Centurion DL Platinum Medallion status changes from "earned" to "complimentary" 2015
Oct 12, 2014, 2:47 am
#31
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Feb 1999
Location: Seat 1A, Juice pretty much everywhere, Mucci des Coins Exotiques
Posts: 34,339
Yes. I often get a Porsche, Mercedes or BMW when reserving a cheap compact. The minimum I've gotten has been an Audi or Volvo. Plus you get to cut in line at the counter at many airports.
Oct 12, 2014, 4:34 am
#32
Join Date: Jun 2004
Posts: 3,774
I need to send in my Platinum application and will try the first rental in February in Orlando (SFB). Hoping for an excellent upgrade.
Oct 12, 2014, 4:59 am
#33
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Feb 1999
Location: Seat 1A, Juice pretty much everywhere, Mucci des Coins Exotiques
Posts: 34,339
I only rented once in the US as Platinum and was disappointed because I chose the VIP curbside service. It sounds good and it is convenient, but you've eliminated your option of choosing your own car. IME in the US it's best to go to the lot and see what they have.
However in France for example, they always have a nice Merc or BMW waiting for me.
Oct 27, 2014, 7:04 pm
#37
Join Date: Jul 2000
Location: New York NY 10021
Programs: Delta PM
Posts: 30
Delta status through Centurion card reduced to "complementary"
I got my Centurion statement today and was amazed to read that the Delta Platinum status is being reduced. No mileage bonus at all and no choice benefits until you fly 8 segments on Delta. I really believed (naively I know) that Centurion would enhance Delta benefits to Diamond since US Airways is going away. Unless they add something valuable I am definitely cancelling the card.
Oct 30, 2014, 11:44 am
#38
Join Date: Jan 2004
Location: Louisville, KY, USA
Posts: 2,583
It is getting harder to justify. But I'll wait until I see what the 2015 package entails.
The Hertz benefit is nice. I recently rented an Avalon for two days and three hours paying for just the two days and the car was a substantial upgrade.
COMPLAINT -- the auto insurance is secondary coverage. I had to pay with a different credit card or pay $25 +/- to get primary coverage. With secondary any claim impacts your personal coverage and likely will cause a rate increase.
My Delta miles are all but useless for international travel. late spring I am going to Spain. Delta was 325k miles each for business class. Air Canada a little better. American had business class for 100k and First Class for 125k miles.
My Centurion Agent was a great help in getting the two seats. Amex points do not transfer to American (yuck) but do to British Airways. I had an American Express Starwood card (my favorite) and those points did transfer so I booked through American Airlines and took the first class seats.
The Hertz benefit is nice. I recently rented an Avalon for two days and three hours paying for just the two days and the car was a substantial upgrade.
COMPLAINT -- the auto insurance is secondary coverage. I had to pay with a different credit card or pay $25 +/- to get primary coverage. With secondary any claim impacts your personal coverage and likely will cause a rate increase.
My Delta miles are all but useless for international travel. late spring I am going to Spain. Delta was 325k miles each for business class. Air Canada a little better. American had business class for 100k and First Class for 125k miles.
My Centurion Agent was a great help in getting the two seats. Amex points do not transfer to American (yuck) but do to British Airways. I had an American Express Starwood card (my favorite) and those points did transfer so I booked through American Airlines and took the first class seats.
Oct 30, 2014, 6:37 pm
#39
Suspended
Join Date: Jun 2001
Location: DCA or IAD (originally DUB)
Programs: UA 1K 1.8MM, Hertz PC, Marriott Platinum/Lifetime Gold
Posts: 7,657
Can I suggest you keep your expectations in check with regard to Platinum upgrades at Hertz. Both Prestige and DREAM Collection vehicles are beyond the scope of the program. That is not to say you may not be upgraded to a Prestige vehicle. But do NOT expect to rent a compact and drive off gratis in a Porsche or a Range Rover. That is simply not going to happen. Yes, there are nice upgrades: I've gone from a midsize to a new Mercedes E350 at PHX. I've also received a Range Rover when renting a BMW 5 series in DUB. But I've also had no upgrade at CLT and RDU. The four-hour grace period at the end of a rental is a very good benefit.
Jan 13, 2015, 11:54 am
#40
Join Date: Jun 2004
Posts: 3,774
Can I suggest you keep your expectations in check with regard to Platinum upgrades at Hertz. Both Prestige and DREAM Collection vehicles are beyond the scope of the program. That is not to say you may not be upgraded to a Prestige vehicle. But do NOT expect to rent a compact and drive off gratis in a Porsche or a Range Rover. That is simply not going to happen. Yes, there are nice upgrades: I've gone from a midsize to a new Mercedes E350 at PHX. I've also received a Range Rover when renting a BMW 5 series in DUB. But I've also had no upgrade at CLT and RDU. The four-hour grace period at the end of a rental is a very good benefit.
I would never rent a compact. We usually reserve a full-size because we would not wish to drive anything smaller while on vacation in the U.S. so generally reserve the smallest car we wish to drive even if we get no upgrade.
With Avis President's Club, for a while we rented mid-size and would often be upgraded to premium. Once we jumped from mid-size to full-size on our pre-reserved car, we were often upgraded to a luxury or specialty vehicle.
I understand that the Hertz upgrades are also defined to be within their standard vehicle range based on availability and don't include the Dream or Prestige collections.
We'll give Hertz a try for our next rental now that we have Platinum membership and see what happens.
Jan 20, 2015, 5:06 pm
#41
Join Date: May 2002
Location: Arizona
Posts: 5,689
I picked regional upgrades for 2014 and used them with many problems and now this pops up which does not make sense and has me wondering if I need to fly 8 segments prior to Feb 28, 2015 to get a 2015 choice benefit.
<<Members that received complimentary 2014 Diamond or Platinum Medallion status must fly a minimum of 14 or 8 Delta-marketed and -operated flight segments, respectively, between the date the complimentary status was awarded and February 28, 2015.>>
<<Members that received complimentary 2014 Diamond or Platinum Medallion status must fly a minimum of 14 or 8 Delta-marketed and -operated flight segments, respectively, between the date the complimentary status was awarded and February 28, 2015.>>
Jan 21, 2015, 7:42 am
#42
Join Date: Jan 2008
Posts: 662
I picked regional upgrades for 2014 and used them with many problems and now this pops up which does not make sense and has me wondering if I need to fly 8 segments prior to Feb 28, 2015 to get a 2015 choice benefit.
<<Members that received complimentary 2014 Diamond or Platinum Medallion status must fly a minimum of 14 or 8 Delta-marketed and -operated flight segments, respectively, between the date the complimentary status was awarded and February 28, 2015.>>
<<Members that received complimentary 2014 Diamond or Platinum Medallion status must fly a minimum of 14 or 8 Delta-marketed and -operated flight segments, respectively, between the date the complimentary status was awarded and February 28, 2015.>>
Your 2015 status will be counted as complimentary for the first time - odds are that you'll have to fly the minimum by the time you would have to choose your *2015* choice benefit (i.e. February 28, 2016).
Apr 4, 2015, 3:59 pm
#44
Join Date: Jan 2000
Posts: 3,026