Canadian American Express Centurion Card

Known as the Black Card, the American Express Centurion Card is an invitation only charge card, which is only given to platinum card holders after they have met a specific spending requirement. Through some deep digging in research on the Black card, this is what I came up with.

In Canada, the card was discovered in 2008. I’m going to use the word “discover” in this context as this was the date the first cardholder got a grasp on the card, while it could have been created before this time. Originally made out of aluminium, the new and improved version switches to Titanium. Classy. The annual fee for the Black card costs $2,500 per year plus you will need to pay a one-time new membership fee of $5,000 CAD.

There has been word on the forums that suggest that you require approximately $250,000 per year in spending before you can be considered for a Centurion card invitation. That’s over $20,000 worth of average spending a month. And on top of that, you better have a clean credit rating. As well, only Platinum cardholders will have an opportunity at this special invitation.

The Centurion Card offers an exclusive concierge service and travel agent for your needs. You will also receive a complimentary companion airline ticket on Air Canada flights when you purchase a ticket at full price. There is also First Class or Business Class upgrades when you book a full fare economy ticket. Supplementary cards are free of charge, a service which is different than the U.S.

You will have access to a number of airport clubs and there have been reports that Black Card members have “prestige” membership for Priority Pass. American Express has introduced their own Centurion Lounge in popular locations around the world, and Black cardholder will have access to them.

Another benefit with the American Express Centurion Card is that you will have your foreign transaction fees waived. However the Canadian dollar being so weak against the USD makes this benefit feel less valuable lately.

If you don’t like crowds, you can take advantage of the concierge service to help you book an appointment for a personal shopping experience during after hours at a local mall. That’s a pretty cool option!

While doing research on the credit card, I noticed that they were also selling the card on ebay as a collection item, priced just as much as the real thing. You can also customize the collectable metal plate with your name. Unfortunately you will not be able to use it to make purchases.

This is a very exclusive card, and it seems like no other product on the market comes close to it. The card is made out of Titanium and spells luxury across it. There are also numerous hurdles to overcome before even being considered one of these cardholders. I would love to see one of these up close.