What actually makes a credit card "luxury" in Switzerland?
Here's the truth: luxury credit cards are either the best money you'll spend or the dumbest. There's basically no middle ground.
These cards cost CHF 400 to CHF 900+ every year. That's not a typo. You're paying this much for what the banks call "exclusive experiences" (which really means airport lounges, a concierge who books restaurants you could book yourself, and insurance you might never use).
After years of analyzing Swiss financial products, I've seen the pattern. Luxury cards deliver exceptional value for heavy travelers and high spenders. For everyone else, you're literally paying hundreds of francs annually for a metal card that feels nice in your wallet.
The main differences between luxury and premium cards? Unlimited lounge access instead of limited visits, dedicated concierge services, and beefier insurance packages. Whether that's worth 3x to 4x the annual fee depends entirely on whether you'll actually use this stuff.
Which Luxury Cards Are Actually Available in Switzerland?
UBS Platinum Cards (the "accessible" luxury option)
UBS Platinum is your entry point into luxury cards in Switzerland. It's the most accessible option, especially after UBS absorbed Credit Suisse and suddenly had the entire country's banking customer base to work with.
Here's what you get with UBS Visa Platinum or Mastercard Platinum:
- Annual fee: CHF 250 to CHF 500 (depends on your relationship with the bank)
- Priority Pass lounge access
- Comprehensive travel and medical insurance
- 24/7 concierge services (which you'll probably never use, honestly)
- KeyClub rewards program
Amex Platinum Switzerland (the expensive one everyone wants)
American Express Platinum is the heavyweight champion of Swiss luxury cards. It's also the most expensive, which tells you everything about why people want it (status matters, even if we pretend it doesn't).
What you're paying CHF 900 a year for:
- Unlimited Priority Pass Select lounge access (this is the good stuff)
- Fine Hotels & Resorts program with room upgrades and credits
- Global Dining Collection for fancy restaurant reservations
- Centurion Lounge access (though good luck finding one in Europe)
- Travel insurance up to CHF 3,000,000 medical coverage
CHF 900 annually. That's the highest fee for any card you can actually apply for in Switzerland. First year is half price at CHF 450, which is Amex's way of getting you hooked before the real bill arrives.
Visa Platinum Options (for people who hate Amex acceptance issues)
You can get Visa Platinum cards from Viseca, Cornèrcard, or your cantonal bank. Visa Infinite is the tier above standard Platinum (because naming schemes in finance are designed to confuse you).
Viseca Visa Platinum gives you:
- Annual fee: CHF 400 to CHF 550
- LoungeKey or Priority Pass access
- Visa Infinite concierge services
- Purchase and travel protection
- No foreign transaction fees (on some products, read the fine print)
The nice thing about getting Visa Platinum through your cantonal bank? You keep your local banking relationship while getting national luxury card benefits. Plus, Visa is accepted basically everywhere, unlike Amex which still gets rejected at random Swiss shops.
UBS Excellence Card (you can't actually get this)
UBS Excellence is invitation-only and reserved for private banking clients with serious money under management. Like, serious serious money.
What it includes:
- Invitation-only access (you can't apply, they find you)
- Enhanced credit limits
- Dedicated relationship management
- Premium concierge services
- Exclusive event access
Look, this card exists as a relationship perk for UBS's wealthiest clients. Unless you're managing multiple millions with UBS, you're not getting invited. It's basically a "thank you for being rich" card, not something most people can realistically access.
The real cost of luxury cards
The annual fees (brace yourself)
Swiss platinum cards fall into three price buckets:
"Reasonable" luxury
- UBS Visa/Mastercard Platinum (if you bank with them)
- Cornèrcard Visa Platinum
- Cantonal bank platinum cards
Getting expensive
- Viseca Visa Platinum
- Swisscard Platinum products
- UBS Platinum (if you don't bank with them)
Real money
- American Express Platinum
- Invitation-only cards for people richer than us
The hidden costs nobody talks about
Annual fees are just the start. Here's where luxury cards quietly drain your wallet:
What's the deal with UBS Priority Pass access?
Priority Pass bundled with UBS Platinum gives you access to 1,500+ airport lounges worldwide. This is honestly the main reason most people want a luxury card (free food and drinks at airports beats paying for overpriced sandwiches).
How it actually works
UBS sends you a separate Priority Pass membership card along with your credit card. At the airport, you show both the Priority Pass card and your boarding pass at participating lounges. That's it.
Here's what you get depending on which UBS Platinum you have:
- Standard Platinum: 4 to 10 visits per year
- Enhanced Platinum: Unlimited visits (just for you)
- Bringing guests: CHF 30 to CHF 50 per person
Is the lounge access actually worth it?
Let's do the math. Buying lounge access directly costs CHF 40 to CHF 60 per visit.
- 4 visits yearly: CHF 160 to CHF 240 value
- 10 visits yearly: CHF 400 to CHF 600 value
- 20 visits yearly: CHF 800 to CHF 1,200 value
If you fly frequently, lounge access alone justifies the CHF 250 to CHF 500 annual fee. If you only fly a few times a year, you're basically paying for an expensive airport lounge membership you barely use.
What about the travel insurance everyone forgets they have?
Medical emergency coverage (the important stuff)
Luxury cards include medical insurance when you book trips using the card. Here's what you're covered for:
- Emergency medical treatment: CHF 500,000 to CHF 3,000,000
- Medical evacuation and repatriation: Included
- Emergency dental treatment: CHF 500 to CHF 2,000
- Hospital stays: Daily allowances included
Amex Platinum tops out at CHF 3,000,000, which is better than most standalone travel insurance policies you'd buy separately.
Trip cancellation and baggage protection
Trip cancellation reimburses you when something goes wrong and you can't travel:
- Coverage limits: CHF 5,000 to CHF 20,000 per person
- What's covered: Illness, injury, family emergencies, losing your job
- What's not covered: Pre-existing conditions, changing your mind
Baggage protection covers:
- Lost luggage: CHF 1,000 to CHF 3,000
- Delayed baggage: CHF 200 to CHF 500 for buying essentials
- The catch: You usually need to file claims within 24 hours
Rental car insurance (this one actually saves money)
Luxury cards include collision damage waiver (CDW), which means you can skip the rental company's expensive insurance. You'll save CHF 15 to CHF 30 per day. Rent a car 10+ days a year and that's CHF 150 to CHF 300 back in your pocket.
Before you decline rental insurance, read the fine print. Some cards don't cover:
- Certain vehicle types (luxury cars, SUVs, exotic vehicles)
- Specific countries or regions
- Rentals longer than 30 days
Who should actually get a luxury credit card?
- Flying internationally 8+ times a year. You'll max out lounge access, insurance coverage, and concierge services. At 15+ annual lounge visits, the access value alone pays for the annual fee.
- Spending CHF 75,000+ annually on cards. The rewards add up fast at high volumes. The difference between luxury and premium cards gets bigger as you spend more.
- Too busy to handle your own bookings. If you're a time-constrained professional who'll actually use concierge services for restaurant reservations, event tickets, and travel planning, the time savings are worth real money.
- Traveling 3 to 6 times a year. You get enough lounge access and insurance from Best Premium Credit Cards without the luxury price tag.
- Spending under CHF 50,000 annually. You won't earn enough rewards to offset the premium you're paying for luxury over premium cards.
- Not going to use the extra features. If you won't actively use concierge services or optimize all the benefits, you're just paying for a fancy card that does the same thing as a cheaper one.
How do I actually calculate if luxury is worth it for me?
Here's the simple math you need
Calculate your annual benefit value like this:
Lounge access: How many visits × CHF 50 average value Insurance savings: Number of trips × CHF 150 standalone policy cost Rewards earned: Annual spending × (luxury rate minus premium rate) Concierge value: Hours saved × what your time is worth Exclusive perks: Your best guess at the value of upgrades and experiences
Add it all up, subtract the annual fee, and you've got your net benefit. Then compare that to what you'd get from a premium card.
Example: Heavy traveler who flies constantly
Let's say you spend CHF 100,000 yearly and take 12 international trips:
- Lounge visits (24 × CHF 50): CHF 1,200
- Insurance replacement (12 × CHF 150): CHF 1,800
- Extra rewards (CHF 100,000 × 0.5%): CHF 500
- Hotel upgrades (6 × CHF 200): CHF 1,200
- Total value: CHF 4,700
- Amex Platinum fee: - CHF 900
- Net benefit: CHF 3,800
You're coming out almost CHF 4,000 ahead. The luxury card is a no-brainer.
Example: Moderate traveler (most people)
You spend CHF 40,000 yearly and take 4 international trips:
- Lounge visits (6 × CHF 50): CHF 300
- Insurance replacement (4 × CHF 150): CHF 600
- Extra rewards (CHF 40,000 × 0.5%): CHF 200
- Total value: CHF 1,100
- Luxury card fee: - CHF 500
- Luxury net benefit: CHF 600
- Premium card fee: - CHF 200
- Premium net benefit: CHF 700
See that? You're better off with the premium card. The luxury card is costing you CHF 100 a year for the privilege of having it.
What mistakes do people make with luxury cards?
Metal cards feel great. Platinum branding sounds impressive. But if you're paying CHF 900 annually for a card that delivers CHF 600 in actual value, you're spending CHF 300 a year on prestige. That's an expensive emotional purchase (and trust me, the cashier at Migros doesn't care about your platinum card).
So many people pay luxury card fees and never use concierge services, file insurance claims, or visit airport lounges. Track your actual benefit usage every few months. If you're not capturing value equal to the annual fee, downgrade to Best Credit Cards that match what you actually do.
You can have a luxury card that charges 2% on international purchases. Spend EUR 20,000 abroad and that's CHF 400 in fees. This hidden cost alone can wipe out the value difference between luxury and premium cards. Check the FX fees before you get seduced by the fancy benefits.
Holding several luxury cards with overlapping benefits is just burning money. Multiple Priority Pass memberships, duplicate insurance coverage, what's the point? Consolidate to one primary luxury card and use fee-free alternatives for everything else.
Can foreigners actually get Swiss luxury credit cards?
Yes, but you'll need proper documentation (and probably a higher income than Swiss nationals):
You need a B, C, or G permit. Without this, no bank will consider your application.
Non-negotiable. Open this first before applying for any luxury card.
Banks need to verify your residency with official documentation.
Usually CHF 80,000+ for luxury cards. International applicants often face 20-30% higher requirements than Swiss nationals.
12 to 24 months depending on the issuer. New residents need to build Swiss banking relationships first.
UBS and Amex Platinum Switzerland both accept foreign residents who qualify. Here's the catch: approval criteria are often stricter than for Swiss nationals.
My honest take on luxury cards
After analyzing thousands of card setups through GetRates and optimizing my own wallet, here's what I've learned: luxury cards are genuinely valuable for maybe 10% to 15% of Swiss residents. For everyone else, they're expensive vanity.
The math doesn't lie. If you travel internationally 10+ times a year, spend CHF 75,000+ on cards, and actually use concierge services, luxury cards deliver CHF 2,000 to CHF 4,000 in annual value beyond the fees. That's real money worth capturing.
But if you travel a few times a year, spend moderately, and just want a card that works everywhere? You're paying CHF 300 to CHF 600 annually for the privilege of having a metal card in your wallet and benefits you'll never touch. Get a solid premium card or even a fee-free Cashback Credit Card instead.
Use the comparison table above. Be honest about your actual travel frequency and spending patterns. The numbers will tell you the truth, even if it's not what you want to hear.
Frequently Asked Questions
What's the best luxury credit card in Switzerland?
Depends on how you'll use it. Amex Platinum has the most comprehensive benefits if you travel constantly. UBS Platinum is excellent value if you already bank with UBS. Viseca Visa Platinum works well if you want Visa acceptance everywhere plus cantonal bank relationships.
How much do luxury credit cards cost in Switzerland?
CHF 250 to CHF 900 annually. UBS Platinum runs CHF 250 to CHF 500. Amex Platinum is CHF 900 (CHF 450 first year). Viseca Platinum charges CHF 400 to CHF 550. If you have existing banking relationships, you can sometimes get fees reduced.
What's UBS Platinum card Priority Pass?
UBS Platinum cards come with Priority Pass membership for 1,500+ airport lounges worldwide. Depending on which tier you have, you get 4 to unlimited visits per year. Bringing guests costs CHF 30 to CHF 50 per person.
Do luxury cards include travel insurance?
Yes, when you book trips using the card. You get medical emergency coverage (CHF 500,000 to CHF 2,000,000), trip cancellation coverage (CHF 5,000 to CHF 20,000), and baggage protection. Just remember you have to actually book with the card for coverage to apply.
What income do I need for a luxury credit card?
Usually CHF 80,000 to CHF 120,000+ annually. UBS Platinum starts around CHF 80,000. Amex Platinum typically wants CHF 100,000+. If you have a strong relationship with your bank, they might approve you at lower income levels.
Is Amex Platinum actually worth CHF 900 in Switzerland?
Only if you use it heavily. If you're hitting lounges 10+ times a year and staying at Fine Hotels & Resorts properties, you'll get CHF 2,000+ in value. For occasional travelers, it's a waste of money. Be honest about whether you'll actually use the benefits.
