American Express Platinum Travel Devalued Again – Has AmEx Lost the Plot in India?

Time and again, while people have been looking forward to applying for a new American Express credit card, American Express has done nothing but disappoint them. Although applications for cards other than the American Express Platinum Reserve and Platinum Charge are currently not open, American Express has been busy removing features from its credit cards.

Just a short while ago, the American Express Platinum Charge, its most premium offering, saw changes to its airport lounge access program, with stricter lounge access rules and the loss of a few lounge programs. Even before that, the American Express Platinum Travel, one of its most popular offerings, was devalued when a new ₹7 lakh milestone was introduced.

And now, it seems that once again, the card has been devalued.

₹1.9 Lakh Milestone Reward Removed, ₹7 Lakh Milestone Benefits Changed

From 10 September 2026, there will be several changes to the American Express Platinum Travel Credit Card that will effectively make the card not worth having in one’s wallet.

• The ₹1.9 lakh spending milestone will no longer offer the additional 7,500 Membership Rewards points.
• The ₹7 lakh spending milestone will now offer a ₹20,000 Taj Experiences e-Gift Card, while the previously offered 22,500 Membership Rewards points will no longer be awarded.

In simple terms, after spending ₹7 lakh in a card membership year, cardholders earlier received a total of 40,000 milestone bonus Membership Rewards points along with a ₹10,000 Taj voucher. After the devaluation, they will receive only 10,000 milestone bonus Membership Rewards points and a ₹20,000 Taj Experiences e-Gift Card.

This means the total milestone bonus Membership Rewards points on reaching ₹7 lakh in spending will fall significantly from 40,000 to just 10,000 points, while the Taj voucher value will increase from ₹10,000 to ₹20,000.

Platinum Travel Lounge Access Gets a New Spend Requirement

Further to the changes announced for September, American Express will introduce another change to the Platinum Travel Credit Card from October 2026:

• From 1 October 2026, complimentary domestic airport lounge access will depend on your spending in the previous quarter.
• Cardholders will need to spend ₹1 lakh or more in eligible transactions in the previous calendar quarter to get up to two complimentary domestic lounge visits in the next quarter.
• As a one-time exception, for the October–December 2026 quarter, cardholders will need to have spent ₹70,000 or more between July and September 2026 to qualify for lounge access.

Bottom Line

It is safe to say that the American Express Platinum Travel Credit Card will simply not make sense to have in your wallet after this devaluation.

Those who can should try to achieve their milestone spends before the devaluation takes effect and earn the rewards. After these new changes are introduced, the card may no longer make sense for most people, as the reward for the ₹1.9 lakh spending milestone has been removed entirely, while the Membership Rewards points offered with the ₹7 lakh spending milestone have also been removed and replaced with a higher-value Taj voucher.

While the American Express Platinum Travel Credit Card was once considered one of the best cards for everyday indiscriminate spending to reach milestones, the reward rate offered after these changes simply won’t make as much sense.

On top of the changes to the spend-based milestones, even the airport lounge access program has been devalued, as there is now a spending requirement for lounge access. While this move is in line with what other credit card issuers in India are doing, one has to ask: what is the difference between a normal credit card issuer and a premium one like American Express?

It is quite clear from all the ongoing changes with American Express in India that the company is now targeting high-net-worth individuals and high spenders, with most of the focus being on its two premium offerings, the AmEx Platinum Charge and Platinum Reserve.

While new partners are being added abroad and exclusive welcome benefits are being offered, American Express in India is yet to come up with something truly rewarding for its existing users.

Frequently Asked Questions About the New Platinum Travel Changes

Along with the communication about these changes, American Express has also provided a detailed FAQ section to help cardholders understand the upcoming changes and clear any doubts regarding the revised benefits.

1. Will I get the old milestone benefits if I complete my spending by 9 September 2026?
Yes. If you complete the ₹1.9 lakh, ₹4 lakh, or ₹7 lakh milestone on or before 9 September 2026, the existing milestone benefits will apply.

From 10 September 2026, the new milestone structure will apply:

• ₹1.9 lakh milestone: No additional 7,500 MR points.
• ₹4 lakh milestone: No change; you will continue to earn 10,000 MR points.
• ₹7 lakh milestone: ₹20,000 Taj Experiences e-Gift Card, but no additional 22,500 MR points.

2. Will I need to meet a spending requirement for lounge access in August and September 2026?
No. The new spending requirement for lounge access starts from 1 October 2026. You can continue using the existing lounge benefit in August and September without any minimum spending requirement.

However, your eligible spending from July to September 2026 will count towards lounge eligibility for the October–December 2026 quarter. For this quarter, the lower ₹70,000 spending requirement will apply.

3. What if I cannot complete my ₹1.9 lakh, ₹4 lakh, or ₹7 lakh milestone by 9 September 2026?
If you reach a milestone from 10 September 2026 onwards, the new milestone structure will apply. Also, you can earn a maximum of ₹20,000 worth of Taj Experiences e-Gift Cards per Card Membership year.

4. Is lounge eligibility based on the transaction date or posting date?
Lounge eligibility will be based on the date the transaction is posted to your card account, rather than the date you made the transaction. Refunds, credits and merchant reversals will also be considered when calculating your net eligible spending.

5. How is the ₹1 lakh spending requirement for lounge access calculated?
It will be based on your net eligible spending posted during the previous calendar quarter after adjusting for refunds, credits and merchant reversals.

Spending made through your Supplementary Cards will also be combined with your primary card spending for this calculation.