Centurion card (USA) refresh. Some benefits removed/added. $5k annual fee.
Aug 14, 2020, 10:47 pm
#586
Join Date: Feb 2011
Location: Southern California
Programs: Alaska MVP 75K, Delta Plat, Bonvoy Ambasador, Hilton diamond.
Posts: 527
Relationship manager...hah!
As a plebe who occasionally enjoys reading these Centurion threads to see how the other side lives, the one thing that astonishes me about this is that it always seemed to me the most crucial premium benefit of the card was the dedicated relationship manager. Here on FT and elsewhere I've heard legendary rumors about what a good one can do. But now -- that benefit has been changed to a "team"? Some of whom are good and some who are terrible? How is this significantly different from the Platinum concierge?
Given my very low expectations of the Platinum concierge (basically, whenever I submit a request I am happy to get ANYTHING of value out of it, and more than half the time I've been very pleasantly surprised -- knowing, as I do, to avoid doing anything that involves Amex Travel, or trying to have the concierge do something that HAS to be done at a time certain, etc.)
Even if COVID weren't happening, with this devaluation of the relationship manager, is Centurion now just a smattering of credits and maybe some airline status that would be difficult to get otherwise?
Given my very low expectations of the Platinum concierge (basically, whenever I submit a request I am happy to get ANYTHING of value out of it, and more than half the time I've been very pleasantly surprised -- knowing, as I do, to avoid doing anything that involves Amex Travel, or trying to have the concierge do something that HAS to be done at a time certain, etc.)
Even if COVID weren't happening, with this devaluation of the relationship manager, is Centurion now just a smattering of credits and maybe some airline status that would be difficult to get otherwise?
I don’t know where these mythical centurion concierge or relationship manager stories come from. They are utter fiction unless you are Saudi royalty charging 8 or 9 figures a year. The concierge is good at spending your $$$ to complete low hanging fruit requests. That’s about it. Pretty sure it’s the same people who handle platinum requests out of Toronto. Anything beyond the basic they fall apart. The truth is you can usually accomplish the task quicker then the time to takes to call and for a lot less. Yes they can sometimes score you a reservation to an otherwise booked restaurant. It might be a thing in NYC? I guess if money is no object they can get stuff done, but so can hired help if you are in that rarified air.
I’ve had a relationship manager and you misunderstand what their reason for existence is. They are there to primarily encourage your spend through various American Express products. The “favors” on the side are just account servicing and fixing screwups. Its basically a sales role.
Any value in Centurion is long gone. Some of the charter members like myself are still around through nostalgia/hope it’ll turn around. I doubt Most would pay the $10K initiation fee as the card stands today.
...so yah, that’s how the other side “centurions” live...still plebs, well to do plebs, but still people who resent Amex for a $5k mandatory gym membership”.
Aug 14, 2020, 11:40 pm
#587
Join Date: Jul 2019
Location: Los Angeles, CA
Programs: American Express Platinum, Chase Sapphire Reserve
Posts: 619
The “other side” who hold centurion cards that participate on this form like myself are very much living like your side...The rest of centurion mostly don’t give a crap about ANY centurion benefits and likely don’t use them. Much like Warren Buffett the “other side” carries a green card or 1-2 cards issued by their private bank. Centurion is a product for “well to do” individuals, not the 0.1% the fables out on the interwebs spread. If a blogger like “tpg” can get a centurion card it should tell you everything.
I don’t know where these mythical centurion concierge or relationship manager stories come from. They are utter fiction unless you are Saudi royalty charging 8 or 9 figures a year. The concierge is good at spending your $$$ to complete low hanging fruit requests. That’s about it. Pretty sure it’s the same people who handle platinum requests out of Toronto. Anything beyond the basic they fall apart. The truth is you can usually accomplish the task quicker then the time to takes to call and for a lot less. Yes they can sometimes score you a reservation to an otherwise booked restaurant. It might be a thing in NYC? I guess if money is no object they can get stuff done, but so can hired help if you are in that rarified air.
I’ve had a relationship manager and you misunderstand what their reason for existence is. They are there to primarily encourage your spend through various American Express products. The “favors” on the side are just account servicing and fixing screwups. Its basically a sales role.
Any value in Centurion is long gone. Some of the charter members like myself are still around through nostalgia/hope it’ll turn around. I doubt Most would pay the $10K initiation fee as the card stands today.
...so yah, that’s how the other side “centurions” live...still plebs, well to do plebs, but still people who resent Amex for a $5k mandatory gym membership”.
I don’t know where these mythical centurion concierge or relationship manager stories come from. They are utter fiction unless you are Saudi royalty charging 8 or 9 figures a year. The concierge is good at spending your $$$ to complete low hanging fruit requests. That’s about it. Pretty sure it’s the same people who handle platinum requests out of Toronto. Anything beyond the basic they fall apart. The truth is you can usually accomplish the task quicker then the time to takes to call and for a lot less. Yes they can sometimes score you a reservation to an otherwise booked restaurant. It might be a thing in NYC? I guess if money is no object they can get stuff done, but so can hired help if you are in that rarified air.
I’ve had a relationship manager and you misunderstand what their reason for existence is. They are there to primarily encourage your spend through various American Express products. The “favors” on the side are just account servicing and fixing screwups. Its basically a sales role.
Any value in Centurion is long gone. Some of the charter members like myself are still around through nostalgia/hope it’ll turn around. I doubt Most would pay the $10K initiation fee as the card stands today.
...so yah, that’s how the other side “centurions” live...still plebs, well to do plebs, but still people who resent Amex for a $5k mandatory gym membership”.
But the whole point of the card it seems to me is to act as a marketing arm to get people to funnel spend through AmEx cards, but they seem to be focused on cost cutting, and that doesn’t fit the branding. The more this kind of thing gets out the less effective the branding exercise is. Seems shortsighted.
I make a comfortable living as a tech company exec but nothing like the spend rumored to be needed for this card, but without a dedicated RM it seems obvious this would not be worth it. I have been totally happy with my Platinum card, however; I maximize the credits each year (more difficult with COVID but they added some credits that put me over the edge) and I use the concierge for things they are good at; basically, restaurant recommendations and reservations. In that area my wife and I have had some great experiences, and compared to the Visa “Infinite” concierge there was no comparison - the Sapphire Reserve concierge has been much worse than just doing things on my own - but the Toronto team has pulled off some nice things for my wife and I on a number of occasions. Since the credits reduce the effective AF for me down to close to zero the lounge access and concierge and theft and warranty and return protection have all put me well ahead on that card.
Seems like the combination of increased fees and reduced service doesn’t bode well for the value prop of the Centurion card right now. Legends don’t last forever!
Last edited by synzero; Aug 14, 2020 at 11:48 pm
Aug 15, 2020, 7:42 am
#588
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Feb 1999
Location: Seat 1A, Juice pretty much everywhere, Mucci des Coins Exotiques
Posts: 34,339
I’ve had a relationship manager and you misunderstand what their reason for existence is. They are there to primarily encourage your spend through various American Express products. The “favors” on the side are just account servicing and fixing screwups. Its basically a sales role.
Any value in Centurion is long gone. Some of the charter members like myself are still around through nostalgia/hope it’ll turn around. I doubt Most would pay the $10K initiation fee as the card stands today.
...so yah, that’s how the other side “centurions” live...still plebs, well to do plebs, but still people who resent Amex for a $5k mandatory gym membership”.
Any value in Centurion is long gone. Some of the charter members like myself are still around through nostalgia/hope it’ll turn around. I doubt Most would pay the $10K initiation fee as the card stands today.
...so yah, that’s how the other side “centurions” live...still plebs, well to do plebs, but still people who resent Amex for a $5k mandatory gym membership”.
And I really appreciated and used the Equinox benefit, but COVID has killed that one off. I'm not sure when steam rooms and jacuzzi's will ever come back.
Aug 15, 2020, 12:28 pm
#589
Join Date: Jul 2019
Location: Los Angeles, CA
Programs: American Express Platinum, Chase Sapphire Reserve
Posts: 619
Wait, the account servicing and fixing screwups is a huge benefit. Have you ever tried to call Chase for servicing one of their Visa/MC cards? And I imagine that normal Amex card servicing isn't so great either. At least the Centurion customer service appears to care. This has always been the number one benefit for me.
And I really appreciated and used the Equinox benefit, but COVID has killed that one off. I'm not sure when steam rooms and jacuzzi's will ever come back.
And I really appreciated and used the Equinox benefit, but COVID has killed that one off. I'm not sure when steam rooms and jacuzzi's will ever come back.
The more I read this the more I'm realizing the plebeian Platinum already is pretty damn good as it is. With some weak spots: Amex Travel being the main one, relying on the concierge for anything that actually needs to happen rather than just things that would be nice if they come through, etc.
Aug 16, 2020, 8:36 pm
#590
Join Date: Feb 2011
Location: Southern California
Programs: Alaska MVP 75K, Delta Plat, Bonvoy Ambasador, Hilton diamond.
Posts: 527
A key thing that's being missed is that relationship managers are not exclusive to Centurion members. Anyone with significant spend can or has one. To reiterate, the primary role of a relationship manager is sales. I've not heard from a relationship manager in nearly 10 years, right around the time I shifted my charge activity around to other banks (mainly chase) for the bonus categories. For reference, low 7 figure spend will attract a relationship manager to reach out regardless of product. I don't think they even exist on the personal product side (someone who has one with a personal card please chime in).
The dedicated centurion team is just marketing "fluff" from my perspective.I don't think the Centurion rep team is all that large or has all that much turnover in some cases I think I've talked with some of these reps for 20 years. If there is a "dedicated" team assigned to me I've yet to hear from any of them.
The dedicated centurion team is just marketing "fluff" from my perspective.I don't think the Centurion rep team is all that large or has all that much turnover in some cases I think I've talked with some of these reps for 20 years. If there is a "dedicated" team assigned to me I've yet to hear from any of them.
Aug 17, 2020, 10:39 am
#591
Join Date: Jan 2000
Posts: 3,026
The “other side” who hold centurion cards that participate on this form like myself are very much living like your side...The rest of centurion mostly don’t give a crap about ANY centurion benefits and likely don’t use them. Much like Warren Buffett the “other side” carries a green card or 1-2 cards issued by their private bank. Centurion is a product for “well to do” individuals, not the 0.1% the fables out on the interwebs spread. If a blogger like “tpg” can get a centurion card it should tell you everything.
I don’t know where these mythical centurion concierge or relationship manager stories come from. They are utter fiction unless you are Saudi royalty charging 8 or 9 figures a year. The concierge is good at spending your $$$ to complete low hanging fruit requests. That’s about it. Pretty sure it’s the same people who handle platinum requests out of Toronto. Anything beyond the basic they fall apart. The truth is you can usually accomplish the task quicker then the time to takes to call and for a lot less. Yes they can sometimes score you a reservation to an otherwise booked restaurant. It might be a thing in NYC? I guess if money is no object they can get stuff done, but so can hired help if you are in that rarified air.
I’ve had a relationship manager and you misunderstand what their reason for existence is. They are there to primarily encourage your spend through various American Express products. The “favors” on the side are just account servicing and fixing screwups. Its basically a sales role.
Any value in Centurion is long gone. Some of the charter members like myself are still around through nostalgia/hope it’ll turn around. I doubt Most would pay the $10K initiation fee as the card stands today.
...so yah, that’s how the other side “centurions” live...still plebs, well to do plebs, but still people who resent Amex for a $5k mandatory gym membership”.
I don’t know where these mythical centurion concierge or relationship manager stories come from. They are utter fiction unless you are Saudi royalty charging 8 or 9 figures a year. The concierge is good at spending your $$$ to complete low hanging fruit requests. That’s about it. Pretty sure it’s the same people who handle platinum requests out of Toronto. Anything beyond the basic they fall apart. The truth is you can usually accomplish the task quicker then the time to takes to call and for a lot less. Yes they can sometimes score you a reservation to an otherwise booked restaurant. It might be a thing in NYC? I guess if money is no object they can get stuff done, but so can hired help if you are in that rarified air.
I’ve had a relationship manager and you misunderstand what their reason for existence is. They are there to primarily encourage your spend through various American Express products. The “favors” on the side are just account servicing and fixing screwups. Its basically a sales role.
Any value in Centurion is long gone. Some of the charter members like myself are still around through nostalgia/hope it’ll turn around. I doubt Most would pay the $10K initiation fee as the card stands today.
...so yah, that’s how the other side “centurions” live...still plebs, well to do plebs, but still people who resent Amex for a $5k mandatory gym membership”.
I concur, as a fellow charter member the shine is long gone especially with my travel ground to a halt.
Jury's still out on my December renewal at the higher rate but this time it'll take a lot more consideration.
Aug 17, 2020, 10:41 am
#592
Suspended
Join Date: Mar 2002
Location: Canada, USA, Europe
Programs: UA 1K
Posts: 31,452
A key thing that's being missed is that relationship managers are not exclusive to Centurion members. Anyone with significant spend can or has one. To reiterate, the primary role of a relationship manager is sales. I've not heard from a relationship manager in nearly 10 years, right around the time I shifted my charge activity around to other banks (mainly chase) for the bonus categories. For reference, low 7 figure spend will attract a relationship manager to reach out regardless of product. I don't think they even exist on the personal product side (someone who has one with a personal card please chime in).
The dedicated centurion team is just marketing "fluff" from my perspective.I don't think the Centurion rep team is all that large or has all that much turnover in some cases I think I've talked with some of these reps for 20 years. If there is a "dedicated" team assigned to me I've yet to hear from any of them.
The dedicated centurion team is just marketing "fluff" from my perspective.I don't think the Centurion rep team is all that large or has all that much turnover in some cases I think I've talked with some of these reps for 20 years. If there is a "dedicated" team assigned to me I've yet to hear from any of them.
Aug 17, 2020, 8:40 pm
#594
Join Date: May 2000
Location: Seattle, WA
Programs: Various
Posts: 2,155
The new team model on US Centurion Cards isn't great - it's a big step backwards for anyone that has/or previously had a dedicated RM. I will be on my 3rd 'team' since November as of this week - which is a shame, as previously the RM that looked after my account on US side was really good until they were promoted in November, very helpful and knew how to manage my account as needed. The two 'Membership Executives' that have been on point to oversee my account since November added little value, no proactivity, had to chase them down for simple follow-ups and in some instances got in the way. Last week was the final straw when they didn't want to escalate an issue I had brought to them around discrepancies between online FHR booking and booking via them for same hotel, and just for comedy measure they said they couldn't even see my travel booking and they'd need to transfer me back to the person in the team that made the booking; kind of defeats the point in having someone to oversee my US account. Was able to speak to a VP at AmEx that I had engaged with previously, and they are now finding me a new Membership Executive and team to service my US account.
Now on flipside, I've had the same Relationship Manager (RM) on my UK Centurion account since 2008, and they are one of the reasons I still keep my UK card - proactive, helpful, and knows how I like my account to be managed and what my travel/lifestyle preferences are. So guess it all comes down to who you get assigned, there are some good ones out there, and then there are some not so good ones.
Now on flipside, I've had the same Relationship Manager (RM) on my UK Centurion account since 2008, and they are one of the reasons I still keep my UK card - proactive, helpful, and knows how I like my account to be managed and what my travel/lifestyle preferences are. So guess it all comes down to who you get assigned, there are some good ones out there, and then there are some not so good ones.
Aug 27, 2020, 4:22 pm
#595
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Feb 1999
Location: Seat 1A, Juice pretty much everywhere, Mucci des Coins Exotiques
Posts: 34,339
So I got an email from my local Equinox, addressing me as a Destination member.
Billing: Your first billing will take place on September 9. It will cover the period of September 2 to September 30. Any credit due for March will be available in the rewards section of the app on opening day. If you have changed your credit card recently, please click here to update your account.
So I guess that means Amex has not been paying for our memberships since February. They have been pocketing that money and giving us no reimbursement. Class action lawsuit anyone?
Billing: Your first billing will take place on September 9. It will cover the period of September 2 to September 30. Any credit due for March will be available in the rewards section of the app on opening day. If you have changed your credit card recently, please click here to update your account.
So I guess that means Amex has not been paying for our memberships since February. They have been pocketing that money and giving us no reimbursement. Class action lawsuit anyone?
Aug 28, 2020, 1:35 pm
#596
Join Date: Jul 2012
Location: RDU
Programs: DL(PM), UA(Silver), AA(EXP) Marriott(Ti), HH(Gold), Hertz(PC)
Posts: 2,669
So I got an email from my local Equinox, addressing me as a Destination member.
Billing: Your first billing will take place on September 9. It will cover the period of September 2 to September 30. Any credit due for March will be available in the rewards section of the app on opening day. If you have changed your credit card recently, please click here to update your account.
So I guess that means Amex has not been paying for our memberships since February. They have been pocketing that money and giving us no reimbursement. Class action lawsuit anyone?
Billing: Your first billing will take place on September 9. It will cover the period of September 2 to September 30. Any credit due for March will be available in the rewards section of the app on opening day. If you have changed your credit card recently, please click here to update your account.
So I guess that means Amex has not been paying for our memberships since February. They have been pocketing that money and giving us no reimbursement. Class action lawsuit anyone?
Sep 3, 2020, 2:38 pm
#597
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Feb 1999
Location: Seat 1A, Juice pretty much everywhere, Mucci des Coins Exotiques
Posts: 34,339
So I got an email from Centurion....
Good Morning Mr. Stimpy
Welcome to the next level of servicing. My name is XXX and I will be your dedicated Centurion Membership Executive. My team of Membership Managers and I are committed to getting to know you and your preferences to curate a more personalized servicing experience.
With this new approach, you will have access to your Membership Team when you reach out to Centurion Servicing; we are committed to managing your Membership end to end, 7 days a week. Your team of Membership Managers are experts in their field, so whether it’s assistance with booking a trip, securing dining reservations, or servicing your Card, we will handle it. I will be here along the way to oversee every interaction and help you make the most of your Membership.
Your new Membership Team is excited to meet you and we will be available for you as of 8/24/2020. I will be reaching out shortly to schedule an introductory call, but if you would like to reach me sooner, simply reply to this email.
As your dedicated Membership Team we welcome your feedback along the way as we strive to exceed your expectations. We look forward to showing you all that Centurion Membership Services has to offer.
Note that "my team" was available to me on 8/24 and this email came on 9/3. It's kind of hard to feel too special.
Good Morning Mr. Stimpy
Welcome to the next level of servicing. My name is XXX and I will be your dedicated Centurion Membership Executive. My team of Membership Managers and I are committed to getting to know you and your preferences to curate a more personalized servicing experience.
With this new approach, you will have access to your Membership Team when you reach out to Centurion Servicing; we are committed to managing your Membership end to end, 7 days a week. Your team of Membership Managers are experts in their field, so whether it’s assistance with booking a trip, securing dining reservations, or servicing your Card, we will handle it. I will be here along the way to oversee every interaction and help you make the most of your Membership.
Your new Membership Team is excited to meet you and we will be available for you as of 8/24/2020. I will be reaching out shortly to schedule an introductory call, but if you would like to reach me sooner, simply reply to this email.
As your dedicated Membership Team we welcome your feedback along the way as we strive to exceed your expectations. We look forward to showing you all that Centurion Membership Services has to offer.
Note that "my team" was available to me on 8/24 and this email came on 9/3. It's kind of hard to feel too special.
Sep 3, 2020, 7:48 pm
#599
Join Date: Jun 2004
Posts: 3,774
So I got an email from my local Equinox, addressing me as a Destination member.
Billing: Your first billing will take place on September 9. It will cover the period of September 2 to September 30. Any credit due for March will be available in the rewards section of the app on opening day. If you have changed your credit card recently, please click here to update your account.
So I guess that means Amex has not been paying for our memberships since February. They have been pocketing that money and giving us no reimbursement. Class action lawsuit anyone?
Billing: Your first billing will take place on September 9. It will cover the period of September 2 to September 30. Any credit due for March will be available in the rewards section of the app on opening day. If you have changed your credit card recently, please click here to update your account.
So I guess that means Amex has not been paying for our memberships since February. They have been pocketing that money and giving us no reimbursement. Class action lawsuit anyone?
Yesterday, I received an email with the subject, "You just joined Equinox ...," welcoming me. Today, I received a personal email from the Pilates Manager at one of the NYC Equinox telling me he looked forward to my 1-on-1 training session, and asking if Tuesday at 9 am or Thursday at 6 pm was best for me. I live a thousand miles away from NYC.
There must be some kind of updating happening between AmEx and Equinox - possibly related to their reopening - that has the records mixed up.
Sep 4, 2020, 6:11 am
#600
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Feb 1999
Location: Seat 1A, Juice pretty much everywhere, Mucci des Coins Exotiques
Posts: 34,339
Not yet. I will eventually reach out to my new dedicated Centurion Membership Executive and ask, unless he calls me first.
I did go to the Equinox Hudson Yards in NYC for a 7am outdoor yoga class. I've done outdoor yoga in Asia and California in tranquil settings, but this was weird in Manhattan with the noise and looking up at skyscrapers. Still that was ok even though we had to wear a mask. Later I went up to the gym and tried the running machine, but I felt I couldn't get enough oxygen through my mask so I gave that up and went jogging in the park where I don't need a mask.
I did go to the Equinox Hudson Yards in NYC for a 7am outdoor yoga class. I've done outdoor yoga in Asia and California in tranquil settings, but this was weird in Manhattan with the noise and looking up at skyscrapers. Still that was ok even though we had to wear a mask. Later I went up to the gym and tried the running machine, but I felt I couldn't get enough oxygen through my mask so I gave that up and went jogging in the park where I don't need a mask.