If you’ve been interested in rewards credit cards for any length of time, you\u00a0may be familiar with the World Elite Mastercard and World Legend Mastercard designations,\u00a0the latter of which launched just last year.<\/p>\n
They might just seem like fancy naming conventions at first glance, but in practice, there are important differences between the two. Understanding what each label offers will help you maximize your Mastercards effectively.<\/p>\n
Keep in mind that your credit card issuer has the final say on which benefits and rewards are offered. That said, here’s everything you need to know.<\/p>\n
What is a World Elite Mastercard?<\/h2>\n
World Elite Mastercards<\/a> tend to be entry-to-mid-tier rewards cards, such as the no-annual-fee Citi Double Cash\u00ae Card<\/a> (see rates and fees<\/a>) and $99-per-year (after the $0 introductory first year) Citi\u00ae \/ AAdvantage\u00ae Platinum Select\u00ae World Elite Mastercard\u00ae<\/a> (see rates and fees<\/a>).<\/p>\n <\/p>\n World Elite Mastercards can come with some solid benefits, although the perks your specific World Elite card comes with may vary. These potential benefits include:<\/p>\n <\/p>\n You can also receive various travel benefits, including transit discounts, access to Mastercard Concierge, exclusive PGA TOUR experiences and access to Mastercard’s global emergency services line.<\/p>\n Check your card’s guide to benefits for a full breakdown of what specific benefits your World Elite card offers.\u00a0You can find your guide to benefits online, in your card’s welcome package or by calling the number on the back of your card.<\/p>\n World Legend Mastercards are most commonly premium rewards cards, such as the $495-per-year Bilt Palladium Card<\/a> (see ) and $695-per-year Citi\u00ae \/ AAdvantage\u00ae Executive World Legend Mastercard\u00ae<\/a> (see ).<\/p>\n World Legend Mastercards share many of the same perks as World Elite Mastercards, but offer a few additional benefits to set this tier apart:<\/p>\n <\/p>\n In my opinion, it isn’t worth getting a World Legend card exclusively for these perks. However, these benefits can help offset your card\u2019s annual fee<\/a>.<\/p>\n (It’s worth noting that World Elite cardholders can also gain access to Mastercard Fast Track and Taste by Priceless, but must pay fees for both programs. As with World Elite cards, your perks may vary by card, so check your card’s guide to benefits for full information.)<\/p>\n Credit card eligibility is generally set by the card issuer<\/a>, rather than a payment processing network like Mastercard or Visa. That means your ability to get a World Elite or World Legend card will depend on which card you’re interested in.<\/p>\n For example, as a no-annual-fee card, the Citi Double Cash<\/a> is going to be easier for most people to get approved for compared to a mid-tier option like the IHG One Rewards Premier Credit Card<\/a> (see ).<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Since the World Legend designation tends to be given to premium cards<\/a>, it’s fair to say that getting approved for a World Elite card will generally be easier.<\/p>\n If you’ve been under the impression that World Elite and World Legend are just parts of a card name, you’ve been missing out on some valuable perks. Maximizing your card’s benefits is key to justifying whatever annual fee it may have, so it’s important to understand everything that’s on the table for you.<\/p>\n If you have a World Elite or World Legend Mastercard, make sure to take note of what you’re able to easily use in your travels and day-to-day life.\u00a0That said, you should always choose a credit card based on its full benefits and rewards package, not just its Mastercard designation.<\/p>\n For a similar comparison of Visa benefits, check out our guides to Visa Signature<\/a> and Visa Infinite<\/a> benefits.<\/p>\n Related: 6 of our favorite under-the-radar credit card perks<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n <\/div>\n\n
What is a World Legend Mastercard?<\/h2>\n
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Who’s eligible for a World Elite or World Legend Mastercard?<\/h2>\n
Bottom line<\/h2>\n