During the last week of August, tennis fans in New York City and around the world will be hopping on the No. 7 train to Queens for one reason only: the U.S. Open Tennis Championship is returning to the USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center.
From August 26th through September 8th, attendees can enjoy all the perks of the Open, including one of my favorite perks: the Credit Card Lounge.
This year, I'm back to report on the American Express Centurion Lounge and its immersive, two-storey fan experience.
We had the opportunity to take a look at Amex services on the first day of the tournament. Here's what we found out.
Centurion Lounge
1 of 3
Caroline Tanner/The Point Guy
The most exclusive perk for Card Members is the Centurion Lounge, which, like last year, is located on the second floor of Louis Armstrong Stadium and will be open daily as follows:
- August 28th to September 4th, 11am to 8pm
- September 5-6, 11am-7pm
- September 7th, 11am to 4pm
- September 8th, 11:00am to 2:00pm
The following cardholders have access to the Centurion Lounge:
Information about The Centurion Card from American Express and The Business Centurion Card from American Express has been collected independently by The Points Guy. The card details on this page have not been verified or provided by the card issuers.
Daily Newsletter
Reward your inbox with the TPG Daily newsletter
Join over 700,000 readers and get the latest news, in-depth guides, and exclusive deals from TPG experts
The lounge's menu includes crispy chicken with sweet chili sauce, beef kebabs with Israeli pickles, tahini, rice pilaf and chickpeas, Sungold tomatoes and Serrano chiles with labneh and basil, hummus with pita, tomatoes, shugue and sesame dukkah, and crudités drizzled in Green Goddess dressing. Desserts include chocolate chip cookies and chocolate mousse with whipped cream and a cherry.
1 of 3
Caroline Tanner/The Point Guy
As always, tournament special Honey Deuces will be available, along with a variety of wines and cocktails.
Food is complimentary for all guests and cardholders receive drink tokens upon entry (one for Platinum cardholders and two for Centurion cardholders) which can be redeemed in the lounge.
Inside the lounge, the look and feel will be largely identical to the 2023 Centurion Lounge, with the only notable difference being the immersive activations: previously, lounge patrons could determine their type of traveller based on the results of a quiz and create a personalised leather passport cover, but this year they can create a travel pouch and send out destination-themed postcards.
1 of 2
Caroline Tanner/The Point Guy
Currently, all Booking with Resy It's sold out, but you can click “Notify Me” to add yourself to the waiting list and receive an SMS text if a spot becomes available.
Platinum Card Members can reserve tables for up to 2 and Centurion Card Members can reserve tables for up to 4. Each reservation will enjoy up to 1 hour of lounge access.
All guests must be 21 or older.
American Express Fan Experience
Additional Amex experiences fall under the Fan Experience umbrella and include lower level areas that are accessible to all guests attending the tournament. Hours of operation are as follows:
- August 28-30, 9:30am-8pm
- August 31, 9:30am to 5:30pm and 7pm to 11pm
- September 1st to 4th, 9:30am to 8pm
- September 5-6, 11am-8pm
- September 7-8, 11am-6pm
1 of 3
Caroline Tanner/The Point Guy
Highlights this year included a “Create Your Own Tennis Ball” station where guests could embroider their initials onto a tennis ball, a “Top Spin 2K25” station where guests could play alone or with a partner, and two tennis stations featuring a glow-in-the-dark ping pong table and full-sized tennis court where guests could hit balls.
Card Member Lounge
1 of 4
Caroline Tanner/The Point Guy
The Cardmember Lounge is located on the second floor of the Fan Experience and is open to all Amex cardholders.
The immersive activation was similar to last year's lounge, with a highlight being an expanded Ralph Lauren merchandise collection, where customers can customize Ralph Lauren water bottles, hats, denim jackets, towels, tote bags, shirts and sweatshirts with four Amex-exclusive designs.
There's a small bar and Honey Deuce stand where you can purchase food and drinks, and at different times each day they offer complimentary limited edition Van Leeuwen ice cream flavors, “Match Point Mint Chip x Amex,” as well as full-sized La Roche-Posay sunscreen samples (one per person).
Admission is first come, first served and cardholders can bring two guests.
Other AMEX Activation
Outside the Fan Experience and Lounge, the South Plaza will feature the Amex Shop, open to all Amex cardholders, where customers can purchase concessions, exclusive Ralph Lauren-branded U.S. Open merchandise and merchandise from small businesses across New York City in a cashierless store.
Amex Card Members who spend $100 or more at the US Open on-site with an eligible Amex Card will receive $10 cash back. To take advantage of this offer, Sign in to your account Check to see if the offer is available on your card, and if so, you can add it to your card.
1 of 5
Caroline Tanner/The Point Guy
Additional Amex offers can be signed up for through the U.S. Open app and at Amex-branded locations on-site.
- Use your American Express card at the East and South Gates to receive discounted baggage check-in service, with a discount of $5 off each checked bag.
- Complimentary loaner radio (one per cardmember) with ESPN play-by-play and highlights
- Spend $100 or more online at La Roche-Posay and receive a one-time $15 credit.
- Tap to pay and you'll get $2 back on up to two trips, for a total of $4, when you spend $2 or more on the Metropolitan Transportation Authority (New York City's public transportation network).
- Get a one-time $10 credit after spending $50 in a single transaction at any Eataly location in New York City (excluding Eataly concession stand at the U.S. Open)
Conclusion
1 of 4
Caroline Tanner/The Point Guy
American Express Fan Experience, Cardmember Lounges, Centurion Lounges and American Express Shops will be open throughout the U.S. Open.
While access to the Centurion Lounge requires paying an annual fee for a premium card, the lounge and complimentary food and drinks, plus Wi-Fi, charging ports and air conditioning, make this annual experience worthwhile for tennis fans, especially when you consider the prices of food and drink and how crowded the stadium can be.
Be sure to check out the Fan Experience before or after taking a break in the Centurion Lounge. It will be busy on opening day, so to get the most out of it, we recommend visiting the Amex Space before the first session in the morning.
When I think back to my annual trip to the U.S. Open with my Amex, the special Ralph Lauren merchandise and full-size bottle of La Roche-Posay sunscreen make me smile more than anything.
Related Posts:
