Rate Centurion Benefits

[3eef]

I know that there is a lot of discussion on the benefits of Centurion vs plat etc. So I thought I would start a thread rating some of the benefits.

Airport limo - was fine and free saving a couple of hundred dollars vs the usual company...

Fast track Assistance through the airport - brilliant in Asia where used but 1 per trip

Concierge - better than plat

Travel - just as useless as plat

There is my first 4...

 

[Homer]

Concierge - better than plat

Travel - just as useless as plat

Both of these depend on the agent you get. I have a brilliant concierge from a former major hotel in Sydney. He’s proactive - he sends me things that I might be interested in without me needing to ask! My travel agent is slowly seeing the world on famils generated by the business I send her way...but after working with me for a couple of years she now understands my requirements well and actually saves me time. But I’ve had bad experiences too - particularly in the early days.

 

[AusTim]

Somewhat small benefit, since the departure of Virgin lounges from the Priority Pass program, I have been able to take advantage of Virgin Velocity's status match. Matching Centurion's complimentary Marco Polo Diamond/Emerald status, I have been automatically afforded Velocity Platinum.

Benefits (verbatim off Virgin's website):

- Priority Phone service
- Seating Preferences
- Complimentary Fare upgrade
- Upgrade using points
- Priority Economy seat purchase
- Complimentary membership with Secure Sentinel
- Priority check in
- Priority Boarding
- Sydney lounge premium entry and premium valet
- Virgin Australia Lounge
- Priority screening lane at Melbourne and Brisbane domestic airports
- Fly Ahead
- Complimentary baggage allowance
- Priority waitlist
- Complimentary Elite membership with IHG Prioirity Club and Hilton HHOnors
- Complimentary elite membership with Europcar and Hertz

Surprisingly the list goes on.

 

[Ricardo]

Somewhat small benefit, since the departure of Virgin lounges from the Priority Pass program, I have been able to take advantage of Virgin Velocity's status match. Matching Centurion's complimentary Marco Polo Diamond/Emerald status, I have been automatically afforded Velocity Platinum.

I guess this is an ongoing benefit (status match?)as long as you held your Cent membership?? I am still tossing up if I should take up the offer I received for Cent. I have until Sept 6th to decide, problem is Mrs Ricardo and I are due to have child #2 arrive mid Jan 2012 so not many trips/hols planned for next year or 2013 for that matter.....

Thanks also to Homer for his insight, I have also found the Plat travel service to be very hit/miss and I only travel to NZ 3-4 times in a year and they still manage to make mistakes with bookings and car hire, so I have resorted to doing it mostly myself.

 

[sparoz]

For me really is the extra bonus points.

Card Services waiting time and service is better than Plat.

Haven't used the concierge and travel yet, so can't compare. I used to have a great agent until he left, and haven't got a great one for a while. Concierge and travel agents need to anticipate what we want before we knew it. .

 

[sparoz]

hahha ok thanks. Am I correct that the AMEX plat charge only comes with SPG gold? and PC Plat?

Also I'm trying to decide whether to transfer my AMEX MR points to SPG or PC or HH. My main stays will be in Singapore and HKG, South Korea and Japan. My main way to accumulate points will be via CC spend on AMEX.

Thanks,
K.

I personally find the points are better valued when converted to FF points instead. For example, a SPG level 4 requires 10k star points which is equivalent to 33000 amex points. Those rooms usually go for say 250/night. BNE-HKG J fare on CX is equivalent to 115000 MR points - and that's a 3-4k fare. Even with a Y fare at 60k MR points - the fare is usually > 1000 dollars. I never had problem booking CX J. However, I tend to travel on short notice - like a couple of weeks so that might have an impact as well.