The Black Card | Centurion Card | Visa Black Card | Luxury Credit Cards

The “white card” is for people who aren’t impressed by special airport traveler lounges and upgrades to first class on—gasp—commercial airlines, people who will only go by private jet. Lucky, then, that Stratus (a division of Los Angeles-based Pro Sports & Entertainment) is a partner with Marquis Jet. US Bancorp in Minneapolis issues the card, which offers all sorts of other perks, such as personal shoppers, Abercrombie & Kent safaris and gift bags that rival those given out at the Oscars.

The 2006 FHR Guide.

And the 2006 SLH Guide.

One of the great perks of being a centurion card holder is the associated travel benefits. Cardholders used to receive Starwood Preferred Guest Platinum membership automatically, now this has been downgraded to Gold membership as of January 2006. Let’s hope they bring back Platinum

Gold benefits from Starwood:

Earn Free Night Awards faster. Increase your rewards to 3 Starpoints for every eligible U.S. dollar spent — a 50% bonus over Preferred Guests.

Enhanced Rooms. Rather than redeeming Starpoints for a better room, you’re entitled to an automatic room upgrade at check-in when one is available. An enhanced room includes rooms on higher floors, corner rooms, newly renovated rooms, or rooms with preferred views.

4 p.m. late checkout, when available.

Complimentary weekday newspaper.

Gold Preferred Guest® special customer service telephone.

Check-cashing privileges up to $300.

http://www.starwoodhotels.com/preferredguest/account/member_benefits/gold_preferred.html

Arab Emirates, all places the rich like to hide. Eric Lee, Sales Director for Vertu Lee estimates the typical Vertu customer earns around 300,000 US dollars a year. The top-level Vertu is platinum-cased Signature model that runs a mere Vertu a new luxury phone brand created by Nokia, has offices in London, Vertu has offices in Paris, New York, Singapore and Hong Kong. Vertu has a select set of dealers in 20 countries and territories, including Kuwait, Macau and the United $32,000, while yellow gold is only $18,500 and the leather ascent model is $4,700.

You can be sure to see this in Hip Hop Culture, see HipHopDX.com for the History of Cell Phones in Hip Hop.

2005 FHR Guide

2005 SLH Guide

Similar to the Fine Hotels and Resorts (FHR) program in 2004 the SLH offered additional hotels not included in the FHR book.

The Small Luxury Hotels of the World membership card.

Being a centurion card holder, you are automatically a member of the Fine Hotels and Resorts program. Each year AMEX will send you a hotel guide with FHR hotels, as well as Centurion Benefits. Centurion benefits usually include a room upgrade at booking, late 4 PM checkout, hotel/spa credits, as well as other special amenities.

MBNA’s Quantum Redefines the Credit Card for the Affluent Consumer

June 15, 2000

MBNA America announced today the introduction of Quantum, the exclusive credit card for those who demand the ultimate in features and services.

For almost 20 years, MBNA has led the field in the introduction of products to meet the needs of the affluent Customer. In 1983, MBNA pioneered the Gold MasterCard, and quickly attained the distinction of being the first to issue one million of the prestigious cards. Then, in 1996, MBNA launched the Platinum Plus card. With its $100,000 credit line and array of benefits, Platinum Plus soon became the much imitated industry standard.

Designed to appeal to the most discriminating person, and not available to the general public, the translucent Quantum surpasses both gold and platinum level cards. Quantum offers the ultimate in lines of credit, distinctive travel benefits, state-of-the-art Internet applications, security and Customer satisfaction.

Quantum Customers who qualify can access lines of credit totaling $1 million. The first $250,000 of the Quantum account is completely available by card, check, or cash. Beyond that a check-accessed line of credit can be arranged for an additional $750,000. So, even if the private seller of a rare collectible doesn’t accept credit cards, the Quantum Customer can simply write an access check.

But that’s only the beginning of what sets Quantum apart from other premium bank cards. All Quantum Customers will enjoy Quantum Assist(SM), an exclusive concierge service that puts a personal assistant at the Customer’s disposal to arrange anything from dinner reservations to finding that perfect gift. An optional Quantum Rewards(SM) program allows the Customer to earn up to 1 million miles per year, good for unlimited worldwide redemptions. So the Quantum Customer with sufficient miles can redeem points to fly first class to Sydney for a meeting, stay at a favorite 5-star hotel, take a luxury cruise around the South Pacific, and then fly home with a 2-day stop-over in Hawaii. All the Customer needs to do is make one phone call to Quantum Travel Services(SM). And the list of Quantum travel benefits goes on and on:

— Exclusive travel packages at the best resorts and destinations around the world and complimentary upgrades — Personal travel planners to assist with complex itineraries — Free Trip Cancellation and Trip Interruption Insurance

Quantum is also fully “Internet ready”. Protected by the highest level of security available, Customers have convenient and easy-to-use online access to their accounts, and are 100% protected against any unauthorized use. In addition, Quantum Customers receive:

— An optional electronic wallet that adds extra speed and convenience to online transactions in a secure encrypted environment — Full Internet access to concierge and travel services — Internet shopping tools

MBNA’s award winning Customer satisfaction commitment completes the package. The Quantum Customer can speak to a Personal Representative 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, receiving Quantum Priority Service. A special Merchant Dispute Advocacy service goes above and beyond to help resolve disputes with merchants. Quantum, the ultimate credit card, is designed to surpass the most demanding Customer’s expectations.

Pricing for Quantum varies, but the account typically features a 2.9% introductory rate and a fixed 13.99% rate thereafter. There is no annual fee, but the optional Quantum Rewards(SM) program costs $75 per year. There are no over-the-credit-limit-fees and no ATM transaction fees. Quantum Customers also enjoy preferred rates on MBNA Certificates of Deposit and Money Market Accounts, already among the best rates available nationally.

MBNA America, the pioneer in gold and platinum bank cards, now is introducing the ultimate: Quantum. With exclusive features to meet the needs of those who qualify, Quantum truly is only for the select few, and only from MBNA.

MBNA Corporation (NYSE: KRB), a bank holding company and parent of MBNA America Bank, N.A., a national bank, has $73 billion in managed loans. MBNA, the largest independent credit card lender in the world, also provides retail deposit, consumer loan, and insurance products. MBNA.com (www.MBNA.com) provides credit card, consumer loan, retail deposit, travel, and shopping services. SOURCE: MBNA Corporation

Contact: Steve Boyden, Senior Executive Vice President of MBNA, 302-432-1480, or fax, 302-456-8541, or E-mail, sb*****@**na.com

Website: http://www.mbna.com/

05/13/1988
The Wall Street Journal
(Copyright (c) 1988, Dow Jones & Co., Inc.)

AN AMERICAN EXPRESS black card?

It was the ultimate in plastic — while it lasted, which wasn’t long, because so many of its holders found it easy to leave home without it.

The card was held by an ultra-select group of consumers who numbered fewer than 1,000 around the world. As a complement to their garden-variety American Express credit cards, it offered services as freebies.

Suppose, for example, on a 3-o’clock-in-the-morning whim, you decided to book a round-the-world trip; American Express would accommodate you with a travel service staffed 24 hours a day. In the market for a red 1965 Ferrari? If you were a black-card holder, American Express would kick tires in the world’s fanciest used-car lots. If you remembered in Singapore that you had left your favorite suit in a Hong Kong penthouse, the company would arrange to fetch it.

After a trial that lasted nearly four years, American Express abandoned the card in 1987. “It just wasn’t worth keeping it up,” says Lee Middleton, a company spokesman.

The card was never advertised. It was unobtainable by a large part of the world’s population, among them poor people and Americans. The card was given only to clients who had what Mr. Middleton calls a “substantial banking relationship” with American Express Bank Ltd., the New York parent of American Express’s bank subsidiaries in Switzerland. Because the Bank Holding Company Act kept the bank from doing business with Yanks, the card went only to rich foreigners.

While the card offered high-class ID for check-cashing, and free services, nothing could actually be charged on it. For charges, the card-holders were billed on their platinum- or gold- or green-card accounts.

Clients who did use their black cards got highly personal treatment. So few were the users that when they phoned American Express the “people at the other end of the phone would know who they were dealing with,” says Mr. Middleton. Typical chores included dispatching limousines or helicopters for clients, booking their vacations and finding medical care in exotic places. But Mr. Middleton says the platinum card, which didn’t exist when the black card was introduced, now offers “about 95%” of the black card’s services.

—

Ms. Rothman is a staff reporter in The Wall Street Journal’s New York bureau.