New York on Amex Points: From Centurion Lounge to Manhattan Penthouse

It was half past six in the morning when I walked through the glass sliding doors of the Centurion Lounge at JFK Terminal 4, after an overnight flight from Brussels Airport. Outside it was grey and rainy, but inside it smelled of freshly baked croissants and espresso. A bartender nodded, slid me a blood orange juice, and for the first time in eight hours of flying I felt my shoulders drop. No Priority Pass needed here: my Amex Platinum card was the only thing I had to show.

That moment set the tone for five days of New York on Amex points. From the lounge to a room overlooking Central Park, from complimentary breakfast at a Michelin restaurant to an upgrade to a penthouse suite I would normally never have been able to book. This is the story of how I, as a Belgian traveller, got the most out of my Membership Rewards, and what you can expect if you're planning to do the same.

From Brussels to JFK: business class on Amex Membership Rewards

Let me be honest. A business class ticket from Brussels to New York easily costs €2,500 to €4,000 if you pay cash. For most Belgians, myself included, that's not an amount you just put down. But with Membership Rewards points the picture changes completely.

I transferred my points to Virgin Atlantic Flying Club. The transfer was 1:1 and within a few minutes the points were in my account. For 57,500 points per direction I booked a return in Delta One business class, from Brussels via Atlanta to JFK. Total "cost": 115,000 points plus about €300 in taxes. Compare that to the €3,200 that Delta was charging for the same ticket in cash.

There are several routes possible, by the way. British Airways Avios is another option, although the rates are slightly higher for transatlantic flights: count on 60,000 to 75,000 Avios per direction. Air France-KLM Flying Blue is sometimes even more affordable if you're flexible with dates. The point is: you have choice. And that choice makes the difference between economy in the middle and a flatbed up front.

A tip I'm happy to share: book your award ticket at least 3 to 4 months in advance for routes to New York. Availability in business class is limited, especially during peak season (September, October and December). I booked my flight in June for a trip in October and still had plenty of options.

The JFK Centurion Lounge: why it's more than "just a lounge"

I've visited quite a few lounges in my life. From the sterile Priority Pass lounges at smaller airports to the renowned Qatar Al Mourjan in Doha. But the JFK Centurion Lounge has something special. It doesn't feel like a waiting room. It feels like a restaurant where you just happen to also need to catch a plane.

The lounge is located in Terminal 4 and has been significantly renovated in recent years. There's a cocktail bar with seasonal drinks, a buffet curated by local New York chefs, and workstations with power outlets that you'd need a magnifying glass to find at Schiphol. On the day I arrived there was homemade butternut squash soup, grilled chicken with chimichurri, and a salad bar your mother would be jealous of.

The best part: as an Amex Platinum cardholder, access is completely free. You can also bring one guest at no extra charge. I had my partner with me, and we sat there for a good two hours before our return flight. No stress, no crowds (they enforce a capacity limit), just good food and an Aperol Spritz while the sun shone through the windows over the tarmac.

Honestly, I was always sceptical about Centurion Lounges. "Can it really be that much better than an average business lounge?" Yes. Yes, it can. The quality of the food alone makes it worth it. And when you consider that you get Priority Pass Prestige (value: approximately €500 per year) included anyway for the other 1,550+ lounges worldwide, it's quite a complete package.

Fine Hotels + Resorts in Manhattan: free upgrades and breakfast at luxury hotels

This is where it gets really interesting for New York. The Fine Hotels + Resorts programme (FHR) from Amex is, in my opinion, one of the most underrated benefits of the Platinum card. Especially in a city like New York, where hotel rooms are already ridiculously expensive as standard.

How it works: you book a hotel from the FHR collection via the Amex Travel portal. You pay the regular room rate, but automatically receive a range of extras you won't get anywhere else. Free room upgrade when available, daily breakfast for two, early check-in from 12 noon, late check-out until 4 PM, and a welcome gift worth approximately €100 (often a dining credit or spa voucher).

In New York there are dozens of participating hotels. I chose The Baccarat Hotel on West 53rd Street, close to the MoMA. The room rate was $695 per night, which for Manhattan is actually standard for a five-star hotel. But here's the thing: upon arrival I was upgraded to a Grand Suite with a view of the skyline. Breakfast at their restaurant (normally $85 per person) was included. And I received a $100 spa credit as a welcome gift.

Let's do the maths for three nights: $255 breakfast (3 × $85), a room upgrade that would normally cost an extra $400 per night, and $100 spa credit. That's more than €650 in extra value on top of what I paid. And that is precisely why I say that the Amex Platinum card, with its annual fee of €780, pays for itself after just one hotel stay if you use FHR wisely.

Other FHR hotels in New York that are on my list for a next trip: The St. Regis (iconic, on Fifth Avenue), The Peninsula (incredible rooftop terrace), Mandarin Oriental (views over Central Park and the Hudson) and Park Hyatt (modern, tranquil, near Carnegie Hall). Each of these hotels offers the same FHR benefits.

What I actually spent: an honest cost breakdown for Belgian travellers

I value transparency. So here is exactly what my five days in New York cost, and what I saved by making the most of my Amex Platinum.

• Flights: 115,000 Membership Rewards points + €298 taxes (business class return BRU to JFK via Delta One)
• Hotel (3 nights Baccarat via FHR): $2,085 (paid by card, 2,085 extra MR points earned)
• FHR benefits received: approximately €650 (upgrade, breakfast, spa credit)
• Centurion Lounge JFK: €0 (free with Platinum, including guest)
• Priority Pass lounge Brussels Airport departure: €0 (free with Platinum)
• Fast Lane security BRU: €0 (included, normally €169/year)
• Foreign exchange fees on all dollar expenses: €0 (no foreign exchange fees with Amex Platinum)
• Travel insurance: €0 (automatically active via Chubb & Europe Assistance when paying with the card)

Without points, the business class return flight alone would have cost €3,200. With the points I had largely accumulated through everyday spending and the welcome bonus, I only paid the taxes. Add the FHR benefits, the lounge access, the insurance and the absence of foreign exchange fees, and you understand why I believe the Amex Platinum card is a no-brainer for Belgian travellers who fly internationally two to three times a year.

And yes, that annual amount of €780 sounds steep. But the Priority Pass alone (€500 value), the Fast Lane at Brussels Airport (€169), and three times Dining for 2 at a top Belgian restaurant (up to €300 value) bring you to €969 in tangible benefits. Without even counting the flights and hotels.

How to accumulate enough points for your New York trip from Belgium

The big question I often get from friends and readers: "How do you get to 115,000 points?" The answer is less complicated than you might think.

Step one: the welcome bonus. Via the TravelLux.be referral link you receive the maximum welcome bonus of 150,000 Membership Rewards points. That's more than with a direct application on americanexpress.com. With those 150,000 points you essentially already have enough for a return business class to JFK, with points to spare.

Step two: everyday spending. With the standard earning rate of 1 point per euro you simply put your daily expenses on the Amex. Groceries, fuel, subscriptions, online shopping. I estimate I earn about 2,500 to 3,000 points per month without even thinking about it. Those who want to save faster can activate the Booster option: for €10 per month you earn 4 points per euro. With €2,000 in monthly spending that yields 8,000 points per month instead of 2,000. That adds up.

Step three: patience, or not. The beauty of Membership Rewards is that points never expire as long as your card is active. So you can steadily save for a year, or use your welcome bonus straight away for that New York trip. I chose the latter: within six weeks of receiving my card I was sitting in business class heading to Manhattan.

One final tip: keep an eye on Amex Offers. Cashback and points promotions at partner retailers appear regularly. I once scored 5,000 extra points just by booking a hotel through an Amex Offer that happened to be active. Minimal effort, big difference in the long run.

My favourite New York moments thanks to Amex Platinum

Apart from the points and the lounges: New York is simply a city you need to experience at least once in your life. And honestly, how you travel makes an enormous difference in how you experience the city.

On my first morning I walked out of the Baccarat into the cold October air, crossed Sixth Avenue, and five minutes later I was standing in the MoMA. After breakfast (free, thank you FHR) I had the energy to walk all day: from Midtown to the High Line, through Chelsea Market, and finally to Brooklyn Bridge at sunset. No jet lag, because I had slept properly in that flatbed on the outbound flight. No stress about the wallet, because I knew my most important costs were already covered.

On day three I used the Amex concierge service to reserve a last-minute table at a restaurant that had been fully booked for weeks. I called at 10 in the morning, and by 8 PM I was seated at a window table in an Italian restaurant in West Village. Would I have managed to get that table myself? Perhaps. But the convenience of that 24/7 concierge line is something you only truly appreciate when you need it.

And then there was that last evening. Arriving back at JFK, briefly wondering whether I'd spend two more hours in those plastic seats at the gate, and then remembering: the Centurion Lounge. I ordered a Manhattan (fitting), ate a plate of pasta, and watched the planes taking off while I waited for boarding. That's the kind of moment where you think: this is what it's all about. Not the card itself, but what the card makes possible.

Frequently asked questions about New York on Amex points

Updated on 2026-04-08. This article contains an affiliate/referral link. If you apply for the Amex Platinum via our link, we receive a commission. The card terms, annual fee and benefits remain identical. All amounts and benefits mentioned are valid at the time of publication.