The Centurion Lounge

Amex Platinum unlocks this overworked lounge in TBIT.

The Centurion Lounge sits in Terminal B (TBIT), airside, a short walk from the international gates and reachable from Terminals 4–8 via the airside walkways. It’s the main non-airline lounge option in this pier, so traffic from multiple terminals funnels here whenever the long‑haul banks hit.

Access is limited to certain American Express cards only: Platinum, Centurion, Delta Reserve, and a few co-branded variants, which NerdWallet calls out as a gatekeeper that concentrates demand. Casual flyers often walk up at the TBIT entrance and get turned away because a regular Amex Green or Gold isn’t enough.

Hours track peak travel waves rather than a strict 24/7 schedule, with doors typically open through the late‑evening international departures out of Terminal B. Morning long‑haul banks and the 7 p.m.–11 p.m. window are the crunch times mentioned most in trip reports and YouTube lounge crawls.

Food runs on a buffet line with hot dishes rotating across the day; reviewers call out that it’s better than most U.S. airline lounges in T4–T7, but not as calm as the Qantas First or Star Alliance Business lounges in the same terminal. Expect solid mains and passable snacks, but also expect to hunt for a free table during those 7 p.m. departures to London, Sydney, and Asia.

Drinks are complimentary, with a staffed bar and a cocktail list a notch up from what you’ll see in, say, the Alaska Lounge in Terminal 6. House spirits and wine are included; premium pours show up on a small upcharge list, which most flyers skip in favor of the free mixes when the bar queue is already 10 deep.

Regulars mention shower rooms, work pods with outlets at nearly every seat, and a kids’ room as the key amenities that justify arriving 60–90 minutes earlier than you’d normally hit security. Those same regulars also keep backup access to Star Alliance or Qantas lounges and will walk across TBIT to switch if the Centurion check‑in queue spills into the hallway.

Watch out for: Centurion lounges, including LAX, are notorious for capacity issues; reviewers and NerdWallet both call out standing‑room‑only scenes during peak travel times. If you see a waitlist at the front desk, don’t burn 30 minutes here if your boarding pass shows a T4–T7 gate and you can still make it to an airline lounge.

One practical tip: if you have Amex access and a Terminal 4–7 departure, walk airside to TBIT before the evening bank and aim to arrive at the lounge at least 2 hours before your flight, then leave 35–40 minutes before boarding to get back to your gate without a sprint.