AMEX Centurion

[Cruiser Elite]

16 months ago I was invited and declined Cent Membership.

I spent 20 mins on phone with Pla services yesterday and call op again suggested she would suggest to Cent dept to again invite me.

I questioned her about advantages / priveledges that would justify additional fee - she was unable to convince me.

Can any Australian based Cent holderr please supply list of benefits that justify the extra fee?

 

[straitman]

16 months ago I was invited and declined Cent Membership.

I spent 20 mins on phone with Pla services yesterday and call op again suggested she would suggest to Cent dept to again invite me.

I questioned her about advantages / priveledges that would justify additional fee - she was unable to convince me.

Can any Australian based Cent holderr please supply list of benefits that justify the extra fee?

This has been discussed here previously though I cannot locate the threads just at the moment.

From memory the consensus was that the extra cost over the Plat Charge Card could not be justified.

 

[simongr]

The big benefit for me would be the car transfers to the airport. If you are booking your own flights and able to charge to your centurion card then that would "save" me around $3000 per year as I would get free airport transfers.

 

[straitman]

The big benefit for me would be the car transfers to the airport. If you are booking your own flights and able to charge to your centurion card then that would "save" me around $3000 per year as I would get free airport transfers.

I live just over 200 km from the airport and I don't think transfers are included to that distance.

 

[Cruiser Elite]

The big benefit for me would be the car transfers to the airport. If you are booking your own flights and able to charge to your centurion card then that would "save" me around $3000 per year as I would get free airport transfers.

Are the free airport transfers available to you whichever way you book your flights or only available to you if you book through Cent flight bookings?

The agent I spoke to in AMEX yesterday could not answer that.

 

[GBK06]

The transfers are only included if you book first or business class tickets via centurion travel.

 

[Cruiser Elite]

The transfers are only included if you book first or business class tickets via centurion travel.

Yes I thought as much - and I am assuming the Cent travel dept would be less than competitive in terms of pricing.

 

[GBK06]

Yes I thought as much - and I am assuming the Cent travel dept would be less than competitive in terms of pricing.

They seem pretty competitive, and have recently introduced a "price guarantee" that they will be cheaper then any other travel agent. However the service that I have recieved the times i have booked via them has meant i will never use them again for booking flights. I only use them for booking FHR hotels.

 

[serfty]

This has been discussed here previously though I cannot locate the threads just at the moment.

From memory the consensus was that the extra cost over the Plat Charge Card could not be justified.

• http://www.australianfrequentflyer....ss-rewards/centurion-invite-2010-a-26575.html
• http://www.australianfrequentflyer....wards/amex-centurion-i-cant-decide-25494.html
• http://www.australianfrequentflyer.com.au/community/open-discussion/centurion-invitation-18706.html
• http://www.australianfrequentflyer....centurion-invitation-me-youre-avin-19673.html

 

[Cruiser Elite]

They seem pretty competitive, and have recently introduced a "price guarantee" that they will be cheaper then any other travel agent. However the service that I have recieved the times i have booked via them has meant i will never use them again for booking flights. I only use them for booking FHR hotels.

OK - of course I have never used them - my only experience with AMEX travel depts was with Plat - I attained a quote MEL-PK a couple of years back and they were WAY over the price available online - never ever tried them again.

 

[simongr]

The transfers are only included if you book first or business class tickets via centurion travel.

That must have been in the fine print and changes my considerations for the future considerably...

 

[Cruiser Elite]

Special thanks to all who contributed so willingly and promptly.

Special thanks to serfty who provided the links to previous threads.

Special thanks to Centurionman for his inciteful post in one of those threads:

Re: AMEX Centurion - I can't decide whether to accept...

I have held an Amex charge card since 1990 and transferred to three different world offices in that time before I ended up in Australia. I can honestly say that the benefits of Centurion in Australia are perhaps the worst worldwide and represent poor value for money over a Platinum.

First year in Australia I moved my UK Centurion to here. Second year I explained that the levels of service and amenities were so poor in comparison to the UK and US I was comp'd a second year. I handed it back in year three and happily carry my platinum card.

I remain a stalward Amex customer and find it suits my lifestyle, but as to the Centurion card I guess I've been guilty of jumping on the ego polishing wagon at one time in my life, but frankly $4000 is a few very nice meals and on balance my palette always wins ​

After reading this it is a pretty simple straightforward decision - no thanks for Cent - will stick with Plat.

 

[MrJetset]

My assessment has been:

• Centurion travel department has the same pricing as Platinum
• Transfers are nice, however included with EY,EK J and F fares anyway
• Transfers not available when booking award tickets
• Airport Meet & Greet Service is provided by QF First Hosts if requested
• Complimentary SPG status is the same for both, i.e. Gold
• No comped frequent flyer status on any airline, so the main benefit to US based cardholders with constant free upgrades is useless here

As such I could not justify the price difference. If having a special card in your wallet warrants the membership fee, then go for it.

 

[Diesellife]

Centurion Travel Service (CTS) sometimes offer competitive special airfare, not sure if it applies to Platinum too.

But my recent booking with CTS on CX metal in J was quite a bargain in my opinion...of course, without the "special" rate, I would not have booked it with CTS.

I found myself would recoup the annual fee if I factor in all those intangible things the card offered. E.g. Room upgrades...

If the Centurion Australia provides me with some airline status in the future, I will be keeping the card for a much longer time :mrgreen:

 

[Homer]

Centurion Travel Service (CTS) sometimes offer competitive special airfare, not sure if it applies to Platinum too.

But my recent booking with CTS on CX metal in J was quite a bargain in my opinion...of course, without the "special" rate, I would not have booked it with CTS.

I found myself would recoup the annual fee if I factor in all those intangible things the card offered. E.g. Room upgrades...

If the Centurion Australia provides me with some airline status in the future, I will be keeping the card for a much longer time :mrgreen:

Yep. I saved close to 50% on three EK F seats between Australia and Europe just two months ago. That saving alone was significantly more than the annual membership fee on the Centurion card, even disregarding numerous upgrades and occasional double-upgrades at some great hotels, etc. Perhaps you can get those deals elsewhere but I don’t know where.

 

[melbourne rebel]

Agree with both posts above. Whilst their 'partner airline' list doesn't include QF, those airlines included do offer considerable discounts, particularly on EK. Have saved the annual fee many times over this year with a single phone call.

With regard to pricing, the price guarantee again only covers flights booked on 'partner airlines', and covers First and Business.

Partner airlines are:

· Air New Zealand
· British Airways
· Delta Airlines
· Emirates
· LAN Airlines
· Singapore Airlines
· United Airlines
· V Australia

Overall I have had no problem with CTS matching any fares that I am able to find. This was demonstrated last week when booking NAN Status Run fares. Like all TA’s, find a good agent within CTS and stick with them.

As to the value of the card, its up to every individual to determine where they spend their hard earned. Some will see value, others not. Personally I see the value hence I have the card. When I don’t see value, I will drop it.

Wallet candy it ain’t.

 

[Foreigner]

I have the platinum card and have already exhausted the 200k cap for bonus points. One benefit I was told over phone by Amex is the cap on centurion card is 500k. For those spending up to 500k, there must be value attached to the extra bonus points, I would think.

 

[Cruiser Elite]

I have the platinum card and have already exhausted the 200k cap for bonus points. One benefit I was told over phone by Amex is the cap on centurion card is 500k. For those spending up to 500k, there must be value attached to the extra bonus points, I would think.

Correct - but you can also get a Platinum Credit Card attached to the charge card that will give you additional 111K spend - and I have the Westpac SQ Plat AMEX also so I have plenty spend capacity - and all up combined fees much less than the $4,300 Cent commands.

Spoke again at length to AMEX on phone this morning - they are REALLY REALLY reluctant to quote any actual figures that might be saved by using CTS - but I might just take up the Cent for 12 months next time they offer it to me and log all the savings / value added benefits I do gain.

No doubt would make interesting reading on here to many.

 

[Stephen65]

111K? Isn't it an extra 100k?

 

[Foreigner]

111K? Isn't it an extra 100k?

It is indeed 100k. I have exhausted that also. Both in two months of renewal. So now, it's SQ Amex and Visa. Changes ahead in that program too (Visa card only, I understand). Will be looking at alternative VISA or Mastercard for min. 1:1 reward.