Do You Want a Black Credit Card?

There are a couple of black colored credit cards that some people refer to as "high roller" cards. These are the most elite of credit cards and stand in a class of their own. The best known of these is probably the American Express Centurion Card. This is the original "black card."

Technically, the Centurion Card is not a credit card. It is actually a "charge card" and users are expected to pay off the balance each month. There is a one-time activation fee of $5,000 and an annual fee of $2,500. There are no spending limits and many exclusive benefits come with the Centurion card.

The application for the Centurion card is by invitation only. If you want to hold a Centurion Card, you must first have an American Express Platinum card, and have spent at least $250,000 on the card in the past twelve months. The Centurion card is so exclusive, that even the website is designed to be cryptic and vague for outsiders.

A less costly alternative to the Centurion card is the Visa Black Card. It is designed to compete with the other black card. The Visa Black Card is a traditional credit card with an annual fee of $495. While the annual fee is much less than the Centurion card, it is still pretty steep for most people.

Visa Black Card users can choose to receive a 1 percent cash back return or airline points. The Visa Black card offers some exclusive benefits and perks such as access to over 600 airport lounges worldwide and luxury gifts for special occasions. The card provides a 24-hour concierge service that is ready assist with personal, business and travel needs and accommodations. They can help with finding the perfect gift, the perfect room, or even make dining reservations at exclusive restaurants.

The Black Card is issued by Barclay's Bank of Delaware, and limits the number of members that it accepts. Personally, I carry a U.S. Airways Dividend Miles MasterCard that is also issued by Barclay's Bank of Delaware. I can attest that their customer service is pretty good (for a credit card company, that is).

So there you have it. Are you willing to pay the annual fee for these exclusive extra bonuses?