Complimentary access to concierge services is a benefit that cardholders either don’t care about or don’t even know they have. For most people, card benefits are all about rewards and welcome bonuses. Some may be aware of warranty extensions, purchase protections and car rental coverage, but who needs a concierge when you have Google?

However, when used right, concierge services can be a useful tool that can free up a lot of your time. It’s like having access to a personal assistant that doesn’t cost you a penny. After all, concierge services can help with tasks like dining reservations and recommendations; all kinds of travel planning, from commuting within your own city to flying across the world; personal or gift shopping; tickets for concerts, sports, shows and other events; emergency assistance; and all sorts of everyday tasks.

For our roundup below, we’ll take a look at cards representing five concierge services: American Express Concierge, Visa Infinite Concierge, Citi Concierge, Visa Signature Concierge and Mastercard Concierge.

The Platinum Card from American Express: Best for luxury travel

Why we picked it: The Platinum Card® from American Express, which comes with a $695 annual fee, packs in a ton of perks and benefits. It starts with a bang, too — you can earn 100,000 Membership Rewards points after spending $6,000 within the first six months of card membership. This welcome bonus alone can be worth anywhere from $1,000 to $2,000 depending on how you redeem your points through American Express Travel, which turns this uber-premium credit card into a money maker for the first year.

Pros

  • 5X points on flights booked direct or through American Express Travel (on up to $500,000 per year); 5X points on prepaid hotels booked through American Express Travel; 1X points on all other purchases
  • Can transfer points to Amex’s airline and hotel partners
  • Access to the Amex Global Lounge Collection, which includes Centurion lounges, International American Express Lounges, Priority Pass lounges and more
  • Up to $200 in airline fee credits per calendar year for incidentals with a U.S. airline of your choice
  • Up to $200 in credits per year in Uber Cash for rides and food delivery
  • Up to $100 credit for Global Entry or TSA PreCheck (every four years)
  • Up to $189 per year in Clear credits
  • Up to $155 per year in Walmart+ monthly membership credits
  • Marriott Bonvoy Gold Elite Status and Hilton Honors Gold Status
  • Cellphone protection
  • Premium trip protection coverage, including trip delay and trip cancellation insurance
  • Access to American Express Concierge services

Cons

  • Perks or no perks, the $695 annual fee is very high
  • Redeeming points for cash has a poor value
  • Many of the card’s credits might not be useful for most people
  • The $200 in credits for airline incidentals is very restrictive
  • Amex Global Lounge Access excludes Priority Pass airport restaurants (unlike Chase, Citi and Capital One cards with Priority Pass access)

Who should apply: Frequent international travelers and/or lifestyle and shopping enthusiasts who can use the Amex Platinum’s benefits to the fullest to offset its eye-popping annual fee.

Who should skip: Everyone else.

American Express Concierge

Writer’s take: A few years ago, American Express made a splash by offering its Amex Platinum cardholders seats for the Broadway musical sensation Hamilton, which were impossible to get at the time. So yes, Amex concierges do have some pull.

Officially, the American Express Concierge program only allows eligible cardholders (currently Centurion, Platinum, Delta Reserve or Hilton Aspire) to get assistance with the following tasks:

  • Purchasing of event tickets
  • Dining or other reservations (including spa and golf reservations)
  • General travel-related inquiries
  • Shopping requests (including gifts)

In reality, however, Amex has helped me out with plenty of other things, including daily chores or researching information that had nothing to do with travel. While such generosity might not be guaranteed going forward, there is no harm in reaching out if you need assistance with a task.

You can contact Amex Concierge 24/7 at the phone number printed on the back of your eligible American Express card, or via chat after logging in to your Amex account. Once logged in, simply select “Travel” and then “Manage My Trips.”

Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card: Best for travel and lifestyle perks

Why we picked it: The Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card’s $395 annual fee is not small change, but in the right hands, it can be a bargain. The card currently starts you off with 75,000 miles after you spend $4,000 within the first three months of account opening. But this is just the beginning — the Venture X has an impressive list of perks and benefits.

Pros

  • Excellent earning rates: 10X miles on hotel and rental cars booked through Capital One Travel; 5X miles on flights through Capital One Travel; 2X miles on all other purchases
  • Can transfer points to Capital One airline and hotel partners
  • Up to $300 in annual statement credits for bookings through Capital One Travel
  • 10,000 bonus miles on your account anniversary
  • Complimentary access to Capital One airport lounges and over 1,300 Priority Pass airport lounges around the world
  • Hertz President’s Circle status
  • Up to $100 credit for Global Entry or TSA PreCheck
  • Cellphone protection
  • Excellent travel benefits (powered by Visa Infinite, the top tier of Visa cards), which include primary car rentals insurance, lost luggage reimbursement, trip delay insurance and trip cancellation/interruption insurance
  • Excellent shopping benefits like return protection and purchase protection

Cons

  • The $395 annual fee is a bit high
  • The $300 annual travel credit is more useful than the airline incidentals credit from Amex, but you must book travel through the Capital One portal
  • Cashing out has a poor value (aside from travel spending where you’ll get 1 cent per point)
  • No tangible dining or lifestyle benefits
  • There is currently only one Capital One airport lounge, which is located in Dallas (DFW), but there are two more in the pipeline

Who should apply: Anyone who loves traveling in style and easy-to-use travel credits.

Who should skip: Consumers who don’t spend at least $300 a year on travel should consider an entry-level travel credit card with a low annual fee or no annual fee.

Visa Infinite Concierge

With Venture X, you’ll have 24/7 access to a Visa Infinite concierge. Some people like Visa Infinite Concierge better than Amex Concierge, but that’s a matter of preference — and sometimes, luck. To contact Visa Infinite Concierge, call the phone number listed in your Capital One card’s Guide to Benefits.

Citi Premier Card: Best for beginner travel

Why we picked it: Despite the reasonable $95 annual fee, the Citi Premier® Card doesn’t compromise on quality. It currently offers 60,000 Citi ThankYou points after spending $4,000 within the first three months of account opening. And despite the card’s low annual fee, it offers excellent earning rates. If you’re interested in travel and dining — but you don’t want to pay a high annual fee — the Citi Premier is a good alternative.

Pros

  • Superb earning rates: 3X points on restaurant, supermarket, gas station, hotel and air travel purchases. Plus, for a limited time, earn a total of 10 ThankYou® Points per $1 spent on hotel, car rentals, and attractions (excluding air travel) booked on the Citi Travel℠ portal (through June 30, 2024); 1X points on all other purchases.
  • Can transfer points to Citi airline and hotel partners
  • $100 annual hotel credit on a single hotel stay of $500 or more booked through Citi ThankYou
  • Cardholders can cash out points at 1 cent per point
  • Other benefits include World Elite Mastercard benefits, World Elite concierge services and Citi Concierge services

Cons

  • The $100 discount on a hotel stay can be hard to use
  • The Citi travel portal can be notoriously buggy (however, it was recently revamped)

Who should apply: Anyone who loves dining and traveling and doesn’t like a three-digit annual fee.

Who should skip: If you’re not into travel — or don’t want to pay an annual fee — you should consider another well-rounded rewards card, one with no annual fee.

Citi Concierge

Citi Concierge assists with requests related to travel, shopping, dining, entertainment and everyday needs. You can reach Citi Concierge 24/7 at 1-800-508-8930 or send an email to concierge@yourconciergecenter.com.

Amazon Prime Rewards Visa Signature Card*: Best for Amazon shoppers

Why we picked it: While the Amazon Prime Rewards Visa Signature Card doesn’t carry an annual fee, you’ll have to pay $139 for an Amazon Prime membership in order to apply for the card. In any case, you can partially offset or eliminate your first-year membership fee with the $100 to $150 Amazon gift card you’ll receive instantly upon approval.

Pros

  • Good earning rates: 5 percent cash back at Amazon.com and Whole Foods Market; 2 percent cash back at restaurants, gas stations and drugstores; 1 percent cash back on everything else
  • Points are easy to redeem for cash back at 1 cent per point
  • Visa Signature benefits like purchase protection, travel accident insurance, lost luggage reimbursement and baggage delay insurance

Cons

  • Amazon Prime membership required
  • Restricted redemption options if you want to pay with points
  • No access to Chase Ultimate Rewards or other Chase programs, despite being a Chase credit card

Who should apply: If you’re already an Amazon Prime member, this card is a no-brainer. Besides, Prime membership is the only way to get the Amazon Prime card.

Who should skip: Everyone else.

Visa Signature Concierge

The Amazon Prime Rewards Visa includes access to Visa Signature Concierge. This service can help you make dinner reservations, score tickets to sporting events or concerts, send gifts and more. You can call the Visa Signature Concierge 24/7 at 1-800-953-7392.

Capital One SavorOne Cash Rewards Credit Card: Best for no annual fee

Why we picked it: Many people believe that only premium credit cards provide access to concierge services, but the Capital One SavorOne Cash Rewards Credit Card proves them wrong. This no-annual-fee card offers complimentary concierge service via Mastercard Concierge. It also comes with a welcome bonus of $200 after spending $500 within three months of account opening (Offer not available).

Pros

  • No annual fee
  • Excellent earning rates: 8 percent cash back on Capital One Entertainment purchases; 5 percent cash back on hotels and rental cars booked through Capital One Travel; 3 percent cash back on dining, entertainment, popular streaming services and grocery store purchases (excluding superstores like Walmart and Target); 1 percent cash back on all other purchases
  • 0 percent intro APR for 15 months on purchases and balance transfers (then a variable APR of 19.74 percent to 29.74 percent)
  • Flexible redemption options like statement credits, checks, gift cards or shopping at Amazon or via PayPal
  • Card benefits like extended warranty coverage, price protection and travel accident insurance

Cons

  • Having to book through Capital One Travel or Capital One Entertainment to earn higher cash back rates may feel a little restrictive
  • No boosted cash back for plane tickets

Who should apply: If you love food and entertainment, it’s hard to go wrong with this card.

Who should skip: If you want to earn a higher rate of rewards on certain purchases, you may want to consider a new credit card that better aligns with your goals and spending.

Mastercard Concierge

Amazingly, this no-annual-fee card provides access to Mastercard Concierge. To contact their concierge services, call the phone number listed in your Capital One card’s Guide to Benefits.

How to choose a card for concierge services

No one chooses a credit card just for concierge services; it’s merely an afterthought. That said, what if you need to choose between two or three equally attractive cards, but only one of them has concierge access? Being aware of this benefit would probably affect your decision.

In any case, check if your existing credit card offers access to a concierge service and, if so, start using it.

Here are a few tips to further enhance your experience:

  • Avoid last-minute requests. Try to give your concierge ample time to work on your request, especially if it’s complex.
  • If you have several cards with different concierge services, engage them all and see if you find a favorite.
  • Your first experience can be a dud. It happens. Try again next time.
  • Your request should be detailed and easy to understand. Write it down even if you’re calling on the phone.
  • If you have a budget for your request, spell it out clearly.
  • If you’re happy with your concierge, ask them to give you their extension for future requests. They might do so if they like you.
  • Concierges aren’t supposed to take tips. Instead, send a commendation letter to a concierge who went above and beyond for you.

The bottom line

Concierge access is probably one of the most underrated credit card benefits, which is unfortunate because a concierge can help you in many ways. They may be able to get you a seat for a sold-out show, book you a table at a popular restaurant, send flowers to your friends in another country or help you plan the trip of your life.

That said, concierge services don’t always excel at tasks. People who expect instant gratification might be especially frustrated since working on a request or inquiry takes time. However, you’ll never know unless you try. Give them some time, be patient and let your concierge — or better yet, concierges (if you have cards from different issuers or networks) — do their job.

*All information about the Amazon Prime Rewards Visa Signature Card has been collected independently by Bankrate and has not been reviewed or approved by the issuer.

Upon enrollment, accessible through the Capital One website or mobile app, eligible cardholders will remain at upgraded status level through December 31, 2024. Please note, enrolling through the normal Hertz Gold Plus Rewards enrollment process (e.g. at Hertz.com) will not automatically detect a cardholder as being eligible for the program and cardholders will not be automatically upgraded to the applicable status tier. Additional terms apply. 

For Capital One products listed on this page, some of the above benefits are provided by Visa® or Mastercard® and may vary by product. See the respective Guide to Benefits for details, as terms and exclusions apply.