Miles strategy for
Grenzgänger

Over 360,000 cross-border workers (Grenzgänger) commute daily into Switzerland from Germany, France, and Italy. They earn Swiss francs, spend partly in both worlds, and navigate two sets of financial products. No miles publication has addressed their situation specifically — until now.

The core challenge

The best Swiss miles cards — Amex Platinum Swisscard, Cornèrcard Miles & More Platinum, Alpian Amex Platinum — require a Swiss residential address for application. A Grenzgänger with a German address and a Swiss employer cannot apply for most of these products directly. The card application is tied to residence, not employment.

This creates a specific gap: you're earning CHF salaries with CHF purchasing power in Switzerland, but you're locked out of the Swiss card products that would convert that spend into miles most efficiently.

Path 1: If you have a Swiss address

Some Grenzgänger maintain a registered Swiss address (secondary residence, Canton Geneva cross-border residence permits with CH address, etc.). If you have a legitimate Swiss residential address, you can apply for Swiss cards as a normal resident. The card issuer checks your domicile, not your citizenship or your employer's country.

In this case, follow the same strategy as any Swiss resident: Amex Platinum for CHF spend, Revolut Metal for foreign-currency spend, and structure transfers to your preferred programme. See the Revolut + Amex setup guide for the full framework.

Path 2: If you're based in Germany

German residents have access to several competitive miles products, though none match the earning potential of the Swiss Amex Platinum on CHF spend:

• American Express Gold (Germany) — Earns Membership Rewards points. Transfers to Flying Blue (1:1), Miles & More (2:1), and others. Annual fee ~€140, with a strong welcome bonus. No foreign transaction fee on EUR purchases.
• American Express Platinum (Germany) — Higher earn rate, full Priority Pass, airline and hotel credits. Annual fee ~€720. Worth it at higher spend volumes.
• Miles & More Blue/Silver/Gold credit card (Lufthansa) — Earns M&M miles directly on EUR spend. Most useful if you're targeting Miles & More specifically.

For CHF spend in Switzerland during your work week, a German Amex charges no foreign transaction fee when the card is a Membership Rewards product. You earn MR points on CHF purchases at the EUR-equivalent rate, and can transfer to the same Flying Blue or Miles & More programmes.

Path 3: Revolut as the universal solution

Revolut is registered in the EU (Lithuania) and issues cards to EU/EEA residents, regardless of where you work. As a German or French resident, you can access Revolut Metal and earn points on both EUR and CHF spend with no foreign transaction fee — then transfer to Flying Blue or Miles & More on the same terms as a Swiss resident.

The earn rate per EUR/CHF is slightly lower than the Swiss Amex Platinum, but there's no access barrier. Revolut Metal in Germany is approximately €13.99/month — comparable to the Swiss version.

Programme choice: Flying Blue is particularly well-suited

Flying Blue (Air France / KLM) is worth highlighting for Grenzgänger specifically. Air France and KLM serve French and German border regions well: Geneva–Paris, Basel–Amsterdam, and Frankfurt–Paris routes are frequent and short. Promo Awards on these routes can be as low as 8,000 miles one-way in Economy.

For Grenzgänger who travel between their home country and Switzerland or beyond, Flying Blue accumulation aligns naturally with the routes they're most likely to fly for leisure.

The practical setup