Review: American Express Centurion Lounge  – New York JFK Int’l (JFK), Terminal 4

The coffee shop, the speakeasy bar, and the tarmac views are the highlights of this two-story lounge

The summary

The American Express Centurion lounge is found on the Mezzanine level of JFK’s Terminal 4, which houses Delta, its partners (e.g. Virgin Atlantic), and several other non-US carriers (e.g. Singapore, Emirates, Etihad, Air India).  It sits right next to the Chase/Etihad Lounge. The entry to the lounge is clearly marked. Guests can enter the lounge within three hours of departure.

After clearing reception, guests enter the upper floor of the lounge. The first feature is a series of small high-to tables and plants – nothing too fabulous about these. However, to the right is an attractive room (called a family room) which was amazingly empty when I visited. This was a surprise since the lounge was otherwise very crowded this early evening hour. To the left past entry is one the lounge’s highlights: a separate coffee bar called “Blue Roast”. Guests can order from a variety of coffee/espresso drinks from a barista and select from a variety of to-go items.

The rest of the upper level is really just one long room – fronted by floor to ceiling windows sporting tarmac views. With the variety of carriers, Terminal 4 is great for plane spotting. There is nothing too exciting about the furnishings on this level. The space is rather narrow. There are tables and chairs, some loungers and high-top tables along the windows. The lounge upstairs was very crowded. At one end, there is an area cordoned off for Centurion Card holders – which was not crowded.

On the right, there is a decent size coffee and soft drink station. Past that is the buffet.  I have seen better buffets in other Centurion Lounges. Items on offer included mushroom and tofu bourguignon, meatloaf (which looked tasty), green beans, garlic mashed potatoes, salad fixings, soup and rolls. Just beyond the buffet was the small bar – but this lounge has three bars.

At the far end of the upper level of the lounge are the three shower suites. Since it was extremely warm in the terminal, I rinsed off in the shower. It felt great! The showers were stocked with L’Occitane products and were perfectly functional if not luxurious.

Since the lounge elevator was not operative, I descended down the steps to the lounge’s lower level. This level is more richly furnished than the level above. The space is broken up into some cozy rooms. There are semi-private seats, a semi-private office, the hallmark bulldog picture, bookcases, a television, and views of the tarmac. This level was not as crowded.

This floor has a similar buffet and beverage station. There is also another small bar just past the buffet.

Past this bar is the entrance to the speakeasy bar, called “1850” for the year American Express was founded. This dark room is elegantly designed and is the lounge’s signature feature. There is an extensive complementary wine/cocktail list. I was impressed that the bar offered local wine from the North Fork of Long Island! The bartender was excellent and offered guests several suggestions.

Internet was password protected and was very fast. Outlets were plentiful. Attendants worked diligently to keep the lounge clean. JFK’s Terminal 4 has one of the most extensive lounge offerings in the United States. Chase and Capital One have outstanding lounges -with better foods on offer – in the terminal, Delta’s lounge offerings are top-tier and other carriers also have lounges in the terminal. Nevertheless, this lounge should satisfy the needs of most travelers.

The wrap

…the details: Date: February 4, 2026. Rating: Excellent (8/10). Access: Platinum Card.

….what I like: The coffee bar, the speakeasy.

—what I don’t like: The crowds, smallish buffet, the upper level decor.