3 Steps to Getting Your Hands on an Amex Black Card
KEY POINTS
- An Amex Black Card is a very elite card.
- You must be invited to open an Amex Black Card.
- You need to spend a lot of money on a regular Amex card in order to be considered for an invite.
When you want to open a new credit card, you can usually just go to the card issuer's website and apply. That's not the case for the Centurion Card, though.
The Centurion Card, better known as the Black Card, is offered by American Express. It comes with a $10,000 initial fee, a $5,000 annual fee, and a long list of enviable cardholder perks that include exclusive travel opportunities, concierge services, invitation-only events, and more.
This card is available by invitation only, though, and it is perhaps the most exclusive credit card in existence. So, if you want one in your wallet, what exactly would you have to do to get it? Here are the details.
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1. Sign up for an Amex card
The Centurion Card is open only to people with an existing American Express card. So, if you're hoping to become a Black Card owner, you'll need to sign up for another Amex card first to have a chance at getting an invite.
On American Express' Secure Website.
Terms apply
= Best
= Excellent
= Good
= Fair
= Poor
= Best
= Excellent
= Good
= Fair
= Poor
On American Express' Secure Website.
Terms apply
Good/Excellent (670-850)
Intro APR
Purchases: 0%, 15 months
Balance Transfers: 0%, 15 months
Regular APR
19.24%-29.99% Variable
Rewards 3% Cash Back at U.S. supermarkets on up to $6,000 per year in purchases, then 1%. 3% Cash Back on U.S. online retail purchases, on up to $6,000 per year, then 1%. 3% Cash Back at U.S. gas stations, on up to $6,000 per year, then 1%. Cash Back is received in the form of Reward Dollars that can be redeemed as a statement credit or at Amazon.com checkout.
1%-3% cash back
Annual Fee
$0
Welcome Offer Earn a $200 statement credit after you spend $2,000 in purchases on your new Card within the first 6 months.
$200
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If gas and groceries are big line items in your budget, don't miss this card. You won't pay an annual fee, and you can earn a generous 3% cash back at supermarkets, online retail purchases, and gas stations in the U.S., on up to $6,000 per year, per category. A 0% APR intro offer lasting 15 months and a $200 welcome bonus for a $2,000 spend inside of 6 months (terms apply) round out the perks on this Amex.
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- U.S. supermarkets and online retail rewards
- U.S. gas stations cash back
- Big welcome offer
- No annual fee (see rates and fees)
- Foreign transaction fee
- High spend requirement for welcome offer
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- Earn a $200 statement credit after you spend $2,000 in purchases on your new Card within the first 6 months.
- No Annual Fee.
- Balance Transfer is back! Enjoy 0% intro APR on purchases and balance transfers for 15 months from the date of account opening. After that, 19.24% to 29.99% variable APR.
- 3% Cash Back at U.S. supermarkets on up to $6,000 per year in purchases, then 1%.
- 3% Cash Back on U.S. online retail purchases, on up to $6,000 per year, then 1%.
- 3% Cash Back at U.S. gas stations, on up to $6,000 per year, then 1%.
- Cash Back is received in the form of Reward Dollars that can be redeemed as a statement credit or at Amazon.com checkout.
- Thinking about getting the Disney Bundle which can include Disney+, Hulu, and ESPN+? Your decision made easy with $7/month back in the form of a statement credit after you spend $9.99 or more each month on an eligible subscription (subject to auto renewal) with your Blue Cash Everyday® Card. Enrollment required.
- Enjoy up to $15 back per month when you purchase a Home Chef meal kit subscription (subject to auto renewal) with your enrolled Blue Cash Everyday® Card.
- Terms Apply.
Fortunately, there are plenty of great American Express cards to choose from. Many of them come with some impressive benefits in their own right, even if they fall short of the special cardholder perks and services the Centurion Card provides.
The Platinum Card® from American Express, for example, charges a $695 annual fee (see rates and fees). That's a lot, but the card comes with access to a whole selection of airport lounges, a $200 airline fee credit on a qualifying airline, and statement credits for spending on UberEats, Walmart+, and Saks -- among other benefits. Terms apply; enrollment may be required.
Other, cheaper options include the Amex Blue Cash Everyday, which comes with no annual fee at all (see rates and fees), and the Amex Gold Card, which offers bonus rewards at restaurants and supermarkets, making it ideal for foodies. Terms apply.
2. Charge a lot of money on your card each year
Once you have your American Express card, it's time to start using it. And you'll need to use it a lot if getting a Black Card is your goal. That's because the Centurion Card is for big spenders only.
American Express does not provide details on exactly how much you must spend to get an invitation for the Centurion Card. However, by all accounts it's a lot of money. There are numerous online reports suggesting you need to spend a minimum of $250,000 -- perhaps even $500,000 or more -- across your Amex cards in order to be considered.
3. Request an invitation
Centurion provides a form online that you can complete in order to request that Amex consider you for an invite to the Black Card. Submitting the form doesn't guarantee that you will be invited, though. It's at Amex's discretion.
To be considered, you'll need to provide details about your current American Express card. Unfortunately, even if Amex looks at your card history and sees you've spent more than enough to qualify for the Centurion Card, this doesn't guarantee you an invite. American Express is selective about who carries a Black Card, and simply meeting minimum spending thresholds isn't going to guarantee you access.
Still, requesting an invitation gives you a chance to ask Amex to consider you -- and if you have the criteria the issuer is looking for, then it may decide to respond favorably to your request.
If you do get to sign up, be prepared to open your bank account to pay the initiation and annual fee, and additional fees for authorized users if you want to add them. While the costs of the card are high, chances are if you meet the requirements to qualify for the card, you can afford them.
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For rates and fees for the The Platinum Card® from American Express, click here
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