As you can see, you’ll be better off using Membership Rewards for travel than redeeming points for gift cards or online shopping. You may also pay with points at a number of vendors (most notably Amazon) at 0.7 cents per Membership Reward point.

Rates vary depending on the vendor and fluctuate between 0.5 cents and 1 cent per Membership Rewards point. You can also redeem your points for a wide variety of gift cards in travel, retail and restaurant categories. Among the most commonly used airline transfer partners are Delta (for SkyTeam airlines), British Airways and Iberia Avios (Oneworld) and Air Canada Aeroplan (Star Alliance). In addition, American Express offers frequent transfer bonuses, allowing you to get even more value from your points.

They can be transferred to any one of 17 airline or 3 hotel partners, most at a 1:1 ratio. This bonus does not exist on the personal version of the card.Īmerican Express Membership Rewards points are valuable because they are flexible. Points earned on transactions over $5,000 are worth an effective 3% back when redeemed in this manner. This gives an effective return rate of 2 cents per dollar, which is more than any other American Express card offers on unlimited spending in every category. The most interesting perk of the business version of the Centurion Card is a generous 50% rebate on airfares purchased with Membership Rewards points. The Centurion® Card from American Express * offers 1 point per dollar on all other eligible purchases. If you are given a choice, the business card offers more valuable benefits-most notably, the airfare rebate. Something to keep in mind: The Centurion comes in both personal card and business card versions. That said, you can request consideration online if you want to give it a shot. Minimum spending estimates vary from $250,000 per year up into the millions. The criteria used to determine if you’re worthy to even apply are nebulous, but it’s safe to say if you’re not on a first name basis with your American Express rep, the Centurion Card is probably not in your wheelhouse. Events including celebrities of the entertainment, culinary and sports arenas are offered solely to cardholders. Access to a 24/7 concierge service is a big draw if you are interested in delegating your travel planning, reservation getting and gift giving tasks. However, the credits and perks only have value if they are of use to you.Įxclusivity is the main draw of the Centurion Card, and it’s expressed in many ways. The upsides, which include bend-over-backwards customer service, elite travel statuses, memberships and credits to luxury outlets and lucrative points redemption options, can easily offset the costs. That said, for the biggest of big spenders, the Centurion Card can be worth every one of the million pennies that cover just the initiation fee. The Centurion Card has a lot of downsides: a large initiation fee, annual fees that rival a luxury car lease and a distinct lack of category spending bonuses. The Washington Post used to have a slogan that’s apropos for the Centurion Card: If you don’t get it, you don’t get it.

Equinox all access membership cost