Visa Infinite?

[Anonymous]

Can someone explain to me what makes VISA Infinite cards so "special" and harder to get? Also, how long it takes it get one of those cards... Thanks!

[AverageJoesCredit]

Someone can probably explain the difference in bennies better than I but I dont think its necessarily a super special thing that is harder to get than say a Visa sign. Just more or less the card usually has a starting limit of 10k with added Viss benefits. Chase's CSR is one because its minimum cl is 10k. In the end mainly us card enthusiasts will truly know its significance as probably most places you swipe it it will just be another Visa being swiped

[MrDisco99]

They come with a minimum $10K limit, so you know you're at least getting that much.  As far as benefits, there are a few things they usually come with (global entry credit, travel insurance, etc.) and usually have a $450 annual fee.  They vary by product, though, and are determined by the issuing bank.

You can compare and contrast these card products and see that they have certain things in common...

Chase Sapphire Reserve

Chase Ritz-Carlton

USBank Altitude Reserve
CNB Crystal Visa

UBS Visa Infinite

Did I miss any?

[AverageJoesCredit]

Credit One Visa Infiniti & Beyond ( after all their fees have been collected lol

[Anonymous]

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@Anonymous wrote:

Can someone explain to me what makes VISA Infinite cards so "special" and harder to get? Also, how long it takes it get one of those cards... Thanks!

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Visa Infinite has several benefits over standard Signature cards such as $100 off round-trip domestic air fare, Global Entry credit, car hire discounts, luxury hotel collection, primary rental protection, concierge, trip cancellation/delay/interruption insurance, purchase protection, extended warranty and return protection. **It is important to note though, that often times it is the card issuer's discretion to offer many of these benefits and it is not always a given. 

Visa Infinite is harder to obtain in the US because Visa Infinite is new to the US. Most countries, including Canada and Mexico, do not have Visa Signature; their top-tier card has been Infinite for years now. In addition to availability, right now at least, one does have to qualify for the $10,000 SL in order to be approved. 

There have been top tier cards for decades. When they are first introduced and new, they are premium and come with great benefits aimed at reaching the most qualified and high worth customers. The requirements to be approved usually required a minimum $5,000 credit line which typically required a good FICO score. Then something new comes along that becomes top tier and the previous top tier level gets devalued (lose features and the SL requirement can be as low as $300) and is easier to get. In recent years, the banks/credit unions have really been focusing on swipe fees. The higher level the card, the higher swipe fee gets paid to the banks/credit unions. So they *want* you to have a higher level card. This is why you rarely see Standard/Classic or even Gold cards anymore. I would guess that within a few years World MasterCard and Visa Signature will basically become standard and their will be a new top tier above World Elite and Visa Infinite. When will they stop? Nobody knows.

Classic/Standard-->Gold-->Platinum-->World/Signature-->World Elite-->Infinite 

[K-in-Boston]

@Anonymous brought up a great point that it's at the discretion of the issuer which benefits are extended.  For the $100 off the purchase of two to five round-trip airline tickets, the Chase Sapphire Reserve does not qualify through the Visa Infinite portal.  Higher status cards certainly become more common and watered down.  20+ years ago, you'd need excellent credit and likely significant spend to qualify for a "gold" Visa or MasterCard.  Then every subprime lender issued a gold card and CapitalOne introduced their "Platinum" card.  Now for every "super-prime" card that's not a VS/VI/WMC/WEMC, there are ten that are with 26% APRs and $500 spending limits.

[iced]

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@Anonymous wrote:

Can someone explain to me what makes VISA Infinite cards so "special" and harder to get? Also, how long it takes it get one of those cards... Thanks!

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Short version is they're not special and no harder to get than other cards. The reason you don't see many around is not many banks have decided to offer an Infinite card. 

Longer version is it's a tier of Visa with benefits (similar to Signature) that some banks have issued. However, just because you get a Signature/Infinite doesn't mean you get all the benefits associated with Signature/Infinite. The CSR is proof of that. Those benefits are the insurances and the like.