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 credit-worthiness. With all the hype, you may be wondering how to get a Black Card for yourself. But what is a Black Card? And 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.
Invitation Only | For the Ultra Rich | 10 “Easier to Get” Alternatives
Sorry, Black Cards are Invitation Only
Like most elite experiences, the card is invite-only at the moment, 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,” your best bet is to check out the requirements for members to see if your 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.
Those wondering “What is a Black Card?” should also know that there are some unique perks for members, including access to airline lounges and VIP treatments at spas and hotels.
Black Card Requirements: For One, Be a Multi-Millionaire
Credit scores used to be one of the most important factors in getting a great credit card offer, and the Black 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 high-limits and 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 and established history of spending and payments with an existing American Express® card to even be considered for this premium offer.
In the end, though, it’s mostly about how much you spend. The typical card user won’t be using their card in a way that meets Black Card requirements because most people don’t spend that much.
The American Express Centurion card, nicknamed the “Black Card,” is invitation only.
While it’s rumored that only Platinum Amex members would have the credit lines available to push spending to the limits of qualifying, the purported $250,000 a year in purchases and payoffs required can likely 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 Black 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. Annual membership fees are currently $7,500 for initiation. (This is on top of the $2,500 annual fee per card!) That means the perks you use must likely be high valued enough to make it worth the cost.
10 Much Easier Black Card Alternatives
If you haven’t received a Black 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, awesome rewards, and other great features for the rest of us.
Here are our favorite alternatives to the Black Card, along with links to each card’s online application:
- INTRO OFFER: Unlimited Cashback Match – only from Discover. Discover will automatically match all the cash back you’ve earned at the end of your first year! There’s no minimum spending or maximum rewards. You could turn $150 cash back into $300.
- Earn 5% cash back on everyday purchases at different places each quarter like Amazon.com, grocery stores, restaurants, gas stations and when you pay using PayPal, up to the quarterly maximum when you activate.
- Plus, earn unlimited 1% cash back on all other purchases - automatically.
- Redeem cash back in any amount, any time. Rewards never expire.
- Use your rewards at Amazon.com checkout.
- #1 Most Trusted Credit Card according to Investor’s Business Daily.
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Intro (Purchases)
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Intro (Transfers)
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Regular APR
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Annual Fee
|
Credit Needed
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|---|---|---|---|---|
0% for 14 months
|
0% for 14 months
|
11.99% - 22.99% Variable APR
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$0
|
Good/Excellent
|
- Enjoy a one-time bonus of 60,000 miles once you spend $3,000 on purchases within 3 months from account opening, equal to $600 in travel
- Earn unlimited 2X miles on every purchase, every day
- 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 $100 credit for Global Entry or TSA PreCheck®
- Earn 5X miles on hotels and rental cars booked through Capital One Travel, where you'll get our best prices on thousands of trip options
- Use your miles to get reimbursed for any travel purchase—or redeem by booking a trip through Capital One Travel
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Intro (Purchases)
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Intro (Transfers)
|
Regular APR
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Annual Fee
|
Credit Needed
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|---|---|---|---|---|
N/A
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N/A
|
15.99% - 23.99% (Variable)
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$95
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Excellent, Good
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- $200 Bonus after you spend $500 on purchases in your first 3 months from account opening.
- 5% cash back on grocery store purchases (not including Target® or Walmart® purchases) on up to $12,000 spent in the first year.
- 3% cash back on dining at restaurants, including takeout and eligible delivery services
- 3% cash back on drugstore purchases
- 5% on travel purchased through Chase Ultimate Rewards®
- Unlimited 1.5% cash back on all other purchases
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Intro (Purchases)
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Intro (Transfers)
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Regular APR
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Annual Fee
|
Credit Needed
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|---|---|---|---|---|
0% Intro APR on Purchases 15 months
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N/A
|
14.99% - 24.74% Variable
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$0
|
Good/Excellent
|
- Earn a $200 Bonus after you spend $500 on purchases in your first 3 months from account opening.
- 5% cash back on grocery store purchases (not including Target® or Walmart® purchases) on up to $12,000 spent in the first year.
- 5% cash back on up to $1,500 in combined purchases in bonus categories each quarter you activate. Enjoy new 5% categories each quarter!
- 3% cash back on dining at restaurants, including takeout and eligible delivery services
- 3% cash back on drugstore purchases
- 5% cash back on travel purchased through Chase Ultimate Rewards®, and 1% on all other purchases.
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Intro (Purchases)
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Intro (Transfers)
|
Regular APR
|
Annual Fee
|
Credit Needed
|
|---|---|---|---|---|
0% Intro APR on Purchases 15 months
|
N/A
|
14.99% - 24.74% Variable
|
$0
|
Good/Excellent
|
- UNLIMITED BONUS: Only Discover gives you an unlimited match of all the Miles you’ve earned at the end of your first year. For example, if you earn 35,000 Miles, you get 70,000 Miles. There’s no signing up, no minimum spending or maximum rewards. Just a Miles-for-Miles match.
- Automatically earn unlimited 1.5x Miles on every dollar of every purchase - with no annual fee.
- Redeem Miles to pay any part of your monthly bill, including your minimum payment.
- Turn Miles into cash in any amount, any time. Or redeem as a statement credit for travel purchases like airfare, hotels, rideshares, gas stations, restaurants and more with no blackout dates. However you redeem, Miles keep the same value. And Miles never expire.
- No Blackout Dates. Simply pay for travel purchases like airlines, hotels, rental cars, and more with your Discover it® Miles card.
- Discover is accepted nationwide by 99% of the places that take credit cards.
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Intro (Purchases)
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Intro (Transfers)
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Regular APR
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Annual Fee
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Credit Needed
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|---|---|---|---|---|
0% Intro APR for 14 months
|
10.99% Intro APR for 14 months
|
11.99% - 22.99% Variable APR
|
$0
|
Good/Excellent
|
- $0 annual fee and no foreign transaction fees
- Earn a bonus of 20,000 miles once you spend $500 on purchases within 3 months from account opening, equal to $200 in travel
- Earn unlimited 1.25X miles on every purchase, every day
- Miles won't expire for the life of the account and there's no limit to how many you can earn
- Earn 5X miles on hotels and rental cars booked through Capital One Travel, where you'll get our best prices on thousands of trip options
- 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
|
|---|---|---|---|---|
0% for 15 months
|
0% for 15 months
|
14.99% - 24.99% (Variable)
|
$0
|
Excellent, Good
|
- Earn 75,000 Membership Rewards® points after you spend $4,000 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 on restaurants, 3X points on flights when booked directly with airlines or on amextravel.com, and 1X points on all other eligible purchases.
- Earn up to $10 in statement credits monthly when you pay with the Gold Card at Grubhub, Seamless, Boxed and other participating partners. This can be an annual savings of up to $120. Enrollment required.
- Select one qualifying airline and then receive up to $100 in statement credits per calendar year when incidental fees, like checked bags and in-flight refreshments, are charged by the airline to your Gold Card account
- $250 annual fee
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Intro (Purchases)
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Intro (Transfers)
|
Regular APR
|
Annual Fee
|
Credit Needed
|
|---|---|---|---|---|
N/A
|
N/A
|
N/A (Charge Card)
|
$250
|
Excellent
|
- INTRO OFFER: Unlimited Cashback Match – only from Discover. Discover will automatically match all the cash back you’ve earned at the end of your first year! There’s no minimum spending or maximum rewards. Just a dollar-for-dollar match.
- Earn cash back on your next road trip with 2% cash back at Gas Stations and Restaurants on up to $1,000 in combined purchases each quarter. Plus, earn unlimited 1% cash back on all other purchases – automatically.
- Redeem your cash back for any amount, any time. Cash rewards never expire.
- 100% U.S. Based Customer Service available any time.
- Get your free Credit Scorecard with your FICO® Credit Score, number of recent inquiries and more.
- Get an alert if we find your Social Security number on any of thousands of Dark Web sites.* Activate for free.
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Intro (Purchases)
|
Intro (Transfers)
|
Regular APR
|
Annual Fee
|
Credit Needed
|
|---|---|---|---|---|
0% for 14 months
|
0% for 14 months
|
11.99% - 22.99% Variable APR
|
$0
|
Good/Excellent
|
- One-time $200 cash bonus after you spend $500 on purchases within 3 months from account opening
- Earn unlimited 1.5% cash back on every purchase, every day
- No rotating categories or sign-ups needed to earn cash rewards; plus, cash back won't expire for the life of the account and there's no limit to how much you can earn
- 0% intro APR on purchases and balance transfers for 15 months; 14.99%-24.99% variable APR after that
- $0 annual fee and no foreign transaction fees
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Intro (Purchases)
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Intro (Transfers)
|
Regular APR
|
Annual Fee
|
Credit Needed
|
|---|---|---|---|---|
0% for 15 months
|
0% for 15 months
|
14.99% - 24.99% (Variable)
|
$0
|
Excellent, Good
|
- Earn cash back twice! Earn 2% on every purchase with unlimited 1% cash back when you buy, plus an additional 1% as you pay for those purchases.
- To earn cash back, pay at least the minimum due on time
- Balance Transfer Offer: 0% intro APR on Balance Transfers for 18 months. After that, the variable APR will be 13.99% - 23.99%, based on your creditworthiness. Balance Transfers do not earn cash back and will have a fee of either $5 or 3% of the amount of each transfer, whichever is greater.
- If you transfer a balance, interest will be charged on your purchases unless you pay your entire balance (including balance transfers) by the due date each month.
- 24/7 access to customer service representatives
- $0 annual fee
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Intro (Purchases)
|
Intro (Transfers)
|
Regular APR
|
Annual Fee
|
Credit Needed
|
|---|---|---|---|---|
N/A
|
0% for 18 months
|
13.99% - 23.99% Variable
|
$0
|
Excellent/Good
|
Final Thoughts
For those wondering just how to get a Black Card, the answer is pretty obvious (and pricey!): spend often, and on big purchases, with the intent to pay back promptly. If you find that you can’t qualify for the posh requirements of the American Express® Centurion card, you may want to consider other “elite” options.
VISA and MasterCard have their own 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.
Black Card images courtesy of BusinessTech and Vecer MK
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