How to Get the Mysterious Black Card from Amex

For years, American Express ran a series of “membership has its privileges” commercials, which were intended to show potential cardholders the benefits of having one of its cards in your wallet. As much as the company likes to advertise and use celebrity endorsements, American Express keeps most details about its mysterious “black card” hidden from the general public.

Urban Legends Make the Black Credit Card Real

On one episode of the television sitcom “Frasier,” Niles Crane and his radio psychologist brother kept trying to reach the most exclusive levels of a new local day spa, which had became the stuff of legend among Seattle’s movers and shakers. Frasier and Niles would not be satisfied until they were eligible for every perk the spa had to offer.

American Express credit cards have always had the same allure as that Seattle spa, so much so that rumors about an ultra-elite American Express credit card began circulating during the 1980s. Waving that piece of black plastic around allegedly could give the über-rich unlimited access to secret floors at major department stores and tickets to sold-out concerts.

The mystique surrounding the American Express black credit card became so great, in fact, that the myth finally became reality. In 1999, the company unveiled its new Centurion card, according to the marketing blog Branding Strategy Insider. Named in honor of the company’s corporate logo, American Express made the black credit card so exclusive that only a select few are invited to apply for one.

Benefits of the Black Credit Card

A call to the American Express media relations department about the Centurion card was not returned, but a few hours of Web surfing uncovered some fairly consistent details:

• The black credit card is made of anodized titanium, according to AdSavvy.org, which makes it heavier than the average credit card.
• Unlike other American Express products, you have to be invited by the company to apply for the black credit card. To even be considered for membership, you must have a near-perfect credit history and spend at least $250,000 per year on an existing American Express Platinum or Gold card.
• American Express charges a one-time membership fee of $5,000 for the black credit card, followed by an annual fee of $2,500, according to BlackCardSource.com. You also have to have the financial credentials to show that you can afford to spend a quarter of a million dollars each year.

Besides the prestige of carrying a titanium card in your wallet, American Express offers several benefits and perks for those who carry the black credit card, according to BlackCardSource.com, including:

• A personal concierge and travel agent. The company offers similar benefits to American Express Platinum cardholders, but these personal assistants are reportedly the best of the best customer service agents in the company.
• Automatic first-class upgrades and companion seats on several airlines.
• Personal shoppers at the finest stores in the world.
• After-hours access to shops.
• Membership points that can be redeemed at upscale merchants.
• Thank-you gifts from American Express such as digital cameras and expensive gift cards.

Keeping Company with the Centurion

Despite its exclusive nature, the American Express black credit card has become a part of popular culture. Britney Spears casually mentioned giving it to her then-husband Kevin Federline in 2006. Singer Kanye West even refers to it as “African American Express” in his song “Last Call.”

The American Express black credit card is only one of several credit cards for those with impressive financial resources. Competitors also offer exclusive black cards, but few can achieve the aura that surrounds the Centurion card.

Steven Bryan