Visa Infinite?
 

Anyone know anything about this card?

http://www.usa.visa.com/personal/car..._benefits.html

Looks like a Amex Platinum, with a pinch of Diners (Car Rental Policy), and a smidge of Centurion (Concierge, etc)

Very interesting.

[This message has been edited by skofarrell (edited 03-04-2002).]

Not exactly...

Car Rental Policy: "Within your domiciled country this insurance is secondary to any other valid and collectible insurance from any other source."

Companion Airline Ticket: "Your Activated Free Companion Fare Voucher is a one-time gift to thank you for your patronage."

I also found a card that MBNA offers:

https://www.quantumcreditcard.com

Why do I feel like I am missing out on a number of potentially good Visa/MC deals?

Missed that. Now how much is the annual fee?

What nonsense with Visa. They now have 5 levels of cards. Of course this was only natural, since banks give out Platinum cards to anyone (look at all of those platinum cards Providian gives out to people with subprime credit).

Eventually they're either going to have 20 levels or they're going to have to change the way they do business.

This could be accomplished by setting and enforcing qualification criteria for the "premium" cards.

Otherwise, they can just drop the classic, gold and platinum from the line. Instead, Signature will be the lowest level (equal to todays Classic), Infinite (gold) will be the next one, and so on.

I think it makes more sense for them to just enforce a criteria. If they want to offer more services, they can just add them to the existing top-tier card. Otherwise every time they come out with a new card the banks have to process upgrades for tons of people.

d

Does anybody have a link to get information on the Quantum MBNA card? The link above doesnt give you info, you have to input an existing account number before you can enter.

Thanks!

A search on google.com for "MBNA Quantum" turned up a number of sites with credit card reviews, such as epinions.com and credicardfreedom.com.
Here are a few of the links:
http://www.epinions.com/finc-Credit-...splay_~reviews
http://www.creditcardfreedom.com/rev...d=MBNA+Quantum

I received an offer for this card recently, and was wondering if its worth switching. My initial impressions are that its more of a high-limit Platinum card, but also seems to lack some more common Platinum perks.
If the MBNA customer service is truly as good as the reviewers say it is, then it might be worth a look.

Thanks for the links, Upperdeck. I agree with you that the published benefits seem (at least at a glance) better with Amex Platinum.

I have a MBNA Quantum Mastercard. Don't use it much. It doesn't earn any points, but it is free and has some benefits. Nothing really above what most other platinum Visa/MC, though, that I have really noted. You do get dedicated cust service, though, I think, and it has some kind of concierge service that I've never tried. The translucent card is very cool looking. http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/wink.gif

My UA MP Rewards Visa Signature (mouthful!) has concierge too, far as I know. It's free and earns 1 mile per $2 spent. Supposedly Visa Signature has no preset spending limit. I can't imagine the concierge service on these free cards is anything close to equivalent to the concierge service on Amex Centurion, tho.

It's my other MBNA card that I use the most, though, I think. It's a Platinum Visa from LL Bean. The percentage you got back was higher at first; it's down to 3% for LL Bean purchases and only 1/2% for other, payable in $10 coupons. It used to be at least 1% for other purchases. But you still get free shipping on all orders. (Free monogramming too if you're into that; I'm not.)

The one thing I've seen is that the gold and platinum Visa/MCs have moved plenty downmarket. So perhaps the Quantum *does* have more benefits than today's platinums, but probably not by much. Heck, I don't know if I even have a gold Visa/MC anymore, let alone a classic. I don't carry any of the pay cards; just don't get that kind of use out of them.

Diners at $80 annual fee still looks like the cheapest entry into primary rental car insurance. They have a concierge service in that package too. If Amex doesn't have that kind of service trickling to at least the Platinum card, they're slacking. Or it had better be something a whole lot better than these guys. (Diners' concierge is outsourced; so, quite probably, are any that are tacked onto MC and Visa cards.)

Oh, as for that Visa Infinite, the added things over Visa Signature are minimal. Considering one can get Signature-level cards for free, it wouldn't be worth paying too much for the benefits of Infinite. I suppose it may compare to World MasterCard, which is MC's level above Platinum. The trouble with all Visa and MC levels, though, is that the final list of the benefits is set by the banks and may not necessarily include all those listed even though the card is what it says. I figure the MBNA Quantum is roughly just a Platinum MC. None of these compare to what is on an *Amex* Platinum or Centurion, really.


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--Greg

[edited to add final paragraph]


[This message has been edited by CrazyOne (edited 03-08-2002).]

Are you sure about this...? I thought you get 1 mile for $1 spent.

[This message has been edited by Gaucho100K (edited 03-11-2002).]

The 1 mile per $1 is the regular card. A few years ago I had a regular card for a year and scored big for the $60 or $65 fee. 10,000 signup miles plus at one point during that they gave out a bonus check that earned double miles for a balance transfer! So of course I transfered close to my limit... then paid it off right away. Only cost a couple bucks in interest and transaction fee. Anyway, after that first year with bonus it's not worth it for me to pay fee, so when I got the bill with fee I called to cancel. The lovely retention people offered me the Mileage Plus *Rewards* Visa. This card earns miles at half the rate but is free.

Indeed, I just got a new silvery card in the mail with Visa Signature on it. Seems to have everything mentioned on the Visa Signature site http://www.usa.visa.com/personal/car...ignature.html, except for the Dining Privileges. Instead it mentions Trip Delay Insurance, which is not available to me. You have to have a standard 1 mile per $1 card for that. Not a bad collection o' stuff for free, I guess.


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--Greg

Citibank does not know anything about infinite.

At present, there are three banks that issue the Visa Infinite: Chase, National City and Fleet. Cards are issued by invitation only. These banks have informed visa that they are not interested in taking calls whatsoever in regards to this card, however, the visa representative said that he believed a minimum of $3,000,000 in assets is required in order to be extended an invitation.

If they don't want calls, Visa shouldn't put info about the card on its Web site.

Furthermore, they must be kidding with the $3M requirement. The benefits of the card are hardly impressive, considering they're almost exactly the same benefits as the Signature card (which is available to pretty much anyone); the only difference is the one time free companion certificate, which probably requires the purchase of an expensive fare anyway.

Even AmEx doesn't have such a ridiculous requirement for the Centurion card, and that one provides a lot more in the way of airline/hotel/car rental elite benefits.

What a joke.

d

$3M requirement?

Amex really has them acting like idiots.

------------------
AAdvantage Platinum
AMEX Platinum (Canada)

Perhaps Visa isn't actively marketing this card now.
The www.usa.visa.com site doesn't seem to list the Visa Infinite card among the choices of credit cards to explore, but the link to Infinite posted here still works.
I couldn't find anything on Infinite on the Fleet site, but I did find a link to Infinite on the National City site:
http://pia.nationalcity.com/pcg/priv...b_visacard.asp
It's apparently available from their Private Client Group.

Visa's Web site still lists it, just click on card benefits.

This is the link provided on National City's Web site to a special cardholder only Web site. http://www.infinitecard.com/secure_entry.jsp

There's a picture of the black infinite card that looks a lot like AmEx's Centurion card.

d

The very bright VISA logo contrasts poorly on the cool looking black card.

No chance I would take this over an Amex Centurion.... http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/biggrin.gif http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/rolleyes.gif

The card looks even worse if you go to the Infinite Web site as a referral from:
http://pia.nationalcity.com/pcg/priv...b_visacard.asp (visa infinite cardholder web site is the last bullet point on the page)

Then the card has the bright Visa logo, plus a really ugly National City logo and text on it.

How do you apply for the Quantum card?

What is the "UA MP Rewards Visa Signature"? Any website links?

Quantum: good question. When I got mine, I got a flyer in the mail. It had a web address that I used. But it doesn't appear that there's a web link off MBNA's site, except for the login link. Perhaps they either a) stopped offering it or b) offer it only to existing MBNA cardholders. At the time I got mine, I already had their LL Bean card. Perhaps call and ask? I dunno.

UA Visa cards: UA cards come from First USA. Go to FirstUSA.com and check it out. You can't apply directly for the Rewards card, if you can even still get one at all. (Please read closely my earlier posts.) You have to apply for the standard $60 annual fee card (which is also Visa Signature) and have that for at least a year first. No guarantees that you'll be offered such a card if you call to cancel after that year. I just know it exists because I have one, and that is how I got it.


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--Greg

So, what are the five levels for credit cards now?

Classic/Regular, Gold, Platinium, Paladium, and Diamond? :-)

White Amex-- you can be directed to the specific UA FirsUSA website for application of the UA Signature Visa card through the United website.

Quantum is MBNA's own version of World Mastercard/Visa Signature. However according to both associations; Quantum is considered a Platinum level card. Quantum(SM) has a minimum credit line of $10,000.00 And doesn't offer extrodinary benefits/services. I have this card. I've suggested to MBNA to call it "MBNA Quantum World Mastercard" so I can at least get World benefits. MBNA insisted due to conservative lending policies, they will not issue a card with no pre-set spending limit.

The Officially recognized card levels are...

01. Visa® Classic
02. Visa® Gold
03. Visa® Platinum
04. Visa® Signature
05. Visa® Infinite
===
01. Standard Mastercard®
02. Gold Mastercard®
03. Platinum Mastercard®
04. World Mastercard®
05. Unknown



[This message has been edited by MaisonUnitas (edited 05-01-2002).]

Any updates on the Infinite card? Anyone get the card?

Try and pay with Amex in nepal or tanzania. If you travel a lot to far away places - visa/mc is still the way to go. Signature or not.

National City is the only bank currently offering the Infinite Card. Fleet and Chase have or had plans; but currently don't offer it. The 3 Million dollar in minimum assets is way off; it's actually around 150K. The card has an annual fee of $150. It is currently available in other countries.

The World Mastercard is the highest level; nothing above it yet.

Who has the Infinite Card?

Regarding MC card levels: In Norway they're now launching the "World Signia" as their top of the line product, is this different from the "ordinary" World card?

Anything new on the Visa Infinite Card? It seems no one has it!!?

The "world" mastercard is the same thing is a platmum world master card that AA will even give to a college student if they want to pay the $85 annual fee.

True. But, the Infinite Card is supposed to be impossible to get without a private client bank account. Maybe it's more exclusive than the Centurion?

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?!?)

Where?

I have a U.S. Visa Infinite Card.

The U.S. Infinite Card offers a feature similar to BVG on AMEX cards. Plus it still price matches internet ads!!

Very eloquently put! I agree completely. One FTalker, once stated that plastic is the most discreet form of exclusivity, as it's the last thing you present when making a purchase...Which makes perfect sense.