Denver Centurion Lounge Review: Good Drinks, Limited Seating
The Denver Centurion Lounge delivers on drinks and desserts, but food quality varies and the space can get crowded.
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The Denver Centurion Lounge can be pretty hit or miss — and whether or not it’ll be a hit depends largely on when you go.
The best times to visit are during off-peak hours when you can grab a cocktail and find a good seat. When the lounge is crowded, you might find yourself taking multiple laps around the place just to find a table. And while the drinks and desserts are consistently great, some entrees lack flavor.
Still, I consider it one of the better Denver airport lounges. I’ve visited it about a dozen times — often as part of a layover — since the airport serves as a hub for many major airlines. If you have an eligible card and you find yourself passing through Denver (as I often do), it's worth a visit.
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How to access the Denver Centurion Lounge
The Denver Centurion Lounge sits on the mezzanine level, one floor above the departure gates at Denver’s Concourse C between gates C46 and C48.
Head to those gates, then look for the escalator that takes you to the lounge.
Not traveling out of Concourse C? You can still access this lounge. An automated train connects the A, B and C Gates all post-security, and trains come every few minutes. The train trip from A Gates to B Gates is approximately three minutes, while the journey from A all the way to the C Gates is still less than five minutes.
Who can get into the Denver Centurion Lounge
Only certain American Express cards offer Centurion Lounge access. Even with an eligible card, some restrictions apply:
- You can only enter before a departing flight. You can’t land at an airport with a lounge and head inside (unless it’s a layover or connecting flight).
- There’s a time limit. You can only visit within three hours of the stated departure time on your boarding pass.
The guest policy for Centurion Lounges has tightened significantly in recent years to curb overcrowding. For most eligible cards, there's typically a minimum annual spending requirement to unlock complimentary guest access. You might also be able to add someone as an authorized user to your card to get them lounge access, but that comes with an additional yearly fee.
Otherwise, cardholders can pay for guest passes. Adult guest passes are $50; children ages 2 through 17 are $30. All guests must be accompanied by a cardholder.
The crowd situation
Since American Express tightened its guest policy, crowds have improved noticeably. But on busy travel days, the 14,000-square-foot lounge still struggles with capacity, and the lack of organized seating can make it feel more crowded.
I’ll regularly walk in, scan the entire lounge and find it a challenge to find not just a decent seat, but any seat. On multiple occasions, I’ve seen solo travelers claim entire four-top tables while groups of four cram awkwardly around tiny cocktail tables meant for one or two people and their drinks.
Other lounges — including some of AmEx's competitors like the Chase Sapphire Lounge at Phoenix Sky Harbor Airport — assign seating as a way to manage crowds. The lack of similar crowd control measures in this lounge felt like a miss.
Food and beverages at the Denver Centurion Lounge
The drinks: Where this lounge really shines
The Denver Centurion Lounge's cocktail selection is genuinely excellent, with thoughtful nods to Denver's food and drink culture. One highlight is a malty espresso martini twist that incorporates Left Hand Milk Stout and coconut milk. Classics are always on the menu, and the lounge also has a rotating menu of seasonal drinks.
There’s also an extensive beer menu with local drinks.
There's a huge bar dominating the center of the lounge that's hard to miss, and a secondary bar area tucked around the corner that many travelers overlook entirely. If the main bar is slammed, head there.
The mocktail selection is solid, too. It includes options like the Sir Charles Frosty Blue, made with Seedlip Spice 94 (a nonalcoholic spirit) and grapefruit soda.
There’s also an espresso machine plus other drinks like aguas frescas and sparkling water.
The food: A mixed bag
I've visited this lounge multiple times, and the food quality varies.
During one visit, the setup featured a Mexican-inspired spread with a make-your-own taco and salad bowl station. The protein options were solid, and the vegetarian offerings were genuinely good, including flavorful mushroom fajitas that this meat-lover still enjoyed.
On a more recent visit, though, it wasn't as great. The harissa roasted chicken lacked flavor, as did the mix of eggplant, chickpeas and onions. The mashed potatoes were forgettable, too.
Desserts: A bright spot
The dessert selection is reliably good. On one visit, the lounge offered orange cake cupcakes topped with fresh raspberries and dried orange slices that looked like they belonged in a nice bakery. On another visit, there was a no-bake cheesecake.
If you have a sweet tooth, don't skip this section, as it's one of the more consistent highlights.
Design and seating
The seating variety is decent when you can actually find a spot. You'll find a mix of tables and chairs near the food area, plus more lounge-style seating with couches and armchairs scattered throughout.
You’re most likely to find a seat in the area by the food, though it feels a little like a college cafeteria.
The Denver Centurion Lounge used to feature a cool themed area with bar games like a pool table and shuffleboard. It gave the space personality and made it feel like more than just another airport lounge.
That area has since been replaced by more standard seating. I’d say I’m disappointed, but given how hard it is to find a seat, the change makes sense.
Bathrooms
The bathrooms are spacious and well-equipped with sufficient stalls for everyone. This is a significant upgrade compared to some competing lounges (I'm looking at you, Denver Capital One Lounge), where insufficient bathroom facilities feel like a major oversight.
Denver Centurion Lounge: Is it worth it?
If you're at Denver International Airport and have access to Centurion lounges, this one's worth visiting.
Its closest competitor is the Capital One Lounge — but that one is arguably even more crowded. On many occasions, I’ve arrived at the airport only to find a waitlist of more than an hour to get in. Once you’re in, food options are sufficient for small, tapas-style appetizers, but not a hearty meal.
Denver airport also has some Priority Pass options, but they’re either experiences or restaurants, which very few credit cards with Priority Pass benefits cover.
This Centurion Lounge will give you drinks and a full meal, and there’s rarely a wait to get in. But if you're visiting during peak hours, set your expectations accordingly.
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