[UK] Centurion changes coming July 2015 & January 2017.
Jun 16, 2015, 5:15 pm
#46
Join Date: May 2000
Location: Seattle, WA
Programs: Various
Posts: 2,155
Not bad to go from 550GBP at launch to 650 in 2001 to 1800 in 2007/8 and now 2200 in 2015.
The MR aspect is the strangest change for me - I have a UK Centurion Card and a US Premier Rewards Gold card. The latter has just been updated so I now get:
3x MR on all airline spend
2x on all fuel spend
2x on all supermarket spend
2x on all restaurant spend
1x on rest
Oh and then there is 0% FX charge, a $100 airline credit each year and some other stuff - annual fee has just gone up $20, so now it is $195. Compare and contrast to UK offerings.
UK Centurion Card will now be 1 MR per UK pound (so age old problem of same exchange rates for MR redemptions meaning UK sterling is worse than $), and fee will be 2200GBP.
I get value out of a number of the Centurion benefits from the card, but being US based means I'm seeing less use of the card all up. Looking at options, I can:
a) stay with UK Centurion - has some upside as I make use of the supps for my siblings and family, which helps get the fee value. I have a good RM too that knows my preferences and is on top of things.
b) look to the International Dollar Centurion - higher fee at $4k, but has some upside around MR bonus (100k bonus MR if you spend $100k+ in a year), and I can have more supps to cover more family members (upto 19 are included by default). Similar benefits to the UK Centurion card. Slightly lower FX fee from memory.
c) Attempt to migrate to a US Centurion at $2500/year, but lose the supps by default. Despite having Centurion for 15 years in the UK, it is proving difficult so far to migrate to US. Never have I met such an interesting business practice from a global company around customer retention. Any other card lower down in the portfolio can be shifted, but US Centurion would seem like you have to go through the whole 'invite only' charade again.
d) Something else.
SPG Plat would have been better. Still confused why it isn't IC Royal Ambassador status instead of IHG Plat. Would prefer that VS AU was dumped and replaced with something else like Delta Plat that is on US card.
Oh someone mentioned T5 lounge - there is a new PP lounge opening soon, so that problem will go away.
The MR aspect is the strangest change for me - I have a UK Centurion Card and a US Premier Rewards Gold card. The latter has just been updated so I now get:
3x MR on all airline spend
2x on all fuel spend
2x on all supermarket spend
2x on all restaurant spend
1x on rest
Oh and then there is 0% FX charge, a $100 airline credit each year and some other stuff - annual fee has just gone up $20, so now it is $195. Compare and contrast to UK offerings.
UK Centurion Card will now be 1 MR per UK pound (so age old problem of same exchange rates for MR redemptions meaning UK sterling is worse than $), and fee will be 2200GBP.
I get value out of a number of the Centurion benefits from the card, but being US based means I'm seeing less use of the card all up. Looking at options, I can:
a) stay with UK Centurion - has some upside as I make use of the supps for my siblings and family, which helps get the fee value. I have a good RM too that knows my preferences and is on top of things.
b) look to the International Dollar Centurion - higher fee at $4k, but has some upside around MR bonus (100k bonus MR if you spend $100k+ in a year), and I can have more supps to cover more family members (upto 19 are included by default). Similar benefits to the UK Centurion card. Slightly lower FX fee from memory.
c) Attempt to migrate to a US Centurion at $2500/year, but lose the supps by default. Despite having Centurion for 15 years in the UK, it is proving difficult so far to migrate to US. Never have I met such an interesting business practice from a global company around customer retention. Any other card lower down in the portfolio can be shifted, but US Centurion would seem like you have to go through the whole 'invite only' charade again.
d) Something else.
SPG Plat would have been better. Still confused why it isn't IC Royal Ambassador status instead of IHG Plat. Would prefer that VS AU was dumped and replaced with something else like Delta Plat that is on US card.
Oh someone mentioned T5 lounge - there is a new PP lounge opening soon, so that problem will go away.
Jun 16, 2015, 7:27 pm
#47
Join Date: Dec 2003
Location: Japan
Programs: CENTURION, SPG-Gold, HH-Diamond, ANA-SFC, JAL-JGC, MX-Diamond, LHW Access, CLUB 5C, IHG Platinum
Posts: 265
Just received a call from my CRM saying there were changes coming to the Centurion card in July 2015, but they wanted to let me know before I got the letter...
[*]Annual fee will increase by £400 to £2,200 (from your next renewal)[*]There will be no partner bonuses for MR. It will become 1 MR per £1 (pathetic!)[/LIST]
[*]Annual fee will increase by £400 to £2,200 (from your next renewal)[*]There will be no partner bonuses for MR. It will become 1 MR per £1 (pathetic!)[/LIST]
If UK CENT increase the annual fee, I think that all countries will raises CENT annual fee as well.
thanks,
masahiro
Jun 16, 2015, 9:52 pm
#48
Join Date: Jun 2009
Location: Geneva, Dubai, Paris
Programs: Disillusioned Cent
Posts: 1,880
Last edited by JohnRain; Jun 17, 2015 at 5:10 am
Jun 19, 2015, 9:07 am
#50
Suspended
Join Date: Mar 2002
Location: Canada, USA, Europe
Programs: UA 1K
Posts: 31,452
Welcome to FT, if somewhat late. My first opinion would be to write in paragraphs. I had a very hard time reading you post because it's so exhausting. It's like a stream of consciousness around getting two card and being or not being billed for them. Sorry, just make it easier for us please!
I don't think writing to the CEO is going to achieve very much, they get loads of hate mail. I personally have never thought the Centurion card to be great value, even when it was first offered to me at the lower price. Many of the benefits are similar/identical on the Platinum card, which is significantly less expensive!
I don't think writing to the CEO is going to achieve very much, they get loads of hate mail. I personally have never thought the Centurion card to be great value, even when it was first offered to me at the lower price. Many of the benefits are similar/identical on the Platinum card, which is significantly less expensive!
Jun 20, 2015, 11:34 am
#51
Join Date: Nov 2010
Programs: Centurion Amex, IHG Plat Ambassador, Virgin Au, Quantas Gold, Etihad Gold, Ba amex, Emirates , SPG
Posts: 5
LondonElite
thanks for the tip, I will do so in future, not accustomed to using forums as yet:-)
I disagree though, I have had considerable success writing to CEO's, if I think there is a problem, no need for it to be hate mail either. If no one bothers to voice their feelings directly, then the managers certainly won't pass complaints on.
In any case it's not about the amount the card costs, it's about the erosion of the benefits taking place at the same time.
thanks for the tip, I will do so in future, not accustomed to using forums as yet:-)
I disagree though, I have had considerable success writing to CEO's, if I think there is a problem, no need for it to be hate mail either. If no one bothers to voice their feelings directly, then the managers certainly won't pass complaints on.
In any case it's not about the amount the card costs, it's about the erosion of the benefits taking place at the same time.
Jun 21, 2015, 3:12 am
#52
Join Date: Jun 2009
Location: Geneva, Dubai, Paris
Programs: Disillusioned Cent
Posts: 1,880
LondonElite
thanks for the tip, I will do so in future, not accustomed to using forums as yet:-)
I disagree though, I have had considerable success writing to CEO's, if I think there is a problem, no need for it to be hate mail either. If no one bothers to voice their feelings directly, then the managers certainly won't pass complaints on.
In any case it's not about the amount the card costs, it's about the erosion of the benefits taking place at the same time.
thanks for the tip, I will do so in future, not accustomed to using forums as yet:-)
I disagree though, I have had considerable success writing to CEO's, if I think there is a problem, no need for it to be hate mail either. If no one bothers to voice their feelings directly, then the managers certainly won't pass complaints on.
In any case it's not about the amount the card costs, it's about the erosion of the benefits taking place at the same time.
Jun 22, 2015, 12:28 pm
#53
Join Date: Feb 2005
Location: wine cellar or in the rough (occasionally fairway)
Posts: 171
Absolutely agree. I sent a letter of complaint to the CEO of Amex Switzerland back in 2011 when the yearly fee increased from 2'000 CHF to 4'200 CHF and he called me back to discuss my issues. He also offered to charge me the lower fee for an extra year. Benefit erosion has unfortunately continued as there are no more Cent events to speak of and no more free hotel nights.
Jun 22, 2015, 2:32 pm
#54
Join Date: Jun 2009
Location: Geneva, Dubai, Paris
Programs: Disillusioned Cent
Posts: 1,880
True, but it is not a unique experience in the sense that I don't need an Amex invite to go and visit DP. The 918 event in 2013 on the other hand was truly unique, as it wasn't open to the public at all. Sadly, it was also the last one of that quality so far.
Jul 3, 2015, 8:59 am
#56
Original Poster
Join Date: Jan 2013
Location: London
Programs: BA Gold / OnBusiness, SPG Lifetime Plat 100, AmEx Centurion & BAPP, Superking Westin Heavenly Bed :)
Posts: 1,142
Jul 3, 2015, 9:50 am
#57
Join Date: Feb 2006
Location: Edinburgh, UK
Posts: 372
had the same issue, skip the supps part, it will then go through for main card holder without problems.
Jul 3, 2015, 9:51 am
#58
Original Poster
Join Date: Jan 2013
Location: London
Programs: BA Gold / OnBusiness, SPG Lifetime Plat 100, AmEx Centurion & BAPP, Superking Westin Heavenly Bed :)
Posts: 1,142
Jul 4, 2015, 1:57 pm
#59
Join Date: May 2005
Programs: centurion
Posts: 157
Interestingly I was speaking to Amex centurion travel a couple if days ago who knew nothing of this. So typical Amex disfunction.
Potentially an interesting benefit if one was to stay at a shangri la. Unlike (say) Hilton where there are no doubt significant numbers of diamonds, given the footprint of the brand, there cannot be that May shangri la diamond members floating around. My experience of jumeirah, another premium chain with limited footprint, is that when one does stay as a gold member then they are fairly generous. What surprises is shangri la don't say anything about upgrading elite members, which even under FHR they should be doing. Horizon club access is very useful though. But beyond that what can I be really anticipate beyond FHR benefits I wonder
Potentially an interesting benefit if one was to stay at a shangri la. Unlike (say) Hilton where there are no doubt significant numbers of diamonds, given the footprint of the brand, there cannot be that May shangri la diamond members floating around. My experience of jumeirah, another premium chain with limited footprint, is that when one does stay as a gold member then they are fairly generous. What surprises is shangri la don't say anything about upgrading elite members, which even under FHR they should be doing. Horizon club access is very useful though. But beyond that what can I be really anticipate beyond FHR benefits I wonder
Jul 4, 2015, 2:56 pm
#60
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Feb 2004
Location: London
Programs: BA, VS, HH, IHG, MB, MR
Posts: 26,871
The Amex / Jumeirah relationship seems to be weakening too.
They dropped most of the national cards as transfer partners 2 years ago. When Sirius was relaunched last month, they seem to have dropped the IDC and ICC cards as well.
It is possible that the relaunch will be the excuse to jettison the free Centurion Gold.
I agree that Gold and Silver status with them is very valuable. For a family of 4 at a Jumeirah beach resort, breakfast will be over £100 per day (or £100 extra on a room only rate). Status cardholders get that wiped.
They dropped most of the national cards as transfer partners 2 years ago. When Sirius was relaunched last month, they seem to have dropped the IDC and ICC cards as well.
It is possible that the relaunch will be the excuse to jettison the free Centurion Gold.
I agree that Gold and Silver status with them is very valuable. For a family of 4 at a Jumeirah beach resort, breakfast will be over £100 per day (or £100 extra on a room only rate). Status cardholders get that wiped.