Visa Black Card vs. Centurion vs. Platinum

Over the past decade, a number of luxury credit cards have come onto the market. But which one is best? That’s the million dollar question. The message board on Credit Card Forum has been buzzing with ongoing debates as to which one is best. Many prefer the American Express Platinum or Gold as their charge card of choice. However, for those desiring the next level prestige, black cards have become the new platinum. And the latest card to hit the market is the Visa Black Card issued by Barclays. It is reserved for only 1% of the American population and comes with an array of luxury benefits not seen on your typical card.

The Visa Black credit card competes with the Citi Chairman, Natwest Black, and the Amex Platinum and Centurion cards. All are cards targeted at individuals that have a high net worth, income, and most of all, a big appetite for spending. Each of them carry an annual fee, ranging in the hundreds of dollars to the thousands. The great thing about the new Visa Black card is that it’s annual fee is relatively low for this class of cards, being $495. Compare this to the American Express Centurion, which carries an annual fee for new cardmembers of $2,500 annually, plus a one-time $5,000 initiation fee. Of course the benefits differ between the cards, but they still do offer a number of overlapping benefits, such as Priority Pass, which gives you access to airport lounges across the globe. They also both come with various built-in insurance programs, such as travel insurance and auto rental coverage.

However not just anyone can qualify for these cards. With the Amex Centurion, a person must have been an Amex cardmember for over a year and spent at least $250,000 on their card. The requirements for the Visa Black card aren’t as strict, but they still require you to be a US resident and a stellar credit history.

Whatever black credit card you prefer, one thing is for sure… these cards give you the ultimate spending power, as well as the prestige that comes along with them. Many say the hotels and restaurants treat them better when they see they have “high-roller” cards. But in all fairness, the American Express Platinum Card benefits are nothing to sneeze at either. Although it may “only” be a Platinum card, it offers a number of perks which rival its black counterparts. In fact, unless you are a very frequent traveler, it is said that the Gold or Platinum, with annual fees of $125 and $450 respectfully, are considered better values for the large majority of people.