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The best credit card for hotels in Norway.

Updated

Why this card

American Express Platinum for hotels in Norway.

Norway has thin chain coverage. Marriott has the Sheraton Oslo and a few AC Hotels in Bergen and Stavanger. Hilton has the Hilton Garden Inn in Tromso. Most boutique fjord lodges run independent, so the smartest play is usually a flight card that earns transferable points and a flexible no foreign transaction fee card for cash stays.

Annual fee

$895

Best earn rate

5 points per dollar on flights booked direct or via Amex Travel, plus transfer to SAS EuroBonus

Signup bonus

Currently around 175,000 points after spend, see issuer for the current offer

Membership Rewards transfers to SAS EuroBonus, which is the cheapest way to fly Star Alliance into Oslo from the US East Coast in business class. SAS prices a one-way US to Oslo business around 70,000 EuroBonus points against $3,500 to $5,000 cash. The Platinum's 5x on direct flight spend builds the balance fast. Centurion Lounge access at JFK or Newark before a 7-hour overnight is a real comfort win.

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If the top pick is not right

Alternative: Chase Sapphire Reserve.

If you are paying cash for boutique fjord lodges and Hurtigruten cabins, the Reserve's 8x on Chase Travel bookings plus primary rental car coverage and stronger trip delay protection matter. Norway driving in winter has high cancellation and weather risk, and the Reserve's coverage is the strongest in the market.

ChaseAnnual fee $795

At a glance

Side by side.

SpecAmerican Express PlatinumChase Sapphire Reserve
Annual fee$895$795
Best earn rate5 points per dollar on flights booked direct or via Amex Travel, plus transfer to SAS EuroBonusSee alternative section above
Signup bonusCurrently around 175,000 points after spend, see issuer for the current offerVaries by month

Local tip

What to know before you book.

Norway is a card-first country and contactless works almost everywhere, including ferries and small bakeries. Cash is essentially obsolete. The harder cost trap is alcohol: a beer in an Oslo hotel bar is $14 to $18, so use your hotel breakfast credits and plan dinners around the food, not the drinks list.

Questions

Frequently asked.

What is the best credit card for hotels in Norway?

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American Express Platinum from American Express. Membership Rewards transfers to SAS EuroBonus, which is the cheapest way to fly Star Alliance into Oslo from the US East Coast in business class. Annual fee is $895.

Is the Chase Sapphire Reserve a better choice for hotels in Norway?

expand_more

If you are paying cash for boutique fjord lodges and Hurtigruten cabins, the Reserve's 8x on Chase Travel bookings plus primary rental car coverage and stronger trip delay protection matter. Norway driving in winter has high cancellation and weather risk, and the Reserve's coverage is the strongest in the market. Annual fee is $795.