American Express Membership Rewards - Centurion qualification question

I know that there are no easy ways around the $150k in spending a year on the card, but I do have a question.

I have a Starwood Amex and the plan was to let my friend run up ~$200k in charges in Q4 of this year and just quickly repay Amex. The question is if I gave him a card under my name (just added him onto my account), would the $200k in charges be considered under my name for Centurion qualification?

Thanks, MrF

I know that there are no easy ways around the $150k in spending a year on the card, but I do have a question.

I have a Starwood Amex and the plan was to let my friend run up ~$200k in charges in Q4 of this year and just quickly repay Amex. The question is if I gave him a card under my name (just added him onto my account), would the $200k in charges be considered under my name for Centurion qualification?

Thanks, MrF

Any "paid" charges on personal charge and credit/optima cards are eligible towards Centurion spending criteria. Paid charges made on Business, not Corporate, charge and credit cards are eligible towards a Business Centurion Card.

Remember there are still other requirements such as good credit, good payment history with Amex, and having an Amex card for a least 12 months.

The good credit and the 1 year or so shouldn't be an issue. So as long as it's a card in whomever's name from my account and it gets repaid, then all is good?

I would only add that if you do this, I hope he is a friend in deed.

I'm not trying to rain on anyone's parade, but I have personally been screwed, blued and tattooed by both "friends" and relatives over far smaller sums than this, as have my parents.

Just saying, if you do this, make double-sure he will repay you, 'cause if he doesn't Amex is gonna be looking at you, not him, and 200K is a lot of money.

I would only add that if you do this, I hope he is a friend in deed.

I'm not trying to rain on anyone's parade, but I have personally been screwed, blued and tattooed by both "friends" and relatives over far smaller sums than this, as have my parents.

Just saying, if you do this, make double-sure he will repay you, 'cause if he doesn't Amex is gonna be looking at you, not him, and 200K is a lot of money.

I know that - that was my major consideration. But all things considered, it's a good risk. It's a card with a limited credit limit so I'm not too worried.

Thank you for the concern though. It would sort of be cool to be your average salaried office worker with a Centurion card...

Have they dropped the requirement that the 150K needed to be rung up on a Platinum Card?

Have they dropped the requirement that the 150K needed to be rung up on a Platinum Card?

They practically hand out Platinum cards in breakfast cereal boxes. :rolleyes:

They offered me a Platinum Charge Card and I was only spending about £10,000 per year. To get a Platinum Credit card with 2% cashback you only need to earn (or claim to earn) £20,000/year.

Other points to consider before adding your friend as an AU:

- numerous threads here and on other message boards mentioned that in order to be "invited" to Centurion, you need to be a Platinum Charge Card holder (the pay every month version, not the Platinum credit card/Optima by-product credit cards).

- Unless you have a credit limit on your Amex credit card product of $82,000. you will not be able to charge 250K within Q4. Purchases made on the account will decrease your available credit in real time, but payments made within the month (before your billing cycle closes) will not extend your purchasing power. For example, if you have a $10K credit limit, and buy 3 laptops for $9,900, pay the balance off the following week, you will not have the $9,900 line available again until after your bill cycle closes. There are numerous threads on other message boards (creditboards.com) that sustantiate this.

- Most importantly, you could get hit with Amex's infamous credit review for all the increased activity.

Other points to consider before adding your friend as an AU:

- numerous threads here and on other message boards mentioned that in order to be "invited" to Centurion, you need to be a Platinum Charge Card holder (the pay every month version, not the Platinum credit card/Optima by-product credit cards).

- Unless you have a credit limit on your Amex credit card product of $82,000. you will not be able to charge 250K within Q4. Purchases made on the account will decrease your available credit in real time, but payments made within the month (before your billing cycle closes) will not extend your purchasing power. For example, if you have a $10K credit limit, and buy 3 laptops for $9,900, pay the balance off the following week, you will not have the $9,900 line available again until after your bill cycle closes. There are numerous threads on other message boards (creditboards.com) that sustantiate this.

- Most importantly, you could get hit with Amex's infamous credit review for all the increased activity.



American Express only requires that you have $150K in paid charges in a 12 month period. It does not have to be on a Platinum Charge Card.

- Unless you have a credit limit on your Amex credit card product of $82,000. you will not be able to charge 250K within Q4. Purchases made on the account will decrease your available credit in real time, but payments made within the month (before your billing cycle closes) will not extend your purchasing power. For example, if you have a $10K credit limit, and buy 3 laptops for $9,900, pay the balance off the following week, you will not have the $9,900 line available again until after your bill cycle closes. There are numerous threads on other message boards (creditboards.com) that sustantiate this.


I will call tomorrow and ask on this. This just seems odd. A quick look at creditboards.com didn't find anything but I will do more digging tonight.

I was hoping I could use my card with someone's spending in order to leverage a Centurion card invite.

Would I be better off with another Amex card or am I stuck?

Sorry to bring up this old thread. I had the same basic question, did a search, found this, but the question is not clearly addressed.

So, do additional cards, on a plat account, all go towards the $150k mark?

Thanks a bunch!

Sorry to bring up this old thread. I had the same basic question, did a search, found this, but the question is not clearly addressed.

So, do additional cards, on a plat account, all go towards the $150k mark?

Thanks a bunch!

as all cards are paid by you. from your account.

Seriously, why go the roundabout way just to try to get a Black Amex? It would not change you as a person just because you have this card, (it might help pick up chicks though :p )

I had the Centurion now for almost a year. To be honest, it was quite exciting when I first got it with all the oohs and aahs when the check-out chicks see it. But now it is just another charge card in my wallet with good benefits.

If you are not offered the Black card with your normal spending pattern, you probably won't be able to utilise the benefits that comes with it even if you manage to get one.

Just stick with what you got and enjoy life and stop worring about the color of your credit card.

Seriously, why go the roundabout way just to try to get a Black Amex? It would not change you as a person just because you have this card, (it might help pick up chicks though :p )

I had the Centurion now for almost a year. To be honest, it was quite exciting when I first got it with all the oohs and aahs when the check-out chicks see it. But now it is just another charge card in my wallet with good benefits.

If you are not offered the Black card with your normal spending pattern, you probably won't be able to utilise the benefits that comes with it even if you manage to get one.

Just stick with what you got and enjoy life and stop worring about the color of your credit card.

i totally agree.

first time i got my centurion it was really cool, but now it it only a credit card too.

i was manytime thinking if i should downgrade to platinum, but than i had this insurance which paid me more than 2000 Euro , which was worth the 2 years annual fee.

Seriously, why go the roundabout way just to try to get a Black Amex? It would not change you as a person just because you have this card, (it might help pick up chicks though :p )

I had the Centurion now for almost a year. To be honest, it was quite exciting when I first got it with all the oohs and aahs when the check-out chicks see it. But now it is just another charge card in my wallet with good benefits.

If you are not offered the Black card with your normal spending pattern, you probably won't be able to utilise the benefits that comes with it even if you manage to get one.

Just stick with what you got and enjoy life and stop worring about the color of your credit card.


Dunno, depends upon how much YOU like the 'checkout chicks'... :)

Seriously, why go the roundabout way just to try to get a Black Amex? It would not change you as a person just because you have this card, (it might help pick up chicks though :p )

I had the Centurion now for almost a year. To be honest, it was quite exciting when I first got it with all the oohs and aahs when the check-out chicks see it. But now it is just another charge card in my wallet with good benefits.

If you are not offered the Black card with your normal spending pattern, you probably won't be able to utilise the benefits that comes with it even if you manage to get one.

Just stick with what you got and enjoy life and stop worring about the color of your credit card.

I have neve had comments at any check out. Check out chicks at the supermarkets that I shop at would not know what a Centurion card is.

checkout chicks might be like a "gold digger", or a girl who would go with you because the card identifies you as a 'sugar daddy'.

in my opinion, the best way to get a black card would be to have a friend who has the initial 1000/500 additional agreement and go in as an additional cardmember on that (except only use it for the benefits, not charge on it)
:)

the elite statuses are nice, and some of the bonus offers are nice, BUT, I don't think they are worth the 2500$. While someone might point out the nice benefits of 2-1, you can almost always get 2 discounted C/J/F tickets that accrue mileage for less $ than the one full fare.

checkout chicks might be like a "gold digger", or a girl who would go with you because the card identifies you as a 'sugar daddy'.

in my opinion, the best way to get a black card would be to have a friend who has the initial 1000/500 additional agreement and go in as an additional cardmember on that (except only use it for the benefits, not charge on it)
:)

the elite statuses are nice, and some of the bonus offers are nice, BUT, I don't think they are worth the 2500$. While someone might point out the nice benefits of 2-1, you can almost always get 2 discounted C/J/F tickets that accrue mileage for less $ than the one full fare.

I'm about to loose my Gold Medallion status with Delta because I haven't flown them often enough over this past year to keep it. I will keep my Silver status, however, having flown just enough to keep it. There are two problems with this:

1) Since becoming a Gold Medallion member, I've been upgraded on virtually every domestic flight I've taken on Delta. It's quite possible I've been upgraded on EVERY domestic flight, as I can't remember not being upgraded. 2) The 25,000 miles that I have flown on Delta required way too many flights to be stuck in coach all the time, and my company won't spring for Business Class tickets, which are ridiculously expensive.

In addition, the 25K I've flown on Delta is just a drop in the bucket compared to my total number of flights, but for one reason or another, I've had to use multiple airlines this year.

What's my point? Before learning of the Centurion card, and after having enjoyed Delta's Gold Medallion status, I had already decided that mid-level elite status was something I'd be perfectly willing to purchase - IF somehow possible - if I weren't able to fly enough to keep it.

Now that I know about the Centurion card, I think it's $2,500 annual fee is perfectly justified by this one benefit alone. If I could consistently fly enough to maintain my Gold Medallion status without the Centurion card, I wouldn't get the card. But I'd consider my annual fee well worth the cost if I got one upgrade during the year due to my Gold status that I had purchased when getting the Centurion card.

I'm well on track to hit the $150,000 spending mark for a 12 month period ($90G over the past 5 months), and when I do I have every expectation of calling Centurion card services and requesting the card.

David

Honestly, how often do the checkout people really know what a Centurion card is? There are so many cards out now that it's hard to keep track of them all. I am sure 99% of the population would not think anything of seeing a black AMEX. It's just another plastic card that millions of us carry in our wallets every day.

I'm about to loose my Gold Medallion status with Delta because I haven't flown them often enough over this past year to keep it. I will keep my Silver status, however, having flown just enough to keep it. There are two problems with this:

1) Since becoming a Gold Medallion member, I've been upgraded on virtually every domestic flight I've taken on Delta. It's quite possible I've been upgraded on EVERY domestic flight, as I can't remember not being upgraded. 2) The 25,000 miles that I have flown on Delta required way too many flights to be stuck in coach all the time, and my company won't spring for Business Class tickets, which are ridiculously expensive.

In addition, the 25K I've flown on Delta is just a drop in the bucket compared to my total number of flights, but for one reason or another, I've had to use multiple airlines this year.

What's my point? Before learning of the Centurion card, and after having enjoyed Delta's Gold Medallion status, I had already decided that mid-level elite status was something I'd be perfectly willing to purchase - IF somehow possible - if I weren't able to fly enough to keep it.

Now that I know about the Centurion card, I think it's $2,500 annual fee is perfectly justified by this one benefit alone. If I could consistently fly enough to maintain my Gold Medallion status without the Centurion card, I wouldn't get the card. But I'd consider my annual fee well worth the cost if I got one upgrade during the year due to my Gold status that I had purchased when getting the Centurion card.

I'm well on track to hit the $150,000 spending mark for a 12 month period ($90G over the past 5 months), and when I do I have every expectation of calling Centurion card services and requesting the card.

David

You go David, you go!!!

Honestly, how often do the checkout people really know what a Centurion card is? There are so many cards out now that it's hard to keep track of them all. I am sure 99% of the population would not think anything of seeing a black AMEX. It's just another plastic card that millions of us carry in our wallets every day.

Just because check-out chicks (and other sales assistants, we can't discriminate here) don't comment on your card doesn't mean they don't know what it is or that they are not curious. It is probably that they are not as materialistic as us, Centurion cardholders thats all!! :D

I'm a platinum member since 8 years and I can tell you the easy way to get the black card is in mexico.
There are no spending requeriments as in the usa you only have to bring your 2 latest platinum statments, identification, a copy of your last checking account or investment account with at least 500 000 pesos which equals about $ 45 000. The anual fee is 2500 $ plus 15% tax which can be paid in 4 monthly rates free of interest. than you are on the way to get black in a couple of days.
Of course you have to be a mexican resident with proof of immigration document: FM1 FM2 or FM3.
I have the mexican platinum card but no more the immigration status but for me it will be not a problem to get one, because my wife and child are mexicans.
So I will apply for the documents and at the end of 2005 I will be asking ( after I had opened an checking account) for the invitation which should be no problem.

Let us know how the Mexican Centurion card works out.
-ktp

- Unless you have a credit limit on your Amex credit card product of $82,000. you will not be able to charge 250K within Q4. Purchases made on the account will decrease your available credit in real time, but payments made within the month (before your billing cycle closes) will not extend your purchasing power. For example, if you have a $10K credit limit, and buy 3 laptops for $9,900, pay the balance off the following week, you will not have the $9,900 line available again until after your bill cycle closes. There are numerous threads on other message boards (creditboards.com) that sustantiate this.

This is NOT true - atleast not on my SPG Amex. I have a 20K limit on the card but spent more than 20K last month by making mid-month payments. If I remember correctly, the payments don't free up your credit during your first months of membership or something like that...but with an established account, no problem. Additional credit is available within 48 hours of payment.