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The number of American Express Centurion Cards

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ryanbush
Valued Contributor

Re: The number of American Express Centurion Cards


@Anonymous wrote:

Hey I read on someone's blog that there's about 17,000 people that have an American Express black card. But most of them aren't in the U.S - less than 10. They said more than half are in Asia and the Middle East. I don't know if theses numbers are true or not since it was just from a blog though.

It does seem like everyone [rich] has one now. I know they bumped up the fee from $2500 to $5000 to join which was probably needed so this card doesn't oversaturate the market. A lot of business people have them because all you have to do is charge 250k or more a year on your Platinum and you can get upgraded. If you have a business and put all your supplies, orders, and traveling on your American Express that wouldn't take long.


There are well over a million in the US have a Centurian Card, the fee to join is 7500 not 5000.  Also the spend is more like 1 Million if it's on business items.  The spend for a personal card is more like 250k but only on luxury items.

 

 

Chase Sapphire Perferred | Chase Freedom | AMEX Platinum | AMEX Delta Platinum | AMEX SPG | Capital One Venture | Capital One Quicksliver | Discover IT | ABFCU Visa | Citi AA WEMC
Message 11 of 24
scenery_guy
Established Contributor

Re: The number of American Express Centurion Cards

I love reading these rumors, add to the mystique of the card for those that care about it. I do know you have to have the Platinum version (personal or business) for a year and make the spend on that card to qualify. From what AMEX CSR told me spends are still $250,000 to receive invite and that the "luxury items only" is not the case. I asked as I spent $130,000 in a little over 6 months on a gold business, they offered me the platinum upgrade and I took it. If I keep on that track I should get the invite but at $7,500 first year it's simply not worth it (unless there are mystery perks I don't know about as I don't really need a personal shopper and I already have medallion level on my airline of choice). 

Message 12 of 24
kekrre
Contributor

Re: The number of American Express Centurion Cards


@scenery_guy wrote:

I love reading these rumors, add to the mystique of the card for those that care about it. I do know you have to have the Platinum version (personal or business) for a year and make the spend on that card to qualify. From what AMEX CSR told me spends are still $250,000 to receive invite and that the "luxury items only" is not the case. I asked as I spent $130,000 in a little over 6 months on a gold business, they offered me the platinum upgrade and I took it. If I keep on that track I should get the invite but at $7,500 first year it's simply not worth it (unless there are mystery perks I don't know about as I don't really need a personal shopper and I already have medallion level on my airline of choice). 


Ah, see I've heard it doesn't matter what card you have and with sufficient spending, you could get invited with a Green, Blue or even an affiliate card.

 

The only thing (IMO) that the Cent offers that is truly worth such a huge annual fee is Delta status (maybe US?), which just became harder to achieve otherwise (as of next January). But then again, the type of people who are likely to get this card are, like you, likely to already have a lot of the things they want to have.

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Message 13 of 24
Revelate
Moderator Emeritus

Re: The number of American Express Centurion Cards


@scenery_guy wrote:

I love reading these rumors, add to the mystique of the card for those that care about it. I do know you have to have the Platinum version (personal or business) for a year and make the spend on that card to qualify. From what AMEX CSR told me spends are still $250,000 to receive invite and that the "luxury items only" is not the case. I asked as I spent $130,000 in a little over 6 months on a gold business, they offered me the platinum upgrade and I took it. If I keep on that track I should get the invite but at $7,500 first year it's simply not worth it (unless there are mystery perks I don't know about as I don't really need a personal shopper and I already have medallion level on my airline of choice). 


There was a thread on a different forum recently where an actual Centurion holder suggested that the benefits weren't really worth it anymore unless you're doing high end luxury travel, and even that he thought was a little overrated.  He did suggest that there was definitely the "wow" factor, which is worth a varying amount to folks, but beyond that it wasn't a tremendously large deal.

 

Admittedly, if you're throwing around the kind of money that typically receives the invite anyway (I've heard that $250K number as well) typically people treat you pretty well anyway.




        
Message 14 of 24
ryanbush
Valued Contributor

Re: The number of American Express Centurion Cards


@Revelate wrote:

@scenery_guy wrote:

I love reading these rumors, add to the mystique of the card for those that care about it. I do know you have to have the Platinum version (personal or business) for a year and make the spend on that card to qualify. From what AMEX CSR told me spends are still $250,000 to receive invite and that the "luxury items only" is not the case. I asked as I spent $130,000 in a little over 6 months on a gold business, they offered me the platinum upgrade and I took it. If I keep on that track I should get the invite but at $7,500 first year it's simply not worth it (unless there are mystery perks I don't know about as I don't really need a personal shopper and I already have medallion level on my airline of choice). 


There was a thread on a different forum recently where an actual Centurion holder suggested that the benefits weren't really worth it anymore unless you're doing high end luxury travel, and even that he thought was a little overrated.  He did suggest that there was definitely the "wow" factor, which is worth a varying amount to folks, but beyond that it wasn't a tremendously large deal.

 

Admittedly, if you're throwing around the kind of money that typically receives the invite anyway (I've heard that $250K number as well) typically people treat you pretty well anyway.


The biggest benefit is to someone who ovbiuosly has money but don't travel very often but still wants to get treated well when they do travel with airline/hotel status

Chase Sapphire Perferred | Chase Freedom | AMEX Platinum | AMEX Delta Platinum | AMEX SPG | Capital One Venture | Capital One Quicksliver | Discover IT | ABFCU Visa | Citi AA WEMC
Message 15 of 24
scenery_guy
Established Contributor

Re: The number of American Express Centurion Cards


@ryanbush wrote:

@Revelate wrote:

@scenery_guy wrote:

I love reading these rumors, add to the mystique of the card for those that care about it. I do know you have to have the Platinum version (personal or business) for a year and make the spend on that card to qualify. From what AMEX CSR told me spends are still $250,000 to receive invite and that the "luxury items only" is not the case. I asked as I spent $130,000 in a little over 6 months on a gold business, they offered me the platinum upgrade and I took it. If I keep on that track I should get the invite but at $7,500 first year it's simply not worth it (unless there are mystery perks I don't know about as I don't really need a personal shopper and I already have medallion level on my airline of choice). 


There was a thread on a different forum recently where an actual Centurion holder suggested that the benefits weren't really worth it anymore unless you're doing high end luxury travel, and even that he thought was a little overrated.  He did suggest that there was definitely the "wow" factor, which is worth a varying amount to folks, but beyond that it wasn't a tremendously large deal.

 

Admittedly, if you're throwing around the kind of money that typically receives the invite anyway (I've heard that $250K number as well) typically people treat you pretty well anyway.


The biggest benefit is to someone who obviously has money but don't travel very often but still wants to get treated well when they do travel with airline/hotel status


Well I am throwing some money (to my suppliers at work) but I hardly look like someone who has money. I guess technically it's my money but my clients expect me to actually do a job for them so... spend it as needed to get my payoff. I get plenty of wow factor where I live with the Platinum (really?) and the CSP (um again really it's just a Chase card). 

Yes it does seem to parallel Platinum on many perks but will give you status on many major US carriers without flying a single mile and seems to have some nice hotel perks in status that you do not get with Platinum. 

Who knows, I have a year to make the spend. I'll consider it if invited but I need to see value out of the AF. 

Message 16 of 24
LionLaw
Frequent Contributor

Re: The number of American Express Centurion Cards

This card isn't that rare anymore. One of my friends works at a divey mexican restaurant in lower Manhattan, and she sees at least a couple of them every night. Also, one of my sisters works at a wine shop in Connecticut, and she also sees them regularly. Also, I don't think the benefits are justifiable, especially when a combo of Platinum and BCP gets you great travel benefits and great rewards for $525. Yes, it would be kind of cool to have a black amex... but not $10k-plus cool.
Message 17 of 24
CreditScholar
Valued Contributor

Re: The number of American Express Centurion Cards


@Revelate wrote:

@scenery_guy wrote:

I love reading these rumors, add to the mystique of the card for those that care about it. I do know you have to have the Platinum version (personal or business) for a year and make the spend on that card to qualify. From what AMEX CSR told me spends are still $250,000 to receive invite and that the "luxury items only" is not the case. I asked as I spent $130,000 in a little over 6 months on a gold business, they offered me the platinum upgrade and I took it. If I keep on that track I should get the invite but at $7,500 first year it's simply not worth it (unless there are mystery perks I don't know about as I don't really need a personal shopper and I already have medallion level on my airline of choice). 


There was a thread on a different forum recently where an actual Centurion holder suggested that the benefits weren't really worth it anymore unless you're doing high end luxury travel, and even that he thought was a little overrated.  He did suggest that there was definitely the "wow" factor, which is worth a varying amount to folks, but beyond that it wasn't a tremendously large deal.

 

Admittedly, if you're throwing around the kind of money that typically receives the invite anyway (I've heard that $250K number as well) typically people treat you pretty well anyway.


I actually have to agree with this. I had a centurion as an AU and other than the plunk factor, I didn't find it that overwhelming. There are some intangible or semi-tangible benefits to the card, but I didn't feel that it was so unique that it couldn't be replicated by spending huge amounts of money. 

EX 798, EQ 789, TU 784
American Express Platinum (NPSL) || Bank of America Privileges with Travel Rewards Visa Signature - $23,200 CL
Barclays American Airlines Aviator Red World Elite Mastercard - $20,000 CL || Chase IHG Rewards World Mastercard - $25,000 CL
Chase Sapphire Preferred Visa Signature - $12,700 CL || Chase United MileagePlus Club World Elite MasterCard - $26,500 CL
Citibank Hilton Reserve Visa Signature - $20,000 CL || J.P. Morgan Ritz Carlton Visa Signature - $23,500 CL
Message 18 of 24
pdog661
Frequent Contributor

Re: The number of American Express Centurion Cards


@LionLaw wrote:
This card isn't that rare anymore. One of my friends works at a divey mexican restaurant in lower Manhattan, and she sees at least a couple of them every night. Also, one of my sisters works at a wine shop in Connecticut, and she also sees them regularly. Also, I don't think the benefits are justifiable, especially when a combo of Platinum and BCP gets you great travel benefits and great rewards for $525. Yes, it would be kind of cool to have a black amex... but not $10k-plus cool.

Yup.  I have that combo of cards.  They are great.  Except I paid 527 in fee's last year.  2 bucks for a sharpy, and wham.  AMEX black.

Message 19 of 24
bs6054
Valued Contributor

Re: The number of American Express Centurion Cards


@pdog661 wrote:

@LionLaw wrote:
This card isn't that rare anymore. One of my friends works at a divey mexican restaurant in lower Manhattan, and she sees at least a couple of them every night. Also, one of my sisters works at a wine shop in Connecticut, and she also sees them regularly. Also, I don't think the benefits are justifiable, especially when a combo of Platinum and BCP gets you great travel benefits and great rewards for $525. Yes, it would be kind of cool to have a black amex... but not $10k-plus cool.

Yup.  I have that combo of cards.  They are great.  Except I paid 527 in fee's last year.  2 bucks for a sharpy, and wham.  AMEX black.


Where and what card did you use to buy the sharpy?  If it was a grocery store, and you used BCP, that's really only $1.88, so you would have only paid $526.88 in fees!  An even bigger bargain!

Message 20 of 24
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