American Express Membership Rewards - AMEX Centurion Invite

Hi All,

Just received an invite to join Amex Centurion which I was a bit surprised at as I generally only spend £1500 to £2500 on the card per month.

Nevertheless, £650 for the year is a lot to spend when I currently only pay about £275 for Platinum and cannot see almost £400 of added benefit from upgrading.

Does anyone have a list of the benefits - the well-crafted hardback book they sent me is far from comprehensive. I am specifically interested in knowing about the airline and hotel tie-ins they have. Esepcially what complementary membership levels they will give me and what the story is with 2 for 1 flights and upgrades?

Thanks all - have a great New Year.



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Bond Boy

I don't know much about the benefits in the U.K. However, the spending requirement I needed in the U.S. was $150,000 a year.

I would suspect that the benefits should be better for U.S. cardholders(elite memership in Delta, US Airways and Continental Airlines as well as many upscale hotel chains).

Only a guess, though.

Thanks - I also have a BA AMEX Premium Plus card (brand new and as yet unused), a small AMEX Sharepeople account and I use the AMEX IFA for Insurance. I think this might have helped?

Would certainly take some of the luster off the invite if not Frequent Flyer upgrades available in the UK. The 2 for 1 sounds like it might eb worth the money though.

Any ideas anyone?

Thanks

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Bond Boy

Hotel benefits for UK Centurions are primarily being comped to Starwood Plat (which I feel is worth half thew annual fee by itself) and Hilton Gold. I think that's just about it, but I got Hyatt to comp me to GP Diamond (the highest level) on the basis of my Starwood status.

As far as airlines go, there aren't really any benefits, unlike the US. You get intot he Virgin lounge with an economy ticket, and there's also the Priority Pass access. Doesn't bother me too much, as I alreay either fly business or have status with the airlines I fly.

The 2 for 1 offers are the same as for Platinum - basically you get 2 seats if you pay the full fare. It's often cheaper to but 2 discounted tickets or to go through a consolidator.

Other benefits include some quite cool member events (e.g. tour round the Aston Martin factory with a test drive included) and, recently, access to members-only clubs in London by calling up the concierge service.

Andrew - didn't see you at the AML event earlier in the year. Did you go for the driving day too?

Agree re SPG Platinum. That's been the main benefit for me. Flight 2:1's are relatively worthless. Ditto lounge access for same reasons. Priority Pass can be handy.

Bond Boy


I have a questions regarding the Sharepeople Account. Does a Amex Card come with A Sharepeople Account? If it does, what level of card can you get?

Thanks

Hi Steve

No - AMEX Sharepeople soes not come with AMEX card as far as I know. I got my sharepeople acct after I got the AMEX Plat Card.

I asked the sharepeople people about any deals they do for AMEX cardholders and they did not know of any nor of any ways to earn miles with it. Sorry.

Bond Boy,

Drop me a mail and I'll send you a list of the benefits as such.

Just to keep AmEx happy, can you send in the mail the Oscar Wilde quote that is in the Centurion Invite book, so that I know you have actually got an invite.

Thanks,
Richard

[This message has been edited by RichardMannion (edited 01-03-2003).]

Since when were these details so secret?

That so funny http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/biggrin.gif

Is this the AmEx equivalent of the Masons? And why would AmEx care if you disclosed 'secret' benefits? They're not so secret and just help propgate the myth that this card is something that it plainly isn't.

James

Correct Jimmy.
Nothing too fancy about the card!

Isn`t it the english version of:

"Ich habe einen ganz einfachen Geschmack, von allem nur das Beste" - O.Wilde ?!

LOL http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/biggrin.gif

I think it sounds even better in German.

It does sound better in the translation than in the original.....