With this card, you earn one point per dollar spent on every purchase. These points do not expire as long as the account remains open. You can redeem these points at a rate of 1.5 cents for every point as cash back or for airline tickets at 2 cents for every point.
MoneyGeek’s Take
Mastercard® Black Card™ Review
The Mastercard® Black Card™ offers you complimentary access to more than 1,200 airport lounges, a 2% bonus for airfare redemption and a plethora of other travel benefits. Frequent travelers looking for a luxury card with no foreign transaction fees can reap tremendous benefits from this card.
Doug Milnes, CFA
Head of Credit Cards at MoneyGeek
Doug Milnes is a CFA charter holder with over 10 years of experience in corporate finance and the Head of Credit Cards at MoneyGeek. Formerly, he performed valuations for Duff and Phelps and financial planning and analysis for various companies. His analysis has been cited by U.S. News and World Report, The Hill, the Los Angeles Times, The New York Times and many other outlets. Milnes holds a master’s degree in data science from Northwestern University. He geeks out on helping people feel on top of their credit card use, from managing debt to optimizing rewards.
Alene Laney
Finance Journalist
Alene Laney is an award-winning personal finance writer with over a decade of experience in media. Her works have been featured on Bankrate, Rocket Mortgage, GoBankingRates and Yahoo! Finance, among others. Laney has a degree in English literature, history from the University of Utah.
Doug Milnes, CFA
Head of Credit Cards at MoneyGeek
Doug Milnes is a CFA charter holder with over 10 years of experience in corporate finance and the Head of Credit Cards at MoneyGeek. Formerly, he performed valuations for Duff and Phelps and financial planning and analysis for various companies. His analysis has been cited by U.S. News and World Report, The Hill, the Los Angeles Times, The New York Times and many other outlets. Milnes holds a master’s degree in data science from Northwestern University. He geeks out on helping people feel on top of their credit card use, from managing debt to optimizing rewards.
Alene Laney
Finance Journalist
Alene Laney is an award-winning personal finance writer with over a decade of experience in media. Her works have been featured on Bankrate, Rocket Mortgage, GoBankingRates and Yahoo! Finance, among others. Laney has a degree in English literature, history from the University of Utah.
Updated: September 10, 2024
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Moneygeek.com credit ranges are a variation of FICO® Score 8, one of many types of credit scores lenders may use when considering your credit card application.
- PROS
- No foreign transaction fee
- 0% intro APR offer on balance transfers
- Earn one point for every dollar spent
- No expiration date for the points
- $100 airline credit
- Travel accident insurance
- Trip cancellation insurance
CONS- Very high annual fee
- No sign-up bonus
- High regular APR
- Ideal for those seeking a premium travel card that doubles as an everyday workhorse, paired with elevated service beyond the ordinary. Leave behind the hassle of juggling various cards and monthly statements, while finding peace of mind with protection benefits that exceeds standard credit cards.
- 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. Earn one point for every dollar spent. Straightforward redemption without needing a high-maintenance reward strategy. No foreign transaction fees, no earning caps, no rotating categories, and no need to chase down transfer partners to escape very low point values.
- Annual Airline Credit - up to $100 in statement credits toward flight-related purchases including airline tickets, baggage fees, upgrades and more. Just pay for airline purchases with your Mastercard Black Card and we will automatically apply the credit to your account. That’s it. No need to activate or designate an airline. The credit amount is available in full at the start of the calendar year.
- Up to a $100 application fee credit for the cost of TSA PreCheck® or Global Entry. Also, enjoy automatic enrollment in Priority Pass™ Select with access to 1,300+ 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, incure 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.
MoneyGeek’s methodology for this review involves collecting credit card information, standardizing data points, analyzing potential cardholder profiles, considering annual and introductory bonuses, establishing the card values and reviewing data monthly to reprocess rankings.
Mastercard® Black Card™ Overview
The Mastercard® Black Card™ offers a premium list of rewards and bonuses for its customers. These rewards are tailored to the needs of frequent travelers.
Quick Take
- Pay no foreign transaction fees
- Get up to $250,000 travel accident insurance
- Transfer balance from another card at 0% intro APR
- Get $100 in airline credit
- Get other travel benefits worth $500
- Get up to $100 per day in baggage delay insurance
- Get up to $5,000 in trip cancellation insurance
Important Card Details
The fine print of the Mastercard® Black Card™ will help you understand the various fees and charges associated with the card like its regular APR, annual fee, points rewards rate, balance transfer APR and foreign transaction fee.
Regular APR
This card has a reasonable variable regular APR of 19.99%. You should pay off your balance in full every month to avoid accumulating a high amount of interest on your balance.
Annual Fee
With a striking $495 yearly fee, this card can prove to be quite expensive if you are not a frequent traveler. Although there are many travel benefits offered, the annual fee is still high.
Points Reward Rate
You get one point for every dollar you spend with this card. To maximize your rewards, you should use it for travel expenses as much as possible.
Balance Transfer APR
You can transfer the balance from another card within 45 days of opening the account, and you’ll qualify for an intro balance transfer APR of 0%, then a variable APR of 19.99% thereafter.
Foreign Transaction Fee
This card is mainly focused on travelers; that’s why it doesn’t have foreign transaction fees.
Additional Benefits
With the Mastercard® Black Card™, you also get access to more travel benefits.
- 24/7 concierge service: To help you save time while traveling, you have access to a 24/7 luxury concierge service through phone, live chat and email.
- Baggage delay insurance: If your baggage gets delayed for any reason, you can get up to $100 per day as compensation.
- Trip cancellation insurance: In case of canceled flights due to covered reasons, you’ll have insurance up to $5,000 worth of coverage.
How the Mastercard® Black Card™ Compares To Other Cards
As compared to other cards in the same category, Mastercard® Black Card™ has a very high annual fee and does not offer enough rewards to justify it.
How the Mastercard® Black Card™ Compares
Mastercard® Black Card™
- Purchase APR: 19.99%
- Annual fee: $495
- International transactions fee: $0
- Points reward rate: 1 point per dollar spent
- Best for: Elite travelers looking for a luxury travel rewards card
Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card
- Purchase APR: 21.49% – 28.49% variable
- Annual fee: $95
- International transactions fee: $0
- Points reward rate: 1-5 points in different categories
- Best for: Frequent travelers looking for a card with a good points reward rate
Frequently Asked Questions
You need an excellent credit score exceeding 800 to get approved for a Mastercard® Black Card™.
Yes, Mastercard® Black Card™ reports to all three credit bureaus.
In some cases, you can get a response to your application instantly; however, it can also take up to 10 working days. You can apply online for the card.
Generally, your legal name, birth date, address, Social Security number and annual income are required.
Yes, Mastercard® Black Card™ has strong customer support, and its customers are frequently pleased with the service they receive.
The Mastercard® Black Card™ has a mobile app that lets you manage your account effectively.
The Mastercard® Black Card™ raises credit limits automatically after analyzing the account after a few months.
Mastercard® Black Card™ offers many security features to keep your account safe, and you can easily freeze your account at any time.
Yes, Luxury Card also offers the Mastercard® Gold Card™ and Mastercard® Titanium Card™.
About Doug Milnes, CFA
Doug Milnes is a CFA charter holder with over 10 years of experience in corporate finance and the Head of Credit Cards at MoneyGeek. Formerly, he performed valuations for Duff and Phelps and financial planning and analysis for various companies. His analysis has been cited by U.S. News and World Report, The Hill, the Los Angeles Times, The New York Times and many other outlets.
Milnes holds a master’s degree in data science from Northwestern University. He geeks out on helping people feel on top of their credit card use, from managing debt to optimizing rewards.
sources
- Luxury Card. "Mastercard® Black Card™." Accessed August 30, 2021.
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