What benefits do Amex cardholders get at The O2 arena?

If you've got an American Express card, thanks to a hefty amount of sponsorship The O2 is one of the better venues in the country to use it.

There's a free lounge with a complimentary drink, free bag drop, and a separate enrolment programme that gives you 10% back on food and drink across the arena.

Here's how each one works.

The Amex Lounge

The Amex Lounge sits on the ground floor of The O2 arena.

As a cardmember you get:

• A complimentary drink for the cardmember (one per card)

• Up to four passes per cardmember (so you and three guests)

• Access via the VIP lanes at Entrance B, skipping the main queues

• Food and additional drinks available to buy, with cocktails and mains in the £15-£20 range

The lounge only opens on event nights, typically from 5:30pm or up to an hour before main doors, whichever is earlier. You can preview the food and cocktail menus on the Amex Lounge page.

Who's eligible

Any consumer or business American Express cardmember (sort of). That includes the free cards, so you don't need a Platinum to qualify. Only prepaid Amex cards don't count, and you need to be 18 or over to claim the free drink.

The free drink is for the cardmember only. If you bring three guests on your card, only you get the complimentary drink unless your guests also have their own Amex card with them. Digital wallet versions of the card (Apple Pay, Google Wallet) are accepted, so a guest with their own Amex on their phone should be able to get a drink too.

How to get your passes

Passes are collected on the day of the show. There's no advance booking, and you cannot reserve a pass online. Head to the Guest Services Hub under the Outlet Shopping Staircase, show your Amex card and your event ticket, and you'll be given up to four passes if they're available. From there, enter the arena through the VIP lanes at Entrance B and show your pass at the lounge door.

10% back on food and drink, up to £200 a year

UK Amex cardmembers can enrol their card to get 10% back as a statement credit on food and drink at The O2, capped at £200 cashback per year. You have to enrol the card before you spend, and it applies across the venue's concessions, not just inside the lounge.

The £200 cap is generous enough that you're unlikely to ever hit it, but a couple of rounds and some food at a gig could easily come to £80-£100, and 10% back on that equates to a free pint next time.

Free bag drop

Bag drop at The O2 is normally £10 per bag. Amex cardmembers get it free. Show your Amex at the dedicated Amex lane at the bag storage facility outside the main entrance. Limit one bag per card per event, and prepaid cards don't qualify here either.

Amex Advantage tickets

This isn't a cardmember benefit, it's a paid premium ticket. We're including it because if you've ever wondered what those expensive "Amex Advantage" tickets are when buying for a show at The O2, here's your answer.

Amex Advantage tickets are available for select events. They get you a great view of the stage, a private walkway to your seats, and access to a dedicated area inside the Amex Lounge called The Gantry, with a host serving all-inclusive food and drinks before the show. You need an Amex card to buy them and prices vary by event.

For a normal gig where you just want a quieter pre-show drink, the standard cardmember access is plenty good enough. Amex Advantage tickets will only really makes sense if you're treating the night as a special occasion.

The bottom line

For a single show, you're looking at a free drink, free bag drop, 10% back on anything else you eat and drink, and somewhere quieter to sit before the support act. Not exactly life-changing, but most of it is free if you remember to enrol your card once, and the fact that the no-fee Amex cards qualify means you don't need to be paying £650 a year for a Platinum to get any of it.

Sam

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