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Credit Cards

The only black card you can actually apply for: A look at the Mastercard Black Card

If you have good or excellent credit, you qualify for this black card.

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There's no doubt that metal credit cards are a status symbol in today's world, but black cards are for cardmembers on a whole different level.

While the exclusive Centurion® Card from American Express, or the "Amex Black Card," and the Chase J.P. Morgan Reserve® are invitation-only black cards, CNBC Select found one that you can actually apply for if you have good or excellent credit and are looking for over-the-top luxury perks.

Below, we break down the rewards, benefits and fees of the Mastercard® Black Card® to help you decide if it's the right card for you.

Mastercard Black Card review

Mastercard® Black Card®

CNBC Select Rating
4.0

On Barclay's site

CNBC Select Rating
4.0

On Barclay's site

Credit score

Good to Excellent670–850

Regular APR

19.74% to 27.74% Variable

Annual fee

$699

Welcome bonus

LIMITED-TIME OFFER: 75K Bonus Points with qualifying account activity.

See rates and fees. Terms apply. The Luxury Card trademarks are property of Barclays Lifestyles LLC. BLACK CARD is a registered trademark used under license. Luxury Card products are issued by Barclays Bank Delaware pursuant to a license from Mastercard International Incorporated, owner of the registered trademarks Mastercard, World Elite Mastercard, and the circles design. All trademarks are the property of their respective owners. © 2026 Barclays Lifestyles LLC. Member FDIC.

The Mastercard Black Card offers solid travel perks and a strong 2% airfare redemption rate. But its steep $699 annual fee and low rewards rates make it hard to justify unless you'll fully use its luxury benefits.

  • 2% value on airfare redemptions
  • 1.5% value on cash-back redemptions
  • 24/7 Luxury Card Concierge and travel perks
  • No fee on purchases made outside the U.S.
  • $699 annual fee
  • Low rewards rate on everyday purchases

Highlights

Highlights shown here are provided by the issuer and have not been reviewed by CNBC Select's editorial staff.

  • LIMITED-TIME OFFER: 75K Bonus Points with qualifying account activity.
  • Earn 2X points on Airfare and Hotel reservations booked through LuxuryCardTravel.com. One point for every one dollar you spend for all other categories, earning points every time you spend.
  • Redeem at 2% value for airfare and 1.5% for cash back. For example, when you redeem 50,000 points you will get $1,000 value for airfare or $750 value in cash back, issued as a direct deposit statement credit.
  • $200 Annual Airline Credit: Receive up to $200 in annual statement credits toward flight-related purchases, including airline tickets, baggage fees, upgrades and more. No enrollment or airline designation required.
  • $100 Annual Dining Credit: Receive up to $100 in annual statement credits when you use your Luxury Card for restaurant transactions. No enrollment, designated restaurant networks or third-party apps required.
  • Receive up to $120 reimbursement credit for a Global Entry or TSA PreCheck®  application fee. Global Entry includes access to TSA PreCheck® with no additional application or fee required.
  • Your time is valuable and Luxury Card Concierge makes life easier. Agents are available to provide you with personal assistance, tailored to your specific request. Concierge can assist with travel planning, dining reservations, everyday tasks such as sending flowers or researching products and services. Available 24/7: Call, email, text, or chat with agents.
  • Enjoy automatic complimentary access to over 1,800 airport lounges. Access includes participating airport restaurants, mini-suites and unlimited visits for yourself as well as your guests.
  • Made of Stainless Steel®: A contactless, patented metal card design that raises the standard.
  • Exclusive Luxury Card Travel® benefits—average value of $750 per stay (e.g., resort credits, room upgrades, free wifi, breakfast for two and more) at over 3,000 properties. Receive protection benefits like trip cancellation and interruption, auto rental car collision waiver, travel accident and baggage delay. Cell phone protection for eligible claims of up to $1,000 each year. Plus additional World Elite Mastercard® benefits.
  • Annual Fee: $699 ($249 for each Authorized User). Terms and conditions apply.

Balance transfer fee

Either $5 or 5% of the amount of each transfer, whichever is greater.

Welcome offer

The Mastercard® Black Card® recently added a welcome bonus when you're approved for the card. You'll earn 75,000 points after spending $6,000 on purchases, plus paying the annual fee in full, both within the first 90 days. With the 2% value on airfare redemptions, this welcome offer is worth $1,500 on flights.

Mastercard Black Card rewards

While the appeal of a black card lies mostly in its travel benefits and concierge services, the Mastercard® Black Card® can still earn you points whenever you spend: 1X point for every dollar.

It's not the most generous rewards program, but your points can carry greater value depending on how you choose to redeem them. Cardmembers earn 1.5% on cash-back redemptions, which can be applied as a statement credit, and 2% on airfare redemptions (with no blackout dates or seat restrictions). This means racking up 50,000 points can get you a $1,000 ticket on an airline of your choice.

Additional benefits

Black cards are known for helping ease the stress of a high-demand lifestyle while filling your days with luxury and enjoyment. Below is a breakdown of just some of the perks you can enjoy with the Mastercard® Black Card®:

  • 24/7 Luxury Card Concierge: Helping busy cardmembers manage their hectic lives, the personal concierge assists with everything from travel bookings to creating once-in-a-lifetime memories. Such experiences listed on Mastercard Black Card's website include assisting a cardmember with proposing on the Jumbotron in New York City's Times Square and arranging an emergency Tylenol delivery in the middle of the night to a cardmember's sick child. 
  • VIP Airport Lounge Access with Priority Pass™ Select: Black cardholders can relax and dine in one of the many complimentary lounges you have access to before your flight with Priority Pass™ Select.
  • Annual Airline Credit: Receive up to $200 in annual statement credits toward flight-related purchases, including airline tickets, baggage fees, upgrades and more. No enrollment or airline designation required.
  • Annual Dining Credit: Receive up to $100 in annual statement credits when you use your Luxury Card for restaurant transactions. No enrollment, designated restaurant networks or third-party apps required.
  • Global Entry & TSA Pre✓® Application Credit: Receive up to $120 reimbursement credit for a Global Entry or TSA PreCheck® application fee. Global Entry includes access to TSA PreCheck®, which means getting through the airport faster than ever after an international trip.
  • Cell phone protection: Coverage for damage and theft.
  • Travel insurance: Covering cardmembers for the unexpected, including baggage delay, travel accidents and trip cancellation.
  • Rideshare: Download the Lyft app and enroll your Luxury Card. Lyft will automatically add a $5 Lyft credit to your account once you take three rides in a month and pay with your Luxury Card. Limit one Lyft credit per calendar month.
  • Mastercard® Priceless®: This perk lets you enjoy exclusive invites to the events you care about most, whether you are passionate about sports, concerts, shopping, culinary experiences or art.

Fees

The Mastercard® Black Card® charges a $699 annual fee, plus $249 for each authorized user.

In comparison, the Chase J.P. Morgan Reserve has a $795 annual fee (Value Penguin reports) and the Centurion Card from American Express has a steep annual fee of $5,000, on top of a one-time initiation fee of $10,000 when you sign up (according to its cardholder agreements).

There is an introductory 0% APR for 15 months on balance transfers that are made within 45 days of account opening. After that, the APR will be 19.74% to 27.74%, based on your creditworthiness and other factors. There is a fee of either $5 or 5% of the amount of each transfer, whichever is greater, for balance transfers.

For those traveling abroad for business or for pleasure, there are no foreign transaction fees.

Is the Mastercard Black Card right for you?

The Mastercard® Black Card® is a great card for those credit cardholders looking to make the most out of life, particularly if you have a high-profile or demanding schedule. Its 24/7 Luxury Card Concierge helps you plan your life so that you can be present for what you care about most.

But not everyone is so busy that they need the help of a black card. While the Mastercard Black Card has a lower annual fee than other elite credit cards, applying for it may not make the most sense for your lifestyle.

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Why trust CNBC Select?

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 article is based on rigorous reporting by our team of expert writers and editors. 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.

Catch up on CNBC Select's in-depth coverage of credit cards, banking and money, and follow us on TikTok, Facebook, Instagram and X to stay up to date.

Information about the Centurion® Card from American Express and the Chase J.P. Morgan Reserve® has been collected independently by CNBC and has not been reviewed or provided by the issuer of the card prior to publication.

Editorial Note: Opinions, analyses, reviews or recommendations expressed in this article are those of the Select editorial staff’s alone, and have not been reviewed, approved or otherwise endorsed by any third party.
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