Visa® Black Card Requirements (And 5 Other High-Limit Cards)

If you’re looking for information on what you’ll need to get a Black Card, you’ve come to the right place — but the card switched networks a few years ago and is now issued by Mastercard.

Long gone are the days when having a gold card was a sign of elite creditworthiness. Nowadays, black is the new gold, and most major networks have their own version, the most well-known of which may be Amex’s Centurion card, with the a close rival.

With its demanding application criteria and exclusive perks, the Black Card is among the most sought-after cards available. In January 2016, the Black Card went through a rebranding as the Mastercard® Black Card® and introduced new and improved features. Let’s explore these features, what it takes to qualify for this card, and also introduce you to five other elite options.

Aside from its visual appeal, the card offers perks like 24/7 concierge service and random luxury gifts delivered to your doorstep — needless to say, it’s not the easiest card to get your hands on.

You’ll need sterling credit, a history of high-dollar purchases, and enough funds to afford a steep annual fee. If that describes you, read on to uncover the many other pros and cons of this elusive card.

In 2016, the Black Card got a new network and was rebranded as the Mastercard® Black Card®. It offers a patented Black-PVD-Coated stainless steel front and carbon back for “durability and distinction.” Laser-engraved card details (including your name) put the finishing touches on this card, solidifying it as both a work of art and a status symbol.

Mastercard® Black Card®

CardRates Expert Rating

Mastercard® Black 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.

See Our Review»

Ashley Fricker Senior Editor

Close

★★★★★ 4.5/5.0

at Barclays Bank’ssecure website

Our Review »

• Redeem at 2% value for airfare and 1.5% for cash back. Just 50,000 points will get you a $1,000 ticket on any airline or $750 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.
• $200 Annual Airline Credit: Receive up to $200 in annual air travel credits toward flight-related purchases, including airline tickets, baggage fees, upgrades and more.
• $100 Annual Dining Credit: Get up to $100 in annual statement credits when you use your Luxury Card at qualifying restaurants.
• Receive up to $120 reimbursment credit for a Global Entry or TSA PreCheck® application fee. Global Entry includes access to TSA PreCheck® with no additional application or fee required.
• 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.
• Black-PVD-Coated Metal Card and Made of Stainless Steel®: 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 stainless steel, 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: $699 ($249 for each Authorized User). Terms and conditions apply.

Show MoreShow Less See application, terms and details »

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 $699 ($249 for each Authorized User added to the account)

Credit Needed Excellent

Unlike other “Black Cards” on the market, you can apply for the Mastercard® Black Card® online through the Luxury Card website. While there are no publicly stated minimums for approval, it’s likely you’ll need to have good credit and a solid income.

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

Cardholders often have higher incomes or at least the ability to pay off their cards, which usually means they receive a very generous initial credit limit.

Spending limits typically fall between $20,000 and $25,000, and with careful management, these can increase over time. You can’t determine a starting credit limit, as it’s based on your profile and doesn’t take balance transfer requests into account.

Like any other card, you can improve the likelihood of getting an increase beyond your initial amount by keeping an on-time payment history, paying a large average monthly payment amount, maintaining your credit bureau information and credit score, and using your card regularly for both everyday and large purchases.

A Heavy Card With a Hefty Annual Fee

Beyond the prestige that comes with this card, there’s a significant annual fee – $699 ($249 for each Authorized User added to the account). It’s expected that having this card will open the door to many lavish benefits. Ultimately, only you can decide if the fee is worth it for you.

This metal card weighs 22 grams, which is five grams heavier than The Platinum Card®, another top-tier card with a high annual fee.

Barclays doesn’t openly publicize its requirements for obtaining the Mastercard® Black Card®, but it’s safe to assume based on what we do know about the card that the following requirements are a must:

1. Excellent FICO Score (800+)

Naturally, the Mastercard® Black Card® requires an excellent credit score, which is 800 or higher on the FICO index. When being trusted with a high spending limit, you need to have exemplified responsible borrowing behavior in the past, which a strong FICO score will reflect.

2. Big Spending (and Paying) on Your Cards

While the card doesn’t require some of the spending thresholds as other cards (like the AMEX Black Card), you can safely assume that you will need to be an avid user of credit and be excellent at paying back thousands in purchases every month, even to be considered.

3. High Income Necessary

To truly make the most of this prestigious card, it’s important to have a consistent job history, reliable proof of income, and a history of timely payments. Being a Barclays customer already could also work in your favor.

While this card certainly carries an air of prestige, the 1.5% cash back rate might feel a bit lacking considering its $495 annual fee. If you’re searching for more rewarding bonuses and perks that genuinely justify such a hefty fee, the upcoming cards might just grab your attention.

1

Citi Strata Elite℠ Card

CardRates Expert Rating

Citi Strata Elite℠ 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.

See Our Review»

Ashley Fricker Senior Editor

Close

★★★★★ 4.7/5.0

at the issuer’ssecure website

Our Review »

• Earn 75,000 bonus Points after spending $6,000 in the first 3 months of account opening.
• Earn 12 Points per $1 spent on Hotels, Car Rentals, and Attractions booked on cititravel.com and 6 Points per $1 spent on Air Travel booked on cititravel.com
• Earn 6 Points per $1 spent at Restaurants including Restaurant Delivery Services on CitiNights℠ purchases, every Friday and Saturday from 6 PM to 6 AM ET. Earn 3 Points per $1 spent any other time
• Earn 1.5 Points per $1 spent on All Other Purchases
• Up to $300 Annual Hotel Benefit: Each calendar year, enjoy up to $300 off a hotel stay of two nights or more when booked through cititravel.com.
• No Foreign Transaction Fees

Show MoreShow Less See application, terms and details »

Intro (Purchases) N/A

Intro (Transfers) N/A

Regular APR 20.49% – 28.49% (Variable)

Annual Fee $595

Credit Needed Good/Excellent

See Rates & Fees »

2

Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card

CardRates Expert Rating

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.

See Our Review»

Ashley Fricker Senior Editor

Close

★★★★★ 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

Show MoreShow Less See application, terms and details »

Intro (Purchases) N/A

Intro (Transfers) N/A

Regular APR 19.49% – 28.49% (Variable)

Annual Fee $395

Credit Needed Excellent

See Rates & Fees »

3

The Platinum Card®

CardRates Expert Rating

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

Show MoreShow Less See application, terms and details »

Intro (Purchases) N/A

Intro (Transfers) N/A

Regular APR 19.99% – 28.99% Pay Over Time

Annual Fee $895

Credit Needed Excellent

4

Mastercard® Gold Card™

CardRates Expert Rating

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.

See Our Review»

Ashley Fricker Senior Editor

Close

★★★★★ 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.

Show MoreShow Less See application, terms and details »

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

5

Mastercard® Titanium Card®

CardRates Expert Rating

Mastercard® Titanium Card®

4.4/5.0

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.

See Our Review»

Ashley Fricker Senior Editor

Close

★★★★★ 4.4/5.0

at Barclays Bank’ssecure website

Our Review »

• Redeem at 2% value for airfare and 1% for cash back. Just 50,000 points will get you a $1,000 ticket on any airline or $500 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.
• 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.
• Brushed Metal Card: 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: $299 ($149 for each Authorized User). Terms and conditions apply.

Show MoreShow Less See application, terms and details »

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 $299 ($149 for each Authorized User added to the account)

Credit Needed Excellent

While some of these cards may cost a pretty penny, annual-fee-wise, the perks and bonuses can easily offset those costs if you use them correctly. And if you still haven’t found the right card, here are some other high-limit credit cards that you can qualify for with an excellent credit rating.

The jury is out on whether the is one that you should be carrying around in your pocket, assuming you meet its strict application requirements.

Ultimately, it’s your call whether the high annual fee is worth the benefits. But don’t worry, your perfect card is out there it might even be one of the five I mentioned earlier. This card could come with an annual fee, yet provide you confidence in your choice year after year!