Airport lounges have come a long way from being just a quiet place to sit before a flight. The better ones now try to offer an experience of their own, and the Centurion Lounge at New York’s John F. Kennedy International Airport takes this idea a step further with its hidden 1850 Speakeasy Bar.
Inside the Centurion Lounge at Terminal 4, the 1850 Speakeasy Bar is designed around the Prohibition era and offers a more exclusive bar experience within the lounge. The bar gets its name from 1850, the year American Express was founded, and is tucked away behind a copper-paneled wall.
1850 Speakeasy Bar at JFK
The first thing that stands out about the 1850 Speakeasy Bar is its design. The space has a warm, sophisticated feel with dark wooden interiors, a marble-topped bar and carefully designed seating areas.
The bar itself feels considerably more like a proper cocktail bar than something you would typically expect to find inside an airport lounge. It comes with a wide selection of bottles, glassware, and dedicated coffee-making facilities.
The speakeasy concept isn’t just limited to the interiors. The cocktail menu has been designed around New York’s cocktail culture, with drinks created by New York City mixologist Jim Meehan.
Lounge Seating & Ambiance
The 1850 Speakeasy Bar is only one part of the much larger Centurion Lounge at JFK.
The lounge covers around 15,000 square feet and spans two floors, making it one of the larger lounges in the Centurion collection. It also features floor-to-ceiling windows, offering passengers views of the airport and aircraft.
The seating around the bar feels more intimate and upscale, with individual tables and comfortable chairs. The wooden paneling and warm lighting add to the overall atmosphere and make the area feel quite different from a standard airport lounge.
Food & Beverages
Beyond the speakeasy, the Centurion Lounge also offers a full-service coffee bar and a curated food menu.
The lounge’s food program has been developed with chef Ignacio Mattos, while coffee is sourced from Irving Farm New York. The menu includes options such as egg sandwiches, fennel salad, steak, and other dishes inspired by New York’s diverse food culture. Local wines are also selected by Centurion Lounge wine director Anthony Giglio.
This means visitors aren’t limited to the usual lounge snacks and beverages. The combination of a proper food offering, coffee service, and the dedicated cocktail bar gives the lounge a much more complete experience.
1850 Speakeasy Bar – Our Take
The 1850 Speakeasy Bar is undoubtedly one of the more interesting features of the JFK Centurion Lounge. Instead of simply adding another bar to the lounge, American Express has created a dedicated space with its own theme, design, and cocktail program.
For passengers who already have access to the Centurion Lounge at JFK Terminal 4, the speakeasy adds another reason to spend time in the lounge rather than grabbing a quick bite and heading to the gate.
The combination of the Prohibition-inspired design, dedicated cocktail menu, New York-inspired food and drinks, and the overall ambiance makes this more than just another airport bar.
If you’re flying out of JFK Terminal 4 and have access to the Centurion Lounge, the 1850 Speakeasy Bar is definitely worth checking out. And yes, having a hidden speakeasy inside an airport lounge is a pretty cool flex.