Weighing Amex Centurion, Sapphire Preferred and Other Credit Card Heavyweights
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Obesity in America has become so bad that even our credit cards are overweight. Over the past couple of years, I've been feeling my wallet become increasingly heavy — and while that could have been because of the addition of new cards, there's also been a new trend for credit card issuers to make their cards heavier. Not to say I don't see the appeal in a nice, luxurious-feeling credit card, but who really wants a heavy wallet?!
I recently got the American Express Centurion Card, aka the Black Card, and I was pretty shocked by the feel of the card. So I wanted to see how the card that costs $10,000 ($7,500 for the initiation fee and a $2,500 annual fee) stacks up to some of its competitors. No, not in terms of its benefits and perks (although those are nice, as I recently outlined in a Travel + Leisure post), but in how much the card weighs.
So we put the Amex Centurion to the test with three other premium cards — the Ritz-Carlton Rewards Credit Card, the Chase Sapphire Preferred Card and the Citi Prestige — to see which one is the fattest on the market.
The Results
The Chase Sapphire Preferred weighed in at .5 of an ounce — not all too heavy. But the metal-made card still feels heavier than your average piece of plastic.
The Citi Prestige is by far the lightest of the four we tested out, and I applaud Citi for that because who wants a heavier wallet. For a premium card like this, it's easy for issuers to get carried away with materials. Fortunately, it weighed in at just .2 of an ounce.
The Ritz-Carlton Rewards card is by far the heaviest card of the four and if you've ever held one, that should come as no surprise. The card itself sets off TSA metal detectors! When I put the card on the scale, the metal was audible from across the TPG office, weighing in at a full 1 ounce.
And finally, the Centurion Card. Even though the card gives me automatic Gold status with SPG and could arguably be the "heaviest" in terms of its benefits, it was nowhere near the most substantial of the bunch, weighing in at .5 of an ounce — the same as the Chase Sapphire Preferred.
So, the winner of this competition — if you want to call it that — is the Ritz-Carlton Rewards card, although I'd argue the Citi Prestige is better off. Because at the end of the day, there's only so much I can carry before I'm, quite literally, weighed down. I'm not opposed to the .5-ounce cards; they're a happy medium between the super heavy and the super light. In all, I think the Centurion Card (and the Sapphire Preferred) come out winners here. Although the zero sign-up bonus on Centurion is nothing to get excited about, at least the physical card itself is.
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| 3X | Earn 3X Miles on Delta purchases. |
| 1X | Earn 1X Miles on all other eligible purchases. |
Pros
- Delta SkyClub access when flying Delta
- Annual companion ticket for travel on Delta (upon renewal)
- Ability to earn MQDs through spending
- Various statement credits for eligible purchases
Cons
- Steep annual fee of $650
- Other Delta cobranded cards offer superior earning categories
- Earn 100,000 Bonus Miles after you spend $6,000 or more in purchases with your new Card within the first 6 months of Card Membership and an additional 25,000 bonus miles after you make an additional $3,000 in purchases on the Card within your first 6 months, starting from the date that your account is opened. Offer Ends 04/01/2026.
- Delta SkyMiles® Reserve American Express Card Members receive 15 Visits per Medallion® Year to the Delta Sky Club® when flying Delta and can unlock an unlimited number of Visits after spending $75,000 in purchases on your Card in a calendar year. Plus, you’ll receive four One-Time Guest Passes each Medallion Year so you can share the experience with family and friends when traveling Delta together.
- Enjoy complimentary access to The Centurion® Lounge in the U.S. and select international locations (as set forth on the Centurion Lounge Website), Sidecar by The Centurion® Lounge in the U.S. (see the Centurion Lounge Website for more information on Sidecar by The Centurion® Lounge availability), and Escape Lounges when flying on a Delta flight booked with the Delta SkyMiles® Reserve American Express Card. § To access Sidecar by The Centurion® Lounge, Card Members must arrive within 90 minutes of their departing flight (including layovers). To access The Centurion® Lounge, Card Members must arrive within 3 hours of their departing flight. Effective July 8, 2026, during a layover, Card Members must arrive within 5 hours of the connecting flight.
- Receive $2,500 Medallion® Qualification Dollars with MQD Headstart each Medallion Qualification Year and earn $1 MQD for each $10 in purchases on your Delta SkyMiles® Reserve American Express Card with MQD Boost to get closer to Status next Medallion Year.
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- Earn 3X Miles on Delta purchases and earn 1X Miles on all other eligible purchases.
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- $650 Annual Fee.
- Apply with confidence. Know if you're approved for a Card with no impact to your credit score. If you're approved and you choose to accept this Card, your credit score may be impacted.
- Terms Apply.
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