exousir

Hi All,

I know this is a US based forum but I thought I'll ask, since I'm sure there are many globe trotters here .

I've recently moved to Belgium and I'm looking for a credit card program here that can earn frequent flyer miles. I was previously in Australia and I've managed to accumulate a nice amount of Qantas from my ANZ credit card.

Any suggestions?

Thanks,

Jeremy.

blowfish

Citi offers AA card for belgium and other european countries.

https://www.citicards.com/cards/wv/c...?screenID=1214

mia

American Express...

http://www.americanexpress.com/belgi...n=globalsplash

...and if you have an American Express card issued in another country you can use their Global Tranfers feature to obtain a card when you move based on your history with the company.

http://www.americanexpress.com/globa...nsfer_en.shtml

Brobbel

You can also look to the different countries around Belgium.

In most cases you only need a bankaccount in that country to get the wanted creditcard.

Germany:
LH: http://www.miles-and-more.com/online...nodeid=2018243
AA: https://www.citibank.de/DEGCB/JPS/po...kVISAKartenAdv

France:
KL/AF: http://www10.americanexpress.com/sif...1,11172,00.asp
KL/AF: http://www10.americanexpress.com/sif...1,11173,00.asp

Netherlands:
KL/AF: http://www10.americanexpress.com/sif...1,19840,00.asp

UK:
Several possibilities

And for Belgium the already mentioned:
SN: http://www.getmoremiles.be/
AA: https://www.citicards.com/cards/wv/c...?screenID=1214

exousir

Thanks for all the replies. I've decided to apply for a Miles and More credit card. Thanks all!

Brobbel

Remember one thing: when you have the German M&M CC your miles will not expire as long as you keep the card, even when you don't have any status.

When you have another card, your miles will expire after a while (or not), depending on your status.

Brobbel

Hello everybody,

I know about the French Air France/KLM Amex cards, but which other cards are available in France which accumulates miles?

Are there any cobranded available with the Crédit Agricole bank?
Are there any other Visa, Eurocard or other cards?

Thanks for your replies.

Mountain Trader

I've been looking a long time for one, with no luck. The AF Amex wouldn't be bad-I understand that miles earned with the card even count for status. The problems with that card are twofold. First, they require that you pay by automatic debit from your (French) checking account, and to me that removes some of the protection you otherwise have. The other negative is that Amex is not accepted by a lot of merchants one encounters in day to day life in France.

Brobbel

That's the reason (the AF Amex-EQM) I'm opening a checking account with Crédit Agricole.

But because there are not much possibilities in NL either (I live in the Netherlands), I thought, when opening this account, I may be have other opportunities also - but without luck I guess.

voop

Only the AmEx/FB Gold card gives status miles. The AmEx/FB Silver gives reward miles but not status miles -- but is then without fee if you put 5KEur on it. The AmEx/FB Gold has a fee associated, but I do not recall how much.

fredsxb

Another option in France is the Diners Club British Airways card that enables you to earn BA miles. It is however even harder to find merchants that accept Diners Club Cards than Amex (and believe me Amex is not very common).

The Diners Club Card (regular one, not cobranded) has been discontinued in France. They are, however, still offering it to corporate customers.

As for Amex, you have the following choices (for personal cards):
Amex Compliments (Accor points)
Amex Flying Blue Gold
Amex Flying Blue Silver

Amex Blue
Amex Green
Amex Gold
Amex Platinum (supposedly by invitation)
Amex Centurion (invitation as well)

You can transfer Membership Rewards points to the following Airlines: Brussels Airlines, Alitalia, Air France & KLM, Continental, Delta, BMI, Portugalia Airlines.

So apart from Amex and DC, there is no other option in France AFAIK...

Stefan Daystrom

The French Diners Club has relatively few redemption partners compared to the US version, but it does let you choose whether to redeem for AA, AF/KLM, Miles & More, or several hotel chains (HHonors, Marriott, Priority Club, and SPG):

http://www.dinersclub.fr/dce_content/generic

Acceptance in some parts of Europe is better than AMEX, in some parts worse. I think by now French DCs work as MCs in North America (and thus would be theoretically accepted virutally "everywhere" here), but not in Eruope (the MC logo is on the back, not the front).

Mountain Trader

Does anyone know if you can get one of the Citi cards linked above (Belgium or Germany, for example) if your only European mailing address is in France? The Citi website for the Belgium card states that you do not need to have an account with Citi to get the card, but do you need a bank account in Belgium, or could you just send them a check in Euros from a French bank account?

With annual fees of over 100 Euros a year for two cards, you'd need a lot of activity on the Citi account to make it pay off.

Brobbel

As far as I know you can get cards when you have a bankaccount in the same country (NL, FR, DE), only for Belgium I know they are more difficult. I don't remember exactly: you have to have a Belgium address, but maybe even more conditions apply, but for the other countries you don't have to be a citizen or have a local address, you only need a bankaccount in that country. (Not sure if this is also good for non-EU-citizens)

bodory

Do you know how one being French citizen could open a bank account in NL without having an address in NL?