No Centurion offer after 10m+ annual spend and $5m in Amex savings account?
Nov 30, 2018, 10:43 am
#61
Join Date: Apr 2018
Programs: Marriott Ambassador/United 1K
Posts: 68
Nov 30, 2018, 11:12 am
#62
Join Date: May 2000
Location: Seattle, WA
Programs: Various
Posts: 2,155
Not surer what you consider flashy but I'm just placing an educated guess that out of 100 people 99 won't know what the JPM Reserve Card is and just disregard it as a common CC (material is irrelevant, there are tons of metal cards out there by now).
On the other hand I bet that out of a 100 at least 40 know what a Black Amex is and associate it with wealth -> Flashy. No matter what you get the Centurion to make extra money off it and rape the benefits of the card, not to pay with it at In N Out and hope the associate notices what card you use. Most transactions nowadays are online or Apple Pay anyway.
On the other hand I bet that out of a 100 at least 40 know what a Black Amex is and associate it with wealth -> Flashy. No matter what you get the Centurion to make extra money off it and rape the benefits of the card, not to pay with it at In N Out and hope the associate notices what card you use. Most transactions nowadays are online or Apple Pay anyway.
Nov 30, 2018, 1:56 pm
#63
Join Date: Sep 2015
Location: SFO
Posts: 3,878
My neighbor is a pro athlete in a major sport. Recently signed a 8 digit deal over a few years. Definitely does not spend as lavishly as what you might see on TMZ, and I doubt he spends $1M+ annually. He was invited for a Centurion.
ETA: He didn't request it.
ETA: He didn't request it.
Nov 30, 2018, 3:34 pm
#64
Join Date: Jan 2013
Location: Hawai'i Nei
Programs: Au: UA, Marriott, Hilton; GE
Posts: 7,132
You definitely are incorrect that it is regarded as a common metal card. Probably 30-40% of the time I hand it over, there is a comment about the unusual weight of the card. I tend to get the weight comments at lower-end places, and I can't think of a time that the card resulted in a comment at a high-end restaurant or hotel.
Recently at a family-oriented restaurant we frequent, the owner's adult son ---who has taken my JPMR numerous times--couldn't help himself from gushing over the card. In conversation, he said he's seen a number of Centurion cards, but never a JPMR. From the affect he displayed, he thought it quite "special."
Nov 30, 2018, 3:46 pm
#65
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Aug 2009
Location: ZOA, SFO, HKG
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Nov 30, 2018, 11:57 pm
#66
Join Date: Sep 2016
Posts: 87
You may be correct about 99% not knowing what the JPM card is. I like the fact that the JPMR is not well-known.
You definitely are incorrect that it is regarded as a common metal card. Probably 30-40% of the time I hand it over, there is a comment about the unusual weight of the card. I tend to get the weight comments at lower-end places, and I can't think of a time that the card resulted in a comment at a high-end restaurant or hotel.
Recently at a family-oriented restaurant we frequent, the owner's adult son ---who has taken my JPMR numerous times--couldn't help himself from gushing over the card. In conversation, he said he's seen a number of Centurion cards, but never a JPMR. From the affect he displayed, he thought it quite "special."
You definitely are incorrect that it is regarded as a common metal card. Probably 30-40% of the time I hand it over, there is a comment about the unusual weight of the card. I tend to get the weight comments at lower-end places, and I can't think of a time that the card resulted in a comment at a high-end restaurant or hotel.
Recently at a family-oriented restaurant we frequent, the owner's adult son ---who has taken my JPMR numerous times--couldn't help himself from gushing over the card. In conversation, he said he's seen a number of Centurion cards, but never a JPMR. From the affect he displayed, he thought it quite "special."
Dec 1, 2018, 2:18 pm
#67
Join Date: Jul 2001
Location: New York
Programs: Bonvoy LifetimeTitanium, UA Plat 2MM, LHW LeadersClub, IHGPlat, HiltonDiamnd, ASMVPG100K, WyndDiamnd
Posts: 1,227
Citi Private Bank and a Citi Prestige card is great too, especially with 5X restaurants coming next month.
I agree with the earlier poster that you should write to the CEO. Send it FedEx and see what happens. If nothing, after moving some of my charges to JPM, I would tell Amex you will be moving the rest unless.
Further, if I were you, I would be putting my money in 90-day T-Bills. Fully government "insured". State/local tax benefits depending where you live. As liquid as anything. Also, many brokers let you buy them and/or trade them for free.
Dec 6, 2018, 12:40 pm
#68
Join Date: Feb 2014
Location: PHL, LHR
Posts: 219
I wonder if Amex approaches the invites similarly to how a prestigious University approaches its acceptance of applicants. They want to build a diverse class of students from all sorts of places, backgrounds, walks of life, etc. to boast a unique, multicultural, diverse experience to those who enroll. Harvard can't just let in a bunch of white kids from the suburbs who aced their SATs. Is it the same with Centurion? It just can't be all Wall Street/Hollywood types b/c they have crazy high spends at high profile luxury restaurants and hotels, etc otherwise it'd just be a bunch of Angelenos and New Yorkers, right? And then, in those circles, it loses a bit of its prestige and, for almost everywhere else, it's completely irrelevant - neither of which is good. So I'd guess that they'd want people who fit some particular categories but maybe hail from RDU and Memphis and Omaha and Boise - a cultivated selection of folks in different places in different occupations w/ different types of spends to ensure that the card maintains its prestige and visibility - a far more effective marketing/promotional strategy for a card that's not really "advertised."
Dec 6, 2018, 12:50 pm
#69
Join Date: Apr 2018
Programs: Marriott Ambassador/United 1K
Posts: 68
Dec 6, 2018, 1:57 pm
#70
Join Date: Jul 2012
Location: RDU
Programs: DL(PM), UA(Silver), AA(EXP) Marriott(Ti), HH(Gold), Hertz(PC)
Posts: 2,650
I wonder if Amex approaches the invites similarly to how a prestigious University approaches its acceptance of applicants. They want to build a diverse class of students from all sorts of places, backgrounds, walks of life, etc. to boast a unique, multicultural, diverse experience to those who enroll. Harvard can't just let in a bunch of white kids from the suburbs who aced their SATs. Is it the same with Centurion? It just can't be all Wall Street/Hollywood types b/c they have crazy high spends at high profile luxury restaurants and hotels, etc otherwise it'd just be a bunch of Angelenos and New Yorkers, right? And then, in those circles, it loses a bit of its prestige and, for almost everywhere else, it's completely irrelevant - neither of which is good. So I'd guess that they'd want people who fit some particular categories but maybe hail from RDU and Memphis and Omaha and Boise - a cultivated selection of folks in different places in different occupations w/ different types of spends to ensure that the card maintains its prestige and visibility - a far more effective marketing/promotional strategy for a card that's not really "advertised."
Dec 7, 2018, 3:22 am
#71
Suspended
Join Date: Jul 2001
Location: Watchlisted by the prejudiced, en route to purgatory
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A number of professional major sport athletes with the Centurion card are additional users on the Centurion accounts of others — such as on the accounts of sports agents, financial managers, a teammate, some other acquaintance, or some lifestyle assistants.
Dec 8, 2018, 10:11 pm
#72
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Jun 2006
Location: IAD/DCA
Posts: 31,797
can be unfortunate that amex is the only charge card, and they know it
should probably set up charitable foundation (up to to 50% of income)
some real estate is pretty secure as long as insured against damages.
and even if not things like stock (though some seem good value right now) can always look at majority stakes in businesses especially if any would 'merge' although i imagine many owners simply reinvest everything into business
possible best CDARS are only offered when part of a larger whole
tiaabank.com/banking/cdars
bankrate.com/financing/investing/cdars-protects-your-money-but-what-about-the-cd-rates/
some here do spend a ton on primary residence including manhattan rentals (while others spend literally exclusively on travel and dining and 'nothing' else)
coincidentally, today i was looking at real estate records for a multi billionaire who lives very modestly in terms of primary residence, they have so far bought two adjacent houses (and torn them down) to their single family home, which they have lived in for a very long time without making any substantial improvements (no tax assessment jump)
then i was looking at records for someone who made almost $100m on an asset sale, seems they had a house built that they now have on market for $10m
edit >
one possible thing would be to look at international dollar card , depending on how membership rewards program and benefits compare to american card
not sure where management of the international cards is based
Last edited by Kagehitokiri; Dec 9, 2018 at 1:57 pm
Dec 9, 2018, 4:27 am
#73
Suspended
Join Date: Jul 2007
Programs: United GS+
Posts: 1,889
At its prime, the travel insurance policy was enough to justify to the $2800 annual fee. That insurance program is gone and the annual fee has increased again. The 100k bonus MR after $100k annual spend is also gone.
There is no purchase protection, charge dispute resolution is horrendious, there are no bonus MR categories, and there is a forex fee.
Dec 9, 2018, 1:54 pm
#74
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Jun 2006
Location: IAD/DCA
Posts: 31,797
not available to USA answers that, thanks, seems many have cut from prime
btw to add to commentary in prior posts incl mine, US IRS added new way to defer taxes on capital gains (and a few other benefits) : "opportunity zones"
btw to add to commentary in prior posts incl mine, US IRS added new way to defer taxes on capital gains (and a few other benefits) : "opportunity zones"
Dec 10, 2018, 12:36 am
#75
Join Date: Dec 2017
Location: IN, US
Programs: Mariott SE, HH, SPG SE, LT S, 9W BP
Posts: 63
I’m a former IDC Centurion member. I would not recommend that card to anyone. It’s also not available to USA residents.
At its prime, the travel insurance policy was enough to justify to the $2800 annual fee. That insurance program is gone and the annual fee has increased again. The 100k bonus MR after $100k annual spend is also gone.
There is no purchase protection, charge dispute resolution is horrendious, there are no bonus MR categories, and there is a forex fee.
At its prime, the travel insurance policy was enough to justify to the $2800 annual fee. That insurance program is gone and the annual fee has increased again. The 100k bonus MR after $100k annual spend is also gone.
There is no purchase protection, charge dispute resolution is horrendious, there are no bonus MR categories, and there is a forex fee.