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Tuesday, June 17, 2025

How to Get a Black Card – American Express® Requirements (May 2025)

Get A Black Card
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Linsey Knerl is a finance author and public speaker with a passion for helping everyday families earn more and live better. Her work can be seen in Investopedia, PC Mag, The Christian Science Monitor, TIME, Wise Bread, Next Avenue, MSN Money, and numerous other leading outlets. Her expertise lies in business economics, credit scores and reports, and saving and budgeting. Linsey has shared her financial knowledge with audiences at SXSW, FinCon, and the ASJA annual NYC convention.

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If you’ve heard the buzz surrounding the American Express® “Black Card,” you already know that it’s the velvet rope of consumer credit options. This invite-only charge card, technically named the Centurion® Card from American Express, has been used to proclaim status, both in spending and in creditworthiness.

With all the hype, you may be wondering how to get a Centurion Card for yourself. But what does it take to get an invite to this members-only club?

While we know that it’s an elite card used most often by celebrities and the ultra-rich, with the card itself being made of anodized titanium, less is known about exactly how to get your hands on one. That said, there are rumors of some rather strict requirements that must be met.

You Need an Invite, But There’s Another Black Card

Like most elite experiences, the American Express Centurion Card is invite-only, with no indication that this will change anytime soon. Loyal American Express cardholders are likely the most commonly invited, a list that includes both long-time business and personal charge card customers.

Since there is no way to officially apply without an invite, your best bet is to check the requirements for members to see if your spending habits and qualifications match up. Most people realize that it’s not about knowing how to get a Black Card, but rather managing the very strict thresholds for eligibility.

If you’ve decided you probably can’t get your hands on the elusive Centurion card anytime soon, you should check out the Mastercard® Black Card™. This card has a long list of perks and anyone who has excellent credit can apply:

Mastercard® Black Card™ Review

at Barclays Bank'ssecure website

BEST OVERALL RATING

★★★★★

4.5

OVERALL RATING

4.5/5.0
  • Ideal for those seeking a top-of-wallet premium card with straightforward rewards and exceptional service. Cardmembers can avoid juggling various cards and monthly statements while benefiting from travel perks and enhanced protection that exceeds standard credit cards.
  • Offers a flat-rate redemption value of 1.5% for cash back or 2% value for airfare redemption with no airline or seat restrictions and no blackout dates. Cardmembers earn one point for every dollar spent. Point redemption is simple, without requiring a complex reward strategy. The card features no foreign transaction fees, no earning caps, no rotating categories, and eliminates the need to pursue transfer partners to maximize point values.
  • Annual Airline Credit—up to $100 in statement credits toward flight-related purchases including airline tickets, baggage fees, upgrades and more. Cardmembers simply pay for airline purchases with their Mastercard Black Card and the credit is automatically applied to their account. There's no need to activate or designate an airline. The full credit amount is available at the start of the calendar year.
  • Up to a $120 application fee credit for the cost of TSA Pre✓® or Global Entry. Also, enjoy automatic enrollment in Priority Pass™ Select with access to 1,500+ airport lounges worldwide with no guest or lounge limits. Includes credits at select airport restaurants for cardholder and one guest.
  • 24/7 Luxury Card Concierge®—Make requests the way you want by phone, email, SMS and chat in the app. Connect directly with a real agent and receive 24/7 assistance for tasks big and small. Requests do not require a purchase, incur no charge for making them, and do not involve department transfers.
  • 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.
  • Black PVD-Coated Metal Card: Weighing in at an industry-leading 22g. Designed for frequent shoppers, big ticket purchases and everything in between.
  • Annual Fee: $495 ($195 for each Authorized User). Terms and conditions apply.
Intro (Purchases)
Intro (Transfers)
Regular APR
Annual Fee
Credit Needed
N/A
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 20.24% to 28.24%, based on your creditworthiness and other factors. This APR will vary with the market based on the Prime Rate.
20.24% to 28.24% Variable APR on purchases and balance transfers, based on your creditworthiness and other factors
$495 ($195 for each Authorized User added to the account)
Excellent

While the Mastercard version of the Black Card isn’t made of titanium, it is a black PVD-coated metal card that looks the part. It also comes with concierge 24/7 benefits to help you tackle day-to-day tasks.

According to the Luxury Card website, a couple from Denver used the Luxury Card Concierge service to help them determine the best school districts and narrow down their search for a new home.

The Centurion Card Has Sky-High Requirements

Credit scores are one of the most important factors in getting a great credit card offer, and the Centurion Card is no different. The card, available to just 0.1% of the population, according to The Motley Fool, would most likely only be offered to those who can handle its spending power.

While the jury is out on what the exact cut-off is for a qualifying credit score, common sense would dictate that you must have an excellent credit score and an established history of high spending and timely payments with an existing American Express® card to even be considered for this premium offer.

In the end, though, it’s mostly about your spending. The typical card user won’t come close to meeting the Centurion Card’s requirements because most people don’t spend that much.

American Express Centurion Card

It’s rumored that only cardholders of The Platinum Card® would have the credit lines available to push spending to the limits of qualifying for a Centurion Card. But the rumored $250,000 a year in purchases and payoffs required could, theoretically, come from any qualifying card.

No matter what card you use, however, it’s obvious that you need the income to both buy and repay a massive amount of goods and services to be Centurion Card material.

In addition to the high spending thresholds needed to be invited and maintain your status, there is a cost to join, as well. The initiation fee is $10,000 on top of a $5,000 annual fee. That means the perks you use must likely be highly valued enough to make it worth the cost.

10 Centurion Card Alternatives

If you haven’t received a Centurion Card invitation — and don’t happen to be a millionaire with a near-perfect credit score — that’s quite alright. There are many other cards that offer robust credit lines, luxurious rewards, and other great features for the rest of us, including the Mastercard® Black Card™ mentioned above.

Here are some more of our favorite alternatives to the American Express Centurion Card, along with links to each card’s online application:

EXCELLENT CREDIT RATING

★★★★★
4.7

OVERALL RATING

4.7/5.0
  • Earn 60,000 bonus points after you spend $5,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening.
  • $300 Annual Travel Credit as reimbursement for travel purchases charged to your card each account anniversary year.
  • Earn 5x total points on flights and 10x total points on hotels and car rentals when you purchase travel through Chase Travel℠ immediately after the first $300 is spent on travel purchases annually. Earn 3x points on other travel and dining & 1 point per $1 spent on all other purchases
  • Get 50% more value when you redeem your points for travel through Chase Travel℠. For example, 60,000 points are worth $900 toward travel.
  • 1:1 point transfer to leading airline and hotel loyalty programs
  • Access to 1,300+ airport lounges worldwide after an easy, one-time enrollment in Priority Pass™ Select and up to $120 application fee credit every four years for Global Entry, NEXUS, or TSA PreCheck®
Intro (Purchases)
Intro (Transfers)
Regular APR
Annual Fee
Credit Needed
N/A
N/A
20.24% - 28.74% Variable
$550
Good/Excellent

The Platinum Card® Review

at the issuer'ssecure website

EXCELLENT CREDIT RATING

★★★★★
4.8

OVERALL RATING

4.7/5.0
  • Earn 80,000 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. Earn 1X points on all other purchases.
  • $200 annual hotel credit, $200 annual airline fee credit, $15 monthly Uber cash credit, $50 bi-annual Saks Fifth Avenue credit, and more.
  • Platinum Card Members have unlimited complimentary access to all locations of The Global Lounge Collection®, including 1,400 airport lounges across 140 countries.
  • Automatic Marriott Bonvoy Gold Elite Status and Hilton Honors Gold Status. Enrollment required.
  • Choose among three card designs
Intro (Purchases)
Intro (Transfers)
Regular APR
Annual Fee
Credit Needed
N/A
N/A
20.24% - 29.24% Pay Over Time
$695
Excellent

EXCELLENT CREDIT RATING

★★★★★
4.7

OVERALL RATING

4.7/5.0
  • 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 locations and Priority Pass™ lounges, after enrollment
Intro (Purchases)
Intro (Transfers)
Regular APR
Annual Fee
Credit Needed
N/A
N/A
19.99% - 29.24% (Variable)
$395
Excellent

4. U.S. Bank Altitude® Reserve Visa Infinite® Card

This card is currently not available.

Excellent Credit Rating

★★★★★
N/A

OVERALL RATING

N/A
Intro (Purchases)
Intro (Transfers)
Regular APR
Annual Fee
Credit Needed
N/A
N/A
N/A
N/A
N/A
Bank of America® Premium Rewards® credit card Review

at Bank Of America'ssecure website

EXCELLENT CREDIT RATING

★★★★★
4.6

OVERALL RATING

4.6/5.0
  • Low $95 annual fee.
  • Receive 60,000 online bonus points - a $600 value - after you make at least $4,000 in purchases in the first 90 days of account opening.
  • Earn unlimited 2 points for every $1 spent on travel and dining purchases and unlimited 1.5 points for every $1 spent on all other purchases. No limit to the points you can earn and your points don't expire as long as your account remains open.
  • If you're a Bank of America Preferred Rewards® member, you can earn 25%-75% more points on every purchase. That means you could earn 2.5-3.5 points on travel and dining purchases and 1.87 - 2.62 points on all other purchases, for every $1 you spend.
  • Redeem for cash back as a statement credit, deposit into eligible Bank of America® accounts, credit to eligible Merrill® accounts, or gift cards or purchases at the Bank of America Travel Center.
  • Get up to $100 in Airline Incidental Statement Credits annually and TSA PreCheck®/Global Entry Statement Credits of up to $100, every four years.
  • Travel Insurance protections to assist with trip delays, cancellations and interruptions, baggage delays and lost luggage.
  • No foreign transaction fees.
  • This online only offer may not be available if you leave this page or if you visit a Bank of America financial center. You can take advantage of this offer when you apply now.
Intro (Purchases)
Intro (Transfers)
Regular APR
Annual Fee
Credit Needed
N/A
N/A
20.24% - 28.24% Variable APR on purchases and balance transfers
$95
Excellent/Good

Additional Disclosure: Bank of America is a CardRates advertiser.

EXCELLENT CREDIT RATING

★★★★★
4.9

OVERALL RATING

4.9/5.0
  • Earn 60,000 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, $50 Annual Chase Travel Hotel Credit, plus more.
  • 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.
Intro (Purchases)
Intro (Transfers)
Regular APR
Annual Fee
Credit Needed
N/A
N/A
19.99% - 28.24% Variable
$95
Good/Excellent

EXCELLENT CREDIT RATING

★★★★★
4.8

OVERALL RATING

4.8/5.0
  • Enjoy a one-time bonus of 75,000 miles once you spend $4,000 on purchases within 3 months from account opening, equal to $750 in travel
  • Earn unlimited 2X miles on every purchase, every day
  • Earn 5X miles on hotels, vacation rentals and rental cars booked through Capital One Travel, where you'll get Capital One's best prices on thousands of trip options
  • Miles won't expire for the life of the account and there's no limit to how many you can earn
  • Receive up to a $120 credit for Global Entry or TSA PreCheck®
  • Use your miles to get reimbursed for any travel purchase—or redeem by booking a trip through Capital One Travel
Intro (Purchases)
Intro (Transfers)
Regular APR
Annual Fee
Credit Needed
N/A
N/A
19.99% - 29.24% (Variable)
$95
Excellent, Good
American Express® Gold Card Review

at the issuer'ssecure website

EXCELLENT CREDIT RATING

★★★★★
4.8

OVERALL RATING

4.8/5.0
  • Earn 60,000 Membership Rewards® points after you spend $6,000 on purchases on your new card in your first 6 months of card membership.
  • Earn 4X Points at U.S. supermarkets on up to $25,000 per calendar year in purchases. Also earn 4X Points at restaurants on up to $50,000 per year in purchases, including takeout and delivery, 3X points on flights when booked directly with airlines or on amextravel.com, and 2X points on prepaid hotels and other eligible travel purchases, booked through AmexTravel.com. All other eligible purchases earn 1X point.
  • No foreign transaction fees
  • Earn up to a total of $10 in statement credits monthly when you pay with the Gold Card at participating partners. This can be an annual savings of up to $120. Enrollment required.
  • Book two nights or more with The Hotel Collection through AmexTravel.com and receive a $100 credit towards eligible charges.
  • $325 Annual Fee
Intro (Purchases)
Intro (Transfers)
Regular APR
Annual Fee
Credit Needed
N/A
N/A
20.24% - 29.24% Pay Over Time
$325
Excellent
HSBC Elite Credit Card Review

at the issuer'ssecure website

EXCELLENT CREDIT RATING

★★★★★
4.7

OVERALL RATING

4.6/5.0
  • Earn 60,000 Welcome Bonus Points, worth up to $900 in travel, when booked through HSBC Travel, after spending $4,000 in the first 3 months of opening the card
  • Earn 5× Points on new travel purchases - including flights, hotels and car rentals
  • Earn 2× Points at restaurants and dining out, and 1× Points on all other purchases
  • Earn up to $400 of travel credits per year for all airfares, hotels and car rentals booked through HSBC Travel
  • Elevate your airport experience with complimentary and unlimited lounge access for the cardholder and up to 2 guests worth more than $469 annually with Priority Pass
  • Take 3 rides per month and receive a $5 Lyft App credit
Intro (Purchases)
Intro (Transfers)
Regular APR
Annual Fee
Credit Needed
N/A
N/A
20.24% - 24.24% (Variable)
$495
Excellent

EXCELLENT CREDIT RATING

★★★★★
4.9

OVERALL RATING

4.9/5.0
  • Intro Offer: Earn a $200 Bonus after you spend $500 on purchases in your first 3 months from account opening
  • Enjoy 5% cash back on travel purchased through Chase Travel℠, our premier rewards program that lets you redeem rewards for cash back, travel, gift cards and more; 3% cash back on drugstore purchases and dining at restaurants, including takeout and eligible delivery service, and 1.5% on all other purchases.
  • No minimum to redeem for cash back. You can choose to receive a statement credit or direct deposit into most U.S. checking and savings accounts. Cash Back rewards do not expire as long as your account is open!
  • Enjoy 0% Intro APR for 15 months from account opening on purchases and balance transfers, then a variable APR of 18.99% - 28.49%.
  • No annual fee – You won't have to pay an annual fee for all the great features that come with your Freedom Unlimited® card
  • Keep tabs on your credit health, Chase Credit Journey helps you monitor your credit with free access to your latest score, alerts, and more.
Intro (Purchases)
Intro (Transfers)
Regular APR
Annual Fee
Credit Needed
0% Intro APR on Purchases 15 months
0% Intro APR on Balance Transfers 15 months
18.99% - 28.49% Variable
$0
Good/Excellent

+ See More Cards For Excellent Credit

Final Thoughts

For those wondering just how to get a Centurion Card, the answer is pretty obvious (and expensive): spend often, and on big purchases, with the intent to pay back promptly. If you find that you don’t meet the posh requirements of the American Express® Centurion card, you may want to consider your alternatives.

VISA and Mastercard have their own elite cards with elite characteristics, and they may be more open to new recruits. Many of these alternatives offer appealing benefits and rewards that the average user will find very valuable.

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