American Express: Your Flexible Friend for Miles
- 20,000 after €3,000 spend
- +30,000 after €5,000 spend
- +5,000 with Rosé variant
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- 40,000 after €6,000 spend
- +45,000 after €10,000 spend
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- after €15,000 spend in 6 months
- €850 annual fee
- for genuine business expenditure only
Ad: referral link; offer checked 18 July 2026
AMEX Membership Rewards Points (MR)
American Express (Amex) is an excellent choice for earning flexible travel rewards. You need a German address to apply, and approval includes a credit assessment, but Amex does not publish a guaranteed minimum SCHUFA score. Existing Amex cardholders from other countries may be able to use the Global Transfer Program.
The core benefit of Amex lies in its Membership Rewards points (MRPs), which are highly flexible and can be transferred to a wide array of airline and hotel loyalty programs. A key advantage is that your MR points DON’T expire as long as you hold at least one MR-earning Amex card in Germany (including free cards).
Earning MR Points
Earning MR Points:
- Standard: 1 MR point per €1 spent.
- Turbo Program (€15/year): Highly recommended! This boosts your earning to 1.5 MR points per €1. You can activate it online or by calling Amex.
- Welcome Bonuses: The quickest way to accumulate a large number of points. Current tiered bonuses: up to 50,000 MR for Gold Card (55,000 with Rosé), up to 85,000 MR for Platinum Card.
- Use Referral Links: We provide our referral links on respective card pages - using them supports this guide!
- Amex Offers: Check the Amex app or website for targeted bonus points or statement credits at various retailers.
- Referrals: Earn bonus points for referring friends, who often receive attractive offers too.
Important: Welcome Bonus Rules Amex Germany’s rules restrict card cycling. To qualify for a new welcome bonus, you generally must not have been the primary cardholder of the same German American Express card in the previous 18 months. Always verify the current Terms & Conditions before applying. You must also keep any new card for at least 12 months to retain its welcome bonus. Note: Gold and Platinum count as separate products, so you can hold both simultaneously and qualify for bonuses on each.
Foreign Transaction Fees: Amex charges 2% outside the Eurozone. This is comparable to Miles & More cards (~2%) but higher than some alternatives like Barclays Visa (0%).
NOTE: This guide focuses on the personal Gold and Platinum cards as they often represent “sweet spots” for value. If you’re self-employed or run a business, the Business Cards carry the largest welcome bonuses in Germany (up to 200,000 points). The Amex Payback card earns Payback points directly, not MR points (though Payback points can be transferred to Miles & More).