American Express Membership Rewards - Used Centurion For First Time

Allright,.....finally got the "Black Card" and broke it in. Let's just say, it is nice to have but almost embarassing. Although we have been very fortunate to have a few bucks in the bank and never want to downplay, I will certainly say, it was not what I thought. My wife and I are very low key and like to hang out at dive restaurants/bars. I almost felt like an idiot using the card because we do not want to act like "big shots". We rarely share our business with anyone. There is a time and place for this card. Looking forward to our regular travel to use it, but will put it away in town. Couple of funny quotes so far... " what is this?..it weighs three pounds?".. "Is thing bulletproof as well?.." I was actually surprised that many had no clue what it was? As we are just getting into the benefits, I look forward to the travel/hotel benefits. Any Centurion holders, look forward to your feelings and responses as well.
Thanks up front..

G

I also carry a Starwood Card. I use it everywhere except where the Centurion offers special benefits such as double points. Sometimes I use Centurion to reserve a car, but when I get it back whole I switch charge to Starwood. Same for hotels. Also, I use it on major purchases where it offers a better extended warranty.

To me Starwood points are more valuable. Not only do you get a 25% bonus if you transfer 20,000 points to an airline, the Starwood hotels are often bargains. I am staying at the LAX Sheraton for two nights (one weekend one not) for a total of 7,000 points. The cost with tax would have been around $300 so I got a value of over 4 cents a point.

We all will miss the loss of Starwood Platinum come February. I suspect you only got gold. Still the late checkout and other benefits are nice and I really don't need to be upgraded to a suite.

Recently I tried to get reservations on my own at one of Cenurions fine restaurants. I wanted to arrive at 7 and the earliest it had was 7:30. Since I was coming from a meeting that ended at 6:30 and would easily be at the restaurant before 7, sitting around for 30 minutes did not thrill me so I called Centurion. I got the 7 pm reservations and VIP treatment on arrival.

So enjoy your card.

I also carry a Starwood Card. I use it everywhere except where the Centurion offers special benefits such as double points. Sometimes I use Centurion to reserve a car, but when I get it back whole I switch charge to Starwood. Same for hotels. Also, I use it on major purchases where it offers a better extended warranty.

To me Starwood points are more valuable. Not only do you get a 25% bonus if you transfer 20,000 points to an airline, the Starwood hotels are often bargains. I am staying at the LAX Sheraton for two nights (one weekend one not) for a total of 7,000 points. The cost with tax would have been around $300 so I got a value of over 4 cents a point.

We all will miss the loss of Starwood Platinum come February. I suspect you only got gold. Still the late checkout and other benefits are nice and I really don't need to be upgraded to a suite.

Recently I tried to get reservations on my own at one of Cenurions fine restaurants. I wanted to arrive at 7 and the earliest it had was 7:30. Since I was coming from a meeting that ended at 6:30 and would easily be at the restaurant before 7, sitting around for 30 minutes did not thrill me so I called Centurion. I got the 7 pm reservations and VIP treatment on arrival.

So enjoy your card.

Yesterday I used the Centurion concierge for the first time. She did get us into a restaurant that I would not have otherwise been able to get in to. However, I noticed when I got there that there was nothing special marked in the reservation book to differentiate us. We were also given a crappy table in what I consider to be the "tourist section". I didn't say anything since, after all, it was a bonus just to get in to the restaurant. But I wonder how the conversation works between the concierge and the restaurant, and whether it could be done differently to ensure "VIP treatment". This was one of Amex's "Fine Dining" restaurants...

You did get VIP treatment. You got into the restaurant that you would not have been able to get into otherwise. Should somebody else who planned ahead, been removed from their "prime table" to accomodate you?

You did get VIP treatment. You got into the restaurant that you would not have been able to get into otherwise. Should somebody else who planned ahead, been removed from their "prime table" to accomodate you?

Like I said, I didn't complain, and I noted in my posting that I was happy to get in. But it was clear that the people "on the floor" in the restaurant did not know anything about the method or means by which I got in. The previous poster experienced otherwise. All I'm wondering is why it was different.

No one was. They had a number of open tables at 7. They were just pacing arrivals. Besides certain places hold a table for Centurion and if you get it, no one else is put out.

You appear to have a problem with people being given priority. It's business and good business. For the owner, being selected by Centurion means referrals. If that results in an occasional bump of another customer, that's how it is.

Priority is a way of life. If I fly certain airlines I wait in line and sit in the back. My platinum partner on a few days notice can get a seat even if the flight or hotel is full. Someone loses, but that is not because of my partner. It is the choice of a business seeking to maximize profits.

Centurion has gotten me into other restaurants where a direct call could not. It has found me tickets to a hot play. Even though I do not fly enough to earn gold on three airlines, it gets me that status.

Elite means I board faster and get overhead space. If you are not elite, you wait longer and have less chance at overhead space. Fair? Seems fair to me.

You list no elite status in hotels or airlines so maybe you resent people who have status. If so, stew away because status is a fact of life. And status exists because it is good business and will likely continue.

Now I do not use Centurion status for show. I rarely ever use my Centurion card for charges. But I enjoy the paid for benefits.

Hope your day is going better.

Like I said, I didn't complain, and I noted in my posting that I was happy to get in. But it was clear that the people "on the floor" in the restaurant did not know anything about the method or means by which I got in. The previous poster experienced otherwise. All I'm wondering is why it was different.
I am not sure whether it was Centurion or the restaurant. I was greeted by name, the waiter also addressed me by name, the table was ok nothing special. I was not given any free drink or appetizer or anything.

In Chicago, one restraurant did welcome me as a Centurion guest once. Same in NYC about two years ago. In the past, after Centurion made a reservation, I'd get a confirming email and the morning of the reservation, a reminder. It would contain the name of the person at the restaurant who had taken the reservation. This time, not even a confirming email -- but the reservation was made just hours before dinner.

It is a nice service. Centurion's success in getting short notice tables at popular NYC restaurants for me has been mixed. But usually it will come up with a good alternative.

I've enjoyed my membership. I sure hope it replaces Starwood Platinum with something special.

i have many people who use it at my store in Dallas and noone acts weird...
Im just puzzled to what the do....

I did notice that a few of the members the last couple weeks do not have the titanium card yet, they still have the plastic.... why?

i have many people who use it at my store in Dallas and noone acts weird...
Im just puzzled to what the do....

I did notice that a few of the members the last couple weeks do not have the titanium card yet, they still have the plastic.... why?


AMEX is taking their time to switch everybody over to Titanium. For instance, my dad is the primary on our account and he got titanium about 1.5 months ago, but I still have plastic. When i called to inquire, they said by the end of the year everybody should have a new card.

Hmmmm,

I've had bad experiences with the Amex Concierge. I haven't used them for restaurant reservations. I have tried using them for Hotel reversions with HORRIBLE successes

It seems they can never pull in a room if the hotel is sold-out (even their FHR hotels)..

Just last week I tried to reserve a hotel room at Wynn Las Vegas and was told by my travel consoler that they were booked.. I told her to work the AMEX magic and call to see if they could accommodate an Amex VIP.. To my surprise, they couldn’t' get me a freaking room at the hotel. You would figure Amex would have some type of relationship with these hotels. Apparently not.