American Express Membership Rewards - Just got approved for Centurion Card, now questions

Hey all,

Been reading and there is some great info here!

Anyway, I've had a plum card since it came out and a platinum for a couple years. My plum card manager just mentioned the centurion card to me the other day so I looked it up online and liked what I saw. So she said to call an 800# and ask them about the benefits. Anyway, they won’t even tell you the benefits unless there is an invitation on your account.

So I gave her my info confirmed some information and there was an invitation on my account. From my understanding it is almost solely based upon your account spending level. My plum manager said it was a minimum of $500k per year. But she didn’t know any of the benefits so she could have been wrong. For what it's worth I spend about 2mil a year on the plum card.

Anyway, so after the centurion rep said I had an invitation she explained the benefits, which I thought were pretty cool. So I should have it in a few days.

My questions are, firstly my wife and I are planning a weekend trip to Vegas next month - what is the best way to capitalize on the benefits of the card? Call the centurion travel? And do I buy one coach ticket and then get hers free and both of us get upgraded to first class? And what about hotels, I see most of the specials are for places like the hilton and such. Are there any specials for places like Mandalay Bay, Mirage etc?

And secondly, I saw some posts on centurion cardholders getting gift cards, gifts etc from stores - are those only for personal cards? Mine is a business card.

Thanks! :)

Hey all,

Been reading and there is some great info here!

Anyway, I've had a plum card since it came out and a platinum for a couple years. My plum card manager just mentioned the centurion card to me the other day so I looked it up online and liked what I saw. So she said to call an 800# and ask them about the benefits. Anyway, they won’t even tell you the benefits unless there is an invitation on your account.

So I gave her my info confirmed some information and there was an invitation on my account. From my understanding it is almost solely based upon your account spending level. My plum manager said it was a minimum of $500k per year. But she didn’t know any of the benefits so she could have been wrong. For what it's worth I spend about 2mil a year on the plum card.

Anyway, so after the centurion rep said I had an invitation she explained the benefits, which I thought were pretty cool. So I should have it in a few days.

My questions are, firstly my wife and I are planning a weekend trip to Vegas next month - what is the best way to capitalize on the benefits of the card? Call the centurion travel? And do I buy one coach ticket and then get hers free and both of us get upgraded to first class? And what about hotels, I see most of the specials are for places like the hilton and such. Are there any specials for places like Mandalay Bay, Mirage etc?

And secondly, I saw some posts on centurion cardholders getting gift cards, gifts etc from stores - are those only for personal cards? Mine is a business card.

Thanks! :)

Not sure what you "look up first online" as the Centurion website is blocked to anyone who doesn't already have the card...

And wherever your information is from, is mistaken. You have a very big misperception on what the card "does" and what its benefits are. Things like "most of the specials are for hilton and such" or "I buy one coach ticket and get hers free and both of us get upgraded to first class" makes one assume that either:
1. You don't have a cent card, and are just having some fun here.
2. You have little idea what the benefits are, after doing your "research" and unfortunately wasted $7500 on something which doesn't meet your needs nor will provide you with any value or assistance.

Not sure what you "look up first online" as the Centurion website is blocked to anyone who doesn't already have the card...

And wherever your information is from, is mistaken. You have a very big misperception on what the card "does" and what its benefits are. Things like "most of the specials are for hilton and such" or "I buy one coach ticket and get hers free and both of us get upgraded to first class" makes one assume that either:
1. You don't have a cent card, and are just having some fun here.
2. You have little idea what the benefits are, after doing your "research" and unfortunately wasted $7500 on something which doesn't meet your needs nor will provide you with any value or assistance.

LOL, gee thanks for the help. I meant unofficial information like here on flyertalk and various black card websites. I asked about my wife's ticket, because I also read somewhere else that the companion ticket is no longer offered. I do realize there are other hotels in addition to the Hilton, but I didn't see Las Vegas casinos in the list.

I guess I'll take my questions to my centurion rep when the card arrives instead of here.

LOL, gee thanks for the help. I meant unofficial information like here on flyertalk and various black card websites. I asked about my wife's ticket, because I also read somewhere else that the companion ticket is no longer offered. I do realize there are other hotels in addition to the Hilton, but I didn't see Las Vegas casinos in the list.

I guess I'll take my questions to my centurion rep when the card arrives instead of here.

If you have the platinum card - you would have known all of that before. There is no extra "companion ticket" nor anything remotely similar which is unique to Centurion.

And the hotels "list" is exactly the same as you should have for Platinum already. The only difference is the 4 luxury hotel groups which (some of their properties) offer you an additional centurion benefit - none of which are Hilton at all.

So giving you the benefit of the doubt (even though the centurion is not "wholly spend based" as you proclaim, nor do the invitations work in the way which you described) - you really should have read (on whatever forum you saw) or listened to the centurion rep as to what the benefits of the card are, before committing to spend the 7500.
Would you make any purchase for that amount without asking what item you were paying for?

And to your question of a trip to Vegas next month, unfortunately I can re-assure you that there is little benefit for your flight or hotel other that what you would have done using your Platinum benefits which you already have. The centurion card simply does not do what you seem to think it does.
Sorry.

If you have the platinum card - you would have known all of that before. There is no extra "companion ticket" nor anything remotely similar which is unique to Centurion.

And the hotels "list" is exactly the same as you should have for Platinum already. The only difference is the 4 luxury hotel groups which (some of their properties) offer you an additional centurion benefit - none of which are Hilton at all.

So giving you the benefit of the doubt (even though the centurion is not "wholly spend based" as you proclaim, nor do the invitations work in the way which you described) - you really should have read (on whatever forum you saw) or listened to the centurion rep as to what the benefits of the card are, before committing to spend the 7500.
Would you make any purchase for that amount without asking what item you were paying for?

And to your question of a trip to Vegas next month, unfortunately I can re-assure you that there is little benefit for your flight or hotel other that what you would have done using your Platinum benefits which you already have. The centurion card simply does not do what you seem to think it does.
Sorry.

Well thanks for the info. Re the platinum card I actually almost never use it and I guess I should have looked at the benefits of that over the centurion before deciding on the centurion.

I know the rep (and the process went exactly as I described btw) mentioned I get free first class upgrades on tickets for me AND a companion. So basically, I just buy two normal coach tickets on one of the airlines they support and get an upgrade to first class? She did explain a lot of the other benefits like the airport lounges, late checkout at hotels, upgrades at hotels, upgrades at rental car companies, same day reservations to booked up hotels and restaurants, free night a year at Mandarin hotels etc. Was all of that not true ?! Or just true and not much in the way of additional benefits over the platinum card?

...mentioned I get free first class upgrades on tickets for me AND a companion.

Welcome to Flyertalk.

There's a gap in the story. Centurion cardholders receive automatic mid-tier elite status on three domestic airlines: Continental (Gold), Delta (Gold), and US Airways (Platinum). When you purchase an economy class ticket on one of these three carriers you are eligible for an upgrade to first class, the same as any other passenger with the same elite status. The upgrade is not guaranteed, and there is a superior elite status with a higher priority for upgrades. Is this similar to the explanation provided by American Express?

Well thanks for the info. Re the platinum card I actually almost never use it and I guess I should have looked at the benefits of that over the centurion before deciding on the centurion.

I know the rep (and the process went exactly as I described btw) mentioned I get free first class upgrades on tickets for me AND a companion. So basically, I just buy two normal coach tickets on one of the airlines they support and get an upgrade to first class? She did explain a lot of the other benefits like the airport lounges, late checkout at hotels, upgrades at hotels, upgrades at rental car companies, same day reservations to booked up hotels and restaurants, free night a year at Mandarin hotels etc. Was all of that not true ?! Or just true and not much in the way of additional benefits over the platinum card?

The rep was probably referring to the airline status that the Centurion card provides. It gets you Gold status on Continental (and varying status on certain other airlines).

With Gold status on Continental, for example, you're entitled to space available upgrades (EUA, in the parlance of Continental). The upgrade itself is processed by Continental as a result of the status, and is not directly a result of the card. It's very nice, but it's not at all like confirmed upgrades - with Continental Gold you won't know until 3 days out (at best) that you've been confirmed, and your companion can only be upgraded at the gate within two hours of the flight.

Note - if your wife is an additional Centurion cardholder, she may get the status, as well, and would not have to be listed as a companion for Continental's purposes...I'm not sure.

EDIT:
Ok, I'm too slow.

Welcome to Flyertalk.

There's a gap in the story. Centurion cardholders receive automatic mid-tier elite status on three domestic airlines: Continental (Gold), Delta (Gold), and US Airways (Platinum). When you purchase an economy class ticket on one of these three carriers you are eligible for an upgrade to first class, the same as any other passenger with the same elite status. The upgrade is not guaranteed, and there is a superior elite status with a higher priority for upgrades. Is this similar to the explanation provided by American Express?

Thanks you! Yes I think they included the word eligible. But they mentioned that if I fly even a few times a year it would pay for itself in fees due to the upgrades. I think they might have oversold the benefits of the card.

So are the 'first class upgrades' on the centurion any different than the platinum? Is US Air the one to choose to get the best chance of an upgrade each time, or is it actually rare to even get an upgrade?

Note - if your wife is an additional Centurion cardholder, she may get the status, as well, and would not have to be listed as a companion for Continental's purposes...I'm not sure.


Ah ok thanks. I was going to get my wife an additional card as well ($1500!). Would that qualify her as the same as me for upgrade purposes atleast? She wants hers primarily for the bling aspect of though I think:D

The Cent card is just expensive wallet jewelery at the end of the day.

So are the 'first class upgrades' on the centurion any different than the platinum?

The American Express Platinum Card does not provide elite status on any airline. The airline status is one of the primary differentiations between Centurion and Platinum. If you otherwise do not have elite status on any of these airlines, and if you otherwise would purchase first class fares, you would recoup $2500 in just a few flights, provided you are willing to gamble on space available upgrades and fly in coach if an upgrade doesn't materialize.

The fact that US Airways status is "Platinum" does not necessarily mean that the probability of an upgrade is greater than on an airline that provides "Gold" status. US Airways has four elite levels. Continental and Delta have only three, although Delta is adding a fourth level in 2010. What is your home airport?

Thanks you! Yes I think they included the word eligible. But they mentioned that if I fly even a few times a year it would pay for itself in fees due to the upgrades. I think they might have oversold the benefits of the card.

So are the 'first class upgrades' on the centurion any different than the platinum? Is US Air the one to choose to get the best chance of an upgrade each time, or is it actually rare to even get an upgrade?

Well, it only pays for itself if you would have purchased a FC ticket, anyway. And if you're purchasing FC tickets every time, I doubt you'd find it acceptable to take your chances in the upgrade queue. With gold status on continental, confirmed FC tickets do often become somewhat cheaper than with no status, as you can often purchase a B fare and get a confirmed, immediate upgrade.

I can't speak for US or even Delta, but the upgrades on Continental aren't a guaranteed thing at the gold level, and they depend tremendously on the route you're flying, and the time of day. If you're on the 7:00 AM Saturday flight on a route that isn't elite-heavy, you've got a pretty good chance. If you're on the 3:00 PM Friday flight from EWR-IAH or EWR-SFO, you've got about as good a chance of sitting in the cockpit as you do getting upgraded to first class.

There are a decent number of threads on upgrades in the respective airline forums, if you want to get a better idea of your chances under different scenarios.

Value is in the eye of the beholder. I like Cent for the WHEN-AVAILABLE benefits through the status I receive from travel related service providers based on the Cent membership-- Knowing at certain locations that I have a shot at a luxury car when I book full size (although that always doesn't work out), knowing that Hilton and Sheraton will often upgrade me to a club executive lounge floor-- even though that doesn't always happen. Those types of benefits help me justify the annual cost.

I'm on a trip now and got lucky with my Hilton and Sheraton stays, both executive level floors for multi-night stays with a standard room booked. However, the last three nights I spent at a Four Seasons provided me no added benefit for flashing my card at check-in-- I had a wonderful experience, just had to pay for it!

Not sure how fast you can get all these status affiliations with providers lined up as a new member. Basically, I'd look at the FHR Program for Vegas as it provides some decent values. I've never tried it but I think I've heard on the board if you're going really high-end that there may be some Cent benefits for the villas and lofts at MGM.

Regarding the air benefits-- just realize any upgrade will come based on your air frequent flyer status you receive through the card. Thus, you'll have to research what chances you will have for an upgrade as a mid-tier flyer and whether ultra-frequent travelers on the route to LV may well trump you out of an upgrade based on the time and date you travel. And whether you will need to buy a fairly high economy fare just to be competitive for an upgrade with the airline you are flying based on your travel date/time. Similarly, I assume then you'll spring for an added Cent card for your wife so she will also have air status? (Or can you obtain one for your wife if you're obtaining a business rather than personal card?) Otherwise, if you take her as a "companion" with no airline status, you'll pretty much be sweating out a gate upgrade at least for her, if not for both of you--i.e. you either both book under the same reservation locator and hope there is a last minute flight with upgrade availability for two (because you wont upgrade in advance if she's in your reservation with no frequent flyer status, or you'll split the reservations, then you'll potentially upgrade in advance, they'll charge her for luggage because she has no status on a separate reservation and then if she does get upgraded at the gate, you won't be sitting together. Or at the end of the day if she doesn't make the upgrade, maybe she'll have you sit in her last row economy seat while she takes your upgrade.)

Again, the upgrades are nice when they come. But if you don't take much time off and you're really planning a serious getaway with your wife and are charging 500K a year on your card, you may want to have your Cent travel agent screen for discounted first class airfares-- then you're guaranteed to be upfront. I have DL's highest status but I still decided to spring for a DL Y-UP type fare for the Sunday after Thanksgiving because I figured even top-tier flyers may find themselves in the back of economy with that day's travel volume if they just don't outright buy a ticket that confirms into F at time of purchase. I probably had a good shot at an upgrade, but I'm not going to risk flying economy on one of the busiest travel days of the year. If you're going to fly out of O'Hare on Friday night or Sat morning, maybe you do need to buy revenue tickets for two in F. If you're happy arriving on Saturday night near midnight in Vegas, Saturday late-afternoon flights to LV are often pretty empty-- who wants to give up Sat daytime and Sat night in Vegas, then pay for a Sat night hotel room on the most expensive night of the week in that locale? Maybe then use the FHR late 4PM check out, take a midnight red-eye from LV back to O'Hare, and maybe you will have a decent chance of getting round trip upgrades for two-- ie. Sat late afternoon out, red-eye return.

The American Express Platinum Card does not provide elite status on any airline. The airline status is one of the primary differentiations between Centurion and Platinum. If you otherwise do not have elite status on any of these airlines, and if you otherwise would purchase first class fares, you would recoup $2500 in just a few flights, provided you are willing to gamble on space available upgrades and fly in coach if an upgrade doesn't materialize.

The fact that US Airways status is "Platinum" does not necessarily mean that the probability of an upgrade is greater than on an airline that provides "Gold" status. US Airways has four elite levels. Continental and Delta have only three, although Delta is adding a fourth level in 2010. What is your home airport?

Thanks, I live in Chicago and fly out of Midway and O'Hare. We go to Vegas 3-4 times a year and occasionally other destinations, but mainly Vegas. My wife actually wanted the card, which initiated my interest in it (I agree with the wallet jewelry comment). But I was only ok with getting it if it also offered benefits that would pay off to atleast wash out the fees. From what I hear so far I'm seeing that many not come to fruition, but I guess we'll see!

I did notice the Mandarin hotel - free night stay a year and they have a new hotel coming to Vegas in December. So that may help too, if it really is a free stay.

It seems like centurion should really have better perks over and above the platinum!

Well, it only pays for itself if you would have purchased a FC ticket, anyway. And if you're purchasing FC tickets every time, I doubt you'd find it acceptable to take your chances in the upgrade queue. With gold status on continental, confirmed FC tickets do often become somewhat cheaper than with no status, as you can often purchase a B fare and get a confirmed, immediate upgrade.

I can't speak for US or even Delta, but the upgrades on Continental aren't a guaranteed thing at the gold level, and they depend tremendously on the route you're flying, and the time of day. If you're on the 7:00 AM Saturday flight on a route that isn't elite-heavy, you've got a pretty good chance. If you're on the 3:00 PM Friday flight from EWR-IAH or EWR-SFO, you've got about as good a chance of sitting in the cockpit as you do getting upgraded to first class.

There are a decent number of threads on upgrades in the respective airline forums, if you want to get a better idea of your chances under different scenarios.

Thanks. And no we don't fly first class, except rare occasions. Although there have been several times that we flew economy and got seated next to an overweight smelly person and wished we spent the extra money! I just thought in my mind when I heard the benefits, hey $1500 saved each trip by getting first class, that's gonna pay for itself quickly. But maybe not lol, when my card comes I'll contact my rep and try to get more info on how to maximize my chances of getting an upgrade.

Value is in the eye of the beholder. I like Cent for the WHEN-AVAILABLE benefits through the status I receive from travel related service providers based on the Cent membership-- Knowing at certain locations that I have a shot at a luxury car when I book full size (although that always doesn't work out), knowing that Hilton and Sheraton will often upgrade me to a club executive lounge floor-- even though that doesn't always happen. Those types of benefits help me justify the annual cost.

I'm on a trip now and got lucky with my Hilton and Sheraton stays, both executive level floors for multi-night stays with a standard room booked. However, the last three nights I spent at a Four Seasons provided me no added benefit for flashing my card at check-in-- I had a wonderful experience, just had to pay for it!

Not sure how fast you can get all these status affiliations with providers lined up as a new member. Basically, I'd look at the FHR Program for Vegas as it provides some decent values. I've never tried it but I think I've heard on the board if you're going really high-end that there may be some Cent benefits for the villas and lofts at MGM.

Regarding the air benefits-- just realize any upgrade will come based on your air frequent flyer status you receive through the card. Thus, you'll have to research what chances you will have for an upgrade as a mid-tier flyer and whether ultra-frequent travelers on the route to LV may well trump you out of an upgrade based on the time and date you travel. And whether you will need to buy a fairly high economy fare just to be competitive for an upgrade with the airline you are flying based on your travel date/time. Similarly, I assume then you'll spring for an added Cent card for your wife so she will also have air status? (Or can you obtain one for your wife if you're obtaining a business rather than personal card?) Otherwise, if you take her as a "companion" with no airline status, you'll pretty much be sweating out a gate upgrade at least for her, if not for both of you--i.e. you either both book under the same reservation locator and hope there is a last minute flight with upgrade availability for two (because you wont upgrade in advance if she's in your reservation with no frequent flyer status, or you'll split the reservations, then you'll potentially upgrade in advance, they'll charge her for luggage because she has no status on a separate reservation and then if she does get upgraded at the gate, you won't be sitting together. Or at the end of the day if she doesn't make the upgrade, maybe she'll have you sit in her last row economy seat while she takes your upgrade.)

Again, the upgrades are nice when they come. But if you don't take much time off and you're really planning a serious getaway with your wife and are charging 500K a year on your card, you may want to have your Cent travel agent screen for discounted first class airfares-- then you're guaranteed to be upfront. I have DL's highest status but I still decided to spring for a DL Y-UP type fare for the Sunday after Thanksgiving because I figured even top-tier flyers may find themselves in the back of economy with that day's travel volume if they just don't outright buy a ticket that confirms into F at time of purchase. I probably had a good shot at an upgrade, but I'm not going to risk flying economy on one of the busiest travel days of the year. If you're going to fly out of O'Hare on Friday night or Sat morning, maybe you do need to buy revenue tickets for two in F. If you're happy arriving on Saturday night near midnight in Vegas, Saturday late-afternoon flights to LV are often pretty empty-- who wants to give up Sat daytime and Sat night in Vegas, then pay for a Sat night hotel room on the most expensive night of the week in that locale?

Thanks for the info and feedback! Do you notice/ take advantage of any additional benefits, that are not travel related? Like I recall the rep mentioning that amex holds a "special" table at almost every nice restaurant for centurion members and to call them to make your reservation (even on a booked up night). Do you ever use things like that, and does it even work? lol

My wife actually wanted the card, which initiated my interest in it (I agree with the wallet jewelry comment).

Just a heads up - the primary card holder is the only one to receive the Titanium card. Supplemental card is black plastic.....

Thanks for the info and feedback! Do you notice/ take advantage of any additional benefits, that are not travel related? Like I recall the rep mentioning that amex holds a "special" table at almost every nice restaurant for centurion members and to call them to make your reservation (even on a booked up night). Do you ever use things like that, and does it even work? lol

It works, but there are not many restaurants on the list. If you dont live in NY, Chicago, or LA (mostly NY and LA) it's pointless, as is the Platinum by Invitation Only events benefit.

I read an interesting article a while back in Forbes, I believe, that said any benefit that doesnt make Amex money is being cancelled. (We didn't need Forbes to confirm this). That's why platinum's domestic companion ticket program was discontinued. People were using that benefit too much, and it was too beneficial, which Amex didn't like.

Just a heads up - the primary card holder is the only one to receive the Titanium card. Supplemental card is black plastic.....

Not in the USA. Supplemental cards are titanium.

Not sure what you "look up first online" as the Centurion website is blocked to anyone who doesn't already have the card...

And wherever your information is from, is mistaken. You have a very big misperception on what the card "does" and what its benefits are. Things like "most of the specials are for hilton and such" or "I buy one coach ticket and get hers free and both of us get upgraded to first class" makes one assume that either:
1. You don't have a cent card, and are just having some fun here.
2. You have little idea what the benefits are, after doing your "research" and unfortunately wasted $7500 on something which doesn't meet your needs nor will provide you with any value or assistance.

Jeeze, what a welcome.

S.Bling, based on some completely false info that I've seen you post, I question whether YOU actually have a Centurion, and are just using talk like above and info you read online to make it look like you do. You've repeated false info that was posted online as fact, which makes me really wonder . . .

Just a heads up - the primary card holder is the only one to receive the Titanium card. Supplemental card is black plastic.....

Not true, there both titanium. Sorry missed the response above!

If you want to learn how to increase your chanced of upgrades, you'll learn a whole lot more here than you will from a Centurion Travel agent!

At the end of the year, you have to look at what you got and decide if it's worth it to you. Most of the people I know who have it you their Starwood AMEX card much more frequently as those points are usually so much more valuable. But savings on cruises, hotel and airline upgrades - it matters not whether you would have paid for it or not, but rather whether you got enough value to fork over another $2500.

Last summer we had five nights in the Park Hyatt Paris Vendome - two in cash and three on points. Did the cash portion first and was upgraded to a full suite - truly magnificent in a fabulous hotel. Then they let me stay in it for the rewards portion and made it clear to me that it was because of the Centurion card. Add ther $500 Barney's gift card and some flight upgrades and I'm content (altho still totally pissed about the loss of Starwood Platinum elite status).

In terms of flights, I don't take chances with long-hauls but if my flights from Newark to Florida work out, I love and enjoy it and if not, it's only 2+ hours.

Most of the people who ..... about it don't have it. If people who have it ....., why do they keep it? Other than Starwood Platinum, no complaints here.

Not true, there both titanium. Sorry missed the response above!

In Canada, the supplementary holder gets plastic, but there is no additional charge. You can get an additional titanium card for an additional $1500.

Jeeze, what a welcome.

S.Bling, based on some completely false info that I've seen you post, I question whether YOU actually have a Centurion, and are just using talk like above and info you read online to make it look like you do. You've repeated false info that was posted online as fact, which makes me really wonder . . .

I agree. A bit harsh. Someone needs to relax a bit.

It works, but there are not many restaurants on the list. If you dont live in NY, Chicago, or LA (mostly NY and LA) it's pointless, as is the Platinum by Invitation Only events benefit.

As discussed previously, it really IS pointless, even when you live in NY.

And I'm not a Centurion basher. Happen to enjoy the card and its benefits (consistent upgrades at Park Hyatt Vendome are excellent, as mentioned). Use miles when flying, business or first, and haven't yet tried my luck with upgrading.

In Canada, the supplementary holder gets plastic, but there is no additional charge. You can get an additional titanium card for an additional $1500.

In Oz you can get 3 titanium, one sup and an additional for the primary card holder. But then our fees are USD$4000 per year.

Thanks everyone for the help. Just for fun I checked the amex travel website and looked into trips from chicago to vegas and for the three airlines mentioned in this thread there are only 3 flights that are non stop, and on usairs website it said first class was sold out on those, but flexible first class was available. So I'm assuming they would probably be all sold out or upgraded by the time the flight..? And on the way back, United was the only one with non stop flights.

Anyway whenever I'm ready to book my trip via amex or elsewhere, if I book through amex for the centurion perks, should I call them and say hey I want a flight around this time and back around this time and at this hotel. What kind of offers are there? Or is it all the same as what's on their travel website. (Or does a nifty centurion travel website appear when my card is added to the account:D ) Sorry for the noob questions.

Thanks everyone for the help. Just for fun I checked the amex travel website and looked into trips from chicago to vegas and for the three airlines mentioned in this thread there are only 3 flights that are non stop, and on usairs website it said first class was sold out on those, but flexible first class was available. So I'm assuming they would probably be all sold out or upgraded by the time the flight..? And on the way back, United was the only one with non stop flights.

Anyway whenever I'm ready to book my trip via amex or elsewhere, if I book through amex for the centurion perks, should I call them and say hey I want a flight around this time and back around this time and at this hotel. What kind of offers are there? Or is it all the same as what's on their travel website. (Or does a nifty centurion travel website appear when my card is added to the account:D ) Sorry for the noob questions.

hello shawn and welcome to flyertalk and centurion.
my wife and i are also from chi town area. i have had centurion for 4 years now. i also thought the perks were awesome when i first heard about the card. it was only $1,500 then and no initiation fee. anyway what you hear about centurion, on the web etc, in my experience is often the best possible case. if you realize that the best possible case does not happen very often you will be more attuned to reality.
on the plus side it does help if you travel a lot, especially internationally. when you make a reservation through the centurion group travel department you are assigned to, it shows a centurion designation on the reservation communication that goes directly to the hotel. the higher end hotels usually pick up on this, your mid level hotels not always so. what this means is when you show up, all other things being equal between you and a non centurion card holder who has no relationship with the hotel, you have a better chance of getting the upgrade, not always, but a better chance in my experience. i have had a lot of really nice room upgrades at hotels around the world.
then mandarin oriental benefit is really excellent especially for far east travel where there properties are quite well located and priced competitively. you get a night free with one or two? paid nights (can't recall) at most mandarin properties, london and nyc do not give the free night.
wynns hotel in vegas understands the centurion and offered a free two night stay earlier in the year which my wife and i benefitted from. quite a nice property.
typically we do not use the card except at high end establishments, it is not our lifestyle to stand out in public ie when buying something that cash payment works just as well we use cash for the anonymity. if we need the amex warranty coverage, we linked a gold amex to our centurion so we get the warranty coverage but still do not stand out to the retailer.

the centurion card lets us dress casual and show up at a really nice hotel and they understand we can afford the product they are selling and often treat us better then when we just showed up with the platinum card prior to having the black card.
look at it this way, 100 years ago when you traveled to europe it was common for your banker to write you a letter of introduction and or credit to introduce you to the community you were visiting. the letter indicated you were a person of substance, you were good for your debts, etc. the centurion card serves a similiar purpose today in introducing you to various upscale retailers, hotels, etc.
the fine dining results with last minute table have been mixed in my experience. don't get your hopes up.

one of the things most people who do not have the card do not consider is that if you were to use it in every transaction where a credit card was possible in person, at non upscale amex affiliates, the black card would only help you if you were a repeat customer. think about it. most of your in person transactions (except hotels, cars, etc.) are settled with the card AFTER you conclude the transaction and are ready to pay. ie a waitress can't treat you better in anticipation of a better tip because you have a centurion card because she does not see it till after you are done with the meal and related service. (unless you are a repeat customer, then she may just remember the tip regardless of the card type)
same with buying a stereo system, or.... you pull the card out at the end of the transaction, not the beggining. so that is why we have a gold card linked to the centurion for transactions where we want to use a credit card but there are not benefits for flashing a black card.
the hotel situation is very different you show the card at check in ahead of your stay and the hotel now has to make a decision what that black card represents to them. if they are full, you likely get the room you reserved. if they are 1/2 full it is often in their best interest to give you a very nice upgrade and they often do in our experience. not always but often. we have had check in staff at some very high end hotels who actually did not know what a centurion card was, perhaps they were newly hired??? but usually very good results at high end properties.
anyway long winded but you said you were new and wanted some ideas so hopefully this will add to your knowledge base.
regards,
jsq

all the best,
jsq

Just a heads up - the primary card holder is the only one to receive the Titanium card. Supplemental card is black plastic.....

WRONG! My wife and I both have titanium cards. One is primary and one is secondary.

WRONG! My wife and I both have titanium cards. One is primary and one is secondary.

Superior, I suppose the disconnect is that most of the international Centurion locations will provide a plastic supplementary Centurion to a second cardholder on the account in plastic at no additional charge. (And I suspect YYZ is a Canadian cardholder.) Then if the international cardholder really wants the second supplementary cardholder to have a titanium supplementary card, they'll offer that for a fee often equivalent to the annual membership fee-- i.e. IDC charges $2800 annually for Centurion and then an additional $2800 for the second supplemental card holder to have a titanium card, even though the secondary cardholder can have a black plastic one for free. Since you're paying $1500 for your additional card up front and don't have the opportunity to obtain a free supplementary card for your spouse, it stands to reason that they would provide you with Titanium. Not sure how many cardholders in the international market choose to obtain the second Titanium card, as I don't think it really offers any more benefits to the cardholder than having the plastic one. Thus, I suspect in the U.S. market, if Centurion offered your wife a free card as long as she accepted a plastic one, you'd probably do away with her Titanium and save the $1500 if she continued to have the same level of service.

jsq thank you very much for the info. Very helpful. :)

I do have one last question about rewards - I have the plum card and get 2% cash back on that. Are there any membership rewards that match or exceed that, or is using the plum card for the majority of my purchases the best route?

And even if I don't charge the majority of my purchases on the centurion, I'm sure there will be some - what is the best way to redeem the points for the best percentage - travel? From my understanding merchandise is a horrible percentage, and gift cards and statement credits are about 1%.

The PLUM was reduced to 1.5% some time ago ? Do you still get the 2% ?

The PLUM was reduced to 1.5% some time ago ? Do you still get the 2% ?

Yeah I checked the other day when I came across that online. I must be grandfathered in.

If you transfer Membership Rewards points to airline frequent flyer programs and redeem for intercontinental business or first class tickets you can comfortably exceed 2% return. However, if you do not travel outside North America, or if you do not value the comfort of premium cabin travel, it will be difficult to approach 2%.

When you investigate airline redemptions the best value is often achieved by redeeming through an alliance partner of the airline you intend to fly. For example, some Asian carriers (e.g. ANA) use distance based redemption schedules. These can be very attractive if flying on a shorter route (e.g. to Europe). ANA does not offer service from the USA to Europe, but you can redeem through their program for flights on other Star Alliance carriers ( e.g. Air Canada, Continental, Lufthansa, United, US Airways) and other partners such as Virgin Atlantic. At first it seems unintuitive to transfer to ANA rather than directly to Virgin Atlantic if you want to fly on Virgin, but the arithmetic is compelling (from the east coast, need to check from Chicago).

Memorize one rule: do not transfer points to any airline until you have verified award availability and (ideally) placed an award reservation on hold.

I would say the OP more than likely is telling the truth, and I only say this because:

When I called up the rep said "let me see if you have a invitation" I was a little confused at her comment but she did say this. I asked what exactly that meant and she said that the account gets notated that the person is approved and may not be called upon....

interesting and I only think they are doing this so CS does not get 1000 calls a day from people asking if they qualify.... They want everyone to know its invite only when really it isnt ....

I would say the OP more than likely is telling the truth, and I only say this because:

When I called up the rep said "let me see if you have a invitation" I was a little confused at her comment but she did say this. I asked what exactly that meant and she said that the account gets notated that the person is approved and may not be called upon....

interesting and I only think they are doing this so CS does not get 1000 calls a day from people asking if they qualify.... They want everyone to know its invite only when really it isnt ....

I am I assure you, I'm just a noob at this so I probably sound like I'm making up a story lol. I checked on my plum card just to make sure I was getting 2% and I am.

If you transfer Membership Rewards points to airline frequent flyer programs and redeem for intercontinental business or first class tickets you can comfortably exceed 2% return. However, if you do not travel outside North America, or if you do not value the comfort of premium cabin travel, it will be difficult to approach 2%.

When you investigate airline redemptions the best value is often achieved by redeeming through an alliance partner of the airline you intend to fly. For example, some Asian carriers (e.g. ANA) use distance based redemption schedules. These can be very attractive if flying on a shorter route (e.g. to Europe). ANA does not offer service from the USA to Europe, but you can redeem through their program for flights on other Star Alliance carriers ( e.g. Air Canada, Continental, Lufthansa, United, US Airways) and other partners such as Virgin Atlantic. At first it seems unintuitive to transfer to ANA rather than directly to Virgin Atlantic if you want to fly on Virgin, but the arithmetic is compelling (from the east coast, need to check from Chicago).

Memorize one rule: do not transfer points to any airline until you have verified award availability and (ideally) placed an award reservation on hold.

Thanks very much. I don't travel internationally so it sounds like the plum card is gonna be my best bet unless I figure out a way to get more than 2% via domestic flights and such.

I don't think the OP needs or should have to provide anybody with any "proof". The flame-job the one poster undertook was jerky & uncalled for, and have yet to see him post any apology. People's input is important here and flaming a noob is unproductive for everyone. There, my rant is done ;)

I don't think the OP needs or should have to provide anybody with any "proof". The flame-job the one poster undertook was jerky & uncalled for, and have yet to see him post any apology. People's input is important here and flaming a noob is unproductive for everyone. There, my rant is done ;)

Agree. Just answer the questions or dont.

Thanks very much. I don't travel internationally so it sounds like the plum card is gonna be my best bet unless I figure out a way to get more than 2% via domestic flights and such.
Here's what I'm doing:

Save up ~150k MR, then transfer it all to SouthWest (WN) and you will qualify for a companion pass. Basically you and another person will fly free all year on that 150K, I calculate this move generates 3-4% value if you always travel with another person. You can change the name on the companion pass 4 times during the year I believe.

Thanks very much everyone, I received my card :)

http://hizost.com/f/yd
http://hizost.com/f/y9

I called centurion concierge and enrolled in all the airline, car and hotel programs. They were extremely nice and helpful. Very impressed so far.

And now that I have access to the site, I see the Bellagio, THEhotel and some others are on the list of hotels offering perks for the card. So I'm happy!

We're gonna try Vegas next month, probably with US Air and try to get an upgrade to 1st class, I guess we'll see! Hopefully we'll get an upgrade on the room too and some other cool stuff.

One question I had that I forgot to ask the concierge is about the airport lounges. If I fly with US Air, can I go to the American Airlines lounge for instance, or does my ticket need to be from that airline?

I ask because Chicago only has lounges for Delta, AA and a couple others, but not US Air.

Here's what I'm doing:

Save up ~150k MR, then transfer it all to SouthWest (WN) and you will qualify for a companion pass. Basically you and another person will fly free all year on that 150K, I calculate this move generates 3-4% value if you always travel with another person. You can change the name on the companion pass 4 times during the year I believe.

Good to know, thanks!

If I fly with US Air, can I go to the American Airlines lounge for instance, or does my ticket need to be from that airline?

The card is only accepted at American, Continental, or Delta/Northwest clubs when flying on the same airline as operates the lounge. Suggest you look at this thread for the nuances, the rules are the same as for the Platinum card...

http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/american-express-membership-rewards/1008341-amex-plat-lounge-access.html

Centurion also includes a Priority Pass membership which admits you to participating lounges without regard to the airline you are flying. See information here...

http://prioritypass.com/

The only lounge at ORD is Swiss in Terminal 5.

...I called centurion concierge and enrolled in all the airline, car and hotel programs. They were extremely nice and helpful. Very impressed so far.

And now that I have access to the site, I see the Bellagio, THEhotel and some others are on the list of hotels offering perks for the card. So I'm happy!

We're gonna try Vegas next month, probably with US Air and try to get an upgrade to 1st class, I guess we'll see! Hopefully we'll get an upgrade on the room too and some other cool stuff.

One question I had that I forgot to ask the concierge is about the airport lounges. If I fly with US Air, can I go to the American Airlines lounge for instance, or does my ticket need to be from that airline?

I ask because Chicago only has lounges for Delta, AA and a couple others, but not US Air.

I know you mentioned "some others," but do have a look at the hotels that are part of the program in Las Vegas. Ones like the Wynn, Skylofts, and Four Seasons can provide exceptional values if you don't mind splurging a bit (I'm very partial to the Skylofts; booking through Centurion Travel, or Platinum Travel for that matter, usually warrants a 10% discount on the room, and I've had a 100% success rate of getting upgraded there, which means a room nearly twice the size as their standard).

I'm not a big traveler on any of the Centurion "partnered" airlines (who can even travel on Continental or US Air these days?!), but I will say that using your Centurion Concierge will come in handy for many things in your travels. I've had much success in the past using them for restaurant reservations in Las Vegas, guaranteed club access in Las Vegas, show tickets, etc. Even though the "Fine Dining Program" (which, as far as I recall, is identical for Centurion and Platinum) tends to be pretty useless, the Concierge frequently can get you in at the same places on fairly short notice.

Most importantly, just enjoy your new card. Whether you find value in it or not will depend on your habits over the next year or so, but enjoy what you have now. Don't be self conscious about needing to be "anonymous" with it - Amex happily offers you a Platinum or Green card that carry all the Centurion benefits if you for some reason feel having a black credit card is show-offy, but my past experiences have shown that unless you are at an establishment where you hand the card to someone, nobody pays attention to what you're swiping in a machine. There are plenty of black credit cards available these days, though none others made of titanium, so unless someone touches it, they're not going to really know or care what you have.

the centurion card lets us dress casual and show up at a really nice hotel and they understand we can afford the product they are selling and often treat us better then when we just showed up with the platinum card prior to having the black card.
look at it this way, 100 years ago when you traveled to europe it was common for your banker to write you a letter of introduction and or credit to introduce you to the community you were visiting. the letter indicated you were a person of substance, you were good for your debts, etc. the centurion card serves a similiar purpose today in introducing you to various upscale retailers, hotels, etc.


This is one of the douchiest things I've read all day...and I've spent time in OMNI/PR.

.. the hotel situation is very different you show the card at check in ahead of your stay and the hotel now has to make a decision what that black card represents to them. if they are full, you likely get the room you reserved. if they are 1/2 full it is often in their best interest to give you a very nice upgrade and they often do in our experience. not always but often. we have had check in staff at some very high end hotels who actually did not know what a centurion card was, perhaps they were newly hired??? but usually very good results at high end properties...

This bit is also quite funny !

I'm one who values the card at well over $2500 per year. I know I've gotten way more than that most years. There is a concrete value, when you use travel partners such as US Air, FHR hotels and Hertz or Avis, and there are more hazy psychological values.

As for US Air, I am 100% upgraded on them thanks to Centurion. I don't fly them often, but when I do, usually from LAX or SNA to LAS or PHX, or PHX to ORD, I am always upgraded going back many years now.

As for Vegas, this is one place where you can really get the psychological benefit. True there are many clerks who don't have a clue what a black card is. But in Vegas, I have found, there are plenty who do and who instantly classify you as a VIP when they see it. I have benefited greatly from this at certain casinos. It's not automatic, but it does happen. It may also depend more on you as a person and how you act and dress, but the card definitely helps. I get this benefit from time to time in other places around the world, but Vegas is where it happens the most.

Thanks for all the comments everyone, it's very helpful. I actually just noticed the Wynn Salon suite special for only $350 so we may end up going Wed-Sat and getting the special rate for Wed & Thurs. Not sure, still looking around :) And also waiting for the rushed US Air and priority pass enrollments to be processed so I can book the trip.

...waiting for the rushed US Air and priority pass enrollments to be processed .

You can fit what I know about Las Vegas in a thimble, but I don't think Priority Pass will be very useful on this trip. The only lounge at ORD is Swiss in Terminal 5 (International), US Airways uses Terminal 2 . The only lounge at LAS is Continental in Concourse D, US Airways uses Concourses A&B.

The sparse Priority Pass coverage is relatively new. Until recently all Delta lounges accepted it, but they withdrew as part of the merger with Northwest :(.

You can fit what I know about Las Vegas in a thimble, but I don't think Priority Pass will be very useful on this trip. The only lounge at ORD is Swiss in Terminal 5 (International), US Airways uses Terminal 2 . The only lounge at LAS is Continental in Concourse D, US Airways uses Concourses A&B.

Has USAirways now closed the former America West lounge outside security that they were using? I know that the lounge personnel used to tell me moving the lounge inside security was on their agenda. As long as that outside lounge lasted, it was a great deal at LAS for Priority Pass users because the NW check-in was next to USAirways and it was always a convenient lounge to use. (In the old-old days, we used to be able to gain entrance to that lounge with the World Clubs card as American West had some cooperative flights with NW if I remember correctly.) Once the NW relationship ended, it was nice to use with PriorPass.

Has USAirways now closed the former America West lounge outside security that they were using?

That lounge is still shown on the US Airways website, but not on the Priority Pass site. Unless this is as error it's still open, but no longer participates in Priority Pass.

That lounge is still shown on the US Airways website, but not on the Priority Pass site. Unless this is as error it's still open, but no longer participates in Priority Pass.

I used this lounge last year with my PP card. Also the US lounge at LAX several times.

I just looked at the PP website and it says they support the US club at LAX, but only list CO at LAS. Don't know if that is an oversight or not?

Using a popular search engine I found this page which does list the US Airways club in Las Vegas....

http://www.prioritypass.com/Lounges/Las-Vegas-Airport-Lounges.cfm

...but using the Lounge Search tool on their site or a SMS query returns only the Continental club.

That lounge is still shown on the US Airways website, but not on the Priority Pass site. Unless this is as error it's still open, but no longer participates in Priority Pass.

I have used the US Airways lounge at LAS (landside, before security) three times in the past 3 months - and the Priority Pass was accepted no problem. So unless they left the PP program in the past few days (which I haven't seen a notice of), they should still enable access with the card.

Thanks, I guess I'll find out if I can use that lounge or not when I fly. I do have a question regarding booking - since I have my US Air Dividend Miles # now, does it matter where I book the flight - ie via amex travel over the phone or on usair's website? In other words, is there any benefit to booking over the phone with amex or any benefit to booking online at usair?

Thanks :)

Thanks, I guess I'll find out if I can use that lounge or not when I fly. I do have a question regarding booking - since I have my US Air Dividend Miles # now, does it matter where I book the flight - ie via amex travel over the phone or on usair's website? In other words, is there any benefit to booking over the phone with amex or any benefit to booking online at usair?

Thanks :)

Of course - the benefit to booking with a travel agency (e.g. Amex travel services) is that they get a commission.

Your only benefit to your flights with a cent card is making sure member services (option 3, not option 1 for travel) orders you your affinity cards with the airlines, hotel chains, and rental agencies.
Once you have those cards (and they can take several months) then you may or may not get upgraded according to the normal procedures for elite status FF members of that particular airline.

And, just a heads up - you may very well be unlucky in the "cutoff" period for a couple of the airlines. They may receive your application from Amex in what they consider their "end of year" period which is sometime in the 4th quarter of the year. In that case, they will not issue your gold card (or platinum card, in the case of US Air) for 2009, as the year will end in another month anyway and they don't process new elites so late in the year. They can make you wait until Jan/Feb of 2010 to get the card (and the status).

Same with SPG, HH, IC.

That has been my own unfortunate experience with cent's I have added in October last year. Flights in December (2 months after they had submitted their request for the Gold DL and CO status) I flew as a Gold and they were just entry level, with no standby upgrade possible.

Priority Pass should be quicker, as they enroll new members throughout the year, not on a calendar-year basis.

YMMV

Thanks, yeah I enrolled US Air "rushed", and I got the miles # today and set up an account at US Air's website with it and it had all my info and showed platinum status. My wife's miles # should be in tomorrow. So I plan to book the trip tomorrow.

So I guess for the airline part of it, it's not going to matter whether I book at usairways.com or over the phone with amex?

Also, when looking at US Air, I see there are different options, coach, first class and preferred upgrade. Do you have to choose preferred upgrade to be eligible for an upgrade?

Ok I did some more research and think I have a handle on it now. Basically the higher price ticket you buy the better your chances of upgrades are, assuming you aren't beat out by a chairmans member or platinum member with more miles. So I guess just booking the "non refundable" coach will suffice..?

Ok I did some more research and think I have a handle on it now. Basically the higher price ticket you buy the better your chances of upgrades are, assuming you aren't beat out by a chairmans member or platinum member with more miles. So I guess just booking the "non refundable" coach will suffice..?

In my experience, I always book the cheapest ticket on the airline website and like I said I am upgraded every time. It is always a risk on whether you will get upgraded or not. If you really cannot deal with coach, then you should buy First. Otherwise just buy cheap tickets and hope for the best. Save the extra money for the casino!

In my experience, I always book the cheapest ticket on the airline website and like I said I am upgraded every time. It is always a risk on whether you will get upgraded or not. If you really cannot deal with coach, then you should buy First. Otherwise just buy cheap tickets and hope for the best. Save the extra money for the casino!

That's what I wanted to know, thanks!!:)

Thanks everyone for the help. I booked the trip today through CTS. I was going to book via usair for the flight, but the price was identical to the website price so I figured why not book through them for that too.

I ended up booking the salon suite at the Wynn, two of the nights were less than half price! And also had them find me some front row center tickets to a couple shows we wanted to see. I checked the prices they quoted me for them and saw they were more than stubhub, but once I saw that stubhub adds 10% plus shipping and their price included all of that, they were less than stubhub, lasvegastickets etc.

All it took was a couple phone calls and it seemed to work out pretty good. Now I just gotta wait and see if I get any perks at the Wynn and also if we get lucky with a first class upgrade on the flights (and if there's any lounges we can use)! :)

Do be sure to post back and let us know how the trip went!

Susan

...if there's any lounges we can use...

I asked Priority Pass USA customer service by email. Evidently they discourage email because it took a full 24 hours for the first reply, and another full 24 hours (plus weekend) for clarification. In any event, the answer is...

...the website search screen is the accurate information, not the page you sent. The only one we have there currently is the Continental Presidents Club

I would not let this discourage you from trying.

I asked Priority Pass USA customer service by email. Evidently they discourage email because it took a full 24 hours for the first reply, and another full 24 hours (plus weekend) for clarification. In any event, the answer is...

...the website search screen is the accurate information, not the page you sent. The only one we have there currently is the Continental Presidents Club

I would not let this discourage you from trying.

Thanks very much! You didn't have to do that!

I looked on the Priority Pass site the other day and it appears there is one in vegas I can use, it's a US Air Lounge though I believe. So not sure how that compares to the standard lounges. But since I'm flying on US Air it should work out great, assuming it exists;)

As for O'Hare, I don't think we're gonna luck out on that one.

Edit - they must have just changed it. I looked and even bookmarked this page:

https://www.prioritypass.com/Lounges/Las-Vegas-Airport-Lounges.cfm

the other day and it showed US Air as one of the lounges, now it's gone!

Edit #2, I'm not going crazy - the google cache shows it was there
http://74.125.95.132/search?q=cache%3Ahttp%3A//mobile.prioritypassusa.com/popular/lasvegas.php

Thanks very much! You didn't have to do that!

I looked on the Priority Pass site the other day and it appears there is one in vegas I can use, it's a US Air Lounge though I believe. So not sure how that compares to the standard lounges. But since I'm flying on US Air it should work out great, assuming it exists;)

As for O'Hare, I don't think we're gonna luck out on that one.

But mia just pointed out to you that the LAS US Air lounge is no longer a Priority Pass lounge. The only LAS PP lounge is the Continental President's Club.

Also note that you need to actually have your physical Priority Pass card to enter a lounge as a PP member. Since you just got your Cent, you may not have it yet.

But mia just pointed out to you that the LAS US Air lounge is no longer a Priority Pass lounge. The only LAS PP lounge is the Continental President's Club.

Also note that you need to actually have your physical Priority Pass card to enter a lounge as a PP member. Since you just got your Cent, you may not have it yet.

Yes thanks, I just edited my post after double checking it.

Just got my priority pass cards today in the mail!

...not sure how that compares to the standard lounges.

To my knowledge Priority Pass does not operate any lounges, they simply contract to admit cardholders. Many of the lounges at USA airports are Alaska, Continental, US Airways or United Airlines clubs, but some are shared lounges with spare capacity because they are primarily used by an assortment of international carriers which may operate only one or two flights per day.

To my knowledge Priority Pass does not operate any lounges, they simply contract to admit cardholders. Many of the lounges at USA airports are Alaska, Continental, US Airways or United Airlines clubs, but some are shared lounges with spare capacity because they are primarily used by an assortment of international carriers which may operate only one or two flights per day.

Looks like the "loss" of the US lounge in LAS is a very recent one, and corresponds with their press release last week (Oct 28) that
1. they would be closing their LAS base effective January 31, 2010...
2. Additionally, they announced a drastic cutback in service to LAS by about half (from/to all destinations).
So either the LAS lounge is repositioning itself, in light of the reduction in US flights and cessation of operating as a regional base for USAir, or maybe it will close the lounge altogether. Who knows.


US announced they are closing 3 of their crew bases: LAS and LGA in January 2010, and BOS on May 2, 2010. So maybe LGA and BOS will see similar changes (or closures) to their lounges in the weeks and months to come...

Looks like the "loss" of the US lounge in LAS is a very recent one, and corresponds with their press release last week (Oct 28)

The US lounge at LAS was closed in September (last day of operations was 9/12, iirc), as part of that round of flight cuts (+600 employees laid off).

Closure was announced in July:

http://intransit.blogs.nytimes.com/2009/07/14/us-airways-to-close-club-and-cut-jobs/

Well the loss of the lounge isn't great news, but at least LAS has free wifi throughout the airport and lots of bars and restaurants. And you shouldn't miss the free drinks with all your winnings in your pocket!

I was kind of happy about it, so I thought I'd give an update - I got the free first class upgrades for the way there for the wife and I! Pretty slick how it just emails you! I should know about the way back on Sat or Sun I think.:)

I got the free first class upgrades for the way there for the wife and...

I don't know how the US Airways' system works, but if only one upgrade clears it is always the wife's :) .

I don't know how the US Airways' system works, but if only one upgrade clears it is always the wife's :) .

Haha tell me about! But we got em both!!:D