Heaviest Credit Cards: 2020

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

The Mastercard Gold Card is the heaviest on the market. 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
  

Like the Gold card above, the Mastercard® Black Card™ doesn’t have much to offer beyond its weight, although in this case the card 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
  

The Mastercard® Titanium Card™ is the low-fee Luxury Card option, but the valuable benefits have been stripped away compared to the cards above. 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
  

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.

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

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

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

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

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.

With an excellent 10X miles at hotels.com/venture (through 1/31/20) and 2X miles everywhere else, this card will really deliver if you book a lot of stays per year. You’ll even get 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

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.

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