Lounge Review: Centurion Lounge DEN

Finally. It has been a long time coming for me to check out the Denver Centurion lounge. First, there was delayed construction. Then, there were limited hours due to the pandemic. And, next there was too long of a wait before my flight took off. 

Years after wanting to lounge around the Centurion lounge in DEN, I finally got a chance to check it out, albeit for a limited time, on my recent departure out of the mile high city. Maybe it was because we were at the airport at 6am (it was), but there was no wait to get into the lounge unlike the prior attempt. 

To no surprise I enjoyed it, on par with other Centurion lounges, but here are some of my thoughts. 

This article is part of Chasing Snow: Colorado 2022 Trip Report, including:

• Flight Review: Frontier Economy DCA-DEN
• How I Flew the Family to Colorado for $225 WITHOUT Points
• Epic Pass Take 2023: My Thoughts
• Booking a Vacation Rental with Points: My Thoughts
• Lounge Review: Centurion Lounge DEN

The Location

The DEN Centurion lounge is located in Terminal C, just near gate C46. This pretty much means at the end of Denver’s very lengthy terminal from the central tram.

The good news is that because all of the terminals are connected by the tram, no matter what gate you have, you will be able to access the lounge without re-clearing security. The bad news is that it could be quite some distance from your actual gate, whether you are in a different terminal or at the opposite end of terminal C.

Just walk down the terminal. Using the people movers helps. Once you reach the escalators, make your way up to the check in.

Passengers flying Southwest will typically benefit the most from its location, given how much of their operation is in Terminal C. This just means that you should budget some extra time when trying to make your way to this Centurion lounge and avoid missing your flight. 

The Lounge

The lounge is pretty much shaped as a U surrounding the escalators that go down to the main concourse. From the check-in desk, you can go either left or right, but either way will take you to the bar opposite the check in counter. 

Exiting the check-in area to the left leads you to the main buffet area. In addition to the buffet, there is a drink station and plenty of seating, which varied from high tops and regular tables to more lounging seats. 

There are also excellent views of the tarmac, but during our visit it was still quite dark so it limited its potential. 

Continuing around the lounge, there was the main bar, with both locations to place orders or sit at the counter. 

Further, there was a small hallway that led to the shower suite and bathrooms. This would have been perfect after coming in on a red eye, or honestly, for a morning as early as mine. However, I did not have enough time to gain access for pictures (all you need to do is ask the front desk and wait your turn if it is occupied). All my experiences with other Centurion shower suites have been pleasant though. 

Nearby, there was plenty more seating options including individual work stations. These would be great for a business traveler that wanted to knock out some emails between flights while trying to avoid being disturbed. 

While not the most private, there was also a large conference table, which would be excellent for meetings if it was not so easily disturbable.

Overall, the lounge was well designed and had a variety of seating options. However, I do understand how that lounge would have begun to feel overcrowded with more passengers since its design is somewhat abstract.

Food and Beverage

The selection for food and beverage was superb as always for Centurion lounges. I use domestic airline lounges as a point of reference for this comparison. Otherwise, comparing it to something such as a middle eastern airline’s flagship hub lounge would be inappropriate. 

They had all of the typical breakfast assortment that most would be looking for, including fruit for me. They also had plenty of morning sweets, a sweet way to make that early of a morning more pleasant. 

They also had a coffee machine ready to make cappuccinos and lattes as well as hot chocolates. I opted for some orange juice, which was good. Unfortunately, there was no way to take coffee to go. 

I did not check. out what was available at the bar, but I do think it was a bit too early to start drinking. I am sure they would have served a mimosa, but I forget exactly what the sign says. I believe normal alcoholic operation resumes around 11am. 

Overall, I was happy with the selection. Not the most robust, but it definitely does the trick and was all I needed that early morning. 

Access

I was able to gain access to the Centurion lounge via my American Express Platinum Card. Unfortunately, this card no longer comes with access for guests of the cardholder unless there is $75,000 or more spent on the card in previous years. 

Luckily, it costs $175 a year, in which you can add up to three authorized users, and that is exactly what we do. We gain enough value from Amex offers alone to justify the added fee, but the perk is that we are able to get the family of four into the lounge without having to pay extra. 

Personal and business versions of the Platinum Card, Centurion Card and Delta SkyMiles Reserve card all grant access to the Centurion lounge along with a boarding pass for a same-day flight. 

The Last Point

I was very happy to finally get into the Denver Centurion lounge and check it off my list. Although it was nothing particularly out of the ordinary to its American Express counterparts, I always am very pleased with my experience, the lounge itself and the food. 

The question now is whether or not Amex’s removal of guest access in February ultimately removed the overcrowding issue and if I will ever get to reenter this lounge without a 2+ hour wait. 

Overall, it is definitely worth a stop if you are in the Denver area and for now (Capital One Lounge coming soon), my favorite place to wait for my flight in DEN.