American Express Membership Rewards - (UK) Centurion for the masses.......

Got an invitation in this mornings post to swap my Plat for Centurion for the trifling sum of 675 GBP.

I really don't see what else it offers me above my platinum (that's worth so much extra anyway).

Anyway - I still keep reading all this nonsense about the spend you are supposed to have before they invite you to the Centurion party.

My spend over the last couple of years has been about 1,500 GBP/Month and my salary, while substantial compared to most people, (not that Amex have any idea) is certainly not pop-star wages!

Platinum is obviously now available to anyone who has more than a few pounds to spare and it looks as if the 'exclusive' Centurion is not far behind......

Just a matter of time seemingly with any AMEX product.

Interesting. It seems like each country offering the Centurion is marketing it 'as it pleases'. Dont Amex offices work in coordination with one another? The only thing I can think of is that Amex just wants to increase its short term fee revenue, without considering the negative impact on its now "flagship" card. Who know, perhaps they have it all modelled out and they can still increase revenues and cut a profit. By making the card less exclusive they will of course cause some high rollers to drop out, but if they can create critical mass at higher average fees than Platinum (which should be possible with Centurion) and offer watered down services with fancy new names but with content that is basically what Platinum offers.... they just might cut a handsome profit... Im by no means a credit card industry expert, but I think that this just may be about recruiting more cardmembers and increasing their revenue (charges to Amex) pool.

I wonder how much longer till they start to give it away here in the USA...?

<font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="2">Originally posted by Gaucho100K:
Dont Amex offices work in coordination with one another?</font>

Nobody at Amex even knows how to spell the word "coordination"!!

Anyway, your statement totaly reflects, what I´ve experienced with Amex in Germany.

The exclusivity is only made by the medias, because those third class journalists usualy don´t have the inside knowledge like most of us on this board.

For Amex it´s only about making more money, even if it means throwing out another 100thousands of plat. or cent. cards.

<font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="2">Originally posted by axel1:
Nobody at Amex even knows how to spell the word "coordination"!!

Anyway, your statement totaly reflects, what I´ve experienced with Amex in Germany.

The exclusivity is only made by the medias, because those third class journalists usualy don´t have the inside knowledge like most of us on this board.

For Amex it´s only about making more money, even if it means throwing out another 100thousands of plat. or cent. cards.</font>

I totally agree with axel1.

In Switzerland it is the same. You can get an invatation for Centurion if you have had a Plat Card for a one year or more and of course a good credit and spent quite a few...
But in any case less then the "150'000 US$" you have to spend in the US.

Kooks.

<font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="2">Originally posted by zauber:
Got an invitation in this mornings post to swap my Plat for Centurion for the trifling sum of 675 GBP.

I really don't see what else it offers me above my platinum (that's worth so much extra anyway).
</font>

Could be worth it for the couple of Priority Pass cards that you get if you and a partner/colleague travel a lot.

pmcg

Just got a glossy leaflet (= mass mailing tactics) to enrol a friend (or several, 0800 phone number is provided to request additional leaflets) in Plat, with a bonus for me of 10,000 Amex MR points.

So just need to sign up 1000 of my closest buddies and I can afford an ashtray or something.

This seems to prefigure Centurion going Platinum!

I think Amex can’t spell exclusivity either http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/wink.gif

The card is intended for people who accept to use some services and benefits from Amex and pay 650GBP or 2,500$ for it.

You can't expect from Amex to launch a premium product only for two dozens of Hollywood stars.

What is a your definition of a premium product ?
A Rolls-Royce is a premium product.
A platinum Rolex watch is a premium product.
A Haute-Couture dress is a premium product.
etc.
All these may be purchased by everyone, but are definitely premium products.

Even if many thousands get an invitation for Centurion, the annual fee alone will restrict the members to those willing to pay for it.

<font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="2">Originally posted by Canista:
I think Amex can’t spell exclusivity either http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/wink.gif</font>

You´re right!! Thanks for that!!

No longer is the Centurion card a hush hush affair. They have it on the UK website now along with Green, Gold, Plat. The only difference is it says by invitation only like Platinum. I have had a Plat for 2 years and spend around 7000gbp per month on it but still have not been invited ƒ¼

Just call them and threaten to cancel the card....never know what you'll be offered to stay http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/wink.gif

My own personal experience and that of a close friend with regards being offered Centurion in the UK were quite the opposite of what everyone suspects.

We both received the little black envelopes shortly after our average spend DROPPED for a few succesive months (my travel expenditure declined, he changed to a different card).

Remember, its all about AMEX making money, not creating a 'premium product'... why need they offer you one if you're already a good earner for them?

try it, it may work http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/wink.gif

dnw

<font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="2">Originally posted by dnw:
We both received the little black envelopes shortly after our average spend DROPPED for a few succesive months (my travel expenditure declined, he changed to a different card).

</font>

Funny you should say that as I have also recently stopped using my Plat card in favour of the BA Premium Plus card and I wondered if that had something to do with it.
It's still Amex of course but if they are really as clueless as they appear then the Platinum guys probably have no idea......

Thats exactly what happened to my friend. He charged £2/£3K a month to his Platinum but then transferred spend to the BA Amex card. A couple of months later, the Centurion invitation arrived. Of course he accepted it, but still charges everything to his BA card http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/wink.gif

Amex credit and charge card departments are quite separate, with their own targets and teams, so I'm not really suprised they don't offset against eachother.

As for me, after a year of Centurion, I now too prefer the BA card and have cancelled in its favour. My primary interest is mileage earning potential, and it that respect it wipes the floor with Centurion.

dnw

[This message has been edited by dnw (edited 07-26-2002).]

<font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="2">Originally posted by zauber:
Funny you should say that as I have also recently stopped using my Plat card in favour of the BA Premium Plus card and I wondered if that had something to do with it.
It's still Amex of course but if they are really as clueless as they appear then the Platinum guys probably have no idea......</font>

When I got my BA Amex I cancelled my Platimum card. I could no longer justify the annual fee. I already have annual travel insurance that comes with my bank account and I never used the travel service as all my travel is booked through a corporate TA and on the few occasions I used the concierge service I found them hopeless!

When I called to cancel they made absolutely no attempt to persaude me to stay. This is despite being a member for many years and with a monthly spend varying between £2K and £4K.

My company has two Centurion Cards (Black Card)we are listed as a charter member. we have used the cards for two years. I have a few insights to the servies both wihin the USA and around the world.

Well, tell us more!

Yes, please do share with us...

Hi there!

It's my first time posting here, just wanted to add my share of information...

I guess I can shed some light on the question about the exclusivity of the Centurion Card (at least for Germany)

Several times I have read the rumour that only 1% of AmEx Clients have a Platinum Card and only the top 1% of those are invited to get a Centurion. Well, I just got my hands on some interesting facts:

In Germany every Platinum Card owner receives the "Platinum Magazin", every Centurion Card owner receives the "Centurion Magazin". I assume there are similar publications in the other countries. The number of distributed copies, according to data made accessible to the advertising industry, are 40,000 for the Platinum Magazin and 15,000 for the Centurion Magazin. What does this tell us?

There are not even 3 times as much Platinum Card holders as there are Centurion Card holders Assuming all Centurion Card holders had Platinum Cards before, almost 30% must have been upgraded


Sounds like they give it away to pretty much everyone... But take look at the big picture:

Roughly guessed, AmEx got about 1,500,000 card holders in Germany, so only 1% got Centurion. Adding the 2.7% of Platinum Card holders that's a total of 3.7%. This way round it still looks pretty good to me. http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/smile.gif

Yours,
Stefan

<font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="2">Originally posted by Stefan0521:
The number of distributed copies, according to data made accessible to the advertising industry, are 40,000 for the Platinum Magazin and 15,000 for the Centurion Magazin. </font>

The "Centurion magazine" is published in Germany by : Journal International Verlag GmbH , Hans-Seidel-Platz 5, 81737 München in association with American Express Service Europe Ltd ,
not only for german Centurion cardholders in german, but also for UK and International Dollar cardmembers in english. I suppose swiss Centurion members also get the german version.

If 15,000 copies is the total number of copies for Europe, it's not much for 320 million people living in the european union only ...



[This message has been edited by ahrz (edited 08-01-2002).]

You're right, I didn't take that into account... They publish it in Hongkong, too, btw.

We have been assigned a tavel counselor along with another person who acts as a go to person when you need (Blue Mountain Coffee) overnighted to Canada for 50 people in one day - (True story) But, dont try to call anyone at Amex Centurion Services if you are in Europe and are working on the time change.

We have had great sucess in the protection program/theft - when my wifes jewlery was stolen and it was passed the 90 day period by 2 months and Amex wrote us a very large check for our loss.

<font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="2">Originally posted by Stefan0521:
Well, I just got my hands on some interesting facts:

In Germany every Platinum Card owner receives the "Platinum Magazin", every Centurion Card owner receives the "Centurion Magazin". I assume there are similar publications in the other countries. The number of distributed copies, according to data made accessible to the advertising industry, are 40,000 for the Platinum Magazin and 15,000 for the Centurion Magazin. What does this tell us?

</font>

Hi,welcome on the board.

I posted that information almost 2 years ago and you can believe me, those numbers you´re reffering to are v.v. old and just another markting-lie of Amex-Germany to keep their embarassing illusion of "exclusivity" alive.

I´ve been living in Frankfurt for 16 years and know some people (including two women from the Centurion-service), who are actually working for Amex-Germany (also located in Frankfurt).

The last time I met some of them, we´ve been talking about that "Centurion-hype" here on Flyertalk.
They just shook heads and we´ve been laughing for hours.

Great post Axel, makes me laugh as well....

Regarding the hype though, it seems most discussions here regarding the Plat /Cent cards are about returning them (except Ahrz, who seems to be the only person impressed by the Cent card).

Cancelling my Plat card after two years this month, simply not worth the fees....

I have a good friend that is a senior professional at AMEX in London, he tells me that they have started to give out the card to senior staff... something unheard of until now. He agrees that it will turn into an expensive Platinum card in no time.

<font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="2">Originally posted by JohnG:
(except Ahrz, who seems to be the only person impressed by the Cent card).
</font>

I'm only impressed by things I'll never have, like the Nobel Prize.

My first post to the board, although I've been lurking in the background for a few weeks reading with interest what has been written here.
I got my Platinum Card a couple of years ago (I've only been an Amex member for 2 and a half years - got my gold card at 25 just after leaving university). A month ago I received my Centurion invitation and took up the offer. I have to say that although I have had the card only 2 weeks or so, I have already cancelled one holiday and had everything refunded, booked two holidays effortlessly, and had the pleasure (rare indeed in the UK) of dealing with professional and well-informed staff. So all in all, I'm a happy bunny. Although at 27, and having an average spend of only £50-60K per year, I am still a little surprised that I was offered the Card.
I really hope that it doesn't become just another expensive accessory available to anyone with the nous to ask for it - it seems like it is heading that way from what people have been writing here.
BTW - does anyone actually use the luggage tags given to Cenution hodlers? Surely this is an invitation to have bags stolen (although with £750 on offer for baggage insurance, that might not be such a bad idea).

<font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="2">Originally posted by JimmyLove:

BTW - does anyone actually use the luggage tags given to Cenution hodlers?</font>

Welcome Jimmy,

beware of using those luggage tags. This is a "No NO", because it looks quite vulgar - just very low class!!! ;-)

I find the persistent debate about the Centurion Card’s worth and even more so the potential dilution of it’s “prestige” rather funny. Why? For one very simple reason. On this board, people are often contemplating mileage runs to achieve or maintain frequent flyer status. Isn’t the Centurion Card effectively a mileage run without the flying? Three mid-tier memberships, at least for the US card, make the grandfathered US$1,000 fee an extraordinary bargain from my perspective (yes, at US$2,500, the relatively utility becomes marginal). But, at least from my perspective, the value of the card is simply that it offers the convenience of airline status without the mileage runs (I maintain “earned” status and leverage my “unearned” status when necessary). As for the prestige factor, after about eighteen months of extensive use of the Black Card in the U.S., Europe and the Far East, I must say that few people even recognize the card as unique and, in those rare instances, they most often have no idea about the “status” factor (and I routinely answer such queries by indicating that the card is provided to those who have black marks on their credit history). The only concern that I have centers on mass distribution of the card and thus dilution of the benefits of mid-tier status on the relevant carriers.

I agree... great post. Welcome to FlyerTalk.

<font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="2">Originally posted by Eemorr:
(and I routinely answer such queries by indicating that the card is provided to those who have black marks on their credit history</font>

Made me laugh

<font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="2">Originally posted by axel1:
Welcome Jimmy,

beware of using those luggage tags. This is a "No NO", because it looks quite vulgar - just very low class!!! ;-)</font>

I think the LH Senator lugage tafs are much lower class than the small Centurion ones...

Tim