Originally Posted by wtsuppr415

I'll bite and reply to you and the other folks essentially saying it is only egotistical narcissists who would go for the card, as I think you are oversimplifying it way too much.

There are 3 reasons you would want the Centurion card: ego, the gold star effect, and value.

Ego
This is the obvious reason and also what draws a lot of the snide comments. People like to show off their bling, and they tie their self worth into what other people think of them. The card, especially the personal one plays right into this. I personally find it a bit gross, but I also realize that ALL people have an ego. In fact, to say you have no ego is perhaps the most egotistical thing you can say period, as it implies you have somehow transcended being human. So, I give that retort to the snide comment makers who are trying to make the implication that they are so above it all while simultaneously engaging with me in this thread. I will admit that my ego is involved here to the extent that I generally come across as so understated when people try to peacock me I get an involuntary smile by being able to send the message that "not all rich people are flashy douche bags like you."

Gold Star Effect
This is related to the above, but not exactly. If you have little kids, or just think back to elementary school, you understand how you can reward behavior through gamification. People like to win games. It doesn't matter if the prize is empty. It doesn't even necessarily matter if you get to share your trophy with the world. You might think this is a little kid phenomena, but we never out grow it. The awards you can win just become more "important" by whatever societal definition you go by. I recently watched a video of a pole vaulter winning a world record. The guy was so elated that he jumped higher than anyone else in the world. He won. But practically, the accomplishment was useless. How helpful is it to be able to jump high? He almost quite literally was jumping through hoops to win a prize. I am not saying this to diminish his accomplishment - we are all dead in the end, so by all means, make your own meaning in life. I don't say that snarkily. Getting a Centurion card is no different. For me, I started as a broke college student buying beer for parties on my credit card to earn points. It became a game. I realize it is a meaningless game, but still fun to play, and in some ways, this would be like winning a game for me. I also play stupid video games, and I need to beat them, even if I won't ever tell a soul about my achievement.

Value
It is not true that the card is overpriced if used properly. I am extremely confident I would get the fee paid back over many times. Just one simple example - the Centurion card AFAIK still has the 50% rebate on point travel for first/biz class tickets or any class on your designated airline. I spend at least 1-2 million points a year on travel. Platinum only has a 35% rebate. That means I will be getting back an extra 150-300k points over my Platinum card. That alone is worth far more than the fee. And I also use Delta quite a bit but not enough to maintain status, so the platinum status there also pays for it. I also bet they are more helpful on the item protection warranty than for Platinum holders. I just had an $1000 washing machine break, and I would have really liked to have a dedicated rep do the paperwork for me. So, the simple algebra does pencil out, especially for a cheap person like me.