Is the The Centurion® Card from American Express Worth the $5,000 Annual Fee?
Probably not for the rewards. Everyday earning (about $292 a year) still does not clear the $5,000 fee on this profile. The The Centurion® Card from American Express is only worth it if you place real value on its perks, like lounge access or elite status, beyond their cash equivalent, or if you spend well above average.
Every credit, broken down
The The Centurion® Card from American Express offsets its fee with statement credits and benefits. Here is every one, with the most you can get from each per year. Remember that credits only count if you would have spent that money anyway, and some renew on a monthly or semi-annual schedule you have to use or lose.
| Credit or benefit | Up to |
|---|---|
| Annual airline fee credit | varies |
| Retail and luxury-brand statement credits (e.g. Saks Fifth Avenue) | varies |
| Global Entry or TSA PreCheck application fee credit | varies |
| Total stated value | $0 |
If you use all of it, that is $0 back against a $5,000 fee, leaving $5,000 of the fee for your rewards to make up.
What you earn on spending
Credits are only half the story; the card also earns rewards every time you swipe. On $29,160 of annual spending, the The Centurion® Card from American Express earns about $292 a year at a flat 1 cent per point. The figure below is based on a typical household budget. See the full category breakdown in our The Centurion® Card from American Express review, or run your own numbers in the rewards calculator.
The break-even
Add it up. The The Centurion® Card from American Express costs $5,000 a year. It leans on rewards, and everyday rewards add about $292. Even together that is $4,708 short of the fee, so the perks have to carry the rest.
Frequently asked questions
- Is the The Centurion® Card from American Express worth the annual fee?
- Probably not for the rewards. Everyday earning (about $292 a year) still does not clear the $5,000 fee on this profile. The The Centurion® Card from American Express is only worth it if you place real value on its perks, like lounge access or elite status, beyond their cash equivalent, or if you spend well above average.
- How do you offset the The Centurion® Card from American Express annual fee?
- Through rewards and the welcome bonus. On a typical budget the card earns about $292 a year, so you need spending in its bonus categories to clear the fee.
- Is there a no-annual-fee alternative to the The Centurion® Card from American Express?
- Yes. If you cannot clear the $5,000 fee, a no-fee card keeps every dollar of rewards as profit. See our ranked no-fee picks to compare.
