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Centurion® Card from American Express — Full Review [2023]

Name: Centurion® Card from American Express — Full Review [2023]
Item: Centurion® Card from American Express
Rating: 3.5
Author: Alex Miller

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"The Benefits of Exclusivity"

An invitation-only card with serious luxury travel benefits. If you're not invited, The Platinum Card® from American Express offers many similar benefits.

Alex Miller

- Updated: May 10, 2023, 10:16am CDT|

5Comments

The information regarding the Centurion® Card from American Express was independently collected by Upgraded Points and was not provided nor reviewed by the issuer.

After working on your business for years, you finally hit the level of revenue you always dreamed of. There’s still work to be done, but your financial goals have been met.

One day, you get a letter in the mail from American Express saying you’ve been invited to apply for their Centurion® Card from American Express.

You know that this is the highest honor they bestow upon their customers, and you’re excited to find out more.

Centurion Card — Snapshot

Welcome Bonus & Info (Partner Content)
- There is no welcome bonus on the Centurion Card from American Express.
- 1 pt/$1 for all purchases.
- The Centurion card is an invitation-only card that caters to a more affluent customer segment.
- Dedicated concierge and travel agent.
Card Categories:
- Credit Card Reviews
- Best Travel Credit Cards
Rewards Center
American Express Membership Rewards
Customer Service Number
1-877-877-0987
Login Link
https://www.americanexpress.com
Related Articles
How To Get The Amex Centurion Card

Great Card If

You’ve been invited
You have met the AMEX spending, income, and net worth criteria
You plan to spend at least six-figures each year on the card
You are a frequent traveler who likes to travel in style

Don't Get If

You haven’t been invited
You have been invited, but you cannot or do not plan to spend the required amount on the card each year
You don’t think the annual fee will be worth it in terms of benefits that the card offers

Centurion Card Fees

Foreign Transaction Fees
None
Interest Rates ?
- N/A, this is a charge card
- Pay over time is available upon request
Late fees ?
- Late payment of up to $38
Balance Transfers
- N/A
Cash Advance APR
- N/A
Additional Info
Rates & Fees

The Ideal Cardholder

Applying for the Centurion Card

It can be fairly difficult to get your hands on the Centurion Card (also referred to as the AMEX Black Card).

American Express keeps this one a tight-lipped secret due to the fact the requirements for qualifying are quite high.

Only when you have received an invitation can you apply for the card, and there are 2 “versions:” the aforementioned personal card and the Business Amex Business Centurion card.

Anecdotally, both require that you spend and pay off somewhere in the neighborhood of $350,000-$500,000 on your other American Express accounts every year.

Each card has an annual fee of $5,000, and you’ll also pay an initiation fee of $10,000. Your ability to keep the card will be evaluated by American Express each year since it allows a number of exclusive benefits.

The card earns 1x points per dollar, but has no bonus earnings categories.

To put this card into perspective, it has very similar benefits to The Platinum Card® from American Express and the The Business Platinum® Card from American Express, so these are highly recommended alternatives.

Bottom Line: The Centurion Card is invite-only and costs $5,000 per year with a $10,000 initiation fee. You’ll earn 1x points on purchases, but the real value is in its impressive list of benefits!

Airline and Airport Perks of the Card

Most interesting to the majority of people are the airport and air travel perks that the card offers, such as complimentary upgrades and priority wait-listing.

You get automatic Delta SkyMiles Platinum Medallion status for being a member, which is the third of 4 tiers. This provides you with complimentary upgrades, priority waitlisting, priority boarding, and more.

Cardholders also gain some exclusive airport perks that you won’t find with any other cards.

One unique benefit is a personal airport guide when you travel in first or business class on international flights. When you arrive, they’ll be there to greet you and help you through customs.

American Express will also arrange ground transportation for you if you need it, which makes your airport experience nice and smooth.

As if the other airport benefits weren’t enough, the card also provides access to (Terms and Conditions Apply):

Centurion Lounges – locations in Dallas/Worth, Las Vegas, Miami, New York LaGuardia, Seattle, San Francisco, and Houston.
PS LAX – an exclusive communal space for Centurion cardholders who will receive a complimentary membership.
Priority Pass Select – unlimited lounge access for you and guests to hundreds of airport lounges around the world.
Fee credit for Global Entry or TSA PreCheck – includes a credit for an application every 5 years to Global Entry or TSA PreCheck.

Bottom Line: The Centurion Card will redefine “luxury air travel” for you with Platinum elite status in Delta SkyMiles, personal airport guides, and much, much more!

The Hotel Benefits of Being Invited

For those who love to travel, the card offers elite status at some of the finest hotels and resorts worldwide, such as:

Marriott Gold Elite status
Hilton Honors Diamond
IHG Priority Club Rewards Platinum Elite

Also available are access to the Centurion Hotel Program and AMEX Fine Hotels & Resorts.

The Centurion Hotel Program offers its very own set of benefits, which include daily breakfast for 2, room upgrade at the time of booking, guaranteed 4 pm checkout, and in-room WiFi (at most properties).

Fine Hotels & Resorts also provides similar benefits to the Centurion Hotel Program, although these hotels are available to those with other Amex cards as well, such as The Platinum Card® from American Express.

Bottom Line: Earn elite status in multiple hotel chains when you use the Centurion Card.

Car Rental and Auto Advantages of Being an Exclusive Member

With the card, you can also get travel benefits in the car rental and auto industry. The card provides elite status in 2 rental car programs:

Avis President’s Club – receive a guaranteed vehicle at corporate locations, even without having a reservation. Also receive complimentary double upgrades and the lowest applicable rates on domestic reservations.
Hertz Platinum – Car upgrades at the time of rental, plus courtesy pickup and delivery of vehicle to select private plane terminals.

Just by being a cardmember, you will also be part of the Centurion Auto Program, which gives you automatic access to premium vehicle purchasing, luxury rentals, and a variety of driving experiences, such as track and off-road!

Rentals are covered by the card’s primary rental car insurance, and premium roadside assistance is available in case you need towing up to 10 miles, jump starting, or changing a flat.

Bottom Line: You will be an Avis President’s Club and Hertz Platinum elite status member, and you’ll also be able to access the Centurion Auto Program when you own the Centurion Card.

Other Luxury Benefits of the Centurion Card

Sports fans can enjoy some cool benefits like access to exclusive sales and events including the Kentucky Derby, the Wimbledon Club Experience, and the Grand Prix de Monaco.

There are also a number of shopping and dining perks, too. A personal Centurion concierge service is available for you 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, and they can shop for you or book reservations.

If you enjoy fine dining, you’ll really love the Centurion Dining Program. A table is held for cardmembers every day at 1,000 of the world’s top restaurants.

A Centurion Wine and Wine Buying benefit is also available for members. This provides insider access to private tastings and tours in Napa. Plus, you’ll have wine buying offers on Centurion.com.

Cruisers will enjoy discounts and perks as well. Use one of AMEX’s cruise partners, and you can receive $100-$500 in credit per stateroom, plus additional amenities.

For those interested in fitness, you will also receive benefits at SoulCycle including complimentary classes, fast track to SuperSoul status, free passes for friends who want to try it out and some retail perks.

Bottom Line: The Centurion Card also covers cruises. You can get $100-$500 in credits for your cruise, plus other on-board perks. The card provides top-tier benefits for entertainment, shopping, and dining as well.

Business Card and Owner Benefits

As a business owner, you can benefit even more from being a member of the exclusive Business Centurion Card from American Express club.

Your card membership allows you access to the AMEX Open Forum, an online community for business owners that includes networking events.

You’ll also be able to enroll in FX International Payments, which allows you to waive transaction fees on eligible foreign currency payments.

Insurance Benefits With the Card

If the items you buy are important to you, then you’ll want to keep them protected. The Centurion Card will help you do that with its purchase, return, and extended warranty protections.

You’ll also have a range of travel benefits including baggage insurance, travel accident insurance, and the rental car insurances mentioned above.

Card Drawbacks

Of course, the biggest problem with getting the card is you cannot apply for it without being invited. Unless you are spending in the $100,000+ range each year, you likely won’t be getting the invite.

Even if you do, the card definitely has a hard to swallow annual fee compared to most other travel rewards credit cards. At $5,000 annually plus a $10,000 initiation fee, you should be sure you’ll use the benefits!

Best Way to Maximize Reward Points

Similar to The Platinum Card and The Business Platinum Card, the Centurion Card will really shine when it comes to non-spending perks, especially along the lines of travel, luxury, and lifestyle.

However, if you want to earn a lot of American Express Membership Rewards points, here are a few tips:

Tip #1: Be sure to use the card for all purchases. You get 1x point for every dollar spent.

Tip #2: Using your card with Uber will earn you 2x points for all rides!

Tip #3: Get 2x points for travel booked through the Amex Travel Portal.

Tip #4: Utilize the Auto Purchase program to earn tons of extra points for vehicles you purchase!

Tip #5: While the card has no standard bonus categories, you can always find some good deals with the Amex Offers program. Check them out from your account at AmericanExpress.com.

Best Way to Redeem Reward Points

Membership Rewards points can be redeemed for any number of items or services, including travel, gift cards, events and entertainment, or even donations to charity.

If you’ve earned a significant number of points through your Centurion Card, here are a couple options for you:

Option #1: Your highest value reward option is to transfer points to airline travel partners. Most come with a 1:1 ratio. A typical international business or first class flight costs between 50,000 to 150,000 points one-way.

Points redeemed in this way can usually provide a value of at least $0.02 per point.

Option #2: You can use your points to book travel through the American Express Travel Portal. Points are typically worth $0.01 each for flights, but you also get a 50% point redemption feature with the card.

For example, if you use 100,000 points to get $1,000 in flights, you will get 30,000 points back as a rebate, netting only 70,000 points in total. This equates to a little over $0.014 per point.

Option #3: Use your points to pay for Uber rides directly through the app. When you select your payment info, you will have the option to pay with points.

AMEX airline transfer partners:

Amex Airline Transfer Partner	Min Transfer	Transfer Ratio (Amex > Partner)	Transfer Time
Aer Lingus	1,000	1:1	Almost Instant
AeroMexico	1,000	1:1.6	2-12 days
Air Canada	1,000	1:1	Almost Instant
ANA	1,000	1:1	3 days
Avianca LifeMiles	1,000	1:1	Almost instant
British Airways	1,000	1:1	Almost Instant
Cathay Pacific	1,000	1:1	Up to 1 Week
Delta Air Lines	1,000	1:1	Almost Instant
Emirates	1,000	1:1	Almost Instant
Etihad Airways	1,000	1:1	Almost Instant
Flying Blue Air France/KLM	1,000	1:1	Almost Instant
Hawaiian	1,000	1:1	Almost Instant
Iberia	1,000	1:1	1-3 days
JetBlue	250	1:0.8	Almost Instant
Qantas	500	1:1	Almost Instant
Singapore Airlines	1,000	1:1	1-2 days
Virgin Atlantic	1,000	1:1	1-2 days

AMEX hotel transfer partners:

Amex Hotel Transfer Partner	Min Transfer	Transfer Ratio (Amex > Partner)	Transfer Time
Choice Privileges	1,000	1:1	Almost Instant
Hilton Honors	1,000	1:2	Almost Instant
Marriott Bonvoy	1,000	1:1	Almost Instant

Alternative Cards To The Centurion Card

American Express provides some great alternative cards more within most people’s price ranges.

For those looking for Delta status, the Delta SkyMiles® Platinum American Express Card and the Delta SkyMiles® Reserve American Express Card offer many similar elite status perks. Check out our detailed comparison of the Amex Platinum Card vs. the Centurion Card.

If you’re looking for status and benefits with one of the specific hotel partners, you could try the Hilton Honors American Express Card or the Chase IHG® Rewards Club Select Credit Card.

However, for the card that is closer in style to the Centurion Card, you can check out The Platinum Card or The Business Platinum Card, which both provide a similar range of benefits.

We’ve compared this card to other popular credit cards:

Bottom Line: The Centurion Card is invite-only and very expensive each year. Therefore, you may prefer an alternative American Express or other travel rewards card in order to get similar benefits.

Frequently asked questions

Is the Centurion Card (Amex Black Card) worth it?

If you've been invited to become a cardmember, the one-time fee along with the annual membership fee for the card can be a bit steep.

However, if you are a frequent traveler who likes to go first class, then this card could be well worth it.

This isn't necessarily due to bonus points that you can accumulate, but rather from the non-spending advantages you attain simply from being a card member. These include (Terms and Conditions Apply for all benefits):

Hotel elite status
Centurion Hotel Program
Airline status/upgrades
Lounge access
Cruise benefits

Plus, you'll be covered whether your travel is in the air or on the ground, thanks to:

Baggage insurance
Primary car insurance
Premium roadside assistance

There are other top-notch advantages, too, such as:

Centurion Auto Program
Dining and wine perks
Access to invitation-only events
Centurion Shopping Program
Purchase & return protection

Business owners will also have access to opportunities that can grow their company via AMEX Open Forum. Plus, with FX International Payments, you can enjoy waived transaction fees on eligible foreign currency payments.

Does the Centurion Card have an annual fee?

This card's annual fee is $5,000. There is also a one-time joining fee of $10,000 for U.S. residents. Fees may differ by country.

Cardmembers must first receive an invitation from American Express in order to apply, and must meet certain criteria to remain eligible for card membership.

Do points on the Centurion Card ever expire or go away?

Points on the card will never expire or go away, unless you cancel this card and all of your other American Express rewards cards.

As long as you keep at least one of your AMEX rewards cards open, you will keep all of your points, too.

How many Centurion Card holders are there?

According to an older FlyerTalk post, there were over 26,000 cardholders back in 2007. This number has likely increased by 2016.

Who can get a Centurion Card?

The card is available by invite only, so if you have the right financial profile for American Express to invite you, you will be able to get the card.

Anecdotally, those with annual spending over the $350,000 range are more likely to be eligible for an invite.

If you're not eligible for an invite, you can use The Platinum Card® from American Express, which offers many similar benefits.

About Alex Miller

Alex has been traveling for over 25 years and from a young age was lucky enough to set out on numerous family trips all over the world, which gave him the travel bug. Alex has since earned tens of millions of travel points and miles, mainly through maximizing every opportunity to earn the most points possible on each dollar spent.

WG July 4, 2021
The $200 travel credit for Centurion was removed from the program over 2 years ago. I think that you forgot to mention that there is a full membership to Equinox gym included. The usual monthly Uber credit is also included.
Beware that the auto rental coverage is SECONDARY to your personal auto insurance policy on rentals within the USA, this is different from the PRIMARY auto coverage offered on Chase CSR visa, RC visa and some of their other high end products. The AMEX priority pass product dose NOT include the restaurant benefit like the Chase priority pass program cards.
- Jarrod West July 7, 2021
  Hi WG,
  Thank you for pointing that out. I’ve just corrected that information.
JRP November 12, 2021
Small correction… You don’t “get a letter in the mail from American Express saying you’ve been invited to apply.” You get a personal phone call from American Express inviting you to apply.
Nico van der Meuln April 21, 2022
IF you are in South Africa steer clear of this card. I had far better service during the 20+ years I had the Amex Platinum card.
Centurion in South Africa is a disaster, I have not had one good experience with them in the 3 years I’ve had the card.
JW March 31, 2023
The spending requirement must be higher. Ive been north of $900k for 2 years, and that doesnt include my business account.
Getting to skip the wait at the lounges would be nice!

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Centurion® Card from American Express — Full Review [2023]

Centurion Card — Snapshot

Great Card If

Don't Get If

Centurion Card Fees