Top 8 Black Credit Cards in 2022 (2024)

Credit Cards / Rewards

By Karen Doyle December 9, 2022
  • How To Qualify
  • Best 8 Black Cards
  • Other Black Cards

Top 8 Black Credit Cards in 2022 (2)

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Beyond the slew of regular credit cards within reach of the masses are the gold cards, platinum cards and even the rare titanium cards that exist for those who qualify.

But there’s also another, even more exclusive class of credit cards: black cards. These ultra-high-status cards — which are generally granted by invitation only — often have no credit limit, in addition to a host of other features that cater to the dining, travel and entertainment proclivities of society’s most elite members.

Here’s everything you need to know about the eight most exclusive black cards out there.

How To Get a Black Card

Members of the 1% — or perhaps the 0.1% — may get an invitation for a black card, as some of these high-status cards are only available to consumers that the issuing bank deems worthy. What makes one worthy? Not just how much you earn, but how much you spend.

Black card issuers typically only consider clients who spend upwards of six figures a year with their credit card. Another possibility for receiving a coveted invitation is by having an account at a bank that is well aware of your income level, assets and outstanding credit — and/or if the issuing bank manages those assets.

Get Credit Card Perks

Requirements for these cards are often kept under wraps, so it can be hard to determine the exact income, asset or spending levels that are needed to qualify. Though the saying, “If you have to ask, you can’t afford it,” is in play here. That may sound like you’re totally roped off from acquiring these cards, but by building your wealth and using your existing credit responsibly, a black card could be in your future.

Top 8 Most Exclusive Black Cards

Hailed as symbols of status and wealth, these are the most difficult black cards to get. But if you qualify, there’s no harm in aiming for the best of the best. Here are the top eight most exclusive black cards:

  • Dubai First Royale Mastercard
  • HSBC Premier World Elite Mastercard
  • American Express Centurion® Card
  • Luxury Card: Mastercard Black Card
  • World Mastercard
  • Citi®/ AAdvantage®Executive World Elite Mastercard®
  • Ritz-Carlton Rewards Credit Card from J.P. Morgan

1. Dubai First Royale Mastercard

The Dubai First Royale MasterCard — a gold-plated,diamond-embedded card available by invitation only — is believed to have only around 200 members worldwide. It has no spending limit, no restrictions and each cardholder has a dedicated relationship manager.

The annual fee for the Royale Card has not been publicly disclosed, but is rumored to be around $2,000.

2. HSBC Premier World Elite Mastercard

The HSBC Premier World Elite Mastercard allows card holders to earn 50,000 Rewards Bonus Points — worth $750 in airfare booked online through HSBC Travel from Rewards — upon spending $4,000 in the first three months. Users can get 3x points on new travel purchases, 2x points on new dining purchases and 1x points on all other purchases.

Get Credit Card Perks

Cardholders will also receive up to $400 in travel credits per year, unlimited airport lounge access for the cardholder and a guest at over 1,000 airport lounges and up to three exclusive luxury gifts per year for reaching cumulative spend points of $25,000, $50,000 and $100,000.

To qualify, you must have a U.S. HSBC Premier checking account — and be willing to part with the $395 annual fee.

3. American Express® Centurion® Card

The American Express® Centurion Card features an initiation fee of $10,000, an annual fee of $5,000 and no preset spending limit. American Express, Member FDIC, may, however, decline a transaction based on its assessment of your creditworthiness or in the instance of what it believes to be a fraudulent transaction.

Get Credit Card Perks

Although no application is available online for the American Express black card, you can make your interest known. Go to the Centurion website and click “Interested in Centurion Membership? Click here.” at the bottom of the page. You be will redirected to a page where you can input your information.

Note that submitting this information does not equal an application for the Centurion card and also does not mean that American Express will invite you to apply for the card.

4. Luxury Card: Mastercard Black Card

The Black Mastercard from Luxury Card is within reach if you are willing to pay the $495 annual fee. In exchange, you get 2% value on airfare redemptions, 1.5% value on cash back redemptions and access to a Luxury Card concierge who will make travel reservations and assist with all sorts of personal requests.

The card’s travel program offers cardholders a value of $500 per stay at over 3,000 worldwide properties, like The Ritz-Carlton and St. Regis, including daily breakfast for two, room upgrades, resort credits and free Wi-Fi. Travelers also receive a $100 airline credit.

5. World Mastercard

In addition to all of the standard benefits Mastercard provides, World Mastercard cardholders receive exclusive offers from DoorDash, Lyft and ShopRunner, including free memberships, cash back and credits. Other benefits include access to exclusive Mastercard Priceless experiences in over 40 cities worldwide, exclusive PGA Tour experiences and free nights, upgrades and amenities at partner hotels.

Cardholders can also take advantage of complimentary professional travel services by calling, emailing or live chatting with a Mastercard Lifestyle Manager, 24/7/365. With this card, members can also save 15% on meet-and-assist airport concierge services, including fast-tracking through immigration, baggage assistance or hiring a chauffeured car.

6. Citi® AAdvantage® Executive World Elite Mastercard®

Frequent fliers of American Airlines can get the ultimate in credit card perks with this prestigious card. New cardholders will get 50,000 bonus miles after spending $5,000 within the first three months, plus include a complimentary membership to the Admirals Club, priority check-in and boarding, a free checked bag for up to 8 people in your party and 25% savings on select in-flight purchases.

The annual fee for the Citi AAdvantage Executive World Elite Mastercard is $450.

7.

Designed for travelers, the Citi Premier card enables holders to earn80,000 bonus pointsafter spending $4,000 within the first 3 months of account opening, which are redeemable for travel or $800 in gift cards. The card features an annual fee of .

Holders also earn 3x points on restaurants, supermarkets, gas stations, air travel and hotels, and 1x on every other purchase, redeemable for gift cards, travel rewards and more. Points are unlimited and never expire.

8. Ritz-Carlton Rewards Credit Card from J.P. Morgan

Few brands conjure up visions of grandeur and opulence like Ritz-Carlton, so carrying a black card that bears the name of this luxury hotel chain is impressive in itself.

Cardholders get up to 21 paid nights at Ritz-Carlton upgraded to the Club Level, unlimited use of $100 discount on paid stays of two or more nights, up to $100 in statement credit for TSA PreCheck or Global Entry and Marriott Gold Elite status, plus the power to go Platinum after spending $75,000 on the card per year — and more.

No online application exists. However, those who want this card can get it by opening a Chase Marriott Bonvoy® credit card and waiting one year upon opening that account. You also need a total credit line of at least $10,000 with Chase. After you’ve had the card for a year, you can request an upgrade to the Ritz-Carlton Rewards card.

Other Black Cards

If none of the above cards suit your fancy, there are a few more you might consider. Although some of them are not the most elite, they’re still pretty impressive.

Coutts Silk Card

Coutts is a private bank in the U.K. that issues its own annual-fee free charge card to its clients only. Your credit line and interest rate may vary depending on your creditworthiness, and you may be required to pay your balance in full each month.

Visa Signature Card

The Visa Signature Card offers travel benefits like complimentary concierge service, chauffeured car service and travel and emergency assistance services. Specific benefits, fees, interest rates and requirements vary depending on the issuing bank.

CONNECT Citi Chairman American Express® Card

The CONNECT Citi Chairman American Express® card offers exclusive experiences, a travel rewards program and a concierge team to help you plan it all. Holders also get presale access to millions of tickets for live events. No online application exists, so information regarding interest rates or annual fee is not readily available.

Eurasian Bank Visa Infinite

The Eurasian Bank Visa Infinite offers holders up to a 36% bonus for every purchase. Besides the increased bonus, cardholders will also receive VIP LoungeKey benefits, exclusive travel insurance benefits and 24/7 concierge service.

Nicole Spector and Cynthia Measom contributed to the reporting for this article.

Information is accurate as of Dec. 9, 2022, and is subject to change.

Editorial Note: This content is not provided by any entity covered in this article. Any opinions, analyses, reviews, ratings or recommendations expressed in this article are those of the author alone and have not been reviewed, approved or otherwise endorsed by any entity named in this article.

All information about American Express card offers has been collected independently by GOBankingRates and has not been reviewed or approved by American Express. These offers are not available through GOBankingRates.

The information related to the Chase Ritz-Carlton Rewards and Marriott Bonvoy cards was collected by GOBankingRates and has not been reviewed or provided by the issuer of these products/cards. Product details may vary. Please see the issuer’s website for current information. GOBankingRates does not receive commission for these products.

Top 8 Black Credit Cards in 2022 (2024)

FAQs

What is the most powerful black card? ›

American Express® Centurion® Card

The American Express® Centurion Card features an initiation fee of $10,000, an annual fee of $5,000 and no preset spending limit.

What is the easiest black card to get? ›

What if you can't qualify? Most of us won't be able to qualify for the Centurion card, but there are some alternatives. For starters, Visa has its Black Card, which is significantly easier to obtain.

Is there a card better than a black card? ›

The Centurion card beats out the Mastercard Black card in terms of rewards, benefits, and features. The major drawback of the Centurion card is its $10,000 initiation fee and $5,000 annual fee (plus $5,000 annually for each authorized user).

What card do billionaires use? ›

The credit card billionaires are most likely to use is the Centurion® Card from American Express, also known as the Amex Black Card, which has unique benefits and is reserved for high-net-worth individuals. Some of the rich and famous people rumored to have the card include Jerry Seinfeld and Halle Berry.

What card is higher than the black card? ›

The most prestigious credit cards are the Centurion® Card from American Express, the J.P. Morgan Reserve Credit Card, and the Citi Chairman Card because all 3 cards are invitation-only.

How many people have Amex Black Card? ›

There are around 20,000 Black cardholders in the U.S. This is a no-limit credit card. Cardholders are excepted on an 'invitation-only basis.

What salary do you need for a black card? ›

How much do you have to make to get Amex's black card? There aren't any income requirements per se, but you most likely need to be a high spender on your Amex cards. If you're in the ballpark of $250,000 to $500,000 in annual spending across all your open Amex cards, you may qualify for the Centurion card.

Who qualified for a black card? ›

Generally, a card issuer invites only their most loyal customers who spend upwards of six figures or more a year to become a black cardholder.

What's the credit limit on a black card? ›

Receive an Initial Credit Limit of $20,000 to $25,000

Because cardholders generally have a much higher income (or at least the ability to pay back their cards), the card's customers are usually given a very high initial credit limit.

Does a black card mean you're rich? ›

'Black credit card' is the catch-all term usually used to describe the most exclusive credit cards available to the wealthiest individuals. They are given out by banks to high-earning, big-spending customers and offer impressive perks and very high or unlimited credit.

Who has black Amex? ›

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.

Does Capital One have a black card? ›

No, Capital One does not have a black card - at least not in the super exclusive or hard-to-get category. Capital One may occasionally have cards that are black in color.

What credit card has a $100000 limit? ›

On our list, the card with the highest reported limit is the Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card, which some say offers a $100,000 limit. We've also seen an advertised maximum credit limit of $100,000 on the First Tech Odyssey Rewards™ World Elite Mastercard®, a credit union rewards card.

Which credit card is the most private? ›

The most exclusive credit card is the American Express Centurion Card, also known as the Amex Black Card. It is reportedly reserved for people who spend at least $100,000 per year, and an invitation is needed to apply.

What credit card do celebrities use? ›

If there's one card most associated with celebrities, it's the American Express Business Centurion Card, often referred to as the Amex Black Card. It's an invite-only card, and although you don't need to be famous to get it, the spending requirement for an invite is rumored to be at least $250,000 per year.

What are the five best credit cards? ›

Chase Freedom Flex℠: Best feature: Wide range of cash back rewards. Delta SkyMiles® Blue American Express Card: Best feature: Delta Air Lines rewards. Delta SkyMiles® Gold American Express Card: Best feature: Delta Air Lines rewards. U.S. Bank Visa® Platinum Card: Best Feature: Long 0% intro APR window.

Which color credit card is highest? ›

The highest credit card color is black, in large part because of the ultra-exclusive Centurion® Card from American Express, which is also known as the “Black Card” due to its color.

Does Amex still have a black card? ›

The American Express Centurion Card is the official name of the Amex Black Card. The Black Card is a high-end, exclusive charge card issued by American Express. Platinum Card holders must meet certain criteria to be extended an invitation. The American Express Black Card comes in personal and business variants.

What card does Bill Gates have? ›

Warren Buffett and Bill Gates Have This Iconic McDonald's McGold Card — Here's How To Win One & Free Food For Life. Dreams — made of hamburgers and McRibs — really do come true, and now (just like Bill Gates, Warren Buffett and Rob Lowe) you too can have the very elusive, quasi-mythical McGold card.

What card does Victoria Secret use? ›

Victoria and PINK Mastercard Credit Cards: The only difference between the Victoria and PINK Mastercard Credit Cards is the design of the card itself. You'll enjoy all the incredible benefits of the Victoria or PINK Credit Cards, plus 2% back on dining, travel, and streaming services.

What is a ghost credit card? ›

Ghost cards are credit card numbers assigned to specific departments within the business. Anyone in that department can use them, so there's very little accountability. In most cases, there are also no spending limits attached to them, so employees can spend freely without much oversight.

What is the rarest black card? ›

1. Centurion® Card from American Express. Known as the Black Card, the Centurion® Card from American Express is an elusive and exclusive card issued by invitation only.

How many black card are there? ›

26 red and 26 black cards are present in a deck of 52 cards, with 13 spades(black), 13 clubs(black) and 13 hearts(red), 13 diamonds(red)

What is the rarest credit card in the world? ›

The most exclusive credit card is the American Express Centurion Card, also known as the Amex Black Card. It is reportedly reserved for people who spend at least $100,000 per year, and an invitation is needed to apply.

What is the highest Amex card? ›

The highest level American Express card is the Centurion card, which is also known as the 'black card.

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.

Is Black Amex hard to get? ›

The hardest Amex card to get is the Centurion® Card from American Express. Also known as the “Black Card,” this Amex card is hard to get because it is available by invitation only, and potential candidates are rumored to need an annual income of at least $1 million.

Does Chase have a black card? ›

Keep in mind, the Chase Freedom Unlimited has a $0 annual fee, while the Mastercard Black Card has a $495 annual fee ($195 for each Authorized User added to the account).

What is equivalent to black card? ›

Our favorite Black Card alternative is the Chase Sapphire Reserve® card. With a $550 annual fee, this card provides you a boatload of bonus points when you spend the required amount on purchases during the first three months. You also get a credit of up to $300 each year to reimburse you for travel expenses.

How many credit cards should you own? ›

If your goal is to get or maintain a good credit score, two to three credit card accounts, in addition to other types of credit, are generally recommended. This combination may help you improve your credit mix. Lenders and creditors like to see a wide variety of credit types on your credit report.

What bank has black card? ›

Get the BankBlack® Card - OneUnited Bank.

Why do rich people use Amex? ›

It offers access to Centurion Lounges, hotel benefits, Delta Medallion status, and personal concierge. Plus, you can earn 1 point per $1 in Membership Rewards. A black credit will always have a certain amount of mystique because of the secrecy and exclusivity of the Centurion® Card from American Express.

Who gets invited to Mastercard black? ›

At least good credit score (700+). U.S. residency. Applicants must be at least 18 years old. Enough income to afford the card's $495 annual fee and monthly bill payments.

What is a master black card? ›

The Luxury Card™ Mastercard® Black Card™ comes with a $495 annual fee, and you'll get a $100 annual airline credit, Global Entry or TSA Precheck application fee credit, Priority Pass Select lounge membership and more.

How do I qualify for Amex Black Card? ›

The American Express Black Card's requirements are rumored to include being an Amex cardholder for at least a year, spending over $100,000 annually on American Express credit cards, and annual income of at least $1 million. You'll probably need to have an excellent credit score, too.

Will credit card interest go up in 2022? ›

In 2022, the Fed hiked this rate six times, attempting to combat inflation. Each time the Fed raised interest rates in 2022, credit card accounts with variable APRs also increased rates.

What bank should I use 2022? ›

Here are our picks for the best national banks of 2022-2023: Chase Bank: Best overall. Citibank: Best rate. PNC Bank: Best combo checking/savings account.

What is the average credit score? ›

Credit scores help lenders decide whether to grant you credit. The average credit score in the United States is 698, based on VantageScore® data from February 2021. It's a myth that you only have one credit score. In fact, you have many credit scores.

What is a good credit score? ›

Although ranges vary depending on the credit scoring model, generally credit scores from 580 to 669 are considered fair; 670 to 739 are considered good; 740 to 799 are considered very good; and 800 and up are considered excellent.

What is the number 1 bank in USA? ›

JPMorgan Chase is the top largest bank in the US, with a balance sheet total of $3.31 trillion.

What is the best bank if you have a lot of money? ›

Bank of America, Citibank, Union Bank, and HSBC, among others, have created accounts that come with special perquisites for the ultra-rich, such as personal bankers, waived fees, and the option of placing trades.

What is the number 1 ranked bank? ›

1. JPMorgan Chase. Chase Bank is the consumer banking division of JPMorgan Chase.

What credit cards use millionaires? ›

Millionaires use credit cards like the Centurion® Card from American Express, the J.P. Morgan Reserve Credit Card. These high-end credit cards are available only to people who receive an invitation to apply, which millionaires have the best chance of getting.

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