life. For my visit in March, the buffet lunch consisted of a wonderful selection of meats, grains, and vegetables, accompanied by two beverages from the two bars, with a soup du jour from the buffet.

Of particular note is the kale smoothie I got, called the Green Machine. I chose this among other wonderful options because it did not contain any dairy. For those who are more fortunate than me and have bodies that can still digest lactose, you can try their parfaits and dairy-containing smoothies. They are delicious!

(I do not drink coffee though, so my experience with the coffee bar is severely constrained.)

Final thoughts

I’m so grateful to have such a wonderful Centurion Lounge in my home airport now. Gone are the days of waiting for over 30 minutes for a pitifully cramped space. The new lounge is outfitted with all the latest amenities that define the Centurion Lounge experience. It finally achieves the goal of what Centurion Lounges are supposed to do: to make me feel rejuvenated and ready to fly.