Centurion card (USA) refresh. Some benefits removed/added. $5k annual fee.
Apr 11, 2022, 12:30 pm
#841
Join Date: Jun 2004
Posts: 3,774
The only times in the past I've ever contacted CTS for flights, the fares and routings they cited weren't close to what I could get by booking direct with the airline, so I stopped contacting them.
Apr 11, 2022, 12:49 pm
#842
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Feb 1999
Location: Seat 1A, Juice pretty much everywhere, Mucci des Coins Exotiques
Posts: 34,339
Do you get the same fare when booking via CTS as you would booking online via AmExTravel.com, i.e. if there is an IAP fare available? Last year I booked an excellent IAP business class fare to CPH via FRA but did it on amextravel.com. Then I realized we could have had the arrivals service in FRA had I booked the flight with CTS. Would they have gotten the IAP fare?
The only times in the past I've ever contacted CTS for flights, the fares and routings they cited weren't close to what I could get by booking direct with the airline, so I stopped contacting them.
The only times in the past I've ever contacted CTS for flights, the fares and routings they cited weren't close to what I could get by booking direct with the airline, so I stopped contacting them.
Apr 11, 2022, 4:22 pm
#843
Join Date: May 2000
Location: Houston, TX, USA
Programs: UA 1K, AA Lifetime Platinum, DL Platinum, Honors Diamond, Bonvoy Titanium, Hertz Platinum
Posts: 7,970
Yes, but is this the same "pod" of agents that handle regular cardmember services? It used to be that with CTS and PTS, there were dedicated sets of Amex-employed travel agents. You could get one assigned to you, but even if you didn't and just spoke to the first available agent, they were a) full-time travel agents, and b) worked for Amex. I get the sense that the legacy CTS has gone away, and now you have the situation that your assigned "pod" of Centurion cardmember services agents are cross-trained to also do travel bookings. Is that right?
Apr 12, 2022, 7:45 am
#844
Join Date: Aug 2012
Posts: 6,752
Well, if they are reading this, they should find out whomever or whatever team lead the charge to use Expedia, and either sack those guys or place them in a dept that is completely unrelated to the cardmember experience, e.g., HR, ESG marketing, or something along those lines.
Apr 12, 2022, 8:35 am
#845
Original Poster
Join Date: Mar 2017
Posts: 153
The same "pod" of agents that handle regular services is cross-trained to handle travel. If you book through a human being on that pod, it will not be an Expedia booking. You do not want an Expedia booking if you ever have to change your ticket. Trust me on that. You will spend hours of your life on hold. If you book through amextravel.com, even when logged in as a Centurion member, it will be an Expedia booking.
The "pod" system has been a disaster. I believe AMEX knows this, and has (allegedly) stopped taking new Centurion members because they don't have enough resources to deal with the existing customers. My guess is it became easier for AMEX to overload a "pod" as opposed to an assigned person, and that's what happened.
The "pod" system has been a disaster. I believe AMEX knows this, and has (allegedly) stopped taking new Centurion members because they don't have enough resources to deal with the existing customers. My guess is it became easier for AMEX to overload a "pod" as opposed to an assigned person, and that's what happened.
Apr 12, 2022, 8:58 am
#846
Moderator
Join Date: Jun 2003
Location: Miami, Mpls & London
Programs: AA & Marriott Perpetual Platinum; DL & HH Gold
Posts: 48,959
Apr 12, 2022, 2:04 pm
#847
Join Date: Apr 2006
Location: NYC
Posts: 1,007
Whenever I email a request to my Cent team the lead replies instantly with “we are in receipt of your request and someone will get back to you asap”. Sometimes no one responds for days. Sometimes they are very smooth & efficient. Many times, as noted previously, different people respond to same request at different points in time, without coordinating/communicating with each other.
Apr 16, 2022, 8:58 am
#848
Original Poster
Join Date: Mar 2017
Posts: 153
I have now learned that:
"Room upgrade at time of reservation, if available" was supposed to be interpreted as inserting the words "commencement of" before "reservation" – so this language should have said "room upgrade at time of check-in".
The "room upgrade at time of booking" benefit is still in effect for the Mandarin Oriental, St. Regis, et al. but the list isn't on the website.
"Room upgrade at time of reservation, if available" was supposed to be interpreted as inserting the words "commencement of" before "reservation" – so this language should have said "room upgrade at time of check-in".
The "room upgrade at time of booking" benefit is still in effect for the Mandarin Oriental, St. Regis, et al. but the list isn't on the website.
Apr 16, 2022, 1:30 pm
#849
Moderator
Join Date: Jun 2003
Location: Miami, Mpls & London
Programs: AA & Marriott Perpetual Platinum; DL & HH Gold
Posts: 48,959
Apr 17, 2022, 2:13 pm
#850
Join Date: Apr 2006
Location: NYC
Posts: 1,007
Apr 17, 2022, 7:32 pm
#851
Join Date: Mar 2001
Location: Dallas
Programs: AA PLT/5MM; AS MVP GLD 75K; DL DM; EK SLV; HHonors DIAM; Marriott GLD
Posts: 4,092
Reading the last few posts in this thread has been eye-opening. I had no idea that Centurion travel booked on line went through an overseas Expedia call center. This helps explain why the service I received was so shockingly terrible.
I suspected the Centurion program had been hollowed-out, but hadn't really had occasion to think about it until trying to use them for some stuff lately and finding the service levels to be beyond awful.
Guess after 22 years with the card, it makes sense to shift down to Platinum or Green... also, when researching this, I noticed that Platinum members actually receive higher point multipliers than Centurion for certain charges- can't begin to fathom why.
I suspected the Centurion program had been hollowed-out, but hadn't really had occasion to think about it until trying to use them for some stuff lately and finding the service levels to be beyond awful.
Guess after 22 years with the card, it makes sense to shift down to Platinum or Green... also, when researching this, I noticed that Platinum members actually receive higher point multipliers than Centurion for certain charges- can't begin to fathom why.
Apr 18, 2022, 9:07 am
#852
Join Date: Dec 2017
Location: London
Programs: AA Exec Plat, Hyatt Globalist, Emirates Gold, HH Diamond, Centurion (UK), Virgin Gold
Posts: 75
If you have to wait long periods on the phone, and fulfillment of requests is far less reliable than it was in the past, and you don't have a personal relationship manager, and they mess up your travel arrangements, I can't personally see how Centurion's concierge is really worth anything at all, honestly; it seems to be a net negative in fact. I can access FHR and Platinum Travel Services as a Platinum member (I know to avoid Expedia like the plague), but PTS is also a very slow experience on the phone and seems like Velocity Black is much less hassle.
The only mishap I encountered so far is the direct line for the executive/pod (which is different from the one on the back of the card) wasn’t able to pick up my account for a few weeks. But I can still ask whoever picked up to transfer the call or just send an email asking for call back.
Last edited by mia; Apr 18, 2022 at 2:49 pm Reason: Post split between two threads.
Apr 18, 2022, 1:25 pm
#853
Moderator
Join Date: Jun 2003
Location: Miami, Mpls & London
Programs: AA & Marriott Perpetual Platinum; DL & HH Gold
Posts: 48,959
Moderator action
Tangential discussion of Platinum Travel Service (PTS) moved to a more specific thread: Amex Platinum Travel Services (PTS) vs Amex Travel
Comparison of Amex concierge to paid alternatives, including Velocity Black has been moved: Amex Centurion / Platinum concierge vs paid alternatives
Comparison of Amex concierge to paid alternatives, including Velocity Black has been moved: Amex Centurion / Platinum concierge vs paid alternatives
Last edited by mia; Apr 18, 2022 at 2:51 pm
Apr 19, 2022, 5:28 pm
#854
Join Date: Mar 2003
Location: anywhere and everywhere
Programs: UA GS, AS MVP 100K, DL Diamond, Marriot Lifetime Titanium, AmEx Centurion
Posts: 5,528
Came here to check up on the experiences of others since my $5k posted yesterday, and I'm pretty sure this is the final straw. In the last month:
- 25 minute wait to get to an agent
- 20 minute wait to get to an agent (the only two times I called)
- Today, got a call from my "dedicated" agent to remind me to use my $2,000 credit before June...and he called at 8am. Where is that an acceptable hour for marketing calls?