American Express (AMEX) is present in the Netherlands and has a number of credit cards and charge cards available for Dutch residents. Whilst American Express cards are not as widely used in Europe, their acceptance has slowly been growing.
In this article we will feature all American Express cards in the Netherlands. We will broadly split them between the standard AMEX cards which earn Membership Rewards and the Flying Blue cards.
Membership Rewards is the in-house points program from American Express which can be transferred to other airline and hotel partners. Flying Blue is the frequent flyer program of Air France-KLM.
Please be aware that the American Express Netherlands website for consumer cards is in Dutch only, except the page for the new Platinum card. The section for business cards is in both Dutch and English.
Applications are processed within 10 working days.
American Express Membership Rewards Cards in Netherlands
The following table summarises the 4 classic American Express cards which earn Membership Rewards points. We will describe the benefits of each card in more detail below.
American Express Blue Card
The Blue card is the basic entry card from American Express. The card costs €35 annually – however it is free in the first year and remains free if you spend €3,000 annually on the card. It offers some basic travel accident insurance if paying for your travel or stay with the card. It earns 1 Membership Rewards point for every €2 spent on the card. There are no bonus points awarded for taking the Blue card.
In addition, 2 supplementary Blue cards can be taken out free of charge for family or friends. You do require a minimum gross income of €20,000 per year.
American Express Green Card
In addition, 2 supplementary Green cards can be taken out free of charge for family or friends. You do require a minimum gross income of €20,000 per year. The free first year makes this a good introductory choice for an Amex card. Apply for the Green card here
American Express Gold Card
It has a slightly higher earning rate than the Green card, earning 1.2 Membership Rewards point for every €1 spent on the card.
There are currently no bonus points for applying.
Other benefits include 2 free airport lounge passes each membership year via Priority Pass to enter into one of 1,300 airport lounges worldwide. This includes the Aspire lounges at Amsterdam Schiphol and in the UK.
At Schipol airport Amsterdam, Gold cardholders get a light freshly prepared meal (Loungebox on the go) at the GRAB&FLY outlets on presentation of your card and boarding pass.
For bookings with American Express Travel service (NL) using the card you get a one-time travel credit of €75. You also get free room upgrades at any of 500 hotels worldwide including €85 in-hotel credit for each booking.
In addition, 2 supplementary Gold cards can be taken out free of charge for family or friends. You do require a minimum gross income of €20,000 per year (this has been recently reduced from €36,000).
If you travel regularly this could be a worthwhile card, with its free 6 months and if you can make good use of the hotel credit deal. Apply for the Gold card here
American Express Platinum Metal Card
This is a high-end card used by many frequent flyers and travel ‘professionals’.
It offers fully comprehensive travel insurance for the cardholder and family (aged up to 75) and all supplementary card holders. This also includes full car hire insurance.
It has a higher earning rate than the Gold card, earning 1.5 Membership Rewards point for every €1 spent on the card. There are currently no bonus points on applying.
The card comes with a raft of travel benefits. The cardholder and main supplementary cardholder will each receive a special Priority Pass membership.
This allows free entry into one of 1,300 airport lounges worldwide and 1 free guest is allowed per card (unlike the usual Priority Pass membership which you have to pay for any guests). Thus with 2 Platinum cards a group of 4 could all get into a lounge.
Full Priority Pass memberships normally costs €399 per person and guests are charged at €28 per visit.
The Platinum card will also get you direct entry into the high-end American Express Centurion lounges (mainly in the US plus Hong Kong/Sydney/Melbourne/London Heathrow T3/Stockholm).
You can also get access to Plaza Premium lounges worldwide – this includes lounges at Copenhagen, Frankfurt, Geneva, Helsinki, London Heathrow, London Gatwick, Rome, Stockholm and Zurich.
Access is granted to Delta Sky Club lounges in the US.
At Schiphol airport Amsterdam, Platinum cardholders get a light freshly prepared meal (Loungebox on the go) at the GRAB&FLY outlets on presentation of your card and boarding pass.
If travelling by Eurostar train in any class you can also enter the Eurostar Business Premier lounge at London St Pancras, Paris Nord and Brussels Zuid stations.
A complimentary Privium Plus membership (normally €235) is given which includes fast-track security and border control (by iris scan) at Amsterdam Schiphol, business class check-in at selected airlines, use of the 3 Privium lounges and the Privium parking garage. Supplementary cardholders can make use of a free Privium Partner membership.
Note, due to the ongoing situation at Schiphol airport, there are delays with activating Privium membership.
The Platinum card gives instant status in a number of hotel schemes:
Radisson Rewards Premium status
Hilton Honors Gold status (which includes free continental breakfast at all Hilton hotels)
MeliáRewards Gold status
Marriott Bonvoy Gold Elite status
You also get free room upgrades and privileges when booking 4 and 5 star hotels with the Fine Hotels & Resorts program, The Hotel Collection and The Vacation Collection.
New for 2022 – You get €300 dining credit each year at a selection of the best restaurants world wide. This is €150 at some 30 restaurants in the Netherlands and a further €150 to use at more than 1,400 restaurants in 20 countries.
In addition, 1 supplementary Platinum card and 4 supplementary Gold cards can be taken out free of charge for family or friends. You do require a minimum gross income of €30,000 per year (this has recently been reduced from €60,000 – which opens the card to many more people).
Though expensive, if you travel extensively and make use of the card features you could find excellent value and benefits from the card. Apply for the Platinum card here
American Express Membership Rewards – Transfer Partners
The Amex Membership Rewards program has a number of airline and hotel transfer partners. It is possible to transfer your Membership Rewards points into points/miles of 9 frequent flyer programs and 3 hotel programs. Note, the partners and transfer rates are slightly different for Netherlands-based American Express cards (compared to UK and US cards).
Partner | Transfer Rate | Transfer Time | Minimum Transfer |
Air France-KLM Flying Blue | 5 MR points : 4 Miles | 3-10 days | 625 MR points |
British Airways Executive Club | 5 MR points : 4 Avios | 4-10 days | 1,000 MR points |
Alitalia MilleMiglia | 5 MR points : 4 Miles | 4-10 days | 5 MR points |
Asia Miles | 5 MR points : 4 Miles | 7-10 days | 1,000 MR points |
Delta SkyMiles | 3 MR points : 1 SkyMile | 4-10 days | 3 MR points |
Finnair Plus | 5 MR points : 4 points | 4-10 days | 1,000 MR points |
Iberia Plus | 5 MR points : 4 Avios | 4-10 days | 800 MR points |
SAS EuroBonus | 3 MR points : 2 points | 4-10 days | 1,200 MR points |
Singapore Airlines KrisFLyer | 5 MR points : 4 miles | 4-10 days | 1,600 MR points |
Hilton Honors | 1 MR point : 1 point | 4-10 days | 100 MR points |
Marriott Bonvoy | 1 MR point : 1 point | 4-10 days | 100 MR points |
Radisson Rewards | 1 MR point : 2 points | 4-10 days | 2 MR points |
American Express Flying Blue Cards in Netherlands
With KLM being the national airline based in Amsterdam you may find yourself flying regularly on Air France-KLM, Delta and other Skyteam partners. The following table overviews the 4 American Express Flying Blue cards available to Dutch residents.
We will describe the benefits of each card in more detail below. If you are not already a member of the Flying Blue program, applying for one of the cards will automatically enroll you.
American Express Flying Blue Entry Card
The basic Flying Blue Entry Card costs €35 per year. It offers some basic travel accident insurance if paying for your travel or stay with the card. It earns 0.5 Flying Blue miles for every €1 spent on the card. There is a 2,500 miles welcome bonus if spending €500 on the card in the first 3 months.
In addition, 2 supplementary Entry cards can be taken out free of charge for family or friends. You do require a gross annual income of €20,000.
American Express Flying Blue Silver Card
There is a 2,500 miles welcome bonus if spending €500 on the card in the first 3 months. Also, by keeping the card your Flying Blue miles will not expire, even if you are not flying for a period of time.
You get 15 free XP points which go towards attaining elite status in the Flying Blue program.
In addition, up to 2 supplementary Silver cards can be taken out free of charge for family or friends. You require a gross annual income of €20,000. Apply for the Flying Blue Silver card here
American Express Flying Blue Gold Card
There is a 7,500 miles welcome bonus if spending €500 on the card in the first 3 months. Also, by keeping the card your Flying Blue miles will not expire, even if you are not flying for a period of time.
You get 30 free XP points which go towards attaining elite status in the Flying Blue program.
In addition, up to 2 supplementary Gold cards can be taken out free of charge for family or friends. You also require a gross annual income of €20,000. Apply for the Flying Blue Gold card here
American Express Flying Blue Platinum Card
There is a generous 15,000 miles welcome bonus if spending €500 on the card in the first 3 months. Also, by keeping the card your Flying Blue miles will not expire, even if you are not flying for a period of time.
15,000 miles is enough for a return economy flight from Amsterdam
to Oslo.
You get 60 free XP points which go towards attaining elite status in the Flying Blue program. The first elite tier (Flying Blue Silver) requires 100 XP in 12 months.
In addition, up to 1 supplementary Flying Blue Platinum card and up to 4 Flying Blue Gold cards can be taken out free of charge for family or friends. You also require a gross annual income of €30,000 (this has recently been reduced from €60,000). Apply for the Flying Blue Platinum card here
American Express Business Cards in Netherlands
American Express offers 2 business cards to cater for business expenses. These also earn Membership rewards points and have larger welcome bonuses than the standard consumer cards. You do need to have been registered with the Dutch Chamber of Commerce (KvK) for at least 1 year.
American Express Business Green Card
The Business Green Card costs €85 annually although it is free the first year. It earns 1 Membership Rewards point for every €1 spent on the card. It currently offers 12,000 MR points bonus on first €500 spend within 3 months.
The card includes business travel accident and business travel inconvenience insurance. You require a gross annual income of €23,000. Apply for a Business Green card here
American Express Business Gold Card
The Business Gold Card costs €225 per year though the first year is free. It earns 1 Membership Rewards point for every €1 spent on the card. It currently offers a generous 25,000 MR points bonus on first €2,500 spend within 3 months.
The card offers business travel accident, travel inconvenience and cancellation insurance. There is also purchase and refund protection. You require a gross annual income of €36,000. The Gold card application can be made here
Retailers in the Netherlands accepting American Express
ALDI, Dirk van den Broek and Jumbo supermarkets, De Bijenkorf department store, HEMA, IKEA stores and major petrol stations all accept AMEX payments.
Transport companies accepting AMEX include NS (Dutch Railways), KLM and Transavia.
AMEX Payments Outside Eurozone
Note that American Express charges 2.5% for payments made in other (non-euro) currencies. This is pretty standard for credit cards in the Netherlands. It is less of an issue than say the UK since the Dutch cards can be used forex fee-free anywhere in the 19 member states of the eurozone.
Note: Credit card names above are registered trademarks. You should pay your credit card or charge card balance in full every month. As the Dutch say “Let op! Geld lenen kost geld” which basically means “borrowing money costs money”! Terms and conditions can change.
Last update 18 October 2022, originally published in 2019.