Seattle International Airport is the biggest air travel hub in the Pacific Northwest. While it has many other airport lounges, for elite travelers, the American Express Centurion Lounge Seattle-Tacoma International Airport is tops.
That’s because the Amex Centurion Lounge Seattle is one of the best SeaTac Airport Lounges.
Since its expansion in March 2017 from the humble Seattle Centurion Studio, Centurion Lounge SEA is now a destination in its own right.
Most airline and Priority Pass lounges can be quite busy, so we can’t get enough of the exclusive feeling of American Express Centurion Lounges offer.
Also check out our Centurion Lounge in San Francisco review.
Here’s our Amex Centurion Lounge Seattle Review.
Centurion Lounge Seattle location
You’ll find the Centurion Lounge Seattle in Concourse B airside, across from Gate B3. Seattle-Tacoma Airport may seem big, but it is fairly easy to walk from one concourse to the next.
It’s not difficult to find Centurion Lounge Seattle, as it really stands out in Terminal B.
Accessing Centurion Lounge Seattle
The Centurion Lounge Seattle guest policy is the same as the rest. Just use your American Express Platinum card or Centurion Card membership.
Centurion Lounges have stricter guest policies than other airport lounges. Amex Platinum card holders can bring two additional guests with them for free.
Above that, it’s $50 per guest per day.
Unfortunately you can’t buy a day pass to get into the Centurion Lounge Seattle, unless you’re with an Amex Platinum card holder.
The best part about this policy, in our opinion, is that the Centurion Lounge is much less crowded than, say, Seattle Priority Pass lounges or even the Delta Sky Club lounge.
Checking into Centurion Lounge Seattle
The staff at the lounge was smiling and friendly. They were really helpful with general information, and especially about everything related to the Centurion Lounge.
We gave them our Amex Platinum card, boarding pass, and a photo ID. Any guests you bring will need their boarding passes.
If you need a shower, the Centurion Lounge has you covered. You’ll need to put your name on a list, and they will call you when it’s ready. We suggest doing this immediately at check-in, as there may be a waiting list.
There’s only one shower here.
Note on accessibility: If you’re using a wheelchair or a scooter, you shouldn’t have any issues with the Centurion Lounge in Seattle.
It might be a little tight in places, but it’s definitely an accessible lounge for most situations.
Centurion Lounge Seattle layout
The Amex Centurion Lounge in SEA is not a large lounge. Its expansion in early 2017 brought it to nearly 4,500 square feet (600 square meters). It still feels larger than other lounges because there are usually fewer people here.
The maximum capacity of the lounge is 103; however, they seem to limit the number to below the maximum capacity.
That’s a good thing for overcrowding.
The Seattle Centurion Lounge has two main rooms. The main front space contains the buffet food table and hot and cold beverages stations. There’s lots of seating, including individual sofas, workbench, and stations, as well as cozy seating pods.
The second main room is in the back. That’s where the bar is, with cafe-style tables and chairs. This is the designated room for socializing.
Local law prohibits bars in Seattle, including the Centurion Lounge Seattle, to offer bar stools around the bar itself.
You will find plenty of room to stand to get your drink, or to have a chat with the bartender.
If you are an aviation geek, this is where you can find floor-to-ceiling windows facing the tarmac. A great place for plane watching.
The lounge is very tastefully appointed. And that seems to be one of the main things that set Amex lounges apart from the other lounges at SEA. They just get everything right.
They detail the Centurion Lounge in an old-school travel theme design, while making it modern and comfortable.
Departure screens are prominently displayed in the main area above the hot beverage station.
As in all of the other Centurion Lounges in the USA, local artists are celebrated as part of the feature wall and design. Black and white prints of famous local celebrities, such as Ray Charles, adore the front wall of the lounge.
Look around for some of Dale Chihuly’s work!
Food and beverages at the Amex Centurion Lounge Seattle
The Seattle Centurion Lounge doesn’t have a full kitchen. Unlike other Centurion Lounges, the Centurion Lounge Seattle’s hot food selection is lacking, but still maintains the high quality of the food offered.
During the mid afternoon time there didn’t seem to be many hot food options.
But don’t worry – there’s still plenty to eat. There are different types of food to satisfy those with specific dietary requirements, including vegan, vegetarian, and gluten-free.
And all the dishes are labeled with the ingredients.
During our visit, we found these on the menu:
- Do-it-yourself fresh salad (including meats to add).
- Cucumber and caper salad and chickpea salad
- Turkey sandwiches
- Hot soup: Chicken Noodle Soup and Tomato Basil Bisque (Vegetarian)
Like other Centurion lounges, the Centurion Lounge Seattle Menu is Seattle-inspired, including the dessert. Try the Marge Granola or the baked goods, produced locally at Macrina bakery. DeLaurenti Chocolate Chip Cookies and Wandering Goose Salty Peanut Butter Cookies.
If you prefer a delicious traditional dessert, the Centurion Lounge Seattle offers them as well.
- Rigo Janscl Mini Square Cake
- Raspberry Rhubarb Bar
- Tiramisu
Dessert, anyone?
Hot beverage bar
Seattle is a haven for coffee lovers, and is the home city for famous coffee companies like Seattle’s Best Coffee and Starbucks.
The Centurion Lounge SEA has a high-end coffee machine that can prepare just about any hot coffee beverage you like: espresso, macchiato, cappuccino, lattes, and more.
They also have freshly brewed regular coffee, caffeinated or decaf.
I’m not a huge tea drinker myself, but if you are, they have a large selection of Twinings teas, so they probably have most of the teas anyone would ever want.
Cold beverage bar
Other than the usual Coca Cola products, water, lemonade and several juices, try the locally supplied Jones sodas!
The bar
The recent Centurion Studio expansion includes the signature bar at the back of the Centurion Lounge Seattle. It is a beautiful white marble bar, tastefully designed to include an old world travel theme, as well as a huge television screen.
Oddly, local laws don’t allow Seattle airport lounges to have seating at an open bar when minors are present. So you won’t find chairs cluttering the bar.
I enjoyed browsing through the Centurion Lounge specialty cocktail menu, designed by the top mixologist Jim Meehan. Each Centurion Lounge alcohol and cocktail menu is different.
Centurion Lounge SEA offers adult drinks with a Seattle flare. At Centurion Lounge Seattle, try the famous Team Spirit (to honor the Seattle Seahawks), or Via Veneto (Coqnac, Aperol and Starbucks coffee).
I had a glass of the Capitol Hill, which is named after one of Seattle’s prominent neighborhood that inspired the drink. It is a twist on a Manhattan.
Some other ones to try are the Housemade I.P.Y.A.Y (with the local Rainier Beer), Penicillin Fizz, and Blue Door.
The wine list is by Anthony Giglio, one of the most well-known wine and spirit authorities in the US. While you can view the wide selections provided in the wine menu, we suggest you to try a Syrah that is locally produced in Washington State.
The rest are selections from all over the world.
The lounge offers Guinness Draught, Amstel Light, Blue Moon, and usually a local beer.
Tipping: It’s standard in the United States to tip $1 a drink. So bring some $1 bills with you.
Amenities at Centurion Lounge SEA
Restrooms
There are two restrooms – in the front room by the main desk and another in the back room, next to the shower. This one is a gender-neutral bathroom.
The front room restroom can accommodate wheelchairs. There is a baby changing station inside.
Showers
The Amex Centurion Lounge SEA expansion includes a small shower , which is a great way to freshen up. It is small, but a good size.
If you are planning on a shower, let the staff know immediately when you check in. The shower waiting list can be long.
(Strangely enough, if you are flying with Delta Airlines, the Centurion Lounge staff sometimes direct you to the Delta Sky Club next door, which has multiple showers and less waiting time.)
Business Amenities
Ask the staff to show you the printers and copiers. They can assist you if you need to complete small print and copy jobs.
Wi-Fi
Password protected and very fast (compared to the Centurion Lounge in Philadelphia Airport, anyway). I was not disappointed at all.
But, it wasn’t busy, so expect a bit slower if there are many people inside the lounge accessing it at the same time.
Other things to consider
Centurion Lounge Seattle hours
5 AM to 10 PM daily. Cocktail hours (at the full bar) are 10:30 AM to 9:30 PM.
Centurion Lounge Seattle staff is awesome!
One important element of any of the airport lounge is the staff. All of the staff at Centurion Lounges are friendly, professional, helpful, and attentive.
They always do a great job in replenishing food and drink, and cleaning up dirty plates or glasses from the lounge area.
As a result, Centurion Lounges are always very clean and organized.
One thing you will notice immediately here is how friendly everyone is. At the bar, they’ll learn and remember your name and what you drink. They’ll always smile.
Their objective is 100% service, which let’s us give the SeaTac Centurion Lounge high marks.
Reservation only chairs
Some of the best seating in the lounge have “reserved” signs. From what I understand, these are for American Express Black cardholders.
I can see this being kind of annoying for visitors – especially on a crowded day.
American Express Centurion Lounge Reviews
We’ve visited a few other Amex Centurion Lounges around the United States and the world. Overall, it is a great system of airport business lounges.
Here are some other reviews:
- Mexico City Centurion Club
- Philadelphia Centurion Lounge
- San Francisco Centurion Lounge
- Miami Centurion Lounge
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Other Seattle Airport Lounges
Of course, there are other lounges at SeaTac, including Priority Pass Lounges: The Club at SEA and a few Alaskan Lounges.
If you fly Delta Airlines, and have access to the Delta airport lounges, check out the Delta Sky Club Seattle.
And definitely check out the Alaska Lounge Seattle as well if you fly with Alaska Airlines!
Are you flying somewhere else? We have reviews of other Airport Lounges Around The World.
I visited the Amex Centurion Lounge Seattle during my Airport Lounge Challenge – see our travel vlog here:
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Halef moved from Indonesia to the US nearly two decades ago to go to college here. He hasn’t looked back. He’s been to over forty countries and doesn’t plan on stopping anytime soon. He’s a Landscape Architect in Atlanta, GA.
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What a puff piece. No such rule about bar stools in Seattle. The Alaska Board room in N gates absolutely has bar stools.
Hi Chuck:
Here is the applicable code. If the Alaska Board room is covered by this law, they’re breaking it. Thanks for your comment.
http://apps.leg.wa.gov/WAC/default.aspx?cite=314-02-043
(e) The VIP airport lounge licensee may only serve liquor from a service bar. A service bar is a work station primarily used to prepare and sell alcoholic beverages that are picked up by the customer. Customers are not permitted to mix their own drinks, sit or consume food or alcohol at the service bar.
Hey there, something I noticed about the Reserve seating for Black card holders. At SFO they have it for most of the day but around 7pm they take it away so everyone can sit. Don’t know if this is everywhere else.
I’ve seen that at 3 other Centurion Lounges. I was unaware that they take the signs away. What I’ve seen is “Reserved for Members” – whether that’s Black Card members or not, I don’t know.