Uh, so the BLACK CARD is limited to 1% of the U.S. population.

All it means is that they're going to issue 3 million such cards.

Not to the top 1% earners or such, just 3 million cards to anyone dumb enough to pay for it.

Clever, uh? How many people reading the copy thought that it was somehow limited to the top 1%?

Well, I have to admit fell for it, sort of. The ad copy, that is, not the card itself. ;)

Indeed, and to think that this 1% exclusivity is a huge selling point. Are there really cardholders out there who care deeply about how many others hold the same card?

I got the offer today. For a mere $495, I could be part of this top 1%, which will get me "noticed". "Limited Membership" is the first selling point on the offer.

Man, if you pull out a credit card to get "noticed", and others are impressed, you really need to rethink your values and replace your posse with actual friends.

Could not agree more, but clearly there is a sizable group of people out there who are desperate to be noticed and impress people. If that wasn't true, it wouldn't be possible to find enough people to appear on Springer, Maury and other similar shows day after day. They run so many ads for that Black Card it must be working.

I think there has always been a market for stuff targeted at people who want to appear better off than they are.

I got the priority pass first, then I got the new cross tech 4 pen that was engraved 54.95 value then I got some coupons from some designers. It has been 7 months now, but I will be canceling after my year is up unless I get something valued over 500.00.

The developer of the VISA Black Card is also the developer of Buy.com.

Thanks Flyertalk
 

Having received the invite, I couldn't believe they were offering as little as it seemed from the brochure. I searched the internet for experiences, not wanting to set this invite aside if it meant upgrades to first, even though they don't advertise it.

I couldn't find much on the internet from those who owned the card. I don't think there are that many out there. I did get that there was no free upgrades in status, so I knew this when I called the number on my invite with my question, "was there at least a couple free upgrades to first class?" The guy was reluctant and said he didn't know, which I found odd. Isn't it his job to know the benefits of the card he was selling. Anyway, he said it was up to the individual conceirge person helping with the reservation if they could provide upgrades depending on the transaction. "If offered, would the upgrades be free?" Answer: "uh ... its up to the concierge ... I don't know."

About all he could offer was that the card provided free gifts throughout the year and the priority pass membership. He didn't try to push it too much. Like even he knew the card was a joke.

And even though I see it says BLACK CARD across the top of the huge card, I thought that was just marketing. From my spelling of concierge above, I think my French sucks, but however it is spelled, I just want to say, "how Gauche!"

That is very embarrassing !! Unless they pay me to use their "BLACK CARD". :D

cancelling my 1-hour-old Visa Black card
 

Received my Visa Black Card today, feel ripped of, duped, and am furious with Barclays. Canceling with smoke coming out of my ears!

I’ve been an AMEX platinum card holder for a few years. I thought about canceling my AMEX platinum when they dropped their companion ticket benefit, which was how I originally justified paying $450 annual fee. The main reason I got the AMEX Platinum was for access to airport lounges, but that benefit was imperfect — I have status on United, and United seems to be the only major airline that the Amex Platinum card doesn’t get you access to. And since San Francisco is my home airport, it just didn’t make sense to leave United.

So when I was invited to get the Visa Black Card, I was thrilled to learn that I could get access to United’s airport lounges. I even called customer service to confirm this. Today I got my new card, activated it, signed up for the airport club access and ONLY THEN :confused: discovered that airport lounge access isn’t really included as a card benefit. The first four visits are free, but after that they charge you $27 per person per visit.:mad: This, in my mind, is BS — and false advertising. I can’t find any fine print anywhere that explains this, and had I known I would have kept my Amex Platinum card.

For $495 per year Visa Black dares to play tricks on their customers? They only tell me about the bologna $27 per visit to an airport lounge AFTER I've been hit with a credit check that could dampen my perfect credit score? I’ve been a customer for less than 1 hour, I’m furious, and I’m canceling this card and ranting about it every chance I get. Shame on Barclays. I'm going back to Amex Platinum.

Welcome to Flyertalk.

While I don't think this absolves Barclay's of responsibility, the terms and conditions do make it clear that the rewards and benefits are provided separately by an entity called Black Card LLC. Barclay's merely extends credit and handles the billing. Black Card LLC is evidently owned by Think Tank Holdings LLC. You can read a little about their other businesses here:

http://www.luxuryplastic.com/black-c...press-release/


It's vague, but it's here:

https://www.blackcard.com/app/japply...offers/faq.jsp

Priority Pass: Provides access to more than 600 airport lounges in 300 cities and 100 countries. Each Visa Black Card member will receive a complimentary membership and two complimentary lounge visits each year.

If lounge access is important you may also wish to look at these cards:

Citi Chairman American Express This is an American Express network card issued by Citibank. It includes a Priority Pass membership with unlimited visits -and- (while not mentioned online) I believe you can bring two guests per visit at no extra charge. It also offers Hilton HHonors Gold status. Annual fee $500.

https://www.citicards.com/cards/wv/c...ituency_detail

Ameriprise World Elite Mastercard includes a Priority Pass membership with unlimited visits, but I believe there is a fee for guests. Annual fee $150.

http://banking-credit.ameriprise.com...mastercard.asp

Search the forum using the keywords "Chairman" and "Ameriprise" to read more about both cards. There are various other cards which bundle different levels of Priority Pass membership. Bear in mind that not all Red Carpet Club locations participate in Priority Pass. You may do better buying a club membership and using a lower cost credit card. Be sure to compare Continental vs United vs US Air club membership because they now offer reciprocal access.

Do yourself a favor and get the Ameriprise Card. It has to be the best kept 'secret' amongst what is left of the noteworthy cards. Especially if you value the companion ticket and free upgrades on certain airlines, this card has that through Virtuoso (you have to buy full-fare class tickets though, of course). The annual fee is $150, and you get the unlimited Priority Pass membership, and we are still getting guests in free too. I have not been charged once for bringing a guest into a lounge on my PP.

And to top it all off, if you carry a balance, the interest rate is astoundingly low (right now it is still at 4.5%). I know, I sound like a salesman, but I am just so happy that this card has not been hosed down the way the other card companies are destroying theirs.

I speak to a lot of these reps all the time they call us for NYC theater tickets almost everyday, they are pretty clue;ess and we have to go over the same stuff with them everyday, I can only imagine the conversation on the other side of the phone, We get them the first 10 rows for broadway shows and they call and ask us the same questions everyday ...

The amazing thing is, as I look back at these half-decade-old posts, the Visa Black promotion is still going strong! You would think that the 3 million that were going to get them had gotten them by now. OR perhaps that was the point all along, as I can imagine there are people who drop from the program after some time, leaving more "slots" open. Interesting.