Collecting miles has long become a smart strategy for many to fly more cheaply or enjoy luxurious upgrades. But which credit card for collecting miles help fill your account quickly in everyday life? We will show you!
American Express Platinum Card
- Promotion: 85.000 points welcome bonus
- 150 euros in restaurant credit
- 200 euros in travel credit
- 200 euros in Sixt Ride credit
- Free lounge access with guest
- The best insurance package in Germany
Revolut Standard Debit Card
- Promotion: 10 euro welcome bonus
- Free credit card – permanently without an annual fee
- Collect valuable points with every euro spent on the card
- Free worldwide cash withdrawal
American Express Rosé Gold Card
- Promotion: 20.000 welcome bonus points
- SIXT credit: €180 SIXT Plus & €50 Rent
- Credit: 80 euro Lodenfrey & 50 euro Freenow
- Collect points with every euro spent
- Full insurance protection included
Eurowings Kreditkarte Premium
- 3.000 welcome miles
- No annual fee in the first year
- Free cash withdrawals and payments abroad
- Earn Miles & More miles
Eurowings Kreditkarte Premium
- 3.000 welcome miles
- No annual fee in the first year
- Free cash withdrawals and payments abroad
- Earn Miles & More miles
Even though the market in Germany is relatively limited, there are still some exciting cards that we present to you in our practical comparison. Our assessment includes not only our own experiences from practical tests but also the evaluations of the reisetopia finance experts. Find out which credit card to collect miles convinced us and can turn your daily spending into high-value travel experiences.
Inhaltsverzeichnis
- Credit cards for collecting miles: Our experiences
- How we chose our first credit card to collect miles
- Example redemptions from the reisetopia Team
- Our Top 3 credit cards for collecting miles
- Credit cards for collecting miles: What our reisetopia finance experts say
- Credit cards for collecting miles: Our conclusion
- Frequently asked questions about collecting miles with credit cards
Credit cards for collecting miles: Our experiences
Since the founding of reisetopia in 2016, credit cards to collect miles have played a central role for us. Over the years, not only the founders of reisetopia but also dozens of employees have tested numerous credit cards and actively used them in everyday life.
We were particularly surprised by how fast and easy it is to earn miles with credit cards. The key was to consistently process everyday expenses via our credit cards – for example, by linking them to payment services like PayPal or using them in supermarkets, restaurants, or online shops. Additional promotions and coupons, such as through Amex Offers or Payback, also regularly boosted the account. For many members of the reisetopia team who are not frequent flyers, this proved to be a much more effective way to collect miles than through traditional flight bookings.
Our experiences with these travel rewards credit cards so far have been almost entirely positive. With all the cards we tested, miles were always credited reliably and correctly. The only noteworthy limitation is the acceptance of the American Express credit card: although it has improved significantly in recent years, there are still occasional situations where Amex is not accepted.
👉🏻 Our recommendation: strong credit card combinations!
Almost everyone in the reisetopia team now uses multiple credit cards to collect miles in everyday life. A particularly effective combination has proven to be the American Express Platinum Card and the Eurowings Premium Credit Card from Barclays. With this card, you can additionally collect Miles & More miles and benefit from free payments in foreign currencies. Even if American Express is not accepted or you are paying abroad, the Eurowings Premium Credit Card always keeps you flexible and allows you to earn valuable miles with every expense!
Eurowings Premium credit card
- Free credit card in the first year
- Free cash withdrawals and payments abroad
- Benefits with Eurowings (e.g., Fast Lane, seat reservation)
- Umfangreiche Versicherungen
- Comprehensive insurance coverage
- Earn Miles & More miles
How we chose our first credit card to collect miles
Before you decide on a travel rewards credit card, you should ask yourself a few basic questions. They will help you find the right card for your individual travel goals and spending habits:
1️⃣ What specific goal am I pursuing?
Think about which airlines or alliances you ideally want to redeem your miles with.
2️⃣ Is the card suitable for my everyday life or my travels?
Can you generate regular spending with the credit card to effectively earn miles?
3️⃣ What additional benefits are relevant to me?
For example, lounge access, insurance, or hotel status – and do you actually use them?
4️⃣ How high is the welcome bonus and can I realistically meet the conditions?
Only if the bonus is achievable it brings real added value.
5️⃣ Do I have alternative redemption options in an emergency?
For example, can you also use points for hotel bookings, to pay for purchases or in other programs?
Example redemptions from the reisetopia Team
When it comes to conversion rates, collection strategies and reward values, concrete redemptions are often the most insightful because they show the true potential of the points. Our team includes real experts in the art of mile hunting. But some reisetopia team members have only recently ventured into the world of mileage collecting. Here are their highlights so far:
⭐️ With the Amex Platinum Credit Card, enough Membership Rewards points were collected within just six months for an upgrade to the Qatar Airways QSuite – for two people on the flight from Bali to Doha. An absolute highlight in terms of comfort and experience!
⭐️ In addition, the free Amex Payback Credit Card and the Eurowings Premium Credit Card were also used. Both cards offered attractive welcome bonuses, which were used together with collected Miles & More miles specifically for award flights – including an exclusive First Class flight!
👉 For beginners in particular, it shows: with the right credit card, a sensible strategy, and targeted redemptions, a lot can be achieved from miles even without frequent flyer status and the dream of flying in Business or even First Class can become a reality.
Our Top 3 credit cards for collecting miles
At this point, we would like to introduce you to our top recommendations of travel rewards credit cards:
Our number 1 for earning miles: Amex Platinum Card
✅ Collection ratio: Regularly 1 Membership Rewards point per 1 euro spent
✅ With Turbo Program activated: 1.5 points per euro
✅ Miles transfer possible to: Qatar Airways Privilege Club, Emirates Skywards, British Airways Executive Club, Flying Blue, among others
The American Express Platinum Card has been our undisputed favorite for years personally tested and by far our test winner. It impresses not only with its elegant metal design but above all with its strong overall package. The credit card is suitable for both beginners and experienced frequent flyers who want to get the most out of their spending.
The collected Membership Rewards points can be transferred to the frequent flyer programs of numerous renowned airlines. While traveling, you also benefit from exclusive advantages such as lounge access, hotel status benefits, and comprehensive insurance services. One of our favorite perks is also the annual restaurant credit of 150 euros! On top of the benefits, the card often comes with generous Amex Platinum welcome offers.
American Express Platinum Card
- 200 Euro travel credit per year for flights, hotels and more
- 200 Euro SIXT Ride credit per year
- Up to 200 Euro discount & Priority benefits for Condor flight bookings
- Exclusive metal credit card
- Collect valuable points with each turnover
- Free platinum partner card with all benefits included
- Best insurance package in Germany
- Free lounge access with a guest at 1.550 lounges worldwide
- Upgrades, breakfast and more status benefits in hotels
👉 Top tip: For anyone who finds the annual fee of the Amex Platinum too high, the American Express Gold Card is an attractive alternative. Although it offers a slightly less exclusive benefits package in direct comparison, the Amex Gold still scores with solid advantages and a very good price-performance ratio. When it comes to collecting Membership Rewards points, it is on par with the Platinum Card: You get one point per euro spent.
American Express Gold Card made of metal
- 180 Euro SIXT Plus and 50 euros SIXT Rent credit
- 80 Euro Lodenfrey credit
- 60 Euro Freenow taxi credit
- Collect valuable points with every euro spent
- Versatile discounts thanks to Amex Offers
- Choose between gold or rose gold
- Comprehensive travel insurance included
- Hotel status and travel benefits included
The best for everyday use: Payback Amex
✅ Collection ratio: Regularly 1 point per 3 euros spent; additionally 1 point per 2 euros at Payback partners
✅ Transfer ratio: 1 Payback point = 1 Miles & More mile
✅ Miles redeemable at: Miles & More frequent flyer program and partners such as Lufthansa, SWISS, Singapore Airlines and Turkish Airlines
The Payback Amex is one of the best free options to easily get started with earning miles. As part of the popular Payback program, you collect Payback points with every purchase, which can be converted into Miles & More miles at a 1:1 ratio. Additionally, you can benefit from a conversion bonus of up to 30% during limited-time promotions. For example, if you transfer 20,000 Payback points during such a promotion, you can receive up to 26,000 award miles.
Another benefit: You can collect points with the credit card not only at Payback partners but also at all other merchants where the card is accepted. This way, you can turn everyday expenses into valuable miles for your next free flight.
Payback American Express Credit Card
Promo: 1.000 points welcome bonus
- Free credit card with no restrictions
- Earn points/Miles & More miles with every payment
- Combination of Payback card and credit card
- Amex Offers & purchase protection included
- Free additional card
Luxury at a fair price: Revolut Ultra Credit Card
✅ Collection ratio: 1 RevPoint per 1 euro spent
✅ Miles transfer: 1 RevPoint = 1 mile at British Airways Executive Club, Turkish Airlines Miles & Smiles or Flying Blue
For those who find the annual fee of the Amex Platinum too high, Revolut Ultra offers an attractive alternative with solid benefits. The Revolut premium credit card comes with an appealing package for travelers and mileage collectors – including lounge access via Dragon Pass, cashback and insurance coverage. You also earn one RevPoint per euro spent through the RevPoints bonus program.
Special advantage: RevPoints can be converted at a 1:1 ratio into miles with frequent flyer programs such as British Airways Executive Club or Flying Blue – similar to American Express, but with a better conversion rate. This makes it easier to efficiently redeem miles for Business or First Class flights.
Another important point: the Revolut Ultra offers broader acceptance than American Express cards. Plus, the absence of foreign transaction fees makes this card a particularly attractive travel companion.
Revolut Ultra
- Exclusive platinum credit card
- Unlimited lounge access
- Free transfers in 36 currencies
- Free top-ups with credit cards
- Free cash withdrawals
- Up to 1 percent cashback on purchases
- Earn 1 RevPoint per euro spent
| 💳 Credit card | 📈 Earn rate | 🔄 Transfer ratio |
|---|---|---|
| Amex Platinum Card | 1 point per €1 spent | Membership Rewards → varies by program, often 5:4 or 3:2 |
| Payback Amex | 1 point per €3 spent | 1 Payback point = 1 Miles & More mile |
| Revolut Ultra | 1 RevPoint per €1 spent | 1 RevPoint = 1 mile |
Credit cards for collecting miles: What our reisetopia finance experts say
To evaluate the credit cards, we examined the various models from several perspectives:
On one hand, from the viewpoint of a collector, aiming to assess how attractive each card is for earning miles. On the other hand, we included the evaluations of our reisetopia finance experts. Because no matter how exciting the benefits and miles may be, credit cards are still financial products that should be applied for with careful consideration. It’s also important to honestly assess whether the card, due to annual fees or required spending, fits your financial situation.
Our reisetopia finance experts have analyzed the credit cards from our comparison in depth, paying particular attention to aspects such as value for money and conditions. These analyses are also supplemented by feedback from our readers and reviews on relevant platforms. Since this guide focuses on credit cards for collecting miles, this factor accounts for 50% of our overall rating. Other criteria were weighted accordingly lower.
👉 The result: When used strategically – that is, without unnecessary expenses and with targeted use of the benefits – the test results from our finance experts align with the recommendations from the rest of the team: the American Express Platinum, the Payback American Express, and the Revolut Ultra are powerful cards for collecting miles and for everyday use!
In order to find the best financial products for you, we have been conducting independent and comprehensive comparisons for years. To do this, we test offers according to fixed criteria such as fees, services, and customer service, and compare the results transparently. This way, you can be sure to make a well-informed decision.
Have our reisetopia financial tips helped you? Then please rate us on Trustpilot!
Credit cards for collecting miles: Our conclusion
A credit card should not be applied for solely to collect miles, especially if it comes with an annual fee. It’s also important that you can use the card in your everyday life and ideally, it adds comfort to your travels. It is particularly worthwhile if you can continue collecting miles through everyday expenses even after the welcome bonus without much effort.
Payback Amex
For those who want to start collecting miles with no risk, the Payback Amex is the perfect choice. It is permanently free, offers regular promotions for collecting extra points through the Payback app, as well as smart earning opportunities via vouchers or magazine subscriptions. The points collected can not only be converted into miles but also used for paying for purchases if needed.
Payback American Express Credit Card
Promo: 1.000 points welcome bonus
- Free credit card with no restrictions
- Earn points/Miles & More miles with every payment
- Combination of Payback card and credit card
- Amex Offers & purchase protection included
- Free additional card
Amex Platinum
Also suitable for beginners and indispensable for experienced mile collectors is the Amex Platinum. Despite the high annual fee, it offers a thoroughly convincing luxury package. Our favorite from the reisetopia team has already more than paid off: access to exclusive lounges, an almost free flight thanks to travel credit, a Michelin-starred menu in Singapore, upgrades to the coveted QSuite or 50 euros off at the luxurious Waldorf Astoria in Dubai thanks to Amex Offers. And best of all: with the generous welcome bonus, your first (or next) Business Class flight is within reach!
American Express Platinum Card
- 200 Euro travel credit per year for flights, hotels and more
- 200 Euro SIXT Ride credit per year
- Up to 200 Euro discount & Priority benefits for Condor flight bookings
- Exclusive metal credit card
- Collect valuable points with each turnover
- Free platinum partner card with all benefits included
- Best insurance package in Germany
- Free lounge access with a guest at 1.550 lounges worldwide
- Upgrades, breakfast and more status benefits in hotels
Our favorite credit cards to collect miles:
American Express Platinum Card
- Promotion: 85.000 points welcome bonus
- 150 euros in restaurant credit
- 200 euros in travel credit
- 200 euros in Sixt Ride credit
- Free lounge access with guest
- The best insurance package in Germany
Revolut Standard Debit Card
- Promotion: 10 euro welcome bonus
- Free credit card – permanently without an annual fee
- Collect valuable points with every euro spent on the card
- Free worldwide cash withdrawal
American Express Rosé Gold Card
- Promotion: 20.000 welcome bonus points
- SIXT credit: €180 SIXT Plus & €50 Rent
- Credit: 80 euro Lodenfrey & 50 euro Freenow
- Collect points with every euro spent
- Full insurance protection included
Eurowings Kreditkarte Premium
- 3.000 welcome miles
- No annual fee in the first year
- Free cash withdrawals and payments abroad
- Earn Miles & More miles
Eurowings Kreditkarte Premium
- 3.000 welcome miles
- No annual fee in the first year
- Free cash withdrawals and payments abroad
- Earn Miles & More miles
Frequently asked questions about collecting miles with credit cards
Is collecting miles with credit cards worth it?
In general, a credit card to collect miles is worthwhile for almost everyone, it just depends on choosing the right model. Since there are now also free credit cards such as the Payback Amex or the Revolut credit card, you can hardly go wrong with one of these cards.
With higher-end products, however, everyone must decide individually whether collecting miles with the credit card is worthwhile and whether the additional services are truly beneficial.
How many miles can you collect with credit cards?
There’s no upper limit to how many miles you can collect with credit cards. The more spending you do with your credit card, the higher the number of miles you will earn. Especially in combination with other methods of collecting miles, this can be a very attractive approach.
But even those with lower spending can get a lot out of flight mile credit cards by making good use of bonuses and aligning their spending habits to maximize returns.
Which credit cards allow you to collect miles directly?
So-called credit cards to earn miles are common worldwide and are highly appealing due to the ability to collect miles. There are differences in whether a credit card earns flexible points or a fixed mile currency. The latter is typically the case when a card is tied to a frequent flyer program.
These credit cards are directly connected to a specific frequent flyer program:
- Miles & More Credit Card
- Eurowings Credit Card
- Turkish Airlines Credit Card (since 2024)
How can I collect miles with American Express credit cards?
In addition to traditional mileage credit cards, American Express credit cards are especially worth a look. Why? Because with these credit cards, you collect points in the Membership Rewards® program. This rewards program from American Express offers the advantage of earning points that you can directly transfer to numerous frequent flyer programs.
Many Amex cards also come with an attractive welcome bonus that puts miles directly into your account. You can collect miles with the following Amex credit cards:
- American Express Blue Card
- American Express BMW Card
- American Express Green Card
- American Express Gold Card
- American Express Platinum Card
- American Express Premium Card Carbon
- American Express Business Gold Card
- American Express Business Platinum Card
In general, you earn 1 point per euro spent. However, with the activation of the Turbo Program for 15 euros yearly, you even earn 1.5 points per euro.
💡 The American Express Membership Rewards Turbo Program is an optional upgrade that allows cardholders in Germany to earn 50% more points on their everyday spending. For just €15 a year, purchases earn 1.5 points per euro instead of the standard 1 point, up to an annual spending limit of €40,000. This means you can collect up to 20,000 additional points each year, making it a simple and cost-effective way to boost your rewards balance.
Especially for those seeking flexibility in collecting miles, an Amex credit card is a great option. This can be particularly valuable when searching for award flight availability.
How can I collect miles with Payback credit cards?
Another type of card that indirectly supports collecting flight miles is the Payback credit card.
Payback customers can transfer their points at a 1:1 ratio to Lufthansa’s Miles & More frequent flyer program, making everyday mileage collecting possible. Currently, Payback offers two credit cards:
- Payback Visa Flex+ Credit Card
- Payback American Express Credit Card
How does collecting miles via Revolut work?
An interesting alternative in the world of mileage collecting through payments is offered by the British neobank Revolut. In 2024, Revolut introduced the RevPoints program in Germany, which allows users to earn points with every payment depending on their subscription plan. The following values apply for point collection with the respective debit cards:
- Revolut Standard (free): 1 RevPoint per 10 euros
- Revolut Plus (2.99 euros/month): 1 RevPoint per 10 euros
- Revolut Premium (7.99 euros/month): 1 RevPoint per 4 euros
- Revolut Metal (13.99 euros/month): 1 RevPoint per 2 euros
- Revolut Ultra (50 euros/month): 1 RevPoint per 1 euro
Even with a free subscription, you can collect miles. This is particularly appealing because it’s a Visa credit card, which offers even broader acceptance than the also free Payback Amex.
The Metal and Ultra plans are especially interesting because they allow you to collect one mile per two or even one euro spent. These options also come with many additional features that make them attractive. A big advantage at Revolut is the monthly flexibility, which allows you to switch between plans as needed.
Revolut’s credit cards are especially suitable for collecting miles because RevPoints can be transferred at a 1:1 ratio to the following frequent flyer programs:
- Air France-KLM Flying Blue (SkyTeam)
- British Airways Executive Club (oneworld)
- Qatar Airways Privilege Club (oneworld)
- Turkish Airlines Miles&Smiles (Star Alliance)
For those looking for a flexible, everyday solution for collecting points that can later be used across multiple programs, Revolut is a compelling option!
What are the pros and cons of the Miles & More credit card?
The Miles & More credit card is also available in several versions. At this point, we will focus on the premium version, which not only offers unlimited mileage validity but also comes with an attractive insurance package.
For the business version, you earn 1 mile per euro spent. For private individuals, unfortunately, it’s only 1 mile per 2 euros, which applies to both the Blue and Gold cards.
Among mileage credit cards, the Miles & More card is no longer the undisputed number one due to its lower yield for private users. Barclays now offers the same ratio with its Eurowings credit cards.
Other features of the card include rental car comprehensive insurance, travel health insurance, and trip cancellation insurance, all essential travel insurances.
However, the Miles & More credit card is only conditionally recommended, as it charges fees for cash withdrawals and foreign currency payments. While it remains popular with frequent flyers in Germany, it is not a perfect all-rounder. It’s most important advantage is still the protection from miles expiring.
What are the benefits of the Eurowings credit cards?
With Eurowings credit cards, you earn 1 Miles & More mile per 2 euros spent. These cards come in two versions – both are Visa credit cards. Both the Eurowings Credit Card Classic and the Golden Premium version offer several benefits when flying with Eurowings, with the Premium card offering significantly more.
In general, we recommend the gold version, as it is attractive even beyond Eurowings benefits. With the Eurowings Premium Credit Card, cash withdrawals worldwide are free (also applies to the Classic version) and there are no foreign currency fees.
It also comes with rental car comprehensive insurance and international travel health insurance – two essential travel insurances.
This combination of features makes the Eurowings mileage credit card an ideal card for those who travel once or several times a year, even apart from the mileage aspect.
What recent developments are there with mileage credit cards?
A lot has changed in the world of mileage credit cards. Since 2016, not a single year has gone by without at least one relevant change. In 2018, for example, the previously popular British Airways credit card was discontinued in Germany. In later years, new models such as the American Express Blue Card and the Payback Visa Flex+ Credit Card were introduced.
Even long-established products have evolved. For example, the American Express Platinum Card is now issued in metal and includes numerous credit options. In 2023, the Eurowings credit cards were modified to collect Miles & More miles instead of Boomerang Club miles (Eurowings’ former frequent flyer program).
In 2024, a new option entered the German market with the Turkish Airlines Credit Card, and the RevPoints program launched as well, making Revolut products a new and exciting option for collecting flight miles via everyday spending.
In the second half of 2025, Deutsche Bank took over the Miles & More co-branded credit card from DKB.
