American Express: Your Flexible Friend for Miles
AMEX Membership Rewards Points (MR)
American Express (Amex) is an excellent choice for earning flexible travel rewards. To apply for a German Amex card, you’ll need a German address, though official registration isn’t typically required upfront. Amex evaluates your creditworthiness on an ongoing basis rather than a pre-assessment, which can be beneficial if you’re new to Germany or have variable income. You can proactively manage and potentially increase your credit line by making early deposits; find details on their deposit process here . This strategy can be particularly helpful for meeting spending requirements for welcome bonuses.
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, often providing the best redemption value. 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.
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 (on up to €40,000 spend per year). You can activate it online or by calling Amex.
- Welcome Bonuses: The quickest way to accumulate a large number of points (e.g., 40,000 MR for Gold, 75,000 MR for Platinum (as of June 2025, promotions can vary).). Referral links often provide enhanced bonuses.
- 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.
Card Cycling: Amex Germany’s rules (as of May 2025) significantly restrict card cycling for welcome bonuses. To qualify for a new bonus on an MR-earning card (e.g., Gold, Platinum), you generally must not have been the primary cardholder of a German American Express card (including co-branded ones like Payback Amex) in the previous 18 months. Always verify current T&Cs before applying. Additionally, you must keep any card for at least 12 months to retain its welcome bonus. Crucially, to prevent MR points from expiring, always maintain at least one active, paid MR-earning Amex card if you cancel others.
NOTE: This guide primarily focuses on the personal Gold and Platinum cards as they often represent “sweet spots” for value. Business cards have different benefits and spending requirements. The Amex Payback card earns Payback points directly, not MR points (though Payback points can be transferred to Miles & More).