The Platinum Card® from American Express. The Platinum Card® from American Express is one of the most prestigious cards on the market, with a $695 annual fee to match (Terms Apply.
Why It's One of the Most Exclusive Credit Cards: The most exclusive, prestigious credit card is without a doubt the American Express Centurion Card, otherwise known as the Amex Black Card. That's because it's the most famous.
American Express is special because it is a luxury credit card brand, known for offering elite rewards and having exclusive approval requirements. American Express also is among the country's largest credit card issuers by purchase volume, and it is one of the four major payment networks.
The Platinum Card® from American Express (Terms apply. See rates and fees) originally launched in 1984 with an annual fee of $250—unprecedented at the time. Since then, it has become one of the most popular and sought-after travel rewards cards, as well as a status symbol.
The American Express Centurion Card is the most exclusive credit card in the world and commonly known as the “Amex Black Card.” Launched in 1999, American Express has kept it in a shroud of uncertainty, giving it a very high level of status in the minds of consumers.
According to Weiss, one of the most recommended cards for high-net-worth individuals is The Platinum Card® from American Express . While this card comes with a wide range of perks that make it seem too good to be true, it also comes with an annual fee of $695 (See Rates), which is higher than most other credit cards.
Why it's one of the hardest credit cards to get: The hardest credit card to get is the American Express Centurion Card. Known simply as the “Black Card,” you need an invitation to get Amex Centurion.
2020 Nilson Report claims that American Express is now accepted at 10.6 million merchants in the United States, equating to a 99% acceptance rate.
Getting approved for the American Express Platinum is like any new credit card application. You have better chances with a credit score above 700, a clean credit history, and a low debt-to-income ratio. If you think you might have to work on these factors, take the time to improve your credit to enjoy the benefits.
What Is the Spending Limit on the American Express Black Card? There is no spending limit with the Amex Black Card. However, balances must be paid off in full every month.
Drawbacks of American Express include the notorious annual fees. Although an annual fee is almost expected, the actual fee itself varies.
It's generally harder to get an American Express card than it is to get a credit card from many other major issuers simply because all of Amex's credit card offers require good or excellent credit for approval.
Winner: Visa
In fact, Visa is one of the most accepted payment networks in the world. American Express is accepted by 99% of the merchants that accept credit cards, but it's still not as widely accepted as Visa. American Express has long charged higher credit card processing fees than other payment networks.
But we have it on good authority that celebrities including Beyoncé, Oprah Winfrey, and Jerry Seinfeld, who reportedly received the first-ever Black Card, all carry it. Collectively there are thought to be fewer than 20,000 AmEx Centurion cardholders around the world.
While there is no set score needed, we recommend you have a credit score of at least 720, 2 years of clean credit history, and an income of at least $50,000 per year to apply for the Amex Platinum card.
American Express does not disclose a specific income requirement, but it will need to be enough to make payments on the card and to afford the $250 annual fee.
Amex Platinum ultimately offers more value, though. For example, its benefits include airport lounge access, while the Amex Gold Card's perks do not. When it comes to ongoing rewards on purchases, Amex Platinum has a higher maximum earning rate and better travel rewards. But Amex Gold provides more everyday value.
Why Isn't American Express Accepted Everywhere? If you have an American Express card, then you may have visited merchants who accept other credit cards, but not your Amex. The reason has to do with the interchange fees charged by the credit card payment networks such as Visa, Mastercard, Discover and American Express.
Amazon Pay accepts the following payment methods: Credit card currently accepted include Visa, MasterCard, and American Express. Debit card currently accepted include Visa Electron, Delta, and Maestro.
Why can't every store accept American Express cards? The answer is simple: stores want more money in their pockets. American Express charges stores, or merchants, higher fees than other credit card networks like Visa, Mastercard, and Discover.
Stars Love Amex, But Not The “Black Card”: 19 of the 27 celebrity wallets we examined contain an American Express credit card. The Amex Green Card and the Gold Rewards Business Card are the most popular, by far.
According to the score ranges from FICO, that means American Express applicants typically have at least a 670 score: Exceptional. 800 and above.
Mastercard, Visa, and Discover are top rivals of American Express.