It’s not feasible to do an apples-to-apples comparison of the Centurion Card to other cards, as it caters to such a small segment of the market and offers unique benefits. That said, The Business Platinum Card® from American Express and The Platinum Card® from American Express offer a slice of what the Centurion does for a fraction of the annual fee.
Centurion® Card from American Express* vs. The Business Platinum Card® from American Express
The Business Platinum Card® from American Express costs $695 per year (terms apply, see rates & fees), which seems like a bargain when compared to the Centurion’s $5,000. Some benefits, such as airport lounge access (albeit without the Centurion’s skip-the-line privileges) and hotel and car rental statuses, are similar with both cards. However, the Centurion’s included statuses are top-tier and include Hilton Diamond, Delta Executive Platinum and Hertz Platinum, which the Business Platinum does not.
But the American Express Business Platinum earns significantly higher rewards of 5 Membership Rewards® points per dollar on flights and prepaid hotels through American Express Travel, 1.5 points per dollar on eligible purchases at U.S. construction material & hardware suppliers, electronic goods retailers and software and cloud system providers, and shipping providers, as well as on purchases of $5,000 or more everywhere else, on up to $2 million of these purchases per calendar year and 1 point per dollar on other eligible purchases.
When it comes time to redeem, the transfer partners for the two cards are identical. The Centurion Business Card does offer a higher pay-with-points rebate on eligible flight bookings at 50% versus the Platinum Business Card’s 35%. Another point in the Centurion Card’s favor: the rebate applies to any flight on any airline, not just business and first class, and not just for a designated airline.
Centurion® Card from American Express* vs. The Platinum Card® from American Express
Some of the Amex Black Card benefits are also available on The Platinum Card® from American Express, but for a much lower fee of $695 (terms apply, see rates & fees). Like the Business Platinum, the personal card earns 5 Membership Rewards Points per dollar for flights booked directly with airlines or with American Express Travel on up to $500,000 per calendar year, 5 points per dollar on prepaid hotels booked with American Express Travel and 1 point per dollar on other eligible purchases. Unlike the business version of the card, it lacks the airfare points rebate, which could add up for those who use it strategically.
Instead, the Amex Platinum piles on the consumer benefits, although at a junior level from its Centurion cousin. The Platinum card offers up to $100 annually to Saks Fifth Avenue—vs. $1,000 with the Centurion—and a rebate on Equinox Gym memberships (enrollment required) vs. the full membership offered by the Centurion card. The Platinum card also includes some credits not offered by the Black card, such as Uber Cash credits and statement credits toward Walmart+ memberships.
Choosing between the Amex Platinum or Amex Black cards likely has more to do with your lifestyle than the earning or redemption rates.
Centurion® Card from American Express* vs. Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card
If you’re new to travel credit cards and the Amex Black Card is an aspirational goal for you, the Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card can be a good starter card on your path to bigger and better rewards and perks. The card offers 60,000 bonus points after spending $4,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening.
You’ll also earn 5 points per dollar on travel purchased through Chase Travel℠, 3 points per dollar on dining, select streaming services, and online grocery purchases (excluding Walmart, Target and wholesale clubs), 2 points per dollar on all other travel purchases and 1 point per dollar on other purchases. With a $95 annual fee, the card doesn’t offer a lot of perks, but you will get up to $50 in statement credits each account anniversary year for hotel stays booked through Chase. The card also offers 25% more value when you use points to book travel through Chase Travel℠ and also allows you to transfer rewards to airline and hotel partners.
Find The Best American Express Credit Cards Of 2024
All information about Centurion® Card from American Express has been collected independently by Forbes Advisor
FAQs
Experts estimate that there are around 100,000 Amex Centurion cardholders in the world, with only about 20,000 of those being in the United States.
Is American Express Black Card worth it? ›
Ultimately, Amex Black Card is best for wealthy individuals who want the luxury associated with the most exclusive credit card available. While the value of the card's luxury benefits outpace any premium credit card you can find, it may not be enough on its own for some cardholders to cover the cost of the annual fee.
What is the minimum spend on the American Express black card? ›
Annual spending of at least $500,000 to $1 million on your American Express cards -- and potentially double that if you're in a high-cost-of-living area. An affluent spending profile with high spending on luxury goods, restaurants, high-end travel, and similar types of purchases.
How many people own black card? ›
But we have it on good authority that celebrities including Beyoncé, Oprah Winfrey, and Jerry Seinfeld, who reportedly received the first-ever Black Card, all carry it. Collectively there are thought to be fewer than 20,000 AmEx Centurion cardholders around the world.
What is the average income of a Centurion Card holder? ›
The black card and how to get one
Needless to say, this requires a very high level of income. According to one report, Centurion cardholders had an average annual household income of about $1.3 million and had a net worth of about $16 million. And once you qualify, the card is quite expensive.
Can a normal person get a Centurion Card? ›
It is widely accepted that you need to be a big spender for AmEx to give you a Centurion Card. Reports on the internet range from requiring $250,000 to over a million dollars of annual spending.
Why do people want Amex Black Card? ›
With a black card, you can lock in hotel elite status at four major hotel chains: Marriott, Hilton, Intercontinental Hotels Group, and Relais & Châteaux. Hotel elite status gets you sweet benefits like room upgrades, late checkouts, resort and spa credits, and free breakfast.
What is the fanciest credit card? ›
What is the most prestigious credit card? One of the world's most prestigious credit cards is the Centurion® Card from American Express*. Though there may be other cards with more elaborate benefits, those cards are kept well under wraps.
What is the downside of American Express? ›
Due to higher transaction fees than other cards, some merchants won't accept Amex cards. You can't get an Amex card without at least a good (670 or higher) credit score. Annual fees for Amex cards can be high. You must pay the balance on Amex charge cards in full each month, so you can't use them to “borrow” money.
What is the highest AmEx credit limit? ›
Delta SkyMiles® Gold American Express Card
Highest reported credit limit: $50,000, according to a post on the myFICO forums. Welcome offer: Earn 40,000 bonus miles after you spend $2,000 in purchases on your new card in your first six months.
The American Express Business Centurion Card, better known as the "black card," has no pre-set spending limit and is typically offered only to high-net-worth individuals. As you might expect, large purchases are regularly made on American Express Business Centurion Card.
What is the monthly limit on the AmEx Black Card? ›
As we mentioned, there's no spending limit on this card, and you get one point for every dollar you spent. So if you spent $500,000 on the card, you get 500,000 points. That's enough to fly roundtrip from North America to Europe or Asia in first or business class several times.
What card do billionaires use? ›
What Credit Card Do the Super Rich Use? The super rich use a variety of different credit cards, many of which have strict requirements to obtain, such as invitation only or a high minimum net worth. Such cards include the American Express Centurion (Black Card) and the JP Morgan Chase Reserve.
What is the #1 credit card to have? ›
The best credit card overall is the Wells Fargo Active Cash® Card because it gives 2% cash rewards on all purchases and has a $0 annual fee. For comparison purposes, the average cash rewards card in 2024 gives about 1% back.
Who owns Centurion Black Card? ›
The American Express Centurion Card, colloquially known as the Black Card, is a charge card issued by American Express. It is reserved for the company's wealthiest clients who meet certain net worth, credit quality, and spending requirements on its gateway card, the Platinum Card.
Who has the Centurion Black Card? ›
The American Express Business Centurion Card, better known as the "black card," has no pre-set spending limit and is typically offered only to high-net-worth individuals.
How many black cards exist? ›
There are 26 black cards in a standard 52-card deck, also called a French deck of cards, divided into two suits, 13 spades and 13 clubs.
Can a person have 2 black cards? ›
The probability of selecting two black cards in a deck of card is around 0.245.
