Credit cards have been used as a form of payment for over half a century, but they had a subtle start. Since that time, consumers have moved away from swiping cardboard cards to using heavy-duty metal credit cards with a slew of rewards and perks.
Best metal credit cards on the market:
- American Express® Gold Card: Best for travel rewards
- Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card: Best for earning miles on all purchases
- Chase Sapphire Preferred Card: Best for travel flexibility
- Chase Sapphire Reserve Card: Great for flexible rewards
- Mastercard Titanium Card: Heaviest metal credit card
- Mastercard Black Card: Heaviest metal credit card
- Mastercard Gold Card: Heaviest metal credit card
- Delta SkyMiles® Platinum American Express Card: Great for earning rewards with Delta
The biggest attraction to metal credit cards for most consumers is what’s known as the plunk factor. When taking your card out to pay for anything from a coffee before work to a big-ticket item, a metal credit card has a certain heft not found with plastic cards.
Although metal credit cards have been growing in popularity, many card issuers initially targeted ultra-wealthy customers. Now, many credit card companies realize how sought-after metal credit cards are, and have developed metal options for just about anyone in the market for a new credit card.
Best metal credit cards for 2023
While the draw to metal credit cards is serious for some, not all credit cards are created with the same benefits, rewards, or fees. You should still consider these factors when determining the best credit card design.
Below are eight metal credit cards that are worth considering. Click a card name to jump to that section or scroll down to see them all.
American Express® Gold Card: Best for travel rewards
Type of metal used and weight of the card
The American Express® Gold Card is our top-rated travel card. The card is made out of stainless steel and weighs 15 grams. Cardholders will have the ability to pay with a tap of their card at select merchants thanks to the card’s contactless feature.
Card rewards and benefits
The physical aspect of the card isn’t the only thing there is to like. New cardmembers will have the opportunity to earn 60,000 Membership Rewards Points if they spend $4,000 on purchases within the first six months of card membership. Other rewards opportunities include:
- 4x points on restaurants, plus takeout and delivery in the U.S.
- 4x points on groceries at U.S. supermarkets up to $25,000 in purchases per year
- 3x points on flights booked directly with airlines on amextravel.com
- 1x points on other purchases
The Gold Card doesn’t stop there. Some additional benefits include:
- Up to $10 in statement credits per month when you use your card at Grubhub, The Cheesecake Factory, Goldbelly, Wine.com, Milk Bar, and select Shake Shack locations. Enrollment required.
- No foreign transaction fees
- Personalized Travel Service
Editor’s thoughts
The American Express Gold Card comes with an annual fee of $250. However, as you can see above, the rewards and added benefits provide the opportunity to easily earn more value than you’d be spending each year on that fee.
To learn more about the card and its other benefits, click here.
Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card: Best for earning miles on all purchases
Type of metal used and weight of the card
The Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card weighs 16 grams and is made out of stainless-steel veneer and produced with 75% recycled materials. The usage of recycled materials can be a plus for those who consider themselves environmentally friendly.
Rewards and benefits
Capital One is offering a bonus of 75,000 miles if you spend $4,000 on purchases within the first three months from account opening.
Other ways to earn miles include:
- 2x miles per dollar on every purchase
Additional benefits include:
- Up to a $100 credit for Global Entry or TSA PreCheck®
- Cardholders get access to VIP tickets, five-star meals, and more
- Enjoy two complimentary visits to Capital One Lounges or to over 100 Plaza Premium Lounges per year
Editor’s thoughts
The Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card has an annual fee of $95. If you take advantage of the $100 Global Entry or TSA PreCheck credit each year, you will have already earned more value from the card than the annual fee you will pay.
To learn more about the card and its other benefits, click here.
Chase Sapphire Preferred Card: Best for travel flexibility
Type of metal used and weight of the card
The Chase Sapphire Preferred Card weighs 13 grams and is made out of a proprietary mix of metal. This card is one of the lighter metal credit cards by a few grams.
Rewards and benefits
Chase is offering 60,000 bonus points for new cardmembers who spend $4,000 on purchases in the first three months from account opening. If redeemed through Chase Ultimate Rewards, that’s a $750 value.
Other ways to earn points include:
- 5x points on travel purchased through Chase Ultimate Rewards®
- 3x points on dining
- 3x points on online grocery purchases (excluding Target, Walmart, and wholesale clubs)
- 3x points on select streaming services
- 2x points on all other travel
- 1x points on all other purchases
Additional benefits include:
- Up to $50 in statement credits each year for hotel stays purchased through Chase Ultimate Rewards®
- 25% more value on your points when redeemed for airfare, hotels, car rentals, or cruises through Chase Ultimate Rewards
- Complimentary access to DashPass for a minimum of one year when activated by December 31, 2024
- If you are a member of a frequent travel program, you can earn 1:1-point transfer value at select partners
- Trip cancellation/interruption insurance, auto rental collision damage waiver, lost luggage insurance, and more
- No foreign transaction fees
- 24/7 access to a customer service specialist
Editor’s thoughts
The Chase Sapphire Preferred card comes with a $95 annual fee. However, the rewards from this card can easily outweigh the yearly cost. If you earn the introductory bonus and redeem the points through Chase Ultimate Rewards, you’ll have received $750 in value from the card compared to the $95 annual fee.
To learn more about the card and its other benefits, click here.
Chase Sapphire Reserve: Great for flexible rewards
Type of metal used and weight of the card
The Chase Sapphire Reserve card weighs 13 grams and is made out of a proprietary mix of metal. Similar to the Chase Sapphire Preferred card mentioned above, this is one of the lighter metal credit cards.
Rewards and benefits
Chase is offering an introductory bonus of 60,000 bonus points to new cardmembers who spend $4,000 on purchases within the first three months of account opening. If redeemed through Chase Ultimate Rewards, that’s a $900 value.
Other ways to earn points include:
- 10x total points on hotels and car rentals purchased through Chase Ultimate Rewards®
- 10x points on Chase Dining purchases with Ultimate Rewards®
- 5x total points on flights purchased through Chase Ultimate Rewards®
- 3x points on travel worldwide
- 3x points on dining worldwide
- 1x points on all other purchases
Additional benefits include:
- $300 in statement credits as reimbursement for travel purchases charged to your card
- Up to $100 statement credit every four years as reimbursement for application fees from Global Entry or TSA Precheck
- 50% more value from points when redeemed through Chase Ultimate Rewards
- Complimentary access to over 1,300 VIP airport lounges
- If you are a member of a frequent travel program, you can earn 1:1-point transfer value at select partners
- No blackout dates or travel restrictions
- No foreign transaction fees
- 24/7 access to a customer service specialist
Editor’s thoughts
The Chase Sapphire Reserve card comes with a $550 annual fee. While this is a hefty price, frequent flyers who make this their primary card can undoubtedly cover that fee each year through purchases and added benefits.
To learn more about this card and its other benefits, click here.
Mastercard Titanium Card: Heaviest credit card
Type of metal used and weight of the card
The Mastercard Titanium Card is one of three cards offered through the Luxury Card program. The Titanium Card weighs 22 grams and is made out of brushed stainless steel on the front and carbon on the back.
Rewards and benefits
This card does not offer an introductory bonus and provides a standard one point for every dollar spent on purchases. The difference with this card is in the redemption rate. Airfare can be redeemed at a rate of 2%, while cash back can be redeemed at 1%.
Other benefits include:
- 24/7 access to Luxury Card Concierge
- No foreign transaction fees
- Test drive a Porsche of your choosing with a 90-minute driving experience
- Enroll and take five eligible rides a month with Lyft and get a $10 credit
- Free two-day shipping and free returns on eligible purchases when you sign up for a complimentary ShopRunner membership
- Global acceptance
Editor’s thoughts
The Mastercard Titanium Card has an annual fee of $195. If you’re interested in owning a luxury card at a reasonable annual cost, this could be the option for you.
To learn more about this card and its other benefits, click here.
Mastercard Black Card: Heaviest credit card
Type of metal used and weight of the card
The Mastercard Black Card is one of three cards offered by Luxury Card. The Black Card weighs 22 grams and is designed with a black-PVD-coated stainless-steel front and carbon back.
Rewards and benefits
There is no introductory bonus and points are earned at a rate of one point per dollar spent with your card. However, points can add up with the redemption rate of 2% for airfare and 1.5% for cash back.
Other benefits include:
- 24/7 access to Luxury Card Concierge
- Up to $100 in statement credits toward flight-related purchases
- Up to a $100 application fee credit for Global Entry or TSA PreCheck®
- VIP airport lounge access with Priority Pass Select
- No foreign transaction fees
Editor’s thoughts
The Mastercard Black card has an annual fee of $495. You’ll have to spend a lot on this card to cover the yearly cost, but if luxury is what you are looking for, this card offers it.
To learn more about this card and its other benefits, click here.
Mastercard Gold Card: Heaviest credit card
Type of metal used and weight of the card
The Mastercard Gold Card is the most luxurious card offered by Luxury Card. The card weighs 22 grams and is made with a 24k-gold-plated stainless-steel front and carbon back.
Rewards and benefits
There is no introductory bonus, and all points are earned at a rate of one point per dollar spent with your card. Points can add up with the redemption rate of 2% for both airfare and cash back.
Other benefits include:
- 24/7 access to Luxury Card Concierge
- Up to $200 in statment credits toward flight-related purchases
- Up to a $100 application fee credit for Global Entry & TSA PreCheck®
- VIP airport lounge access with Priority Pass Select
- No foreign transaction fees
Editor’s thoughts
The Mastercard Gold Card has an annual fee of $995. This card is meant for the most luxurious individuals who aren’t too concerned with receiving more value than they will spend on the card. If you want a card partly made out of gold, this could be the card for you.
To learn more about this card and its other benefits, click here.
Delta SkyMiles® Platinum American Express Card: Great for earning rewards with Delta
Type of metal used and weight of the card
The Delta SkyMiles® Platinum American Express Card weighs 15 grams and is made out of stainless steel.
Rewards and benefits
New cardholders can earn 50,000 bonus miles after spending $3,000 in purchases within the first six months with the card.
Other rewards opportunities include:
- Earn up to 10,000 Medallion® Qualification Miles (MQMs) with Status Boost® each year after you spend $25,000 in purchases on your card. You can do this up to two times through the rest of the year.
- 3x miles on Delta purchases
- 3x miles on purchases made directly with hotels
- 2x miles at U.S. restaurants and U.S. supermarkets
- 1x miles on other purchases
Additional benefits include:
- First checked bag free
- Priority boarding
- Annual companion certificate
- Fee credit for Global Entry or TSA PreCheck® after applying through any authorized enrollment provider
- Receive an exclusive rate of $39 per person per visit to enter the Delta Sky Club for you and up to two guests when traveling on a Delta flight
- 20% back on eligible in-flight purchases
- No foreign transaction fees
Editor’s thoughts
The Delta SkyMiles Platinum American Express Card comes with an annual fee of $250. If you are a frequent flyer of Delta, you can easily earn more value than the cost per year.
To learn more about this card and its other benefits, click here.
Recap of the best metal credit cards
| Card name | Weight | Material |
| American Express® Gold Card | 15 grams | Stainless steel |
| Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card | 16 grams | Stainless-steel veneer & 75% recycled materials |
| Chase Sapphire Preferred | 13 grams | A propriety mix of metal |
| Chase Sapphire Reserve | 13 grams | A propriety mix of metal |
| Mastercard Titanium Card | 22 grams | Brushed stainless steel & carbon |
| Mastercard Black Card | 22 grams | Black-PVD-coated stainless steel & carbon |
| Mastercard Gold Card | 22 grams | 24k-gold-plated stainless steel & carbon |
| Delta SkyMiles® Platinum American Express Card | 15 grams | Stainless steel |
Which is the best metal credit card?
Finding the best metal credit card is unique for each individual. The reason for this is simple: no two people have the same spending habits. To determine which metal credit card is best for your needs, take a close look at the quality of the benefits offered, not just the weight or feel of the card itself.
If you spend a lot on travel and dining, you should consider the American Express Gold Card, Chase Sapphire Preferred Card, or Chase Sapphire Reserve Card. These three cards are highly rated and offer high rewards rates and benefits for spending on these categories.
If you don’t spend a lot in one category and want to be rewarded for everyday purchases, you should consider the Capital One Venture Rewards Card. This card offers the highest rewards rate for non-category spending.
Be aware of the annual fee associated with metal credit cards. While not all cards charge this fee, many do. This fee can be difficult to justify if your spending level is not high enough each year to offset the cost. Be sure to consider this expense when choosing your card. In the reviews above, our team touched on whether or not a card’s annual fee would be difficult to cover with the rewards and benefits offered by each card.
What do I have to do to receive a metal credit card?
Receiving a metal credit card is no different than receiving a plastic credit card. You should compare your options and find a card that fits your financial needs. Once you find a metal credit card you like, apply on the issuer’s website or over the phone and wait for a decision.
If approved, the issuer will send you your new metal credit card without any additional steps required on your part.
Who offers the heaviest metal credit card?
Luxury Card offers the heaviest credit cards that you can apply for. These cards each weigh 22 grams and are made to stand out.
- Mastercard Titanium Card: Made out of brushed stainless steel on the front and carbon on the back
- Mastercard Black Card: Made out of black-PVD-coated stainless-steel front and carbon back
- Mastercard Gold Card: Made with a 24k-gold-plated stainless-steel front and carbon back
If you are looking to add to a luxurious lifestyle, these cards will fit right in. However, for the average cardholder, the cards listed above are likely a better fit.
Other things to consider with metal credit cards
Here are some final things to consider when getting ready to apply for a metal credit card.
- Disposing of these cards can be difficult. It’s important to understand that destroying a metal credit card is not as simple as a plastic one. You will likely need to send in the old card for destruction if you reach your expiration date or your card is otherwise compromised — if you try to destroy it yourself, you may quickly find out that it is much easier said than done.
- You shouldn’t just choose a card because it is metal. Having a metal credit card feels like a status symbol for most, and it certainly can be when you consider the rewards offered. However, it is necessary to weigh the card’s potential benefits, including its plunk factor, against the costs you will pay each year for having it in your wallet.
If the metal credit cards above don’t meet your needs, you can check out our picks for the best credit cards.
FAQ
What’s the benefit of a metal credit card?
Metal credit cards are usually offered to customers with higher credit scores and income levels, which leads to numerous advantages over standard plastic cards, including higher rewards, lower interest rates, exclusive travel benefits, concierge services, and discounts.
These credit cards convey a sense of prestige and exclusivity thanks to their eye-catching designs, featuring premium aesthetics like laser-etched patterns and striking colors.
Are metal credit cards better than plastic cards?
Whether metal credit cards are better than plastic credit cards depends on your lifestyle and finances. Each type of card presents its unique advantages and disadvantages, making the choice a matter of personal preference.
For instance, those seeking prestigious status might gravitate towards metal credit cards. Conversely, individuals looking for lower fees and simplicity may find plastic credit cards more appealing.
Is it easy to replace a metal credit card?
Replacing a metal credit card should be a straightforward process. You can contact your credit card issuer to inform them of a lost or stolen card, and they’ll guide you through the necessary steps so a new one can be mailed to your address.
It usually takes from a few business days to two weeks for delivery.
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