I was just at the grocery store checking out at the self checkout. I noticed the guy next to me whipped out a Black card to pay. First time seeing one in real life which was cool. Jokes on him though, I'm getting more points than him with my Gold.

I run an e-commerce business and I spend around 70-80k a month currently. I just started spending this much around 2 months ago, however, I always spent at least 200-300k a year for the last 2 years. How much more do I need to spend to be offered a black card?

Hi whats the limit on the card above and what do you have to do to get it?

All the posts on this are over a year old so I thought I'd see if anyone had some light to shed on this. I've had an invitation for the Black Card (Centurion) pending for a while now. While the fees are negligible to me, I don't like to feel like I'm paying for something I'm not getting any benefit out of.

It seems like the most valuable thing about this card is the airline benefits. I elect not to fly private due to environmental reasons and instead take the best product on a given commercial flight. From what I read the card seems to only help with Delta upgrades, but if in practice it could be used to secure upgrades on a variety of carriers that would be appealing.

The other main point mentioned frequently is the hotel/experience benefits. What exactly does this entail? AmEx's description of this is also vague, gesturing to "exclusive" things available at "thousands" of hotels. But what exactly does this get you that getting a VIP room at a hotel wouldn't otherwise? And I presume, in general, that those with the spend required for the Black Card would be staying in such rooms anyway.

Insight on these issues would be appreciated.

I was at a restaurant / bar yesterday and this guy sitting across from my table payed with an AMEX Card that was black on his phone. It definitely was AMEX (I could clearly see the logo) and the color was definitely black (on an iphone with apple pay). Are there any other Black AMEX Cards? Can you change the color of your card with apple pay? Or did this guy really have THE "Black Card"?

Guys, I need some opinion.

My father got offered by amex to get the AMEX Centurion Black Card. It was shown as an Invite only card via Amex through mail.

My dad usually uses AMEX for office related spends such as taking clients out etc.

I heard that it is the best card out there, My dad currently has a AMEX Platinum Reserve Credit Card and he is not sure whether to upgrade to the black card as he himself doesn't travel and go out in general much.

It also has an extremely high annual fee too

At least for the UK anyway!

Originally I liked the card, aspired to get it - especially since coming from a low income family - but I never actually use it ever anymore.
All my major payments are done via ApplePay, so no one actually sees the card per say, and most of the time the benefits over here in the UK are rubbish.
Is there any unheard of benefit, that I am not quite acquainted to?

The concierge is decent, especially if you are on a trip or business, you can just get them to arrange everything via a quick call to them (one of the only few reasons I hold on), but they cant get me into the top restaurants in London and all these crazy stories I heard were false, in the UK at least, so it is rather unfortunate.

Apart from that, the points system is rubbish, I end up just using the BA AMEX for the companion voucher, Barclays Plus, and then the other credit cards.

The only real reason I hold onto the card is purely for business, in my area, specifically, I just bring the card out deliberately when paying for dinner for clients, to show I am "doing well" and can handle their business. Its literally a Flex card, I wouldnt even say that you get "better service" by showing this card either.

Any fellow Centurion holders, please do let me know if there are any real benefits, that somehow I missed or I am not using properly. Appreciate all responses

Ale

One of the executives I Work with has an Amex Black Card, and the pros didn’t sound like the outweigh cons. I am not an expert

I have one, got a personal one in 2019, but I always wanted to know if its as exclusive as they say it is.

Do you have one? How many years with Centurion?

Joined a wonderful intimate event with Ed Sheeran. Pretty amazing experience with a great pre and post concert bar and meal - and with a nice little gift basket which cost nearly as much as the tickets!

Membership has its privileges!

Before I go into the hardcore research I wanted to see the user experience between these cards and which ones a better option

I work at a US retail chain outdoor recreation store that tends to sell expensive gear. I normally work sales and operations but recently got trained at the registers and I saw my first centurion black card today. It was held by an older gentleman buying $1,000+ of camping gear for his grandchildren. I asked him about his experience with it and he said it’s expensive but nice to have.

Hey,

I’m a member since 2022, I’ve kept a good relationship with them so far increases my limits to about 94k, I want to work my way out to have a black card, any idea how ? I know it’s invitation only but I hoped to meet someone who already has it

I used to work at a restaurant during high school through college over ten years ago. Near us was a Catholic seminary so we would have priests come in to eat every once in a while. One Saturday night we get a table of priests and one gives me their card to pay. I’m not thinking of anything because I slide hundreds of these cards through the machine. (Chip readers weren’t a thing yet). I’m trying to slide this card and I’m practically forcing it through the machine because it’s not going through smoothly like other cards would I thought I was going to break it. I look at it and it’s a Centurion Card. I’m thinking these priests are living the life. These guys must be living lavishly at that seminary lol. They did tip well over the years. Probably one of maybe two or three black cards I ever saw while working at that restaurant.

I received an Amex Black card in the mail today. I'm very excited about it. It looks very cool.

But the problem is that I did not apply for an Amex Black Card. I was never invited for it. I'm not a big spender at all. The card literally came out of no where.

I heard that the Black Card has a very high annual fee of $5000. I really don't want to pay it, and I don't spend that much on Amex to make up for the annual fee.

However, I was playing around with the Amex website a while ago, and I was trying to see what SUB offers I could get. I am in popup jail for most Amex cards.

What should I do now?

The holy grail, the shiniest of shiny, the clink when you inevitably bang it against your counter top... Because duh it's a black AMEX. What are everyone's thoughts when someone pays with this? Thoughts on the owner of this card? I actually had 2 separate tables tonight that paid with this type of card. Vastly different! First guest (a 2-top), was a Grade A douche. Pickier than a fucking 2 year old. Food came out & he was pissed it was all touching (barely). We had to remake the dish with every single component on a separate individual plate. 5 plates total. Wanted his coke in a wine glass, extra ice. "Why the fuck would you bring a straw with this!?" No pleases, no thank yous. At the end of the meal - shoves his black Amex in my face, with bit of smugness. "I'm ready to pay!" Process his payment, thank them for coming in & a whopping 16% on a $200 meal. Cool. Then, later in the night. I get triple sat with 2 deuces & a 6-top. Greet my deuces first, have bussers get water while I have my manager grab their drinks from the bar while I greet the 6-top. Took me a couple minutes to get to them, but super simple 6-top, just having a great time, ordering bunch of apps for the table, pretty low-maintenance. Only request- a really great old fashion. Solid, my bartenders can do that. Main guy at the end discretely slips me his Black Amex- thanks me for my great service. Signs his slip, says thanks again. I open the check presenter & HOLY FUCK! His tab was $500 & he tipped me $200! One of the best tips I've ever received! I headed over one last time, to shake the gentleman's hand & to sincerely say thank you. And also of course to invite them back & request me! ;)

This turned out a longer than I thought, & I totally lost track to where I was going with my question. But come on, it's Monday & I'm exhausted.

Any other rad Black Amex stories out there? Or any Holy Grail stories?

My sapphire reserve has been a good companion for a while but I'm hitting spends of 250k+/yr across my cards. Don't know if I'm even close enough to getting a black card, and if I am, if it's worth it at all. I figure there has to be another step up from my sapphire reserve in credit card benefits though. So far I've just heard people talk about black cards through rumors. Would love to hear personal experiences.

Edit: also to clarify this is personal spend. Not biz

(Also I have no clue what to flair this)