Centurion Question

[Watchmann]

The qualifications to get invited are probably not cast in stone and vary as to which sort of people or industry they want to target.  AMEX is not going to let this card just be one that anyone can qualify for based on spending patterns.  They want specific type of people for this program, this is not an egalitarian type of card.

[LS2982]

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@espnjunkie wrote:

Frankly I bet if you have an amex charge card and called them I bet they would be willing to approve most people for Centurion. The fact still remains that it is a chrage card that must be paid in full each month hence less risk than a revolver, they can still impose whatever spending limit they want on the account and I'm sure they would be glad to take anyone's money who will pay for the initiation cost (reportedly 5,000.00) plus 2,500.00 annual fee. It just works out that pretty much the only people who would be willing to pay that much for a charge card are those who are very wealthy and spend tons.

It seems too many people are lured in by aspirations of the elusive 'black card' and admittedly American Express has done well to market the card so that it remains mysterious. At the end of the day a credit/charge card is just a tool to purchase things and make payments and so long as you can pay it doesn't really matter what color or rewards come with it. Yes, building credit is important, maintaining it even moreso, but it is all to easy to fall into the trap of always wanting more. Each person has the right to spend his/her money in the fashion they choose to, but put the immense cost of the centurion card into perspective. It is just a card and it will always be just a card.

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+1

Good post!

[TheBronxBomber]

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@espnjunkie wrote:

Frankly I bet if you have an amex charge card and called them I bet they would be willing to approve most people for Centurion. The fact still remains that it is a chrage card that must be paid in full each month hence less risk than a revolver, they can still impose whatever spending limit they want on the account and I'm sure they would be glad to take anyone's money who will pay for the initiation cost (reportedly 5,000.00) plus 2,500.00 annual fee. It just works out that pretty much the only people who would be willing to pay that much for a charge card are those who are very wealthy and spend tons.

It seems too many people are lured in by aspirations of the elusive 'black card' and admittedly American Express has done well to market the card so that it remains mysterious. At the end of the day a credit/charge card is just a tool to purchase things and make payments and so long as you can pay it doesn't really matter what color or rewards come with it. Yes, building credit is important, maintaining it even moreso, but it is all to easy to fall into the trap of always wanting more. Each person has the right to spend his/her money in the fashion they choose to, but put the immense cost of the centurion card into perspective. It is just a card and it will always be just a card.

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I agree with you. My interest in the card is based on the benefits they offer. I'm in the entertainment industry, and I travel on the road 4-5 days a week, different cities each night. I love cards that can help make my traveling easier. The moment that I have no use for certain cards, I plan on reducing them to cards with no AF.

[MrShush]

Allegedly, over on FT, they arent/haven't invited any US customers yet this year. Calling to let make them aware of your interest may push that along however.

[espnjunkie]

Are the benefits of centurion really worth nearly 6X the annual fee of the platinum though? That's up for the individual to decide

[MrShush]

Any card with a fee is up to the borrower. For some, it is worth it.

[drsmith]

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@espnjunkie wrote:

Are the benefits of centurion really worth nearly 6X the annual fee of the platinum though? That's up for the individual to decide

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I'd imagine AmEx pulls out all the stops for their Centurion members.

I work in a field that has a loyalty club, and each tier comes with new benefits.

Our version of the platinum customer is really nothing special. They're a dime a dozen, and get free stuff when we have it. Our "centurion" members however get what they want, when they want it. We'll glady tell another customer sorry you're reservation has been cancelled to satisfy the whim of a centurion member.

I'd say service like that could be worth the fee.

[TheBronxBomber]

I will gladly pay a premium for good service.

[LS2982]

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@drsmith wrote:

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@espnjunkie wrote:

Are the benefits of centurion really worth nearly 6X the annual fee of the platinum though? That's up for the individual to decide

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I'd imagine AmEx pulls out all the stops for their Centurion members.

I work in a field that has a loyalty club, and each tier comes with new benefits.

Our version of the platinum customer is really nothing special. They're a dime a dozen, and get free stuff when we have it. Our "centurion" members however get what they want, when they want it. We'll glady tell another customer sorry you're reservation has been cancelled to satisfy the whim of a centurion member.

I'd say service like that could be worth the fee.

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Yea, but i;d be quite PO'ed if I lost my seat because someone wants to pay crazy fees for a card!

[CreditScholar]

That's the way things work, and certain people do get benefits over others. It's really amusing when people complain on the forums saying they're never going back to a bank. They've lost my business forever! I highly doubt the banks care with their $1500 CL. Rich people get all of the perks and the little guys are expendable. It's just as it should be, given it's a profit driven industry.