The combined value of regular rewards, bonus rewards (as milestones), and Taj vouchers will help travellers save around Rs. 24,000 in a year on Rs. 4 lakh annual spends. But the redemption ratio is where the card lacks. A 2:1 redemption ratio is offered on most airlines. The best redemption is offered at Marriott (1:1) and Hilton (10:9). At the same annual fee, Axis Atlas offers 10% value-back on travel spends and an excellent point-to-mile transfer ratio of 1:2. Even the latest entrant to the list of airline credit cards, Axis Horizon offers rewards benefits a bit similar to Atlas, along with international lounge access. Another card, SBI Miles Elite, also focuses on travel benefits with redemption against airlines and also offers a low forex markup of 1.99%.
American Express
American Express® Platinum Travel Credit Card
Travel
Reward Points
1st Year Fee: ₹3,500* Plus Applicable Taxes
Rewards
Up to 40,000 milestone rewards per year
Lounge Access
8 free visits; Priority Pass membership
Dining
Up to 20% off at partner restaurants
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About American Express® Platinum Travel Credit Card
American Express® Platinum Travel Credit Card is a suitable choice for travellers. Unlike most travel-centric cards, this one stands out due to the rewards earnings it offers as milestone benefits on reaching Rs. 1.9 lakh and Rs. 4 lakh annual spends respectively. Thus, you get the maximum returns by putting most of your spends on the card. In addition to the milestone bonus, you also earn Membership Rewards® Points on all your card spends. You can use the rewards you earn for travel bookings, including flights, hotels and car rentals, or against shopping vouchers.
Platinum Travel cardholders also get a Taj voucher worth Rs. 10,000, over and above the bonus rewards, as a milestone benefit. This comes as a win for the card, as such high-end hotel benefits are usually offered on premium credit cards that come with a higher fee. The activation benefit on the credit card is also decent. Though there is a minute difference in the value-back and joining fee, the good part is that cardholders have the flexibility to use it for travel bookings or for shopping at Flipkart.
Rewards Program
Cardholders get rewards on every spend made using American Express® Platinum Travel Credit Card, as given below –
- Reward Rate: 1 Membership Rewards® Point for every Rs. 50 spent
- Exclusions: Spends made on fuel, insurance, utilities, cash transactions and EMI conversion at the Point of Sale are not going to earn any rewards
In addition to this, you can earn bonus points on reaching certain spending milestones as follows –
On Reaching Annual Spends worth Rs. 1.90 lakh:
- 15,000 bonus Membership Rewards® Points1 redeemable for Flipkart voucher or Pay with Points option in American Express® Travel Online platform worth Rs. 4,500
Other Features and Benefits
Given below are the travel benefits offered by American Express® Platinum Travel Credit Card:
- Lounge Access: 8 complimentary visits to airport lounges in India every year, max. 2 per calendar quarter
Quick Check: Credit cards that offer lounge access
- Complimentary Membership: Complimentary Priority Pass membership worth USD 99**
Apart from travel benefits, you can also avail the following features and benefits:
- Welcome Benefit
10,000 bonus Membership Rewards® Points on spending Rs. 15,000 within 90 days of card membership. These points are redeemable for Flipkart voucher or Pay with Points option in American Express® Travel Online portal worth Rs. 3,000
International travellers may struggle to maximise their savings if Platinum Travel is the only credit card they own. While cardholders can save a significant amount by making the most of the additional benefits, a better redemption value on American Express® Platinum Travel could have helped them get a better value-back, especially around international travel considering the card’s annual fee of Rs. 5,000. Additionally, despite being a travel-focused card, the lounge access benefit is limited to domestic lounges. Though cardholders get a complimentary Priority Pass membership, visits to these international lounges are not complimentary and would cost a usage fee. This puts the card in a tough spot, as such benefits are extended even by some all-round cards like HDFC Regalia Gold or travel cards like Axis Horizon, that too at a lower annual fee.
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American Express® Platinum Travel Credit Card: Fees & Charges
| Particulars | Amount |
|---|---|
| Joining Fee | Rs. 3,500 + GST |
| Annual/Renewal Fee | Rs. 5,000 + GST |
| Finance Charges | 3.5% p.m. or 42% p.a. (In case of default: 3.99% p.m. or 47.88% p.a.) |
| Cash Advance Fee | 3.5% of the withdrawn cash amount, subject to a min. of Rs. 250 |
Things to Know Before you apply
Get this card if:
You travel to domestic locations several times in a year
You are a high spender and can accumulate substantial rewards
You prefer redeeming your rewards against travel bookings or Flipkart vouchers
You rarely go on international trips
Eligibility Criteria:
Occupation: Salaried or Self-employed with company trading for 12+ months
Salary: Rs. 6 lakh and above per annum
Indian permanent residential address with savings or current account at an Indian or multinational bank in India
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What do we like about this card?
American Express Platinum Travel Credit Card offers value-back to travellers in the form of reward points on general spends, along with a considerable amount of bonus points on reaching annual spending milestones. Its travel benefits come in the form of complimentary domestic airport lounge access and Membership Rewards® Points that are redeemable for travel bookings on the American Express® Travel Online Platform. Not just travellers, this card can also be beneficial for online shoppers as it allows you to use your rewards to get Flipkart vouchers.
Pros
- Redemption of reward points against travel bookings & online shopping vouchers
- Milestone benefits worth up to Rs. 22,000
- Complimentary lounge access and Priority Pass membership
Cons
- No reward points offered on fuel, insurance, utilities, cash transactions & EMI conversions
- No complimentary international lounge visits
Conclusion
Considering all the benefits and drawbacks, the American Express Platinum Travel Credit Card can be a good choice for travellers who are also high-spenders and even Flipkart loyalists. You can maximise the savings and benefits via this card if you can reach the spending milestone of Rs. 4 lakh every year. However, if you are a frequent international traveller, then getting another travel card might be a better option.
Frequently Asked Questions
Everything you need to know about this credit card
American Express® Platinum Travel Credit Card lets you earn Membership Rewards Points on your transactions, which never expire. You can redeem the reward points earned via this credit card till the card is active. However, in case of any card cancellation, the reward points will get forfeited within 30 days of the cancellation.
No, this credit card does not offer any joining or renewal fee waiver. However, you can avail bonus reward points or free vouchers for hotel stays by achieving the required spending milestone. You can avail milestone benefits worth Rs. 7,500 and a free voucher for a stay at Taj, SeleQtions and Vivanta Hotels.
Yes, you can convert your purchases of Rs. 5,000 or above into easy EMIs. For offline transactions, you can ask the merchant for the EMI option at the point of sale before making the purchase. To avail this option on online purchases, you can select the EMI option while checking out.
Yes, you can tap and pay through this credit card without entering any OTP. However, this option is available only on your purchases below Rs. 5,000. All you need to do is touch your card at the POS machine to make a transaction. Also, to check whether your card has this feature or not, you can look for a contactless symbol at the front or back of your card.
Footnotes
- Cardholders will also earn 3,400 Regular Membership Rewards Points, in addition to the bonus ones, on Rs. 1.9 lakh annual spends that are redeemable for voucher or travel benefits worth Rs. 1,020.
- Cardholders will also earn 3,600 Regular Membership Rewards Points, in addition to the bonus ones, on Rs. 4 lakh annual spends that are redeemable for vouchers or travel benefits worth Rs. 1,080.
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Lepakshi Phogat
Lepakshi is a content writer specialising in personal finance and credit cards. She translates complex financial concepts into practical advice, helping readers make informed financial decisions. Whether it is helping them choose the right credit card or offering strategies to build their credit score, she writes to make personal finance less intimidating and more empowering.
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