Amex Centurion Card Drops Airline Credit for $1,000 Dining Perk

American Express swapped a $200 annual airline fee credit for up to $1,000 in dining credits on its invitation-only Centurion Card. The change, first spotted by View From the Wing, is the first major benefit overhaul to the ultra-premium card in years.

The new credit is issued as up to $250 per quarter in statement credits at more than 10,000 qualifying U.S. Resy restaurants, select Resy event tickets, and dining or events at Centurion New York. Enrollment is required. Cardholders do not need to book through the Resy app – paying with the card at a qualifying restaurant triggers the credit.

Starting August 1, Amex will mark eligible restaurants directly on Resy's website and app, so cardmembers can confirm eligibility before the charge posts.

On pure dollar value, the new credit leads the ultra-premium category. It more than doubles the up to $400 in annual Resy credit available to Amex Platinum cardmembers, who are capped at $100 per quarter with the same enrollment requirement.

Outside the Amex ecosystem, the closest comparison is the Chase Sapphire Reserve, which carries a $795 annual fee and includes up to $300 a year in dining credits through its Exclusive Tables program on OpenTable, split into two $150 semiannual increments with no separate enrollment. The J.P. Morgan Reserve Card, another invitation-only product, does not offer a comparable flat dining statement credit. It pairs bonus points on dining with a complimentary DashPass subscription and DoorDash credits.

The Centurion Card carries a $5,000 annual fee plus a one-time $10,000 joining fee for U.S. users. The new credit alone is worth roughly 20% of that annual fee if fully used, before counting the value of Hertz, Delta, and Hilton status or Private Suite access.

For a cardholder who regularly dines at qualifying restaurants, that is real, usable value rather than a nominal add-on. It does not offset the fee on its own. It closes some of the gap that opened when the airline credit disappeared, and it gives Centurion card members a credit that is genuinely difficult to match on any other card in the market.

The Centurion Card is not open to applications. American Express extends invitations to select cardmembers. The new credit takes effect immediately, with eligibility badges rolling out on Resy starting August 1.

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