Lucky AMEX Platinum Card holders sometimes have the opportunity to upgrade to the AMEX Centurion Card, but is the AMEX Centurion Card just a matter of prestige or is it actually worth its annual fee?

It depends on how much you travel and where you stay. More importantly, it depends on your lifestyle and how much luxury and special service you want.

Would you like a personal travel counselor to plan and handle all your travel needs and your own concierge to cater to your own special whims? No problem, if you're a Centurion cardholder, just pick up the phone, day or night. It could be for anything from finding an unusual item, to arranging a private tour, to finding certain foods abroad. Or maybe you're traveling in a foreign country and need a doctor or even lawyer, heaven forbid. Centurion to the rescue. (I've actually used their doctor service, in Paris. They provide a choice of several doctors, and if need be, will call and make an appointment for you. The doctor will speak English, if that's the language you need.)

Special retail shopping privileges are available at Saks Fifth Avenue and Neiman Marcus, including invitations to exclusive events and personal shopper services. How about private shopping hours at Saks? That can be arranged. At Neiman's you can have a free consultation for restyling of your precious jewelry.

If you're traveling, there are many complimentary upgrades to elite status available, depending on the airline or hotel you're booking. For example, there are confirmed room upgrades, when available, at the Ritz-Carlton and at certain Four Seasons, as well as at over 330 other fine (expensive) hotels, spas and resorts. Room upgrades and other benefits are also available at Starwood, the Hilton, the Hyatt, and the Inter-Continental.

Continental, Delta, TWA and US Airways will provide complimentary upgrades, dedicated check-in, priority boarding, and extra mileage earnings. Continental, Northwest and TWA will give you complimentary access to their airport clubs when you're flying their airlines. When the Concorde was still flying, complimentary upgrades to the Concorde were provided by British Airways under certain conditions. Perhaps this will be available again in the future.

Another perk is that a complimentary international cellular phone will be delivered to you when traveling in a foreign country, and the only charge will be the cost of your calls.

There is no fee for enrollment in their Membership Rewards program. This allows redemption of points for travel on any airline anywhere and for purchases charged with AMEX. There is a 50% point bonus on all charges made with your Centurion Card at a number of Centurion partners, including those mentioned above.

Financial consulting benefits are also available, but I can't evaluate them because I've had no experience with their specific services.

The free room and flight upgrades and bonus points in their Membership Rewards Program can easily be worth more than the annual Centurion Card fee, which by the way, is $1,000. Then there is the luxury and convenience of having your own personal travel counselor and concierge, which can be priceless.

How do you acquire a Centurion card? First, apply for an AMEX Platinum card, if you don't already have one. Then use it frequently, especially for any travel that you book and for any expensive purchases that you make. Above all, pay ALL your bills on time. Then be patient. Don't call them. They'll call you. Actually, you'll receive an invitation in the mail if you're lucky. The AMEX Centurion Card is by invitation only. Don't worry. If you're offered one, it means you CAN afford it.


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