Can i request a centurion card

For an explanation of our Advertising Policy, visit this page. Update: Some offers mentioned below are no longer available. View the current offers here. The Centurion Card from American Express is perhaps the most desirable piece of plastic anodized titanium out there, in no small part because of the shroud of secrecy and exclusivity that surrounds it. So with all that is going on, is the prestigious and exclusive Amex Centurion card still worth it?

The card details on this page have not been reviewed or provided by the card issuer. Want more from TPG? Sign up for our free daily newsletter! First things first: There are two versions of the Centurion Card — a business version and a personal one. Related: You can now request an invite to the Amex Centurion card. There are no foreign transaction fees.

Related: Is Jerry Seinfeld the reason that the Amex black card exists? In late , Amex announced a number of new benefits to go along with the steeply increased annual fee. Other options for spending: Frequent travelers looking to be rewarded for their airline and other transportation spending should check out cards such as the Amex Platinum , which offers 5x points on airfare purchased directly with the airline and airfare and hotels booked via American Express Travel.

From knowing my preferred seat on a plane based on the layout of the cabin to advising hotels of my arrival and departure time, Ray is a jack of all trades. Ray even takes on particularly cumbersome tasks, like locating my headphones when I lost them 10, miles from home.

Perhaps the best example of the value that a great concierge like Ray can provide came when I was stranded in Bali during the eruption of Mount Agung.

Ray worked with Vernon, a Singapore-based Amex employee who was able to get me off the island via van, ferry and plane — a near-impossible feat as thousands were trying to get off the island and the airport was closed. Before that frantic rush off the island, though, Ray was able to arrange a pick-up for me at Denpasar airport DPS through the Centurion International Arrival Services perk that comes with the card. Personal contacts at Amex can do this for you as well at participating airports.

During the pandemic, Centurion cardholders including Brian Kelly have been able to utilize the concierge to help with complicated cancelations, trip rebookings and getting refunds while airlines were slammed with other requests. Other ways to get it: The Platinum Card from American Express automatically grants account holders Marriott Gold status enrollment required.

However, as of earlier this year, you can now get 30 elite-night credits by holding both a personal and business version — which is enough for gold status and just 20 nights away from Platinum status. Alternatively, you can earn this status after staying 40 nights or earning 40, qualifying points in a calendar year. Receive automatic elite status to enjoy at properties in this collection of luxury hotels and resorts.

Benefits include room upgrades subject to availability, a VIP welcome, a unique perk at each property and concierge service. In addition to offering members status with partner programs, the Centurion card has its own hotel benefits, packaged as the Centurion Hotel Program.

Regis — Centurion cardholders can enjoy the following:. These include:. Get complimentary upgrades, priority waitlisting, a bonus of 4 miles per dollar spent, waived award reissue fees, priority check-in and boarding, your pick of Choice Benefits and more. Other ways to get it : This benefit is exclusive to the Centurion card, though you can spend your way to Medallion status using select Delta cobranded credit cards.

This will get you a good head start for reaching Delta status. When possible, Centurion can coordinate ground transportation as well, and baggage porters are available for a fee.

These services are available for you and up to eight travel companions on eligible flights and at 32 international airports. In fact, even individuals with an excellent credit score and a long, positive track record with American Express may not be selected to apply.

One thing's for certain: You'll need to be an existing American Express cardholder to qualify. The rest relies on the financial institution's secret criteria.

Black Card holders tend to spend hundreds of thousands of dollars on the card per year. High spending isn't an official requirement to receive an invitation, but if you plan on getting on the Centurion team's radar, six-figure annual spending is the best way. There are two types of Centurion cards: the personal Black Card and business version. It may be easier to qualify for the business card. As with other corporate cards by American Express, a Black business card will reflect on your personal credit report and not the company's.

The Centurion Card annual fee is the highest of all credit cards on the market. The main difference could be the higher level of personal concierge services; it takes a large staff to hunt down hard-to-find products, tickets, and reservations. You'll earn the same level of rewards other American Express cardholders earn. You'll have a direct line to the person, who can serve as a personal assistant to handle nearly anything you need.

However, there's a whole team behind the scenes dedicated to handling Centurion cardholder requests. As you can imagine, some requests can be time-consuming, such as locating the latest game console days before Christmas. If you'd like to speed up the process of getting an invitation, there is a way to send American Express a proverbial poke.

A Centurion Membership interest page has recently appeared with little fanfare. The page explains that it's for existing American Express cardholders interested in being considered for the card. There's no guarantee you'll receive an invitation, but you've at least let American Express know you'd like one. If you spend hundreds of thousands of dollars per year on credit, the card can be a good option. To get the best possible experience please use the latest version of Chrome, Firefox, Safari, or Microsoft Edge to view this website.

The unique characteristics of the Centurion Card, both in costs and rewards, do not invite comparison. The Centurion Card has a lot of downsides: a large initiation fee, annual fees that rival a luxury car lease and a distinct lack of category spending bonuses.

That said, for the biggest of big spenders, the Centurion Card can be worth every one of the million pennies that cover just the initiation fee. The upsides, which include bend-over-backwards customer service, elite travel statuses, memberships and credits to luxury outlets and lucrative points redemption options can easily offset the costs. However, the credits and perks only have value if they are of use to you. Events including celebrities of the entertainment, culinary and sports arenas are offered solely to cardholders.

That said, you can request consideration online if you want to give it a shot. Something to keep in mind: the Centurion offers a personal card and a business card. If you are given a choice, the business card offers more valuable benefits, most notably the airfare rebate. In addition, the Centurion Card offers 1.

This gives an effective two-cent per dollar return rate, which is more than any other American Express card offers on unlimited spending in every category. This bonus does not exist on the personal version of the card. American Express Membership Rewards points are valuable because they are flexible. They can be transferred to anyone of 17 travel partners, most at a ratio.

In addition, American Express offers frequent transfer bonuses, allowing you to get even more value from your points. You can also redeem your points for a wide variety of gift cards in travel, retail, and restaurant categories. Rates vary depending on the vendor and fluctuate between 0. You may also pay with points at a number of vendors most notably Amazon at 0.

Some benefits, such as airport lounge access albeit without a dedicated section in the Centurion Clubs and hotel and car rental statuses, are the same with both cards.

Cap applies. Earn 1 point per dollar on all other eligible purchases. If sufficiently leveraged, the card's robust benefits are well worth the high annual fee. If you have to ask, the answer is likely no. The Centurion Card is for an extremely narrow slice of the market and will provide value to a narrower slice still. She has visited over 45 countries and lived in Thailand, China, and Ireland where her son was born.

Her kids have over 20 stamps in their own passports. Her passion lies in showing families how to travel more while keeping their savings and sanity. Her guidebook, Disney World Hacks, is a bestseller on Amazon. Select Region.

United States. United Kingdom. Dia Adams.