New chip technology? That's old news. If you're looking for the latest and greatest in state of the art credit cards, look no further than the new Luxury Card. Developed by MasterCard, this new portfolio of luxury credit cards, you can now hold a card that's designed to give the ultimate in rewards and service.
The portfolio consists of three cards: Titanium, Black and Gold. The luxury starts with the cards themselves because they're not your typical plastic. All three are made from a patented design featuring a distinctive carbon transaction card. The carbon makes the card lighter, stronger, more rigid and more durable than a plastic card, which contributes to a longer lifespan. All cards come with both a chip and a magnetic stripe.
"All Luxury Card products are designed to ensure a customer-centric, stress-free experience. It starts with our newly designed website and permeates through all of our services. We are dedicated to offering Cardmembers exceptional benefits and value," said Marina Kissam, director of customer experience of Luxury Card, in a statement.
Luxury, of course, does not come in one-size fits all. There are three different tiers of card: The base-level Titanium Card, the mid-level Black Card, and the top-tier Gold Card. All three cards come with a rewards program managed by Barclays Bank Delaware and administered by TSYS Loyalty. The rewards program is points-based, with cardholders earning one point for every dollar they spend.
The value of points varies depending on what rewards you use them for. You can redeem points for a number of items: travel, cash back, gift cards, gift certificates and merchandise. The latter three categories have varying point redemption levels, depending on the partner merchants involved.
However, points for airfare are worth double, so if you wanted to cash in 25,000 points, it would be worth $500 in airfare.
Points used for cash back rewards--and the cash back is in the form of a statement credit--can also worth more than a one to one ratio, depending on the level of card you have. This ranges from one to two percent.
The cards also have VIP benefits and travel perks, but those vary based on the type of card you get. Annual fees also vary by card.
The entry-level Titanium card is the most accessible and costs $195 a year, plus $95 for each additional user on the account. Its APR is a variable 15.24%. It offers 10,000 bonus points after qualifying purchases and one percent value for cash back redemptions. Titanium cardholders have access to a Luxury Card concierge, a VIP hotel and travel program and a subscription to Luxury Magazine.
The mid-tier Black card costs $495 a year, plus $195 for each additional user. Like the Titanium card, it's a stainless steel and carbon card; however, it offers more tangible benefits than the Titanium card, the two most visible being a $100 annual airline credit and a $100 Global Entry fee credit. It also offers a luxury gift program, with cardholders randomly receiving gifts from iconic and recognized brands from around the world. After qualifying purchases, you can earn 25,000 bonus points. Its cash back offer is slightly better at 1.5 percent value. It has the same interest rate as the Titanium card and also includes the VIP hotel and travel program and a subscription to Luxury Magazine.
The top-tier Gold card costs $995 a year, plus $295 for each additional user. Beyond the 24K gold plated carbon card, the extra fee does give better benefits, including double points for airfare redemptions and two percent value for cash back redemptions. Its annual airline credit is doubled at $200. The other perks are similar to the Black Card: concierge access, a $100 Global Entry fee credit, luxury gifts, VIP hotel and travel program and a subscription to Luxury Magazine, and it has the same interest rate as the other two cards.
Card applications are available online.
