Amex Platinum Lounge Access Guide: Full Country Breakdown + 2026 Changes

The American Express Platinum Card offers some of the most comprehensive airport lounge access of any card — but what you get depends heavily on where your card is issued.

Between Priority Pass and the other lounge networks that Amex partners with, cardmembers with a personal, business or corporate Platinum card can enjoy lounge access at many airports around the world.

Unfortunately, American Express is reducing its airport lounge inclusions for Platinum cardmembers. From July 2026, cardmembers in many countries will face new restrictions on Centurion Lounge access. Amex is also removing several other lounge benefits in October 2026, including access to Lufthansa Lounges.

This guide outlines what lounge access you get in your country as an Amex Platinum cardmember, what's changing, and how LoungePair can help when your inclusions don’t quite stretch far enough.

(This guide covers personal and business Platinum cards globally; corporate cards may differ.)

An Amex Platinum card typically includes access to the following airport lounges:

• Centurion Lounges

• Delta Sky Clubs

• Escape Lounges

• Lufthansa Business or Senator Lounges (until 30 September 2026)

• Plaza Premium Lounges

• Priority Pass lounges (a global lounge program with 1,800+ partner airport lounges)

In addition, cardmembers in most countries can bring complimentary guests with them into some of these lounges.

Access rules, including the number of guests you can bring into each lounge and whether additional Amex Platinum cardmembers also get lounge access, depend on the country where your card is issued. That’s because American Express offers different versions of its Platinum card around the world – each with their own unique terms and conditions. The the exact inclusions by country are covered later in this guide.

American Express regularly updates its airport lounge access benefits. Some changes apply globally, while others only affect cards issued in specific countries.

These are some of the upcoming changes to Amex Platinum lounge access which affect cardmembers in multiple countries:

From 1 October 2026, Amex Platinum (and Centurion) cardmembers from all countries will no longer get access to Lufthansa lounges when flying with a Lufthansa Group airline.

This will particularly impact travelers seeking lounge access in Munich and Frankfurt, which are Lufthansa's hubs.

From 8 July 2026, Amex Platinum cardmembers from these countries (except those with corporate cards) will face new restrictions on access to Centurion Lounges:

• Australia

• Finland

• Germany

• New Zealand

• Spain

• Sweden

• Thailand

• United States

These are the changes that will apply to personal and business Platinum cardmembers from those countries, when accessing Centurion Lounges in the US, as well as Sydney, Melbourne, London, Tokyo, or Hong Kong:

• The number of complimentary guests will reduce from 2 to 1

• Guests must be traveling on the same flight as the cardmember

• Lounge access during a layover will only be available within 5 hours of the departure of the connecting flight (access at other times is already limited to within 3 hours of departure)

In Australia and New Zealand, American Express currently offers complimentary Priority Pass membership to both the primary cardmember and 1 additional cardmember holding an Amex Platinum card. From 1 October 2026, additional cardmember in these countries will no longer receive Priority Pass membership.

Also from 1 October 2026, the number of complimentary guests that Australians and New Zealanders are permitted at Plaza Premium Lounges reduces from 2 to 1.

These changes do not apply to corporate cards (only personal and business cards).

From 1 January 2027, Amex Platinum primary cardmembers in Canada will be limited to 6 complimentary Priority Pass lounge visits per year. Supplementary cardmembers will be limited to just 2 per year. In both cases, the number of visits is currently unlimited.

Amex Platinum members in Canada will instead have the option to “unlock” unlimited visits by spending at least CA$20,000 annually on their card.

This follows a similar change introduced in France in February 2026. In France, Amex Platinum cardmembers are now limited to 15 free Priority Pass entries each year.

Similar changes could soon spread to other markets as well.

Primary and Additional Amex Platinum cardmembers (but not supplementary Green or Gold cardmembers) generally receive access to the following airport lounge networks:

In addition, Amex Platinum cardmembers can access Priority Pass, Centurion and Plaza Premium Lounges. In some markets, other lounges are available too. (For example, Australian Amex Platinum cardmembers get access to Virgin Australia Lounges.) With these lounges, access policies vary according to the country where your card is issued:

• Priority Pass: Unlimited access is generally available for the primary cardmembers, but benefits for additional cardmembers and guest policies vary. In a small number of countries, the number of annual visits is limited.

• The Centurion Lounge: Unlimited access is available for primary and additional cardmembers within 3 hours of the flight's departure time, but guest policies vary.

• Plaza Premium: Unlimited access is available for primary and additional cardmembers, but guest policies vary.

The following table summarizes the included access to these and other lounges with Amex Platinum cards issued in various countries:

If you want to bring more guests than your allowance permits, you may be charged for each additional guest. The cost depends on the lounge operator, and note that some lounges limit the total number of guests you can bring in with you.

If your card only gives you a limited number of lounge entries per year, you may also be charged for your additional lounge visits beyond that number.

Alternatively, you could purchase additional lounge visits or guests through a service like LoungePair. This could work out to be cheaper or offer better flexibility.

You don’t need a membership to purchase a lounge pass through LoungePair – just buy as you need. That said, you can access additional flexibility and perks if you choose to join the LoungePair+ program.

Some lounge networks let you bring extra guests, above your complimentary allowance, for an additional charge when you use your Amex Platinum Card for access. The fee will be charged to your Platinum card.

While pricing for additional guests varies by region and is subject to change, you could expect to pay the following prices:

The Amex Platinum card provides extensive access to airport lounges. Nonetheless, it doesn’t cover all airports. And, increasingly, the number of lounge visits or the number of guests you can bring with you may be limited.

LoungePair is a great backup option for times when your Amex Platinum card doesn’t get you into a lounge.

It could make sense to buy an airport lounge pass through LoungePair when:

✓ You're traveling with more guests than your complimentary Amex Platinum guest entitlement

✓ You prefer predictable, upfront pricing

✓ You have used up all your free lounge visits

✓ Your airport does not have an eligible lounge

✓ You want lounge access without paying for an expensive Amex card

✓ You have a long layover and your Amex Platinum access is only available for a limited time window

In many cases, LoungePair offers better value than the US$35 fee that you pay for extra Priority Pass visits or guests over your included allowance.

The American Express Platinum Card comes with access to an extensive list of lounges, which varies by country. Unfortunately, Amex is increasingly restricting those benefits in some markets by reducing guest limits, restricting Priority Pass visits, or removing Priority Pass access for additional cardmembers.

When your Amex Platinum card doesn’t quite go the distance, LoungePair offers the flexibility to purchase additional airport lounge access as you need it. LoungePair sells access to many of the same third-party lounges that Amex Platinum can get you into – plus some that even an Amex Platinum card won’t.

You don’t need a membership to buy a pass from LoungePair, making this a convenient and affordable option. However, if you plan to buy multiple lounge passes each year, it may make sense to take out a LoungePair+ membership. LoungePair+ benefits include extra flexibility on every pass, discounted companion passes, and a complimentary lounge pass each year.