Centurion Members: a personal curiosity
Jun 21, 2014, 3:49 am
#46
Join Date: Feb 2000
Location: Oslo, Norway.
Programs: SK EBD, AX Cent, SPG Gold, HH Diamond, Club-A Plat, Avis' PC, CC Gold,Hertz PC, CX Diamond,BA Bronz
Posts: 683
Gold card for a month in 2000, Platinum card invite issued a month later (it was still invitation only back then, and benefits way better than they are now), 18 months later I was invited to UK Centurion; A month before my 21st birthday.
Not a small business owner, but work for a very large corporation and put a lot of business expenses and lots of personal expense (including category spend on travel such as premium flights and hotels, which AmEx profile).
From experience, most Centurion card holders know other people that have the card. 3 good friends each have accounts in UK (though they all own their own businesses), and 3 others used to have the card until the product was refreshed 5 years ago and fee increased from 650 to 1800GBP.
Benefits have outweighed the membership fee every year I have had the card, and I make use of all the supplementary cards to provide insurance cover and benefits to my parents and siblings.
Moved to the US last year, and looked at transferring my account over but didn't meet the required spend criteria here, and in hindsight probably works out fine for me as I would have lost my RM, and supplementary card coverage. So I have a US Gold card here that I use for certain spend as it is 3x points on flight spend, 2x on fuel and supermarket and 1x on rest.
Not a small business owner, but work for a very large corporation and put a lot of business expenses and lots of personal expense (including category spend on travel such as premium flights and hotels, which AmEx profile).
From experience, most Centurion card holders know other people that have the card. 3 good friends each have accounts in UK (though they all own their own businesses), and 3 others used to have the card until the product was refreshed 5 years ago and fee increased from 650 to 1800GBP.
Benefits have outweighed the membership fee every year I have had the card, and I make use of all the supplementary cards to provide insurance cover and benefits to my parents and siblings.
Moved to the US last year, and looked at transferring my account over but didn't meet the required spend criteria here, and in hindsight probably works out fine for me as I would have lost my RM, and supplementary card coverage. So I have a US Gold card here that I use for certain spend as it is 3x points on flight spend, 2x on fuel and supermarket and 1x on rest.
Me: Invited back in 1999 at the original launch of the card (Charter Member), Amex since 1994, UK Plat since 1997. During -97 and -98 I did spend a LOT on travel- and restaurants (Head of International Advisory Board for a large multinational medical firm). My spendings today will not justify a re-invite, but the perks still make it Worth the annual fee. I mostly always, if possible, charge my SAS Amex Plat as the Points go straight to my SK EB account and for its Companion Ticket. he only regular exception is when in the UK or US.
Jun 21, 2014, 7:10 pm
#47
Join Date: Jan 2005
Location: San Francisco, California
Programs: Amex Centurion, United Global Services
Posts: 847
Real personal cent card holder here (charter member from the beginning in the US). I've been to some amazing places, top-tier hotels, first-class travel and swiped it all over the world, tens of thousands of times but I guarantee I've used it at more 7-11 stores and burrito places than any other cent card holder. 
I don't care about the prestige, I have it because I wanted the travel benefits. When I first received it the annual fee was only $1000/year. Now that it's $2500 I'm in the spot where I ask every year if it's worth it. So far it has been, but it's annually under review.
If they would let me have a green card that I could use instead as a "stealth" card but keep all the benefits I'd gladly keep paying the $2500. I've called several times over the years but no luck. I'm not at all a fan when the wait staff or bar staff call it out as the infamous "black card" but truthfully, that hasn't happened in a really long time, I think the whole "black card" thing has fallen out of pop culture, plus all the competing products like the Visa black and watered down the street cred.
However, at least 50% of the time I get the "this card is *heavy*" from the merchants, I usually just tell them that it makes for a great box opener.
I don't care about the prestige, I have it because I wanted the travel benefits. When I first received it the annual fee was only $1000/year. Now that it's $2500 I'm in the spot where I ask every year if it's worth it. So far it has been, but it's annually under review.
If they would let me have a green card that I could use instead as a "stealth" card but keep all the benefits I'd gladly keep paying the $2500. I've called several times over the years but no luck. I'm not at all a fan when the wait staff or bar staff call it out as the infamous "black card" but truthfully, that hasn't happened in a really long time, I think the whole "black card" thing has fallen out of pop culture, plus all the competing products like the Visa black and watered down the street cred.
However, at least 50% of the time I get the "this card is *heavy*" from the merchants, I usually just tell them that it makes for a great box opener.
Jun 22, 2014, 3:17 am
#48
Join Date: Feb 2011
Location: Southern California
Programs: Alaska MVP 75K, Delta Plat, Bonvoy Ambasador, Hilton diamond.
Posts: 527
DMSFCA,
I've gotten a free green card on request for the stealth factor...just ask for a supplementary/secondary card in your own name on your own account. This is one of the the few (and worthwhile) things the personal account manager did for me.
I've gotten a free green card on request for the stealth factor...just ask for a supplementary/secondary card in your own name on your own account. This is one of the the few (and worthwhile) things the personal account manager did for me.
Jun 22, 2014, 10:23 am
#49
Join Date: Sep 2013
Location: CDG
Programs: A bit of this and a bit of that
Posts: 777
Real personal cent card holder here (charter member from the beginning in the US). I've been to some amazing places, top-tier hotels, first-class travel and swiped it all over the world, tens of thousands of times but I guarantee I've used it at more 7-11 stores and burrito places than any other cent card holder.
I don't care about the prestige, I have it because I wanted the travel benefits. When I first received it the annual fee was only $1000/year. Now that it's $2500 I'm in the spot where I ask every year if it's worth it. So far it has been, but it's annually under review.
If they would let me have a green card that I could use instead as a "stealth" card but keep all the benefits I'd gladly keep paying the $2500. I've called several times over the years but no luck. I'm not at all a fan when the wait staff or bar staff call it out as the infamous "black card" but truthfully, that hasn't happened in a really long time, I think the whole "black card" thing has fallen out of pop culture, plus all the competing products like the Visa black and watered down the street cred.
However, at least 50% of the time I get the "this card is *heavy*" from the merchants, I usually just tell them that it makes for a great box opener.
I don't care about the prestige, I have it because I wanted the travel benefits. When I first received it the annual fee was only $1000/year. Now that it's $2500 I'm in the spot where I ask every year if it's worth it. So far it has been, but it's annually under review.
If they would let me have a green card that I could use instead as a "stealth" card but keep all the benefits I'd gladly keep paying the $2500. I've called several times over the years but no luck. I'm not at all a fan when the wait staff or bar staff call it out as the infamous "black card" but truthfully, that hasn't happened in a really long time, I think the whole "black card" thing has fallen out of pop culture, plus all the competing products like the Visa black and watered down the street cred.
However, at least 50% of the time I get the "this card is *heavy*" from the merchants, I usually just tell them that it makes for a great box opener.
Jun 22, 2014, 4:30 pm
#50
Join Date: Jul 2008
Location: MSP
Programs: Delta PM, Marriott Plat, Hertz Pres
Posts: 3,649
I have a platinum card for stealth matters. All the benefits from centurion, but in the platinum card.. The numbers are the same as a Centurion one (3767 over here) but it looks just as a platinum (3764). I only use the black titanium card when I travel, for hotels, airlines, etc.
Jun 22, 2014, 5:24 pm
#51
Moderator
Join Date: Jun 2003
Location: Miami, Mpls & London
Programs: AA & Marriott Perpetual Platinum; DL & HH Gold
Posts: 48,958
No, it is possible to migrate between Green, Gold, and Platinum without changing numbers. Ample discussion here:
http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/ameri...rd-number.html
http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/ameri...rd-number.html
Jun 29, 2014, 10:04 pm
#52
Suspended
Join Date: Nov 2010
Location: Paris, Chicago, Rome, London, St John
Programs: DeltaPrivateJet, Ritz PP, Delta 4 million miler - Flying Colonel; AA Exec Plat (3 million + USAir)
Posts: 796
Agree with above posters. I have had the black card for about 10 years. When I first got it, the perks were well worth the cost (esp the airline status for upgrades as I don't fly that much any more). The hotel additions over the plat were also worth it. Thus, the card "paid for itsel". The added perk of the wonderful concierge was icing. I am considering not renewing it as I am not sure it does pay for itself any more (other than the free platinum cards my high school girls had)
Jun 29, 2014, 10:44 pm
#53
Join Date: Jan 2005
Location: San Francisco, California
Programs: Amex Centurion, United Global Services
Posts: 847
The only catch is that if you get a gold card for example, the benefits that come with charges (warranty, etc) are only at the gold level, even though it's a sub-card of the master Cent card. Ideally I'd want a green card that either has my Cent card number on it or at least has all the same travel/etc benefits that the Cent card has but under the green covert cover.
Jun 30, 2014, 4:02 pm
#55
Join Date: Sep 2008
Location: AUS
Programs: BAEC Gold, AA PPro, Hyatt Globalist, Amex Plat
Posts: 7,043
Jun 30, 2014, 4:38 pm
#57
Join Date: Sep 2008
Location: AUS
Programs: BAEC Gold, AA PPro, Hyatt Globalist, Amex Plat
Posts: 7,043
Oh, it would be well more than five bucks, but certainly not enough to retire
Was merely trying to make a point, it's a tired refrain.
And if I had a buck for every cardholder that came back to this forum and said, "I did it, I cancelled the card" well, in that case, I wouldn't even have $5...
Regards
Was merely trying to make a point, it's a tired refrain.
And if I had a buck for every cardholder that came back to this forum and said, "I did it, I cancelled the card" well, in that case, I wouldn't even have $5...
Regards
Jun 30, 2014, 8:51 pm
#58
Join Date: Dec 2009
Location: NB, Canada
Programs: Fairmont, Amex MR, Marriott
Posts: 2,531
The issue with the SPG card for me is the credit limit. A low limit means some months I barely use it. If I could use it as a charge card I would put much more spend on it (and Amex overall).
Jun 30, 2014, 9:08 pm
#59
Join Date: Jan 2014
Posts: 113
Jul 1, 2014, 7:29 pm
#60
Join Date: Feb 2013
Location: YYZ
Programs: Hilton Gold, Marriott Gold, Club Accor Silver, AC 75K
Posts: 264
I definitely do not belong to the upper class but I do have a cent card, plat and gold. The reason being I have a cent card is because I own a business and my cent card is a method of payment. I think personally I don't spend more than $1500 on my amex cards a month so I would be no candidate for a cent card. However once you factor in all my business and travel expenses that number increases by a 10 fold. Being a cent cardholder doesn't necessarily mean you're rich, it just means you spend a lot of money. Whether that money is yours or someone else's, amex doesn't care.