Credit cards are essential if you do a lot of travelling, particularly when booking hotels and hiring rental cars.
In this article we will look at the 7 best credit cards in the Netherlands for travel benefits alone. You will see that the list contains a number of American Express (Amex) cards which are well known for their travel features.
However one drawback to Amex cards is they are not as well accepted as Mastercard and Visa – so savvy travellers will often have a number of cards for different situations.
Our top travel cards are as follows:
| 1 | American Express Platinum Metal Card Best for comprehensive lounge access | Apply here |
| 2 | American Express Flying Blue Platinum Card Good for Flying Blue Platinum members | Apply here |
| 3 | Mastercard Black Card Cheaper Priority Pass access | Apply here |
| 4 | American Express Gold Card 4 lounge visits per year | Apply here |
| 5 | American Express Flying Blue Gold Card Good for Flying Blue elite members | Apply here |
| 6 | American Express Flying Blue Silver Card Good for Flying Blue members | Apply here |
| 7 | N26 Mastercard (debit) Zero forex card and free base account | Apply here |
1. American Express Platinum Metal Card
The American Express Platinum Metal Card is the card on the Dutch market which has by far the most travel benefits. Apply for the American Express Platinum Card here
This is a high-end card used by many frequent flyers and travel ‘professionals’.
It is certainly not cheap – it costs costs €65 per month which is €780 on an annual basis. You can get one additional supplementary card for a partner/family member at €10 per month extra.
Is the €780 fee worth it? It really depends whether you can make full use of the benefits. The following is a full listing of the travel features which cardholders get:
– A special Priority Pass membership is included for the cardholder and supplementary card holder.
This allows unlimited free entry into one of 1,400 airport lounges worldwide and 1 free guest is allowed per visit per card – unlike the usual Priority Pass membership in which you have to pay for any guests.
So with 2 Platinum cards a group of 4 people could all get free lounge access.
Consider that full ‘Prestige’ Priority Pass memberships normally costs €459 per person per year and any guests are charged at €30 per visit.
So 2 members that purchased 8 guest visits in a year would pay €459×2=€918 (membership) plus €30×8=€240 (guest fees), total €1,158 – this sum is already higher than the €900 Platinum Card+supplementary card annual fee.
Priority Pass lounges at Amsterdam Schiphol airport are the Aspire Lounge 41 (non-Schengen) and Aspire Lounge 26 (Schengen).
– Exclusive to Dutch-based Platinum cardholders is a complimentary Privium Plus membership. Benefits at Amsterdam Schiphol include fast-track security and border control (by iris scan), business class check-in at selected airlines, use of the 3 Privium lounges at Schiphol (and 1 lounge at Eindhoven) and the use of paid Privium priority parking spaces.
Privium Plus membership normally costs €305 per year; supplementary cardholders get free Privium Partner membership which would cost €180 per year. So the total Privium benefit is valued at €485.
– The Platinum Card offers direct entry into the high quality American Express Centurion lounges.
In Europe these are located at London Heathrow T3 and Stockholm; there are multiple locations in the US; plus Delhi/Mumbai/Hong Kong/Sydney/Melbourne/Buenos Aires/Sao Paolo.
– Access is granted to any Plaza Premium lounges at 80 airports worldwide with 1 guest included by showing your Platinum card.
European lounges include those at Copenhagen, Edinburgh, Frankfurt, Geneva, Helsinki, London Gatwick, London Heathrow, Rome, Stockholm. Standard entry for 2 people would cost around €80.
– Access is available to Delta Sky Club lounges (no free guests) when flying on Delta Air Lines.
– Get access to select Lufthansa lounges (no free guests) if flying on LH Group airlines Lufthansa, SWISS or Austrian. Economy class flyers get access to Lufthansa Business Lounge; business class flyers can access the Lufthansa Senator Lounge.
– At Schiphol Airport Amsterdam, Platinum cardholders get a light freshly-prepared meal (‘Loungebox on the go’ in a blue Amex branded bag) at the GRAB&FLY outlets on presentation of your card and boarding pass.
– The Platinum card offers fully comprehensive travel insurance for the cardholder and family and all supplementary card holders. This includes baggage delay, cancellation, travel accident and full car hire insurance.
– 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
– Platinum cardholders can use the Fine Hotels & Resorts booking scheme via Amex Travel which can offer extra stay privileges such as room upgrades, free breakfasts, 4pm check-out and food/drinks credit.
There are around 2,600 premium hotels worldwide in the FHR scheme with 17 properties in the Netherlands – including Andaz Amsterdam, Conservatorium, De L’Europe, Intercontinental Amstel, Kimpton DeWitt, Pulitzer, Sofitel Legend, The Dylan, W Amsterdam, Waldorf Astoria.
– Spending on the Platinum Card earns 1 Membership Rewards point for every €1 spent. There are currently no bonus points on applying.
Membership Rewards is the in-house points program from American Express.
Dutch-based members can transfer points to 7 airline partners (Air France-KLM Flying Blue, British Airways Executive Club, Asia Miles, Delta SkyMiles, Iberia Plus, SAS EuroBonus, Singapore Airlines KrisFLyer) and 3 hotel partners (Hilton Honors, Marriott Bonvoy, Radisson Rewards).
For Membership Rewards transfer rates please see: American Express Cards in the Netherlands (Complete Guide)
– For car rentals you get Avis Preferred and Hertz Gold Plus Rewards status which gives a discount up to 15%.
– For 2025, Platinum cardholders get a 2-course lunch or dinner for 2 (valued at €50 per person) at selected restaurants in the Benelux – 3 times a year, so total value is €300.
– Cardholders can get priority booking to special events and exclusive experiences.
In addition to the supplementary Platinum Card, a companion Business Gold Card (normally €270) can be taken out free of charge.
You require a minimum gross income of €30,000 per year.
American Express charges 2.5% for payments made in other (non-euro) currencies.
Though expensive, if you travel extensively and make good use of the card features you could find excellent value and benefits from the card. You can apply for the American Express Platinum Card here
American Express itself values the average Platinum Card benefits available at around €2,400.
2. American Express Flying Blue Platinum Card
American Express Flying Blue cards are aimed at those who fly frequently with Air France-KLM and are members of its Flying Blue scheme.
The top-of-the-range Flying Blue Platinum Card costs €55 per month which is €660 per year. Apply for the American Express Flying Blue Platinum Card here
The Flying Blue Platinum Card benefits are listed as follows:
– Fully comprehensive travel insurance for the cardholder and family if paying for your travel or stay with the card. This includes car hire insurance.
– Spending with the Flying Blue Platinum card earns 1.5 Flying Blue Miles for every €1 spent on the card. You earn 2 Flying Blue miles per €1 spent with KLM, Air France and Hertz.
– There is a 10,000 Miles welcome bonus if you spend €5,000 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.
10,000 miles is the starting rate for a return economy flight from Amsterdam to London.
– 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, so with the card you would only need 40XP to attain silver status.
– In addition you can take the following complimentary cards: a supplementary Flying Blue Platinum Card, a companion Business Gold Card (normally €270) and up to 4 Flying Blue Gold cards.
– One of the main features of the card is if you already hold Platinum status with Flying Blue you can also give the Platinum status to your supplementary Platinum cardholder.
American Express charges 2.5% for payments made in other (non-euro) currencies.
You require a gross annual income of €30,000.
You can apply for the American Express Flying Blue Platinum Card here
3. Mastercard Black Card
ICS (International Card Services) offers generic credit cards for the Dutch market.
Its premium product is the Mastercard Black Card which costs €204 per year. A supplementary card for a partner would cost €124 extra.
The Black card has the following features:
– Prestige Priority Pass membership (normally €459 or €413 with 10% discount) which offers free airport lounge access at more than 1,400 lounges worldwide. Guests are charged at the standard €30 rate.
The Mastercard Black is the cheapest way to ‘buy’ Priority Pass in the Netherlands.
For 1 person (€204) you are saving €209-€255 per year.
For 2 people (€204+€124=€328) you save up to €498-€590 per year.
– Comprehensive travel insurance which covers travel accidents, medical expenses, legal aid and baggage delay insurance.
The forex fee for non-euro transactions is 2.0%.
The card requires a minimum net monthly salary of €1,250 (which is the equivalent of around €15,350 gross annual income).
Apply for the Mastercard Black Card here
4. American Express Gold Card
The American Express Gold Card is a mid-range card with some travel benefits.
It costs €20 per month which is €240 annually.
Apply for the American Express Gold Card here
It is an excellent introductory card to American Express if you also want some travel benefits.
The American Express Gold Card benefits are listed as follows:
– Cardholders receive 4 free airport lounge passes each membership year via Priority Pass to enter into one of 1,400 airport lounges worldwide. This includes the Aspire lounges at Amsterdam Schiphol and in the UK.
– It offers travel and cancellation insurance for the cardholder and family if paying for your travel or stay with the card.
– 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.
– Spending on the Gold Card earns 1 Membership Rewards point for every €1 spent. There are currently no bonus points on applying.
– You get €100 dining credit each year at a selection of restaurants in the Netherlands, Belgium and Luxembourg.
– There is also a complimentary Amazon Prime subscription.
In addition, 4 supplementary American Express Green Cards can be taken out free of charge for family or friends.
American Express charges 2.5% for payments made in other (non-euro) currencies.
You do require a minimum gross income of €20,000 per year.
Apply for the American Express Gold Card here
5. American Express Flying Blue Gold Card
The Flying Blue Gold Card is a mid-range card in the American Express Flying Blue card series.
It costs €16.50 per month which is €198 on an annual basis.
Apply for the American Express Flying Blue Gold Card here
The Flying Blue Gold Card benefits are listed as follows:
– Comprehensive travel insurance for the cardholder and family if paying for your travel or stay with the card.
– Spending with the Flying Blue Gold card earns 1 Flying Blue Miles for every €1 spent on the card. You earn 1.5 Flying Blue miles per €1 spent with KLM, Air France and Hertz.
– A 5,000 miles welcome bonus if you spend €2,500 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 Flying Blue Gold cards can be taken out free of charge for family or friends.
American Express charges 2.5% for payments made in other (non-euro) currencies.
You also require a gross annual income of €20,000.
American Express Flying Blue Gold Application page
6. American Express Flying Blue Silver Card
The Flying Blue Silver Card is a lower-range card in the American Express Flying Blue card series.
It costs €6.25 per month (€75 per year) – though the first year is free.
Apply for the Flying Blue Silver Card here
The Flying Blue Silver Card benefits are listed as follows:
– It offers some basic travel insurance (accident and missed departures) if paying for your travel or stay with the card.
– Spending with the Flying Blue Silver card earns a slightly lower 0.8 Flying Blue Miles for every €1 spent on the card. You earn 1 Flying Blue miles per €1 spent with KLM, Air France and Hertz.
– There is a 2,500 miles welcome bonus if you spend €1,500 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.
American Express charges 2.5% for payments made in other (non-euro) currencies.
You require a gross annual income of €20,000.
7. N26 Mastercard
N26 is an app-based German bank with portal available in English.
The N26 Mastercard is available to N26 clients with a number of different plans available.
The cards is effectively a debit card in that any deposits or payments made are immediately taken from your account balance. Note, it is not a pre-paid card or a credit card.
The standard N26 account is free. The N26 paid plans are as follows:
- N26 Smart account costs €4.90 per month (€58.80 per year)
- N26 You account costs €9.90 per month (€118.80 per year)
- N26 Metal account costs €16.90 per month (€202.80 per year)
– Paid plans include a physical card. For the free plan you can pay a one-time fee of €10 to receive a physical card. You can also use the card as a virtual card
– The reason we list this card here is that N26 offers zero foreign exchange transaction fees on non-euro payments – “with no mark ups or extra charges”. Dutch credit cards normally charge 2.0-2.5% in exchange fees.
– On the downside, debit cards do not offer the same level of purchase protection as credit cards. However, the N26 Metal account does come with purchase protection coverage.
– You and Metal plans come with included travel insurance that covers baggage, delays and trip cancellation.
Open an account with N26 here (English)
Accounts can be opened in 8 minutes via the app.
Note: Credit card names and images above are registered trademarks. You should pay your credit card balance in full every month. As the Dutch say “Let op! Geld lenen kost geld” which basically means “borrowing money costs money”! Terms, conditions and prices can change – please check the card issuers.
We are not offering any financial advice or discussing borrowing interest rates, we are merely describing the main card benefits and features.
This article was first published in 2023, last update 15 April 2025.
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