The Amex Black Card is the American Express Centurion Card, an invitation-only charge card with a $10,000 initiation fee and a $5,000 annual fee, both listed in its Card Member Agreement. Amex does not publish who gets invited. You cannot apply in the normal sense; Amex invites high-spending cardholders. The draw is a 24/7 concierge, the widest lounge access of any card, and top-tier hotel and airline status. The fees are published; the spending threshold and some benefit details are reported, so confirm anything current with American Express.
What the Centurion Card is
The Centurion Card is American Express most exclusive product, a metal charge card aimed at very high spenders. It is not on the public application list and is not advertised. Amex publishes the fees in the Centurion Card Member Agreement but keeps its invitation criteria private, so this guide states the fees as published and labels everything else as reported.
What it costs
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The Centurion Card Member Agreement (dated June 4, 2025) lists a $10,000 initiation fee, a $5,000 annual fee and $5,000 a year for each additional Centurion card, up to 2. Additional Platinum cards on the account cost $195 each, and a Companion Centurion card has no fee. Amex can change these with notice, so confirm your own terms with American Express before assuming any amount.
How people get invited
There is no standard application. American Express extends invitations at its own discretion, and cardholders widely report that heavy annual spend across Amex accounts is the biggest factor, often cited anecdotally in the range of $350,000 to $500,000 a year, along with income and overall account standing. Amex does not publish selection criteria. You can register interest through the Centurion page on the Amex site, but that is a request for consideration, not an application, and most people who ask are not invited. Do not treat any spend figure as a guaranteed threshold.
The headline benefits
The value, if you use it, is in service and access rather than statement credits. Reported benefits as of 2026 include a 24/7 personal Centurion concierge, the full Amex Global Lounge Collection (Centurion Lounges, Priority Pass on enrollment, and Delta Sky Club access when flying Delta), and complimentary top-tier hotel status such as Marriott Bonvoy Gold, Hilton Honors Diamond, and IHG One Rewards Platinum, plus Delta SkyMiles Platinum Medallion status. There are also lifestyle and travel perks that Amex adjusts over time. Confirm the current benefit set with Amex, since these change.
Who it realistically fits
The Centurion Card fits a narrow group: people who already spend several hundred thousand dollars a year on Amex, travel constantly, and value concierge service and elite status more than a tight cost-benefit calculation. For almost everyone else, the math does not work, because the fees dwarf the credits and most of the lounge access and status can be had far more cheaply.
Is the Black Card worth it
For its target cardholder, worth is not really the question, since the spend that earns an invitation happens anyway and the concierge and status are the point. For anyone weighing the fees against value, it is not worth it. The honest answer for most readers is to admire it and carry a premium card that returns more than it costs.
FAQ
How much does the Amex Black Card cost?
A $10,000 initiation fee and a $5,000 annual fee, with $5,000 a year for each additional Centurion card (up to 2), per the Centurion Card Member Agreement dated June 4, 2025. Amex can change these with notice.
Can you apply for the Amex Centurion Card?
No. It is invitation-only. You can register interest through the Centurion page on the Amex site, but that is a request for consideration, not an application, and most requests are not accepted.
How much do you have to spend to get invited?
Amex does not publish a threshold. Cardholders anecdotally report heavy annual spend across Amex accounts, often cited around $350,000 to $500,000 a year, along with income and account standing. Treat this as reported, not a guaranteed requirement.
What benefits does the Centurion Card include?
Reported 2026 benefits include a 24/7 Centurion concierge, the full Amex Global Lounge Collection, and top-tier hotel status with Marriott, Hilton, and IHG, plus Delta Platinum Medallion status. Amex changes these over time, so confirm the current set with American Express.
Is the Amex Black Card worth it?
For a very high spender who values concierge service and elite status, the spend happens anyway and the card is more about access than value. For almost everyone else, the fees far outweigh the benefits, and a premium card like the Amex Platinum returns more than it costs.
Last reviewed October 2026. We verify every rule, ratio, and figure against issuer terms and current reporting, and date each one. See our editorial standards for how we research and correct guides.
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