American Express Business Centurion (Black) Card Review: The Ultimate Luxury Card for Your Business

None of the credit cards we've reviewed can compete with the benefits offered by the American Express Business Centurion Card (aka, the Black Card). Offering everything from elite status with, well, just about everyone, to a dedicated concierge, this business credit card is the poster child for luxury cards.

All those benefits aren't easy to get, however. You pay five-figure fees, and you need an invitation just to apply. See what makes the American Express Business Centurion Card so coveted in our detailed review.

This credit card is a good fit for: High-spending business owners who travel extensively and can maximize all of the card's perks.

Top perks

According to cardholders, the American Express Business Centurion Card's value comes from its copious perks and benefits. And there's no arguing the card has a lot to offer. (Terms apply.)

50% points rebate when redeemed through Amex Travel

The Centurion cards aren't known for being big on purchase rewards (more on that below). But you definitely want to use your American Express Business Centurion Card when you redeem Amex Membership Rewards points. That's because you get a 50% rebate on the points you spend on travel in the American Express Travel portal. If you redeem 50,000 points for a flight, you get 25,000 of those points back. This boosts your points value from $0.01 each up to $0.02 each when redeemed through Amex. Terms apply.

Global Lounge Collection membership

Cardholders get complimentary access to thousands of the world's top airport lounges. The Global Lounge Collection includes:

• The Centurion® Lounges
• The International American Express Lounges
• Priority Pass™ lounges
• Delta Sky Club® lounges (when flying Delta)
• Airspace Lounges
• Escape Lounges
• Plaza Premium Lounges

The only other way to get access to the full Global Lounge Collection is with The Platinum Card® from American Express or its business counterpart. Airport lounge access can easily go for $50 per visit, making this perk quite lucrative for frequent flyers. Terms apply.

Related: Best Travel Rewards Credit Cards

Delta SkyMiles Platinum Medallion elite status

One of the stand-out benefits of the Centurion cards is complimentary Delta Platinum Medallion status. This is the second-highest elite status with Delta, and it's not available with any other credit card -- not even the best Delta cobranded cards.

Platinum Medallion status comes with a whole host of perks, not the least of which is unlimited complimentary upgrades -- including first class on all flights, and even Delta One on domestic tickets. You also get a free checked bag on flights with Delta or select partners, as well as priority check-in and boarding. Terms apply. Enrollment required.

Hilton, Marriott, and IHG elite status, plus other hotel perks

Cardholders get complimentary elite status with three of the largest hotel chains. While you only get top-tier status with Hilton, the other statuses can still be valuable. Terms apply; enrollment required.

Hilton Diamond Status

This is the highest Hilton elite status. With it comes benefits like free breakfast, complimentary Executive Lounge access, and room upgrades up to a one-bedroom suite. You also get a 100% bonus on any Hilton points you earn.

The only other way to get Hilton Diamond status with a credit card is with the $450-a-year Hilton Honors American Express Aspire Card. And it's a tier higher than what's offered with the Hilton Honors American Express Business Card and the Business Platinum cards.

IHG Platinum Elite status

This is the second-highest elite status with IHG, and the highest status you can get with a credit card, even the cobranded IHG One Rewards Premier Credit Card. Platinum Elite status unlocks a few nice perks, including room upgrades and guaranteed room availability. You also get a 50% bonus on IHG points earned.

Marriott Bonvoy Gold elite status

This is perhaps the least impressive of the hotel statuses that come with your card, as it's mid-tier on the Marriott elite chart. However, it does have a few useful perks, including 2 p.m. checkout and room upgrades. It also comes with a 25% points bonus. This is the same status you'd get with the Business Platinum card or the $650-a-year Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant® American Express® Card. (See rates and fees.) It's a tier higher than you can get with a Marriott Bonvoy Business Card.

Fine Hotels & Resorts® Program and The Hotel Collection

If you're not big on brand-name hotels, you can check out the Fine Hotels & Resorts® Program and The Hotel Collection. The former is a popular Platinum Card perk, and the latter is available on a number of Amex cards -- including the American Express® Gold Card. These programs give you special discounts and perks at over 1,100 properties around the world.

Read more: Best Hotel Credit Cards

Hertz Platinum and Avis President's Club elite status

Cardholders get complimentary elite status with two of the largest rental car chains:

Hertz Platinum

This is the top-tier Hertz elite status, and comes with a ton of perks, including:

• Complimentary vehicle upgrades
• Complimentary airport terminal pickups
• Guaranteed availability
• Free additional drivers
• Bonus rewards points
• Complimentary extras (such as ski racks, child car seats, etc.)

Avis President's Club

This is Avis' second-highest elite tier, and it comes with perks such as:

• Complimentary vehicle upgrades
• Guaranteed availability
• Discounted rental rates
• Bonus rewards points

Terms apply; enrollment required.

Access to the Centurion concierge service

Although you can get a credit card concierge with any number of cards, few services can compete with that offered by the Centurion cards. With a Centurion card, you get a dedicated concierge agent, at your service 24 hours a day. Terms apply. You concierge can help you with all kinds of requests, such as:

• Making reservations, even at restaurants otherwise fully booked
• Buying event tickets, including for sold-out shows
• Finding, ordering, and delivering gifts and flowers
• Researching and booking travel, down to the last detail

We've found any number of stories of Centurion concierges going above and beyond for their clients. A quality concierge can save you money and, perhaps more importantly, time.

What could be improved

Not even the Centurion cards are without shortcomings. This card's exclusivity works against it here.

Available by invitation only

One of the most obvious drawbacks of the American Express Business Centurion Card is that you can't simply apply for it. Instead, you need an invitation from Amex. (Though you can request they consider you through the Centurion.com website.)

While there's no definitive data on how to get an invitation, it's often said to be connected to how much money you spend on your existing American Express credit cards. Rumors of minimum amounts range from $250,000 a year up to $500,000 a year in annual card spending. You may also need to meet some (undisclosed) minimum annual revenue amounts.

$15,000 in first-year card fees

If you think the $695 annual fee for the Business Platinum card is excessive, you'll find the fees for the American Express Business Centurion Card downright obscene. Just to get started, you need to pay a $10,000 initiation fee (and that's not refundable if you close the card).

Presumably, part of that fee goes towards paying for the physical card itself, which is rumored to be made of anodized titanium. It's also supposed to be delivered in a very fancy package and nestled in a pricey leather wallet.

Once you've paid your initiation fee, you fork over another $5,000 for the annual card fee. And you pay a $5,000 fee every year you keep your card. Makes the Platinum card look downright affordable, eh?

Purchase rewards are subpar

While we can certainly wax poetic about the benefits of the American Express Business Centurion Card, we've glazed over one important thing: the purchase rewards. Well, that's deliberate. Why? Because the purchase rewards are basically junk.

Centurion cardholders earn just 1x Membership Rewards point per dollar on purchases. If you have the American Express Business Centurion Card, you do get an extra 50% -- for a total of 1.5x points per dollar -- on purchases over $5,000 (that's $5,000 in a single transaction).

Compare this rate with basically any other Amex card, and the Centurion card comes up short. Oh, and there's no welcome offer. Our advice? Use your other Amex cards to accrue points, then the Centurion card -- with its 50% travel redemption bonus -- to redeem them.

Read more: Best Rewards Credit Cards

There's little information on what kind of credit score you need for the American Express Business Centurion Card, but it's probably safe to assume you need at least good credit. According to rumor, acceptance is mostly dependent on your annual revenue, and how much you spend on your existing American Express credit cards.

Take a look at our other credit card reviews to see more options that might work for you.

The American Express Business Centurion Card may ooze status and prestige, but that's not all it offers. Centurion cardholders get more benefits than you could shake a platinum-plated stick at, including many not offered by any other credit cards. And it's a good thing, too, since the purchase rewards are barely competitive for what is, ostensibly -- a travel card. Of course, you're certainly paying for those perks up front, with $15,000 in year-one costs, plus an extra $5,000 a year after that. If you're offered a chance at an American Express Business Centurion Card, really crunch your numbers to make sure you'll get at least that much value (and, ideally, even more). Whether you include the prestige of Centurion card membership in that evaluation is up to you.

Keep reading: Best Business Credit Cards

Our credit card methodology

At The Motley Fool Ascent, we rate credit cards on a five-star scale (1 = poor, 5 = best). Our rating criteria includes rewards rates, welcome bonuses, fees, and perks like travel credits and 0% intro APR offers to evaluate our ratings.

We combine these factors with an evaluation of brand reputation and customer satisfaction to ensure you're getting the best card recommendations. Learn more about how The Ascent rates credit cards.