Heaviest Credit Cards: 2020

Why’d we pick it? Cause it’s really heavy.

The Mastercard® Titanium Card™ is the low-fee Luxury Card option, and the valuable benefits have been stripped away compared to the cards below. You’ll get a nice set of shopping and travel protections, plus a host of minor perks, but nothing too great like airport lounge access or travel credits.

The design is still cool, though; it has an industrial look, with a “unique brushed stainless steel front and carbon back.”

The Titanium card provides 2 cents per point for airfare redemptions, so you’ll get a 2% cash back equivalent when you redeem that way. Otherwise you’ll just get 1 cent per point. Not too exciting.

• Perks: Luxury concierge, Luxury gifts, subscription to LUXURY MAGAZINE, shopping and travel protections
• Balance Transfer APR: 0% for 15 months, then 16.49% Variable
• No foreign transaction fee
• Annual fee: $195
  

• Patented brushed stainless steel front and carbon back—weighing 22 grams.
• 2% value for airfare redemptions with no blackout dates or seat restrictions.
• 1% value for cash back redemptions.
• 24/7 Luxury Card Concierge^®—Available by phone, email, and live mobile chat.
• Exclusive Luxury Card Travel^® benefits (e.g., amenities, room upgrades and complimentary food and beverages).
• Members-only LUXURY MAGAZINE^®.
• Cell Phone Protection, Lyft credits, Postmates discounts, Fandango perks and more.
• Annual fee: $195 ($95 for each Authorized User).
• Terms and conditions apply.

Like the Gold card below, the Mastercard® Black Card™ doesn’t have much to offer beyond its weight, although in this case the card’s features fit the annual fee better. You’ll still pay quite a bit each year, but it’s more in line with other premium travel cards.

This card features “a unique black-PVD-coated stainless steel front and carbon back,” and it looks pretty snazzy.

With the Black card your points will be worth 2 cents each for airfare, and 1.5 cents each for cash back. Not very luxurious.

• $100 annual airline credit
• Priority Pass Select membership: Complimentary access for you and unlimited guests
• Global Entry application fee credit: A credit for Global Entry ($100), which can include TSA PreCheck
• Other perks: Luxury concierge, Luxury gifts, subscription to LUXURY MAGAZINE, shopping and travel protections
• Balance Transfer APR: 0% for 15 months, then 16.49% Variable
• No foreign transaction fee
• Annual fee: $495
  

• Patented black PVD metal card—weighing 22 grams.
• 2% value for airfare redemptions with no blackout dates or seat restrictions.
• 1.5% value for cash back redemptions.
• 24/7 Luxury Card Concierge®—available by phone, email and live mobile chat.
• Exclusive Luxury Card Travel® benefits (e.g., amenities, room upgrades and complimentary food and beverages).
• Up to $100 annual airline credit and $100 Global Entry and TSA Pre-Check application fee credit.
• Cell Phone Protection, Lyft credits, Postmates discounts, Fandango perks and more.
• Annual fee: $495 ($195 for each Authorized User).
• Terms and conditions apply.

The Mastercard Gold Card is as heavy as it gets, along with the other Luxury cards. Coming in at 22g and 24K-gold plated, it looks like a little slice of gold bullion and will surely draw some stares.

But with an annual fee that’s so high it’s downright puzzling, paired with a pretty run-of-the-mill set of premium perks, there’s little reason to apply — unless you just want a heavy gold credit card. This is the highest end of the high-end Luxury Cards, which are all made of metal.

You’ll only earn 1X point, and each point will be worth 2 cents when redeemed for cash back or airfare.

That means you’re only getting a 2% cash back equivalent on everything you buy with this fancy card — a far cry from the gold standard you might expect.

• $200 annual airline credit
• Priority Pass Select membership: Complimentary access for you and unlimited guests
• Global Entry application fee credit: A credit for Global Entry ($100), which can include TSA PreCheck
• Other perks: Luxury concierge, Luxury gifts, subscription to LUXURY MAGAZINE, shopping and travel protections
• Balance Transfer APR: 0% for 15 months, then 16.49% Variable
• No foreign transaction fee
• Annual fee: $995
  

• Patented 24K-gold-plated stainless steel front and carbon back—weighing 22 grams.
• 2% value for airfare redemptions with no blackout dates or seat restrictions.
• 2% value for cash back redemptions.
• 24/7 Luxury Card Concierge^®-available by phone, email, and live mobile chat.
• Exclusive Luxury Card Travel^® benefits (e.g., amenities, room upgrades and complimentary food and beverages).
• Up to $200 annual airline credit and $100 Global Entry application fee credit.
• Cell Phone Protection, Lyft credits, Postmates discounts, Fandango perks and more.
• Annual fee: $995 ($295 for each Authorized User).
• Terms and conditions apply.

With one of the heaviest sets of benefits and a physical presence to match, the Platinum card makes an impression. Amex’s famous plastic card got an upgrade to stainless steel in 2017, replacing the flimsy version with something more suitable to its weighty reputation.

The annual fee is still one of the steepest (Rates & Fees), but if you can make good use of the benefits each year (especially the credits and airport lounge access) it’s possible to come out far ahead.

Interested in cool credit cards? Learn more about the Centurion Card, aka the Amex Black Card.

• Global Lounge Collection: Complimentary access to Priority Pass, Centurion, American Express International, Delta Sky Club, Escape, Airspace, Lufthansa, and Plaza Premium Lounges
• $200 annual airline fee credit: Good for incidental costs like checked bags and in-flight food (not flight tickets) at your selected airline
• $200 annual Uber credits: $15 in statement credits for Uber rides each month, except for December which gets $35
• $100 annual Saks credits: Up to $100 in statement credits each year for Saks Fifth Avenue: $50 from January through June, and $50 from July through December
• Global Entry or TSA PreCheck application fee credit: A statement credit for the application fee of either Global Entry ($100 every four years) or TSA PreCheck ($85 once every four-and-a-half years)
• Complimentary elite hotel statuses: Hilton Honors Gold status and Marriott Bonvoy Gold Elite status
• The Hotel Collection: A $100 hotel credit and room upgrades when available for every eligible two-night stay
• No foreign transaction fee
• Annual fee: $550
• Charge card: You must pay your balance in full each month.

• Earn 60,000 Membership Rewards® points after you use your new Card to make $5,000 in purchases in your first 3 months.
• Enjoy Uber VIP status and free rides in the U.S. up to $15 each month, plus a bonus $20 in December. That can be up to $200 in annual Uber savings.
• 5X Membership Rewards® points on flights booked directly with airlines or with American Express Travel.
• 5X Membership Rewards points on prepaid hotels booked on amextravel.com.
• Enjoy access to the Global Lounge Collection, the only credit card airport lounge access program that includes proprietary lounge locations around the world.
• Receive complimentary benefits with an average total value of $550 with Fine Hotels & Resorts. Learn More.
• $200 Airline Fee Credit, up to $200 per calendar year in baggage fees and more at one qualifying airline.
• Get up to $100 in statement credits annually for purchases at Saks Fifth Avenue on your Platinum Card®. Enrollment required.
• $550 annual fee.
• Terms Apply.
• See Rates & Fees

The Citi Prestige® Card (Review) is excellent for hotel stays if you’re not devoted to any particular brand. Not only will you earn 3X points, you’ll also get your fourth night free when booking through ThankYou.com (up to twice per year).

The Prestige has a reasonable annual fee for a premium travel card, offset — if you use the card enough — by a nice travel credit and other useful perks. The transfer partners are a bit lacking compared to American Express and Chase cards, however.

• Point transfer: To a variety of airline loyalty programs, including Etihad Guest, JetBlue TrueBlue, and Virgin Atlantic Flying Club
• Annual $250 travel credit: Good for airline tickets, hotel rooms, car rentals, and other travel expenses
• Complimentary 4^th Night Stay: Get your fourth night free when booking four nights in a row through ThankYou.com and paying with your card, ThankYou points, or a combination of both. Capped at twice per year.
• Complimentary Priority Pass Select membership: Access to over 900 Priority Pass airport lounges and restaurants around the world
• Global Entry or TSA PreCheck application fee credit: A credit for the application fee of either Global Entry ($100) or TSA PreCheck ($85), once every five years
• Citi Prestige Concierge: Call for non-emergency help any time you need it.
• World Elite Car Rental Program: Elite memberships at Avis, Silvercar, and National
• No foreign transaction fees
• Annual fee: $495

• 5X ThankYou points on Air travel and Restaurants
• 3X ThankYou points on Hotels and Cruise Lines
• No limit to the amount of points you can earn
• Rewards never expire
• $250 travel credit
• Complimentary 4^th night free on eligible hotel stays, capped at twice per year
• Complimentary Priority Pass Select membership
• Global Entry or TSA Pre✓ Application Fee Credit
• No foreign transaction fees
• $495 annual fee

An expensive pick, the Citi^® / AAdvantage^® Executive World Elite^™ Mastercard^® won’t be too handy unless you fly AA quite a few times per year. But if you do, the Admirals Club lounge access can make your trips quite a bit more comfortable, and your airport security credit should smooth things out a bit too.

If you don’t fly AA as much you can consider other American Airlines credit cards (but they’re not made of metal).

• Admirals Club membership: You and up to ten authorized users have access to the Admirals Club airport lounge
• Global Entry or TSA Pre✓ application credit: Get a credit for the application fee of either Global Entry ($100) or TSA Pre✓ ($85) once every five years.
• Elite Qualifying Miles: Earn 10,000 Elite Qualifying Miles after spending $40,000 on purchases in a given year.
• Reduced Mileage Awards: Get discounted travel for round trip (7,500 miles off) and one-way flights (3,750 miles off).
• Enhanced Airport Experience: Including priority check-in, screening, and boarding privileges
• 25% discount on in-flight purchases on AA flights: The 25% discount will be applied to in-flight purchases of food and beverages only
• First checked bag free on AA flights: For you and up to eight traveling companions
• No foreign transaction fees
• Annual fee: $450

• Earn 50,000 American Airlines AAdvantage^®bonus miles after spending $5,000 in purchases within the first 3 months of account opening
• Admirals Club^® membership for you and access for up to two guests or immediate family members traveling with you
• Earn 10,000 AAdvantage^® Elite Qualifying Miles (EQMs) after you spend $40,000 in purchases within the year
• No Foreign Transaction Fees on purchases
• Earn 2 AAdvantage^® miles for every $1 spent on eligible American Airlines purchases and 1 AAdvantage^® mile for every $1 spent on other purchases
• First checked bag is free on domestic American Airlines itineraries for you and up to 8 companions traveling with you on the same reservation
• The standard variable APR for Citi Flex Plan is 15.99% – 24.99%, based on your creditworthiness. Citi Flex Plan offers are made available at Citi’s discretion.

The Capital One® Savor® Cash Rewards Credit Card (Review) is one of the best credit cards for dining, with a 4% cash back category that’s hard to beat. There’s an annual fee to pay, but you’ll get that same rate for entertainment so this is a great pick for nights out on the town — especially as an impressive metal card.

If you like the Savor but don’t like the fee, consider the lesser version: The Capital One® SavorOne® Cash Rewards Credit Card (Review) isn’t a bad card, but it’s simply plastic.

• Complimentary Postmates Unlimited membership: Get a statement credit each month for a Postmates Unlimited membership ($9.99/month), until December 2019.
• CreditWise: Check your VantageScore 3.0 credit score for free, based on your TransUnion credit report, and see information from that report.
• World Elite Mastercard Concierge: Call any time for non-emergency help with making reservations, finding hard-to-find gifts, and more.
• World Elite Mastercard benefits: Including Price Protection, Extended Warranty, MasterRental Insurance, Trip Cancellation/Interruption Insurance, and more.
• No foreign transaction fee
• Annual fee: $0 intro for first year; $95 after that

The HSBC Premier World Elite Mastercard® Credit Card isn’t too impressive compared to other premium travel cards: It has smaller travel credits, you only get two free LoungeKey airport lounge visits per year, and there aren’t many travel partners for point transfers.

The annual fee is lower than other premium cards, but not too much lower. If you’re in the market for a premium travel card we suggest you look elsewhere.

• Point transfer: Transfer your points to participating frequent traveler programs.
• LoungeKey airport lounge membership: Two free visits to LoungeKey lounges per year (additional visits are $25 per person); save 15% at participating airport retailers
• TSA PreCheck credit: Get a statement credit that covers the application price for TSA PreCheck ($85) once every five years.
• $100 air travel credit: Earn up to $100 in statements credits annually on air travel, including ticket purchases, seat upgrades, baggage fees, and in-flight purchases.
• $100 Uber and Lyft credit: Get up to $100 in statement credits annually for qualifying Uber and Lyft rides.
• Unlimited Boingo WiFi access: Enjoy free WiFi at Boingo hotspots around the world.
• World Elite Concierge: For exclusive, round-the-clock help with travel and shopping
• 10% discount: When you book a hotel or vacation home through Expedia, Agoda, or onefinestay
• No foreign transaction fees
• Annual fee: $395

• 3X Rewards Program points per dollar on travel
• 2X points per dollar on dining
• 1X point per dollar on all other net purchases
• 50,000 Rewards Program bonus points worth $750 in airfare when booked online through HSBC Rewards, after spending $4,000 in the first three months of opening your account
• Earn unlimited points that don’t expire
• No blackout dates or restrictions on most major airlines
• Made of metal

A premium travel card that doesn’t get much attention, the U.S. Bank Altitude Reserve Visa Infinite® Card will still make its presence known with an engraved, stainless steel design. Along with the expected travel category you’ll also earn 3X points on mobile wallet purchases, an interesting addition that could be quite lucrative for some cardholders.

The Altitude Reserve is on the low end of the premium-card totem pole, but it could be pretty good for the occasional traveler. If you’re not a fan of the Chase Sapphire Reserve®, for whatever reason, you might prefer the lower effective annual fee of U.S. Bank’s card. And if Visa Infinite benefits mean a lot to you, this is one of the less expensive ways to get ahold of them.

• $325 travel credit: Earn up to $325 in statement credits when you make purchases “directly from airlines, hotels, car rental companies, taxis, limousines, passenger trains, and cruise lines.”
• Global Entry or TSA PreCheck credit: Get a statement credit that covers the application price for Global Entry ($100) or TSA PreCheck ($85) once every four years.
• Limited Priority Pass Select membership: Take advantage of a 12-month Priority Pass Select membership that offers four free visits for the primary cardholder and one guest.
• Other travel perks: Complimentary Gogo inflight WiFi, Relais & Châteaux luxury hotel benefits, Visa Infinite Luxury Hotel Collection, Silvercar rental discounts, and more.
• No foreign transaction fee
• Annual fee: $400

• 3X points per dollar for travel and mobile wallet purchases.
• 50,000 bonus points for spending $4,500 in the first 90 days of membership, equivalent to $750 in travel redemptions.
• $325 annual travel credit.
• Application fee credit for either Global Entry ($100) or TSA Pre✓ ($85), once every four years.
• Enhanced status at Relais & Châteaux hotels and resorts.
• 12-month membership to Priority Pass Select for airport lounge access.
• 12 complimentary Gogo Inflight WiFi passes per year.
• No foreign transaction fees.
• $400 annual fee, $75 for additional authorized users.

Looking for a solid travel card for a reasonable fee? You’ll get it with the Capital One® Venture® Rewards Credit Card, although this metal credit card only has a veneer of stainless steel.

You can earn 2X miles everywhere you spend, along with a Global Entry/TSA PreCheck application fee credit, a rare find on a card at this fee level.

• Point transfer: Transfer points to a variety of airline partners at a rate of either 2:1.5 or 2:1, depending on the airline.
• Global Entry or TSA PreCheck application fee credit: A statement credit for the application fee of either Global Entry ($100) or TSA PreCheck ($85), once every four years
• Luxury Hotel Collection: Get perks for eligible hotel stays, including a $25 food and beverage credit, room upgrades when available, complimentary in-room WiFi, and more.
• Visa Signature Concierge: Call any time for non-emergency assistance, like help making reservations or finding gifts.
• Shopping and Travel protections: Including Extended Warranties, Travel Accident Insurance, Auto Rental Collision Damage Waivers, Lost Luggage Reimbursement, and more
• No foreign transaction fee
• Annual fee: $0 intro for first year; $95 after that

If you stay with Marriott Bonvoy at least a few times per year, the Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant™ American Express® Card (Review) could be a huge asset. It may seem expensive, but the annual free night, travel credit, airport lounge access, and Gold Elite status should make it easy to get your money’s worth — and much more.

There are several other Marriott Bonvoy credit cards to consider, but with all the perks of the Brilliant card it will likely be the best choice for any frequent travelers.

• $300 annual Marriott Bonvoy hotel credit: Up to $300 in statement credits for eligible purchases
• Free Night Award: Every year after your account anniversary you’ll get a Free Night Award, good for redemption values of 50,000 points or less.
• Priority Pass Select membership: Free access to Priority Pass airport lounges for you and up to two guests (excludes non-lounge experiences)
• Application fee credit for Global Entry or TSA PreCheck: A statement credit for the application fee of either Global Entry ($100 every five years) or TSA PreCheck ($85 every four-and-a-half years)
• Complimentary Gold Elite hotel status: Includes perks like a 25% bonus on base points, 2 p.m. late checkout, and more
• 15 Elite Night Credits: Each year you’ll get 15 Elite Night Credits towards a higher member status
• $100 property credit: Earn up to $100 in property credits when booking at least two nights direct with a special rate code at The Ritz-Carlton or St. Regis
• Bonus points for airline transfers: Get 15,000 bonus points for every 60,000 points transferred to airline programs
• Annual fee: $450

• 6X points per dollar at Marriott Bonvoy hotels
• 3X points per dollar at U.S. restaurants and on flights booked directly with airlines
• 2X points per dollar spent on all other purchases
• 75,000 bonus points for spending $3,000 in the first 3 months after account opening
• $300 Marriott Bonvoy annual statement credit
• Free Night Award every year after your card anniversary
• Complimentary Marriott Bonvoy Gold Elite status, Platinum Elite status after spending $75,000 per year
• Priority Pass Select membership
• Fee credit for Global Entry or TSA Pre✓ application
• $450 annual fee

Another shiny gold card, the American Express® Gold Card is like a different version of The Platinum Card® from American Express — not necessarily a lesser version, just made for a different cardholder.

Where the Platinum is all about travel, the Gold card is split between food (both dining out and eating in) and travel, with annual credits for both.

Check out the rewards and benefits. Would you use them each year? If so, this card could probably save you a bit of cash and make your trips more enjoyable.

There’s also a rose gold version of this card, which looks pretty nice; Amex has only made that version available for limited times, so take a look if you’re interested.

Wondering how to pick between Amex’s valuable travel cards? See how the Gold card stacks up to the Platinum card right here.

• $100 annual airline fee credit: Good for incidental air travel fees, like baggage and in-flight food and drinks; does not apply to flight tickets
• $120 annual dining credit: Earn up to $10 in statement credits per month for purchases at eligible restaurants and food delivery services.
• Point transfer: To airline and hotel loyalty programs, like JetBlue, Southwest, Marriott, and Hyatt
• The Hotel Collection: Provides up to $100 in credits for every eligible hotel stay of two nights or more
• Amex Offers: Find discounts and extra point opportunities at a changing selection of merchants and websites.
• No foreign transaction fee (Rates & Fees)
  
• Annual fee: $250
• Charge card: You must pay your balance in full each month.

• Earn 35,000 Membership Rewards® points after you spend $4,000 on eligible purchases with your new Card within the first 3 months.
• Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points when you dine at restaurants worldwide. Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points at U.S. supermarkets (on up to $25,000 per year in purchases, then 1X). Earn 3X Membership Rewards® points on flights booked directly with airlines or on amextravel.com.
• Earn up to a total of $10 in statement credits monthly when you pay with the Gold Card at Grubhub, Seamless, The Cheesecake Factory, Ruth’s Chris Steak House, Boxed, and participating Shake Shack locations. This can be an annual savings of up to $120. Enrollment required.
• $100 Airline Fee Credit: up to $100 in statement credits per calendar year for incidental fees at one selected qualifying airline.
• Choose to carry a balance with interest on eligible charges of $100 or more.
• No Foreign Transaction Fees.
• Annual Fee is $250.
• Terms Apply.
• See Rates & Fees

A relative newcomer (but coming in heavy), the Apple Card is Apple’s latest foray into the credit card game. But the weight of this card belies its intent — you might not even carry it around, because it’s meant be used digitally for the most part.

Rather than financing Apple products, this tech-focused metal card is designed for younger consumers who are quick to use mobile wallets for tap-and-pay phone purchases.

You’ll earn extra rewards for paying with a mobile wallet, and there are a number of features to help cardholders stay on top of their spending and budgeting.

• Complimentary ShopRunner membership: Enroll in ShopRunner to get free two-day shipping and returns from select online merchants
• Purchase APR: 12.74% — 23.74% Variable
• No foreign transaction fee
• Annual fee: $0

• 3% cash back at Apple, iTunes, and the App Store
• 3% cash back with Uber/Uber Eats when paying with Apple Pay
• 2% cash back every time you use Apple Pay
• No annual fee
• Managed through the iPhone Wallet app