Quick Q for Centurion cardholders ….

[Rhys]

We’re looking to update our overview of hte UK Amex Centurion card and are hoping that some of you can help with any changes to the card in the past 18 months?

The existing article is here: https://www.headforpoints.com/2021/02/22/american-express-centurion-card-review/

Have there been any changes since then?

TYIA

[cats_are_best]

Benefit of 125 GBP/quarter cashback from each of Harvey Nicks and Clos19, i.e. up to 1000 GBP/year, this benefit has to be claimed in offers (for each retailer), once claimed it’s multiyear.

Choice of designs for the main card, plain, or one of two ‘art card’ designs.

Prada ‘bracelet’ with embedded chip for contactless payment. It’s made of rather thick leather, I think it looks ugly and positioning the chip is fiddly, pressing the wrist against a reader can be awkward. Gave up on it.

Up to 8 UK round-trip airport limo transfers per year for return flights booked via Centurion travel, irrespective of travel class. Range limit is 40 miles. There’s also a minimum 48 hour notice period for the booking, but even when I booked a flight for later the same day they still managed to book me the transfer, service was Blacklane.

Locations https://www.americanexpress.com/content/dam/amex/en-gb/benefits/centurion/limo_airport_locations.pdf

[deiveed]

AC Cards for the primary cardholder will now take up supplementary card slots. Existing ACs will not be impacted, but to get any new additional cards, you either have to be under 5 supps or pay up.

UK is not a part of the global Centurion living programme, and UK Centurion Events will keep running only now there are signups on the app. Personally speaking — I find UK events have been far superior to the global programme, and there is a nice mix of free and paid events.

Domestic airport transfers do not replace international transfers. You still get international transfers for any business/first class ticket along with arrival/departure service. Free arrival/departure service is still not available in the UK & US.

The reminder for hotels participating in Centurion FHR on Amex online travel has now been removed — CFHR is still very much alive, if not better than a few years ago. I’ve now noticed a few Ritz Carltons now matching St Regis in CFHR despite not officially in the programme. CFHR is only available if you book with the membership team or the travel service. Perhaps they removed the reminder to nudge people to book online and forego the benefits.

Lufthansa first lounge access is now a permanent benefit. But no new addition to the lounge network, and certainly nowhere close to replacing Cathay Diamond. I was hoping they could work out some fly business and get access to F lounges deals).

FX fee is going nowhere, but you can still put reservations on another Amex card when booking with the concierge (only useful if you have access to US cards).

The new pod system is hit-or-miss. If you had an excellent RM, you’d hate it, and if your RM is not very good or often not available, then it’s an improvement. Besides, it’s not the first time they changed the service model.

At the end of the day, the rebranding didn’t change the main proposition for the card and for most long-term clients getting positive value, it still comes down to —
a) having a travel pattern that consistently takes advantage of CFHR
and/or
b) having inconsistent month-to-month spending and their algo can’t really handle the spending limit

[cats_are_best]

Just had notification that the 20 GBP/month Addison Lee credit is ending this month.

That was generally a real £240 / year as I use AL quite often – barring late last year when their service fell apart.

Must try to take one last credit trip just for the hell of it 🙂

[cats_are_best]

Just heard that the ill-thought-out “Prada wearable”is being dropped.

No new/replacement ones from 29 January 2025, any currently activated will stop working ‘October 2026’.

Perhaps they’ll try a Gucci nose-ring next.

[Guernsey Globetrotter]

cats_are_best wrote:

Perhaps they’ll try a Gucci nose-ring next.

That would be quite appropriate given how you have to pay through the nose to get Centurion 😂

[OldFashioned]

cats_are_best wrote:

Just heard that the ill-thought-out “Prada wearable”is being dropped.

No new/replacement ones from 29 January 2025, any currently activated will stop working ‘October 2026’.

Perhaps they’ll try a Gucci nose-ring next.

I got the same notification today, no issue to me as I never bothered with one as seemed like a pointless waste of time! Surprised the current ones will be kept working until October 26, although never met anyone who actually liked the idea so I doubt they will actually need to keep it running until then!!

Lets hope some common sense may prevail at Centurion in 2025, but I won’t hold my breath!

[davidl]

I left Amex 18 months ago, closed my Centurion Card.

Love HFP. But Amex isn’t the going game in town

I Get £300-£400 a year back on Natwest & Ĺloyds

[Professor Calculus]

Hi I have Amex Plat. not sure what is the criteria for the centurion card .

Is it by invitation only ?

[Roberto]

Professor Calculus wrote:

Is it by invitation only ?

If you have to ask……..

[phantomchickenz]

Professor Calculus wrote:

Hi I have Amex Plat. not sure what is the criteria for the centurion card .

Is it by invitation only ?

There is a link to an article in the first post of this thread…

[OldFashioned]

davidl wrote:

I left Amex 18 months ago, closed my Centurion Card.

Love HFP. But Amex isn’t the going game in town

I Get £300-£400 a year back on Natwest & Ĺloyds

Have to say if £300-£400 is the value you are looking for I would say Centurion card was definataly not for you! I get approx 10k value a year easily out of mine, take a little effort but if I was willing to put serious work in definataly could get more. Equally if you don’t travel much or value the events, then can see how it would be difficult to get value! I think its a case of Amex is a very good game in town for some, but for others there are better options out there!