We usually cover more of the benefits that customers in the U.S. can derive from their credit cards, but when I upgraded my Amex Card in Germany from Green to Platinum this week, I was surprised by the large number of partner elite status options.

While the U.S. Amex is a large coupon book with lots of credits for partners that I don’t particularly use, the German version has a lot of travel loyalty partners where members can upgrade their status plus a decent travel credit and especially solid insurance benefits.

I’ve had the U.S. version of the Platinum Card for quite a while, but there were some changes lately that no longer suited my was of using the card, especially as far as insurance coverage was concerned and I also wanted a partner card which is included in the German pricing of 720 Euro/year but with the U.S. Card you have to order it separately for an extra fee.

With the German Amex Platinum you’re being offered five hotel elite memberships:

• GHA Discovery Platinum

• Radisson Rewards Premium

• Melia Rewards Gold

• Hilton Honors Gold

• Marriott Bonvoy Gold

For car rental customers, three companies offer their memberships for German Platinum members:

• Sixt Platinum Card

• Hertz Gold Plus Five Star

• Avis Presidents Club

Overall I think you’ll be able to obtain most if not all of these car rental levels with either a status match or by simply writing to the company and see if they offer another way.

The other benefits include a 200 Euro travel credit for flights and hotels booked through Amex Travel as well as 150 Euro Restaurant credit at various partners, both in Germany and abroad. In my case I can use the dining credit at The Cheesecake Factory or Lawry’s Prime Rib in Bangkok.

They also offer very interesting discounts for Condor flights as well as 200 Euro for Sixt Rides. Sadly, the access to Lufthansa Lounges will cease for all Amex Platinum (and Centurion) members from October 1, 2026 as we covered previously.

With my U.S. card I haven’t used many of these annual credits. Lots of them were simply expiring unused because I don’t need the services. As such I decided to put more importance on the hard benefits and use the 350 Euro for Travel and Restaurants as a bonus. I won’t be spending much on this card overseas so the points are negligible, hence the foreign transaction fee won’t hurt me much.

Conclusion

I decided to move my Amex Platinum membership from the U.S. to Germany as I think the portfolio of benefits is more suitable for me for the time being. While the cars has less vouchers for various partners I think the financial benefits are pretty much the same.

I get 350 Euro worth of cash-like benefits for flights/hotels and 150 Euro for restaurants where I frequently dine either way.

Most important for me is the insurance package and the German Amex Platinum version has a highly superior package. I also like the ability to get a partner Platinum card free of charge.

If I decide to keep it longer, we will see in a year or so. But for now, I have cancelled my U.S. charge card (I still have a free everyday card) and upgraded the German one to Platinum.

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