Amex shuts its Sydney Centurion Lounge until Oct. 20, and Melbourne's closes in November

American Express has closed its Centurion Lounge at Sydney Airport for a refresh. Its Melbourne lounge will follow next month. The two lounges are the only Centurion Lounges in Australia.

Amex's own notice says the Sydney lounge closed on Oct. 6 and will reopen on Oct. 20. The Melbourne lounge will close on Nov. 9 and reopen on Nov. 24.

That Melbourne timing is a change. When the work was first reported in September, Flight Hacks said both lounges would close on Oct. 6, with Melbourne back on Oct. 21. Amex's page now gives the November dates, and Executive Traveller reported the same dates on Oct. 4. So if you fly out of Melbourne this month, the Centurion Lounge there should still be open.

What Amex is changing

Not much is public yet. Amex calls the work a "refurbishment." Its notice says the work is meant "to enhance the experience" for guests. An Amex spokesperson told Executive Traveller, "American Express appreciates our Card Members' patience while these enhancements are completed."

Amex has not shared a design, a new menu or any photos of the new look. It has not said whether either lounge will grow. Flight Hacks editor Tom Goward noted that a closure of about two weeks suggests the changes may be modest. Executive Traveller noted that the lounges have been busier since Qantas tightened its rules on lounge passes.

The Sydney lounge sits in Terminal 1, near gates 50 to 63. It is rated 4.5 out of 5 on Lounge Frog and has two showers. Melbourne's lounge in Terminal 2 is smaller, with no showers, and rates 4.8.

Where Amex cardholders can wait instead

What you can use depends on your card. Amex's notice says only that some cardholders "may continue to have access" to other lounges through their card benefits.

Platinum and Platinum Business cards. These cards get you into Plaza Premium lounges, according to both Executive Traveller and Flight Hacks. Primary cardholders also get Priority Pass after they enroll.

In Sydney's Terminal 1, the best fit is the Plaza Premium Lounge (International Departures). It is on Level 2, opposite gates 25 and 26. It opens 6 a.m. to 10 p.m., has four showers and a full bar, and rates 4.6 on Lounge Frog. It also takes Priority Pass. There is a second Plaza Premium lounge in the arrivals area, but it rates just 2.5 and is not for departing flyers.

The House is the other Priority Pass choice in Sydney. It sits just before gate 50, close to where the Centurion Lounge is. It opens at 5 a.m., an hour earlier than Plaza Premium, and rates 4.4. Showers, premium drinks and the à la carte menu need a paid upgrade of 20 Australian dollars, according to our listing.

In Melbourne's Terminal 2, the Plaza Premium Lounge is near gate 9, close to the Centurion Lounge. It rates 4.7. Its listed hours are 8:30 a.m. to 11 p.m., so it is no help for very early flights. The Marhaba Lounge, between gates 9 and 11, is the top-rated lounge in the terminal open to card programs, at 4.9. It takes Priority Pass, LoungeKey and DragonPass, and opens before dawn most days. Priority Pass lists narrower access hours, so check before an early visit. The Aspire Lounge also takes Priority Pass, but it is in a temporary space for now.

Qantas American Express Ultimate and Premium cards. Executive Traveller says these cardholders would need to use one of their two yearly Qantas lounge invitations. Note that Amex says Centurion access on the Ultimate card ends on Feb. 15, 2027.

Amex Explorer. Flight Hacks says this card offers no lounge access during the closures.

Fewer free guests since Oct. 1

The timing is awkward for Platinum cardholders who travel with family. Several rule changes took effect on Oct. 1, according to Amex's lounge update page.

• Plaza Premium: The free guest allowance for Platinum and Platinum Business cardholders fell from two guests to one. Corporate Platinum cardholders can still bring two.
• Priority Pass: Only the main cardholder now gets a membership. Additional and Employee cardholders lost theirs. Amex says a main cardholder "may bring one complimentary guest per visit." Amex's page does not state the old allowance.

These follow a July 8 change at Centurion Lounges, which cut the free guest allowance from two to one for Platinum and Platinum Business cards. Guests must also be on the same flight. The same Oct. 1 update ended Lufthansa lounge access, which we covered in our story on that change.

In practice, a Platinum cardholder flying with two adult companions can now bring only one of them into Plaza Premium for free. Amex's Centurion rules still let children aged 17 or younger in with the cardholder, but those lounges are the ones that are closed.

What we don't know

Amex has not said what the finished lounges will look like. It has not said why Melbourne's dates moved. It also has not said whether the work could run late. We will update the Sydney and Melbourne airport pages when the lounges reopen. For Amex's plans elsewhere, see our story on its new Newark and Heathrow Centurion Lounges.