Has anyone actually received an "Invite" to the Centurion program in 2015?
#121
Join Date: Feb 2015
Location: IAD, sometimes DCA
Posts: 107
I'm just a pleb hoping to win the AMEX lottery and being picked to be 'in the club'
I can afford the AF but not the minimum spend, and as such, isn't really the card for me; though it would be nice to have.
I've spent more than Cent's AF on frivolous things, at least this will give benefits I would use. Alas, I'll stick to my Plat for now.
#122
#123
Join Date: Feb 2015
Location: IAD, sometimes DCA
Posts: 107
^ah, makes sense - I'll have a better chance now
Although, my job is only regional... I have a small footprint to cover(all in-state).
I'll have to harass my accounting and finance dept to pay for the company's electric bill or something along those lines!
Although, my job is only regional... I have a small footprint to cover(all in-state).
I'll have to harass my accounting and finance dept to pay for the company's electric bill or something along those lines!
#124
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Feb 1999
Location: Seat 1A, Juice pretty much everywhere, Mucci des Coins Exotiques
Posts: 34,339
Not sure that will work. I don't know how it works now, but back when Centurion began, you had to spend that $250K on luxury travel to get an invite. Fortunately for me the dot.com bubble was still expanding at the time.
#125
Join Date: Aug 2007
Location: London
Programs: BA GfL & GGL, LH Sen, EK & VS Gold, Amex Cent
Posts: 1,719
#126
Join Date: Jan 2013
Location: London
Programs: BA Gold / OnBusiness, SPG Lifetime Plat 100, AmEx Centurion & BAPP, Superking Westin Heavenly Bed :)
Posts: 1,142
Sure, they can draw some conclusions from the spend on my account, but as others have said - that may all be business travel ultimately paid with OPM. In my case, that's not true - but for many holders, I know it to be the case.
I honestly can't help but feel that there really is no set criteria. The stars need to align at the time someone is reviewing your account, if they do, you'll get the pretty invite through the mail.
#127
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Feb 1999
Location: Seat 1A, Juice pretty much everywhere, Mucci des Coins Exotiques
Posts: 34,339
That's certainly true in the US. Amex has never had any knowledge of my earnings. Just the history of my charges and on-time payments.
#128
Join Date: Jan 2013
Location: London
Programs: BA Gold / OnBusiness, SPG Lifetime Plat 100, AmEx Centurion & BAPP, Superking Westin Heavenly Bed :)
Posts: 1,142
That said, if anyone wants the card badly enough, I certainly don't think there's any issue letting AmEx know that. But reminding them what you earn, and which stores you spend your loot in, and how much you've spent on various buckets (luxury travel, handbags, Harrods etc) is unlikely to help one jot.
#129
Join Date: Nov 2007
Programs: AA, AS, BA, DL Plat, Chase UR, Diners, UA, F9, WN, SPG Gold, HH Diamond, Amex MR.
Posts: 436
If you apply for any credit card, you state your income.
I believe the credit card companies share/sell that data, so AMEX can probably figure out your income if you tell Chase your income. That's just an educated guess.
Even after getting my centurion, I got an FR. I submitted the requested docs, and AMEX hasn't bugged me for the many years since.
All you peeps obsessed with the card, please know that Centurion is barely worth it (or not worth it) for most people. I regret getting mine, but I am somehow justify renewing. If I had to do it over again, I wouldn't have gotten the card.
I believe the credit card companies share/sell that data, so AMEX can probably figure out your income if you tell Chase your income. That's just an educated guess.
Even after getting my centurion, I got an FR. I submitted the requested docs, and AMEX hasn't bugged me for the many years since.
All you peeps obsessed with the card, please know that Centurion is barely worth it (or not worth it) for most people. I regret getting mine, but I am somehow justify renewing. If I had to do it over again, I wouldn't have gotten the card.
#130
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Feb 1999
Location: Seat 1A, Juice pretty much everywhere, Mucci des Coins Exotiques
Posts: 34,339
There was, back around 2000-2003+ or so a set criteria that was easy to understand. But I think since the economic "crisis" Amex has become way more anal about giving credit to new customers and even to certain existing customers. Thankfully not me though.
#131
Join Date: Aug 2007
Location: London
Programs: BA GfL & GGL, LH Sen, EK & VS Gold, Amex Cent
Posts: 1,719
I can say with absolutely no certainty what the criteria are only my experience from back in the day. I had been invited and so I asked what the requirements were and the agent was fairly open I suppose. Of course, they can be flexible any way they want with their own product - I suspect they are only guidelines.
However what I can say absolutely, is that the agent told me that they expect minimum annual spend of around Ł120k+ on the card and annual personal income of Ł300k, among other attributes. How accurately they check this, I don't know, but I was definitely asked the question. I might recall wrong, but I think he asked how much I earnt and then said "good, so long as its more than Ł300k" or something to that effect. Having received the invitation, as part of the final approval (more tick-the-box I presume), I had to send bank statements which would have shown my current account bank balance and regular income at the time. They then did a standard credit check as with any credit/charge card. I did ask why they needed it all, but they just said it was standard procedure as issuing a new product.
However what I can say absolutely, is that the agent told me that they expect minimum annual spend of around Ł120k+ on the card and annual personal income of Ł300k, among other attributes. How accurately they check this, I don't know, but I was definitely asked the question. I might recall wrong, but I think he asked how much I earnt and then said "good, so long as its more than Ł300k" or something to that effect. Having received the invitation, as part of the final approval (more tick-the-box I presume), I had to send bank statements which would have shown my current account bank balance and regular income at the time. They then did a standard credit check as with any credit/charge card. I did ask why they needed it all, but they just said it was standard procedure as issuing a new product.
#132
Moderator
Join Date: Jun 2003
Location: Miami, Mpls & London
Programs: AA & Marriott Perpetual Platinum; DL & HH Gold
Posts: 48,949
#133
Join Date: Aug 2007
Location: London
Programs: BA GfL & GGL, LH Sen, EK & VS Gold, Amex Cent
Posts: 1,719
Has anyone actually received an "Invite" to the Centurion program in 2015?
Summer 2010 I think. Something like that. Could've been 2011.
#134
Original Poster
Join Date: Jun 2002
Location: California USA
Posts: 652
The key sentence in the Bloomberg article and one that won't make people who want instant improvement in Centurion happy, is this. "They’ve seen more competition in the upper-end, and they recognize that they have to go elsewhere to fill that gap.”
That means that Amex is going after different markets to fill the gap, such as getting young people hooked on Amex with low end cards. And then hoping they stick with Amex when they get older and more affluent. That strategy has worked very well all these years, but more competition means Amex needs to compete better.
That means that Amex is going after different markets to fill the gap, such as getting young people hooked on Amex with low end cards. And then hoping they stick with Amex when they get older and more affluent. That strategy has worked very well all these years, but more competition means Amex needs to compete better.
#135
Join Date: Mar 2015
Posts: 110
Called up centurion invitation line to get my account put on the map. Lets see how long and frustrating this process is going to be.
about 500k on plat last year, and close to crushing that number already for 2015.
I am also a Plum, Gold, and SPG Holder. Wonder if they will pool/aggregate spends across cards/companies.
about 500k on plat last year, and close to crushing that number already for 2015.
I am also a Plum, Gold, and SPG Holder. Wonder if they will pool/aggregate spends across cards/companies.