Originally Posted by seacarl

Sorry that I haven't visited this forum since your question. I had the Centurion card for more than ten years, maybe 15. I'm not much into using spending to show off. Originally it was the elite status benefits at airlines (USAir, CO, DL) hotels (SPG Plat, Hilton Diamond) that got me. I can't remember whether Hertz Platinum was always part of it or came later, but the Hertz Platinum pickup and drop off were cool when offered.

I never experienced any difference if I paid with the Centurion card vs any other card at any hotel or retailer. Maybe it would have made a difference if I had set something up with a concierge. Generally I didn't find that the Centurion hotel program offered enough benefits to warrant paying the rack rate vs.the discounted rates that might have been available. And probably I just don't buy enough Birkin and luxury goods.

There really didn't seem to be enough concrete benefit vs. perceived benefit. At the same time the product was even inferior to the Platinum card in terms of points awarded... And the cost went up. And the benefit are not relevant if you live in a city without Equinox and Saks.

And it didn't seem like Amex really cared. I did get miffed when they spent their time and energy explaining to me that they weren't going to reimburse the $50 Nexus (which includes $100 Global Entry) instead of reimbursing the $100 Global Entry. That made me understand that their management was never going to make sensible decisions about Centurion members, just apply rote policies. It wasn't worth the fee if that would be the experience.