The Visa Signature Card ( visa.com/signature ) has the biggest list of issuing partners with their own specialized rewards, like hotel-room and airline-seat upgrades, discounts and private parties. Issuers assess their own annual fees for the card; the average is $60.
The World Elite MasterCard ( mastercard.com/us/gateway.html ) is issued through Saks Fifth Avenue. It’s the only luxury card that doesn’t carry an annual fee, though it probably will as MasterCard rolls out new issuers in the near future.
The American Express Platinum Card ( americanexpress.com/platinum ) is the granddaddy of luxury cards. It carries a $395 annual fee, which Amex says is well worth spending for the full complement of private jet/limo/hotel upgrades onits cushy benefits list. Use it enough ($250,000 a year in charges) and you may be asked to apply for Amex’s top-secret, invitation-only Centurion card (a.k.a. “the black card”). That should make you feel special. Or spent.
