Escape Lounges - The Centurion Studio Partner OAK

I am an admitted airport lounge junkie. I enjoy the unlimited food and ambiance of airport lounges! Obviously, I need professional help. Nobody needs an airport lounge when there is a perfectly suitable terminal, but the cost of airport food alone makes lounges a better and better deal every year.

So at Oakland International airport, the only game in town is The Escape Lounge in Terminal 1 (as of this writing). As an Amex Platinum member, I have free access, otherwise I probably wouldn't pay the $45 non-member fee. I walked up, handed the greeter my Amex Card, ID and boarding pass and I was in!

The lounge was crowded so I stood eating until a table opened up. Once seated, I was able to relax a bit until I realized my flight was close to boarding in Terminal 2 (southwest flight). Luckily, my flight was at Gate 20, which is the first gate in T2 coming from T1. I made it just as my B group was starting to line up. So for that day, the Escape Lounge proved to be a nice retreat close enough to my departure gate.

I ate 10+ house pitas! Sooo good.

My suggestion are more seats as it seems more and more people are catching on to the airport lounge phenomenon. I also heard this lounge is in much better shape than before, so I think this lounge will get better and better.

4 stars!

I have long awaited visiting the Escape Lounge at OAK airport. When it first opened years ago, it was open to those purchasing day-passes or those with AMEX platinum cards. I didn't have the AMEX platinum card, and I didn't feel like shelling $40 for a one time visit. Recently, Escape Lounges (in the US) became part of the Priority Pass network (via Chase and Capital One credit cards), so naturally I had to come visit here!

Food offerings were Asian inspired, including soy glazed broccoli, Korean style chicken with rice, and vegetarian banh mi. Food was fairly tasty, but was lacking the depth of actual Asian cuisine (to say the least, it would be Asian fusion at best). The banh mi had tofu as a filling, with the typical carrots and cucumber with some Asian style aioli sauce on a western dinner roll type of bread. Kind of Vietnamese, but kind of not. The Korean style chicken looked appetizing at first, but once I ate it, it was another story. The chicken was mushy - not the texture I'd like. The broccoli was probably the best item - reminds me of something that I would cook myself.

As for drinks, all alcohol is served at the bar. Soft drinks, coffee, tea, and water are self serve. I had an opportunity to try the peppermint tea (with cardamom), which was very nice! Full of mint flavor with a hint of cardamom at the finish.

The lounge was fairly packed during my 1+ hour stay in the lounge, and got busy/more full depending on when flights were departing. But as I was traveling by myself, it wasn't difficult to find space for myself.

Overall, an above average experience and a welcome respite from the hustle and bustle of the airport terminal. Fairly solid food options, and drink options. I give this lounge a 3.5 stars overall rating, but rounded up to 4 stars!

Has all the great things lounges usually have but it's small. When I arrived on a late Sunday afternoon, it was PACKED. Almost all of the seats were taken and when it's crowded, it's CROWDED because of how small it is. With the amount of people + everyone's carry on's, it was hard to get around. But as people's flights began to board and people started to leave, it got better.

The food was good. They had Asian food on the day we came and it was served buffet style so you could always go up to grab a plate or two. Coffees, canned sodas, and water were available self serve while you could order cocktails and beers from the bar.

Staff was quick to clean up tables and make sure there was space for others as quickly as everyone left.

No private bathroom/etc amenities from what I could see. But still, a good lounge!

It was a nice surprise to see a lounge here but it is very small and quite packed. The food selection was good with plenty of drink options - so that was a plus. It's a place where you can get away from the gate if you can find a place to sit. It's a no frills lounge which does the job.

The front desk person does not exactly give you the warm and fuzzy but all good - I stayed a max of 15 minutes and opted to just walk around.

Waiting at the airport can be a stressful and unpleasant experience, unless you can go to the Escape Centurion Lounge, especially at the Oakland International Airport. The food was delicious, fresh and plentiful with chicken and rice, garlic, pesto sauce, or baguette sandwiches with salami, cheeses and a spicy mustard sauce, tomato bisque soup and delicious chocolate, walnut, Carmel dessert!! The bar offers several free options or tops shelf for purchase. The place is clean, spacious and pleasant with many charging stations for phones or electronics. I have met many pleasant employees there and many nice guests traveling to many different places.

The quality of their food is still poor (see my original reviews and new photos), but I come here because this is the only lounge at Oakland Airport and I have complimentary access with my Amex platinum card.

Access
Complimentary if you have an Amex Platinum or Delta Skymiles Reserve. Otherwise, $45 or $40 if you book at least 24 hours ahead of time.

Food
When I come here, their hot food is almost gone and they usually don't bring out more soon. My concern is how long those hot food items have been sitting there (see my photos)

Bar
There's a bar (see my photo for their menu).

If you are used to the quality of American Express Centurion Lounges, you will be disappointed. However, since paid entry is only $45 (e.g, Alaska single use lounge pass is $60), the quality is not too bad.

I was thrilled knowing that this Lounge has been recently added to the Priority Pass access! Great selection of breakfast items, canned sodas, espresso drinks, coffee and a place to relax before your flight at Oakland airport!

The food is buffet style and had lots of assortment for different eaters. Much better than paying $$$ for airport restaurants. The staff were kind and friendly. The lounge was clean and comfortable. Well worth it.

Came here on a Saturday morning before a spirit flight to Vegas, which to me is the easiest sort of flight to get to after coming to this lounge, since spirit flies out of Terminal 1 in the gates surrounding this lounge (this is near Gate 8 ish).
Used Amex platinum benefit for me and a +1 for free, did not make a reservation.

Pros:
- on a Saturday morning, it was pretty chill, quiet, no drama
- standard mimosa available at the bar (it might look like the bar isn't serving, but it's because the staff are working hard doing like 8 other jobs, so if you just stand for a few seconds at the bar someone will come serve you, even if it looks like no one is manning it).
- Really easy check in process, just had to use my amex platinum, ID, and show our boarding pass for the flight departing soon
- Free grab and go soda which my husband loved
- The food was not great, but also not bad. Honestly with some lounges food can be hit or miss, so I would say the breakfast actually wasn't bad (some fruit, eggs, etc - anything is better than paying for food at the airport!)
- coffee and water refill station
- outlets everywhere
- easy to see flight screen so you can monitor for delays/flight changes

Cons:
- it's not boujee, don't expect it to be (it's not as high class as a centurion lounge, but given that the airport is pretty small, I really don't think we can reasonably expect more).

Overall, a pretty mid lounge, but I'm just grateful we have something like this at OAK airport and I really appreciate what it offers. Since there's no other lounges at OAK and nothing about this place really ticked me off, solid 4 out of 5 stars.

Bar was basically what I expected, got the job done. Though perhaps it's the location that's the issue, but they seemed understaffed.

The ladies working this morning had a lot to deal with between cleaning, serving at the bar, and dealing with rude customers. One in particular mouthed off to the ladies for helping clean instead of serving her at the bar. Immediately wished they had security on premises.

Please tip if you see the employees work hard

I arrived a mere 5 minutes after they opened and the scrambled eggs, were overcooked and room temp. I grabbed some potatoes as they brought out the dish - these were room temperature too. As I took my second bite of potatoes I noticed a big black hair - I have grey and redish hair, so I know it wasn't mine or any other customer's since I was the fist to partake in this dish.

The coffee is mediocre at best.

All around disappointing.