The World's Most Exclusive Credit Cards

You know the old saying: If you have to ask, you can't afford it. That's the way it is with the world's top-end credit cards, but worse. If you have to ask, well, don't even bother asking. These cards are available by invitation only.

But once you have one, your world will seem a little bit better. Your waiter will be more attentive, the salespeople at Saks will be friendlier, and the bartender at that swanky club may actually make eye contact. Here, in no particular order, are the five most exclusive credit cards in the world.

American Express Centurion Card

Also known as the "black card," this is the one that launched the trend years ago -- and the weighty titanium card is still surrounded by mystique (which American Express has worked hard to encourage).

It won't reveal to the general public the criteria to join the Centurion club, but details have leaked out on the Web. The initiation fee is $5,000, and annual dues are $2,500. You must have had an American Express Platinum Card for a minimum of one year, and you must have charged at least a quarter-million dollars on it in one year. The average household income of cardholders is $940,000, and their average net worth is $6.5 million, with a disposable income of $12,700 a month.

The black card comes with perks such as a 24-hour AmEx concierge who will book your flights, arrange your limo, get you a table at the best restaurants, and track down those impossible-to-find concert tix.

But word has it that the glamour of the card is fading. The benefits are shrinking -- no more buy-one-get-one-free airline tickets -- and membership is growing. Circulation numbers for Black Ink magazine, free for all cardholders, show there could now be more than 100,000 people with a Centurion Card. (Egad! Tell Alfred to cancel forthwith!)

Dubai First Royale MasterCard

Want this card? Move to Dubai. Seriously. It's available only to residents of the United Arab Emirates, and even if you're one of them, your credentials will be scrutinized by a panel of judges before they'll unhook the velvet rope.

There's no spending limit on this gold-plated, diamond-studded card (it's a small diamond), and only seven are made each day. But there's no rush. Unofficial estimates place the number of cardholders at just a few hundred.

Each card comes with a "personal relationship manager" and a "lifestyle manager," who's supported by a team of customer service reps.

Stratus Rewards Visa

So many black cards. Yawn. How about something different? The invitation-only, travel-oriented Stratus Rewards Visa is white (like the clouds -- get it?), and it's the brainchild of the Stratus Media Group, which produces high-end entertainment and sports events.

So what is Stratus Media Group doing issuing a credit card? Making money, one supposes. Details are elusive, but apparently the Stratus will cost you a $1,500 annual fee and requires that you post at least $200,000 a year in charges. To join, you must be nominated by another cardholder or get your hands on a four-digit nomination code from one of Stratus' luxury partners.

Perks include a miles program for travel on private jets and other rewards meant to enhance the posh lifestyle of the card's "boutique community -- people like you, kindred spirits sharing a passion for the privileged lifestyle." (Airsickness bags are located in the seatback in front of you.)

Coutts World Card

What do Queen Elizabeth and Elton John have in common? (Besides the same knickers.) They're both reputed to be holders of England's most hoity-toity card, the Coutts World Card. This card is available only to people who have at least $1 million in the bank with Coutts, although if you spend more than $100,000 a year with the card, Coutts will waive your annual fee. (Mighty big of them, what?)

The royal-purple card comes with all of the obligatory perks, such as 24/7 concierge service, travel insurance, access to "exclusive" airport lounges (which -- have you noticed? -- really aren't all that exclusive anymore) and currency delivery to your doorstep. It also comes with a 49.1 percent APR. No kidding.

Visa Infinite

This black carbon-graphite card gives you "frictionless access to the finest things in life," the Visa website says. But only if you're among the top 1 percent of Americans. What that means isn't clear, as the card is by invitation only, but it's safe to say that you have to have a shipload of money to get a Visa Infinite.

The card comes with most of the same features as other premium cards, including 24-hour concierge service, VIP airline-lounge access, "luxury gifts," and an international support team that will assist you in your own language in a medical emergency. (Although you'll have to foot the bill for the interpreter.)