There’s nothing like receiving a new metal credit card. It arrives with authority in the mail or on your doorstep, and you hear the angels sing as you open it and it catches the first glint of light.
Ever since the much-ballyhooed launch of the Chase Sapphire Reserve® in 2016 — when Chase temporarily ran out of metal due to the card’s popularity — card issuers have realized that it’s not just the earning rates, travel rewards and fancy perks that’ll attract customers. A credit card that’s a statement piece has an attraction all its own.
And what better way to make a statement than with a heavy, shiny metal card? But before you rush to apply for one of the sleekest cards on the market, there are a few drawbacks that you should consider.
They aren’t universally accepted
As much fun as it is to hear the “thunk” of your card when you throw it down to pay for a group dinner, it’s less fun to run into a situation where your card isn’t accepted. Although extremely rare nowadays, some older card readers and parking machines will have a sign that says “no metal cards,” or you might have to find out the hard way that your beloved card just won’t fit into the slot.
Regardless, your card is only useful if you can actually use it, and that isn’t always the case with a metal credit card.
Related: The best rewards credit cards
They can set off metal detectors
If you have Global Entry or TSA PreCheck and are accustomed to gliding seamlessly through airport security, having a metal card might slow you down.
It seems obvious that a metal card would set off the metal detectors, but if you usually keep your wallet or credit card in your pocket while you go through security, adding a metal card will require a change in your security process.
Of course, this is a minor detail, but it might feel significant when you’re holding up the line like a security newbie.
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Related: Global Entry vs. TSA PreCheck: Which is better?
You have to mail them back to dispose of them
Whether you cancel your credit card or the company sends you an updated card, you’ll eventually need to dispose of your credit card. With plastic cards, this process is as simple as dropping it into your home shredder.
Metal cards, on the other hand, are more complicated. If you try to shred one, you’ll find yourself in the market for a new shredder. To properly dispose of them, you’ll need to either send your card back in the included return envelope or call the credit card company to request one.
If you’re like some TPG staffers and just let your old cards pile up in a credit card graveyard stack, this won’t be a big deal. But if you like to keep your cards updated and organized, this can be a pain.
Related: How do I dispose of my metal credit card?
They’re not special anymore
The super-exclusive Centurion Card from American Express — aka the Amex Black Card — started the metal credit card trend, making a metal card the ultimate status symbol. But now, so many issuers have jumped on the trend that metal cards no longer hold the metaphorical weight that made them so coveted in the first place.
Especially since so many of us now use our phones to pay, the physical qualities of the cards tucked inside our digital wallets matter less than ever.
The information for the Centurion Card has been collected independently by The Points Guy. The card details on this page have not been reviewed or provided by the card issuer.
Related: The prettiest credit cards you can add to your wallet
Bottom line
Some of our favorite credit cards are metal, and we admit there’s a certain satisfaction to busting out a shiny piece of metal when it’s time to pay. But before you rush to add one to your wallet, be sure you’ve thought through the drawbacks as well.
At the end of the day, choose a card for its earning potential and benefits rather than for the material it’s made of. But since my favorite dining credit card also happens to come in gorgeous rose gold metal, you won’t find me complaining.
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