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Over the past few months I have been getting numerous emails about a picture of me holding up a black credit card. Usually the emails I have been getting ask one of the following questions:
- What is the black card you are holding up?
- How did you obtain that black credit card?
- How can I obtain one of those cards?
- What is the benefit of having a black card?
- Is it worth having that card?
What is the black card you are holding up?
To answer your questions, the black card is an American Express Centurion card. I first found out about the card in 2007 from two other Centurion cardholders: Brian Price and Greg Hartnett. After that day, I knew I wanted one but was not sure how to obtain one without having any credit (I don’t own a house or car, and all of my credit cards are company credit cards).
How did I obtain a Centurion card?
To make a long story short of how I obtained the Centurion card, I am currently on the Board of Advisors of a handful of companies. One of them being Affiliate Programs (who is mainly known for owning a lot of the media properties in the online gambling and affiliate space). Because I am on the board of advisors for that company, one of the perks that they provided me was a Centurion card. The best part about getting the card through them, is that they paid for the upfront fees to obtain the card and they pay the monthly card bill.
How can you obtain a Centurion card?
Before you can apply to obtain a Centurion card, you first need an American Express credit card. It does not matter which card you have (blue, blue cash, blue sky, gold, platinum…), you just need a decent limit.
Once you have a credit card, you need to spend a minimum of $250,000 within 1 year, which sounds hard, but if you have a business it is not too difficult because you put all your expenses on a credit card. Basically, if you spend a lot on entertainment or marketing, just charge it to your Amex card. If you have employees to pay each month, pay a payroll company through your credit card, which would in return pay your employees through checks.
The main problem that most individuals or companies run into with the $250,000 yearly spend is that they spend at least that amount but their credit limit with American Express is not $20,833.33 a month ($250,000 divided by 12 months). In this case what you do is write American Express a check at the beginning of month to cover all your credit card expenditures for the month. For example, if your credit card limit is $10,000 a month and you figure that you will spend $25,000 this month, write American Express a check for $15,000 ($25,000 - $10,000 = $15,000) before the month begins.
After you have spent $250,000 in a year, call up American Express and request a Centurion card. Most people claim that it is invite only, but the reality is they are not too hard to get if you spend $250,000 a year.
Once you are approved for the Centurion card, you then have to pay them fees.
- Upfront fee - $5000
- Yearly fee for the first card - $2500
- Yearly fee for each additional card - $1500
A few years ago you were able to get these cards with lower fees all of these fees. The upfront fee may have not been there or the yearly fee for the first card was much lower. Nowadays if you are trying to get this card you will end up paying at least $7500 in fees during your first year of use.
What benefits do the Centurion card provide?
The benefits you receive for having a Centurion card vary based on the type of card you have. The two types of cards are personal and business and because I only have a business card, I am not 100% certain on the benefits of the personal card. As for the business version, here are the benefits:
- Personalized services – American Express provides you with 2 concierges (personal and travel). The travel concierge deals with all travel related booking such as hotels, airfare and rental cars. The personal concierge deals with everything else such as shopping and fine dining. This is probably the most used because not only can you use the concierge service, but also you are allowed to give others access to use it as well (family and assistants).
- Air travel – on certain airlines (Delta, US Airways, Virgin Atlantic and Northwest) you are upgraded to elite status. This means when you buy an economy ticket you are automatically upgraded to business or first class upon availability. Plus, up to 4 times a year you can take your companion (family member or friend) on a trip with you for free. So if you buy a round trip ticket from Los Angeles to New York, you can take someone with you and back for free. If you want to take someone with you on an international flight for free you have to buy a business or first class ticket.
- Lodging – just like with air travel, you obtain elite status with certain hotels and resorts. With hotels like the Starwood Group (W, Sheraton, Westin, Four Points, St. Regis, The Luxury Collection, Meridien, Element, and Aloft), Ritz-Carlton, Hilton, Amanresorts, Peninsula Hotels, Orient Express Hotels, Mandarin Oriental, and Centurion Villas, you are able to get free suite upgrades as well as a free breakfast. Depending on the location of the hotel you may also get a free spa treatment, free lunch, a gift upon arrival, and a free gift voucher to the shop inside the hotel. If that doesn’t meet all of your traveling needs, you also become an elite member at 550 worldwide hotels and resorts.
- Cruises and Land Vacations – whether you are looking for a private yacht, you are in the mood for cruise, or trying to go on an exotic vacation, American Express has specials for you. If you want your own yacht, you will get a $500 credit towards your meals. If you want to go on a 6-day or longer cruise you will also get a $500 credit towards your fees. Furthermore, if you want to take a trip to an exotic location your travel concierge will set it up for you and provide you the best deals out there.
- Additional travel benefits – if you travel on a regular basis there are a lot of little things you may need. For example if you want a limo to take you around, American Express can do that for you. Or, if you prefer renting cars you will have an elite status at Hertz and Avis so you can enjoy complimentary upgrades. If that wasn’t enough to take care of your needs, you can also have someone to assist you with communications in countries that do not speak English, get baggage insurance, car rental insurance, and up to 1.5 million dollars in travel insurance in case your plane, bus, boat… crashes.
- Retail benefits – if you love shopping at certain stores like Saks or Gucci, you can have a personal shopper with you to help you find everything you need. If you hate shopping, American Express can close down certain shops so you can be the only shopper in the store and you will not have to deal with lines.
- Entertainment benefits – from fancy dinning to enjoy special events, your concierge is there to get you into whatever you want. Instead of waiting to be seated at restaurants, American Express has deals with over 1000 restaurants where they have tables dedicated for cardholders. If you are trying to get tickets to the Super Bowl, all you have to do is call your concierge.
- Financial solutions – many Centurion members are financially well off, which means they pay a lot of taxes, usually have a few businesses, and may run into legal issues every once in a while. American Express provides financial solutions to help you personally as well as with your business. For example if you are about to sell a company, they will help you through the process and make sure everything goes smoothly.
- Branding – this benefit is the only one out of this list that is not in the Benefits Booklet, but I think it is one of the most valuable benefits of having the card. It helps create buzz around your name and makes more people to want to know you. If you are talented and smart you probably do not need this but the extra branding never hurts.
Is it really worth it?
I probably do 40 to 60 trips a year, which means I end up sleeping in hotels a good amount of the year. The room and flight upgrades make my traveling experience pleasant, especially when traveling international. If you don’t travel often, the only way you will be able to get your money’s worth is if you keep on using the concierge service, which is only useful for specific circumstances.
For example, the other day I requested my concierge to find me the cheapest price on a Sony digital camera and here is the response I got:
Dear Mr. Patel,
I hope all is well since my last email!
I am writing again in regards to your request for the Sony Cybershot T200 digital. I have tried to locate the cheapest possible options and it appears that the online options tend to be cheaper than the local stores near La Palma, CA. While the camera is available at local retailers like Ritz Camera, Best Buy, and so on, they are all selling it at the $399.99 retail price.
Please see below for further details:
Digital Camera Information:
Vendor: Amazon.com
Location: Online
Phone: Not available
Payment Methods Accepted: All major credit cards including American Express
Website: http://www.amazon.comItem: Sony Cybershot DSC-T200
Details: This camera comes in Silver, Black, or Red. Please note the red option is sold through Amazon via Vans and there is only one left in stock. The website below is for the silver version and has further details about the product.
Website: http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B000V5PJPU/ref=noref?ie=UTF8&s=photo
Price: $339.99 for silver, $366.36 for black, and $389.98 for red (Shipping is not included in the price.)Vendor: B&H Photo Video
Location: Online and 420 9th Avenue, New York, NY 10001
Phone: 800-952-1815 or 212-444-6708
Payment Methods Accepted: All major credit cards including American Express
Website: http://www.bhphotovideo.comItem: Sony Cybershot DSC-T200
Details: This camera comes in Black, Silver, or Red and includes the following: NP-BD1 rechargeable lithium-ion battery, BC-CSD battery charger, A/V and USB multi-connector cable, wrist strap, software CD-ROM (Picture Motion Browser 2.0 and USB driver), user guide, and 1-year USA limited warranty.
Website: http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/519854-REG/Sony_DSCT200_B_Cybershot_DSC_T200_Digital_Camera.html
Price: $359.95 plus shipping (UPS ground shipping is free.)I hope this information is helpful. If you require directions or transportation to the Best Buy store in Signal Hill, CA, please let me know. Should you have any further questions, comments, or concerns, or if there is anything else I can do to assist you, please do not hesitate to contact me here at the American Express Centurion Concierge.
Thank you very much and have a pleasant evening!
Sincerely,
XXXXXXX XXXXXXXXXX
The problem with asking your concierge for common items such as this Sony digital camera is that you can probably find what they found out in a few hours by just surfing the web. Plus, you will have that information instantaneously instead of waiting a day or two for your concierge to get back to you.
I’m not trying to make my concierge to sound useless because she really is helpful but if you want to maximize your experience you need to figure out what they are useful for. For example I have an important meeting in early January and was looking for a nice custom suit. The problem is, I live in middle class suburbia, I have no idea where I can find a nice suit in my size, and most the places I called were not able to deliver a custom suit within that time frame. So I emailed my concierge and this is what she came back to me with:
Dear Mr. Patel,
Good afternoon!
I hope your day is going well. As a follow up to your conversation with XXXXXX, it was my pleasure to assist you with your request. I am pleased to inform you that as an American Express Centurion member you are entitled to excellent shopping benefits. Ermenegildo Zegna and Gucci not only provide a great selection of fine suits but also offer made-to-measure services to Centurion members. Either vendor is sure to provide you with an excellent suit for your meeting. Please refer to the information below.
Name: Ermenegildo Zegna
Address: 301 North Rodeo Drive, Beverly Hills, CA 90210
Telephone: (310) 247-8827
Contact: Jessica
Website: www.zegna.com
Details: Ermenegildo Zegna offers a “Su Misura” service to arrange a convenient made-to-measure fitting at your home or office. Also at the end of the season, Centurion members are offered a complimentary “check-up,” including professional dry cleaning, ironing of your Ermenegildo Zegna suits, a careful check of details, and all necessary adjustments.Name: Gucci
Address: 347 North Rodeo Drive, Beverly Hills, CA 90210
Telephone: (310) 278-3451
Contact: Aaron
Website: www.gucci.com
Details: Gucci offers outstanding amenities and shopping privileges to Centurion members. As a Centurion member, when you visit Gucci boutiques in New York City or Beverly Hills, you’ll enjoy exceptional benefits like the convenience of shopping from the comfort of your home, office, or hotel, invitations to private sales and trunk shows, priority alteration services, access to a personal shopper, and complimentary shipping. Gucci has a large selection of suits and also offers made-to-measure suits.If you have any questions or if you would like me to schedule an appointment on your behalf, please do not hesitate to contact me. If you would like a complete list of shopping benefits for Centurion members, I would be more than happy to send you more information. I can be reached via email or by calling (XXX) XXX-XXXX, extension XXXX.
Thank you and have a wonderful day!
Sincerely,
XXXXX XXXXXXX
For this particular situation my concierge was very helpful because when I contacted anyone of those stores they were not have able to deliver my suit in the timeframe I needed, but American Express was able to pull it off.
Hopefully my insights help you determine if the Centurion card is right for you. For me it is well worth it because I don’t have to pay any of the fees or the monthly bill and I am definitely maximizing its’ use because I travel frequently. The real question is, do you think the Centurion card is worth the $7500 year 1 fee?
Update: A friend, Krutal Desai, told me that there is a Citi Platinum American Express card with similar benefits. The great thing about this card is that it is free the first year and only $99 each year after. Just like the Centurion card, you get a concierge and many of the same travel benefits. But unlike the Centurion card your free companion trips are not limited to 4 each year, instead you get unlimited companion trips.
For those of us that travel a lot, yes it is.
For someone that does not travel or use the services they would not benefit from the savings received form the upgrades.
Being single, it will also get you noticed at any upscale bar you go to instantly!
Your right, it does work well at upscale bars or clubs. Not only with others individuals there, but also with female bar tenders. If you live in a lower/middle class area like me it does not help at the local bars.
Neil, I’m curious what the back of your t-shirt says.
There is a big logo of Casino Affiliate Programs.
The back of the shirt has a big logo of Pokeraffiliateprograms.com and text that reads “I gamble, No Problem!”
Thanks for correcting me AJ.
Wow Neil, thanks so much for this! I’ve always wondered about the mysterious “black card”, and you’ve laid it out here all so well, and even managed to sound completely normal
(My stereotypical impression of black-card holders is that they are stuck-up and conceited …)
Most of them are, but I did not grow up wealthy.
The humble ones are usually the .com guys such as Brian and Greg from BOTW.
I doubt I’d ever have a need for one, but that’s pretty cool.
Awesome photos, btw
For most people there isn’t much value in having the card. If you do not travel that often, you will not get $7500 worth of benefits.
Thanks for the link love - but who the hell is this Brian Price guy???
No clue… he is just some dude with a Centurion card.
Ahh.. congratulations on your Black Card. But have you ever seen a folding i.e. hinged Black Amex card heh heh. Also, there is now a Maroon card for the lesser spenders lol.
Not sure what you mean by a hinged card… but my Amex is some what bent.
Ah, Neal, you crack me up. Still haven’t pulled the trigger on mine…
You should get it. You guys travel so often that you will get your money’s worth.
Congratulations (?) on getting a Black card Neal. Now you can REALLY say you’re one of the “big spenders”.
Thanks! I wish I really was a big spender, but I am cheap. I hate spending money on myself, but love spending money on others.
Feel free to spend money on me anytime Neil.
I would like to affirm this comment in regards to Neil saying “I wish I really was a big spender, but I am cheap. I hate spending money on myself” At a recent lunch with Neil I asked him if I could design some jewelry for him, he decilined. I would have him buying an entire treasure chest full of custom design jewelry otherwise, as his client and my friend of Affiliate Programs has done. I still won’t give up on putting a panerai or Zenith on his wrist :).
The watch will probably happen… it is just a question of when.
All things in time…
well well neil, it looks like your dream has come true. you’ve been salivatating over the black card for half a year. how does your $2,500 piece of titianiam (or is it graphite???) feel? can i touch it?
Thanks! The piece of titanium feels great. You can feel it at the next conference, as long as you do not try to steal the card.
The Centurion travel concierges typically *suck* and I no longer book my travel through them. I almost always fly at the last minute, and whenever I tried to book through them, they would claim that only a few flights were available when that same airline’s own website showed *every* flight as having open seats. Not to mention having to repeat ALL of my information back to me out loud over the phone.
It’s a cool card to have as a status symbol, I’m not denying that, but in terms of actual practicality, it’s a lot faster and more reliable to visit your preferred airline’s website (with your information stored) than it is to go through the Centurion travel service.
Thanks for the heads up. I have never ordered a flight through my travel concierge, but I will keep that if I do.
The major problem I had when going through the travel concierge is that tickets are expensive compared to buying it yourself. I myself am not that picky and rather save some money on short flights, compared to flying first class.
When I saw the headline on Sphinn I read Neil gets black hat and I thought, what he doesn’t already have one?
Not sure what you are talking about… I am a white hat.
The hinged card is a “butterfly” card see https://www124.americanexpress.com/cards/loyalty.do?page=butterfly
That looks neat. One problem I have with it is that it will not fit well in a wallet.
neil patel i like how you respond to all your comments very respectable! i wish you luck on all your ventures!
Thanks, I try to be respectful to my readers/commenters. No one likes commenting and not being responded to.
Greetings Neil, I saw John Chow (johnchow.com) featuring you and would like to drop by and say that you are an inspiration. I am all geared up and motivate to achieve internet super star status… Cheers…
Glad you are pumped up. Hopefully this blog will help you become a star.
Very card and useful info right there u just gave us. Can I hold your card for 30 minutes hehehe?
Hold or use it for 30 min.
These are amazing perks - especially the flight upgrades and the concierge service. Anyone who spends a lot of time and money on business travel would really benefit from the card.
Hi Neil,
If you’re looking for EXCELLENT suits in the Southern Cali area without hitting Rodeo drive, take a look at Rocky’s Custom Clothes. They are a custom clothier in Southern California, with great customer service and quick turnaround time. Very much a personal-service experience. They can do pretty much any style, any type of fabric, shirts, ties, etc.
http://www.rockyscustomclothes.com
The website doesn’t reflect just how good their suits are. Give them a look and you definitely won’t be disappointed.
I’ve got several suits from them, and I’m always getting tons of compliments every time I wear one.
Regards,
Christopher Rees
President,
Palaestra Training
http://www.palaestratraining.com
1-800-324-0946
Thanks for the info. I will check them out the next time I need a suit.
Very informative! Though I guess the card will continue to be super-elite for most of us ordinary netizens…
I like American Express… the only one that providing easy financing for small businesses. Good tips about Payroll using Amex and writing a check to cover the extra expenditures!
They are great, but American Express is not accepted everywhere.
the card is not actually titanium. it’s a magnet. a pu$$y magnet.
Great post! Thanks for putting this information up!
Heh that bring up a funny story.
I worked at a gas station and a guy brought one of those in. I mentioned that I had never seen one of them before and he started talking about all the perks of it. How it was the top of the line credit card only available to the select few.
I nodded along as he went on and finally I just said that I figured I had never seen one because we didn’t take American Express.
His face froze. He started saying again how it was the top of the line business credit card with a huge limit, and that it was accepted everywhere.
I restated that we didn’t take AE and pointed at the PIN pad which had the Master card and Visa logos on it but no blue AE logo.
He swiped it a few times, and waved it over the fast pass RF ID reader getting negative beeps each time then looked up at me with a sick expression on his face. He didn’t have any cash and his SUV had sucked down $80.
I told him that he perhaps could use his card as collateral while he drove to walmart to get some cash, but then told him I was joking because I couldn’t be sure the card was actually as good as he said it was, and that I actually needed to make a photocopy of some photo ID.
He handed me his passport which I copied and stapled to the receipt after cashing out the ticket. He came back 10 or 15 minutes later and dropped 4 crisp $20 bills in my window’s slot said, through the grill, that he didn’t believe we didn’t take AE and drove off with a big hole in his ego.
Oh and I saw a post earlier up asking how it felt. Its actually a pretty neat card. About as thick as two or three normal cards stacked together. It has a surprising heft to someone who deals with the el cheapo disposable cards that get handed out to most plebes.
LOL, nice story. I wish I could have been there to see the expression on the guys face.
As for the thickness of the card it is actually as thick as a normal credit card (maybe a bit thicker), but it feels thicker because it is heavy. If they made it too thick it would not work with most credit card machines.
Thought you might want to contribute or browse the forum.
so this card has some loopholes?.. now i won’t be asking for it
was motivated to have after reading chow’s review…
but anyway, great job.. and you really worth the perks..
now i just need to find a business where I can churn a lot of money.
for example, using adwords to direct traffic to a website with ads could provide that. even if i didn’t make any money, but spent 25k to make 25k, it might still be worth it. maybe not for the centurian card, but maybe for a starwood card, which would give me free vacations!
That’s true, but it would be nice if the business made a bit of profit.
As for the Starwood card after X amount of hotel stays you get free upgrades.
great advice on over paying… I am looking to do the same thing this month to garner a few extra miles to get a free trip on my AA card.
Why would anyone want a Centurion card? Aside from the fact that it’s black and looks really cool? Those are great benefits, especially for someone who does a lot of traveling. You’re treated like a VIP and can get access to exclusive information and services. Very nice.
Even when you make six figures a month, people who aren’t from money still don’t like to frivolously throw it away. At least that is how I am and most that I know once they get past that stage in the 20’s where you have that need to impress others. Neil, you’re smart getting the card the way you did. If it’s useful, more power to you. It was worth it just for the links and the stories people told of it on many sites.
Thanks! I am a PR whore.
Hey Neil, I just read about your site yesterday through John Chow, and I gotta say you both inspired me. I’m starting a personal blog and try and brand myself well.
This time I’m only commenting here to let you know that I recently read that it is not recommended to post pictures with details blurred. That is, because there are very advanced graphic plugins for GFX programs that could unblur the details.
The most recommended thing to do is to just put some shape (rectangle or whatever you like) filled in black.
Good luck and keep up this great blog.
Thanks for the heads up. Due to this my designer blurred the images a few times using different programs so that they can’t be reversed (or at least I hope).
Great info on the Centurion card. I have been fortunate enough to hold one of these cards for a few years. I knew that the yearly fee had increased, but was surprised to see the “upfront fee”! Regarding the differences between business and personal concierge cards, from your description, it doesn’t seem there is a difference other than the personal card not having the “BUSINESS” print on the front of the card.
Wish you much luck and success,
Alex aka “CEO Alex”
Thanks for the info on the personal centurion card. I was also thinking that most of the benefits are the same.
Hey Neil, Nice to see you have a Black Amex, I’ve seen a couple of them from where I work, and they are Heavy. But that fee is astronomical, but the benefits help, wish I could get Metal status with a couple of airlines.
Now your tips, I do say one thing, I thought/Believed that the Charge cards from Amex, i.e. green, gold and plat, didn’t have limits. I know that the credit cards form Amex did, i.e. clear, blue, and optima. So couldn’t people just use those or get a business card (i.e. sign up for a business one) since those would have higher limits set anyways? At least that’s usually the case with visa/mc.
I just got a MC World Elite card, so that’s the highest I’ll get, until Visa comes out with the Signature Select. But hey, at least they are free!
To be honest, I am not 100% sure. A Charge card with no limit make senses if it is tied to your bank account, but if it is not then their probably would be limit a limit. The reasoning being is that you don’t want someone making 300k a year spending 10 million on a charge card because they probably will never be able to pay off the bill.
That’s true, it’s very different between Charge Cards and Credit Cards so it’s entirely up to Amex I suppose. Btw, great stuff you have here, I see a lot of the information useful not just if you are in consulting but in just your job and life too.
Your comment sounds sensible, Neil, but my (very ordinary, non-black, un-elite) Diners card has no limit and is not tied to any account. I don’t know how the finance industry rates these risks. I’ve always paid it off in full each month, up to $30k AUD, but ti wouldn’t be too hard for someone so inclined to rip them off.
I have not had a Diners card, but if you probably try to buy an item for $1,000,000 you would probably get declined. So although they may say there is no spending limit, I still think there is.
Great laundry list of benefits for putting all of your spending on one card. It seems like that would make an excellent long term goal, to get a black AMEX. Definitely something to shoot for.
Thanks for the inspiration.
Thank you Mr. Patel for the AMEX Centurion card background. My daughter works at an upscale store in Arizona, and one of her customers has a Centurion card.
American Express erleidet Gewinnrückgang
Wie die Nachrichtenagentur Reuters berichtet, kann sich auch die Kreditkartengesellschaft American Express der Finanzkrise nicht vollständig entziehen. Nach den soeben veröffentlichten Quartalszahlen schrumpfte der Nettogewinn um rund zeh…
I’m going on my 9th month with my AMEX business platinum card spending consistently over what I need to (approx 23k a month). I do not however spend that much with my personal card (hardly anything). I’d much rather keep my business finances and personal finances seperate, but I’d like a black card for both. If I get the business black card, can I also get the personal card?
You can get a business and personal black card, but they are not tied together. So on each card, you will have to spend at least 23k a month.
Out of curiosity, Neil, what percentage of the time are you upgraded on flights and hotel rooms with your black card? I’m just trying to figure out how valuable it would be for me…
20% or so currently, but for me that is a lot of flights. When you are traveling international, you get a good ROI from the card.
Another perk with concierge is booking a private jet. Yes although this is pricey, if one is spending 20 grand a month, booking a private jet travel is chump change. Last i checked they offered a wide range of “deals” included flight time. Planes ready to fly in 1 hour. And the trip planning… all those alluring commercials… well Amex truly does put you in those picture perfect scenic locations.
Is it worth it? One word comes to mind… “priceless”
I am well on my way to getting one of these cards in a few months. I’m not sure I see spending the 5000 + 2500 though for the perks. It’s really for people who travel a lot or spend money like crazy I guess. I know I read on another site that a guy bought a Bentley on his black amex. There are rumors that Amex will actually guarantee certain products you buy for 3 years if you use this card to purchase them? Honestly though, most people don’t know wtf this card even is. I suppose someone might ask you about the card if you handed it over because it’s heavy, but then you kind of have to sound like that guy at the gas station (described above) when you try to explain what it is. There’s really no nice way of saying, “I spend a shitload of money and if you spent a shitload of money you’d know what this card is.” - especially the guy working the Starbuck’s counter.
Anyway, it is a neat little card. I would also be getting the business card if I got one because, like Mr. Patel, my personal finances are nothing like my corporate finances and spending 5000.00 just to have a credit card on my personal finances would cost me food for a year. haha. Don’t get me wrong - I spend money. I own my house and drive a BMW M3 - but those are things that help me make money (in a way). I would never spend 5000 of my personal money to get a credit card - no matter how cool it might make me look.
Anyway - that’s my two cents.
The 3 year guarantee is interesting. I have not heard about it before, but I will have to ask my concierge about it.
As for your car and house, wise move. I am the same way in which I would buy a car if it made me more money indirectly.
A couple comments on the card. All the gold and above cards double the warranty on anything you buy. So, that is true.
One idea for people who need to keep business and personal expenses separate is to get a suplemental card. It will have a slightly different number so you can keep the expenses straight but it will also all go back to the main account to keep all the benefits and the points.
As for Rewards, you do have them and can cash them in for cash, bennies, or merchandise.
I didn’t know that you could cash them in for cash. Thanks for the heads up.
Do you think the black card is worth it considering the benefits of the Plum Card?
The buzz and press make the black card worth it. But if you don’t want that, then the plum has similar benefits for a better deal.
Neil,
I just found your site when searching for information on the balck card. I have read about it before but it was nice to read your post it was very informative. As for owning the card I have a plat amex and it is great. Like you have stated even with the platinum card i get a few stares. I had a guy once at tac time(your favorite store) tell me that he never saw one and that it was cool. I do not personally need a black card but would only want one for the wow factor. That is why i got my plat card. As a kid my aunt had a lot of credit cards and i always knew that a AMEX card was just a little better than the rest especially gold or plat ones. SO that is why i got mine. SOme of the benefits sound the same. I get a concierge, travel people, and get free flights. I am not sure of the difference on the concierge part. I think that i just call and there are different people that are in place at a call center for conceirges for me whereas you might get a person assigned to you. I also can only get free companion tickets 4 times a yr in the US and 1 time a year for overseas flights. Well I am happy for your accomplishment and it is great to see. Shows people that success no matter how you measure it whether with a black card or other things can come your way. YOu just never know. I will be trying to plot a way to spend 250k sometime in my lifetime so i can get one. Oh and one quick question: since you are obviously spending a lot don’t you get points for your purchases? I saw on my rewards in a new section for plat members called First Select that you could lease a lambo for a million points!!! if you are spending like you state then youshould be able to rack that up quick, especially if you buy through the site and get double, triple, and quadruple points. not to mention all of the other stuff that you can buy with your points. I on the other hand dont spend that much so the lambo is out of the question but I did get my iPhone from there with points. Makes it worth the 450 fee to me.
You do get points. I am not sure exactly how the point system works, but the more you spend in general the more poin