A Flying Blue American Express card earns Miles on purchases and gives you XP each year towards Flying Blue status. Gold costs €16.50 a month (€198 a year) and awards 30 XP annually. Platinum costs €55 a month (€660 a year) and awards 60 XP annually. Whether Platinum is worth the extra €462 a year depends on your spending, flights and use of its benefits.
Gold or Platinum?
Gold normally earns 1 Mile per euro spent, or 1.5 Miles on direct purchases from KLM, Air France and Hertz. Platinum earns 1.5 and 2 Miles per euro respectively. The annual XP go to the main cardholder’s Flying Blue account and count towards status; Miles can be redeemed.
Current welcome offers
The table shows the total XP from the card under each offer: regular annual XP plus any extra XP in the direct offer. It excludes XP you already hold or earn from flights. A welcome bonus is a one-off benefit, not an annual allowance.
| Card | Fee | Apply directly | Use the invitation |
|---|---|---|---|
| Gold | €16.50 a month | 20,000 Miles and 45 XP in total: 30 annual XP + 15 extra XP. | 25,000 Miles and 30 XP in total: the annual XP, without the extra 15 XP. |
| Platinum | €55 a month | 50,000 Miles and 100 XP in total: 60 annual XP + 40 extra XP. | 70,000 Miles and 60 XP in total: the annual XP, without the extra 40 XP. |
Which card suits you?
Gold is the lower-cost way to earn Miles on purchases and receive 30 XP annually. A card purchase also extends the validity of your Miles balance. Gold includes travel and purchase protection, with limits and exclusions.
Platinum provides 60 XP a year and a higher Miles earning rate. It also has supplementary cards and other benefits. Existing Flying Blue Platinum members may especially value the option to share status with an eligible additional cardholder under the programme rules. It costs €38.50 a month more than Gold. Without a real status goal or use for those extras, Gold is usually the better choice.
XP count towards Flying Blue status; Miles are redeemable rewards. Annual card XP are separate from extra welcome-offer XP, which are awarded only once. Amex is not accepted everywhere, so carry a backup card for shops and rental deposits. Check when travel insurance requires paying for the trip with the card.
Which application route should you choose?
Gold: choose the invitation if you want more Miles: it offers 5,000 more. Choose the direct offer if XP are your priority: 45 rather than 30 XP from the card. Platinum: the invitation offers 20,000 more Miles; applying directly gives you 40 more XP, for a total of 100 rather than 60 XP from the card. Amex presents 100 XP as enough to reach the Silver threshold from zero. Your own result depends on your existing status and when the XP are credited in your Flying Blue qualification period.
The direct offers have an end date of 30 September 2026. The invitation first opens on Flying Blue Gold. Select View all cards and then Flying Blue Platinum if that is the card you want. The final application page displays the selected card’s bonus, spending requirements and offer validity before you apply. The referrer may receive a reward.
Our verdict
Gold is the lower-cost starting point for earning Flying Blue Miles. Platinum earns its fee when extra XP close a real status gap, direct KLM/Air France spending is high and you use its other benefits. Under the offer ending 30 September, apply directly if extra XP matter most; the invitation offers more Miles. The offers need a fresh comparison after that date. Checked on 28 September 2026.
If Flying Blue status is not your goal
The extra XP may have little value to you. The regular American Express cards earn Membership Rewards points that can be transferred to several travel programmes. The regular card may serve you better if its fee, points flexibility and insurance match your travel. Flying Blue Platinum and the regular Amex Platinum are different products.
Offers checked on 25 September; card prices and other details on 28 September 2026. Sources: Amex Flying Blue Gold, Amex Flying Blue Platinum, and the Gold and Platinum offers available through the invitation link above.
Image: Flying Blue and regular American Express cards. Photo: CardMapr.nl / Unsplash, used under the Unsplash License. The pictured cards do not represent a current offer.