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business expenses
If you run a Swiss SME or work as a freelancer, your business spending is already generating value for your card issuer. The question is whether any of that value flows back to you. With the right setup, CHF 5,000/month in business expenses becomes 50,000–80,000 miles per year — enough for a one-way Business Class flight to Asia.
Why business spend earns more
Personal cards earn at a flat rate on all spend. Business-category cards earn at elevated rates on specific merchant categories — and those categories tend to align closely with business expenses: office supplies, digital advertising, telecommunications, restaurants, and travel.
Amex Membership Rewards in Switzerland does not currently offer a separate business-category multiplier in the same way US Amex products do. However, the earn rate on a business Amex Platinum is the same as personal, and the welcome bonus is often higher. The key advantage of using a dedicated business card is the volume accumulation — running all business through one card, one account, with a clean statement for accounting.
The card options
American Express Platinum (Swisscard) — business use
There is no separate Amex Business Platinum product in Switzerland from Swisscard. However, the personal Amex Platinum can be used for business expenses. Points earn the same: 1 MR per CHF, transferring 2:1 to Flying Blue and Miles & More. The key consideration is accounting discipline — keep business and personal spend on separate cards if your accountant or fiduciary requires it.
Cornèrcard Miles & More Platinum Duo
The Cornèrcard M&M Platinum + Diners Club combination earns ~1.3 miles per CHF and is widely accepted via Mastercard. For businesses that spend heavily in Switzerland where Amex acceptance is lower, this is a practical alternative with strong direct mile earn. Diners Club acceptance abroad can be limited — use the Mastercard for travel.
Alpian Amex Platinum
Alpian's Amex Platinum earns the same MR points as the Swisscard version and includes the full Priority Pass and travel insurance perks. For business owners who also use Alpian as their bank, consolidating is convenient. The card fee is high, but so is the annual credit.
Which spend categories generate the most miles
| Business expense category | Monthly volume (SME example) | Annual miles (1 MR → 0.5 FB miles) |
|---|---|---|
| Digital advertising (Meta, Google) | CHF 2,000 | 12,000 |
| SaaS subscriptions (Slack, Adobe, etc.) | CHF 500 | 3,000 |
| Travel (rail, hotels, flights) | CHF 1,500 | 9,000 |
| Restaurant / client entertainment | CHF 800 | 4,800 |
| Office supplies / equipment | CHF 500 | 3,000 |
| Total (illustrative) | CHF 5,300/month | 31,800 / year |
At this level, business spend alone funds roughly 60% of a one-way Business Class ZRH–SIN redemption on Flying Blue annually. Combined with personal spend on the same card, a full redemption is achievable within 18–24 months without ever buying miles.
The accounting question
Swiss tax law is generally favourable for business credit cards. The card fee is a deductible business expense if the card is used primarily for business purposes. The miles or points earned on business expenses are not currently treated as taxable income in Switzerland for personal tax purposes — they're considered a form of non-cash rebate on business spending. This contrasts with some jurisdictions where employer-allocated miles are treated as a benefit in kind.
Important — consult your fiduciary
Tax treatment varies by canton and by the structure of your business (AG, GmbH, sole trader). If you are running miles through a company card and using them for personal flights, your fiduciary or tax advisor should confirm the treatment. This is guidance, not tax advice.
Pooling business and personal points
If you hold both a business and a personal Amex in the same household, Amex MR points can typically be pooled into a single account for redemption. This means your spouse's personal card, your personal card, and a business card can feed into a single Amex MR balance — accelerating the path to a redemption significantly. Check the current Swisscard pooling rules before structuring this.
The employee card question
For SMEs with employees who travel regularly, issuing supplementary cards (additional cardholders) on the same account means all employee travel spend earns points for the business account holder. This is legitimate and common. Ensure expense policy is clear and spending limits are set appropriately.
The opportunity
Most Swiss freelancers and SME owners pay business expenses on a debit card or basic credit card, earning nothing. Switching to a miles card costs zero additional money — you're spending the same CHF — and generates a meaningful annual balance in the right programme.
CHF 5,000/month through an Amex → approximately 30,000 Flying Blue miles per year → meaningful partial funding for a long-haul Business Class redemption. No incremental spend required.