Lounge directory · CMH · Last reviewed 7 June 2026
Columbus John Glenn Lounges (CMH): Every Lounge and How to Get In
Columbus runs exactly one lounge, the Escape Lounge by gate B32, plus a USO room for military travelers. Almost anyone can buy or card their way in. The catch is which side of three separate security checkpoints you stand on.
- Lounge verdict
- One commercial door for the whole airport, and it is a good one. The Escape Lounge serves chef built food and a free bar in 2,800 square feet, open 5 am to 8 pm daily, and it admits everyone from Priority Pass holders to anyone with 60 dollars.
- Best access play
- Priority Pass gets you in free and even lets you book a slot in advance, which is rare for the network. No pass and no Amex Platinum? Prebook on the Escape Lounges site from 45 dollars instead of paying 60 at the door.
- The one thing to know
- The lounge sits airside in Concourse B, and each of the three concourses runs its own checkpoint. Visit from A or C and you will pass through security again to reach your own gate. Priority Pass says so in its own directions.
Orientation
How the CMH lounge map works
The geography lesson takes one sentence: everything is in Concourse B. John Glenn International is a single terminal with three concourses fanning off it, and Southwest fills Concourse A at the south end, American, United and Air Canada anchor B in the middle, and Delta, Alaska, Breeze, Frontier and Sun Country fly from C at the north end. The Escape Lounge sits airside on level 2 of Concourse B, on the left at the end of the pier next to gate 32, behind the B checkpoint and nothing else.
Hours below were checked on 7 June 2026 against the operator, Priority Pass and the airport. The lounge runs 5:00 am to 8:00 pm every day of the week, which covers the first departure bank but not the last flights out; the checkpoints themselves operate 4:00 am to 8:30 pm, so the lounge closes about half an hour before security does. There is no arrivals lounge, no airline club and no shower facility anywhere in the building.
The second door on the map is not for the public. The Jake Brewer USO Lounge near the Concourse C security exit serves active US military and their families, with snacks, wifi, gaming and a children's area behind a DoD ID check. For everyone else, the Escape Lounge is the entire lounge scene at CMH until the new terminal opens in 2029.
The directory
Every lounge at Columbus John Glenn
| Lounge | Location | Hours | Access | Verdict |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Escape Lounge, The Centurion Studio Partner | Concourse B, airside, next to gate 32 on level 2 | 5:00 am to 8:00 pm daily | Priority Pass including advance bookings, Amex Platinum and Business Platinum, Delta SkyMiles Reserve on Delta flights, paid entry from 45 dollars prebooked or 60 dollars walk up | The only real lounge at CMH and better than it needs to be; prebook for the morning bank |
| Jake Brewer USO Lounge | Near the Concourse C security exit | Daytime hours, current schedule to be confirmed | Active US military with valid DoD identification, plus accompanying family members | A proper rest stop for service members, with snacks, wifi and gaming; not open to the public |
The Escape Lounge opened in November 2022 as a partnership between Escape Lounges and American Express, which is why the door carries the Centurion Studio Partner branding. Think of it as a small Centurion Lounge with the prestige sanded off and the door held open: 2,800 square feet with interiors modeled on the German and Victorian villages of Columbus, and an entry policy that welcomes any traveler on any airline in any cabin.
The food is the reason to bother. The opening menu was built with Avishar Barua, the Top Chef alum behind Joya's in Worthington, and the kitchen still prepares hot and cold dishes in house rather than reheating chain catering. The bar pours beer, wine, spirits and barista coffee from Ohio roaster One Line Coffee at no charge, with only premium pours costing extra. Around the room you get fast private wifi, charging at most seats, a work counter with individual lamps and outlets, print, scan and copy services, PressReader access and activity packs for children. The lounge is cashless, so bring a card for premium drinks.
What you do not get matters just as much on a long layover. No showers, no nap area, no quiet room: Escape Lounges do not build them, and nothing else at CMH fills the gap. Crowding is the other variable. At 2,800 square feet this is a small room, and recent reviews split between near empty visits and full ones, with several reviewers noting it got noticeably busier once Priority Pass entry arrived. Prebooking guarantees your place; bookings close 24 hours before entry and cancel free up to the same cutoff. Children under 3 enter free, and ages 3 to 15 pay a reduced child rate.
The catch
The three checkpoint problem
CMH gives every concourse its own security checkpoint and puts no usable airside shortcut between them, which turns one lounge into three different propositions. Departing from Concourse B, the lounge is effortless: clear security, turn left at the end of the pier, done. Departing from A or C, the lounge is a project. Priority Pass spells it out in its own directions for this location: the lounge is reachable from the other concourses, but you must pass through security again to get back to your departure gate.
So the visit from A or C runs like this. Walk landside to the Concourse B checkpoint, clear screening, use the lounge, exit the concourse, walk back to your own checkpoint and clear screening a second time. Columbus security is gentle by hub standards, with posted waits under 25 minutes most hours, but you are still buying two screening lines for one plate of food. On a layover under two hours, skip it and eat at whatever sits inside your own concourse. With three hours or more and a Priority Pass or Amex Platinum in your pocket, the round trip is worth the shoe leather.
This quirk has an expiry date. CMH Next, the 2 billion dollar replacement terminal that broke ground in December 2024, opens in early 2029 with 36 gates behind a single consolidated checkpoint, which retires the three checkpoint problem for good. Until then, construction keeps reshuffling roads and parking around the existing terminal, so leave a few extra minutes for the curb even if Columbus is your home airport.
Access decoder
What actually opens the door
Priority Pass works at the Escape Lounge, and CMH is one of the locations where the network supports advance booking: reserve a slot ahead of time, then show your physical or digital card at the desk on the day. Entry remains subject to space for walk ups, so the booking option is the one to use around the busy morning departures. Guest visits follow the charge rules of your own membership tier.
American Express Platinum, Business Platinum and Corporate Platinum cardholders enter free under the Centurion Studio Partner arrangement, with the premium bar selection included. There is no separate Centurion Lounge at CMH; this room is the Amex play.
Delta SkyMiles Reserve and Reserve Business cardholders also enter free, with one condition that catches people: you must be flying a Delta marketed ticket that day. Delta departs from Concourse C, so Reserve holders face the three checkpoint round trip described above every single time.
Paying at the door is open to everyone on any airline. Walk up entry costs 60 dollars per person, and booking on the Escape Lounges site at least 24 hours ahead drops that to 45 dollars with free cancellation up to 24 hours before entry. For a lounge with a free bar and a real kitchen, the prebooked price is fair; the walk up price is for people who did not read this page.
What does not work here is any airline club membership. There is no United Club, no Admirals Club and no Delta Sky Club in the building, so those cards open nothing at CMH, and airline elite status carries no lounge weight here either. Business class tickets do not include Escape Lounge entry unless your airline has bought access on your behalf, which is worth confirming with the carrier rather than assuming. Program rules shift, so check the current door list in the CMH Priority Pass guide before you fly.
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FAQ
Columbus airport lounge questions
Does CMH have a Priority Pass lounge?
Yes. The Escape Lounge in Concourse B by gate 32 accepts Priority Pass and is open 5 am to 8 pm daily. It also lets Priority Pass holders book a spot in advance, which is rare for the network and worth using at busy times.
How much does the Escape Lounge at CMH cost?
Walk up entry costs 60 dollars per person. Booking ahead on the Escape Lounges site drops the price to 45 dollars, with bookings closing 24 hours before entry. Children under 3 enter free and ages 3 to 15 pay a reduced child rate.
Can I use the Escape Lounge if I fly from Concourse A or C?
Yes, but it costs time. Each concourse has its own checkpoint, so you clear security into Concourse B for the lounge and then clear security again at your own concourse to reach your gate. Priority Pass's own directions warn you to allow time for that second screening.
Does the Escape Lounge at CMH have showers?
No. Escape Lounges do not build shower rooms, and there are no shower facilities anywhere at CMH. The amenities run to food, a free bar, fast wifi, charging and print services rather than rest or wash facilities.
Is there a Delta Sky Club, United Club or Admirals Club at CMH?
No. The Escape Lounge is the only commercial lounge in the building, so airline club memberships open nothing at Columbus. Delta flyers do get one route in: Delta SkyMiles Reserve cardholders enter the Escape Lounge free when flying a Delta marketed ticket that day.
Is there a USO lounge at Columbus airport?
Yes. The Jake Brewer USO Lounge sits near the Concourse C security exit and serves active US military and their families with valid DoD identification. It offers snacks, drinks, wifi and gaming; current opening hours are to be confirmed.
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