Luxury Ski Holidays in the Alps: How Amex Platinum Enhances Your Winter Vacation

Half past seven in the morning. My skis are already in the car, the thermos of coffee is steaming on the dashboard, and I'm just pulling onto the E40 heading towards Liège. Destination: Lech am Arlberg, 830 kilometres away. It's early February, two metres of fresh snow have fallen in the Alps, and I have exactly five days off. Honestly, I had almost not booked this trip. Hotel prices in Lech during peak season are absurd: 600 to 900 euros per night for a decent hotel. But then I remembered something. My Amex Platinum ski benefits, and more specifically the Fine Hotels + Resorts programme.

That changed everything.

For context: I've been a fan of luxury ski holidays in the Alps for years. Not every winter, but when I go, I want to do it properly. No village guesthouse with a shared bathroom. A real hotel, fresh powder, good wine with dinner. And for Belgian travellers who want the same, the American Express Platinum card is a tool I use time and again. Not as a status symbol, but as a travel tool that saves real money.

Why Fine Hotels + Resorts is a gamechanger for luxury ski resorts in the Alps

Let me be specific. When I booked the Arlberg1800 Resort in St. Anton through the Fine Hotels + Resorts programme from Amex, I paid the same room rate as on Booking.com. That's important, because many people think FHR is more expensive. It's not. You pay the standard hotel price, but get a whole range of benefits on top that you won't find anywhere else.

Upon arrival, my room was upgraded free of charge to a suite with views of the slopes. Breakfast for two, every morning, included. Late checkout until 4pm, which was perfect on our last ski day. And a welcome gift worth approximately €100, in this case a spa credit. Add it all up and you're easily looking at €500 to €650 in extra value per stay.

The Fine Hotels + Resorts programme encompasses more than 14,000 luxury hotels worldwide, and dozens of those are located in the most renowned ski areas of the Alps. The Alpina Gstaad, the Kulm Hotel in St. Moritz, Le K2 Palace in Courchevel, the Park Hotel Vitznau near Engelberg: all available through FHR. I've now had three winter FHR stays under my belt, and every time it felt as though I received the royal treatment for the price of a standard room.

Something else I find convenient: you can make FHR bookings through the Amex app or by calling your concierge. That 24/7 concierge service is an underrated benefit, by the way. Last year I asked them to check availability in Zermatt during the half-term holiday. Three hotels were "fully booked" everywhere online, but the concierge found a room at the Mont Cervin Palace through the Amex network after all. That's the kind of service you don't expect from a credit card, but it's there.

From Brussels to the Alps: how Amex Platinum points pay for your ski flight

Most Belgians drive to the Alps. Makes sense, it's 7 to 10 hours driving from Brussels, depending on your destination. But if you're heading to more distant resorts like St. Moritz or Val d'Isère, a flight from Brussels Airport to Zürich, Geneva or Lyon can be a smart choice. Especially if you pay for that flight with Membership Rewards points.

The Amex Platinum card earns 1 point per €1 spent as standard. With the Booster option (€10/month extra) you earn 4 points per euro. Points never expire as long as your card is active. That's crucial, because it allows you to save up for months towards a specific goal.

The power lies in the transfer partners. Membership Rewards points are transferable to Brussels Airlines, Lufthansa, Swiss, Air France-KLM, British Airways and more than 15 other airlines. A return flight BRU to ZRH in economy costs around 15,000 Miles & More points via Lufthansa or Swiss. In business class you're looking at 30,000 to 50,000 points, depending on availability.

Personally, I prefer booking via Swiss. The flight from BRU to ZRH takes barely an hour and a half, and from Zürich you're in Davos or St. Moritz by train in two hours. Those Swiss trains through the winter landscape are quite an experience in themselves, by the way. With your Amex Platinum you pay for the train without foreign exchange fees, even in Swiss francs. No hidden bank charges.

Another tip I only discovered late myself: if you pay for your flight and hotel with the Amex Platinum, your comprehensive travel insurance is automatically activated. Trip cancellation, lost luggage, medical expenses abroad: it's all included. Last season I had a delayed flight from Geneva back to Brussels, and the flight insurance covered the extra hotel cost without any hassle. That saved me €180.

The best Alpine airports for Belgian skiers and how lounge access makes a difference

One thing that always bothered me about ski trips by plane: those early morning flights. You get up at half past four, drive to Brussels Airport in the dark, and then you're standing with your ski boots and hand luggage in an overcrowded departure hall. Since I've had the Amex Platinum, every trip starts differently.

Fast Lane security at Brussels Airport is included with the card. That easily saves me 20 to 30 minutes during peak season, when the queues at regular security are absurdly long. After that, I walk into the Priority Pass lounge: free for me and one guest. A peaceful breakfast, decent coffee, wifi. That may sound like a luxury problem, but when you have a seven o'clock flight to Innsbruck, it truly makes a difference whether you board that plane relaxed or rushed.

The Amex Platinum provides access to more than 1,550 airport lounges worldwide via Priority Pass Prestige. That means you're also covered during layovers. Flying BRU to Munich and then on to Innsbruck? Lounge in Munich. BRU to Geneva with a stopover in Paris CDG? Lounge in Paris. That Priority Pass Prestige membership is worth around €500 per year if purchased separately.

Speaking of airports: for Belgian skiers, Zürich, Geneva, Innsbruck, Munich and Lyon are the most practical gateways to the Alps. Innsbruck is ideal if you're heading to the Stubaital, the Ski Arlberg region or the Zillertal. Geneva is your best option for Chamonix, Verbier or the Portes du Soleil. And Zürich works perfectly for Davos, St. Moritz and Engelberg. From Brussels Airport you have direct or one-stop flights to all these destinations with Brussels Airlines, Lufthansa and Swiss.

My personal top 5 luxury ski areas in the Alps for Belgian travellers

I'm certainly no pro skier. I fall more into the category of "enthusiastic intermediate who occasionally tries a black run and then regrets it." But I do know where you get the most value for your money as a Belgian, especially when you maximise the Amex Platinum benefits.

Lech am Arlberg, Austria. This is my absolute favourite. The Ski Arlberg ski area is enormous (300+ km of slopes) but Lech itself feels intimate. Not the mass tourism of Ischgl, more stylish and tranquil. Hotels such as the Aurelio or the Post Lech are available via FHR. And because Austria is in the eurozone, you don't even need foreign currency.

Zermatt, Switzerland. Yes, it's extremely expensive. But that view of the Matterhorn as you ski down the slope — you never forget it. Zermatt is car-free, which gives it a unique atmosphere. The Mont Cervin Palace and The Omnia are part of the FHR programme. And with your Amex Platinum you pay without foreign exchange fees in Swiss francs.

Courchevel 1850, France. The place where European luxury and skiing come together. Le K2 Palace, L'Apogée and Hôtel Barrière Les Neiges: all FHR hotels with astronomical regular prices, but with that free upgrade, breakfast and welcome gift it suddenly becomes more attainable. The Les 3 Vallées ski area (600 km of slopes) is the largest in the world.

St. Moritz, Switzerland. Perhaps a bit too posh for my taste, but objectively speaking it's sublime. The Kulm Hotel is one of the most beautiful mountain hotels I've ever seen. St. Moritz also has the advantage of 322 sunny days per year, they say. The sun shines there almost always.

Val d'Isère, France. Slightly rougher and sportier than Courchevel, but with excellent gastronomy and the Espace Killy ski area (300 km of slopes). I stayed there last year in an FHR hotel and the breakfast alone was an event every day. Croissants that cost €4 each in Brussels, here unlimited with your stay.

What does a luxury ski holiday really cost, and how do you earn back the Amex Platinum annual fee?

Let me be honest: €780 per year for a credit card is not nothing. I hesitated myself when I first applied for the card. But if you book one luxury ski holiday per year and travel two or three other times a year besides, you easily earn back that fee. Let me calculate it based on my own winter trip.

FHR benefits at the Arlberg1800 in St. Anton: free room upgrade (value approximately €150 per night, 4 nights = €600), daily breakfast for two (€80 per day x 4 = €320), welcome gift spa credit (€100), late checkout (priceless on your last ski day, but let's say €50 in convenience). Total: well over €1,000 in extra value for a single stay.

On top of that: lounge access at Brussels Airport and possibly Zürich (value approximately €60 per visit x 2 = €120), Fast Lane Brussels Airport (normally €169 per year), and the travel insurance I would otherwise have to take out separately (estimated €100 to €200 for winter sports coverage). And I'm not even counting the Dining for 2 benefits in Belgium: three times a year a complimentary two-course menu for two at top restaurants, value up to €300 per year.

Added up, I'm well above €1,700 in concrete value. For a card costing €780 per year. That's simple maths, not marketing.

At TravelLux.be we like to work these things out concretely, because I know Belgian travellers are down-to-earth. We want to see figures, not vague promises. And the figures simply add up.

Preparing your ski holiday: practical checklist with Amex Platinum benefits

I've developed a fixed routine by now for planning my winter holidays. Perhaps you'll find it useful.

• Book your hotel via Fine Hotels + Resorts in the Amex app or through the concierge. Do this early: the most popular ski resorts in Courchevel and Zermatt are fully booked by September for February.
• Check flights from Brussels Airport to Zürich, Geneva, Innsbruck or Munich. Compare prices in euros with your Membership Rewards points value via the transfer partners.
• Activate the Booster option (4 points per €1 for €10/month) a few months before your trip if you want to build up points quickly.
• Pay for your entire trip with the Amex Platinum: this automatically activates the travel insurance via Chubb and Europ Assistance.
• Reserve a rental car via Hertz (Gold Plus Rewards Five Star status included) or Avis (Preferred status) if you're driving from the airport to your ski resort.
• Download the Priority Pass app and check which lounges are available on your route.
• Don't forget your Fast Lane pass for Brussels Airport: it makes a huge difference during peak season.

Something else I always do: I use the Dining Experience at Black Pearls at Brussels Airport before departure. Twice a month, as an Amex Platinum cardholder, you can pick up a meal at Black Pearls. Ideal if you're leaving early and don't fancy eating a dry croissant in the departure hall.

Frequently asked questions about luxury ski holidays and Amex Platinum in Belgium