What are the most exclusive black cards in the world?
The rich and famous have access to financial perks not available through regular credit cards, unlocking a range of purchase rewards for each dollar spent, and no limits to how much they spend.
This guide explores the best black cards from various card issuers, covering everything from the initiation fee to the variable APR rates holders can expect to pay.
The Most Exclusive Black Cards In The World
We’ve checked through the annual fees, preset spending limits, and other perks of the most exclusive black cards available to bring you this definitive guide.
Here’s our list of the most exclusive black cards in the world:
8. Coutts Silk Card
Annual Fee: No Annual Fee
Coutts Silk Card is an exclusive charge card that charges no yearly fee, available only for current clients of Coutts.
Based in London, Coutts is a private bank and wealth manager founded in 1692, making it the eighth oldest bank in the world.
Their Silk Card comes with high monthly spending limits, allowing owners to tailor its use to their lifestyle and unlock a range of benefits and privileges.
Available for over 18s only, the Coutts Silk Card comes with a representative 0% APR variable, with a credit limit based on the bank’s assessment of clients on an individual basis.
Likewise, the actual APR each client receives depends on their financial circumstances.
This credit card is designed for clients who frequently travel, allowing them to unlock airfare redemptions, as well as access exclusive airport lounges through their Loungekey system and other travel rewards.
These VIP lounges are available in over 700 airports, with a flat rate of £20 per visit and an additional flat rate of the same price for guest visits.
The credit card features strong security measures with online verification, and contactless payments can be made for up to £100.
It’s a valuable feature, although clients who want to use their Coutts credit card to purchase one of the world’s most expensive watches will have to process payments more thoroughly.
It’s a high-end credit card from one of the most established banking institutions operating today.
7. Citi AAdvantage Executive World Elite Mastercard
Annual Fee: $450
Citi AAdvantage Executive World Elite Mastercard is one of the more prestigious cards you can acquire, with a high credit limit and a variety of benefits.
Sign up for this credit card, and you automatically receive travel insurance, which makes it a good choice for people who are constantly on the move.
The standard variable APR for purchases made through this card is 15.99 to 24.99%, based on the creditworthiness of the client.
It’s worth bearing in mind that this charge is also applicable to bank transfers and Citi Flex Plan, while the standard variable APR for cash advances sits at 25.24%.
With an annual fee of $450, it’s cheaper than some of the other most exclusive black cards featured in this guide, while the minimum interest charge is just $0.50.
Travel rewards available through the Citi AAdvantage Executive World Elite Mastercard include 50,000 bonus miles and 10,000 Elite Qualifying Miles Features, as well as a complimentary membership to the Admirals Club.
You also get priority check-in and boarding, as well as a free checked bag for up to 8 people in your party and a 25% discount on a selection of in-flight purchases.
There are no fees for foreign purchases, which is good news for clients looking to invest in some of the most expensive wines in the world, and other fees are nominal.
If you’re a frequent flier with American Airlines, and you’re in the market for credit cards, the Citi AAdvantage Executive World Elite Mastercard is one to consider.
6. Citi Ultima Mastercard
Annual Fee: 3000 AEC (approx $816)
Citi Ultima Mastercard is another exclusive credit card that you can easily use from your phone and computer, with a simple, paperless sign-up process to get the ball rolling.
Clients with the Citi Ultima Mastercard can access free travel insurance, Priority Pass membership, as well as access to the card concierge service.
The CitiGroup banking empire has helped to shape the cityscape of London’s central financial district, so clients know they’re in reputable hands when using their credit cards.
Cardholders can get a credit line of over $20,000 depending on their credit history, as well as foreign travel insurance of up to $500,000.
Charges to this credit card vary, from 16% to 29% per year, as well as 13.9% to 29% annual fees on the Equal Payment Plan Transactions.
If you want to get your hands on a Citi Ultima Mastercard, you’ll need to produce your passport, as well as 2 NDFL personal income tax forms.
If you’re lucky enough to receive a personal invitation from Citibank, this documentation isn’t required.
As well as the Priority Pass, the card gives you 25,000 welcome bonus skywards miles, and 10,000 miles annually, upon payment of the annual fee.
5. World Elite Mastercard
Annual Fee: $495
The World Elite Mastercard is another great luxury card that allows clients to unlock travel rewards, save money on other purchases and collect reward points.
Holders of a World Elite Mastercard gain access to a 3-month membership to DoorDash DashPass, as well as a $5 discount on their first two orders every month, up to September 30th, 2022.
There are additional rewards points available, including a 5% discount on any HelloFresh purchases, with a discount of up to $90 on the first four orders.
There are benefits for Lyft as well, with credit card holders receiving a $5 credit note after every three months and a complimentary ShopRunner membership.
This allows you to use unlimited 2-day free shipping and return shipping from over 100 retailers, helping you save additional money through your shopping.
Sign up for a World Elite Mastercard, and you’ll get cell phone protection of up to $1,000 in annual coverage, with a maximum of two claims per year allowed, of up to $600 per claim.
There’s around-the-clock customer support available, so you can easily report your credit cards lost or stolen.
You can also find out where the nearest ATM is if you’re away in a strange city or need cash to buy one of the most expensive beanie babies for your kid’s birthday.
4. Luxury Card: Mastercard Black Card
Annual Fee: $495
The Luxury Card: Mastercard Black Card comes with the same annual fee as the World Elite Mastercard, costing $495, and has a $195 price for each authorized user.
It’s another of Mastercard’s exclusive rewards credit cards which offers account holders rewards points as well as access to a Luxury card concierge service, which will help you to make travel reservations and also assist with any personal requests.
Mastercard needs little introduction, despite being relatively new compared to some of the other card issuers featured on this list.
There are more than 25,000 financial institutions that issue their branded credit cards, making it a household name with one of the best reputations among credit card companies.
Sign up for the Mastercard Black Card, and you instantly get 2% value on airfare redemptions, a high overall spending limit, and 1.5% cashback.
As well as the luxury card concierge service, travelers can take advantage of the $100 airline credit ownership of the card brings.
There are savings available on luxury travel purchases, and if you’re looking for a credit card that allows you to bring unlimited guests into Priority Pass lounges, it will enable you to do so.
While you certainly don’t need to have Kanye West’s net worth in the bank to get one of these credit cards for yourself, you’ll need a credit score of 670 or higher for your application to be considered.
3. HSBC Premier World Elite Mastercard
Annual Fee: $395
HSBC Premier World Elite Mastercard is available for those who fulfill the credit score requirements and are willing to part with $395 in yearly fees.
This credit card features a variable APR of 14.99% to 18.99% and allows holders to earn up to 50,000 Rewards Bonus Points, worth $750 in airfare if you spend $4,000 in the first three months.
On top of this, holders can get 3X travel points, X Reward Points on any new travel purchases, 2X dining points, and 2X points on new dining purchases.
There are also 1X points on all other purchases, making this one of the more appealing credit cards for those who make regular purchases and want to maximize the benefit of their card.
In order to qualify for the HSBC Premier World Elite Mastercard, you need to have an American HSBC Premier checking account.
Additional benefits include ID theft protection and identity fraud expense reimbursement, as well as tap-and-go contactless payment.
There’s also cell phone protection, with HSBC offering to reimburse up to $800 per claim in the event your phone is damaged or lost.
HSBC is a world leader among credit card companies, and their World Premier Elite Mastercard brings a good selection of perks and benefits for every dollar spent.
2. American Express Centurion Card
Annual Fee: $5,000
The American Express Centurion Card is a credit card for truly high rollers, with an eye-watering annual fee of $5,000.
Signing up for an American Express card not only benefits the cardholder but also helps benefit nonprofit organizations through the American Express charitable donation scheme.
You need to be flush just to open an account with American Express since there’s an initiation fee of $10,000 to gain access to their Centurion credit card.
Once your account is live, there’s no preset spending limit to worry about, while the American Express black card APR equals the prime rate of 25.24%.
Holders should be aware that American Express reserves the right to decline transactions, either based on an assessment of your creditworthiness or if they believe the transaction is fraudulent.
It’s also an invitation-only credit card, and American Express is notoriously tight-lipped regarding its requirements for an invitation.
As such, there isn’t an option to apply for the American Express Centurion Card online, so if you don’t have the right connections getting your hands on one of these credit cards might be difficult.
If you do succeed in passing the stringent requirements American Express has put in place to become a Centurion credit cardholder; you’ll have access to versatile and easy to redeem Membership Rewards.
They also offer personalized customer service, which comes in handy when you’re trying to book a meal in one of the most expensive restaurants in the world.
1. Dubai First Royale Mastercard
Annual Fee: $2,000
The Dubai First Royale Mastercard is a high-end credit card available through invitation only, with no spending limits or other restrictions.
As you’d expect from a credit card named after a city with some of the most expensive hotels in the world, this is a card that only the richest of the rich get to use.
Widely considered the most exclusive card in the world, owners include some of the global elite, with the Dubai and Saudi royal families believed to be among the 200 cardholders using the service.
It’s no surprise that customers have access to a dedicated relationship manager and lifestyle manager for their account, available 24-hours a day to help book tickets for events or arrange trips on private jets.
Since this is invitation only, you’ll need to be approached by Dubai First, and given the low number of overall cardholders, the chances of getting invited are just as slim for the average multi-millionaire as they are for the average person.
Summary
Finding an account opening for one of the most exclusive rewards credit cards isn’t easy, but those lucky enough to do so can enjoy various perks and benefits.
This guide covers the very best black cards available, outlining the rewards you can expect for every dollar spent and other bonuses such as access to their exclusive concierge service.
Here’s a quick recap of the most exclusive black cards in the world:
- Dubai First Royale Mastercard
- American Express Centurion Mastercard
- HSBC Premier World Elite Mastercard
- Luxury Card: Mastercard Black Card
- World Elite Mastercard
- Citi Ultima Mastercard
- Citi AAdvantage Executive World Elite Mastercard
- Coutts Silk Card
