Metal credit cards first hit the market in 1999, when the invitation-only Centurion Card from American Express (a.k.a. the Black Card) was introduced.
Invitees were required to pay a $7,500 initiation fee and a $2,500 annual fee to add the ultra-premium card to their wallets. The Black Card still ranks among the world’s most exclusive credit cards, if not the most exclusive credit card to this day.
Just about every other card issuer today has followed suit by ditching the plastic in favor of metal for their best card offers. Below, we’ll break down every metal credit card available we could find — most of which don’t require an invitation to apply.
Best Cards | Premium Cards | Business Cards
FAQs
Best Metal Credit Cards
The following credit cards offer cardholders generous rewards that include lucrative cash back, points, and air miles, as well as purchase protections and other perks that can make a metal card a worthwhile member of your financial portfolio.
- Earn 60,000 bonus points after you spend $4,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening. That's $750 when you redeem through Chase Ultimate Rewards®.
- Enjoy benefits such as 5x on travel purchased through Chase Ultimate Rewards®, 3x on dining, and 2x on all other travel purchases, and $50 annual Ultimate Rewards Hotel Credit, plus more.
- Get 25% more value when you redeem for airfare, hotels, car rentals and cruises through Chase Ultimate Rewards®. For example, 60,000 points are worth $750 toward travel.
- Count on Trip Cancellation/Interruption Insurance, Auto Rental Collision Damage Waiver, Lost Luggage Insurance and more.
- Get complimentary access to DashPass which unlocks $0 delivery fees and lower service fees for a minimum of one year when you activate by December 31, 2024.
- Member FDIC
Intro (Purchases)
|
Intro (Transfers)
|
Regular APR
|
Annual Fee
|
Credit Needed
|
---|---|---|---|---|
N/A
|
N/A
|
21.49%-28.49% Variable
|
$95
|
Good/Excellent
|
The Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card is our top choice and one of the best rewards card offerings on the market. The annual fee for this 13-gram card is pretty low relative to the perks it provides.
Aside from its lucrative welcome bonus offer, this card offers Chase Ultimate Rewards bonus points on travel and dining and the ability to get 25% more value for your points when you redeem them for travel deals. Cardholders can also transfer their Chase Ultimate Rewards points to many popular airline loyalty programs to get them on their next trip faster and more affordably.
- 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 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 $100 credit for Global Entry or TSA PreCheck®
- Enjoy two complimentary visits per year to Capital One Lounges or to 100+ Plaza Premium Lounges through the Partner Lounge Network
Intro (Purchases)
|
Intro (Transfers)
|
Regular APR
|
Annual Fee
|
Credit Needed
|
---|---|---|---|---|
N/A
|
N/A
|
20.99% - 28.99% (Variable)
|
$95
|
Excellent, Good
|
The Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card weighs 16 grams but is much lighter on your wallet with a low annual fee and great travel rewards possibilities.
Cardholders earn unlimited rewards miles that they can use to erase all, or part, of recent travel-related expenses. Since you use your miles to cover previous charges, you do not have to worry about blackout dates or carrier restrictions.
3. Capital One® Savor® Cash Rewards Credit Card
This card is currently not available.
Intro (Purchases)
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Intro (Transfers)
|
Regular APR
|
Annual Fee
|
Credit Needed
|
---|---|---|---|---|
N/A
|
N/A
|
N/A
|
N/A
|
N/A
|
Additional Disclosure: Information for this card not reviewed by or provided by Capital One.
The Capital One® Savor® Cash Rewards Credit Card is one of the most affordable — and lucrative metal cards on this list. This 17-gram card can unlock one of the highest cash back rewards rates on the market for dining and entertainment purchases.
The card offers several perks for foodies who want to dine out or flex their culinary skills in their own kitchens. The cash back alone makes this card well worth the price of admission.
- Earn 5% cash back at Aamzon.com and Whole Foods market
- Earn 2% cash back at restaurants, gas stations, and drugstores, 1% back on all other purchases
- Exclusively for customers with an eligible Prime membership
- Get a $100 Amazon Gift Card instantly upon credit card approval
- See your rewards balance during checkout at Amazon.com and easily use rewards to pay for all or part of your purchase — no minimum rewards balance to redeem rewards
Intro (Purchases)
|
Intro (Transfers)
|
Regular APR
|
Annual Fee
|
Credit Needed
|
---|---|---|---|---|
N/A
|
N/A
|
14.24% - 22.24%
|
$0 (Prime Membership Required)
|
Good/Excellent
|
The Amazon Prime Rewards Visa Signature Card is a 13-gram beauty that can supercharge your Amazon Prime account by adding extra perks and discounts beyond those already available to members. Without a Prime account, though, this card is mostly good looks without much utility.
With the card, Prime members can earn bonus cash back on purchases made on Amazon.com or at Whole Foods Market, and a higher-than-average cash back rate on restaurant, gas station, and drugstore purchases. Prime members can also unlock massive cash back savings on rotating Amazon quarterly categories.
- Earn 60,000 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 at restaurants, including takeout and delivery, and 3X points on flights when booked directly with airlines or on amextravel.com. All other eligible purchases earn 1X point.
- No foreign transaction fees
- 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.
- Delight your senses when you book The Hotel Collection with American Express Travel. Get a $100 experience credit to use during your stay. A minimum 2-night stay is required.
- $250 Annual Fee
Intro (Purchases)
|
Intro (Transfers)
|
Regular APR
|
Annual Fee
|
Credit Needed
|
---|---|---|---|---|
N/A
|
N/A
|
20.49% - 28.49% Pay Over Time
|
$250
|
Excellent
|
The 15-gram American Express® Gold Card heaps on plenty of food-based rewards in a credit card sector that normally focuses on travel. But even if you are not a foodie, this card has plenty of power under the hood.
Cardholders can earn bonus points on dining and groceries as well as extra points on flights booked directly with airlines or on AmexTravel.com. All other purchases earn competitive points rates as well as monthly statement credits for dining charges.
- Earn 20,000 bonus points when you spend $1,000 in the first 90 days of account opening. That's a $200 value redeemable toward merchandise, gift cards, cash back, travel, and more. Points never expire.
- Earn 4X points on dining, takeout, and restaurant delivery
- Earn 2X points at grocery stores, grocery delivery, streaming services, gas stations, and EV charging stations -- all other purchases earn 1 point per $1
- Enjoy a 0% Intro APR on purchases and balance transfers for the first 12 billing cycles. After that, a variable APR applies
- $15 credit for annual streaming service purchases such as Netflix, Apple TV, Spotify, and more.
- $0 Annual Fee
Intro (Purchases)
|
Intro (Transfers)
|
Regular APR
|
Annual Fee
|
Credit Needed
|
---|---|---|---|---|
0% for 12 billing cycles
|
0% for 12 billing cycles
|
19.49% - 28.49% (Variable)
|
$0
|
Good/Excellent
|
The U.S. Bank Altitude® Go Visa Signature® Card is a 12-gram card offering from a quickly-growing bank in the credit card industry.
Just about every credit card — either a metal card or a plastic card — with this type of reward structure charges an annual fee, but not this offering. The Go Visa Signature® Card helps you earn bonus points while enjoying an introductory APR on new purchases and balance transfers. After that, the ongoing variable APR starts much lower than the industry average.
- Earn 90,000 Bonus Miles after you spend $4,000 in purchases on your new Card in your first 6 months
- Earn 3X miles on Delta purchases and hotels, 2X miles at restaurants (including takeout and delivery) and U.S. supermarkets, all other purchases earn 1 point per $1
- Earn 10,000 Medallion Qualification Miles (MQMs) after you spend $25,000 in purchases on your card in a calendar year, up to two times.
- Get your first bag free on Delta flights booked with your card
- Receive a Domestic Main Cabin round-trip companion certificate each year upon renewal of your card
- Receive a 20% savings in the form of a statement credit after you use your card on eligible Delta in-flight purchases of food, beverages, and audio headsets.
Intro (Purchases)
|
Intro (Transfers)
|
Regular APR
|
Annual Fee
|
Credit Needed
|
---|---|---|---|---|
N/A
|
N/A
|
20.24% - 29.24% (Variable)
|
$250
|
Good/Excellent
|
The Delta SkyMiles® Platinum American Express Card helps cardholders get on their next Delta flight much faster, thanks to the bonus miles possibilities on qualifying purchases. You can also take advantage of a $100 Global Entry or TSA Pre✔ Fee Credit as long as your account remains active.
And unlike other co-branded cards, this offering is not all about Delta. The card also offers elevated miles earnings on restaurant, dine-in, take out, and delivery as well as grocery store spending.
8. Apple Card
- Get unlimited 3% Daily Cash back on everything you buy from Apple and other select merchants when you use Apple Card with Apple Pay
- Get unlimited 2% Daily Cash back when you use your iPhone or Apple Watch to pay with Apple Card
- Pay for your new Apple products over time, interest‑free with Apple Card Monthly Installments
- With advanced security technologies like Face ID, Touch ID, and unique transaction codes, Apple Card with Apple Pay is designed to make sure you're the only one who can use it
- The only credit card made of titanium — a sustainable metal known for its beauty and durability
- No annual fees, no foreign transaction fees, or late fees. No fees, period.
Intro (Purchases)
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Intro (Transfers)
|
Regular APR
|
Annual Fee
|
Credit Needed
|
---|---|---|---|---|
N/A
|
N/A
|
15.49% - 26.49% (Variable)
|
$0
|
Good/Excellent
|
Mac and iPhone enthusiasts love the Apple Card for more than just its sleek design, 15 grams of titanium weight, and lack of an annual fee. This card can also unlock cash back rewards at an elevated rate when you shop through Apple or one of its partners — including Nike, Panera Bread, T Mobile, and Walgreens.
You can also use the card to pay for all of your Apple and iPhone hardware purchases over time, without interest — a much better deal than through Apple Pay. That means you can stay up to date with the latest tech without having to come up with a big payment each time a new device comes to the market.
- When you open a Verizon Visa Card account, get up to $100 in credit applied to your wireless bill over the first 24 months—just use the card to pay your bill every month.
- New enrollees to Verizon's Auto Pay can get up to $10/month off each eligible account or line, up to 12 lines max on select plans
- Earn 4% Verizon Dollars on grocery store and gas purchases, 3% on dining and takeout purchases, 2% on Verizon purchases, and 1% on everything else
- There are no limits to how much you can earn and no expiration dates
- You can redeem your Verizon Dollars for merchandise in the Verizon store, apply them toward your Verizon Wireless bill, use them on travel, or get gift cards from your favorite brands.
- This card is exclusively offered to Verizon Wireless customers
Intro (Purchases)
|
Intro (Transfers)
|
Regular APR
|
Annual Fee
|
Credit Needed
|
---|---|---|---|---|
N/A
|
N/A
|
18.49% or 22.49% (Variable)
|
$0
|
Good
|
Verizon customers are well-served with the Verizon Visa® Card — a 17.28-gram offering from Synchrony Financial that provides great savings for Verizon Wireless customers.
As a new cardholder, you can earn a statement credit that is spread over your first 24 months with the card when you use your card to pay your monthly bill. You can also earn another monthly statement credit as a new enrollee to Verizon’s Auto Pay program. Eligible purchases can also earn Verizon Dollars rewards to use toward your monthly bill, a new phone, or accessories.
- Brushed stainless steel and carbon card. Tailored to be an everyday essential. Rewards and protection benefits that are designed to be used everywhere you go, rather than select categories and purchases. Plus, no foreign transaction fees.
- 2% value for airfare redemptions with no blackout dates or seat restrictions. 1% value for cash back redemptions. Earn one point for every one dollar spent. No minimum threshold requirement for cash back or airfare redemptions.
- 24/7 Luxury Card Concierge®—available by phone, email, SMS and chat in the app. Around-the-clock service to help you save time and manage tasks big and small. There is no requirement to make a purchase in your requests and no fees are associated with using the concierge's assistance.
- 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. Plus, peace of mind protection benefits like trip cancellation and interruption, auto rental car collision waiver, travel accident and baggage delay.
- Members-only LUXURY MAGAZINE®.
- Cell phone protection for eligible claims of up to $1,000 each year. Plus additional World Elite Mastercard® benefits.
- Annual fee: $195 ($95 for each Authorized User). Terms and conditions apply.
Intro (Purchases)
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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.
|
21.24%, 25.43% or 28.24%
|
$195 ($95 for each Authorized User added to the account)
|
Excellent
|
The Luxury Card™ Mastercard® Titanium Card™ specializes in travel perks. You’ll get the most value from this card by redeeming your rewards for airfare.
Luxury Card also supplies cardholders with 24/7 card concierge services on this 22-gram brushed stainless steel front and carbon-backed card. The design is part of 64 patents owned by the issuer that focuses on cutting-edge metal credit card construction.
Best Premium Metal Credit Cards
The following metal credit cards are for well-heeled consumers with excellent credit. These cards charge high annual fees and come with the very best perks you can get from a credit card, especially when it comes to travel benefits.
- Earn 60,000 bonus points after you spend $4,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening. That's $900 toward travel when you redeem through Chase Ultimate Rewards®
- $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 Ultimate Rewards® 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 Ultimate Rewards®. 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 $100 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
|
22.49%-29.49% Variable
|
$550
|
Good/Excellent
|
Chase is known for its high end luxury card options and the Chase Sapphire Reserve® is no slouch in that department. At 13 grams, the Sapphire Reserve card is worth more than its weight in rewards.
Frequent travelers will appreciate the annual travel credit, bonus Chase Ultimate Rewards points on travel and dining worldwide, and 50% more value when you redeem points for travel.
- Earn 80,000 Membership Rewards® points after you use your new card to make $6,000 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, $25 monthly Equinox 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 650 cities.
- 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
|
20.49% - 27.49% Pay Over Time
|
$695
|
Excellent
|
The Platinum Card® from American Express is a 17-gram credit card that charges a competitive annual fee. Depending upon your shopping habits, you can make up for that fee in just a few months.
Amex Platinum cardholders can earn statement credits each month to cover the cost of certain U.S. streaming subscriptions and wireless phone services that are charged to the card. You can also earn monthly credit to spend toward Uber rides or Uber Eats deliveries and even more annual statement credits for purchases at Saks Fifth Avenue of Saks.com.
- 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 booked through Capital One Travel
- Earn unlimited 2X miles on all other purchases
- Unlimited complimentary access for you and two guests to 1,300+ lounges, including Capital One Lounges and the Partner Lounge Network
Intro (Purchases)
|
Intro (Transfers)
|
Regular APR
|
Annual Fee
|
Credit Needed
|
---|---|---|---|---|
N/A
|
N/A
|
21.99% - 28.99% (Variable)
|
$395
|
Excellent
|
Weighing it at 17 grams, the Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card allows you to quickly earn your annual fee back through the annual travel and anniversary credits.
This Capital One card makes for a compelling offer in the premium card market.
- Earn 95,000 Marriott Bonvoy Bonus Points after you use your new Card to make $5,000 in purchases within the first 3 months of Card Membership.
- Earn 6X Points on hotels for eligible purchases at participating Marriott Bonvoy hotels, 3X Points at U.S. restaurants and flights booked directly with airlines, and 2X Points for each dollar on everything else.
- Enjoy up to $25 a month in Dining statement credits each calendar year for eligible purchases made at restaurants worldwide.
- Receive 1 Free Night Award every year after your Card renewal month. Award can be used for one night (redemption level at or under 85,000 Marriott Bonvoy® points) at hotels participating in Marriott Bonvoy®
- Book direct using a special rate for a 2-night minimum stay at The Ritz-Carlton® or St. Regis® and get up to $100 in credit for qualifying charges.
- With Card Membership, you can enroll in Priority Pass™ Select, which offers unlimited access to over 1,200 lounges in over 130 countries, regardless of which carrier or class you are flying.
Intro (Purchases)
|
Intro (Transfers)
|
Regular APR
|
Annual Fee
|
Credit Needed
|
---|---|---|---|---|
N/A
|
N/A
|
20.24% - 29.24% (Variable)
|
$650
|
Excellent
|
The Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant® American Express® Card is a 15-gram premium travel card that especially benefits fans of Marriott hotels, where they’ll earn the most points on purchases. In addition to lucrative rewards, cardholders also receive an annual travel statement credit, a free night award after each account anniversary, and an annual property credit.
Jetsetters may be happy to hear they’ll also receive Priority Pass Select lounge access, fee credit for Global Entry or TSA Precheck, and baggage insurance with his card, among other perks.
- Earn 50,000 bonus points worth $750 on travel when you spend $4,500 in the first 90 days of account opening.
- Earn 5X points on prepaid hotels and car rentals booked directly in the Altitude Rewards Center.
- Earn 3X points for every $1 spent on eligible travel purchases and 3X points on eligible mobile wallet purchases
- Complimentary 12-month Priority Pass™ Select membership that gives access to more than 1,300 VIP lounges worldwide
- Get reimbursed up to $325 annual credits for eligible travel purchases and dining, takeout, and restaurant delivery purchases
- $400 Annual Fee
Intro (Purchases)
|
Intro (Transfers)
|
Regular APR
|
Annual Fee
|
Credit Needed
|
---|---|---|---|---|
N/A
|
N/A
|
21.49% - 28.49% (Variable)
|
$400
|
Excellent
|
The U.S. Bank Altitude® Reserve Visa Infinite® Card checks in at 16.25 grams. You can earn nearly twice the amount of the card’s annual fee as a new cardholder if you reach certain spending thresholds within your first 90 days with the card to earn a welcome bonus travel credit.
After that, you can earn bonus points for travel booked through the Altitude Rewards Center and an annual credit for travel purchases made through the card.
- Earn 90,000 Bonus Miles after you spend $6,000 in purchases on your new card in your first 6 months of ownership
- Earn 15,000 Medallion Qualification Miles after you spend $30,000 in purchases on your card, up to 4 times/year
- Earn 3X miles on Delta purchases made directly with Delta -- all other purchases earn 1 mile per $1
- Complimentary access to The Centurion Lounge and the Delta Sky Club® plus two Delta Sky Club One-Time Guest Passes each year
- Receive a domestic First Class, Delta Comfort+®, or Main Cabin round-trip companion certificate each year upon renewal of your Delta SkyMiles Reserve American Express card
- As a benefit of Card Membership, you can check your first bag free on Delta flights booked with your card. You can save up to $60 on a round-trip Delta flight per person.
Intro (Purchases)
|
Intro (Transfers)
|
Regular APR
|
Annual Fee
|
Credit Needed
|
---|---|---|---|---|
N/A
|
N/A
|
20.24% - 29.24% (Variable)
|
$550
|
Excellent
|
At 15 grams, the Delta SkyMiles® Reserve American Express Card helps cardholders rack up Delta SkyMiles in a hurry — including bonus miles on every dollar spent on select Delta purchases.
This card offers complimentary seat upgrades and admission to the Delta Sky Club®, as well as a Global Entry or TSA Pre✔ fee credit that can help you breeze through security.
- Earn 3 Points per $1 spent on airline, hotel, taxi (including Uber and Lyft), limousine, rental car, train, bus, restaurant, fast food, and takeout food dining purchases, and 1 Point per $1 spent on all other purchases.
- Receive a statement credit of up to $350 per account, per calendar year for Qualifying Airline Purchases.
- Receive up to $550 Airline Lounge Club Membership Fee statement credit per calendar year with $50,000 yearly spend.
- Apply for Global Entry, a U.S. Customs and Border Protection program, using your Crystal Visa Infinite Card to pay your application fee and receive a $100 statement credit.
- Crystal Visa Infinite Cardholders Priority Pass Select program members and their accompanying guests can experience a more relaxing way to travel, with access to a global network of more than 1,300 airport lounges worldwide
- A 24/7 concierge at your fingertips. Receive customized assistance with airline, hotel and restaurant reservations, and virtually any personal or business requests.
Intro (Purchases)
|
Intro (Transfers)
|
Regular APR
|
Annual Fee
|
Credit Needed
|
---|---|---|---|---|
N/A
|
N/A
|
21.50% or 25.50% (Variable)
|
$400, $95 additional cardholders
|
Excellent
|
The City National Crystal® Visa Infinite® Credit Card from City National Bank is a rare luxury card that is issued by a consumer-based bank. The 14-gram card definitely has perks that few bank plastic card options can match.
Start with City National Rewards® Points for every dollar spent, combined with an airline incidental fees statement credit and a complimentary lounge club membership fee statement credit, and you can quickly recoup your annual fee through the initial perks.
18. Citi® / AAdvantage® Executive World Elite Mastercard®
This card is currently not available.
Intro (Purchases)
|
Intro (Transfers)
|
Regular APR
|
Annual Fee
|
Credit Needed
|
---|---|---|---|---|
N/A
|
N/A
|
N/A
|
N/A
|
N/A
|
Additional Disclosure: The information related to Citi® / AAdvantage® Executive World Elite Mastercard® has been collected by CardRates.com and has not been reviewed or provided by the issuer or provider of this product or service.
American Airlines loyalists will have no problem carrying on the 18-gram Citi® / AAdvantage® Executive World Elite Mastercard®. But the perks aren’t only available in the air, as this credit card also provides American Airlines Admirals Club® membership.
As you’d expect, most of the card’s benefits revolve around American Airlines — including bonus miles for every $1 spent on eligible American Airlines purchases, priority boarding on American Airlines flights, and a free first checked bag on all domestic American Airlines itineraries.
- Earn 50,000 Rewards Bonus Points worth $750 in airfare – when booked online through HSBC Travel – after spending $4,000 in the first 3 months of account opening
- You’ll earn 3X Rewards Points on new travel purchases – including airline, hotels, and car rentals -- 2X Points on new dining purchases, and 1X Points on all other purchases
- Receive up to $400 in travel credits per year for all airfare, hotels, and car rentals booked through HSBC Travel
- You and one guest enjoy complimentary, unlimited access to 1,000+ airport lounges provided by LoungeKey™
- Take 3 rides per month and receive a $5 Lyft App credit
- An exclusive Luxury Thank You Gift when you reach $50,000, $75,000, and $100,000 in cumulative spend annually. Up to 3 Luxury gifts per year.
Intro (Purchases)
|
Intro (Transfers)
|
Regular APR
|
Annual Fee
|
Credit Needed
|
---|---|---|---|---|
N/A
|
N/A
|
19.49% - 23.49% (Variable)
|
$395
|
Excellent
|
Eligible HSBC Premier account holders may qualify for the 17-gram HSBC Elite Credit Card, which offers pretty hefty perks.
As with many other cards on this list, the World Elite Card’s rewards focus heavily on travel, with bonus points on travel-related purchases, an annual air travel credit, discounts on reservations made through Expedia, Agoda, or OneFineStay, as well as airport lounge access to more than 1,000 locations around the globe.
- Stainless steel and carbon card. Tailored to be an everyday essential. Rewards and protection benefits that are designed to be used everywhere you go, rather than select categories and purchases. Plus, no foreign transaction fees.
- Simple and flexible rewards without the hoops. 2% value for airfare redemptions with no blackout dates or seat restrictions. 1.5% value for cash back redemptions. Earn one point for every one dollar spent. No minimum threshold requirement for cash back or airfare redemptions.
- Annual Airline Credit—up to $100 in statement credits toward flight-related purchases including airline tickets, baggage fees, upgrades and more. Just pay for airline purchases with your Mastercard Black Card and we will automatically apply the credit to your account. That’s it. No need to activate or designate an airline.
- Up to a $100 application fee credit for the cost of TSA Pre✓® or Global Entry. Also, enjoy automatic enrollment in Priority Pass™ Select with access to 1,300+ 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®—available by phone, email, SMS and chat in the app. Around-the-clock service to help you save time and manage tasks big and small. There is no requirement to make a purchase in your requests and no fees are associated with using the concierge's assistance.
- 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. Plus, peace of mind 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: $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.
|
21.24%, 25.43% or 28.24%
|
$495 ($195 for each Authorized User added to the account)
|
Excellent
|
The Luxury Card™ Mastercard® Black Card™ features a black PVD coated metal surface. As a Luxury Card issued credit card, you get the perks you would expect from this prestigious brand.
Rewards are most valuable when redeemed for airfare. Cardholders also receive an annual airline credit and 24/7 Luxury Card concierge service.
- 24K-Gold-Plated and stainless steel card. Tailored to be an everyday essential. Rewards and protection benefits that are designed to be used everywhere you go, rather than select categories and purchases. Plus, no foreign transaction fees.
- Simple and flexible rewards without the hoops. 2% value for airfare redemptions with no blackout dates or seat restrictions. 2% value for cash back redemptions. Earn one point for every one dollar spent. No minimum threshold requirement for cash back or airfare redemptions.
- Annual Airline Credit—up to $200 in statement credits toward flight-related purchases including airline tickets, baggage fees, upgrades and more. Just pay for airline purchases with your Mastercard Gold Card and we will automatically apply the credit to your account. That’s it. No need to activate or designate an airline.
- Up to a $100 application fee credit for the cost of TSA Pre✓® or Global Entry. Also, enjoy automatic enrollment in Priority Pass™ Select with access to 1,300+ 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®—available by phone, email, SMS and chat in the app. Around-the-clock service to help you save time and manage tasks big and small. There is no requirement to make a purchase in your requests and no fees are associated with using the concierge's assistance.
- 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. Plus, peace of mind 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: $995 ($295 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.
|
21.24%, 25.43% or 28.24%
|
$995 ($295 for each Authorized User added to the account)
|
Excellent
|
The Luxury Card™ Mastercard® Gold Card™ is a 24K gold-plated credit card that weighs in at 22 grams. While you’d expect a high-end rewards card for that fee, this card is actually quite light on the rewards, but heavy on the perks.
The card includes enrollment in Priority Pass™ Select with access to 1,300+ airport lounges worldwide with no guest limit, an annual airline credit toward qualifying airline purchases, and a Global Entry application fee credit, among several other perks travelers can get excited about.
Best Business Metal Credit Cards
The following credit cards are for business owners who wish to tout their business success with a metal credit card. There aren’t many metal business credit cards available, but at least one charges no annual fee while the others could easily fit in with the premium cards above.
- Earn 120,000 Membership Rewards® points after you spend $15,000 on eligible purchases with your Card within the first 3 months of card membership
- Earn 5X Membership Rewards® points on flights and prepaid hotels on amextravel.com, 1.5X points on business categories and purchases of $5,000 or more on up to $2 million per calendar year, and 1X point for each dollar you spend on other purchases.
- Get up to $400 back per year toward U.S. purchases with Dell Technologies, up to $360 back per year for purchases with Indeed, and $120 back per year for wireless telephone service purchases on the Business Platinum Card, plus additional credits. Enrollment is required for all.
- Access to more than 1,400 lounges across 140 countries and counting with the American Express Global Lounge Collection®
- Use Membership Rewards® Pay with Points for all or part of an eligible fare and get 35% of those points back, up to 1,000,000 points back per calendar year
- $695 Annual Fee
Intro (Purchases)
|
Intro (Transfers)
|
Regular APR
|
Annual Fee
|
Credit Needed
|
---|---|---|---|---|
N/A
|
N/A
|
18.74% - 26.74% Pay Over Time
|
$695
|
Excellent
|
American Express is known for its great rewards cards and exclusive cardholder experiences — and Business Platinum Card® from American Express is no exception. This card requires that you pay your balance in full each month. Certain purchases could qualify for additional pay-over-time privileges.
Cardholders also receive an annual Dell Technologies statement credit and further monthly statement credits for U.S. purchases for shipping and wireless telephone services purchased directly from U.S. service providers. All purchases qualify for bonus rewards points and every cardholder receives an annual airline credit and access to 1,200 airport lounges with the American Express Global Lounge Collection™.
- Welcome Offer: Receive a $125 Amazon.com gift card upon approval
- 5% Back or 90 Days Terms on U.S. purchases at Amazon Business, AWS, Amazon.com, and Whole Foods Market with an eligible Prime membership on the first $120,000 in purchases each calendar year, 1% Back thereafter
- 2% Back on U.S. purchases at restaurants, gas stations, and wireless phone services purchased directly from service providers
- 1% Back on all other eligible purchases
- Expense management tools to help you track and organize expenses
- $0 Annual Fee
Intro (Purchases)
|
Intro (Transfers)
|
Regular APR
|
Annual Fee
|
Credit Needed
|
---|---|---|---|---|
N/A
|
N/A
|
18.74% - 26.74% Variable
|
$0
|
Good/Excellent
|
Business owners may enjoy the attention the 14-gram Amazon Prime Rewards Visa Signature Card receives — but they like the fact that they can earn big time rewards for purchases they make even more.
For starters, cardholders can choose between cash back or 90 days of interest-free financing on U.S. purchases made at Amazon Business, AWS, Amazon.com, or Whole Foods Market. An Amazon Prime membership is required to take advantage of the extended financing or bonus cash back offers.
- Earn 70,000 Membership Rewards® points after you spend $10,000 on eligible purchases with the Business Gold Card within the first 3 months of card membership
- Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points on the 2 categories where your business spends the most each billing cycle, including airfare purchased directly from airlines, U.S. purchases for advertising in select media (online, TV, radio), U.S. purchases made directly from select technology providers of computer hardware, software, and cloud solutions, and U.S. purchases at gas stations, restaurants, or for shipping. Applies to the first $150,000 in combined purchases from these 2 categories each calendar year.
- Earn 1X Membership Rewards® points on other purchases
- Book your flight with American Express Travel using Membership Rewards® Pay with Points and get 25% of those points back, up to 250,000 points back per calendar year
- $295 Annual Fee
Intro (Purchases)
|
Intro (Transfers)
|
Regular APR
|
Annual Fee
|
Credit Needed
|
---|---|---|---|---|
N/A
|
N/A
|
18.74% - 26.74% Pay Over Time
|
$295
|
Excellent
|
The American Express® Business Gold Card weighs a solid 15 grams and helps business owners maximize their rewards in the categories their business spends the most in. This card offers a pay over time option that gives cardholders the flexibility to pay for their purchases over time (with interest). This is a new feature, as all premium Amex cards used to require cardholders to pay their balance in full each billing cycle.
As with most business cards, you’ll get employee cards, year-end spending summaries, account alerts, and online statements, among other features that make managing business finances easier.
What is a Metal Credit Card?
Metal credit cards work exactly like the plastic card options that populate the wallets of most consumers. They offer contactless payment options and EMV chip capabilities for the highest security. These cards are typically made of some type of metal — be it titanium, carbon, or brushed stainless steel — but they are more than just a pretty display piece.
Most banks save their metal cards for high-end offerings with the best rewards and perks. The high cost of manufacturing these cards, as well as the cost of the rewards, often means that you will have to pay a larger annual fee for the card.
Many metal cards have annual fees of between $300 and $500, but a few toward the top of our list have no annual fee at all.
Most consumers shy away from cards with an annual fee, thinking that they can get similar value from a $0 annual fee card, but that certainly isn’t always the case.
For example, a card may charge a $400 annual fee, but it also gives every cardholder a $325 annual travel credit that nearly pays back the annual fee. Add in the potential rewards and other perks, and you can usually come out ahead with these cards when you pay your balance each month and avoid interest charges.
How Do I Get a Metal Credit Card?
Some metal credit cards — including the infamous Amex Black Card and J.P. Morgan Reserve® cards — only accept applications from consumers it invites to apply for the card. The “Don’t call us, we’ll call you” mentality is part of what makes these cards so exclusive and sought after.
Thankfully, plenty of other metal credit cards accept online applications through their website or over the phone. By following the links to each card listed above, you can find application information for each card.
Just keep in mind that most metal rewards credit card products require a very good to excellent credit score for consideration. That means a FICO score of at least 740 with no recent late payments or other negative items that could impact your credit score.
What is the Best Metal Credit Card?
While the Amex Black Card gets all of the press and adulation, you can get similarish rewards from a metallic credit card with far fewer spending requirements and annual fee payments.
We like the Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card, which gives you access to one of the best redemption portals — Chase Ultimate Rewards. The card also provides travel and purchase coverage protections, partner benefits, and a very competitive interest rate.
- Earn 60,000 bonus points after you spend $4,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening. That's $750 when you redeem through Chase Ultimate Rewards®.
- Enjoy benefits such as 5x on travel purchased through Chase Ultimate Rewards®, 3x on dining, and 2x on all other travel purchases, and $50 annual Ultimate Rewards Hotel Credit, plus more.
- Get 25% more value when you redeem for airfare, hotels, car rentals and cruises through Chase Ultimate Rewards®. For example, 60,000 points are worth $750 toward travel.
- Count on Trip Cancellation/Interruption Insurance, Auto Rental Collision Damage Waiver, Lost Luggage Insurance and more.
- Get complimentary access to DashPass which unlocks $0 delivery fees and lower service fees for a minimum of one year when you activate by December 31, 2024.
- Member FDIC
Intro (Purchases)
|
Intro (Transfers)
|
Regular APR
|
Annual Fee
|
Credit Needed
|
---|---|---|---|---|
N/A
|
N/A
|
21.49%-28.49% Variable
|
$95
|
Good/Excellent
|
Many of the cards on this list are co-branded credit cards, meaning that they are issued by a bank in partnership with another company. The Citi® / AAdvantage® Executive World Elite Mastercard®, for example, is issued by Citi in partnership with American Airlines.
As you’d expect, this card rewards you for purchases with American Airlines. You won’t get the top rewards if you book a flight with Delta using this card.
But the Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card has no co-branded partnerships. Instead, you can use your earned miles to pay for all or part of a recently charged travel-related expense, so you don’t have to worry about blackout dates or carrier restrictions.
What is the Best Metal Credit Card with No Annual Fee?
The U.S. Bank Altitude® Go Visa Signature® Card is the no-annual-fee version of the Altitude card series. But don’t let the lack of an annual fee distract you from the rewards you can earn.
- Earn 20,000 bonus points when you spend $1,000 in the first 90 days of account opening. That's a $200 value redeemable toward merchandise, gift cards, cash back, travel, and more. Points never expire.
- Earn 4X points on dining, takeout, and restaurant delivery
- Earn 2X points at grocery stores, grocery delivery, streaming services, gas stations, and EV charging stations -- all other purchases earn 1 point per $1
- Enjoy a 0% Intro APR on purchases and balance transfers for the first 12 billing cycles. After that, a variable APR applies
- $15 credit for annual streaming service purchases such as Netflix, Apple TV, Spotify, and more.
- $0 Annual Fee
Intro (Purchases)
|
Intro (Transfers)
|
Regular APR
|
Annual Fee
|
Credit Needed
|
---|---|---|---|---|
0% for 12 billing cycles
|
0% for 12 billing cycles
|
19.49% - 28.49% (Variable)
|
$0
|
Good/Excellent
|
With the potential to earn generous rewards and a 0% introductory APR on new purchases and balance transfers, it’s quite surprising this card doesn’t charge some type of fee for membership. And even after your introductory period ends, this card still charges one of the lowest ongoing interest rates of any card on this list.
Are Metal Credit Cards Better?
Metal credit cards have a striking look. Some people enjoy taking out a heavy credit card that draws attention and using it to pay for a purchase. A plastic credit card doesn’t draw that same kind of attention.
Aside from their appearance, metal credit cards also typically provide some of the best rewards credit card benefits and access to exclusive clubs, including airport lounges and other member-only areas.
That said, several plastic credit card options on the market have lower annual fees and similarly lucrative rewards programs. And, since a plastic credit card costs less to produce than a metallic credit card, you will not have to worry about paying higher costs to add the card to your wallet.
But if you are a frequent traveler — be it for personal or business purposes — and prefer to vacation in style, you may find that a metal credit card can give you tremendous rewards options and lounge access that you simply cannot get with a traditional credit card.
Which Card Companies Issue Metal Cards?
Since American Express issued the first metal credit card in 1999, several banks have jumped on the bandwagon and released their own premium credit card.
Among the banks that issue metal credit cards are:
- American Express
- Capital One
- Chase
- Wells Fargo
- U.S. Bank
- Luxury Card
- Citi
- City National Bank
- HSBC
We will continue to update this list as banks revamp their credit card offerings to adapt to the competition and the demand in the marketplace. That means new premium card options will eventually reach the public — with some even going beyond the standard metal credit card.
The Luxury Card™ Mastercard® Gold Card™, for instance, is a 24K gold-plated credit card. If consumers take to that kind of card, you can bet that other banks will jump on board — and try to find something even more extravagant to attract new customers.
What is the Heaviest Metal Credit Card?
The JP Morgan Reserve card weighs in at a whopping 27 grams. To put that in perspective, the average plastic credit card — with an EMV chip — weighs approximately 5 grams.

The JP Morgan Reserve Card is made of palladium and weighs 27 grams.
The card, formerly known as the Palladium Card, is minted out of brass and plated with palladium — a metal that currently is valued at almost twice the price of gold. That even beats a platinum credit card made of platinum.
The premium credit card also features laser engraving throughout the card, giving it a truly unique presentation and ensuring the card will certainly stand out.
The card is not for everyone though. This is an invitation-only offering (hence why it’s not on our list) for clients of JP Morgan Private Bank who have at least $10 million in investable assets. After all, palladium is not cheap.
(Non-Monetized. The information related to J.P. Morgan Reserve® was collected by CardRates.com and has not been reviewed or provided by the issuer of this product. Product details may vary. Please see issuer website for current information. Product details may vary. Please see issuer website for current information. CardRates.com does not receive commission for this product/card.)
How Do You Properly Dispose of a Metal Credit Card?
When a new credit card comes in the mail, you typically reach for some scissors or a shredding machine and make confetti out of your old card.
That is a little more difficult when you have a credit card made of metal. You may want to hold onto any card that is plated in precious metal, such as gold or palladium. But if you have a standard steel or titanium card, you have several options for disposal.
- Send it back to the card issuer: Most banks will accept expired or closed credit cards and recycle the metal to make new cards.
- Return it to your local bank branch: If you do not want to send your old credit card through the mail, you can hand-deliver it to your local bank for safe and secure destruction.
- Tin snips: This handy little tool can make short work of most metal credit cards. You can easily cut through metal with some tin snips just as you would cut up a plastic credit card with scissors.
However you decide to dispose of your metal card, just remember that you should keep it out of the paper shredder, or you may be buying a new paper shredder. On the bright side, that purchase will get you closer to a welcome bonus with the new card.
Metal Credit Cards Are Becoming Increasingly Common
What this list has shown is that metal credit cards are available for every budget, as more issuers get in on the trend and start making their own metallic offerings. Whether you want to avoid paying an annual fee altogether or you’re okay with coughing up $1,000 a year for a fancy credit card, you have a lot of options, and those options are only going to become more plentiful.
Final Notes on “7 Best Metal Credit Cards (Sep. 2023)“
We hope this guide “7 Best Metal Credit Cards (Sep. 2023)” has been a helpful resource for you in learning more about your financial options. In this guide, we’ve covered:
- Best Metal Credit Cards
- Best Premium Metal Credit Cards
- Best Business Metal Credit Cards
- What is a Metal Credit Card?
- How Do I Get a Metal Credit Card?
- What is the Best Metal Credit Card?
- What is the Best Metal Credit Card with No Annual Fee?
- Are Metal Credit Cards Better?
- Which Card Companies Issue Metal Cards?
- What is the Heaviest Metal Credit Card?
- How Do You Properly Dispose of a Metal Credit Card?
- Metal Credit Cards Are Becoming Increasingly Common
To learn more about options not mentioned here, be sure to check out other popular reviews from our team of experts:
- Air miles credit cards
- Balance transfer credit cards
- Cash back credit cards
- Prepaid debit cards
- Secured credit cards
We also encourage you to check back at this URL regularly, as we update the offers listed in “7 Best Metal Credit Cards (Sep. 2023)” and other guides on a daily basis.
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