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American Express Centurion® Card Review

The American Express Centurion® Card review

Rita Silvan

Dec 12, 2024

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Overall rating

First year value

$0

Get this card if you:

  • need luxurious credit card perks
  • travel frequently and want to avoid foreign transaction fees
  • want to access to the best airport lounges and elite travel perks

Scores by category

Travel 3.1

At a glance

You can't get an Amex Centurion card. This Amex Black Card gets you.

Highlights

$5,000

Annual fee

$7,500 initiation fee

Interest Rates

Eligibility

Excellent

Recommended credit score

$1,000,000

Required annual personal income

In cars, it’s the Rolls-Royce Phantom. In bespoke handbags, it’s the Hermes Birkin. In wine, it’s Chateau Margaux. And, in charge cards, it’s The American Express Centurion® Card, also called the Amex Black Card.

Launched in the United States 25 years ago and available in Canada since 2009, the invitation-only Amex Black Card has as much lore as the Hope Diamond. Except, unlike the maligned blue-tinted stone, the Centurion® Card bestows perks galore upon those who own it, such as limitless spending, free companion flight tickets, free hotel nights, superior lounge access, and more. It might even save your life, as it did in 2016 for Calgary real estate developer Riaz Mamdani. His titanium Black Card, in the pocket of his suit vest, slowed down an assassin’s bullet.

As the tagline goes, “Don’t leave home without it.”

How can you get an American Express Centurion® Card?

You can’t. This Amex Black Card gets you.

One fine day you may receive an invitation to become a Centurion® club member. According to a long-time Centurion® cardholder based in western Canada, “the invitation came in a beautiful black mahogany box with a prototype of the actual titanium card, engraved with my name, along with a catalogue of the range of benefits. It was very impressive looking.”

In order to be considered for a Centurion® card in Canada, you have to meet the following criteria:

Rumour also has it that if you have high deposits at a private bank, your banker could approach American Express on your behalf to request an invitation. The average Amex Black cardholder’s annual income is $1.8 million USD, and the average net worth of Centurion® cardholders is $11.4 million USD. Both business and personal versions of the card are available.

The Centurion® card is not a credit card but a charge card. Cardholders have used it to buy jets, a Bentley, a $170 million Modigliani painting at Christie’s auction and pretty much anything else that money can buy—as long as the balance is paid in full at the end of the month. Extra-large charges are approved on a case-by-case basis, so don’t forget to give Amex a call before you buy your Modigliani.

Amex Centurion Fees

The illusive invitation is only the first hurdle. The adage, “if you have to ask the price, you can’t afford it,” comes to mind, because the card’s fees are certainly steep. The initiation fee for the hand-forged, hand-engraved and embossed Centurion® card is $7,500, with an additional annual fee of $2,500.

Members and authorized users receive two cards: the black charge card and an access card for the airport lounges. You can have up to two additional cardholders for $2,500 per year. To keep the card, you must maintain a high annual level of spending (generally above $250,000). There are no foreign transaction fees, but there is a $38 late or returned payment penalty and an annual interest rate of 30% for unpaid balances.

Related: Best credit cards that waive foreign transaction fees

Key benefits of this black Amex Centurion card

Are you sitting down? The Centurion® card comes with a cornucopia of tangible and intangible benefits. (Let’s not underestimate what one cardholder calls “the plunk factor”— i.e. others’ reactions when you use the card.)

Each benefits package is customized to the cardholder based on her/his lifestyle and region, with a big emphasis on airline and hotel upgrades and exclusive Members Only experiences. If I had to encapsulate the range of benefits in a word, it would be “service.”

Personal concierge and travel service benefits of an Amex Black Card

All Centurion® cardholders receive personal concierge services for travel, restaurant bookings, or anything else. Basically, you get your own private travel agency with over 5,000 advisors globally.

“Once I wanted to treat an acquaintance to concert tickets for Eric Clapton. Unfortunately, none of Clapton’s tour dates coincided with where we would be. I called up American Express to arrange a private event with Clapton. They came back to me with all the details and costs; they had worked it all out. It was incredible,” says the Canadian Centurion® member.

And, they don’t forget birthdays either. “I was at a Fairmont Hotel and got a free round of golf, a room upgrade to a beautiful suite, spa and food credits. Very impressive,” he adds.

Related: Credit card concierge services—Which cards do it right?

Flight upgrades

Cardholders receive automatic upgrades on 15 of the world’s top airlines, as well as automatic Platinum Status on Delta and American Airlines, free seat selection, priority check-in and baggage delivery, and excess baggage allowance and limousine services. Buying a full-fare ticket from one of the partner airlines yields a free companion ticket. First-class upgrades on international flights are very favourably priced for members.

Related: Best companion ticket credit cards in Canada

Hotel upgrades

Throughout the year, American Express sends out what it calls WOW Offers to Centurion® cardholders. These offers often take the form of a fully free night at a luxury hotel, with no need to book other nights to get the free night.

Centurion® cardholders are also eligible for luxe travel features, including Elite Status with certain rental car companies and hotel chains through the Fine Hotels and Resorts Program.

Lounges

The card opens up access to over a thousand lounges in over a hundred countries, plus nine dedicated Centurion® lounges, in addition to food and drink credit at more than 1,250 third-party lounges and “lounge alternatives” that come with the Priority Pass Select Membership.

Some long-time cardholders have recently had mixed experiences with Centurion® lounges and are underwhelmed by their overcrowding (Centurion® lounges are open to both Centurion and The Platinum Card® cardholders). “When it first opened, the Dallas Forth Worth lounge was very quiet and enjoyable and Centurion® cardholders had reserved seating,” says one Canadian cardholder. “Each time I’ve visited, it’s gotten more crowded even though they enlarged it; anyone can pay $50 to get in and I’ve found it frustrating. When I visited one in Mexico City, Centurion® members had their own lounge upstairs from the main one and could order any kind of food or beverage and the service was great,” he adds.

On March 22, 2019, American Express implemented a new policy that restricts visits by The Platinum Card® cardholders to a maximum of three hours and for departing and transit passengers only, while Centurion® cardholders will continue to enjoy unrestricted access.

Related: Best credit cards for airport lounge access

Reward points

Big spenders can accrue massive benefits quickly. For example, when Chinese billionaire Liu Yiqian purchased “Reclining Nude” by Amedeo Modigliani at Christie’s auction in 2015 with his Centurion® Card, he and his family earned approximately 170,400,000 American Express Membership Rewards® points, meaning they will fly free for life.

Invitation-only events for the Amex Black Card

American Express creates over 100 invitation-only events annually for cardholders that love the best in food, fashion, travel, art, and entertainment. Think conversations with designers like Christian Louboutin and Giorgio Armani in Paris, London, and Milan; VIP party invites to the Monaco Grand Prix; Coachella; Wimbledon; access to the best restaurants in the world… you get the picture.

Other benefits

In 2011, American Express launched its own auto program where Centurion® Card members can negotiate and purchase a car through the Centurion® website without revealing any personal information. Members will also receive complimentary upgrades on Tesla, Jaguar, and other luxury cars. This is in addition to having access to luxury car rentals and Formula One racing courses.

Centurion Magazine, a luxury lifestyle publication, is created exclusively for Centurion cardholders.

Is the Amex Centurion Card for you?

While some might be drawn to the mere prestige that comes with the Centurion® card, according to one cardholder, that’s really not the main attraction for most.

The Centurion® is ultimately best suited to those who travel internationally on a frequent basis and need a card with limitless credit for major purchases. The airline, hotel, and rental car upgrades are also significant. Those benefits, along with the prospect of earning unlimited reward points (which transfer to a number of other programs, including Aeroplan), make the high annual and initiation fees worthwhile for those who are invited to apply.

If you aspire to carry this Amex Black Card but have not yet been invited to apply, you can take a first step by instead applying for The Platinum Card®, another premium American Express card that offers lucrative benefits (though certainly not equal to the Centurion®).

up to 140k pts

Welcome Bonus

$931

First Year Value

$231

Annual Value

Welcome Bonus: Earn 100,000 Membership Rewards® points* after spending $10,000 on your Card within your first 3 months as a new Platinum® Cardmember.*

Learn More Apply Now On American Express' Secure Site

American Express is not responsible for maintaining or monitoring the accuracy of information on this website. For full details and current product information click the Apply now link. Conditions apply.

Amex Black Card FAQs

  • What is the American Express Centurion® Card?

    +

    The American Express Centurion® Card, often referred to as the "Amex Black Card," is an invitation-only charge card designed for high-net-worth individuals. It offers exclusive benefits, including personalized concierge services, access to Centurion Lounges, and unique experiences in dining, travel, and entertainment.

  • How do you get an Amex Black Card?

    +

    Qualification for the Centurion® Card is by invitation only. While American Express does not publicly disclose specific criteria, it is generally extended to individuals with significant spending patterns and high net worth, often requiring annual spending in the hundreds of thousands to millions of dollars.

  • What are the fees associated with the Amex Centurion® Card?

    +

    The Centurion® Card carries a substantial initiation fee, reported to be between US$5,000 and US$7,500, and an annual fee of US$2,500. These fees grant access to a suite of premium services and exclusive benefits tailored for affluent clients

  • What benefits does the Amex Centurion® Card offer?

    +

    Cardholders of the Amex Black Card enjoy a range of exclusive perks, such as:

    • Personalized concierge services for travel arrangements, dining reservations, and event access.

    • Access to Centurion Lounges and other premium airport lounges worldwide.

    • Complimentary upgrades and benefits with luxury car rentals and purchases.

    • Invitation-only events featuring renowned personalities and unique experiences in fashion, art, and entertainment.

  • Is the Amex Centurion® Card available in Canada?

    +

    Yes, the American Express Centurion® Card is available to Canadian residents. However, like in other countries, it is offered by invitation only to individuals who meet specific criteria set by American Express.

  • How does the Amex Centurion® Card compare to the Amex Platinum Card?

    +

    While both cards offer premium services, the Centurion® Card provides a higher level of exclusivity and additional benefits not available with the Platinum Card. These include more personalized concierge services, access to exclusive events, and enhanced travel perks. However, the Centurion® Card also comes with significantly higher fees and is available by invitation only, whereas the Platinum Card has a more accessible application process.

Rita Silvan Author

Rita Silvan is the former editor-in-chief of ELLE Canada magazine. After a successful career in women’s consumer publishing, Rita has pursued her interest in finance, especially in the areas of personal finance and investing for women. She obtained the Chartered Investment Manager (CIM) designation from the Canadian Securities Institute. Rita is also the former editor-in-chief of goldengirlfinance.com and a finance writer for Tier-1 Canadian banks and bespoke wealth management firms.

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