American Express opens its new Centurion Lounge at Reagan National Airport on Wednesday. The lounge features dining, drinks, and an art gallery.
The 12,000-square-foot Centurion Lounge at DCA will have a menu put together by three award-winning chef partners: Michelle Bernstein, Ravi Kapur, and Michael Solomonov.
Bernstein and Solomonov have both won James Beard Awards, while Kapur has been nominated for one.
“I’m thrilled for the opportunity to bring some of my most popular dishes like lemon ricotta pancakes and chimichurri grilled chicken to Washington, DC,” said Miami-based Bernstein.
“I’m very passionate about my cooking and creating dishes that reflect my Hawaiian, Chinese, and Indian roots and upbringing,” said Kapur, who wants travelers to try his sweet potato hash and tamari-honey glazed tofu.
Solomonov is co-owner of several New York and Philadelphia restaurants, including Zahav in Philly, which earned a James Beard Award for outstanding restaurant (the first time Philly received the honor in 2019). He’s also the executive chef at the Centurion Lounge at Philadelphia International Airport.
“I’ve had the opportunity to bring the tastes and flavors of home to travelers in Philadelphia and look forward to serving favorite dishes like lamb merguez shakshuka and Shabazi spiced salmon to even more travelers at the Centurion Lounge at Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport,” he said.
The lounge in Terminal 2 will have a specialty drink and wine list curated by mixologist Jim Meehan and wine director Anthony Giglio. Among the offerings will be the Haku Hanami, inspired by the cherry blossoms and Ambrosia spritz, featuring bitters and liqueurs from DC Italian–style distillery Don Ciccio & Figli.
In the dining area, you will see a ceiling sculpture “made up of 260 lanterns to reflect the original boundary markers used to outline the city when it was founded in 1791,” an American Express news release said.
The lounge’s art gallery has pieces by Claudia “Aziza” Gibson-Hunter, Maggie O’Neill, Lori Katz, and Emon Surakitkoson.
“The Centurion Lounge is one of our Card Members’ favorite travel benefits, and the new location at Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport offers Card Members the premium amenities they love in an airport they frequently travel through,” said Audrey Hendley, president of American Express Travel.
“With a menu curated by three award-winning chefs, dedicated workstations, access to complimentary high-speed Wi-Fi, quiet nooks for relaxation, and more, there’s something for every type of traveler to enjoy.”
Replacing Terminal 1
The lounge’s opening comes as the Metropolitan Washington Airports Authority begins plans to replace Terminal 1, formerly known as Terminal A.
The authority on Wednesday will discuss the plans, which may involve demolishing the nine-gate facility and building a new one to the east of the existing building, according to the Washington Business Journal.
Northwest and TWA built the Terminal 1 gate facility in 1970. Now, Southwest maintains most of the gates. Southwest, Frontier, and Air Canada have gates in the terminal.
Feature image of Centurion Lounge at DCA courtesy Day One Agency
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