{"id":755595,"date":"2019-05-28T01:55:52","date_gmt":"2019-05-28T05:55:52","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.finder.com\/ca\/?page_id=755595"},"modified":"2026-05-01T16:47:45","modified_gmt":"2026-05-01T20:47:45","slug":"black-credit-cards","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.finder.com\/ca\/credit-cards\/black-credit-cards","title":{"rendered":"How to get a black credit card in Canada"},"content":{"rendered":"

A Black Credit Card \u2014 known simply as a Black Card \u2014 is a type of credit card used only by the richest of the rich. Designed for lavish spenders with high-tier needs, these luxury credit cards come with luxurious perks you can\u2019t get with ordinary credit cards. The catch is that Black Cards come with strict eligibility criteria, heavy spending requirements and enormously expensive fees that can easily reach up to thousands of dollars per year.<\/p>

What is a Black Credit Card?<\/h3>

Viewed as a status symbol, Black Card holders can safely say they\u2019ve financially \u201cmade it.\u201d Very few people are privileged enough to own such a card. In fact, out of more than 100 million American Express cardholders globally, it\u2019s rumoured that only around 84,000 of them own an American Express Centurion Credit Card<\/a> \u2014 the first, and most well-known, Black Credit Card in the world. There are also some great alternatives to Black Credit Cards<\/a> in Canada, which we highlight below.<\/p>

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Where can you get a Black Credit Card?<\/h3>

No single credit card company owns the sole rights to issue Black Credit Cards, and there is no universally-accepted definition of what counts as a Black Credit Card. Rather, the term \u201cBlack Card\u201d is used generally to refer to the most exclusive credit cards in the world that multiple card issuers offer as a reward to top-spending clients.<\/p>

That being said, the first such card to be released, the American Express Centurion Black Card is often referred to simply as the \u201cAmex Black Card\u201d and is perhaps the most well known Black Card on the market today.<\/p>

American Express<\/a>, Mastercard and a number of other financial institutions in Canada, the US and around the world offer different versions of Black Credit Cards, each with its own unique fees and features.<\/p>

Black Card features<\/h3>

Black Credit Card programs are typically loaded with premium features designed to make living and spending as easy as possible for cardholders. Below are just some of the benefits of owning a Black Card:<\/p>

\"CheckService at your fingertips<\/h4>

Need a hard-to-get reservation at a high-end hotel? Want to upgrade your boring rental sedan to a luxury SUV? Feel like champagne and oysters at 3am? Complimentary Black Card concierge services have you covered. Of course, you\u2019ll still have to foot the bill for any items that don\u2019t come for free with your card (some Black Cards offer shopping credits to stores like Saks Fifth Avenue). Card services will handle the rest.<\/p>

\"Check<\/h4>

A full range of complimentary perks<\/h4>

When shopping for credit cards, you normally have to weigh fees against perks and add-ons, ultimately choosing a card with the best combo of what you want at a reasonable cost. But with Black Credit Cards, you typically don\u2019t have to sacrifice any perks. Cardholders can enjoy a generous suite of complimentary travel insurance coverage, airport lounge access and other valuable add-ons along with standard credit card features.<\/p>

\"Check<\/h4>

Cash back or rewards points<\/h4>

Many Black Cards offer cash back or rewards points like other cards on the market. Surprisingly, the earning rates aren\u2019t usually much higher than what you could earn with an ordinary credit card<\/a>. The primary benefit of owning a Black Credit Card seemingly has more to do with prestige and convenience.<\/p>

\"Check<\/h4>

Premium card construction<\/h4>

Black Cards are made with premium materials like metal<\/a>, which gives cards a durable and substantial or weighty feel. Some card providers even embed diamonds or other precious elements into cards to let cardholders flex their wealth even more.<\/p>

How do you qualify for a Black Card?<\/h3>

The greatest intrigue of Black Credit Cards is how people qualify to get one. The truth is \u2014 no one really knows. Black Card issuers keep eligibility criteria under strict confidence. Even cardholders don\u2019t know what formula (if any) is applied during the approval process.<\/p>

To deepen the mystery, some Black Credit Cards programs are invitation only, meaning there\u2019s no application process. You can\u2019t get a card unless the card provider reaches out to you first.<\/p>

Generally, you must satisfy the following criteria to be considered for a Black Credit Card:<\/p>