Downgrading from Centurion to Platinum

albyd said:
That’s right Hilton Diamond for as long as you keep the Centurion. Apparently, 10 years of Diamond gives you lifetime status. I wonder if you still need to actually meet stay requirements. Doesn’t appear so according to this article:

Customer Support

help.hilton.com help.hilton.com

Though can 2m base points come from credit card redemptions (as poor as they currently are compared to airline redemptions).

I’m going to try for Marriott lifetime Platinum - can’t split my stays to get there on both loyalty schemes.

Marriott does have a stay requirement:

Lifetime Status

With Lifetime Status With Marriott Bonvoy Get Points That Never Expire & Benefits You’ll Receive Forever. Explore The Perks of Lifetime Silver Elite, Lifetime Gold Elite, & Lifetime Platinum Elite.
www.marriott.com www.marriott.com
Click to expand...
You need to have either the 1000 nights or earned 2M base points as well as 10 years of Diamond.

The base points are earned on stays. I don’t believe points transfers count.
 
Thanks for the heads up. I think 10 years of diamond I can do through Amex assuming that partnership lasts that long.

Might just have to pick a side and side with Marriott.
 
FYI - I've submitted my cancellation request via email. Let's see if they make any attempt to retain my business.

But, its safe to state that the Centurion is a total waste of money unless you are spending $1.5m+ on the cards... and even at that spend level/points redemption, the benefits are borderline.

Amex Platinum provides basically the same service, with better benefits and at a substantially lower price.
 
RealtimeY said:
Clearly the solution here is to raise the price for Platinum
Click to expand...
Hahah...

Platinum is a volume game for Amex.

I know of a number of clients who cancelled their card when Amex increased the fee from $1,200 to $1,450pa.

The solution is for Amex to provide substantially more benefits and services to justify the $6,500pa fee for the Centurion card. Clearly their target market can afford it - its just about adding enough value/benefits.
 
here here

I think that at $1450, Platinum is just within reach to be aspirational but not outrageously so (I can't believe I'm saying that) - it is essentially a coupon book with a line of credit.

Centurion is purely aspirational - there needs to be something extra for the AF increase. If it continues to be pitched merely as a travel agent, then we all know travel agents who can do our bidding for no retainer and would be glad for the business.

The solution isn't to increase AF on Platinum or strip back its benefits as people wouldn't pay the AF then. The solution is to increase the benefits (aside from the 'X' factor) with Centurion.
 
Just had my 'cancellation' meeting with my RM - no retention attempt and ultimately, an admission that the 'only' real difference between Plat and Cent was access to the RM.

Amex also reminded me that I will have to pay a joining fee (was $5k when I initially joined) should I get 'invited' again...
 
I have come to the conclusion that Centurion is a travel service who you pay a $6,500 annual retainer to. Your RM is your travel agent who is available during business hours - just like an old school travel agent.

For the rest of us (like me) who book their own travel then it's a credit facility with a coupon book which is somewhat the same as the coupon book that is the Platinum card. We just need to decide if the extra points earn is worth the extra AF over Platinum.

There are no other perks and some of the urban legends we hear are just that - urban legends - they're not true. It is a status symbol otherwise, that's where it begins and ends.

YMMV.
 
you guys really know how to turn people off trying to get the cent :p lol
 
Revisiting this topic two years later, I think the downgrade in value has only become more pronounced, and the original poster may have made a very good decision. Like them, I now find myself seriously considering whether to downgrade.

I typically book my own travel and rarely use the Relationship Manager (RM). This is largely due to ticket control—booking directly provides far greater flexibility. My only experience with Amex support was frustrating; while overseas, getting assistance was nearly impossible. The RM was unavailable, and I was redirected to the Platinum team, who were of little help.

Airline redemptions have also become poor value. It now costs more to accumulate the points than the ticket itself in many cases. Amex is losing its edge with airlines, as the airlines no longer seem to rely on them.

I primarily fly Singapore Airlines in business class and have achieved PPS status. I also have over 10 million Amex points, yet redemptions now require an excessive number of points, and Amex hasn’t improved earn rates to compensate.

The only remaining appeal is the prestige factor of having a Black Card—but realistically, no one even sees it anymore.

While the travel insurance is good, I’ve never actually used it, and I suspect I could obtain comparable coverage for far less than the annual fee savings.

At this point, I genuinely struggle to find any compelling reason to stay.
 
chriss88 said:
Revisiting this topic two years later, I think the downgrade in value has only become more pronounced, and the original poster may have made a very good decision. Like them, I now find myself seriously considering whether to downgrade.

I typically book my own travel and rarely use the Relationship Manager (RM). This is largely due to ticket control—booking directly provides far greater flexibility. My only experience with Amex support was frustrating; while overseas, getting assistance was nearly impossible. The RM was unavailable, and I was redirected to the Platinum team, who were of little help.

Airline redemptions have also become poor value. It now costs more to accumulate the points than the ticket itself in many cases. Amex is losing its edge with airlines, as the airlines no longer seem to rely on them.

I primarily fly Singapore Airlines in business class and have achieved PPS status. I also have over 10 million Amex points, yet redemptions now require an excessive number of points, and Amex hasn’t improved earn rates to compensate.

The only remaining appeal is the prestige factor of having a Black Card—but realistically, no one even sees it anymore.

While the travel insurance is good, I’ve never actually used it, and I suspect I could obtain comparable coverage for far less than the annual fee savings.

At this point, I genuinely struggle to find any compelling reason to stay.
Click to expand...
You should do a global transfer and get better value for your miles.
 
ooh, you need to check out the USA amex thread. I can't rememebr the name- "getting an american card" or something.
 
ithongy

Thread 'Strategy to obtain US Amex'

This will take time & patience, so either “Patience hurry up” or “Hurry up & wait”. This has not been tested & is a strategy that might work to obtain a US Amex Plat Business Charge Card with a USD$450 annual fee. The Australian version is quite a hefty annual fee in excess of AUD$1500.

Building credit:

Open a BofA checking account & obtain a secured credit card. It can be done in 15 mins and all you need is a passport and driver licence. Deposit USD$2200 into checking account, by keeping a balance of above USD$1500 so you will incur no monthly banking fees. Obtaining a secured credit...
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With the hotel status and extra point earn I'll still hang onto mine.
 
I’m in the same boat. I think that there aren’t that many ‘perks’ and it’s a trophy card. I agree no one is going to be impressed by something they can’t see so I’ve reverted to using the physical card when I go out with clients. I think if I don’t get business from it before October when the RBA changes come into force, I’m going to downgrade to green and be done with it. I used to send $250k/month on it now closer to $10-20k.

I wasn’t prepared to bare my soul in ‘underwriting’ only to do it again in 12 months so the maximum credit limit is $250k. I never thought it was ‘unlimited’ but that’s pretty puny when it’s like $US4m for the US charge cards which is approx $A5.8m (I know you have to work your way up to it rather than on day one)but that’s a huge gap with the AU product.

I’m not sure if the Platinum is worth it either if I just want to cut my AF from $6500 to close to zero.

I’m clearly not the target market for this card.

I book all my own travel already and much of it is on points so there’s nothing in it for Amex so I need to do that myself.

For as long as my US cards do the job (US Business Platinum is fine and one other, I don’t need to worry about my AU cards.

YMMV
 

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