Amex Platinum for Families: How We Maximise the Benefits as a Family

Last summer the four of us were standing at Brussels Airport. Two suitcases, a buggy, a toddler who had been screaming for a quarter of an hour, and a queue at the gate that stretched halfway down the pier. My wife looked at me with that expression that says: "Remind me again why we travel with children?" That's when I pulled the Amex Platinum from my wallet and pointed to the lounge sign. Ten minutes later our eldest was quietly eating a croissant, the little one was sleeping in the buggy next to us, and I was sipping an espresso while looking out over the tarmac. That moment was the turning point. The card had already paid for itself in a single morning.

Honestly, I had hesitated for a long time. €780 per year for a credit card? With two children and a mortgage? It felt decadent. But when I calculated what we actually extracted in value as a family, it turned out to be the smartest financial decision of the year. This is our story, and I'm happy to share it because I know there are many Belgian families in the same boat: you want quality when travelling, but you don't want to feel like you're throwing money away.

Why an Amex Platinum card as a family with children in Belgium?

Let me start with the heart of the matter. The Amex Platinum is not a card you need to pay for a carton of milk at Colruyt. It's a tool that only truly makes sense when you travel, and preferably a few times a year. With children you automatically travel differently: you book larger rooms, you have more luggage, you want less stress at the airport, and good travel insurance is not a luxury but a must. On all those fronts, this card makes the difference.

Take the lounge access alone. As a cardholder, your Amex Platinum gives you access to more than 1,550 airport lounges worldwide via Priority Pass Prestige. You can bring 1 guest for free each time. In practice that means: I take one child with me, my wife (with her supplementary Platinum card at €10/month) takes the other child. The whole family is sitting warm, fed, and relaxed waiting for the flight. The value of that Priority Pass alone? Around €500 per year if you were to buy it separately.

And then there's the travel insurance via Chubb and Europ Assistance. Trip cancellation, flight insurance for delays or missed connections, lost luggage, medical expenses abroad: everything is automatically covered when you pay for the trip with your Amex Platinum. That easily saves us €200 to €350 in separate travel assistance insurance per holiday. With two trips per year, that's already €400 to €700 saved.

Fine Hotels + Resorts: how we book luxury hotels with free breakfast as a family

This is honestly the benefit I've become most enthusiastic about. Fine Hotels + Resorts, the hotel programme from Amex, gives you a whole range of extras at more than 14,000 luxury hotels worldwide that you can't get anywhere else. And these extras aren't symbolic. They're concrete and tangible.

Last Christmas holiday we booked four nights at a resort in Tenerife via Fine Hotels + Resorts. On arrival we received a room upgrade to a suite with sea view. Daily breakfast for two people: included. Early check-in, late check-out: no problem. And a welcome gift worth approximately €100 was waiting for us, in the form of a hotel credit we could spend in the restaurant. Total extra value from that single stay? Around €500 to €650, on top of the room rate we would have paid anyway.

With children, that breakfast makes a huge difference. Anyone who has ever stayed in a hotel with two little ones and had to pay for four breakfasts at €35 per person knows what I'm talking about. Four mornings times two free breakfasts: that's easily €280 saved. And that room upgrade thing? With children you always want a bigger room, so that's pure bonus.

These days I almost never book a luxury hotel outside of Fine Hotels + Resorts. It costs the same price as on Booking or the hotel's own website, but you get an entire layer of benefits on top. If you want to know more about how that works exactly, I've written a more detailed article in our guide to Fine Hotels + Resorts.

Earning Membership Rewards points as a family: how we approach it

One point per euro spent. Doesn't sound spectacular, does it? But when you know that almost every family expense can go through that card, it adds up quickly. Groceries, fuel stops, online purchases, streaming services, the kids' new bike: everything via the Amex Platinum. As a family we spend on average around €3,500 per month (mortgage not included), and that earns 3,500 points per month. Since I activated the Booster option for €10/month extra, I earn 4 points per euro: 14,000 points per month then. On an annual basis that's 168,000 points, purely from everyday spending.

Those points never expire as long as your card is active. And you can transfer them to a long list of airline partners: Brussels Airlines, Lufthansa, Air France-KLM, British Airways, Emirates, Qatar Airways, Singapore Airlines, and dozens more. Last year I transferred 80,000 points to Miles & More and booked two return flights BRU to Lisbon in business class for my wife and me. The children flew economy on a separate ticket, but we enjoyed lie-flat seats and champagne. Every now and then you have to treat yourself.

The welcome bonus is by the way the easiest way to build up a substantial points balance in one go. Via the TravelLux.be referral link you receive the maximum welcome bonus of 150,000 points. That's enough points for two return flights to New York in economy, or one business class return to Dubai. I also receive a bonus as the referrer, so it's win-win, and I want to be upfront about that.

Brussels Airport benefits: Fast Lane and Dining with children

We almost always fly from Brussels. And at Brussels Airport you notice the Amex Platinum benefits immediately. The Fast Lane at security is included with your card. Normally you'd pay €169 per year for that. With two little ones and four carry-on items, you don't want to stand in the regular queue for half an hour. That Fast Lane has saved us multiple times when we (once again) left home later than planned.

Then there's the Dining Experience at Black Pearls. Twice a month you can pick up a meal at this airport restaurant. And twice a month you have Lounge On the Go, a premium takeaway option. Honestly: with children I mainly use the Dining Experience as a quick lunch before we board the plane. The kids find it exciting and I don't have to spend €60 on overpriced airport sandwiches.

Outside the airport there's also the Dining for 2 programme: three times a year a free 2-course menu for two people at top restaurants in Belgium. My wife and I use it for date nights. The kids stay at grandma's, and we enjoy an evening out without feeling guilty about the bill. Value: up to €300 per year.

The bottom line: is the Amex Platinum worth it for a Belgian family?

I love honest numbers, so let me just calculate it. The card costs €780 per year. The supplementary Platinum card for my wife: €120 per year. Total: €900. With the Booster added (€120/year) we're at €1,020 in annual costs.

On the other side:

Conservatively calculated, we arrive at a minimum of €2,500 in annual value. Generously counted (if you use the points wisely for business class), that can go up to €4,000. Against €1,020 in costs. It's not a close call.

Of course, this only works if you actually use the benefits. If you drive to the Ardennes once a year and never fly, this card is not for you. But if you fly from Brussels two or three times a year, book hotels, and run your daily expenses through the card, then the Amex Platinum for families in Belgium is one of the best deals out there.

Practical tips: how to get the most out of your Amex Platinum as a family

After two years of experience, I've learned a few things I wish I had known on day one. Request the supplementary Platinum card for your partner straight away. That €10 per month is the best-spent €120 of the year, because then each of you has your own Priority Pass and the four of you can enter any lounge. The four free Green cards? I requested those for daily use. Every purchase earns points, including the groceries my wife does.

Always book hotels via Fine Hotels + Resorts when they're available. The price is identical to other channels, but you get free extras on top. Activate the Booster if you spend more than €2,500 monthly: those 4 points per euro make an enormous difference on an annual basis. And regularly check your Amex Offers in the app: I've already had discounts at Zalando, Booking.com and Coolblue that I would have otherwise missed.

The concierge service is a hidden gem for parents. I've already called the team to find a child-friendly restaurant in Barcelona, arrange a car seat with a car rental company in Portugal, and score last-minute theatre tickets in London. Available 24/7, and they simply take care of it.

For those who want to read more about how Membership Rewards points work exactly and how to best use them for flights, I'd like to refer you to our article on maximising Membership Rewards points.

Frequently asked questions about Amex Platinum for families in Belgium