Why are you all getting so excited about this card?? (ok so I'm late into the debate). This is beginning to sound like a Frasier storyline where he visits an invitation-only health spa, then discovers there's a silver, followed by a gold, followed by a diamond level... So the story goes on. From what I've seen of the marketing literature, it offers nil benefit compared to other ultra-premium offerings such as AmEx Platinum or Centurion. Reminds me of a spoof ad a brand of English cider ran a while back talking about a mythical private bank which was so exclusive and offered such degrees of personal attention to include a discrete bank employee who would walk 10 paces behind you so that you didn't need to handle something so vulgar as mere cash.

This is a VERY cynical marketing ploy by Visa. If you're going to offer such a so-called 'exclusive' benefit, 1st rule is you don't advertise it (so ok AmEx have not only taken to revealing the existence of Centurion but its on its website too).

Surely the whole point of exclusivity (apart from airline loyalty cards which score the odd upgrade and can save you from the horridness of the wider airport environment, albeit within a homogenised view of the world, or the hotel cards which might get you a slightly less ghastly room than the one they originally assign you) is that people who have it, don't scream it. Cf people I know who happen to be relatively well-heeled who are perfectly happy retaining and using a Co-Op Bank (basic) Visa card.

Save your money - live, travel. Be exclusive and realise it doens't always come through plastic, nor do you have to express yourself in such terms (but then maybe you think I'm a freak?!?)