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How Does LendingTree Get Paid?

LendingTree is compensated by companies on this site and this compensation may impact how and where offers appear on this site (such as the order). LendingTree does not include all lenders, savings products, or loan options available in the marketplace.
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American Express Disclosure
Terms apply to American Express benefits and offers. Visit americanexpress.com to learn more.

American Express Disclosure

Terms apply to American Express benefits and offers. Visit americanexpress.com to learn more.

Mastercard® Black Card™ Review

Updated on:
Content was accurate at the time of publication.
LendingTree's Review

How LendingTree Rates Credit Cards?

Our experts rate credit cards based on several factors including card benefits, bonus offers and independent research. Credit card issuers do not influence or have a say in our card ratings. Read our credit card methodology here.
3.5
Mastercard<sup>®</sup> Black Card™
Balance Transfer Intro Rate
0% introductory APR for the first fifteen billing cycles following each balance transfer that posts to your account within 45 days of account opening. After that, (and for balance transfers that do not post within 45 days of account opening) the APR will be 20.74% to 28.74%, based on your creditworthiness. There is a fee for balance transfers.
Rewards Rate
2% value for airfare redemptions with no blackout dates or seat restrictions. 1.5% value for cash back redemptions. Earn one point for every one dollar spent.
Extra Perks
Up to a $120 application fee credit for the cost of TSA Pre✓® or Global Entry. Also, enjoy automatic enrollment in Priority Pass™ Select with access to 1,500+ airport lounges worldwide with no guest or lounge limits. Includes credits at select airport restaurants for cardholder and one guest.
Editorial Note: The content of this article is based on the author’s opinions and recommendations alone. It was not reviewed, approved or otherwise endorsed by the credit card issuer. This site may be compensated through a credit card issuer partnership.

Key Takeaway

If you want the prestige that comes with carrying a black, metal premium travel card, the Mastercard® Black Card™ can get you close. But because it lacks some valuable benefits offered by other luxury cards as well as the rewards earning potential needed to justify its high annual fee, there are better options available.

Is the Mastercard® Black Card™ worth it?

If you want a top-of-the-line travel rewards card with benefits such as a 24/7 concierge service, airport lounge access, including an airport meet-and-assist program, plus a credit for Global Entry or TSA PreCheck, the Mastercard® Black Card™ might be right for you.

This is the middle tier of the three Luxury Cards issued by Barclays. The Mastercard® Black Card™ offers more benefits (for a more expensive annual fee) than the Mastercard® Titanium Card™, but doesn’t quite break the bank like the Mastercard® Gold Card™.

The Mastercard® Black Card™ also comes with some physical heft to match its perks. It weighs in at 22 grams and is made of a black-PVD-coated metal. PVD stands for Physical Vapor Deposition, and to put it simply, involves metal being vaporized in a vacuum chamber. Pulling a card covered with vaporized metal out of your wallet is sure to be a conversation starter.

However, this card falls short in some areas compared with other luxury travel cards, such as its low earning rate and not being able to transfer points to airline and hotel partners. Unless you really want the high-end travel benefits like the concierge services, you might be better off with The Platinum Card® from American Express or Chase Sapphire Reserve®.

Quick facts

    • Ideal for those seeking a top-of-wallet premium card with straightforward rewards and exceptional service. Cardholders can avoid juggling various cards and monthly statements while benefiting from travel perks and enhanced protection that exceeds standard credit cards.
    • Offers a flat-rate redemption value of 1.5% for cash back or 2% value for airfare redemption with no airline or seat restrictions and no blackout dates. Cardholders earn one point for every dollar spent. Point redemption is simple, without requiring a complex reward strategy. The card features no foreign transaction fees, no earning caps, no rotating categories, and eliminates the need to pursue transfer partners to maximize point values.
    • Annual Airline Credit—up to $100 in statement credits toward flight-related purchases including airline tickets, baggage fees, upgrades and more. Cardholders simply pay for airline purchases with their Mastercard Black Card and the credit is automatically applied to their account. There's no need to activate or designate an airline. The full credit amount is available at the start of the calendar year.
    • Up to a $120 application fee credit for the cost of TSA Pre✓® or Global Entry. Also, enjoy automatic enrollment in Priority Pass™ Select with access to 1,500+ airport lounges worldwide with no guest or lounge limits. Includes credits at select airport restaurants for cardholder and one guest.
    • 24/7 Luxury Card Concierge®—Make requests the way you want by phone, email, SMS and chat in the app. Connect directly with a real agent and receive 24/7 assistance for tasks big and small. Requests do not require a purchase, incur no charge for making them, and do not involve department transfers.
    • Exclusive Luxury Card Travel® benefits—average value of $500 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.
    • Black PVD-Coated Metal Card: Weighing in at an industry-leading 22g. Designed for frequent shoppers, big ticket purchases and everything in between.
    • Annual Fee: $495 ($195 for each Authorized User). Terms and conditions apply
  • Recommended Credit
    Credit scores ranges may vary. Your individual chance at approval may vary due to factors such as creditors using a particular variation at their discretion
  • 720 850
    Excellent
  • Foreign transaction fees: 0% of each transaction in U.S. dollars.
  • Trip cancellation and interruption coverage
  • Auto rental collision waiver
  • Travel accident insurance
  • Baggage delay insurance
  • Travel assistance
  • Mastercard ID Theft Protection™
  • Cellphone protection

Intro Purchase APR

N/A

Regular Purchase APR

20.74% to 28.74%

Intro BT APR

0% introductory APR for the first fifteen billing cycles following each balance transfer that posts to your account within 45 days of account opening.

Regular BT APR

After that, (and for balance transfers that do not post within 45 days of account opening) the APR will be 20.74% to 28.74%, based on your creditworthiness. There is a fee for balance transfers.

Annual Fee

$495 ($195 for each Authorized User added to the account)

Cash Advance Fee

Either $10 or 5% of the amount of each cash advance, whichever is greater.

Foreign Transaction Fee

0% of each transaction in U.S. dollars.

Balance Transfer Fee

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

Pros and cons

  • Airport lounge access
  • Valuable travel credits
  • Luxury card concierge services
  • Intro APR on balance transfers
  • No foreign transaction fees
  • Low rewards earning rate
  • No sign-up bonus
  • Can’t transfer points to partners
  • Pricey annual fee
  • No intro APR on purchases

What we like about the Mastercard® Black Card™

  • Airport lounge access

    Perhaps one of the best features offered by this card is complimentary Priority Pass™ Select membership — which allows for unlimited visits for you and your guests to airport lounges in hundreds of cities worldwide.

    Without the complimentary benefit, standard Priority Pass membership plans start at $99 per year, and charge $35 per member visit and $35 per guest visit. The top-tier plan costs $469 per year, with unlimited free member visits and guest passes for $35 each.

  • Valuable travel credits

    The Mastercard® Black Card™ offers the following travel credits, which can help offset the card’s annual fee:

    • Annual airline credit. Get up to $100 in annual air travel credit as reimbursement for airline tickets, baggage fees, upgrades and other flight-related purchases.
    • Global Entry and TSA PreCheck application fee credit. Receive a statement credit to cover the $120 Global Entry application fee or the $85 TSA PreCheck application fee every five years.

  • Luxury card concierge service

    You can access a Luxury concierge rep 24/7 via live chat, phone or email for help with everything from travel bookings to dinner reservations to sourcing high-demand products. Some of the situations concierge representatives have helped cardholders with in the past include rescuing jewelry left in a hotel room, researching school districts ahead of a move and arranging for a late-night delivery of Tylenol for a sick child. Access the concierge via live chat, phone or email.

  • Intro APR on balance transfers

    If you have a large amount of existing high-interest credit card debt, you can transfer it to the Mastercard® Black Card™ without incurring interest charges for more than a year. The card offers a 0% introductory APR for the first fifteen billing cycles following each balance transfer that posts to your account within 45 days of account opening. After that, (and for balance transfers that do not post within 45 days of account opening) the APR will be 20.74% to 28.74%, based on your creditworthiness. There is a fee for balance transfers. You’ll be charged either $5 or 5% of the amount of each transfer, whichever is greater.

  • No foreign transaction fees

    If you use your Mastercard® Black Card™ to make international purchases, you won’t be charged foreign transaction fees. By contrast, some travel cards charge fees ranging from 3% to 5% of the amount of each transaction when you use it to make purchases outside of the U.S.

What to look out for with the Mastercard® Black Card™

  • Low rewards earning rate

    For a card with an annual fee as expensive as this one, you’d expect a higher rewards rate than one point per $1 spent. Granted, you effectively earn 2% back if redeeming points for airfare or 1.5% back if redeeming points for cash back. This means 10,000 points will be worth $200 when redeemed for airfare and $150 when redeemed for cash back.

    That said, there are cards with no annual fee that earn 2% cash back on every purchase you make.

  • No sign-up bonus

    Unlike most premium travel cards (and rewards cards in general), the Mastercard® Black Card™ doesn’t offer a sign-up bonus.

    If you want the opportunity to earn a huge lump sum of rewards after reaching a specific spend threshold within a given timeframe, you should choose a card like The Platinum Card® from American Express. It lets you earn 80,000 Membership Rewards® Points after you spend $8,000 on eligible purchases on your new Card in your first 6 months of Card Membership.

  • Can't transfer points to partners

    American Express, Capital One, Chase and Citi all offer travel cards that let you transfer rewards to hotel and airline loyalty partners — sometimes for even more value. However, the Mastercard® Black Card™ does not.

    Instead, points can only be redeemed for travel, cash back, bank deposits, gift cards, merchandise or experiences.

  • Pricey annual fee

    With the Mastercard® Black Card™, you’ll be responsible for paying an annual fee of $495 ($195 for each Authorized User added to the account).

    It’s not unusual for a premium travel card to charge a high annual fee. For example, The Platinum Card® from American Express has a $695 annual fee (see rates & fees), and the Chase Sapphire Reserve® has a $550 annual fee. However, each of those cards offers more robust and valuable travel benefits, as well as better rewards rates and welcome offers than the Mastercard® Black Card™.

  • No intro APR on purchases

    While the Mastercard® Black Card™ provides an intro APR on balance transfers, it does not offer one for purchases. This means, if you carry a balance on your card from month to month from purchases, you’ll be subject to interest charges at an APR of 20.74% to 28.74% (variable).

    It’s worth noting that it’s pretty rare for a premium credit card to offer an interest-free period on purchases. If you do need to finance a large purchase and pay it off over time, you’ll be better off with a card that offers a 0% intro APR on purchases for a year or longer.

Alternate cards to the Mastercard® Black Card™

Mastercard® Black Card™ vs. The Platinum Card® from American Express

| Disclosures
The Platinum Card® from American Express
The Platinum Card® from American Express
apply-now-icon Apply Now
on American Express's secure site
Rates & Fees
| Terms Apply
N/A
See Pay Over Time APR
$695
5X Membership Rewards® points on flights booked directly with airlines or with
  • Earn 80,000 Membership Rewards® Points after you spend $8,000 on eligible purchases on your new Card in your first 6 months of Card Membership.
  • Earn 5X Membership Rewards® Points for flights booked directly with airlines or with American Express Travel up to $500,000 on these purchases per calendar year and earn 5X Membership Rewards® Points on prepaid hotels booked with American Express Travel.
  • $200 Hotel Credit: Get up to $200 back in statement credits each year on prepaid Fine Hotels + Resorts® or The Hotel Collection bookings through American Express Travel using your Platinum Card®. The Hotel Collection requires a minimum two-night stay.
  • $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.
  • The American Express Global Lounge Collection® can provide an escape at the airport. With complimentary access to more than 1,400 airport lounges across 140 countries and counting, you have more airport lounge options than any other credit card issuer on the market. As of 03/2023.
  • $155 Walmart+ Credit: Save on eligible delivery fees, shipping, and more with a Walmart+ membership. Use your Platinum Card® to pay for a monthly Walmart+ membership and get up to $12.95 plus applicable taxes back on one membership (excluding Plus Ups) each month.
  • $200 Airline Fee Credit: Select one qualifying airline and then receive up to $200 in statement credits per calendar year when incidental fees are charged by the airline to your Platinum Card®.
  • $200 Uber Cash: Platinum Card® Members can get out and about and explore their local area with $15 in Uber Cash for US rides each month, plus a bonus $20 in December. That can be up to $200 in annual Uber savings. Simply download the Uber app and add your Platinum Card® to your Uber account to get started. Available to Basic Card Member only. Effective 11/8/2024, an Amex Card must be selected as the payment method for your Uber or Uber Eats transaction to redeem the Amex Uber Cash benefit.
  • $199 CLEAR® Plus Credit: CLEAR® Plus helps to get you to your gate faster at 50+ airports nationwide and get up to $199 back per calendar year on your Membership (subject to auto-renewal) when you use your Card. CLEARLanes are available at 100+ airports, stadiums, and entertainment venues.
  • Receive either a $120 statement credit every 4 years for a Global Entry application fee or a statement credit up to $85 every 4.5 years for a TSA PreCheck® (through a TSA official enrollment provider) application fee, when charged to your Platinum Card®. Card Members approved for Global Entry will also receive access to TSA PreCheck at no additional cost.
  • Shop Saks with Platinum: Get up to $100 in statement credits annually for purchases in Saks Fifth Avenue stores or at saks.com on your Platinum Card®. That's up to $50 in statement credits semi-annually. Enrollment required.
  • Unlock access to exclusive reservations and special dining experiences with Global Dining Access by Resy when you add your Platinum Card® to your Resy profile.
  • $695 annual fee.¤
  • Terms Apply.
660 720 850
Good / Excellent

How Does LendingTree Get Paid?

LendingTree is compensated by companies on this site and this compensation may impact how and where offers appears on this site (such as the order). LendingTree does not include all lenders, savings products, or loan options available in the marketplace.

If  you want access to much more valuable rewards and travel benefits, The Platinum Card® from American Express will be a better fit — as long as you don’t mind paying a higher annual fee.

The card lets you earn 80,000 Membership Rewards® Points after you spend $8,000 on eligible purchases on your new Card in your first 6 months of Card Membership. If you use your points to book a flight through American Express Travel, that’s an $800 value. Plus, get 5X Membership Rewards® points on flights booked directly with airlines or with American Express Travel on up to $500,000 on these purchases per calendar year and 5X Membership Rewards® points on prepaid hotels booked with American Express Travel. Terms apply.

You can redeem your points for travel, statement credit, merchandise and more. But you’ll get the most value by transferring them to an American Express travel partner, which includes British Airways Executive Club, Delta SkyMiles®, Marriott Bonvoy™ and Singapore KrisFlyer.

Along with a number of travel insurances and purchase protections1, The Platinum Card® from American Express also offers the following credits (some of them with requirements), which can easily cancel out the card’s $695 annual fee:

  • Up to $200 annual hotel credit
  • Up to $200 airline fee credit
  • Up to $120 Global Entry or TSA PreCheck application fee credit
  • Up to $199 CLEAR® Plus credit (enrollment required)
  • Up to $200 Uber Cash. Terms Apply.
  • Up to $155 Walmart+ credit (enrollment required)
  • Up to $240 digital entertainment credit (enrollment required)
  • Up to $100 Saks Fifth Avenue credit (enrollment required)

This card also offers access to American Express Global Lounge Collection, which includes complimentary access to The Centurion Network of lounges and Priority Pass Select lounges (enrollment required).

 

Mastercard® Black Card™ vs. Chase Sapphire Reserve®

| Disclosures
Chase Sapphire Reserve®
Chase Sapphire Reserve®
apply-now-icon Apply Now
on Chase's secure site
N/A
21.99% - 28.99% Variable
$550
Earn 5x total points on flights and 10x total points on hotels
  • Earn 60,000 bonus points after you spend $4,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening.
  • $300 Annual Travel Credit as reimbursement for travel purchases charged to your card each account anniversary year.
  • Earn 5x total points on flights and 10x total points on hotels and car rentals when you purchase travel through Chase Travel℠ immediately after the first $300 is spent on travel purchases annually. Earn 3x points on other travel and dining & 1 point per $1 spent on all other purchases
  • Get 50% more value when you redeem your points for travel through Chase Travel℠. For example, 60,000 points are worth $900 toward travel.
  • Get complimentary access to DashPass which unlocks $0 delivery fees and lower service fees for a minimum of one year when you activate by December 31, 2027.
  • 1:1 point transfer to leading airline and hotel loyalty programs
  • Access to 1,300+ airport lounges worldwide after an easy, one-time enrollment in Priority Pass™ Select and up to $100 application fee credit every four years for Global Entry, NEXUS, or TSA PreCheck®
  • Count on Trip Cancellation/Interruption Insurance, Auto Rental Collision Damage Waiver, Lost Luggage Insurance and more.
  • Member FDIC
720 850
Excellent

How Does LendingTree Get Paid?

LendingTree is compensated by companies on this site and this compensation may impact how and where offers appears on this site (such as the order). LendingTree does not include all lenders, savings products, or loan options available in the marketplace.

Where the Chase Sapphire Reserve® really packs a better punch is the value you can get from the card’s rewards – since they’re worth 50% more when redeemed for travel through Chase’s portal and can be transferred to a variety of loyalty partners at a rate of 1:1.

You’ll earn 60,000 bonus points after you spend $4,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening. Additionally, earn 5x total points on flights and 10x total points on hotels and car rentals when you purchase travel through Chase Travel℠ immediately after the first $300 is spent on travel purchases annually. Earn 3x points on other travel and dining & 1 point per $1 spent on all other purchases. You can redeem points for travel, cash, gift cards, statement credits and products and services, or transfer them at a rate of 1 to 1 to 14 airlines and hotel partners.

Card benefits include a $300 annual travel credit, complimentary Priority Pass Select membership and a Global Entry, TSA PreCheck or NEXUS application fee credit. You’ll also get access to protections, like trip cancellation and interruption insurance, lost luggage reimbursement, purchase and return protection, extended warranty protection and more.

This list is less robust than that of The Platinum Card® from American Express, but the Chase Sapphire Reserve® charges a lower annual fee than that card ($550 compared to $695). The authorized user fee is also lower than that of the Mastercard® Black Card™ ($75 compared to $195).

Is the Mastercard® Black Card™ right for you?

If you want luxury service packaged in a stylish black metal card, and you won’t balk at an expensive fee, you may like the Mastercard® Black Card™. But we think you can get much more value from The Platinum Card® from American Express or the Chase Sapphire Reserve®.

Although those cards come with higher annual fees, they provide excellent travel benefits and protections, as well as lucrative welcome offers and more flexible rewards that can be transferred to airline and hotel loyalty partners at a strong rate.

apply-now-icon Apply Now
on Luxury Card's secure site
1. Eligibility and Benefit level varies by Card. Terms, Conditions and Limitations Apply. Please visit americanexpress.com/benefitsguide for more details. Underwritten by AMEX Assurance Company.

To see rates & fees for American Express cards mentioned on this page, visit the links provided below:

The content above is not provided by any issuer. Any opinions expressed are those of LendingTree alone and have not been reviewed, approved, or otherwise endorsed by any issuer. The offers and/or promotions mentioned above may have changed, expired, or are no longer available. Check the issuer's website for more details.