Amex's new Amsterdam Centurion Lounge now closes at 6 p.m., not the 9:30 p.m. it promised

American Express opened its first Centurion Lounge in continental Europe less than a month ago. Now it has quietly cut the hours.

When Amex announced the Amsterdam Schiphol lounge, it said the space would be open every day from 6 a.m. to 9:30 p.m. That is in Amex's own release, dated September 16. Today, Amex's page for the lounge lists different hours: 6 a.m. to 6 p.m.

That is three and a half hours gone, every single day. And they are the evening hours, when some long-haul flights leave.

What changed

The lounge opened on September 17. It sits between Concourses E and F, in the part of Schiphol used mostly for non-Schengen flights. Those are the flights to places like the US and the UK, after passport control.

Amex's page does not explain the new hours. We could not find any announcement from Amex about the change. The page simply lists 6 a.m. to 6 p.m.

For comparison, here is when some other Centurion Lounges close, according to Amex's site:

• London Heathrow: 9 p.m.
• New York JFK: 10 p.m.
• New York LaGuardia: 10 p.m.

So if you are used to Centurion Lounges that stay open into the night, Amsterdam is now the odd one out.

Who loses out

If your flight leaves Schiphol in the morning or early afternoon, nothing changes for you. You can still get in, eat, drink and work before your flight.

The people who lose are evening travelers. Think of anyone on a late flight to North America, Asia or Africa, or anyone with a long afternoon layover. If you show up after 6 p.m., the doors will be shut.

The lounge itself is the same as before. Amex says it is close to 550 square meters, or nearly 6,000 square feet. It has a buffet of Dutch and European dishes, a full bar and a Blue Roast coffee bar run by baristas. It does not list showers.

Our take: Amex should say why

Amex promised one thing in its launch release and now lists another on its website. Cardholders pay a lot for these cards. The Platinum Card's annual fee is $895. People who plan a trip around a lounge deserve to know when it is open, and why that changed.

Maybe the lounge is short on staff. Maybe it is not busy at night. Maybe this is a short-term fix. Amex has not said. Until it does, treat the 6 p.m. closing time as the real one, and check the lounge page again before you fly.

Where to go after 6 p.m.

You still have options in the same part of the airport. These lounges are all on Schiphol's non-Schengen side:

• Aspire Lounge 41: open to Priority Pass members. US Platinum Card members can enroll in Priority Pass as a card benefit.
• KLM Crown Lounge 52: KLM's big flagship lounge, for KLM and SkyTeam premium travelers and elites.
• oneworld Lounge: for British Airways and other oneworld premium travelers and elites.

Check each lounge's own rules before you go, since access depends on your ticket, status or card.

Who can get into the Centurion Lounge

Amex's page for the US Platinum Card lists Centurion Lounge access as a card benefit. Other Amex cards have their own rules, so check Amex's access page for your exact card before you go. Our Centurion Lounge program page has the full access and guest rules, and our Amsterdam Schiphol airport guide lists every lounge at the airport.