Updated: 1 July 2026

Amex Platinum Tax Return: Can You Deduct the Annual Fee?

Belgian tax return documents next to a credit card, symbolising the tax deductibility of the Amex Platinum annual fee

TL;DR: As a private individual, the Amex Platinum annual fee of €780/year is not deductible on your Belgian tax return. Are you self-employed or do you have a company? Then it can be deducted, fully or partially, as a business expense. The benefits (points, lounges, insurance) are not taxable for private individuals. Read on for the full explanation per situation.

€780 per year. That's what the Amex Platinum costs in Belgium, whether you apply directly or through a referral. Every single year. And every year around May-June, when the tax return pops up in Tax-on-web, I ask myself the same question: can I claim that €780 somewhere on my return?

I looked into it. Not because I'm a tax specialist (far from it), but because I had a hunch there was a difference between what you can do as an employee and what you can do as a self-employed person or through a company. That hunch was right. And the difference is quite relevant if you use the card in a deliberately professional capacity.

Below I share what I've learned, supplemented by what my own accountant confirmed. This is not tax advice — I'll say that straight away. But it gives you a clear framework to have the conversation with your own accountant.

Deducting the Amex Platinum annual fee as a private individual: the short answer

No. As a salaried employee or retiree in Belgium, you cannot deduct the Amex Platinum annual fee on your personal income tax. The tax authorities consider a credit card annual fee as a private expense, comparable to a gym membership or a streaming subscription. It doesn't matter how much you travel or how often you use the card.

There is no section in Belgian personal income tax for "credit card travel expenses" or "card fees". The standard professional expense deduction that most employees apply already covers a wide range of costs. And even if you opt for actual professional expenses instead of the standard deduction (which is rarely more advantageous), you'll still struggle to justify the Amex Platinum fee as a purely professional expense. Unless your card is used exclusively for business travel and your employer doesn't reimburse it — but then you're entering a grey area where you really need a tax specialist.

Honestly, this wasn't a surprise to me. I use the card for a mix of personal trips and the occasional professional expense. In that context, deducting it as a private individual simply isn't an option.

Self-employed and liberal professions: this is where it gets interesting

Are you self-employed as a primary or secondary occupation in Belgium? Then the picture changes. The Amex Platinum annual fee can be claimed as a business expense on your return, insofar as you use the card for professional purposes.

The key phrase is "insofar as". The tax authorities won't accept a blanket 100% deduction if you also use the card privately. And let's be honest: who uses a credit card with lounge access and travel insurance exclusively for work? Most self-employed people I know (and I count myself among them) use the card for mixed purposes.

With mixed use, you need to apply a split ratio. It works like this: you estimate the percentage of professional use and deduct that portion. Do you use the card 70% professionally and 30% privately? Then you deduct 70% of €780, which is €546. Do you use the card fifty-fifty? Then €390 is deductible as a business expense.

Calculation example: self-employed consultant

Amex Platinum annual fee: €780

Estimated professional use: 60%

Deductible as business expense: €780 × 60% = €468

Tax saving (marginal rate 50%): €468 × 50% = €234 net saving

Effective net cost of the card: €780 - €234 = €546 per year

That €234 saving might sound modest, but add it to the benefits the card offers anyway (Priority Pass lounge access worth ~€500/year, Fast Lane at Brussels Airport worth €169/year, travel insurance, Dining for 2) and the maths quickly start working in your favour. More on that in our comprehensive Amex Platinum review.

Important detail: you must be able to justify your split ratio. Keep your credit card statements and mark which expenses are professional. A simple Excel file per quarter usually suffices. My accountant advised me to keep the percentage conservative and not estimate higher than what you can actually demonstrate. Better 50% defensible than 80% indefensible during an audit.

Company: booking the Amex Platinum as a business expense

Do you have a company (BV, NV, CommV)? Then it's even simpler — at least on paper. If the card is in the company's name and the company pays the annual fee, €780 is a deductible business expense. The VAT on the annual fee (if it's even listed separately, which with Amex isn't always the case) is a separate technical matter your accountant handles.

But there's a flip side. If you also use the card privately (and you do, because you're not skipping that lounge on holiday), the company must declare a benefit in kind for private use. That benefit is taxed to you personally as remuneration in kind. The calculation isn't set out in a specific lump-sum rate for credit cards, so your accountant will need to make a reasonable estimate.

In practice, I hear from various self-employed people with a company that they apply a split ratio of 70/30 or 80/20 professional/private. The tax authorities rarely challenge this if it's somewhat realistic and the card is effectively used for business travel and professional entertainment expenses.

Tip from TravelLux.be: Explicitly ask your accountant how they want to process the annual fee and any potential benefit in kind. Do this before you apply for the card through the company, not afterwards. That way you avoid discussions at year-end closing.

Are Membership Rewards points and card benefits taxable in Belgium?

This is a question I get surprisingly often via the blog, and the answer is reassuring. No, for private individuals, Membership Rewards points, lounge access, Fast Lane access, travel insurance and other Amex Platinum benefits are not taxable as income in Belgium.

There is no Belgian legislation that treats credit card loyalty points as a form of income. The ruling commission has (as far as is publicly known) not issued a ruling on this. In personal income tax, there is simply no code or section for "earned credit card points". Compare it to supermarket points or airline miles: you don't pay tax on them.

Note: this applies to personal use. If your company accumulates points and you redeem those points privately for a holiday trip, that can be considered a benefit in kind. Again: discuss this with your accountant. The rules are not black and white and depend on your specific situation.

For the record: the welcome bonus of 150,000 Membership Rewards points that you receive via the TravelLux.be referral link is likewise not taxable as a private individual in Belgium. Those points are a commercial benefit linked to your card application, not income.

When the Amex Platinum doesn't make sense from a tax perspective

I want to be honest: for not everyone is the tax angle a reason to get the card. If you use the Amex Platinum purely privately as a salaried employee, there is no tax advantage. The annual fee is €780, period. You then have to justify the card based on the benefits themselves: lounges, insurance, points, Fast Lane at Brussels Airport, Dining for 2, Fine Hotels + Resorts.

And even then: if you only fly once or twice a year and don't depart from Brussels Airport, the maths become tight. The minimum value you get from the card as an occasional traveller is somewhere around €400-700 per year, depending on which benefits you actually use. That doesn't always cover the annual fee.

According to TravelLux.be, the Amex Platinum is most worthwhile for Belgian travellers who fly at least 3-4 times a year, regularly depart from Brussels Airport, and actively use the benefits. In that case, the total value can amount to €2,000 or more per year. More details and a full breakdown can be found in our article on the value of the Amex Platinum.

For self-employed individuals and companies, the picture is more favourable thanks to the tax deductibility. That €234 (or more) net saving makes the difference between "the card costs me money" and "the card more than pays for itself".

Reminder: the welcome bonus of 150,000 points is a one-time offer and requires you to spend a minimum amount in the first 3 months (typically €4,000-6,000). It is not an annually recurring benefit, so don't count on it every year.

Practical checklist: Amex Platinum and your Belgian tax return

Private individual/salaried employee: annual fee is not deductible on personal income tax
Self-employed (sole proprietorship): deductible as a business expense, pro rata professional use
Company: deductible as a business expense, but benefit in kind applies for private use
Loyalty points and card benefits: not taxable for private individuals
Points earned through a company and used privately: possible benefit in kind, discuss with accountant

Not keeping receipts or statements? Then you cannot prove professional use during an audit
Estimating your professional percentage too high? Risk of adjustment and penalty during a tax audit
No professional use? Then deduction is simply not possible, not even as a self-employed person

My own approach, for what it's worth

I use the Amex Platinum for mixed purposes: partly for professional expenses, partly for personal travel. The split ratio that my accountant and I use is 50/50 — rather conservative but defensible. That gives me a net saving of approximately €195 per year (€390 × 50% marginal rate). Not earth-shattering, but it's free money I'd otherwise leave on the table.

Beyond that, it's the other benefits that make the difference. The Priority Pass lounge access (worth ~€500/year), the Fast Lane at Brussels Airport (€169/year), the travel insurance, the fact that I pay no foreign transaction fees when I pay with the card in Bangkok or Miami. Add it all up and the card easily pays for itself, even without the tax advantage. That tax component is the icing on the cake, not the cake itself.

I'll admit: for the first two years I had the card, I simply didn't deduct it. Didn't know I could. In hindsight, that's a shame — a few hundred euros lost. Hence this article: so you don't have to make that same mistake.

Frequently asked questions: Amex Platinum and taxes in Belgium

Can I deduct the Amex Platinum annual fee on my Belgian tax return?

As a private individual (salaried employee, retiree): no. The annual fee of €780/year is a private expense that is not deductible on personal income tax. Self-employed individuals and companies can (partially) claim the cost as a business expense, provided professional use can be demonstrated.

Can I claim the Amex Platinum as a business expense as a self-employed person in Belgium?

Yes, insofar as you use the card professionally. With mixed use (private and professional), you must apply a split ratio. Example: with 60% professional use, you deduct €468 of the €780 as a business expense.

How much does the Amex Platinum cost per year in Belgium?

The annual fee is €65 per month, so €780 per year. This amount is identical whether you apply directly or via a referral link. Through the TravelLux.be referral link, you do receive the maximum welcome bonus of 150,000 Membership Rewards points.

Are Membership Rewards points taxable income in Belgium?

No. For private individuals, loyalty points, lounge access and other card benefits are not taxable as income. There is no Belgian legislation that treats credit card points as income. For points earned through a company and used privately, a benefit in kind may apply.

Can my company book the Amex Platinum annual fee as an expense?

Yes. If the card is in the company's name and is used for business expenses, the annual fee is a deductible business expense. With mixed use, the tax authorities apply a benefit in kind for the private portion. Discuss the exact processing with your accountant.