Review: The Centurion Lounge at DFW Airport

Travelers that fly through Dallas need to know about The Centurion Lounge DFW. It’s fantastic.

I never thought that I really “needed” this lounge as my American Airlines Admirals Club membership provides much-loved entry to multiple DFW lounges. I tend to be a creature of habit when I travel, and American Airlines has been overwhelmingly good to me over the years (yes, it sounds crazy, but it’s true). And, in addition to Admiral’s Clubs, we have access to Priority Pass lounges and oneworld First Class lounges when flying internationally.

But, a recent flight of mine from DFW to San Diego departed from Terminal D, right near The Centurion Lounge. I’d heard the lounge was excellent and I was utterly exhausted by a work trip so thought, “Why not?”

Wow.

The Centurion Lounge DFW Location

The Centurion Lounge is located at gate D17 at Dallas Fort-Worth airport. I spotted the entrance reasonably easily, rode the short escalator up to its level and entered the lounge. Access is granted with either an American Express Platinum Card and Centurion Card. I have the former for business. (Our personal cards are Chase Sapphire Reserve and Citi AAdvantage Executive World Elite which both provide benefits based on how and where fly.)

It’s a nice-looking entrance but I wasn’t genuinely floored until the attendant checked me in, took note of my several-hour-long layover and asked what time I’d like my complimentary manicure and/or massage scheduled.

Complimentary? Sign me up.

I promptly scheduled the massage for the next time slot, which conveniently left enough time for a quick bite to eat and a glass of wine.

I should have taken her up on the manicure (don’t make the same mistake), but I was feeling stressed by lack of computer time so opted to work instead.

The Centurion Lounge DFW Food and Drinks

Everything is included, which is a refreshing change seeing that upcharges are common in domestic lounges. The hot section included rice dishes, curry, sweet potatoes, farrotto with acorn squash and red Russian kale and more.

A salad section followed. I liked that you could eat heavily if you wanted to or lightly, in my case after several days of a whole lot of food. The menu is designed by James Beard Award-winning chef Dean Fearing, and it’s undoubtedly high-end restaurant quality, even in a buffet setting.

Excellent Airport Lounge Spa

At 12:30 p.m., I headed over to the spa for my complimentary massage. I wasn’t sure what to expect, but I didn’t care because my back and shoulders were a mess of knots from carrying a camera and lenses around. It’s surprising how much better you can feel after a 20-minute chair massage. My therapist knew what he was doing, as despite my lack of direction he managed to sleuth out my persistent issues and give me a few stretches to help improve my consistently tight neck.

Back I went to the lounging area to work. I will say that it is not a huge lounge, but there are plenty of places to sit in various sections. It was busy which discouraged me from taking too many photos.

Bartenders mixed a variety of fancy cocktails, and the wine I drank was premium. The decor throughout the lounge is clean and contemporary (the sofa areas are much cozier).

The Bottom Line

See also: Runway Cool at the Grand Hyatt DFW

When I’m passing through DFW’s Terminal D, I’ll be sure to stop in. While I probably wouldn’t switch terminals to visit the lounge unless I had a long layover and time for a massage, it is an upgraded experience compared to most domestic lounges. International Flagship Lounges tend to feel more luxe though. I would suggest that you bring in cash for tipping the bartenders and spa therapists.

Note also that this lounge is set for expansion that should be completed by mid-2018. I can’t wait to see it.

What do you think of The Centurion Lounge DFW?