Amex Australia - Centurion Card Eligibility

[bmcc]

No perks have been added since that last post. The “Centurion by Invitation” events were sent out recently, mostly dinner / wine evenings but also includes an AMG driving experience and an invitational golf day at Royal Melbourne Golf Club which looks like a bit of fun (for any avid golfer).

I can confirm no new perks.

I am of two minds whether to take it up. The issue is that many of the 'benefits' (i.e. concessional first/biz flight tickets, travel insurance) only apply to itineraries ex-Australia.

So for example if I am in LA and I want to book flights / hotels to LHR, then back to SYD routing through HKG, the agent will basically just say 'cannot' and I won't receive any benefits at all.

Travel insurance via Chubb, as I understand, also only applies to itineraries ex-Aus.

 

[Franko Costa]

I can confirm no new perks.

I am of two minds whether to take it up. The issue is that many of the 'benefits' (i.e. concessional first/biz flight tickets, travel insurance) only apply to itineraries ex-Australia.

So for example if I am in LA and I want to book flights / hotels to LHR, then back to SYD routing through HKG, the agent will basically just say 'cannot' and I won't receive any benefits at all.

Travel insurance via Chubb, as I understand, also only applies to itineraries ex-Aus.

I am no insurance expert, but my understanding when booking with Amex is that they need to be return flights (or close do it). It's all in the T&Cs

 

[sudoer]

I am no insurance expert, but my understanding when booking with Amex is that they need to be return flights (or close do it). It's all in the T&Cs

I can't comment on Centurion insurance, but I assume it is very similar to the wording from page 5 of the Plat Insurance PDS:

Return Trips Only
You are only eligible for the travel insurance benefits under Sections A – K of this Policy for return Trips i.e. trips that begin and end from Your Home or Work in Australia. It does not cover One-Way Trips where You have no plans to return to Australia. You may need to provide evidence of Your intention to return to Your Home or Your Work where reasonably possible, for example by providing copies of a return ticket, itinerary or schedule, return transfer or accommodation bookings, confirmation of return to Work dates etc. Remember, cover automatically ends for all Trips at 180 days.

Multiple separate bookings where you can show a clear start and end point in Australia all booked before travel commences should be fine.

 

[andye]

This is what my Charge says:

Can't imagine Centurion is worse but yes needs to be a return ex-Eu trip

 

[kingmaxlin2007]

I submitted EOI for a few times over past 4 months, and it is my 7th months on Amex Platinum, Amex advised that the invitation is on hold?

 

[sudoer]

I submitted EOI for a few times over past 4 months, and it is my 7th months on Amex Platinum, Amex advised that the invitation is on hold?

7 months isn't a lot of history. What's your average monthly spend?

 

[kingmaxlin2007]

I have been on platinum since Aug 2023, I submitted my EOI to a centurion person in Nov 2023, and one more in Dec, recently again in Feb 2024, but they advised EOI is on hold, saw YouTuber advised the program is on overhaul and EOI on hold? My expenses are about 60-100k AUD a month, I am not sure if that is the short for the centurion

Was that the case? Has anyone received an invitation recently?

 

[dissector]

I have been on platinum since Aug 2023, I submitted my EOI to a centurion person in Nov 2023, and one more in Dec, recently again in Feb 2024, but they advised EOI is on hold, saw YouTuber advised the program is on overhaul and EOI on hold? My expenses are about 60-100k AUD a month, I am not sure if that is the short for the centurion

Was that the case? Has anyone received an invitation recently?

In my recollection, you need to be at least 1 year on Platinum.
You need to build some history up to a year.
If you maintain this up to August 2024, I have no doubt you will qualify.
Good luck!
D

 

[tmdl]

I have been on platinum since Aug 2023, I submitted my EOI to a centurion person in Nov 2023, and one more in Dec, recently again in Feb 2024, but they advised EOI is on hold, saw YouTuber advised the program is on overhaul and EOI on hold? My expenses are about 60-100k AUD a month, I am not sure if that is the short for the centurion

Was that the case? Has anyone received an invitation recently?

I have sent a few in the past as our monthly spend is $20k on average (personal card) I have never heard anything back.

 

[kingmaxlin2007]

I think 20k is a bit low, I browsed all the Centurion US YouTubers, and they talked about 500k USD for the personal card as basic entry, and for the key urban applicant, they talked about 1m USD plus, 1m plus for business Centurion basic entry, and 2.5m USD plus for the key urban applicant

 

[sudoer]

I think 20k is a bit low, I browsed all the Centurion US YouTubers, and they talked about 500k USD for the personal card as basic entry, and for the key urban applicant, they talked about 1m USD plus, 1m plus for business Centurion basic entry, and 2.5m USD plus for the key urban applicant

Two things to keep in mind:

• US total spend data points are probably irrelevant for Australian Centurion applications
• Data points from Centurion applications globally would indicate that total spend matters less than spend breakdown - Centurion seems to prefer a customer who spends $250kpa on luxury goods and premium travel vs $1m per year on B2B spend

 

[kingmaxlin2007]

Thanks for sharing

I had started to move my spending from direct debit from my bank account and prestige to Amex for those non-fee recurring expenses.

But if Amex wants these expenses and merchants' fees associated, it is fair to attract clients like me to gain rewards and centurion invites, but I am not attracted to luxury goods and premium travel.

I am a weekly flyer, and yearly travel expenses are over 200k, but not to Hilton or Marriott, I do spend a lot, but nothing related to luxury, which is not my style, and I don't want to be forced to change my preference due to Amex's preference for certain spending type.

Amex did introduce some clever ideas about hotel membership which we did not even care about and look at, and restaurants. but if Amex tries to bait us or force us into a certain spending category, to be able to receive a Centurion invite, the short answer is NO and Never.

It is my money and my will, not going to be dictated by Amex.

 

[sudoer]

I am a weekly flyer, and yearly travel expenses are over 200k, but not to Hilton or Marriott, I do spend a lot, but nothing related to luxury, which is not my style, and I don't want to be forced to change my preference due to Amex's preference for certain spending type.

Amex did introduce some clever ideas about hotel membership which we did not even care about and look at, and restaurants. but if Amex tries to bait us or force us into a certain spending category, to be able to receive a Centurion invite, the short answer is NO and Never.

It is my money and my will, not going to be dictated by Amex.

There's no "baiting" or "forcing" because Amex doesn't publish any firm eligibility criteria for the Centurion.

If you don't meet the demographic they're looking to service, they simply don't respond to your EOI.

 

[dissector]

Thanks for sharing

I had started to move my spending from direct debit from my bank account and prestige to Amex for those non-fee recurring expenses.

But if Amex wants these expenses and merchants' fees associated, it is fair to attract clients like me to gain rewards and centurion invites, but I am not attracted to luxury goods and premium travel.

I am a weekly flyer, and yearly travel expenses are over 200k, but not to Hilton or Marriott, I do spend a lot, but nothing related to luxury, which is not my style, and I don't want to be forced to change my preference due to Amex's preference for certain spending type.

Amex did introduce some clever ideas about hotel membership which we did not even care about and look at, and restaurants. but if Amex tries to bait us or force us into a certain spending category, to be able to receive a Centurion invite, the short answer is NO and Never.

It is my money and my will, not going to be dictated by Amex.

Thanks for sharing kingmaxlin2007. I think you answered your questions very well in your own words.

 

[kingmaxlin2007]

Thanks, Other YouTubers also advised the same ideas

But one YouTuber advised that seems regional areas have lower spending thresholds, I don't know if AU is some sort of regional compared to the US.

Centurion Team AU advised the invite got on hold due to a program overhaul, I don't know if it is true, don't know if any recent invite was received here in AU, and what sort of spending figure there. If anyone received an invite but is not a luxury good and first-class cabin lover.

 

[Viridis]

Thanks for sharing

I had started to move my spending from direct debit from my bank account and prestige to Amex for those non-fee recurring expenses.

But if Amex wants these expenses and merchants' fees associated, it is fair to attract clients like me to gain rewards and centurion invites, but I am not attracted to luxury goods and premium travel.

I am a weekly flyer, and yearly travel expenses are over 200k, but not to Hilton or Marriott, I do spend a lot, but nothing related to luxury, which is not my style, and I don't want to be forced to change my preference due to Amex's preference for certain spending type.

Amex did introduce some clever ideas about hotel membership which we did not even care about and look at, and restaurants. but if Amex tries to bait us or force us into a certain spending category, to be able to receive a Centurion invite, the short answer is NO and Never.

It is my money and my will, not going to be dictated by Amex.

Curious to know why you'd want a Centurion ..... it is a card directed largely at those for whom luxury is 'their style'. The card would appear to offer you nothing other than the extra points earn which is of marginal benefit given the additional cost over Platinum.

Platinum seems a better fit

 

[Viridis]

I think 20k is a bit low, I browsed all the Centurion US YouTubers, and they talked about 500k USD for the personal card as basic entry, and for the key urban applicant, they talked about 1m USD plus, 1m plus for business Centurion basic entry, and 2.5m USD plus for the key urban applicant

I know of at least one person who was invited to get a Centurion card ..... twice .... (without filing an expression of interest) whose monthly spend was around A$10-12k. Mine is roughly the same although it does spike to A$20-40k

He accepted the first offer and held the card for a few years before reverting to the Platinum. He received the second invite about 5yrs later and accepted again and still has it.

With roughly the same spend, I have never received an invite. I have not & will not file an EOI. The only difference is that he has held an Amex since the mid 80s. I had my first in the early 90s but I've had breaks in membership.

 

[kingmaxlin2007]

Curious to know why you'd want a Centurion ..... it is a card directed largely at those for whom luxury is 'their style'. The card would appear to offer you nothing other than the extra points earn which is of marginal benefit given the additional cost over Platinum.

Platinum seems a better fit

I think 3 things attracted me:
1. self-recognition - read about this card when I was young, and want this card all along my business journey since came to Australia at 20, and now 20 years past, I have achieved one and another, this is one of my goals, want to get this done.

2. travel booking concierge - want to see if they could book a series booking for us to achieve value for money, normally we need to book 6 months ahead at the beginning of the year, and mid of a year for the second half - flight, hotel, vehicle for multiple members that is business travel, very time-consuming, and sometimes, once flight changes, we are rushing to change next series booking, pressured, want to have someone to assist, especially when on travel.

When for school holidays and holiday booking, that is even worse, sometimes we need to book for big family international travel for gatherings, sometimes up to 26 people flight bookings, like a travel agency's works..... I was thinking Centurion concierge to handle this for me. I am thinking of using Amex business travel brokerage service as well if I cannot get Centurion in a short time. Of course, I don't use first-class flights myself, but I will still book first/business class for my parents. And all the premium travel services of course for them only.

3. There is no other premium card in Australia at the moment to compete, if we were in the US market, I would not really be that fascinated by the Centurion card, so many other options, but in AU, we only have this card provide this service, what other options we have?

 

[kingmaxlin2007]

I know of at least one person who was invited to get a Centurion card ..... twice .... (without filing an expression of interest) whose monthly spend was around A$10-12k. Mine is roughly the same although it does spike to A$20-40k

He accepted the first offer and held the card for a few years before reverting to the Platinum. He received the second invite about 5yrs later and accepted again and still has it.

With roughly the same spend, I have never received an invite. I have not & will not file an EOI. The only difference is that he has held an Amex since the mid 80s. I had my first in the early 90s but I've had breaks in membership.

Thanks for sharing.

That is new to me, I think one crack here is both of you are long-term loyal Amex clients, most likely had long connections or business connections with Amex already.

However, clients do not have a long history, so I think the requirement might be a bit different, especially since I am expecting to get the card in my 7-8 months with Amex.

 

[jonboixxx]

When I handed back my Centurion quite a few years ago, I was asked whether I was sure, as I was told if I didn't renew, it would never be offered to me again. And they were true to their word, despite me spending much more now on the Platinum.