American Express Platinum Travel Credit Card
- Updated On: 16 February, 2026
American Express is globally known for its range of premium credit cards. In India, American Express has only one offering in the travel category: the American Express Platinum Travel Credit Card, one of the most premium AmEx Credit Cards. It comes with attractive welcome benefits and plenty of milestone benefits in the form of Membership Rewards Points, which can be redeemed not just for travel-related expenses like booking air tickets, hotels, and cars on the Amex Travel Online portal but also for shopping vouchers at online shopping sites, and e-vouchers on American Express’s online shopping portal.
Apart from the welcome and milestone benefits, you earn 1 Membership Rewards Point for every ₹50 spent using the card (with a few exceptions). This card is perfect for those who frequently travel, as it offers Taj vouchers on achieving spends, complimentary airport lounge access, and useful memberships like Priority Pass.
For those looking for a credit card with milestone benefits, this is a good option. It offers a decent reward rate and also provides Taj stay vouchers on annual spends of ₹7 lakh.
American Express Platinum Travel Credit Card
( 4.6 / 5 )
- Joining Fee
- Annual Fee
- Best Suited For
- Reward Type
Rewards Rate
1 Membership Rewards Point/₹50 spent
Welcome Benefits
10,000 Membership Rewards Points
Rewards and Benefits
Movie & Dining
20% Discount at Select Restaurants
Rewards Rate
1 Membership Rewards Point/₹50 spent
Reward Redemption
Redeem MR Points for Vouchers, Transfers to Various Flight and Hotel Loyalty Programs, and More
Travel
Complimentary Priority Pass Membership
Domestic Lounge Access
2 Domestic Lounge Access Every Quarter (8 Each Year)
International Lounge Access
N/A
Golf
N/A
Insurance Benefits
N/A
Fees & Charges
Spend-Based Waiver
N/A
Rewards Redemption Fee
Nil
Foreign Currency Markup
3.5% of the transaction amount
Interest Rates
3.5% Per Month (Annually 42%)
Fuel Surcharge Waiver
No fuel surcharge at HPCL fuel stations for transactions of up to Rs. 5,000, 1% surcharge on transactions above Rs. 5,000
Cash Advance Charges
3.5% of the transaction amount subject to a minimum charge of Rs. 250.
Product Details
- Welcome Gift of 10,000 Membership Rewards Points.
- 1 Membership Rewards Points for every ₹50 spent.
- Rewards Points-based Milestone benefits on reaching milestones like expenditure of ₹1.9 lakh /₹4 lakh in a membership year.
- Complimentary Taj Stay voucher on expenditure of ₹4 lakh in a membership year.
- 8 domestic airport lounge access every year (max 2 per quarter).
- 0% convenience fee at all HPCL fuel stations across India.
Pros/Cons
Pros
- The AmEx Platinum Travel Card offers attractive milestone benefits to cardholders. You earn 7,500 bonus MR points on annual spends of ₹1.9 lakh, 10,000 bonus MR points on spends of ₹4 lakh, and 22,500 MR points along with a ₹10,000 Taj voucher on annual spends of ₹7 lakh.
- This credit card offers 8 complimentary lounge access per annum (max 2 per quarter) at domestic airports across India, which is a decent number of lounge visits for a sub-premium travel credit card.
Cons
- Regarding international airport lounge access, the Platinum Travel Credit Card offers no complimentary lounge access at international airports. However, the card provides complimentary Priority Pass lounge access (a value of USD 99) at international airport lounges. Lounge access under the Priority Pass membership that you get with the Platinum Travel Card is chargeable at USD 27 per visit per guest.
Welcome Benefits
You get 10,000 American Express Membership Rewards Points as a welcome benefit, which can be redeemed on e-commerce websites like Flipkart for shopping e-vouchers from Amex’s store and for payment towards your card’s statement balance under the Cash + Points scheme. You get this welcome benefit only if you spend at least ₹15,000 in the first 3 months of the card’s issuance.
AmEx Platinum Travel Credit Card Rewards
Every ₹50 spent using the AmEx Platinum Travel Credit Card earns you 1 Membership Rewards Point. Certain categories are not eligible for rewards, including spending on fuel, insurance, utilities, cash transactions, and EMI conversion at the point of sale.
Rewards Redemption
- The Membership Rewards Points can be redeemed on popular e-commerce websites (like Flipkart) by purchasing e-vouchers from Amex’s online shopping portal, INSTA purchases at offline stores, and making credit card bill payments under the Cash + Points scheme.
- Amex’s Membership Rewards Points can also be transferred to other air miles and hotel loyalty programs like Asia Miles, British Airways Executive Club, Emirates, Finnair Plus, Qatar Privilege Club, Singapore KrisFlyer, Virgin Points, Marriott Bonvoy, and Hilton Honors.
Milestone Benefits
- If you spend ₹1.9 lakh in a year, you are entitled to 7,500 Membership Rewards Points.
- Expenditure of ₹4 lakh entitles you to 10,000 Membership Rewards Points.
- All those who spend ₹7 lakh in a card membership year will be eligible to receive 22,500 Membership Rewards Points along with a ₹10,000 Taj voucher.
| Annual Spend | Milestone Benefit | Reward Rate (1 MR Point = ₹0.50) |
| ₹1.9 Lakh | 7,500 Membership Rewards Points | 1.97% |
| ₹4 Lakh | 10,000 Membership Rewards Points | 1.25% |
| ₹7 Lakh | 22,500 Membership Rewards Points + ₹10,000 Taj Voucher | 1.60% |
Overall, cardholders can earn an effective reward rate of around 2.85% on milestone spending. This excludes the value of Taj vouchers and the base reward points earned on regular spends.
The card remains a good option for those looking to maximise milestone benefits. However, before the March 2026 devaluation, the value proposition was more straightforward. Now, each user will need to assess their own spending patterns and decide whether the card suits their needs.
Travel Benefits
- It’s a travel card, so it comes with plenty of travel benefits like 8 domestic lounge access (2 per quarter) and complimentary membership of Priority Pass, with USD 99 waived off (however, a usage fee of USD 35 is payable for every lounge visit under the Priority Pass benefit) for the international lounge.
- The Membership Rewards Points can be spent on hotel/flight/car bookings on the Amex Travel Online portal.
- Expenditure of ₹7 lakh also entitles you to a Taj Stay voucher worth ₹10,000, which can be used at the Taj, SeleQtions, and Vivanta hotels.
Movie and Dining Benefits
You get up to a 20% discount on your dining bills at select partner restaurants on payment via the Platinum Travel Card. Additionally, American Express frequently offers attractive deals on food delivery platforms such as Swiggy and Qmin.
Who Should Apply for the American Express Platinum Travel Credit Card?
American Express Platinum Travel Credit Card is the right credit card for you if-
- You do not want to compromise your travel experience, as the AmEx Platinum Travel Card offers cardholders complimentary Taj Stay Vouchers upon meeting specified spend milestones.
- You are a frequent domestic traveler, as the card entitles you to 8 complimentary airport lounge accesses at domestic airports across India.
You should look for a better option if-
- A direct reward rate is more important than add-on privileges like complimentary hotel vouchers.
- You are a frequent international flyer because the American Express Platinum Credit Card includes Priority Pass membership. You do not get any complimentary international airport lounge access with the card.
- You want a travel credit card with a lower markup fee on foreign currency transactions.
Credit Cards Similar to AmEx Express Platinum Travel
Marriott Bonvoy HDFC Bank Credit Card is a credit card similar to the American Express Platinum Travel Credit Card in terms of the benefits that it offers. The following table gives a comparison between the two credit cards-
| Features | American Express Platinum Travel Credit Card | Marriott Bonvoy HDFC Bank Credit Card |
| Reward Structure | MR Points | Reward Points |
| Reward Rate | 1 MR Point/₹50 Spent | 8 Marriott Bonvoy Points/₹50 Spent at Marriott Hotels |
| Milestone Benefits |
|
|
| Additional Benefits |
|
|
| Membership Fee | ₹5,000 + GST | ₹3,000 + GST |
AmEx Platinum Travel Card Eligibility
The income and age-based eligibility criteria for the American Express Platinum Travel Credit Card are as follows-
- Must be a resident of India.
- Applicant should be above the age of 18.
- Both salaried and self-employed individuals should have an annual income of ₹6 lakh or more.
- For self-employed individuals, the company should have been trading for the past 12 months.
American Express Platinum Travel Credit Card Review
Although the annual fee of the American Express Platinum Travel credit card is slightly on the higher side, ₹5,000 + GST (Total ₹5,900), it is a decent credit card for people with wanderlust and for those frequent fliers who travel on business trips. Apart from travel benefits, the card offers shopping benefits, so it might suit someone who loves to shop online.
What do you think about this card? Do let us know in the comments if you’re an existing user or have used this credit card. Feel free to comment and let us know about your experience with the card.
FAQs:
How can I redeem the Membership Rewards Points?
The Membership Rewards Points that you get as the welcome benefit, milestone benefits, or for regular expenditures (at the rate of 1 Point for every ₹50 spent) can be redeemed either for shopping vouchers on e-commerce sites, e-vouchers on Amex’s shopping portal, or for making credit card bill payments under Amex’s Cash + Points program.
What is the Priority Pass Membership that is offered by the American Express Platinum Travel Credit Card?
Priority Pass is a lounge access program that allows you international lounge access. This card comes with a complimentary Priority Pass membership and a waiver of the annual fee of USD 99. However, a USD 32 charge applies to every lounge visit.
Can I get an add-on American Express credit card?
Yes, American Express AmEx Platinum Travel add-on cards are available. You don’t have to pay any extra fee for up to two add-on credit cards. A fee of ₹1500 per card applies thereafter.
Does this card support contactless payment?
Yes. For payments up to ₹5,000, you do not need to enter the PIN.
Does the American Express Platinum Travel Card provide lounge access for free?
Yes, the AmEx Platinum Travel Credit Card provides you with 8 complimentary domestic lounge access every year (2 per quarter).
What is the American Express Platinum Travel Card Foreign transaction fee?
The foreign currency transaction fee on this credit card is 3.5%.
4 comments
Harpreet maurya
Harpreet ko Pasad hai
Ritvik Kumar
I love the travel perks on this card! The complimentary lounge access is a huge bonus, especially during long layovers.
Sai Potla
For places outside India, If I use the Amex Platinum, is the lounge access free or not? Can you please also confirm Whether Infinia and Magnus provides free access for priority pass lounges outside india?
Kartik Kanwar
Outside India lounge access shall be chargeable, Priority Pass membership shall be waived but lounge access still charged. Infinia and Magnus do offer complimentary airport lounge access outside India.