Difference in MasterCard World and World Elite?
 

Is there a difference between a World MasterCard and a World Elite MasterCard? I am particularly interested in any hotel programs/benefits.

FWIW, this relates to two cards I have. One is a Chase CSP World MasterCard, the other is a Chase Ink Bold World Elite MasterCard.

Good question. One of my US Air Barclay MC is an Elite but I haven't seen any differences.

World: http://www.mastercard.us/credit-card-world.html

Elite: http://www.mastercard.us/credit-card-world-elite.html

Basically what I am reading for the Barclay World Elite Mastercard for my benefits for having this one vs. a different master card world elite through the "if your master card says world elite" are not the same.............It seems having other world elite master cards may have other advantages such as upgrades on airlines, (not talking us airways), hotel upgrades, other travel benefits, airport concierge services, world elite chauffered car services, etc., etc., etc.

One big difference is that Mastercard charges higher merchant fees when you use a World Elite vs. World card. http://www.mastercard.com/us/merchan...d_Criteria.pdf

This is, at least theoretically, to support the assorted "benefits" linked by mia. However, most of those benefits require using their travel agent... so are you really saving anything?

Aside from that, the few items that looked possibly useful were the 1-year free National Executive status and permanent(?) Sixt Platinum.

I'll say this as nicely as possible, World Elite means nothing, the "benefits" are garbage and basically every card is being issued as one. And the "benefits" are tied to the specific card and can vary between products and even issuers. Barclays seems to offer the most barebones package of benefits.

This is why I've never upgraded my plain Visa/MC to the higher tiers. As long as I have one of each to use when I may need the benefits, there's no reason to hurt the merchant with higher fees just so my Freedom card will have a Signature logo on it.