American Express Cards in India: All 5 Cards Compared (2026)

Search for "American Express card" and "Amex card" and you will see two names for one company. Amex is simply the short name that American Express uses itself, on its cards, its app and its ads. There is no separate Amex company and no "American Express vs Amex" contest to settle.

The real question is which American Express card to pick. Amex India issues five cards right now, ranging from Rs. 495 a year to Rs. 66,000 a year, and they serve completely different spenders. This guide gives you the necessary details on all five, verified from American Express India's official website in October 2026, without drowning you in brochure language. For a full deep dive on any single card, follow the links to our detailed reviews.

What is American Express, actually?

American Express is an American financial company that does two jobs at once: it issues cards directly, and it runs its own payment network. That is the big difference from Visa and Mastercard, which only run networks while banks issue the cards.

Why does this matter to you? Two reasons. First, when you hold an Amex card, your relationship is with American Express itself, not with a bank. Service, rewards and decisions all come from one company. Second, an Amex card works only where the Amex network is accepted. In India, acceptance is strong at large retailers, online stores, fuel stations and restaurants, but noticeably weaker than Visa or Mastercard at small shops and local merchants. Every section below assumes you have read this paragraph, because acceptance shapes whether any Amex card is worth it for you.

All 5 American Express cards in India at a glance

A charge card, for the two cards marked above, means no pre-set spending limit but the full bill must be paid every month. There is no revolving option. A credit card gives a fixed limit and allows minimum-dues payments (with heavy interest).

1. American Express Platinum Card: the Rs. 66,000 flagship

This is the card people picture when they hear "Amex". The fee is Rs. 66,000 plus taxes every year, and it only makes sense if you travel internationally several times a year.

The necessary details: access to the Global Lounge Collection covering 1,550+ lounges across 500+ airports in 140 countries, including Centurion Lounges, Delta Sky Clubs and Priority Pass lounges. A welcome gift worth up to Rs. 60,000. Hotel benefits worth up to Rs. 44,300 across 1,000+ Fine Hotels & Resorts properties, with room upgrades, breakfast and flexible check-in. Built-in air accident and overseas medical insurance plus purchase protection. On renewal, vouchers worth up to Rs. 35,000 if you spend Rs. 20 lakh in the year and pay the renewal fee.

The honest math: one international lounge visit is worth roughly Rs. 2,000-3,000. Twenty visits a year plus one premium hotel stay covers the fee. Two trips a year in budget hotels does not. If your travel is mostly domestic, stop here and look at the Platinum Travel card below.

Read the full American Express Platinum Card review for the complete breakdown.

2. American Express Gold Card: the monthly bonus machine

Do not confuse this with bank-issued "gold" credit cards. The Amex Gold is a charge card: Rs. 1,000 plus taxes in year one, Rs. 4,500 plus taxes every year after, with no fee waiver.

Its engine is simple: 1,000 bonus Membership Rewards points every calendar month in which you make 6 transactions of Rs. 1,000 or more. Base earn is 1 point per Rs. 50, including on utility bills, with no pre-set spending limit. New cardmembers get 4,000 bonus points as a welcome gift.

The catch is behavioural. Six separate Rs. 1,000+ transactions every single month is a pattern you either have or you do not. If your spending comes in 2-3 large payments, you will miss the bonus most months and the card loses its point. There is also no lounge access and no fee waiver, so year two onwards costs a fixed Rs. 4,500 plus taxes.

Read the full American Express Gold Card review for the rewards math.

3. Amex Membership Rewards Credit Card (MRCC): the smart pick

The MRCC is the Amex card most Indians actually hold, and the fee structure explains why. First year costs Rs. 1,000 plus taxes, then Rs. 4,500 plus taxes, but the renewal fee is 100% waived on Rs. 1.5 lakh annual spends and 50% waived on Rs. 90,000 to Rs. 1.5 lakh. Spend roughly Rs. 12,500 a month and the card costs nothing from year two.

Rewards: 4,000 bonus points as a welcome gift, 1,000 bonus points on 4 transactions of Rs. 1,500+ per month, an extra 1,000 points on Rs. 20,000+ monthly spends (needs enrolment), 5,000 points on first renewal when you pay the fee, and 1 point per Rs. 50 base earn. Note the exclusions: fuel, insurance, utilities, cash and EMI conversions do not earn base points.

Unlike the two charge cards above, the MRCC is a proper credit card with a fixed limit. No lounge access on this one. If you want one Amex card for rewards without a painful fee, this is usually the answer.

Read the full Amex MRCC review for the waiver math.

4. Amex Platinum Travel Credit Card: domestic lounge card with a catch

At Rs. 5,000 plus taxes per year with no waiver, this is Amex's travel credit card for people who fly within India. The welcome gift is 10,000 Membership Rewards points, and milestones stack up: 7,500 points at Rs. 1.9 lakh annual spends, 10,000 more at Rs. 4 lakh, another 22,500 at Rs. 7 lakh.

Now the part most articles skip. The card advertises 8 complimentary domestic lounge visits per year (max 2 per quarter), but Amex's own terms add a condition: you unlock each quarter's 2 visits only if you spent Rs. 1,00,000 or more in eligible spends in the preceding calendar quarter. Extra visits cost Rs. 1,000 each. If you spend Rs. 4 lakh+ a year anyway, the condition handles itself. If you spend less, do not count lounge access in your decision.

This card rewards concentrated spending and punishes light usage. Below Rs. 2 lakh annual spends, the Rs. 5,000 fixed fee eats most of the value.

Read the full Amex Platinum Travel review for the fine print.

5. Amex SmartEarn Credit Card: the Rs. 495 starter

The cheapest way into Amex India. Rs. 495 plus taxes per year, fully waived on just Rs. 40,000 annual spends (about Rs. 3,400 a month), which makes it effectively free for regular users.

What you get: Rs. 500 cashback as statement credit on Rs. 10,000 spends in the first 90 days, accelerated reward points on Amazon, Flipkart, Uber, BookMyShow, Zomato, EaseMyTrip and more, plus Rs. 500 vouchers at Rs. 1.2 lakh, Rs. 1.8 lakh and Rs. 2.4 lakh annual milestones. No lounge access, which is expected at this fee.

Amex publishes income criteria for this card: Rs. 4.5 lakh per year if salaried, Rs. 6 lakh if self-employed. It is the natural first Amex card: low cost, online-focused rewards, and a way to test Amex acceptance in your daily life before committing to anything pricier.

Read the full Amex SmartEarn review for eligibility details.

Which Amex card is for you?

If none of the rows fit, an Amex card is probably not your next card. Compare bank-issued alternatives on our credit card comparison page.

What are Membership Rewards points actually worth?

Four of the five cards earn Membership Rewards (MR) points, so their real value decides how rewarding any Amex card is. Amex does not publish a fixed rupee value, because it depends on how you redeem.

The pattern is consistent: points are worth the most when moved to travel partners and the least when taken as statement credit or merchandise. A card earning "1 point per Rs. 50" therefore gives roughly 0.6% to 1% back in travel value, before counting bonuses. Monthly bonuses and milestones are where the real earn happens, which is why the Gold Card's 1,000 monthly bonus points and the Platinum Travel's 40,000 milestone points matter more than the base rate.

One more thing beginners miss: MR points do not expire as long as your card account stays open and in good standing. But if you close all your Amex cards, unredeemed points lapse. Redeem or transfer before closing.

Important: new applications are currently paused

As of October 2026, every American Express India card page carries this notice: "We are temporarily pausing the acceptance of new card applications in India as we make planned updates to our technology platforms for domestic card issuing operations."

In plain words, you cannot apply for any Amex card in India right now. The pause is described as temporary, but no restart date has been announced. Treat every card above as research for later, and check the official Amex India website for the current status before making plans.

Eligibility snapshot

When applications were open, the standard checklist was: above 18 years of age, resident Indian as defined under the Income Tax Act, an Indian bank account, a current or permanent residential address in India, and a good credit history with no payment defaults. Amex serves specific cities including Delhi/NCR, Mumbai, Bangalore, Chennai, Pune, Hyderabad, Jaipur, Indore, Coimbatore, Chandigarh, Ahmedabad, Surat, Vadodara, Lucknow, Ludhiana, Nagpur, Nashik, Trivandrum and Mysuru. Published income criteria exist for SmartEarn (Rs. 4.5 lakh salaried, Rs. 6 lakh self-employed); the premium cards expect significantly higher income in practice.

The acceptance reality check

This deserves its own section because it decides everything. Amex runs its own network, and in India that network is thinner than Visa and Mastercard. Big online platforms, large retail chains, fuel stations and established restaurants accept Amex widely. Your kirana store, local dhaba and small-town merchants very often do not.

Practical setup for an Amex holder: use the Amex card where it is accepted and rewards you, and keep a Visa or Mastercard as backup for everywhere else. Never make an Amex card your only card in India. Anyone who tells you otherwise has not tried paying at a highway dhaba with it.

Frequently asked questions

Are American Express and Amex the same?

Yes. Amex is the official short name of American Express. Same company, same network, same issuer. There is no difference between an "American Express card" and an "Amex card".

How many credit cards does American Express offer in India?

Five: the Platinum Card (charge card), Gold Card (charge card), Membership Rewards Credit Card, Platinum Travel Credit Card and SmartEarn Credit Card.

Which Amex card is best for beginners in India?

The SmartEarn Credit Card. Rs. 495 annual fee waived on Rs. 40,000 yearly spends, rewards on popular online apps, and the lowest income requirement (Rs. 4.5 lakh salaried).

Can I apply for an Amex card in India right now?

As of October 2026, no. American Express India has temporarily paused all new card applications while updating its technology platforms. No restart date has been announced.

Which Amex card gives free airport lounge access?

The Platinum Card gives global lounge access (1,550+ lounges worldwide). The Platinum Travel Credit Card gives 8 domestic visits per year, but only if you spend Rs. 1 lakh+ in the preceding quarter. The Gold, MRCC and SmartEarn cards have no lounge benefit.

Is the Amex Platinum Card worth Rs. 66,000?

Only for frequent international travellers. At 4+ international trips a year with real lounge and hotel usage, the benefits can exceed the fee. For everyone else, the cheaper Amex cards or bank alternatives give better value.

Does Amex work at all shops in India?

No. Acceptance is good at large retailers and online platforms but weak at small merchants compared to Visa and Mastercard. Keep a Visa or Mastercard as backup.