3/5
Mastercard Gold Card
- Best for: Frequent travelers who will use the credits and lounges and value a card made with 24K gold
- What Sets It Apart: 22-gram card made with 24K gold; points worth 2 cents as cash back or airfare; lounge access with guests included
- Cost: $1,199 annual fee; $349 per authorized user; 19.74% to 27.74% variable interest rate; no foreign transaction fee
- Features: 1 point per $1; 2 points per $1 on airfare and prepaid hotels at LuxuryCardTravel.com; $300 airline, $200 dining, and $200 Ship&Play credits each calendar year; up to $120 for Global Entry or TSA PreCheck
- Pros: Cash back at 2 cents a point; up to $700 in yearly credits; unlimited lounge visits with guests
- Cons: No sign-up bonus; at least $499 of the fee left after credits; everyday rewards match no-fee 2% cards
Luxury Card’s top-tier card, issued by Barclays, pays 2 cents a point as cash back or toward airfare and adds airport lounge access, yearly credits, and a 24/7 concierge. It suits frequent travelers who will use those perks and want a card that stands out when they pay.
Key Features
- $1,199 annual fee, plus $349 for each authorized user
- Variable interest rate of 19.74% to 27.74%, with 0% for 15 billing cycles on balance transfers made in your first 45 days, plus a 5% transfer fee
- 1 point per $1, or 2 per $1 on airfare and prepaid hotels booked at LuxuryCardTravel.com
- Points worth 2 cents each as cash back or toward airfare, the two options with a fixed value
- Calendar-year credits of up to $300 for airline purchases, $200 at restaurants, and $200 for shipping luggage or gear through Ship&Play
Pros
- Cash back at the same 2 cents a point as airfare, with no minimum to redeem
- Unlimited Priority Pass airport lounge visits for you, authorized users, and guests
- Perks such as daily breakfast for two and room upgrades when available, on stays booked through LuxuryCardTravel.com at more than 3,000 hotels
- Up to $120 toward Global Entry or TSA PreCheck for you and each authorized user every four years
- No foreign transaction fee
Cons
- No sign-up bonus
- Using all $700 in yearly credits still leaves $499 of the $1,199 fee
- Everyday rewards only match the 2% back the no-annual-fee Citi Double Cash pays
- The Ship&Play credit only covers shipping luggage, boxes, golf clubs, skis, or bikes
Get it if you’ll use the lounges and credits and would pay what’s left of the fee for a card made with 24K gold. For the lounges and hotel perks alone, Luxury Card’s Mastercard Black Card charges $699 instead of $1,199, with $300 in yearly credits instead of $700 and cash back at 1.5 cents a point instead of 2.
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