Travelers flying from John F Kennedy no longer have the privilege of enjoying a luxury perk in the American Express lounge.
American Express (Amex) confirmed it has removed the Equinox Body Lab from the Centurion Lounge in Terminal 4 ahead of the holidays.
The Equinox Body Lab offered lounge members the chance to enjoy activities such as yoga and meditation sessions before their flight.
The credit card company replaced the Body Lab with a full-service coffee shop called Blue Roast from American Express.
The company first added the Blue Roast bar to the lounge at Seattle-Tacoma International Airport (SEA) in 2023.
“Given the popularity of the full-service ‘Blue Roast by American Express’ coffee bar in the Centurion Lounge at Seattle-Tacoma International Airport, we recently opened a second location in the Centurion Lounge at John F. Kennedy Airport,” Amex said in a statement to DailyMail.com.
“Guests can order a variety of complimentary espresso drinks, cold brew and seasonal specialty coffees, as well as smoothies and healthy snacks like avocado toast and chia pudding.”
American Express (Amex) removed the Equinox Body Lab from the Centurion Lounge in JFK and replaced it with the Blue Roast from American Express
Amex also has a Blue Roast by American Express coffee shop at Seattle-Tacoma International Airport (SEA)
Equinox is a fitness company with more than 300 locations in the US, UK and Canada.
Amex and Equinox began a partnership in 2020 when the credit card company began offering statement credits of up to $25 per month for eligible cardholders.
The two-story JFK Centurion Lounge opened in 2020 and included the Equinox Body Lab.
It was the first Equinox Body Lab ever to be in the company’s airport lounges.
In addition to yoga and meditation, members could participate in stretching sessions via the Variis by Equinox (now Equinox+) app and use vibro-acoustic chairs.
The Body Lab at JFK was available to all Amex Centurion Lounge members 18 years of age or older.
Despite the closure, Amex remains at maximum $300 in annual statements for eligible monthly membership fees or Equinox Fitness Club digital memberships.
Amex lounge members must have at least one qualified card, such as the Platinum Card, the Amex Centurion Card and the Delta SkyMiles Reserve Amex Card.
The two-story JFK Centurion Lounge opened in 2020 and included the Equinox Body Lab
Before entering the lounge, members must present their card, boarding pass confirming their travel date and proof of identity.
All members may purchase guest passes for up to two travelers, which cost between $30 and $50 per guest.
Guests of members under the age of two have free admission.
Qualifying members and guests entering the JFK lounge will have access to premium bars, a digital library and high-speed internet.
They will also have access to printers and copiers, flight monitors, televisions, showers and premium food.
The JFK Centurion Lounge is located in Terminal 4 and is open seven days a week from 5am to 10pm.
Notably, Amex was the first credit card company to open an airport lounge after introducing a lounge at Harry Reid International Airport (LAS) in Las Vegas in 2013.
Today there are 30 successful Amex Centurion Lounges in airports around the world.
Amex Platinum cardholders have access to all 30 Amex Centurion Lounges worldwide
The company quietly made noticeable changes to the card rules and the organization of access to the lounges in 2024.
Amex recently introduced a digital waitlist that allows qualified cardholders to queue up for access to any of its lounges in the US.
These members will receive a notification when they are allowed to enter the lounge and will be given 15 minutes to check in.
Amex has already faced backlash due to its decline in points values in the years since the Covid-19 pandemic.
The backlash grew in August 2024 after eBay customers were no longer allowed to pay for products with Amex cards.
In a statement, American Express said eBay’s fees to accept AmEx cards are “comparable to what eBay pays for similar cards on other networks” and that AmEx cardholders at eBay typically spend double what they spend on other networks.
Despite the problems, American news and world report revealed that its Delta SkyMiles Blue card had the best credit card offer of January 2025.