How to Qualify for the Black American Express Card

The American Express Centurion Card is a hand engraved and embossed charge card that is made of titanium and appears black in color. The card is more exclusive than the American Express Platinum Card. The card carries an annual fee of $2,500, and has an initiation fee of $5,000, putting the total cost of the card for the first year at $7,500. News reports provide that the Centurion card offers access to certain airport lounges, hotel room upgrades, a reward program and various types of insurance.

Instructions

1. Ensure you have good credit. Before you can apply for, and use, an American Express charge card, you need to make sure you have good credit. The American Express Centurion Card is not intended for individuals that may have a "tarnish" on their credit report.

2. Apply for an American Express charge card. American Express offers several different lines of charge cards including Blue, Green, Gold and Platinum.

3. Spend at least $250,000 on your current American Express card. That works out to $20,833.33 per month. According to entrepreneur Neil Patel, certain individuals do not have a spending limit of $20,833.33 per month on their American Express accounts. Such persons must write a check at the beginning of the month covering all of their anticipated expenses for the month.

4. Call American Express and request the Centurion Card. Although certain sources, including the "Globe and Mail," suggest that the card is by invitation only, Patel says that it should not be too difficult for individuals that have spent $250,000 per year on their current American Express card to request the Centurion Card.

Tips & Warnings

• American Express credit cards are a "pay in full" product, meaning they expect the credit card bill to be paid in full each month.

References

• The Globe and Mail: Amex's Expensive New Charge Card
• Quicksprout: American Express Centurion: Once You Go Black, You Never Go Back