Wild Purchases People Actually Made With the Amex Black Card (2024)

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The American Express Business Centurion Card is well known as one of the most expensive and exclusive credit cards in the world. In addition to some excellent travel benefits and access to the top-notch Centurion Concierge service, card members have no pre-set spending limit.

As you might imagine, when you have a credit card used primarily by ultra-high-net-worth individuals and with no spending limit, there have been some massive purchases on American Express Business Centurion Cards through the years. Here are some of the most extreme examples.

Nine-figure artwork purchase

The largest purchase ever made on a American Express Business Centurion Card was reportedly a $170 million painting, bought by Chinese billionaire Liu Yiqian Liu. And the 2015 purchase wasn't the first massive art purchase Liu made with the card. He previously purchased a $36 million antique tea cup from the Ming Dynasty on the card.

Even though the American Express Business Centurion Card only earns one Membership Rewards point per $1 on standard purchases and 1.5 points per $1 for purchases over $5,000, this means that the art purchase alone earned Liu about $2.6 million in redemption value toward travel, or potentially even more value if the points were transferred to some of Amex's partner airlines. And traveling for free for life is exactly what Liu told the New York Times that he and his wife planned to do with his points.

Mansions, jets, and cars

To be sure, most people who spend millions of dollars with their American Express Business Centurion Card don't broadcast it, so there is a definite lack of specific, confirmed reports, although they almost certainly have happened.

For example, one report claimed that the American Express Business Centurion Card was used to purchase a $54 million private jet. Other reports have claimed card members have bought yachts, exotic cars, and even houses with their cards.

American Express hasn't directly confirmed any of these (including the well-documented art purchases discussed earlier), due to privacy concerns. But an Amex spokesperson did confirm to the Guardian that large purchases like these are certainly possible, saying, "It is based on our relationship with that individual card member and these decisions are made on a case-by-case basis, based on our knowledge of their spending patterns."

You don't need the American Express Business Centurion to have no spending limit

While the American Express Business Centurion Card is well known for not having a pre-set spending limit, many people don't realize that several of American Express' card products also don't have one. So, theoretically, you don't need a American Express Business Centurion Card to buy a $2 million Bugatti -- you could make the purchase on any of the following cards:

Or, if you're a small business owner, all of these have a business version as well.

However, the key word is pre-set. Just because there is no pre-set spending limit like most cards have doesn't mean that I could walk into a Ferrari dealership with my Amex Platinum card and walk out with a new car. My spending patterns with Amex wouldn't come close to justifying that. But if you're looking for a card that has a flexible spending cap that can let you earn points on large purchases, one of these Amex products could be worth a closer look.

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Wild Purchases People Actually Made With the Amex Black Card (2024)

FAQs

What was the biggest purchase on the American Express black card? ›

The largest purchase ever made on a American Express Business Centurion Card was reportedly a $170 million painting, bought by Chinese billionaire Liu Yiqian Liu. And the 2015 purchase wasn't the first massive art purchase Liu made with the card.

How many people own Amex Black Card? ›

While AmEx services over 100 million cardholders, there are estimates that AmEx only has 100,000 Centurion cardholders worldwide.

What is the minimum spending on the American Express black card? ›

Terms may apply to offers listed on this page. You need an invite from American Express to open the American Express Centurion Card. There are no hard-and-fast rules on who gets invited, but it reportedly takes at least $500,000 to $1 million in annual spending.

What is so special about a black Amex? ›

If you are fortunate enough to have received an invite to apply, the card offers high-level luxury benefits including top-tier hotel statuses, Delta Air Lines Medallion status, Centurion hotel perks and credits and discounts for high-end experiences like private airport lounge access and Equinox All-Access membership.

What card do billionaires use? ›

In a world where wealth and status are often interlinked, the black credit card stands as a pinnacle of fiscal prestige. Embodied by the illustrious Centurion® Card from American Express, colloquially known as the 'Amex Black Card', these cards are more than a payment method ᅳ they're a statement.

What is the most prestigious credit card in the world? ›

FAQs about exclusive credit cards

The American Express Centurion Card, commonly known as the “Amex Black Card,” is often regarded as the most popular credit card in the world due to its invitation-only policy and extensive luxury benefits.

What is the #1 credit card to have? ›

The best credit card overall is the Wells Fargo Active Cash® Card because it gives 2% cash rewards on purchases and has a $0 annual fee. For comparison purposes, the average cash rewards card in 2024 gives about 1% back.

How rich do you have to be to own a black card? ›

Reports suggest that you need at least $10 million in assets under management with Chase to qualify for an invitation. For the Centurion® Card from American Express, anecdotal evidence says you need to charge six-figures on your other American Express cards annually.

What is the annual income for Amex Black Card? ›

Who Can Apply for the Amex Black Card? To qualify for the Amex Black Card, you reportedly need to spend at least $350,000 per year on other American Express cards – and pay the monthly bills on time, of course. You also need an income of at least $1 million per year and an excellent credit score.

What is the credit limit on Amex Black Card? ›

The American Express Centurion Black Card is a card with no preset spending limit, and the balance must be paid in full each billing cycle, so there is no APR. However, those who choose to use the card's Pay Over Time feature will be subject to an interest rate on those purchases of the prime rate plus 12.74%.

What is the highest credit card limit? ›

On our list, the card with the highest reported limit is the Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card, which some say offers a $100,000 limit. We've also seen an advertised maximum credit limit of $100,000 on the First Tech Odyssey Rewards™ World Elite Mastercard®, a credit union rewards card.

What is the minimum income for American Express Ultimate Card? ›

Applicants must be 18 years of age or over, and earn a minimum income of $65,000 per annum to apply for the Qantas American Express Ultimate Card.

Who owns a black Amex card? ›

The American Express Centurion Card, colloquially known as the Black Card, is a charge card issued by American Express. It is reserved for the company's wealthiest clients who meet certain net worth, credit quality, and spending requirements on its gateway card, the Platinum Card.

What is the most prestigious Amex card? ›

One of the world's most prestigious credit cards is the Centurion® Card from American Express*. Though there may be other cards with more elaborate benefits, those cards are kept well under wraps.

How many people own Amex Black? ›

But we have it on good authority that celebrities including Beyoncé, Oprah Winfrey, and Jerry Seinfeld, who reportedly received the first-ever Black Card, all carry it. Collectively there are thought to be fewer than 20,000 AmEx Centurion cardholders around the world.

What is the spending limit on the Black Card? ›

There's no credit limit

The American Express Black Card doesn't have a pre-set spending limit, so cardholders can spend as much as they want every month. But that's only the case if they can afford it. The Centurion® Card from American Express is a charge card, so cardholders can't carry a balance.

What is the highest Amex purchase? ›

1) $170 Million Painting

The painting came at the hefty cost of $170 million, which Liu put on his Amex Black Card. The Black Card is a no-limit credit card given by Amex to ultra-high-net-worth individuals, which is why it didn't decline when a $170 million purchase was put on it.

What is the Amex Black Card credit limit? ›

The American Express Centurion Black Card is a card with no preset spending limit, and the balance must be paid in full each billing cycle, so there is no APR. However, those who choose to use the card's Pay Over Time feature will be subject to an interest rate on those purchases of the prime rate plus 12.74%.

What is the largest single credit card transaction? ›

What is the most money a person has spent on a single credit card transaction? According to this article it was $170,000,000 for a painting using an American Express Centurion Card.

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