Comments on: Airport photo: No Amex Black Cards accepted

By: Jenn

Jenn — Fri, 25 Feb 2011 06:26:05 +0000

As a cashier who handles these cards a few times a year in a tourist area, I must throw my weight in as well. The card is roughly a bit more than twice the average plastic card thickness due to an annoying puff as I call it. The card is mostly hollow. Only up near the mag-strip does it whittle down so it can swipe. If you were to be silly enough to try to insert it into the style of credit card reader where the card is swallowed completely by the machine before being read (IE the old Target readers) then it’d be absolutely no surprise that the machine would jam and wouldn’t be able to spit it out. The card is solely for hand swipes.

By: Nicky

Nicky — Tue, 01 Sep 2009 03:46:00 +0000

Thank you for all your comments. I don’t know the reason why coz I use only Visa.

By: Dave

Dave — Fri, 28 Aug 2009 07:09:23 +0000

I would agree that it’s probably b/c of the size, however, out of the hundreds of times I have used my Black card it only had issues with a card reader once. I believe the original black card was slightly different and was changed for this reason (the original card did not have smooth edges) Also if you do get additional centurion cards for family members, they will be exactly the same as the primary card (titanium)

By: Demo

Demo — Sat, 22 Aug 2009 05:04:42 +0000

It’s definitly that the card is thicker and less flexable due to it being made out of metal. I went through a secret service security line with a friend a couple of months back and he set off the alarm even though he had taken his cell phone and keys out of his pocket. it was the card in his wallet!

By: Anil

Anil — Fri, 21 Aug 2009 22:22:48 +0000

They could have at least made two versions, one made of plastic so that it can be actually used

By: Mark Ashley

Mark Ashley — Fri, 21 Aug 2009 03:07:53 +0000

Isn’t it a pretty big design flaw by Amex to have their most prestigious credit card causing damage to card readers??

Yikes.

By: Dan

Dan — Thu, 20 Aug 2009 23:16:12 +0000

My black card once damaged a card reader at a Starbucks; they’re not compatible with all devices.

By: Twitter Trackbacks for Airport photo: No Amex Black Cards accepted | Upgrade: Travel Better [upgradetravelbetter.com] on Topsy.com

Thu, 20 Aug 2009 22:25:44 +0000

[...] Airport photo: No Amex Black Cards accepted | Upgrade: Travel Better http://www.upgradetravelbetter.com/2009/08/20/airport-photo-no-amex-black-cards-accepted – view page – cached Pity the poor hedge fund managers in Greenwich, Connecticut… They can't use the American Express Centurion (a.k.a. the Amex Black Card) to pay for their — From the page [...]

By: Ben Senise

Ben Senise — Thu, 20 Aug 2009 17:37:10 +0000

I can confirm the other comments that the restriction from using the centurion card is most likely due to its physical characteristics. it is made of titanium and is slightly thicker than normal cards and it jams on many readers.
i’m surprised that amex didn’t identify this problem when spec’ing the new card. poor planning.

By: hharteveldt (hharteveldt)

hharteveldt (hharteveldt) — Thu, 20 Aug 2009 14:36:41 +0000

Twitter Comment

White Plains Airport doesn't want ppl using their Amex Black Cards to pay for parking. Huh? [link to post]

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