Mastercard® Titanium Card™

This metal card may look good when you plonk it down to pay the bill, but it’s vastly inferior to other rewards cards that offer more value for the price. And the price on the Mastercard Titanium Card is mighty steep.

For $195 a year, you’ll pay for a card that fails to deliver more than you can get with some rewards cards that charge no annual fee. There isn’t even a sign-up bonus, which is pretty much a given for a card trying to play in the luxury space.

Review

If a plain old plastic credit card isn’t good enough for you, you might be tempted by the Mastercard Titanium. Made of carbon and brushed stainless steel, it could be good for anyone who wants impress when it’s time to pay the bill.

The Titanium card is the most affordable option in the Luxury Card brand issued by Barclaycard. For a $195 annual fee, you’ll earn 1 point for every $1 spent. Airfare redemptions are worth 2% per $1 spent when you use the Luxury Card travel portal.

You’ll also gain access to a luxury concierge who can help you avoid the drudgery of booking your own private yacht or jet.

The card comes with the enviable perk of 24-hour access to a dedicated concierge team that claims will fulfill any request — big or small. The service can reserve for you a chauffeured limousine, arrange for global luggage delivery, or take care of booking your travel plans.

You’ll also receive free upgrades, services and amenities at participating cruise lines and hotels, as well as travel, luggage and auto rental protections. And, it’s got a decent introductory balance transfer offer of 0% interest for the first 15 billing cycles if you shift your debt to this card within 45 days of opening the account. After that it’s a variable 16.49% APR.

But for a card that bills itself as a luxury card, the Titanium falls short of other premium cards that offer more bang for the buck, and at a better price, too. There are plenty of cards out there that, for less than the Titanium’s $195 price tag, will pile on the perks and give greater rewards.

If have your heart set on getting a fancy card, go for the $495 Mastercard Black Card or the $995 Mastercard Gold Card — each with increasingly upscale perks and benefits.

Who should get this card

If you aspire to own a Black or Gold-branded Mastercard, but don’t want to pay the price, this card might give you enough to keep you happy. But it really shouldn’t.

Fees and APR

• This card charges a $195 annual fee.
• There’s a 0% APR offer for 15 billing cycles on balance transfers made within the first 45 days of opening the account. After that it’s a variable 16.49% APR.
• The purchase APR on this card is a variable 16.49%.

Extras, perks and using rewards

This card offers benefits like upgrades or a food-and-beverage credit at participating hotels, resorts and cruise lines. You can also have the Luxury Card concierge handle your requests, although an additional fee will apply and will vary based on the task.

Cardholders may also bid on Mastercard’s Priceless events, which are unique once-in-a-lifetime experiences such as cooking classes with a Michelin-starred chef or VIP concert access.

To redeem points for airfare, hotel or car rentals, log in to your account at myluxurycard.com or by calling the customer service number on your card.

Points are redeemed at a 2% percent rate for airfare and a 1% rate for hotels and car rentals. Travel redemptions can be made with a combination of points and purchase via credit card. There is no fee to use your points, but there is a $35 charge to make any changes to your reservation.