This luxury travel card comes with a high annual fee but a low rewards rate. Apr 23, 2025 / 12 min.
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The Luxury Black Card, which is also called the Mastercard Black Card, is an extremely exclusive credit card for wealthy people. With perks like access to airport lounges, travel credits, and concierge service, the Black Card is great for high-class travel and living. However, the $495 annual fee is very expensive. As you might expect from such a high-end credit card, the Luxury Black Card has strict requirements for who can get it, especially when it comes to credit. The Luxury Black Card is very popular. What credit score do you need to get it?
Overview of the Luxury Black Card
Let’s start with a quick rundown of the Luxury Black Card and its key features
- $495 annual fee
- Made of metal with a weighty 22-gram feel
- 1 point per $1 spent on all purchases
- Points worth 1.5 cents each as statement credits or 2 cents each when redeemed for airfare
- 0% intro APR on balance transfers for 15 months
- Travel perks like $100 annual airline credit, airport lounge access, and luxury hotel upgrades
The Luxury Black Card doesn’t offer great rewards rates, but its travel and luxury perks are meant to make up for the high annual fee for people who travel a lot. However, as you’ll see, earning approval requires pristine credit.
What is the Minimum Credit Score for the Luxury Black Card?
The recommended minimum credit score to get approved for the Luxury Black Card is:
740 credit score
The lender says you need at least a “good” credit score. This generally corresponds to a minimum FICO score of 670. A much higher credit score is expected, though, according to reports from applicants. Most people who were given the Black Card had FICO scores of 740 or higher.
A 740 credit score is toward the top of the good credit range. Having a score in the good credit tier usually suggests a positive credit history with few missed payments and a moderate use of available credit. However, excellent credit—a 740 score or higher—is ideal for luxury cards with high annual fees.
What Credit Score Gets You Automatically Approved?
While there are no guarantees with credit card approvals, you should be automatically approved for the Luxury Black Card if you have:
800+ credit score
Real applicants said that getting approved right away was common when they had an 800 FICO score.
A credit score over 800 falls into the “exceptional” credit range. This suggests a spotless credit history with no late payments, a low credit utilization rate, a significant history of managing credit, and a mix of credit types. If you have exceptionally high credit, you’re nearly guaranteed approval for this premium card.
Other Requirements for the Luxury Black Card
In addition to a very good credit score, other eligibility requirements must be met:
- Minimum annual income of $200,000
- At least 21 years old
- No recent bankruptcies
- FICO Bankcard Score 8 model may be used in review
- Must meet bank’s creditworthiness criteria
The Luxury Card company also emphasizes that black metal card is NOT the famous Centurion Card from American Express, which is invitation-only. The Mastercard Black Card has no special invitation requirement.
How to Check If You Meet the Credit Score Requirement
Wondering if your credit score makes the cut for the Luxury Black Card? Here are some options to check your score for free:
-
Check your credit score through Credit Karma. This provides a VantageScore based on TransUnion data.
-
Use the free credit score available through your credit card company. For example, Discover provides free FICO scores.
-
Review the credit report summary on Bankrate, which includes a credit score range estimate.
Keep in mind these scores may differ somewhat from your FICO Bankcard 8 score that the issuer will review. But checking them can give you a good idea of whether you meet the 740+ credit score recommendation. If your free scores are significantly under 740, the Black Card is likely out of reach for now.
How to Improve Your Chances of Approval
If your credit score falls a bit short of 740, take steps to boost it before applying for the Luxury Black Card or other premium rewards cards:
- Pay down balances to decrease credit utilization
- Avoid new credit applications in the short term
- Pay all bills on time to have a perfect payment history
- Verify your credit reports and dispute any errors
- Become an authorized user on a spouse or family member’s old account
With diligent credit management, you can build your score into the “exceptional” range—and enjoy your pick of top rewards credit cards.
Alternatives If You Don’t Qualify for the Luxury Black Card
If the Black Card’s lofty credit score requirement disqualifies you, consider one of these premium travel cards instead:
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Chase Sapphire Reserve®: Great travel rewards and perks with a 740 minimum credit score
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Capital One Venture X: Valuable annual travel credit and airport lounge access; recommended 670 minimum credit score
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American Express® Gold Card: Strong rewards multipliers and $250 annual airline fee credit; no official minimum credit score
The bottom line: While the metal-crafted Luxury Black Card has undeniable appeal, its astronomical credit requirements put it out of reach for many. But with a high 700s credit score, you can qualify for plenty of premium travel cards with generous rewards and benefits.
Summary: What Credit Score You Need for the Luxury Black Card
The Mastercard Black Card offers luxury perks and a metal build for high-spending travelers. But its $495 annual fee and strict eligibility make it unattainable for most. You should have an exceptional credit score of 740 or higher for the best approval odds. A score over 800 will nearly guarantee instant approval. If your score falls short, focus on credit building and apply for a premium card like the Sapphire Reserve, Capital One Venture X, or Amex Gold instead. With responsible credit use over time, a pristine credit score—and the Luxury Black Card—could be within reach.
Rewards: Low rate for a luxury travel card
You might expect a luxury card to have a superior rewards program. But the Mastercard Black earns rewards at a remarkably low flat rate for a card in its class: For every $1 you spend on purchases, you will earn 1 point. You can stretch your points’ value by redeeming them for cash back at a flat rate of 1. 5 percent or by redeeming them through the Luxury Card rewards site, where you can book airline travel and increase the rewards value to 2 cents per point. This actually surpasses the value offered by most travel cards.
However, even though you can get double the redemption value for airfare, this is unlikely to be enough to compensate for the card’s low rewards rate. Many top flat-rate travel and cash back cards offer higher rates and better value. You could fare even better with a tiered rewards card. Cards like the no-annual-fee Bilt Mastercard® earn elevated rewards for dining and travel, as well as a flat rate on rent. Also, according to Bankrates latest valuation, Bilt reward points are worth on average 2. 1 cents when redeemed with the right transfer partner, even more than the Mastercard Black’s points.
How the Mastercard Black compares to other travel cards
Even though the Mastercard Black Card is a luxury card, we compared it to other premium travel cards because it has a lot of travel benefits and is therefore similar to a travel credit card. Plus, unlike most luxury cards, you can apply for it rather than receiving an invitation.
1 point for every $1 spent on all purchases (2% value for Airfare Redemptions & 1. 5% value for Cash Back Redemptions).
A FICO score/credit score is used to represent the creditworthiness of a person and may be one indicator to the credit type you are eligible for. However, credit score alone does not guarantee or imply approval for any financial product.
Earn 60,000 bonus points after you spend $5,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening.
5x on travel purchased through Chase Travel℠. 3x on dining, select streaming services and online groceries. 2x on all other travel purchases. 1x on all other purchases.
A FICO score/credit score is used to represent the creditworthiness of a person and may be one indicator to the credit type you are eligible for. However, credit score alone does not guarantee or imply approval for any financial product.
You’ll get 60,000 Membership Rewards® points when you use your new card to buy things that qualify in the first six months.
Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on purchases at restaurants worldwide, on up to $50,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year. Get 4 Membership Rewards® points for every dollar you spend at US supermarkets up to $25,000 per year. After that, you’ll only get 1 point for every dollar you spend for the rest of the year. Earn 3X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on flights booked directly with airlines or on AmexTravel. com. Earn 2X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on prepaid hotels and other eligible purchases booked on AmexTravel. com. Earn 1X Membership Rewards® point per dollar spent on all other eligible purchases.
A FICO score/credit score is used to represent the creditworthiness of a person and may be one indicator to the credit type you are eligible for. However, credit score alone does not guarantee or imply approval for any financial product.
- The Chase Sapphire Preferred has a fairly low annual fee and gives bonus points for dining out, streaming services, online grocery shopping, Lyft rideshare, and travel. Unlike the Mastercard Black Card, the rewards and annual hotel credit make it easy to cover the fee. The Sapphire Preferred doesn’t offer a introductory APR on purchases or balance transfers, and it doesn’t come with any extras like access to lounges. It does, however, come with a good welcome offer and bonus points for every anniversary of your account. The Sapphire Preferred card might be better for you if you like getting rewards right away, don’t mind paying a small annual fee, and don’t need any extras. The Chase Sapphire Preferred has a fairly low annual fee and gives bonus points for dining out, streaming services, online grocery shopping, Lyft rideshare, and travel. Unlike the Mastercard Black Card, the rewards and annual hotel credit make it easy to cover the fee. The Sapphire Preferred doesn’t offer a introductory APR on purchases or balance transfers, and it doesn’t come with any extras like access to lounges. It does, however, come with a good welcome offer and bonus points for every anniversary of your account. The Sapphire Preferred card might be better for you if you like getting rewards right away, don’t mind paying a small annual fee, and don’t need any extras.
- In almost every way, the American Express Gold Card is a better travel card than the Mastercard Black Card. This is true whether you’re going on a business trip or a vacation. After spending $50,000 in a year, the Amex Gold earns 4X Membership Rewards points on purchases made at restaurants around the world. After that, the points are worth 1X for the rest of the year. S. stores, on purchases of up to $25,000 per year (after that, 1X points for the rest of the year). Plus, you get three times as many points when you book flights through Amex Travel or directly with the airline. Also, the annual fee is $325 less, and there is a great welcome offer. When used to book flights through Amex Travel, each Amex point is worth one cent. However, Bankrate thinks that each Amex point is worth about two dollars. each for about 0 cents if you redeem them with a high-value travel transfer partner This makes Amex points worth about the same as Mastercard Black points while giving you about four times as many points for some purchases. There are great rewards rates on the Amex Gold, and there are also many travel benefits and other benefits for cardholders that, if used, can easily cover the annual fee. The American Express Gold Card is a better travel card than the Mastercard Black Card in almost every way. Take it with you on trips, whether they’re fancy vacations or short stays. After spending $50,000 in a year, the Amex Gold earns 4X Membership Rewards points on purchases made at restaurants around the world. After that, the points are worth 1X for the rest of the year. S. stores, on purchases of up to $25,000 per year (after that, 1X points for the rest of the year). Plus, you get three times as many points when you book flights through Amex Travel or directly with the airline. Also, the annual fee is $325 less, and there is a great welcome offer. When used to book flights through Amex Travel, each Amex point is worth one cent. However, Bankrate thinks that each Amex point is worth about two dollars. each for about 0 cents if you redeem them with a high-value travel transfer partner This makes Amex points worth about the same as Mastercard Black points while giving you about four times as many points for some purchases. There are great rewards rates on the Amex Gold, and there are also many travel benefits and other benefits for cardholders that, if used, can easily cover the annual fee.
Mastercard Luxury Black Card: Why Billionaires Love it? (Full Review)
FAQ
What is the credit limit on the luxury black card?
If you match with this card or one like it, the average credit limit is $14,444, and the most common limit is $5,000.
What credit score to get a black card?
Regardless, you should expect to need an excellent credit score (scores of 800 and above) to qualify for a black card.
Who qualifies for the Black Card?
“Black cards,” which are high-end credit cards like the American Express Centurion Card that can only be obtained by invitation, are usually only given to the very rich. Some of the things that are needed to qualify are usually good credit, a lot of spending on other cards, and a large net worth. While specific requirements are not publicly disclosed, it’s generally understood that invitation-only black cards like the Centurion require high spending on other Amex cards, often in the six-figure range annually.
What is the rarest black credit card?
Centurion Card. The American Express Centurion Card, colloquially known as the Black Card, is a charge card issued by American Express. It is reserved for the company’s wealthiest clients who meet certain net worth, credit quality, and spending requirements on its gateway card, the Platinum Card.