Amex Launches First Metal Credit Card in India and Key Updates

As you may know, the Platinum Charge Card and the Platinum Reserve card are American Express’s premium products in India. Historically, many cardholders found their value limited unless they specifically used hotel and Taj-related benefits. Amex has now updated these cards to make them more broadly useful beyond elite hotel perks. Below is a clear summary of the changes and what they mean for cardholders.

Platinum Charge Card

1. Metal card

The Platinum Charge Card is getting a metal variant in India. The metal card rollout was expected by late October 2018. In addition to existing benefits, Amex has introduced a few incremental perks to make the card more compelling to a wider audience.

2. 3X Points on International Spends

One notable change is the introduction of 3X membership rewards points on international spends. This improvement enhances the card’s value for frequent travellers and those who spend abroad. That said, if you already carry cards with low forex markup and strong international rewards, this change may not be transformative for you. It does, however, show that Amex is responsive to cardholder feedback.

From personal experience, many users prefer using their Amex even when it costs more in forex fees because of the service and peace of mind it provides.

3. Supplementary Cards

The number of complimentary supplementary cards has been reduced. Cardholders can now get up to four free supplementary cards, down from six previously.

4. Dining Benefit

Amex has expanded dining benefits beyond the existing Eazydiner Prime offering. Early indications suggest stronger dining-related perks that could materially improve the card’s appeal for those who spend heavily on restaurants. More details were expected to be confirmed by month-end.

5. Annual Fee

The annual fee for the Platinum Charge Card increased from Rs. 50,000 + GST to Rs. 60,000 + GST. These changes were expected to go live by 30th October 2018.

Thanks to reader Kiran for sharing the update.

Platinum Reserve Card

Amex added a new benefit to the Platinum Reserve card effective 1st September 2018. Cardholders receive a Rs. 500 voucher from BookMyShow or Flipkart when they spend Rs. 25,000 in a month. This effectively adds roughly 2% value on qualifying monthly spend in addition to the standard reward points.

This enhancement is attractive for customers who use the Reserve Card as their primary card and have consistent monthly spending. For seasonal spenders, the value is more limited. Many cardholders hoped for different redemption options—such as Taj, Amex domestic travel, or Amazon vouchers—tied to annual spend thresholds, similar to other Amex products.

Centurion Card

Amex does not publicly disclose official benefits or fees for the Centurion (Black) Card in India. Industry chatter suggested testing of a higher joining fee around Rs. 400,000 (potentially including welcome vouchers) while renewal fees may remain near Rs. 200,000. For eligible customers the challenge is not the fee itself but extracting commensurate value unless they are heavy premium travellers or high spenders.

I spoke briefly with a Centurion cardholder and learned about exclusive offers and targeted programs that can offset costs, which I may cover in a separate piece.

Amex Everyday Spend Credit Card

Amex has traditionally focused on the high end, but it lowered eligibility and launched an Everyday Spend credit card aimed at more mainstream customers. The new card offers 5X and 10X points in select categories and was reportedly piloted for about a year. Caps on the accelerated rewards are modest, so the card is better suited to beginners and mid-tier spenders than premium cardholders.

Temporarily the card used an MRCC design, but Amex may replace it with a dedicated design similar to Everyday cards seen in other markets.

Amex Lounge in Mumbai

The Amex airport lounge in Mumbai had been closed for some time. Amex planned to open a new lounge in Mumbai T2 to reduce crowding at other lounges such as the TFS lounge. The new facility was expected by the end of 2018 and should benefit frequent travellers holding qualifying Amex cards.

Bottomline

The metal Platinum Charge Card and the upcoming Mumbai lounge are the most notable improvements. Overall, these updates show Amex is actively refining its premium offerings for the Indian market. While more fine-tuning is needed, cardholders who regularly use Amex merchant and spend-based offers can still derive meaningful value from these cards today.

What’s your take on the new Amex card changes? Share your thoughts in the comments.