Centurion card (USA) refresh. Some benefits removed/added. $5k annual fee.
Jan 5, 2022, 2:17 pm
#781
Join Date: Jan 2022
Posts: 7
To pick on this one point, because it is important to me, I think the ability to rebook a cancelled flight or make changes on an airlines website can only be said to be reliable on the main US airlines and for domestic flights. On international airlines, especially the smaller 3rd world airlines, it doesn't work well at all. Even British Airways is hit and miss with online rebooking. So I do continue to book directly with UA, DL, AA as long as no code shares are involved. But with the others I prefer to book with Amex and let them deal with the headaches of working directly with the airlines. And Amex CTS is about the only travel company I deal with that answers on the first ring. Well maybe Air France in France where I have very high status. But the rest of the industry has really dumbed down their call centers.
And if you are able to easily to do the research yourself, as you noted and as I do myself, then what is wrong with calling up CTS and asking them to make the booking for you? To me there is real value there, at least for International bookings. Even just for calling up a restaurant and making a booking. I don't want to deal with thinking about what the best time to call is and maybe sitting on hold. I can just call CTS, or even email them to make the reservation for me.
And if you are able to easily to do the research yourself, as you noted and as I do myself, then what is wrong with calling up CTS and asking them to make the booking for you? To me there is real value there, at least for International bookings. Even just for calling up a restaurant and making a booking. I don't want to deal with thinking about what the best time to call is and maybe sitting on hold. I can just call CTS, or even email them to make the reservation for me.
For a recent trip to Costa Rica on JetBlue, I sadly didn't book directly with the airline, meaning when I wanted to make a change to get on another flight (5 people) I was referred back to AMEX. Of course, I entered the general pool because it was in the evening and I got someone random, who was inexperienced and who said she would work with JetBlue to find out the fare difference and make the change for me. I never heard back from her at all. As in Amex literally didn't call me back about the change I requested. No email. Nothing. So after a half a day went by, I called JetBlue, paid them $50pp to take over the reservation and by the time they did, the seats on the desired flight were no longer available for all of us. This is just appalling service on the part of Amex and while they apologized for the lack of a return call or email, that doesn't really help. In the end JetBlue put us on a flight the next day and they were easy to work with and efficient. If I had started with them in the first place and not booked through Amex, I would have been in Costa Rica a day earlier.
In the end, it sounds like you like the idea of working with a travel agent, but it begs two questions: 1) Why specifically do you prefer to work with a pool of random Amex Centurion agents vs. a high end and experienced travel agent who knows you and with whom you can build a relationship (like it used to be with Amex Cent)? What are you paying the $5000 fee for if this service is something you can literally get for free from any travel agent out there, and, 2) What is the difference between the pool of Platinum Amex agents and Centurion agents? If you are going to be serviced by a group or a general pool, it seems the Platinum agents can get exactly what you describe done just as well as Centurion agents, so what exactly is the $4300 difference in annual fee getting you as it relates to what you state is important to you? The whole beauty of Amex before was that you had your own person that you could work with.
My issue really is more about the lack of improved value for Centurion vs. Platinum or even vs. a third party high-end travel agent you get to know. Do you think your phone experience would be any worse with the Platinum travel desk?
Just my two cents....
Jan 5, 2022, 3:27 pm
#783
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Feb 1999
Location: Seat 1A, Juice pretty much everywhere, Mucci des Coins Exotiques
Posts: 34,339
I agree that sometimes online re-booking and changes don't work, especially for 3rd world airlines, and sometimes I could see the value in having a qualified and experienced travel agent help you make changes. The issue is that when Amex books a flight, the airline WONT talk with you at all. They refer you back to your agent. This means you are back in the cue, speaking to someone at Amex who doesn't know your history, the specific reservation history and you are relying on them to make seamless and accurate changes for you.
If you are going to be serviced by a group or a general pool, it seems the Platinum agents can get exactly what you describe done just as well as Centurion agents, so what exactly is the $4300 difference in annual fee getting you as it relates to what you state is important to you? The whole beauty of Amex before was that you had your own person that you could work with.
My issue really is more about the lack of improved value for Centurion vs. Platinum or even vs. a third party high-end travel agent you get to know. Do you think your phone experience would be any worse with the Platinum travel desk?
My issue really is more about the lack of improved value for Centurion vs. Platinum or even vs. a third party high-end travel agent you get to know. Do you think your phone experience would be any worse with the Platinum travel desk?
As for the $4300 difference....
Equinox: Huge benefit for those who use it
Hertz: Huge benefit for those who use it
Centurion Arrivals: Nice before the pandemic, and super useful at some airports with the pandemic
Saks: $1000 of value for those who can use it.
DL Platinum. I've gotten thousands in upgrade value just in 2021.
And of course the $2000 travel credit in 2021 was the icing on the cake.
Etc. etc....
Jan 5, 2022, 5:36 pm
#784
Join Date: Dec 2015
Location: London
Posts: 21
But I sometimes do get someone "on my team". And even if I don't, the not-so-random agent who answers the call does have my history. It is all there on their screens. And I do have some responsibility to know what I want out of my request. I don't expect anyone to hold my hand throughout the process.
The phone experience with Platinum would definitely be worse. Because that is about what we had in the few years before the 2019 changes that inspired this thread. It is much improved, even if the pandemic is impacting the staff supporting this new model.
As for the $4300 difference....
Equinox: Huge benefit for those who use it
Hertz: Huge benefit for those who use it
Centurion Arrivals: Nice before the pandemic, and super useful at some airports with the pandemic
Saks: $1000 of value for those who can use it.
DL Platinum. I've gotten thousands in upgrade value just in 2021.
And of course the $2000 travel credit in 2021 was the icing on the cake.
Etc. etc....
The phone experience with Platinum would definitely be worse. Because that is about what we had in the few years before the 2019 changes that inspired this thread. It is much improved, even if the pandemic is impacting the staff supporting this new model.
As for the $4300 difference....
Equinox: Huge benefit for those who use it
Hertz: Huge benefit for those who use it
Centurion Arrivals: Nice before the pandemic, and super useful at some airports with the pandemic
Saks: $1000 of value for those who can use it.
DL Platinum. I've gotten thousands in upgrade value just in 2021.
And of course the $2000 travel credit in 2021 was the icing on the cake.
Etc. etc....
The equinox gym which is 10 mins walk from where I live plus Saks $1000 alrdy pay off our annual fee completely. All other perks are just cherry on top. The card is a no brainer for me.
Jan 6, 2022, 10:53 am
#785
Join Date: Jan 2022
Posts: 7
As for the $4300 difference....
Equinox: Huge benefit for those who use it
Hertz: Huge benefit for those who use it
Centurion Arrivals: Nice before the pandemic, and super useful at some airports with the pandemic
Saks: $1000 of value for those who can use it.
DL Platinum. I've gotten thousands in upgrade value just in 2021.
And of course the $2000 travel credit in 2021 was the icing on the cake.
Etc. etc....
So yes, if you are going to use all the above, then you're paying for the $4300 difference. I will note that some lower versions (loyalty tiers) of the same offerings are available on Platinum as well.
In the end, my decision was never just about the money. It was really about the infuriating service I received. Too many mistakes, mess ups, and incompetent decisions by the team members I interacted with, to the point that I would pay just to NOT have to deal with the issues. Yes, during the pandemic everyone has had staffing issues, but it's painful when it affected such a premium product.
If your experience in your interactions has been different then what I went through, then I am indeed jealous. It seems other's here have experienced the same problems with the new pod/pool system that I have and felt the same watering down of the offerings. I guess it comes down to what you place value on and what level of competency you expect from the agent you work with. Everyone is different in that regard.
For me, it was a painful decision but more painful was having to correct and excuse the travel team's errors, again and again.
I'd be really curious if others have been feeling this erosion in the product as well, because eventually if enough people speak up, Amex will have no choice but to correct things. But if people are willing to accept what they are getting and are willing to pay for it, then I guess they see no need to improve upon things.
I certainly will keep people posted on my experience with the Platinum team as I make the switch.
Jan 6, 2022, 12:55 pm
#786
Join Date: Nov 2015
Posts: 61
As a Centurion cardholder of 22 years, I finally gave up my Centurion membership.
As a loyal Amex customer since 1988, I worked hard to help the team at Centurion understand how appalling their customer service had become, how untrained their agents were, and how their new team structure vs dedicated contacts has led to booking errors, mistakes, and the general feeling one gets when calling a remote call center that knows nothing about you.
This is everything Centurion claims it is not.
I tried reaching out to senior team members at Amex with no response. They simply don’t care.
I finally spoke at length with a very sweet and nice “executive customer service” team member I had spoken to a year ago when things started going off the rails and she promised me that she would discuss my issues with “management”, but in the end was given the run around with the obligatory “I’m so sorry we can’t meet your needs and that we are losing you.
I personally was mentored and coached for years by an old leader of American Express named Alan Loren. He would be turning in his grave if he knew how terrible the Centurion product had become. He was a believer in the customer experience and in those days management was willing to speak directly to a customer to understand their concerns. No longer
AEXP happily lost me as a Centurion customer after 22 years, without doing anything to try to make amends for the terrible service received.
Here are some of the recent shortfalls that finally got me to cancel this card:
- Multiple booking errors leading to problems with travel, lost seats, lost flights, etc.
- Multiple times I received no call back from an agent I had spoken to at length and literally no way to get back in touch with them, since there is no longer a personal point of contact for Centurion members (just a large team who often isn’t available anyways and then your call goes into a pool). Centurion has become a faceless, nameless call center experience.
- There’s been a dramatic elimination of historical benefits, personalized events, and special perks - only to be replaced by a complicated grouping of “experiences”, which quickly become unavailable anyway - “Oh sorry”, they say on the same morning an event becomes available for booking, “the event you want isn't available anymore We can put you on a waitlist”. They should be ashamed of this new experience program.
- Gone is Hyatt, United, Hertz and other airline and hotel programs where status was afforded.
- When booking flights, almost always, the travel team couldn’t even find the same rates I could find online. I literally booked 5 business class seats to Turkey last summer for 1/2 the cost they quoted. When I pointed it out and showed them, they simply said they couldn’t get the same rates - baffling, as they are supposed to be the experts. They don’t even take the time to shop, offer creative suggestions that any pro would offer, or even understand or know the properties and routes they are quoting.
- When trying to book a difficult restaurant reservation through the “concierge” they called back a day later saying that nothing was available, but when I called the restaurant right afterwards, they gave me a table.
Their concierges can’t even get what any normal person can get, making you wonder why they are even there. It’s become better to simply do things yourself vs working with the Centurion team.
- When I cut my spend a year ago, in protest of their terrible service, saying I would up it again when they proved they would improve, I never even got a call asking why. They simply don’t care and Centurion cardholders are treated like everyone else. There is no more special treatment or special feeling.
Which begs the question - what is one paying $5000 for each year? Do they even really want to have this offering anymore? Do they still care about the customer experience or is it just about the bottom line? Do they even care about Customer Lifetime Value? Ugh. Just disappointing to an old timer.
There are so many more examples of terrible service, whittled down options comparable to Platinum and many more instances of a lack of travel knowledge by their team that in the end, it was time to make the change.
It seems Amex has given up on their Centurion cardholders, many of whom are their most loyal supporters and brand ambassadors. I feel given up on and am saddened by what has become of this iconic card. I suspect they expect and accept the departures as this just isn’t what they want to focus their time on.
As a loyal Amex customer since 1988, I worked hard to help the team at Centurion understand how appalling their customer service had become, how untrained their agents were, and how their new team structure vs dedicated contacts has led to booking errors, mistakes, and the general feeling one gets when calling a remote call center that knows nothing about you.
This is everything Centurion claims it is not.
I tried reaching out to senior team members at Amex with no response. They simply don’t care.
I finally spoke at length with a very sweet and nice “executive customer service” team member I had spoken to a year ago when things started going off the rails and she promised me that she would discuss my issues with “management”, but in the end was given the run around with the obligatory “I’m so sorry we can’t meet your needs and that we are losing you.
I personally was mentored and coached for years by an old leader of American Express named Alan Loren. He would be turning in his grave if he knew how terrible the Centurion product had become. He was a believer in the customer experience and in those days management was willing to speak directly to a customer to understand their concerns. No longer
AEXP happily lost me as a Centurion customer after 22 years, without doing anything to try to make amends for the terrible service received.
Here are some of the recent shortfalls that finally got me to cancel this card:
- Multiple booking errors leading to problems with travel, lost seats, lost flights, etc.
- Multiple times I received no call back from an agent I had spoken to at length and literally no way to get back in touch with them, since there is no longer a personal point of contact for Centurion members (just a large team who often isn’t available anyways and then your call goes into a pool). Centurion has become a faceless, nameless call center experience.
- There’s been a dramatic elimination of historical benefits, personalized events, and special perks - only to be replaced by a complicated grouping of “experiences”, which quickly become unavailable anyway - “Oh sorry”, they say on the same morning an event becomes available for booking, “the event you want isn't available anymore We can put you on a waitlist”. They should be ashamed of this new experience program.
- Gone is Hyatt, United, Hertz and other airline and hotel programs where status was afforded.
- When booking flights, almost always, the travel team couldn’t even find the same rates I could find online. I literally booked 5 business class seats to Turkey last summer for 1/2 the cost they quoted. When I pointed it out and showed them, they simply said they couldn’t get the same rates - baffling, as they are supposed to be the experts. They don’t even take the time to shop, offer creative suggestions that any pro would offer, or even understand or know the properties and routes they are quoting.
- When trying to book a difficult restaurant reservation through the “concierge” they called back a day later saying that nothing was available, but when I called the restaurant right afterwards, they gave me a table.
Their concierges can’t even get what any normal person can get, making you wonder why they are even there. It’s become better to simply do things yourself vs working with the Centurion team.
- When I cut my spend a year ago, in protest of their terrible service, saying I would up it again when they proved they would improve, I never even got a call asking why. They simply don’t care and Centurion cardholders are treated like everyone else. There is no more special treatment or special feeling.
Which begs the question - what is one paying $5000 for each year? Do they even really want to have this offering anymore? Do they still care about the customer experience or is it just about the bottom line? Do they even care about Customer Lifetime Value? Ugh. Just disappointing to an old timer.
There are so many more examples of terrible service, whittled down options comparable to Platinum and many more instances of a lack of travel knowledge by their team that in the end, it was time to make the change.
It seems Amex has given up on their Centurion cardholders, many of whom are their most loyal supporters and brand ambassadors. I feel given up on and am saddened by what has become of this iconic card. I suspect they expect and accept the departures as this just isn’t what they want to focus their time on.
Unfortunately I have had similar experiences since the "team' changeover. It is more of a surprise to me when the experience is exceptional - which is used to be 99/100 times. I would say that it is simply adequate about 90/100 now a days and 5 times it is poor and 5 times it is exceptional. I only go back 7 years and not 22 but there has been a noticeable difference to me. As for value vs a Platinum card, the 50% airline points credit is worth the annual fee to me. A pair of international first class tickets offsets the annual fee for me especially with the ability to write off the $5k fee on our business taxes.
Jan 7, 2022, 3:22 am
#787
Join Date: Dec 2006
Location: SXSW
Programs: DL Plat; HH Diamond; SPG & Hyatt Plat
Posts: 996
I’ve had a similar experience with personal Centurion. Ever since I lost my dedicated concierge provided by Circles behind the scenes, it’s all been downhill. Hard to let go of when the initiation fee becomes a sunk cost, but after this year might let it go after 13 years loyal.
you get a free pair of international first class tickets annually? How?
50% points on airlines? Must be the Business centurion?
50% points on airlines? Must be the Business centurion?
Jan 7, 2022, 5:15 am
#788
Moderator
Join Date: Jun 2003
Location: Miami, Mpls & London
Programs: AA & Marriott Perpetual Platinum; DL & HH Gold
Posts: 48,958
Jan 7, 2022, 3:16 pm
#789
Join Date: Mar 2017
Programs: UA GS, Hyatt, Marriott
Posts: 263
Can't argue the $1000 @ Saks, if you are going to use it. Can't argue Equinox, if you are going to use it, arrival services can be purchased for $100-150 per flight depending on airport (and even if you aren't flying business, which is required for Centurion arrival services), Hertz/Avis - I never really got any upgrades that seemed valuable but just my bad luck, Delta Platinum is what I will miss most, but I hope to earn it anyway or buy my way around it by paying for Delta Comfort+ seats ($80 each or so). The travel credit was a one time credit they gave because they knew people were going to leave Centurion due to travel restrictions and because of the pain of the $5k fee.
So yes, if you are going to use all the above, then you're paying for the $4300 difference. I will note that some lower versions (loyalty tiers) of the same offerings are available on Platinum as well.
In the end, my decision was never just about the money. It was really about the infuriating service I received. Too many mistakes, mess ups, and incompetent decisions by the team members I interacted with, to the point that I would pay just to NOT have to deal with the issues. Yes, during the pandemic everyone has had staffing issues, but it's painful when it affected such a premium product.
If your experience in your interactions has been different then what I went through, then I am indeed jealous. It seems other's here have experienced the same problems with the new pod/pool system that I have and felt the same watering down of the offerings. I guess it comes down to what you place value on and what level of competency you expect from the agent you work with. Everyone is different in that regard.
For me, it was a painful decision but more painful was having to correct and excuse the travel team's errors, again and again.
I'd be really curious if others have been feeling this erosion in the product as well, because eventually if enough people speak up, Amex will have no choice but to correct things. But if people are willing to accept what they are getting and are willing to pay for it, then I guess they see no need to improve upon things.
I certainly will keep people posted on my experience with the Platinum team as I make the switch.
So yes, if you are going to use all the above, then you're paying for the $4300 difference. I will note that some lower versions (loyalty tiers) of the same offerings are available on Platinum as well.
In the end, my decision was never just about the money. It was really about the infuriating service I received. Too many mistakes, mess ups, and incompetent decisions by the team members I interacted with, to the point that I would pay just to NOT have to deal with the issues. Yes, during the pandemic everyone has had staffing issues, but it's painful when it affected such a premium product.
If your experience in your interactions has been different then what I went through, then I am indeed jealous. It seems other's here have experienced the same problems with the new pod/pool system that I have and felt the same watering down of the offerings. I guess it comes down to what you place value on and what level of competency you expect from the agent you work with. Everyone is different in that regard.
For me, it was a painful decision but more painful was having to correct and excuse the travel team's errors, again and again.
I'd be really curious if others have been feeling this erosion in the product as well, because eventually if enough people speak up, Amex will have no choice but to correct things. But if people are willing to accept what they are getting and are willing to pay for it, then I guess they see no need to improve upon things.
I certainly will keep people posted on my experience with the Platinum team as I make the switch.
For airline tickets, it is easier to use online booking which cannot get airport arrival service. If I let Amex manually book tickets, it takes much much longer to book it.
For ticket change, it is easy to get connected but they cannot do anything for online booking which handled by Expedia people. After Amex transfer your call to Expedia, you will get much worse CS and much higher fare compared to online search.
I never get any dinner reservation done through Amex and I did try several times like soccer game tickets or concert. Even Amex is sponsor, they said the tickets sponsored by foreign division and US card member cannot access to it. Oh, my god.
I did book some two-night stays for st. Regis or Waldorf Astoria through Centurion team and enjoyed $300 benefit. And one time, they did book me a wrong priced stay and save me $1500 which I appreciate. But generally I do not feel their so-called GREAT service.
Once I burn all my points I will seriously think about that $5000 fee if their benefit and service do not improve.
Jan 7, 2022, 8:26 pm
#790
Join Date: Nov 2015
Posts: 61
As a Centurion cardholder of 22 years, I finally gave up my Centurion membership.
As a loyal Amex customer since 1988, I worked hard to help the team at Centurion understand how appalling their customer service had become, how untrained their agents were, and how their new team structure vs dedicated contacts has led to booking errors, mistakes, and the general feeling one gets when calling a remote call center that knows nothing about you.
This is everything Centurion claims it is not.
I tried reaching out to senior team members at Amex with no response. They simply don’t care.
I finally spoke at length with a very sweet and nice “executive customer service” team member I had spoken to a year ago when things started going off the rails and she promised me that she would discuss my issues with “management”, but in the end was given the run around with the obligatory “I’m so sorry we can’t meet your needs and that we are losing you.
I personally was mentored and coached for years by an old leader of American Express named Alan Loren. He would be turning in his grave if he knew how terrible the Centurion product had become. He was a believer in the customer experience and in those days management was willing to speak directly to a customer to understand their concerns. No longer
AEXP happily lost me as a Centurion customer after 22 years, without doing anything to try to make amends for the terrible service received.
Here are some of the recent shortfalls that finally got me to cancel this card:
- Multiple booking errors leading to problems with travel, lost seats, lost flights, etc.
- Multiple times I received no call back from an agent I had spoken to at length and literally no way to get back in touch with them, since there is no longer a personal point of contact for Centurion members (just a large team who often isn’t available anyways and then your call goes into a pool). Centurion has become a faceless, nameless call center experience.
- There’s been a dramatic elimination of historical benefits, personalized events, and special perks - only to be replaced by a complicated grouping of “experiences”, which quickly become unavailable anyway - “Oh sorry”, they say on the same morning an event becomes available for booking, “the event you want isn't available anymore We can put you on a waitlist”. They should be ashamed of this new experience program.
- Gone is Hyatt, United, Hertz and other airline and hotel programs where status was afforded.
- When booking flights, almost always, the travel team couldn’t even find the same rates I could find online. I literally booked 5 business class seats to Turkey last summer for 1/2 the cost they quoted. When I pointed it out and showed them, they simply said they couldn’t get the same rates - baffling, as they are supposed to be the experts. They don’t even take the time to shop, offer creative suggestions that any pro would offer, or even understand or know the properties and routes they are quoting.
- When trying to book a difficult restaurant reservation through the “concierge” they called back a day later saying that nothing was available, but when I called the restaurant right afterwards, they gave me a table.
Their concierges can’t even get what any normal person can get, making you wonder why they are even there. It’s become better to simply do things yourself vs working with the Centurion team.
- When I cut my spend a year ago, in protest of their terrible service, saying I would up it again when they proved they would improve, I never even got a call asking why. They simply don’t care and Centurion cardholders are treated like everyone else. There is no more special treatment or special feeling.
Which begs the question - what is one paying $5000 for each year? Do they even really want to have this offering anymore? Do they still care about the customer experience or is it just about the bottom line? Do they even care about Customer Lifetime Value? Ugh. Just disappointing to an old timer.
There are so many more examples of terrible service, whittled down options comparable to Platinum and many more instances of a lack of travel knowledge by their team that in the end, it was time to make the change.
It seems Amex has given up on their Centurion cardholders, many of whom are their most loyal supporters and brand ambassadors. I feel given up on and am saddened by what has become of this iconic card. I suspect they expect and accept the departures as this just isn’t what they want to focus their time on.
As a loyal Amex customer since 1988, I worked hard to help the team at Centurion understand how appalling their customer service had become, how untrained their agents were, and how their new team structure vs dedicated contacts has led to booking errors, mistakes, and the general feeling one gets when calling a remote call center that knows nothing about you.
This is everything Centurion claims it is not.
I tried reaching out to senior team members at Amex with no response. They simply don’t care.
I finally spoke at length with a very sweet and nice “executive customer service” team member I had spoken to a year ago when things started going off the rails and she promised me that she would discuss my issues with “management”, but in the end was given the run around with the obligatory “I’m so sorry we can’t meet your needs and that we are losing you.
I personally was mentored and coached for years by an old leader of American Express named Alan Loren. He would be turning in his grave if he knew how terrible the Centurion product had become. He was a believer in the customer experience and in those days management was willing to speak directly to a customer to understand their concerns. No longer
AEXP happily lost me as a Centurion customer after 22 years, without doing anything to try to make amends for the terrible service received.
Here are some of the recent shortfalls that finally got me to cancel this card:
- Multiple booking errors leading to problems with travel, lost seats, lost flights, etc.
- Multiple times I received no call back from an agent I had spoken to at length and literally no way to get back in touch with them, since there is no longer a personal point of contact for Centurion members (just a large team who often isn’t available anyways and then your call goes into a pool). Centurion has become a faceless, nameless call center experience.
- There’s been a dramatic elimination of historical benefits, personalized events, and special perks - only to be replaced by a complicated grouping of “experiences”, which quickly become unavailable anyway - “Oh sorry”, they say on the same morning an event becomes available for booking, “the event you want isn't available anymore We can put you on a waitlist”. They should be ashamed of this new experience program.
- Gone is Hyatt, United, Hertz and other airline and hotel programs where status was afforded.
- When booking flights, almost always, the travel team couldn’t even find the same rates I could find online. I literally booked 5 business class seats to Turkey last summer for 1/2 the cost they quoted. When I pointed it out and showed them, they simply said they couldn’t get the same rates - baffling, as they are supposed to be the experts. They don’t even take the time to shop, offer creative suggestions that any pro would offer, or even understand or know the properties and routes they are quoting.
- When trying to book a difficult restaurant reservation through the “concierge” they called back a day later saying that nothing was available, but when I called the restaurant right afterwards, they gave me a table.
Their concierges can’t even get what any normal person can get, making you wonder why they are even there. It’s become better to simply do things yourself vs working with the Centurion team.
- When I cut my spend a year ago, in protest of their terrible service, saying I would up it again when they proved they would improve, I never even got a call asking why. They simply don’t care and Centurion cardholders are treated like everyone else. There is no more special treatment or special feeling.
Which begs the question - what is one paying $5000 for each year? Do they even really want to have this offering anymore? Do they still care about the customer experience or is it just about the bottom line? Do they even care about Customer Lifetime Value? Ugh. Just disappointing to an old timer.
There are so many more examples of terrible service, whittled down options comparable to Platinum and many more instances of a lack of travel knowledge by their team that in the end, it was time to make the change.
It seems Amex has given up on their Centurion cardholders, many of whom are their most loyal supporters and brand ambassadors. I feel given up on and am saddened by what has become of this iconic card. I suspect they expect and accept the departures as this just isn’t what they want to focus their time on.
I’ve had a similar experience with personal Centurion. Ever since I lost my dedicated concierge provided by Circles behind the scenes, it’s all been downhill. Hard to let go of when the initiation fee becomes a sunk cost, but after this year might let it go after 13 years loyal.
you get a free pair of international first class tickets annually? How?
50% points on airlines? Must be the Business centurion?
you get a free pair of international first class tickets annually? How?
50% points on airlines? Must be the Business centurion?
Jan 7, 2022, 8:42 pm
#791
Join Date: Mar 2000
Location: BOS
Posts: 2,315
My experience is pretty much consistent with OP (and I am a charter Centurion member so I remember how it used to work). As others have summarized I keep the card because the Delta/Hertz/Equinox/Saks perks justify the cost. But it’s a big disappointment when it comes to service generally and any kind of requests (travel bookings and restaurant reservations in particular are just painful more often than not).
Jan 13, 2022, 12:53 pm
#792
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Feb 1999
Location: Seat 1A, Juice pretty much everywhere, Mucci des Coins Exotiques
Posts: 34,339
Well the two I picked were for this month and of course they just cancelled them due to COVID. One was pushed out to June and the other has no future date yet. Maybe it wasn't wise to schedule events in January in the north during a pandemic.
Jan 13, 2022, 8:07 pm
#793
Join Date: Feb 2011
Location: Southern California
Programs: Alaska MVP 75K, Delta Plat, Bonvoy Ambasador, Hilton diamond.
Posts: 527
I can only nod my head and agree about the s***show Centurion has become. As a charter member I can say Centurion was AMAZING at inception with all the travel perks alone. Centurion has been in decline for a solid decade but this past year is literally the worst I’ve ever experienced. I had a miserable experience recently booking the complementary PS centurion space and it took 7+ phone calls along with hours of aggravation to resolve (they decided to bill my card for the complimentary service). A colleague of mine lost a bargain international F fare on AA due to “amex travel” bungling cancelations and refunds leading to AA suspending the ticket (good luck getting AA to reverse that). I’ve accomplished more getting a table at a restaurant then the concierge who simply goes to “opentable” and then informs me a day later “sorry not available”. I’ve previously ranted how inappropriate a gym membership is on a business card…
I took my 7 figure spend elsewhere in protest back in 2014, not a peep out of my “relationship manager”, other then her disappearing off the account shortly there after. I guess $50million in charge activity is a rounding error to AMEX when compared to the massive corporate contracts that carry 10,000 green cards+ all charging away monthly.
Its been a depressing and sad decline. I downright resent the “life style” direction taken with the business centurion product. The “special events” are frankly kind of lame without even getting into the whole “it’s unavailable” by the time I wake up in California. How about an invite to a suite experience @ a professional sporting event (that’s not the US open) or an F1 race. The whole soft experience of Centurion is frankly garbage however purchase protection, extended warranty, and the 2cent per MR redemption on airfare are still stand outs. Are they worth $2,500…yeah, $5,000…I guess I’ll find out in March.
What I really wish is for business centurion to drop this “life style” approach and shift the benefits to more business friendly things like those found on the Business Platinum. I’d trade the gym membership for some Dell and Adobe credits for one.
I took my 7 figure spend elsewhere in protest back in 2014, not a peep out of my “relationship manager”, other then her disappearing off the account shortly there after. I guess $50million in charge activity is a rounding error to AMEX when compared to the massive corporate contracts that carry 10,000 green cards+ all charging away monthly.
Its been a depressing and sad decline. I downright resent the “life style” direction taken with the business centurion product. The “special events” are frankly kind of lame without even getting into the whole “it’s unavailable” by the time I wake up in California. How about an invite to a suite experience @ a professional sporting event (that’s not the US open) or an F1 race. The whole soft experience of Centurion is frankly garbage however purchase protection, extended warranty, and the 2cent per MR redemption on airfare are still stand outs. Are they worth $2,500…yeah, $5,000…I guess I’ll find out in March.
What I really wish is for business centurion to drop this “life style” approach and shift the benefits to more business friendly things like those found on the Business Platinum. I’d trade the gym membership for some Dell and Adobe credits for one.
Last edited by bubu-SNA; Jan 14, 2022 at 5:29 am
Jan 14, 2022, 5:18 am
#794
Join Date: Aug 2012
Posts: 6,752
I'm with you on this, but it seems to be the approach that's all the rage and fashion right now. Everyone seems to be adopting this approach and I can only imagine it's something that markets well to the newer generation. Personally, I find all this lifestyle and experience stuff kind of lame too. For me, just cut the song and dance and give me the tangible benefits.
Jan 14, 2022, 10:27 am
#795
Join Date: Jun 2009
Programs: AMEX Business Centurion
Posts: 418
I can only nod my head and agree about the s***show Centurion has become. As a charter member I can say Centurion was AMAZING at inception with all the travel perks alone. Centurion has been in decline for a solid decade but this past year is literally the worst I’ve ever experienced. I had a miserable experience recently booking the complementary PS centurion space and it took 7+ phone calls along with hours of aggravation to resolve (they decided to bill my card for the complimentary service). A colleague of mine lost a bargain international F fare on AA due to “amex travel” bungling cancelations and refunds leading to AA suspending the ticket (good luck getting AA to reverse that). I’ve accomplished more getting a table at a restaurant then the concierge who simply goes to “opentable” and then informs me a day later “sorry not available”. I’ve previously ranted how inappropriate a gym membership is on a business card…
I took my 7 figure spend elsewhere in protest back in 2014, not a peep out of my “relationship manager”, other then her disappearing off the account shortly there after. I guess $50million in charge activity is a rounding error to AMEX when compared to the massive corporate contracts that carry 10,000 green cards+ all charging away monthly.
Its been a depressing and sad decline. I downright resent the “life style” direction taken with the business centurion product. The “special events” are frankly kind of lame without even getting into the whole “it’s unavailable” by the time I wake up in California. How about an invite to a suite experience @ a professional sporting event (that’s not the US open) or an F1 race. The whole soft experience of Centurion is frankly garbage however purchase protection, extended warranty, and the 2cent per MR redemption on airfare are still stand outs. Are they worth $2,500…yeah, $5,000…I guess I’ll find out in March.
What I really wish is for business centurion to drop this “life style” approach and shift the benefits to more business friendly things like those found on the Business Platinum. I’d trade the gym membership for some Dell and Adobe credits for one.
I took my 7 figure spend elsewhere in protest back in 2014, not a peep out of my “relationship manager”, other then her disappearing off the account shortly there after. I guess $50million in charge activity is a rounding error to AMEX when compared to the massive corporate contracts that carry 10,000 green cards+ all charging away monthly.
Its been a depressing and sad decline. I downright resent the “life style” direction taken with the business centurion product. The “special events” are frankly kind of lame without even getting into the whole “it’s unavailable” by the time I wake up in California. How about an invite to a suite experience @ a professional sporting event (that’s not the US open) or an F1 race. The whole soft experience of Centurion is frankly garbage however purchase protection, extended warranty, and the 2cent per MR redemption on airfare are still stand outs. Are they worth $2,500…yeah, $5,000…I guess I’ll find out in March.
What I really wish is for business centurion to drop this “life style” approach and shift the benefits to more business friendly things like those found on the Business Platinum. I’d trade the gym membership for some Dell and Adobe credits for one.
It has all become a dumpster fire, and that’s very unfortunate because I think of the lost opportunities of new leadership happening at a time when there’s a drastic shift in the economy and the way people work. Some thoughtful long term strategies could have been a boon to Amex and earned a recommitment from longtime cardmembers as well as appealing to a new generation of businesspeople.
Instead it seems Amex has an approach driven by inept PR people getting their inspiration from instagram and YouTube “influencers” who present lifestyles that don’t actually exist, nor are they things normal people would want to pay real money to try to achieve.
How did it get this bad? How are they so out of touch? Sometimes I wonder whether Amex executives ever try to use their own travel or concierge services anonymously, aka eat their own dog food.