2018 Has anyone actually received an Centurion Card invite?
Feb 7, 2018, 6:13 pm
#61
Join Date: Feb 2018
Posts: 3
I currently live in NYC but am originally from HK. Been in NYC since Nov 2016. I did provide bank account details to AMEX for the opening of both the Plat and Cent, because they asked for it, and I’m happy to do so since I think it tends to improve one’s chances if there’s some money in it.
I’m not sure why some people claim that they are big spenders and haven’t been picked up by the system yet (sometimes, authenticity of such claims is dubious), perhaps it’s also a matter of many other factors. All I can say is I got it after 6 months of high expenditure, and that it isn’t related to any business spending. And from my experience, the two factors determining your chances of getting the Cent is 1) high expenditure (min. 250k USD++) and 2) strong financial status in your bank ac [and decent credit rating, but not of paramount importance I guess]
I’m not sure why some people claim that they are big spenders and haven’t been picked up by the system yet (sometimes, authenticity of such claims is dubious), perhaps it’s also a matter of many other factors. All I can say is I got it after 6 months of high expenditure, and that it isn’t related to any business spending. And from my experience, the two factors determining your chances of getting the Cent is 1) high expenditure (min. 250k USD++) and 2) strong financial status in your bank ac [and decent credit rating, but not of paramount importance I guess]
Feb 7, 2018, 11:56 pm
#62
Join Date: Mar 2017
Posts: 153
Love your Nautilus, though if I'm not mistaken, it's quite possible to get the solid gold models at authorized dealers, and probably the stainless steel chronos. The stainless steel time/date watch is very difficult to obtain. Of course, it doesn't mean your model isn't nicer (I think it is). I heard all list prices on these are going up 20% on March 1.
My own opinion is that AMEX "follows the money" and doesn't really care whether you buy particular luxury items at particular dealers. Perhaps they use it as indicia you have large disposable income and you will be an ongoing profitable customer. They make good money on luxury travel you book with them (air, but more so, cruises and land tours) and my guess is that type of spend would put you on a faster path to get this card.
My own opinion is that AMEX "follows the money" and doesn't really care whether you buy particular luxury items at particular dealers. Perhaps they use it as indicia you have large disposable income and you will be an ongoing profitable customer. They make good money on luxury travel you book with them (air, but more so, cruises and land tours) and my guess is that type of spend would put you on a faster path to get this card.
Feb 8, 2018, 12:48 pm
#63
Join Date: Mar 2009
Location: PHX
Programs: HHonors Lifetime Diamond, UA Million Miler Gold, Marriott Platinum
Posts: 1,142
I do not read it as him telling you to use multiple cards. I read it as him saying dump the Amex all together and put the spend on a card with more valuable rewards than MR. Chase quickly comes to mind
Feb 8, 2018, 12:52 pm
#64
Join Date: Mar 2009
Location: PHX
Programs: HHonors Lifetime Diamond, UA Million Miler Gold, Marriott Platinum
Posts: 1,142
Feb 8, 2018, 2:23 pm
#65
Join Date: Feb 2018
Programs: Amex Biz Centurion, Marriot Lifetime Plat, Hyatt Globalist, Hilton Diamond
Posts: 6
Amex has been our business engine for years. Back in 2006, we started w a Green Business card and got platinum within a year. Our spend was averaging $500k-$700k a year (Air, Hotel and Car Rentals) and was invited for Centurion in 2008. I sold the business on 2012 and closed all the Amex cards including personals.New owners went w Wells Fargo - Back then we were also invited to be one of the 1st to get the "Plum" card as an invite back in 2008 and we used that more than the centurion. Back then the Centurion had so many benefits but as everyone knows, it has gone down....Fast forward to 2015 - I started a new business and have been steadily putting back the charges when we applied for the Amex Business Gold. They offered platinum at first but we stuck w gold. After 6 months, they called and said No fee Platinum and we took it. Last year a rep called me and invited me to Centurion and I said "no" - don't need it as Platinum was working. He brought up that they really looked at my past history and noticed that I am building a business again and would love to offer the fee at my old rate - $2500. Of course pending financial background, they would let me know it turned out. I said "why not"...This week we received it....
Feb 8, 2018, 2:25 pm
#66
Join Date: Sep 2017
Posts: 26
just like any relationship...it doesn't have to make sense on paper, just make sense to both parties...
Feb 8, 2018, 2:29 pm
#67
Join Date: Feb 2018
Programs: Amex Biz Centurion, Marriot Lifetime Plat, Hyatt Globalist, Hilton Diamond
Posts: 6
Its what's they said as well. We use to pay w a Chase card for all of our travel but when we got Plat Biz and they offered the bonus points using Amex Travel and stopped Chase - I told my office to book everything through Amex Travel IF IT MADE SENSES ...lol sometimes they are higher..So currently, 95% of our AIR and HOTEL is booked in their website.
Feb 9, 2018, 3:25 pm
#68
Join Date: Jan 2018
Posts: 4
So how did Stephen Liao get one (google Tai Lopez Credit) within 1 year of starting establishing credit? He says he is 20, college drop out had a 500-something credit score about a year ago and now has a Centurion card - among his 200+ credit cards acquired over that same year? 
Feb 9, 2018, 3:37 pm
#69
Join Date: Feb 2018
Programs: Amex Biz Centurion, Marriot Lifetime Plat, Hyatt Globalist, Hilton Diamond
Posts: 6
I dont' know how Stephen Liao got it...All I know is we were not expecting it on the 2nd go round....we only really used the Amex to gain the bonus points and we were not expecting the Centurion. It came in via UPS and had to be signed by me only...The box looked like a pizza box and made me hungry...lol. I had to go through several phone verification to activate it and the paperwork was hidden underneath the card. To be honest, it was too much box for just a card...=)
Came in a pizza box type....=) shipped via UPS First AM Priority
Fancy card holder and paperwork tucked in underneath.
Came in a pizza box type....=) shipped via UPS First AM Priority
Fancy card holder and paperwork tucked in underneath.
Feb 11, 2018, 4:45 pm
#70
Join Date: Jun 2015
Programs: UA GS, Amex Centurion
Posts: 33
It took me 12+ years of $250k+ spending on my personal Platinum, and numerous requests, to finally receive an invite to Centurion. About two years in, I have been pretty happy. Our RM has been great and been very helpful with hard to get dining requests. I’ve had a few instances where she has gotten a reservation in Vegas during a convention (literally 30 minutes before I wanted to dine) or at very popular restaurants in NYC. We also get significant value out of the Hertz Platinum service and it is nice to have Delta Platinum (I’m a United GS flyer) when I need to fly on Delta. The WOW promotions are kind of random and not always easy to use.
However, to underscore previous comments, the card isn’t life changing. In fact, I find myself putting travel and dining spend on my J.P. Morgan Reserve card for the 3x points. All in, I am a happy cardholder, but I wish it had comparable dining or travel point promos (airfare 5x isn’t too helpful since I already accumulate plenty of miles).
However, to underscore previous comments, the card isn’t life changing. In fact, I find myself putting travel and dining spend on my J.P. Morgan Reserve card for the 3x points. All in, I am a happy cardholder, but I wish it had comparable dining or travel point promos (airfare 5x isn’t too helpful since I already accumulate plenty of miles).
Feb 12, 2018, 8:35 am
#71
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Feb 2003
Location: New York, NY
Programs: BAEC Gold, Delta Platinum, Hilton Diamond, Marriott Gold, AMEX Platinum (US)
Posts: 18,487
So how did Stephen Liao get one (google Tai Lopez Credit) within 1 year of starting establishing credit? He says he is 20, college drop out had a 500-something credit score about a year ago and now has a Centurion card - among his 200+ credit cards acquired over that same year?
The young kid seemed pretty switched on but the guy intereviewing him...what a prat...for someone who has the Centurion he really mangled the pronunciation horribly...then started rabbiting on an unrelated tangent about he paid "a lot of money" (which was then updated to $40k) to charter a Gulfstream IV from LA when he was invited to speak at Harvard. The kid was only trying to say about how he got JetSmarter trial membership because he had more than 1 million MR points.
Feb 13, 2018, 5:42 pm
#72
Join Date: Dec 2016
Programs: DL DM, UA MM, Hyatt Globalist, Marriott Titanium, Hertz Plat, Hilton Diamond
Posts: 97
Then again, they didn’t provide much warning when they cut Platinums from 50% to 35% so I suppose they could cut it at anytime.
Feb 15, 2018, 11:12 pm
#73
Join Date: Dec 2006
Posts: 333
To continue to add a data point, I ended 2017 with my highest spend ever on my personal Plat. At least 50% of the spend was luxury.
Still no invite.
Marching onward with similar spend into 2018, now onto year 7 of trying to get this card.
Still no invite.
Marching onward with similar spend into 2018, now onto year 7 of trying to get this card.
Feb 16, 2018, 12:34 am
#74
Join Date: Jan 2013
Location: Hawai'i Nei
Programs: Au: UA, Marriott, Hilton; GE
Posts: 7,141
Just curious, and a serious question for you and others who aspire to the Cent.: Does the aspiration cause you to spend more than you would normally?
Feb 16, 2018, 12:37 am
#75
Join Date: Dec 2006
Posts: 333
Though some spend that I might have put on a different card for better rewards does end up going to my Amex Plat because of this. It's a very low amount however.