Bazz

Axel1, whilst I see where your coming from, I think it somewhat misleading to lump all the supplementary cards together when arriving at Centurion numbers. Better to count just the account holder and supplementary black card holder as these are the only Centurions in the pack.

As for obtaining a Centurion, it does differ from country to country, in the UK unlike unlike the US (from the posts here) there does not appear to be a spending threshold that you have to achieve. I asked to be invited (very politely) and, whilst my spend on my Plat was reasonable it was not outstanding, a few months later the black invite arrived. I think I was Plat for only nine months. I have been an Amex member since 1978 though, with no bad payment history and I'm sure that helped.

------------------
Bazz
Still Flying

ThWilmesi

I can only support this statement from Bazz, in Germany there is also no spending requirement, I got also politely invited the same way as Bazz

ahrz

This discussion is totally off topic (sorry for this), and a little bit "déja vu" here, but these values are unrealistic.

Your source is the amount of Amex magazines sent, but :

Each Centurion cardholder (means holders of the black card, not the other supplementary Plat/Gold/Green) get a free Centurion magazine with the black cover.

The same magazine (with at least 98% the same contents except specific Centurion/Platinum info) is offered to Platinum main cardholders (with a grey cover). The amount of magazines shipped is the total of Centurion (main + suppl. black holders) AND Platinum (main holders) magazines.


That's not correct. Only the black cards issued on the account get the Centurion benefits. The Plat/Gold/Green cards get only the insurance benefits, and access to the Centurion service. No hotel benefits, no upgrades, no Priority Pass, etc.

In Germany, it's possible to get more supplementary black cards with full benefits for €500 each.

RichardMannion

My my it really is Deja Vu.

Yes Centurion is not as exclusive as its made out to be by the media - even some monkey like I can get one. The point is that AmEx do very little advertising about the card, and the media start making up their own nonsense about the cards and its exclusivity and it spreads. I've read some absolutely hilarious claims and comments about it. AmEx doesn't care as they are getting free advertising.

Its just a card, it won't change your life! For each person its a different thing, some see it as a useful tool for their day to day activities, some get it as part of their Private banking arrangement, and then they are those that get it just for the so-called status. Its the latter and those that think it will change their life that are the ones that will be sorely disappointed and are most likely to complain and spout off to the media. I've had my account now for 2.5 years, and find it (in conjunction with the benefits) to be a useful tool for me and my family.

On the figures provided, what we can deduce is that there are about 16,500 Centurion Accounts, which will mean there are potentially up to 3 times that many actual Black Centurion cards (Basic, A.C and Primary Supplementray). That figure sounds about right, its a very similar figure in the UK.

AS for requirments, who know its all in the Ether of AmEx by country. I've heard the $150k figure a lot for the US, the UK is different and you can do an extensive search of info on this.

Thanks,
Richard

ahrz

That's really a strange story with the Centurion card : only people who don't have one think that it's a "status card".

All Centurion cardholders know that it's a useful tool when travelling. Nothing more or less.

Richard, I'd rather describe as "monkeys" all those guys who get a Centurion card for "status" and drop it after a few months when they realize that really nobody cares (and then explain in hundreds of posts how heroic it was to cancel a card they feel is not worth the annual fee anymore )

RichardMannion

Good point, monkeys is the correct term there. I could edit my original post and say 'even a little boy like me can get one'.

Tying your post up though, I have witnessed a UK Centurion Card holder think that it entitles him to extra status when travelling and attempted to use the Upper Class check-in at LHR for Virgin Atlantic. Poor lamb, he was terribly upset when put in his place and possibly even more upset when he saw the little boy also had one of those passe plastic luggage tags on too

Thanks,
Richard

Jamoldo

FYI

I dont know a ton about AMEX Centurion, except that its a lot of money and that there are lots of services given. What I do know is that Cal Ripken's wife and I presume, Cal Ripken... carries it.

pod

If you meet the spending thresholds for the US Centurion Card, who do you make an inquiry to? If you ask Platinum Customer Service, does this get noted on your account? Or is there a specific place to send a request for consideration?

Doppy

Do you even have any use for it? Even putting the $2500 fee aside, I don't think I'd get much benefit out of the card.

You could call your card's customer service number and tell them.

Otherwise, if you search the archives in this forum, I believe someone has posted an 877 number that you can call to apply.

d

Ex Amex Card

Do you not see that Amex have a carefully planned strategy of encouraging misleading stories in the media by providing vague details but offering few hard facts. You will read more hard facts about the benefits of the card on this forum than you will ever get out of Amex.

Of course, if they are challenged about the hard details of the actual benefits they can just hide behind their haughty statements that the card is "Not For Everyone (TM)" and point out that IF you are lucky enough to be invited then the benefits will be fully explained in the invitation pack.

Very clever marketing, but I'm afraid that the emperor has no clothes.

axel1

Very well said, Ex Amex Card!!!!!!!!!!

I would like to hear more "FACTS" rather than "MYTHS" about this company, which is obviously lying to its own customers and the medias.

Even though it might hit a few people in their ivory towers, but the numbers for the german cards, have been confirmed to me by Amex-employees.

Bazz

Your methods for arriving at total numbers, including supplementary and additional cards, may well be correct, but don't refer to them all as Centurions, they are not!

------------------
Bazz
Still Flying

[This message has been edited by Bazz (edited Jan 16, 2004).]

NickW

Angry, much, are we?

Personally, I've never had any communication from American Express that's indicated anything quantitative about Centurion cardmembership in the UK or worldwide.

I think it's very kind for you to be angry on behalf of us poor Centurion cardmembers, but actually I think most of us are probably quite happy.

DJ_Iceman

I travel a LOT and would appreciate those added benefits over what platinum offers. I'd also like a taste of the lifestyle offered by the card, such as invitations to exclusive events I otherwise wouldn't even know about, etc. And yes, I'm one of those monkeys who likes the idea of the STATUS afforded by carrying an exclusive black card around.



------------------
CO plat, UA prem; Marriott plat, Hyatt plat, Hilton gold, Starwood gold, Fairmont gold; Avis select, Hertz 5-star, all the others base level...

Doppy

It looks like you've already got all the elite memberships for hotels and airlines that you'd get anyways, so I'm not sure what you'd get additionally, save the status part of carrying the black card, and the "invitations" (which I'm not too optimistic about being good).

And a good travel agent can get you all the standard stuff - hotel upgrades, 2 for 1 first/business tickets, etc.

d