Reward Programs From Swiss Banks Explained

Reward programs are common in many different retail sectors. In Switzerland, the Cumulus and Supercard programs from retailers Migros and Coop are widely known. But Swiss banks also offer customer loyalty programs.

There are big differences in the kinds of benefits included in loyalty programs. Customers of some Swiss banks benefit from discounts or free entry – at museums, swimming pools, and zoos, for example – regardless of which banking services they actually use.

Many banks reward customers with points based on how much they use banking services – and credit cards in particular. The more money you spend using your credit card, the more reward points you receive. Some Swiss banks also offer points as a welcome bonus, or reward you with points for recommending them to other people.

Some banks have multiple customer loyalty programs that can be used simultaneously.

An overview of reward programs from Swiss banks:

• Cash back from Postfinance

Postfinance rewards you with cash back for purchases that you pay for using your credit card. Postfinance transfers the cash back to your private account every June and December. Currently, the Classic credit card has 0.3 percent cash back, and the Gold credit card has 0.5 percent.

• Club BCJ from the Banque Cantonale du Jura

Debit cards and credit cards from Jura’s cantonal bank entitle you to a number of discounts. Examples include discounts at local restaurants, stores, and leisure activities, and discounted entry to cultural and sporting events.

• Leisure vouchers from the Basler Kantonalbank

All banking packages from the cantonal bank of Basel-Stadt include vouchers for leisure activities. Depending on which banking package you use, you get two, five, or ten vouchers. These can be redeemed at the Basel Zoo, and at some swimming pools and museums, among others.

• Familienpass Region Basel from the Basler Kantonalbank

Customers who use the Comfort banking package can choose to receive the Familienpass Region Basel subscription on a complimentary basis, in place of the standard leisure vouchers. This subscription lets you access 150 leisure activities free of charge.

• Key Club from UBS

UBS customers are rewarded with Key Club points – primarily for purchases paid for with UBS credit cards. You get two points for every 1000 francs of purchases paid with the standard credit card, and four points with the Gold credit card. You get additional points as a welcome bonus and for recommendations. One Key Club point has a redeemable value of one franc.

• Member Plus from Raiffeisen

The Member Plus loyalty program is for customers who buy shares in a Raiffeisen banking cooperative. This program entitles you to a museum pass (free entry in numerous Swiss museums), cheaper ski passes, and discounts and priority tickets for musicals, events, shows, and concerts.

• Rental car discounts from various Swiss banks

Many of the credit cards from Swiss banks entitle you to discounts when you use them to pay for car rentals from certain rental car companies. Examples include the credit cards from Bank Cler, cantonal banks, Postfinance, and UBS.

You can find a full overview in the guide to Swiss credit card discounts for rental cars.

• Neon Green

Swiss neobank Neon sponsors the planting of trees on behalf of customers who use its Neon Green account. It sponsors five trees per month and customer, plus an additional tree every time you use your Neon card to make a purchase that costs 100 francs or more.

• PassionNE from the Banque Cantonale Neuchâteloise

Debit cards and credit cards from the Banque Cantonale Neuchâteloise can be used to get discounts for select events, such as theater plays.

• Surprize (used by many Swiss banks)

The Surprize reward program is offered by many Swiss banks, including the cantonal banks, Bank Cler, Raiffeisen, and Valiant. You are rewarded with Surprize points when you use credit cards from these banks to pay for purchases. The reward rate is one point for each one franc spent. Surprize points can be redeemed for merchandise and gift cards.

• Swissqoin from Yuh

Swiss neobank Yuh rewards you with its own Swissqoin cryptocurrency. You get one Swissqoin for every purchase with a value of at least one franc that you charge to your debit card. Additionally, you get five Swissqoins for every investment transaction. Daily rewards are limited to a maximum of 10 Swissqoins for card transactions and 50 Swissqoins for investment transactions on one day. You can redeem your Swissqoins for cash back credited to your account at any time.

• Discounts from the Zürcher Kantonalbank

Showing an ATM card, debit card, or credit card from the Zürcher Kantonalbank gets you discounts for many purchases, including the Zurich Zoo, theaters, concert halls, and cinemas. As a customer, you also get seat upgrades at the Schauspielhaus Zürich theater, free entry to the Grüningen botanical garden, and free ship rides to the Zürcher Theater Spektakel.

• Glarner Kantonalbank benefit program

The Glarner Kantonalbank gives its customers a number of discounts for museums, indoor pools, cable cars, sporting events, and cultural events. You can claim these discounts by showing your debit card.

The list above only includes reward programs that are exclusive to Swiss banks. But it is worth noting that Bank Cler and Migros Bank let their customers use the Coop Supercard and the Migros Cumulus customer loyalty programs respectively for their banking rewards.

In addition to the credit cards offered by Swiss banks for holders of private accounts or as part of bank packages, there are also stand-alone credit cards that are not linked to a bank account. These are offered on their own by independent card issuers (like Cornèrcard and Bonuscard), supermarkets (like Migros, Coop, and Spar), retailers (like Manor, Ikea, and Comforama), airlines (like Swiss and Lufthansa), and sub-brands from card issuers (like Cashback and Certo).

Many of these stand-alone credit cards also have rewards, and it is beneficial to compare these credit card reward programs as well. In many cases, using a stand-alone credit card is cheaper and more beneficial than using a credit card from your bank.

Many banks have another set of rewards and benefits for teenagers and young adults. You can find an overview of these in the guide to Swiss bank reward programs for young customers.

Can reward programs save you money?

When choosing a personal bank account and a credit card, reward programs are just one of the many factors to consider. The fees charged and the quality of the services provided are more important factors. You should also be aware that banks account for the costs generated by customer rewards and figure these into their calculations when setting their fees and charges.

More on this topic:
Compare Swiss personal accounts and debit cards now
Compare Swiss credit cards now
Compare Swiss banking packages now
Swiss credit card reward programs explained