Metal credit cards are a status symbol — here are 4 that you can qualify for with good credit

Before there was a metal card at virtually every price point, there was the invitation-only American Express Centurion Card (aka the "Amex Black Card"), the longest-lived metal card since its release in 1999.

The release of the Amex Black Card kicked off a trend amongst the more expensive premium cards, including The Platinum Card® from American Express, the U.S. Bank Altitude® Reserve Visa Infinite® Card and the Chase Sapphire Reserve®. Now, there are plenty of metal credit cards available, and you don't have to pay a $5,000 annual fee nor have an excellent credit score to qualify.

Below, CNBC Select rounds up four of our top picks for those with a good credit score looking to upgrade their plastic to metal.

The Platinum Card® from American Express is one of the heaviest publicly available cards and is not only heavy in weight — but it also packs a punch in benefits. However, this card is designed for consumers looking for luxury travel and benefits as the card has a steep $695 annual fee. (See rates and fees)

To start off the, card comes with a large welcome offer: you can earn 80,000 Membership Rewards® points after spending $8,000 within six months of card membership.

With the Platinum Card, you'll have a long list of perks, including:

• Up to $200 annual hotel credit (Hotel Collection requires a minimum two-night stay)
• Up to $200 annual airline fee credit
• Up to $300 per calendar year Equinox credit*
• Up to $100 annual Saks Fifth Avenue credit*
• Up to $189 credit to enroll in CLEAR® Plus (subject to auto-renewal)
• $240 Digital Entertainment Credit: Get up to $20 back in statement credits each month on eligible purchases made with your Platinum Card® on one or more of the following: Disney+, a Disney Bundle, ESPN+, Hulu, The New York Times, Peacock, and The Wall Street Journal. Enrollment required.
• Up to $155 annual Walmart+ credit. (Plus Ups not eligible. Subject to auto renewal)
• Worldwide airport lounge access, including Delta SkyClubs and Amex Centurion Lounges
• Enjoy Uber VIP status and up to $200 in Uber savings on rides or eats orders in the US annually. Uber Cash and Uber VIP status is available to Basic Card Member only. Terms Apply.
• Up to $100 fee credit for Global Entry every 4 years or up to $85 TSA PreCheck every 4.5 years
• Automatic hotel elite status with Hilton Honors and Marriott Bonvoy
• Comprehensive travel insurance
• Complimentary Amex concierge service
• Terms apply

*Enrollment required

The Chase Sapphire Preferred Card and the Chase Sapphire Reserve® are both made out of metal. In fact, when the Reserve made its debut in 2016, it was so popular that the card issuer temporarily ran out of metal to make more.

Though the Chase Sapphire Preferred is a bit lighter than its heavy metal counterpart, it's a more affordable metal card option and ranked as Select's best travel credit card with an annual fee under $100. Its $95 annual fee is on the lower end for a popular rewards travel card, and cardholders earn enough benefits to easily offset this cost.

If you would shamelessly enjoy the feeling of throwing down a metal card while traveling or dining out, this card may be for you.

With the Preferred, you can earn 5X points on travel purchased through Chase Travel℠, 3X points on dining, select streaming services and online groceries, 2X points on all other travel purchases, and 1X on all other purchases. New cardholders also benefit from 75,000 bonus points after you spend $4,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening — which gives you ample reasoning to bring it out with you.

If you redeem points for travel or for eligible purchases through the Chase Travel℠, they're worth 25% more, making that welcome bonus worth $937.50 toward travel.

There was a lot of hype around the Apple Card when it launched in August 2019, partly because of the fact that it's almost completely made out of titanium. True to Apple's clean branding, the card has some unique design elements as well. It's laser etched with the cardholder's name and doesn't have a printed credit card number, expiration date or security code.

When it comes to rewards, the Apple Card has a competitive "Daily Cash" cash-back program. Cardholders earn 3% cash back on goods or services purchased directly from Apple, on Uber and Uber Eats, at Walgreens and Duane Reade stores, on the Walgreens app and on walgreens.com, in T-Mobile stores and at Nike. It is then 2% cash back on Apple Pay purchases and 1% cash back on all other purchases.

While there is no welcome bonus for this card, the Apple Card is one of the few credit cards on the market that has no fees whatsoever. There are no annual fees, no foreign transaction fees and no late payment fees.

The Prime Visa ranked as Select's best credit card for online grocery shopping for its high 5% back on purchases at Whole Foods Market or Amazon.com — and there's no limit to how much cash back you can earn. While there is no annual fee, a Prime membership is required ($139 for an annual membership and $14.99 for a monthly membership).

Cardholders also earn unlimited 2% back at gas stations, restaurants, and on local transit and commuting (including rideshare), and 1% back on all other purchases. Upon approval for the card, you'll get a $100 Amazon Gift Card (or more) instantly upon approval exclusively for Prime members.

Metal credit cards can be fun to show off to friends, but it's a better strategy to pick a credit card based on its welcome bonus, spending rewards and other benefits. If you're set on getting a metal credit card, make sure to pick one that matches your spending habits and has a large welcome bonus.

At CNBC Select, our mission is to provide our readers with high-quality service journalism and comprehensive consumer advice so they can make informed decisions with their money. Every credit card review is based on rigorous reporting by our team of expert writers and editors with extensive knowledge of credit card products. While CNBC Select earns a commission from affiliate partners on many offers and links, we create all our content without input from our commercial team or any outside third parties, and we pride ourselves on our journalistic standards and ethics. See our methodology for more information on how we choose the best credit cards.

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Information about the American Express Centurion Card, U.S. Bank Altitude Reserve® Visa Infinite® Card, Prime Visa and Apple Card has been collected independently by Select and has not been reviewed or provided by the issuer of the card prior to publication. If you purchase something through Amazon links, we may earn a commission.

For rates and fees of the Platinum Card® from American Express, click here.