There was an update in the terms and conditions that many people overlooked for the Luxair Miles and More Mastercard Gold. From 1/1/2021 you only get 1M/2€!
This is cut by 50%!!! We thought it would be only starting with the new Luxair Miles and More Visa Platinum card, which was already posted few days ago, here, but unfortunately not.
So lets recap if you are new in this field, compare Luxair BCEE with AMEX Premium Brussels Airlines:
BCEE Luxair MM Visa Platinum (former Mastercard Gold)
110€/year fee if you hold BCEE Zebra Premium account
5.000M welcome bonus
10.000M if you spend 20.000€/year – 1M/2€!
Total: 15.000M
American Express Premium Brussels Airlines
75€ fee (first 6 months are free, usually 150€/year) //update: noe the first 3 months are waived
6.000M welcome bonus
20.000M if you have been refered (link) if you spend 1500€ within the first 3 months!
30.000M if you spend 20.000€/year – 3M/2€!
10.000M yearly bonus if you have spent >= 20.000€/year
Total: 66.000M
AMEX is generally being accepted more and more, also in Luxembourg.
What do you do now? Stay with BCEE Luxair or maybe switch to AMEX Premium BA or even get the 2 cards until you have used up your miles accumulated with the BCEE Luxair card?
edit: updated increased referal miles
08/07/2021
Hello, I have been thinking of starting out with collecting miles and really like that you are compiling some infos for Luxembourg here since it’s generally very difficult to find infos for us.
I wanted to ask what your thoughts are on our AMEX program in comparison to our German neighbors. I like the German program much more since the site seems better organized and the advantages better. Do you know any possibilities to get into the German program from Luxembourg?
Thanks for all the great posts.
Hi,
Thanks.
Only people living in Germany can apply for the German AMEX cards. I am sorry.
AMEX BELUX would need to push its app and connectivity to people further.
You can also collect MR with the German AMEX and then transfer points between programmes.
You have another option to transfer points to Payback and then you can transfer them to Miles&More.
The German AMEX also has a Turbo programme where you can earn more points for the amount you spent in €.
The point is, you have to decide for which airline programme you want to transfer your points?
MM, avios, KLM, …
If you collect MM, AMEX Brussels Airlines Premium seems to be the best choice.
Fortunately, AMEX acceptance is slowly increasing.
Just compare 20000€/year
with AMEX BRU you will get 40000M
with BCEE Luxair VISA you will get 10000M /as well with the german MM Mastercard
with german AMEX and Turbo enabled you will get 15000M
The Mastercard from Miles&More Germany and the Hilton VISA card could also be approved if you live in Luxembourg.
Since the BCEE Luxair VISA also only gets 0.5 Miles per €1 spent, there is not much difference to the German MM Mastercard.
One of the benefits is the conversion of some miles into status miles.
On the other hand, you get free lounge vouchers every year when you fly with Luxair, it comes with the new VISA card.
kind regards,
Thanks for all the infos and calculations.
I think AMEX BELUX just needs to step up their game a bit. If I compare the website/app/welcome bonus with the German program than our option just feels a bit lackluster. But in the end we don’t really have a choice at the moment so I just hope that AMEX could step up and reevaluate the BELUX program a bit.
Although from your calculated example, I think I do need to reconsider the AMEX Brussels Airlines Premium, I preferred not being bound to a single program as you can with AMEX Platinum, but the efficiency you get if you stick to MM with that card seems to be actually really good. It’s just lacking some of the benefits that you would get with an AMEX Platinum but therefore also cheaper.
Thanks again for all the infos, let’s hope this year will be better for flying.
Hi,
Just wondering if its possible to get any of the flying blue credit cards in Luxembourg, seems that Belgium and France have one? I presume failing that its best to go for a normal AMEX card? New to Luxembourg so just thought I’d ask!
Thanks.
Hi,
You can transfer points from your BE AMEX to KLM/Air France program.
It looks like that luxembourgish citizen could sign up for the French AMEX KLM/Air France card. Just contact them via phone and you will receive the form by mail.
Thanks,
I have “frequent traveller” status, is there any bonus/special offer with this AMEX card? Also do you know whether this AMEX also comes with all the benefits of other AMEXs (membership rewards) or is it only linked to Miles? Thanks!
Hi questionmark,
If you hold FTL, then you can sign up for AMEX Premium (or Preferred) Brussels Airlines card and you will receive 5000 status miles (only in 2021), 6000 welcome miles and 10.000 referral miles. If you spend 20.000€ per year you will receive extra 10000miles.
You will get 1,5MM per 1€ spend and in 2021 2 status miles per 1€ spend up to max 30000 miles (5000 welcome status miles included).
These are Brussels Airlines/Miles and More branded AMEX cards.
There are also the “normal” AMEX cards, like blue, green, gold and platinum.
With these cards you earn MR instead of MM directly, but you can convert MR to MM with the ratio of 2MR:1MM. If you transfer to MM wou will get in general 1MM per 1€.
I just posted a new post about normal AMEX cards where you can activate turbo and earn up to 2MR per 1€!
Thanks,
Interesting to read that you can get the French AMEX-Card
I have the Dutch AMEX – the only thing you need is a Dutch account, but you can handle this with Bunq.
Ideally would be to go for the American card … but that’s but wishful thinking 🙂
Does Bunq support Amex?