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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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FAQs
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.
What was the biggest purchase on the American Express black card? ›
The largest known purchase made with the Centurion card is the Nu couché painting by Amedeo Modigliani, which businessman Liu Yiqian bought for US$170,405,000 at a Christie's auction in New York in 2015.
How many people own the 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 spend for American Express black card? ›
Amex Black Card Requirements
Have a history of at least one year with American Express. Spend $500,000 or more per year on your Amex credit cards (though some reports say you need to spend upwards of a million dollars every year)
Why is the Amex black card so special? ›
The privileges of a black card include upgrades and special permissions for rental cars and access to some of the most breathtaking hotel suites in hard-to-reach destinations.
What card do billionaires use? ›
What Credit Card Do the Super Rich Use? The super rich use a variety of different credit cards, many of which have strict requirements to obtain, such as invitation only or a high minimum net worth. Such cards include the American Express Centurion (Black Card) and the JP Morgan Chase Reserve.
Which celebrity has a American Express Black Card? ›
Both Kim Kardashian and Oprah Winfrey reportedly have one, and Jerry Seinfeld broke his out in a recent episode of the Netflix show, “Comedians in Cars Getting Coffee.” In fact, were it not for Seinfeld, the card might not exist. “Do you know why there is a Black Card?” he asks fellow comedian John Mulaney. “Me.”
What is the maximum limit on AmEx Black? ›
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.
How rich do you have to be to have an Amex Black Card? ›
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 the most elite credit card? ›
The most prestigious credit card is the Centurion® Card from American Express, which is also known as the Amex Black Card. This card requires applicants to meet very high income and spending standards to even qualify, and you can only apply if you receive an invitation.
Whether or not you can purchase a vehicle with a credit card will depend on the dealer and the policies they have in place for certain transactions. Many dealers refuse credit card transactions or limit the dollar amount of such transactions due to the hefty transaction fees that often accompany them.
Is the Amex Black Card metal? ›
Launched in 1999, the American Express black card is made from anodized Titanium.
What is the most prestigious American Express card? ›
What is the most prestigious credit 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 biggest purchase of the American Express Black Card? ›
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.
How hard is it to get a black Amex? ›
Make at Least $250,000 in Purchases on Your Amex Cards
Although Amex doesn't publish a spending threshold to get invited, a solid rule of thumb is that you need to make at least $250,000 in annual purchases across all of your Amex cards.
What is the maximum spending limit on the American Express 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 largest credit card transaction? ›
$170 Mn - Yes one transaction. A billionaire bought a painting worth that much on his American Express card. What is the biggest amount ever charged to a credit card?
What is the highest spending limit on American Express Gold Card? ›
If you have a Consumer or Business Green, Gold or Platinum Card, your Card does not have a credit limit. Instead, your Card has no preset spending limit unless you have been previously notified otherwise. No preset spending limit means the spending limit is flexible.
What is the limit on the Mastercard black card? ›
The Mastercard® Black Card's minimum credit limit is $5,000. Given that the Mastercard Black Card is advertised as a “luxury” card and charges an annual fee of $495, applicants may assume it will have a high limit. That may or may not prove true, depending on the applicant's credit history, income and potential debt.
