I think I am one of three people in the U.S. who still has the Diners Club Carte Blanche premium card. Not to be confused with the classic Carte Blanche card that was killed off by Citi several years ago, this is basically the same as a Diners Club card, but dark silver in color and with a $300 annual fee.
The extra benefits? Not much. Some vague golf course access and luxury hotel privileges. And a concierge service that is contracted out.
Oh, and two more: international cell phone rental and private jet access. Honestly, who needs to rent a cell phone when you can add international roaming to your existing cell phone plan with a few mouse clicks?
As for the private jet access, you get a planeload of points for booking, but the company Diners contracted with, Bombadier SkyJet, was acquired by VistaJet three years ago, and no Diners Club CSR can confirm whether the program is still active. If you are that wealthy to want/need private jet access, you probably don't need Diners Club to help you secure it.
My former company was paying the $300 annual fee, so I didn't think much about it...until I changed firms and was on the hook for it. Why don't I just downgrade to a regular Diners Club card???
BECAUSE DINERS CLUB WON'T LET ME. It says its systems (at least under Citi) are incapable of changing cards up or down, and you must re-apply, but lo and behold Citi wasn't taking new applications for the last few years.
I wonder if BMO/Harris will let this premium product die a quiet death? It has issued a specific CMA for the card, probably because of the difference in annual fees. Or does it have big plans for it, and resurrect the once highly respected card name of "Carte Blanche?"
I don't see the Carte Blanche card design in Diners Club showcase of new card designs, which does leave me wondering....
http://www.dinersclub.com/press-room/card-history.html
Perhaps the other two Carte Blanche cardholders left in the U.S. could chime in with their thoughts.