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Luxury Card Mastercard® Gold Card™ review
Last updated:
Get solid rewards and a first-class travel program — but at a high cost.
finder.com’s rating: 3 / 5
★★★★★
- Get this card if you want a best-in-class concierge service at your disposal.
- Pick something else if you want a card that’s truly worth the asking price.
- Apply with an excellent credit score of 740 or higher.
Up to 1x
Points
$995
Annual fee
14.99%
Purchase APR (variable)
0%
Intro balance transfer
for the first 15 billing cycles (then 14.99% variable)
Details
| Annual fee | $995 |
|---|---|
| Welcome Offer | N/A |
| Rewards | 1x points on all purchases with 2% point value when you redeem for airfare or cash back |
| Purchase APR | 14.99% variable |
| Balance transfer APR | 0% intro for the first 15 billing cycles (then 14.99% variable) |
| Recommended minimum credit score | 740 |
| Issuer | Mastercard |
Expert review
Review by
Kevin Joey Chen
kevin.chen@findercrew.comKevin Joey Chen is a credit cards, banking and investments writer whose work and analysis have appeared on CNN, U.S. News & World Report, Business.com, Lifehacker and CreditCards.com. He's passionate about helping you get your finances in order by expertly navigating cutting-edge financial tools — including credit cards, apps and budgeting software.
Expert review
WATCH: Luxury Card Gold Card unboxing
How to apply for the Luxury Card Mastercard® Gold Card™
- Click Apply now.
- Complete the application form with your personal information and contact details.
- Review your application and submit it by clicking Apply.
What credit score do I need?
Consider applying with an excellent credit score of 740 or higher, which increases your odds of approval. As with most card applications, a higher credit score and income further raises the likelihood of approval.
Luxury Card Mastercard® Gold Card™ highlights
Pros
- Luxurious card appearance. This card isn’t just gold-painted — it’s gold-plated. With a 24 karat front and a carbon back, this is definitely an eye-catching card. And it’s heavy too. Expect your wallet to weigh an additional 22 grams, which is heavier than the Chase Sapphire Reserve® and The Platinum Card® from American Express.
- Rewards program. Earn 1x points on all purchases. This may seem weak compared to other premium cards. However, the redemption value equals 2% when redeemed for airfare or cash back.
- Annual airline credit. Get up to $200 annual airline credit as a reimbursement for your airfare, incidentals, bag fees, airline food and beverages and other airline expenses.
- 24/7 Luxury Card Concierge. Enjoy complimentary access to one of the leading concierge services 24/7 via phone, email or live mobile chat on the Luxury Card App.
Cons
- High annual fee. Expect to pay one of the highest annual fees for a credit card at $995.
- No signup bonus. For this annual fee, it’s disappointing that you don’t get to earn a signup bonus. Most premium credit cards let you earn a bonus of between $500 and $1,000 during your first months of card membership.
Who is this card best for?
If you’re a large spender who often travels and stays at premium hotels, the Luxury Card Mastercard® Gold Card™ could be a solid choice.
Card benefits
- Rewards points. Earn 1x points on all purchases. With other cards 1 point equals 1 cent, but with the Luxury Card Mastercard® Gold Card™ you get a 2% redemption value when you redeem points for airfare, cash back or statement credits. In effect, that means you’ll earn 2x points on all spending if you redeem for these rewards.
- Intro balance transfer APR. Get 15 billing cycles of 0% intro APR period on balance transfers. After the intro APR expires, your APR reverts to 14.99% variable. This is feature that not many travel cards offer.
- Travel credits. Every year, you’ll receive a $200 air travel credit. Use it for flight-related expenses like airfare, upgrades or baggage fees. Every five years, you’ll receive a $100 credit toward a Global Entry or TSA PreCheck application.
- Airport lounge access. Receive a complimentary Priority Pass Select membership, which unlocks access to more than 1,300 lounges around the world. You are automatically enrolled within seven to 14 business days after you open your account. Also, you get access to 31 restaurant lounges where you get approximately $28 per person off the bill.
- Luxury Card Travel. When you book through Luxury Card Travel, you may receive room upgrades, complimentary food and beverage, spa credits and other perks at more than 3,000 properties around the world.
Also, you get additional perks like Airport Meet and Assist, the Global Luggage Delivery program, cruise perks, yacht charter, private jet bookings, access to strong wireless communication on trips and car rental benefits and more.
- Constructed with 24-karat gold. The Luxury Card Mastercard® Gold Card™ is gold-plated, and key aspects of its design are patent-protected.
Deeper dive: Luxury Card Travel
The Luxury Card Travel program is designed to make your travel stress-free and enjoyable. This is the card’s strongest side. With this program, you get features like:
- Benefits at more than 3,000 properties worldwide.
Some of the properties include:Property Benefits InterContinental Hotels Group (IHG) - Late check-out
- Breakfast for two daily
- Amenity of up to $100 in value
- Upgrade to next room category, when available
- Free Wi-Fi
Mandarin Oriental Hotel Group - Welcome amenity
- Breakfast for two
- VIP status
- Upgrade upon arrival, when available
- Free in-room Wi-Fi
- $50 credit for suite bookings per stay
The Peninsula Hotels - Flexible check-in and checkout
- Breakfast for two daily
- Upgrade to the next room category upon arrival
- Upgraded welcome in-room amenities
- Free long-distance calls via VoIP in hotels in Hong Kong, Shanghai, Beijing, Tokyo, New York, Chicago, Paris and Bangkok
Waldorf Astoria Hotels and Resorts;
Conrad Hotels and Resorts- Best rates
- Breakfast for two daily
- $100 hotel credit per stay
- Room upgrade when available
- VIP guest status
- Double Hilton Honor points
LVH Global Up to $2,000 in service credits during your stay for: - In-home massage
- Provisions for the villa
- Private car and driver
- In-home private chef
Note: To get the credits, you must book your stay through the Luxury Card Concierge at 844-742-2500, on email at concierge@luxurycard.com or via the Luxury Card mobile App.
- Cruise and air travel perks.
Company Benefits Regent Seven Seas Cruises $250 shipboard credit per suite to use on your cruise for: - Spa treatments
- Excursions
- Onboard boutiques
Le Bas International Private Jet Charter Services - Up to $350 credit per flight toward chauffeured transfers
- Up to $350 credit per flight toward in-flight catering
- Special customer service
- Best price assurance
Sentient Jet - One complimentary hour of flight time worth between $5,000 and $14,000 based on jet category
- $500 credit for either ground transportation or premium catering
- $1,500 Mastercard gift card
Wings Air Helicopters - 10% discount on all flights/charters
- All flights originating or ending in Manhattan get complimentary 15 min NYC tour en route
- For NYC airport transfers get complimentary one-way car service between Manhattan heliport and Manhattan hotel in any direction for helicopter passengers
- Complimentary one-way car service between the airline terminal and the helicopter terminal
- Private NYC helicopter tours get complimentary 15 min tour extension
Private Suite at LAX (Los Angeles private terminal) - Complimentary first-year membership valued at $4,500
- 50% off first-time domestic use and 55% off first-time international use
- Free access for up to three companions traveling together
- Complimentary use of a fully equipped video conference room
- Global Luggage Delivery. Send your luggage, skis, golf club, bikes before you travel and get guaranteed on-time delivery worldwide. By using your Mastercard Gold Card, you get a 15% discount on this service.
- DUFL. This is a premium service that stores, cleans and ships your business attire to your hotel. You can use the DUFL app to select your clothing items. By using this card for DUFL purchases, you get two free trips worth $200.
- Chauffeured service. Enjoy the comfort in the latest luxury vehicles in more than 1,000 cities worldwide with EmpireCLS and Carey International. With this card, you get a $50 discount to your first booking, a 10% discount on all bookings and complimentary vehicle upgrade when available.
- Wireless worldwide. Access the Internet with high-speed pocket Wi-Fi with low cost, or get 15% off satellite phone rental even in the most remote areas in the world.
What to watch out for
- Annual fee. The Luxury Card Mastercard® Gold Card™ cost $995 annually, which is about double the price of most premium travel cards.
- No signup bonus. Unlike similar cards where you can earn up to $1,000 bonus in the first months of card membership, with the Luxury Card Mastercard® Gold Card™, you won’t get the same.
Is the annual fee worth it?
This largely depends on your personal situation. If you’re constantly traveling and staying at hotels, the Luxury Card Mastercard® Gold Card™ will offer enough perks and rewards to offset the annual fee and even earn something on top. If you decide to redeem your points for cash, you need to spend $4,160 monthly to pay the annual fee with points.
Note: If you’re on active duty, you may get the annual fee waived. Call Barclaycard support on 877-523-0478 to ask about this.
But if you occasionally travel, other travel credit cards will offer better value for the money.
Luxury Card™ Mastercard® products at a glance
| Luxury Card Mastercard® Titanium Card™ | Luxury Card Mastercard® Black Card™ | Luxury Card Mastercard® Gold Card™ | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Annual fee | $195 | $495 | $995 |
| Rewards | 1x points on all purchases | 1x points on all purchases | 1x points on all purchases |
| Rewards redemption rates | 2% for airfare; 1% for cash back and statement credits | 2% for airfare; 1.5% for cash back and statement credits | 2% for airfare; 2% for cash back and statement credits |
| Luxury Card Concierge |  | | |
| Luxury Card Travel benefits | | | |
| Annual airline credit | None | $100 | $200 |
| Global Entry or TSA PreCheck fee credit | None | $100 every five years | $100 every five years |
| Priority Pass Select membership | No | Yes | Yes |
| Luxury Gifts | No | Yes | Yes |
Authorized users or cosigners
You can add authorized users to your Luxury Card Mastercard® Gold Card™ for a $295 annually each. Their purchases also earn points, but these are accrued on the primary cardholder account.
Keep in mind, you as a primary holder are responsible and liable for any purchases your authorized users make.
How does Luxury Card Mastercard® Gold Card™ compare to other similar cards?
| Luxury Card Mastercard® Gold Card™ | The Platinum Card® from American Express | Chase Sapphire Reserve® | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Annual fee | $995 | $550 (Terms apply, see rates & fees) | $550 |
| Welcome offer | N/A | 75,000 bonus points once you spend $5,000 in your first 6 months, plus earn 10x points at US supermarkets and US gas stations on up to $15,000 in combined purchases for the first 6 months | 50,000 bonus points once you spend $4,000 in your first 3 months |
| Rewards | 1x points on all purchases; 2% value when redeemed for cash or airfare |
|
|
| Intro APR period | 15 billing cycles of 0% intro APR period on balance transfers, 14.99% after that | N/A | N/A |
| Credits | $200 airline credit |
| $300 travel credit |
| Airport lounge | Priority Pass |
| Priority Pass |
How much can I earn with these cards?
| Luxury Card Mastercard® Gold Card™ | The Platinum Card® from American Express | Chase Sapphire Reserve® | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Yearly spend on travel | $15,000 | $15,000 | $15,000 |
| Yearly spend on everything else | $30,000 | $30,000 | $30,000 |
| Welcome offer | $0 | 75,000 bonus points worth up to $600 | 50,000 bonus points worth up to $750 |
| Total rewards first year | 45,000 points worth up to $900 | 165,000 points worth up to $1,650 | 125,000 points worth up to $1,875 |
| Total rewards second year | 45,000 points worth up to $900 | 105,000 points worth up to $1,050 | 75,000 points worth up to $1,125 |
Luxury Card Mastercard® Gold Card™ reviews and complaints
Customer praise:
The Luxury Card Mastercard® Gold Card™ is mostly praised for its looks. Let’s be honest, there aren’t many credit cards with 24-karat gold plating you can apply for. For some customers, the card’s wow factor is enough.
Barclays Bank Delaware has an A+ rating from the Better Business Bureau (BBB), though it isn’t yet accredited as of October 2020. Unhappy cardholders mention slow card delivery, unexpected account freezes, disputed charge offs and sudden credit-limit decreases. According to the BBB, Barclays has answered or resolved most customer complaints.
On Trustpilot, Barclays has received a 1.4 out of 5 customer rating as of October 2020.
Consider other cards if…
If you often travel but you don’t want to pay a $995 annual fee, consider either the Chase Sapphire Reserve® or The Platinum Card® from American Express. Both cards have a $550 annual fee, let you earn accelerated rewards on travel purchases, and you get premium travel perks including lounge access, elite status tiers at select hotels and travel credits.
Cards to pair with Luxury Card Mastercard® Gold Card™
With a 2% rewards rate on all purchases — if you redeem for airfare or cash back — you can freely use this card on all purchases. But this card falls short on dining and entertainment purchases. Maximize your rewards by pairing your Luxury Card Mastercard® Gold Card™ with another credit card. For example:
- Capital One® SavorOne® Cash Rewards Credit Card. This can be a solid addition to your wallet if you often dine out or go to concerts, theater or sporting events. Among the many perks, you get to earn 5% cash back on these two categories, which is among the highest in the industry.
Redeeming points
Once you earn enough points, visit myluxurycard.com or call customer service on the number on the back of your card to redeem your points. You can redeem your points for:
- Airfare — redemption starts at 50 points for $1.00
- Hotel and car rentals — redemption starts at 100 points for $1.00
- Direct deposit to your checking or savings account — redemption starts at 50 points for $1.00
- Statement credits — redemption starts at 50 points for $1.00
- Gift cards — redemption value depends on what you redeem for
- Gift certificates — redemption value depends on what you redeem for
- Merchandise — redemption value depends on what you redeem for
Compare travel credit cards
Bottom line
At $995 a year, the Luxury Card Mastercard® Gold Card™ shoots for the ultra-premium market. Unfortunately, you might wish it offered more for the price. It may be a good option if you’re a specific type of first-class traveler, but you’ll likely find what you need with another premium travel card.
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