The American Express Centurion Card, also known as the Black Card, is the most exclusive credit card on the market. To apply, you need to receive an invitation from the card issuer — and to say the requirements are steep is an understatement.There are business and personal versions of the Centurion Card, each of which comes with an astounding annual fee and an even more costly initiation fee. And because of the cards’ invite-only status, you’ll need to be willing to spend big just for a chance to own the card.American Express keeps a tight lid on the card’s details and declined to comment on this story. But based on anecdotes from cardholders and online reports, here’s what we know about this card.American Express offers some of the most premium credit cards on the market, but the Black Card takes the cake. You can only apply for the card if you receive an invitation from the card issuer. Prospective cardholders were previously able to request consideration on the Centurion site, though that option has since been removed.The card issuer doesn’t disclose the criteria it considers to extend an invitation, but online reports suggest you need to spend anywhere between $200,000 and $1 million a year on American Express credit cards.You also typically need excellent credit, with some reporting a minimum score of 800.The Amex Centurion Card offers a lot of value, but its eye-watering fees make it clear that its biggest benefit is prestige.If you’re invited to apply and you accept, the card issuer charges a $10,000 initiation fee to become a Centurion member. On top of that, the card charges a $5,000 annual fee.You can add authorized users to your Centurion account, too, but those extra cards come with the same $5,000 annual fee as your initial card.There’s no preset spending limit and you generally need to pay your balance in full each month. As with other Amex cards, some purchases may be eligible for the Pay Over Time feature, which offers you more time to pay off the purchase with interest.Read more:How does credit card interest work?Despite the large sums many Centurion cardholders spend, rewards are not this card’s greatest feature. There’s no welcome bonus or intro offer, and everyday purchases will net you just 1 point per dollar.One way you can earn bonus Membership Rewards points is through large purchases. It’s unclear if bonus rewards extend to personal cardmembers, but Business Centurion cardholders will earn a bonus 1.5x points per dollar (up to spending caps) on eligible purchases of $5,000 or more.If you’re looking to maximize your spending with Membership Rewards, you’ll get a much better value across categories with the American Express® Gold Card or The Platinum Card® from American Express. Even if you can score a Centurion Card invite, pairing your Black Card with these higher-earning Amex options can be a smart way to make the most of your spending — then pool the points you earn to take advantage of the Centurion’s t
Ven. Gen 10th, 2025
