5 American Express “Black Card” Alternatives

You must be invited to get your hands on the Centurion® Card from American Express, known widely as the “Black Card.” You also better be rich — the card requires a $10,000 initiation fee and a $5,000 annual fee.

Frankly, I get a nosebleed just reading this card’s terms and conditions. Happily, we’ve identified five American Express Black Card alternatives that mere mortals can own.

If life has been kind to you, treat yourself to one or more of these premium cards that provide a modicum of prestige at a much more affordable price.

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These cards all offer generous benefits while charging annual fees ranging from $95 to $995. Many have things in common, such as travel insurance and purchase protection, lounge access, and other generous perks.

These cards prove that you can get much of the value you’d receive from an Amex Black Card without the heart-stopping fees.

1

Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card

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Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card

4.7/5.0

About this rating

Our experts rate credit card offers based on factors like rewards, APRs, signup bonuses, fees, and approval rates, with a focus on benefits that provide the best value. We also consider cardholder needs such as credit-building potential, issuer reputation, and customer service. Our ratings are unbiased, updated regularly, and not influenced by issuers.

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Ashley Fricker Senior Editor

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★★★★★ 4.7/5.0

Our Review »

• Earn 75,000 bonus miles when you spend $4,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening, equal to $750 in travel
• Receive a $300 annual credit for bookings through Capital One Travel, where you'll get Capital One's best prices on thousands of trip options
• Get 10,000 bonus miles (equal to $100 towards travel) every year, starting on your first anniversary
• Earn unlimited 10X miles on hotels and rental cars booked through Capital One Travel and 5X miles on flights and vacation rentals booked through Capital One Travel
• Earn unlimited 2X miles on all other purchases
• Enjoy access to 1,300+ lounges worldwide, including Capital One Lounge and Landing locations and participating Priority Pass™ lounges, after enrollment
• Use your Venture X miles to easily cover travel expenses, including flights, hotels, rental cars and more—you can even transfer your miles to your choice of 15+ travel loyalty programs
• Enjoy a $100 experience credit and other premium benefits with every hotel and vacation rental booked from the Premier Collection
• Receive up to a $120 credit for Global Entry or TSA PreCheck®
• Top rated mobile app

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Intro (Purchases) N/A

Intro (Transfers) N/A

Regular APR 19.49% - 28.49% (Variable)

Annual Fee $395

Credit Needed Excellent

See Rates & Fees »

The Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card is one of my personal favorites, because the travel credit and annual bonus miles cover the cost of the annual fee alone. That’s excluding rewards and other benefits, such as free lounge access and experience credits. It’s hard not to come out on top with this card.

The card may not be black, but it’s metal and comes with a certain air of prestige. Applicants will need excellent credit and, we assume, a decent income to qualify.

2

Chase Sapphire Reserve®

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Chase Sapphire Reserve®

4.7/5.0

About this rating

Our experts rate credit card offers based on factors like rewards, APRs, signup bonuses, fees, and approval rates, with a focus on benefits that provide the best value. We also consider cardholder needs such as credit-building potential, issuer reputation, and customer service. Our ratings are unbiased, updated regularly, and not influenced by issuers.

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Ashley Fricker Senior Editor

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★★★★★ 4.7/5.0

Our Review »

• Earn 125,000 bonus points after you spend $6,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening.
• Get more than $2,700 in annual value with Sapphire Reserve.
• Earn 8x points on all purchases through Chase Travel℠, including The Edit℠ and 4x points on flights and hotels booked direct. Plus, earn 3x points on dining worldwide & 1x points on all other purchases
• $300 annual travel credit as reimbursement for travel purchases charged to your card each account anniversary year.
• Access over 1,300 airport lounges worldwide with a complimentary Priority Pass™ Select membership, plus every Chase Sapphire Lounge® by The Club with two guests. Plus, up to $120 towards Global Entry, NEXUS, or TSA PreCheck® every 4 years
• Get up to $150 in statement credits every six months for a maximum of $300 annually for dining at restaurants that are part of Sapphire Reserve Exclusive Tables.
• Count on Trip Cancellation/Interruption Insurance, Auto Rental Coverage, Lost Luggage Insurance, no foreign transaction fees, and more.
• Get complimentary Apple TV+, the exclusive streaming home of Apple Originals. Plus Apple Music — all the music you love, across all your devices. Subscriptions run through 6/22/27 — a value of $250 annually
• Member FDIC

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Intro (Purchases) N/A

Intro (Transfers) N/A

Regular APR 20.24% - 28.74% Variable

Annual Fee $795

Credit Needed Good/Excellent

Additional Disclosure: Non-Monetized. The information related to Chase Sapphire Reserve® was collected by CardRates and has not been reviewed or provided by the issuer of this product/card. Product details may vary. Please see issuer website for current information. CardRates does not receive commission for this product.

Other benefits include complimentary access to 1,000+ Priority Pass airport lounges, free travel insurance, and purchase protection.

3

Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card

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Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card

4.9/5.0

About this rating

Our experts rate credit card offers based on factors like rewards, APRs, signup bonuses, fees, and approval rates, with a focus on benefits that provide the best value. We also consider cardholder needs such as credit-building potential, issuer reputation, and customer service. Our ratings are unbiased, updated regularly, and not influenced by issuers.

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Ashley Fricker Senior Editor

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★★★★★ 4.9/5.0

Our Review »

• Earn 75,000 bonus points after you spend $5,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening.
• Enjoy benefits such as 5x on travel purchased through Chase Travel℠, 3x on dining, select streaming services and online groceries, 2x on all other travel purchases, 1x on all other purchases
• Earn up to $50 in statement credits each account anniversary year for hotel stays through Chase Travel℠
• 10% anniversary points boost - each account anniversary you'll earn bonus points equal to 10% of your total purchases made the previous year.
• Count on Trip Cancellation/Interruption Insurance, Auto Rental Collision Damage Waiver, Lost Luggage Insurance and more.
• Complimentary DashPass which unlocks $0 delivery fees & lower service fees for a min. of one year when you activate by 12/31/27. Plus, a $10 promo each month on non-restaurant orders.
• Member FDIC

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Intro (Purchases) N/A

Intro (Transfers) N/A

Regular APR 19.99% - 28.24% Variable

Annual Fee $95

Credit Needed Good/Excellent

Additional Disclosure: Non-Monetized. The information related to Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card was collected by CardRates and has not been reviewed or provided by the issuer of this product/card. Product details may vary. Please see issuer website for current information. CardRates does not receive commission for this product.

The Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card offers elevated points on travel and restaurant dining and 1X on all other purchases. These points are worth 25% more for travel redemptions at Chase Travel.

You can transfer points one for one to leading airline and hotel loyalty programs. The card offers many peace-of-mind benefits for travel and purchases. The card charges an annual fee but no foreign transaction fees.

4

The Platinum Card®

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The Platinum Card®

4.7/5.0

About this rating

Our experts rate credit card offers based on factors like rewards, APRs, signup bonuses, fees, and approval rates, with a focus on benefits that provide the best value. We also consider cardholder needs such as credit-building potential, issuer reputation, and customer service. Our ratings are unbiased, updated regularly, and not influenced by issuers.

Ashley Fricker Senior Editor

Close

★★★★★ 4.7/5.0

at the issuer'ssecure website

• Earn 175,000 Membership Rewards® points after you use your new card to make $8,000 in purchases in your first 6 months of Card Membership
• Earn 5X Membership Rewards® points for flights booked directly through airlines or American Express Travel, on up to $500,000 on these purchases per calendar year. Also earn 5X Membership Rewards® points on prepaid hotels on AmexTravel.com.
• $600 annual hotel credit, $200 annual airline fee credit, $200 per year Uber cash credit, $300 per year digital entertainment credit, and more.
• Platinum Card Members have unlimited complimentary access to all locations of The Global Lounge Collection®, including 1,550 airport lounges.
• Apply with Confidence: Know if you're approved for this Card with no credit score impact
• Fee Credit for Global Entry, TSA PreCheck®, CLEAR® Plus Membership

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Intro (Purchases) N/A

Intro (Transfers) N/A

Regular APR 19.99% - 28.99% Pay Over Time

Annual Fee $895

Credit Needed Excellent

The Platinum Card® from American Express offers a tremendous signup bonus when you meet the spending terms after account opening. You’ll earn 5X points on flights and prepaid hotel stays, and 1X points on all other purchases.

You also get complimentary access to more than 1,200 airport lounges, a $200 statement credit for airline fees, select hotel credits and discounts, and $15/month in Uber Cash.

5

Mastercard® Gold Card™

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Mastercard® Gold Card™

4.5/5.0

About this rating

Our experts rate credit card offers based on factors like rewards, APRs, signup bonuses, fees, and approval rates, with a focus on benefits that provide the best value. We also consider cardholder needs such as credit-building potential, issuer reputation, and customer service. Our ratings are unbiased, updated regularly, and not influenced by issuers.

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Ashley Fricker Senior Editor

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★★★★★ 4.5/5.0

at Barclays Bank'ssecure website

Our Review »

• Redeem at 2% value for airfare and 2% for cash back. Just 50,000 points will get you a $1,000 ticket on any airline or $1000 cash back, issued as a direct deposit statement credit.
• Earn 2X points on Airfare and Hotel reservations booked through LuxuryCardTravel.com. One point for every one dollar you spend for all other categories, earning points every time you spend.
• $300 Annual Airline Credit: Receive up to $300 in annual air travel credits toward flight-related purchases, including airline tickets, baggage fees, upgrades and more.
• $200 Annual Dining Credit: Get up to $200 in annual statement credits when you use your Luxury Card at qualifying restaurants.
• $200 Ship&Play Credit: Send your belongings ahead of time with Ship&Play and receive up to $200 in credits annually.
• Receive up to $120 reimbursment credit for a Global Entry or TSA PreCheck® application for each Mastercard Gold Card Primary Cardmember and Authorized Users.
• 24/7 Luxury Card Concierge®: Exclusive to Cardmembers. Your busy life never stops, and neither do our Luxury Card Concierge agents. Enjoy around-the-clock lifestyle management and planning support tailored to your specific needs—and designed to save you time. Our personalized one-on-one service delivers solutions, suggestions and even surprises to make every day exceptional. Book the trip. Get the reservations. Score the tickets.
• With your Luxury Card, enjoy complimentary access to over 1,700 airport lounges and travel experiences in more than 600 cities across 145 countries with Priority Pass™ Select. Access includes unlimited visits for yourself as well as your guests.
• Made with 24K Gold®: Beautifully crafted and exceptionally premium, Luxury Card is a statement piece designed to stand out in the most refined way. Weighing in at an impressive 22 grams, its contactless patented card design and metal construction raises the standard. Carry a card with distinction.
• Exclusive Luxury Card Travel® benefits—average value of $500 per stay (e.g., resort credits, room upgrades, free wifi, breakfast for two and more) at over 3,000 properties. Receive protection benefits like trip cancellation and interruption, auto rental car collision waiver, travel accident and baggage delay. Cell phone protection for eligible claims of up to $1,000 each year. Plus additional World Elite Mastercard® benefits.
• Annual Fee: $1,199 ($349 for each Authorized User). Terms and conditions apply.

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Intro (Purchases) N/A

Intro (Transfers) 0% introductory APR for the first fifteen billing cycles following each balance transfer that posts to your account within 45 days of account opening. After that, (and for balance transfers that do not post within 45 days of account opening) the APR will be 19.49% to 27.49%, based on your creditworthiness and other factors. This APR will vary with the market based on the Prime Rate.

Regular APR 19.49% to 27.49% Variable, based on your creditworthiness and other factors

Annual Fee $1,199 ($349 for each Authorized User added to the account)

Credit Needed Excellent

The Mastercard® Gold Card™ is made with 24K gold, weighs in at 22 grams, and charges a serious annual fee ($1,199 ($349 for each Authorized User added to the account)). The card offers many premium benefits, including airport lounge access, travel credits and insurance, 24/7 concierge service, and invitations to select experiences.

Cardholders also receive special discounts with Postmates, Lyft, Boxed, ShopRunner, and more.

Only well-heeled consumers will be invited to get a Centurion® Card from American Express. If you aren’t rich or famous, you may not make the cut. Nonetheless, there’s great curiosity about what it takes to obtain this anodized titanium card. American Express is pretty tight-lipped on the subject, but here’s what we know.

We understand that the card is available to only 0.1% of the consumer population. The average Centurion® cardholder earns more than $1.3 million per year, according to Investopedia.

The most likely recipients of a Black Card invitation will be existing American Express cardholders for at least one year. This gives you the opportunity to demonstrate your ability to manage high credit limits. We expect invitees will have an exceptional credit score, likely 800 at a minimum.

Rumor has it that Centurion® cardholders are expected to charge at least $250,000 to $450,000 per year. Whatever the actual spending minimum, you need to charge big money to stay in Amex’s good graces.

The bottom line: If you need to ask about the minimum requirements to get the Centurion® Card, it’s not for you.

“Better” is a subjective modifier. While we aren’t shy about offering our own, the objective fact is that it’s much easier to get The Platinum Card® from American Express, since you don’t need an invitation.

The exclusivity of the Black Card is reinforced by its minimalist web page, which contains only a link to its cardmember agreement.

The Platinum Card® is certainly more affordable, with an annual fee of about 80% less than that of the Centurion® Card. And you don’t have to fork over $10,000 to apply for the Platinum Card® as you do for the Black Card.

The Platinum Card® offers at least 40 benefits and rewards to its members including free airport lounge access, hotel perks, car rental privileges, free WiFi from Boingo, and concierge services. On a dollar-for-dollar basis, the Platinum Card® beats the pants off the Centurion® Card for 99.9% of the population.

The Identity Strategist reported on the circulation statistics of the Centurion® Card and The Platinum Card® in two international magazines exclusively sent to cardholders outside of the United States.

As of 2017, the magazine articles implied that there were 84,300 non-U.S. Centurion® Cards and 397,000 Platinum Cards. In addition, The Identity Strategist estimates that about 20,000 Americans own the Black Card.

That means there are rumored to be just over 104,000 Centurion® Cards issued all over the world as of 2017.

It’s little wonder why the card is so scarce. If the card were any easier to get, it would seem less exclusive and, therefore, less attractive to the rich. Millionaires and billionaires have a natural connection to luxury, and so does the Centurion® Card.

For example, a billionaire used his Black Card in 2015 to purchase an oil painting for $170 million. Needless to say, he racked up a lifetime supply of frequent flyer miles.

Whatever the actual number of Centurion® cardholders, you can expect it to remain relatively small, befitting its elite reputation.

If a billionaire can buy a $170 million painting on the Black card, it’s hard to make the case that American Express imposes any hard-and-fast credit limit.

Acquiring the card, fabricated from pure titanium, costs you $15,000 in the first year, and rumor has it that you are expected to charge at least a quarter-million dollars per year on the card. That’s bound to bring a smile to the person behind the counter at your favorite jewelry boutique on Fifth Avenue.

Given that the card places expectations on how much you’ll charge each year, any question about credit limits should rightfully refer to the minimum you’ll spend, not the maximum. The Black Card is a charge card, not a credit card, so you are expected to pay your full balance each month.

We have no statistics on how many cardholders use Amex’s Pay Over Time option to space out payments, but we’d guess that they are rare. After all, wouldn’t you risk losing your cache if someone found out you were financing your purchases?

There is no shortage of premium cards available without an invitation. We’re admittedly less enthusiastic about the Mastercard® Gold Card™. Several critics have noted that it has a relatively modest cashback-to-fee ratio, despite having an annual fee almost double that of other cards on this list.

As you wait for the Black Card invitation to arrive in your mailbox, you can entertain yourself nicely with any of the five alternative cards in this review. Go on, you deserve it!