Black Card Income Requirements for 2024 (2024)

FAQs

What is the minimum income for a black card? ›

The American Express Black Card income requirement is reportedly at least $1 million per year. It's rumored that you must also spend and pay off at least $350,000 across your American Express credit cards annually just to get an invitation to apply.

You must have a minimum yearly salary of $100,000. and receive an invitation to apply for an Amex Black card.

Reports suggest that you need at least $10 million in assets under management with Chase to qualify for an invitation. For the Centurion® Card from American Express, anecdotal evidence says you need to charge six-figures on your other American Express cards annually.

The card likely requires an excellent credit score of 800 or higher. American Express previously allowed existing Amex cardholders to inquire about Centurion membership through a short interest form online. The form is currently unavailable, and there is no indication as to whether it will reappear in the future.

Amex Black Card Requirements

Have a history of at least one year with American Express. Spend $500,000 or more per year on your Amex credit cards (though some reports say you need to spend upwards of a million dollars every year) Have an exceptional credit score of 800 or higher.

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.

The Centurion Black Card is invitation-only

And a Centurion Card invitation isn't something AmEx hands out lightly. While AmEx services over 100 million cardholders, there are estimates that AmEx only has 100,000 Centurion cardholders worldwide.

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.

They will request tax returns and bank statements. What they're looking for is to make sure the income you reported on the application is true. The process typically takes 2-3 weeks, and you're assigned a specialist to talk to.

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 #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.

Why it's one of the hardest credit cards to get: The hardest credit card to get is the American Express Centurion Card. Known simply as the “Black Card,” you need an invitation to get Amex Centurion.

The Centurion Card from American Express offers white-glove service to a select, chosen few. Better known as the Black Card, you'll need a personal invitation from AmEx to apply, and if approved, you'll be on the hook for a one-time $10,000 initiation fee on top of a $5,000 annual fee. Terms apply.

This is an invite-only card for those with a minimum of $10 million in assets managed by J.P. Morgan's private bank. It ranks up there with the Centurion® Card from American Express in terms of exclusivity. It does offer valuable benefits that justify its annual fee of $550 ($75 for each additional user).

If you are lucky enough to garner an invitation, you're still on the hook for some hefty fees. The initiation fee is $10,000 and the annual fee is $5000. The Mastercard® Black Card doesn't require an invitation or an initiation fee like the Centurion® Card from American Express, but it does charge a $495 annual fee.