American Express Platinum Travel Credit Card Review 2023

The American Express Platinum Travel Credit Card is a premium card that caters to frequent travelers. Offering a range of travel benefits, from complimentary lounge access to rewards points that can be redeemed for various benefits.

My Experience With Amex Platinum Travel Credit Card

I personally use the American Express Platinum Travel Credit Card for managing my insurance expenses.  Although the card does not offer reward points for insurance spending, the amount spent is still considered for the annual milestone benefit.

Additionally, you may occasionally earn reward points if you make your insurance payment through Amazon Pay. One thing to keep in mind is that American Express frequently offers great deals on insurance payments during the Jan-Mar months.

This year, I got 5x reward points with a maximum cap of 10,000 points on my insurance payments.

Let’s have a quick review of American Express Platinum Travel Credit Card.

Product Details

Joining Fees and Annual Fees: The American Express Platinum Travel Credit Card has a joining fee of Rs. 3500 and an annual fee of Rs. 5000.

Waiver Condition of Annual Fees: You can request a waiver of the annual fee by calling American Express at (800) 452-3945.

Welcome Bonus: The card offers a welcome bonus of 10,000 Membership Rewards Points which is redeemable for a Flipkart voucher or Pay with Points option in Amex Travel Online worth Rs. 3,000. You can also make payment towards your card’s statement balance under the Cash + Points scheme.

Movie and Dining Benefits: You get up to a 20% discount on your dining bill at select partner restaurants in India. You also get attractive offers on food delivery portals like Swiggy and Qmin.

Fuel Surcharge Waiver: No fuel surcharge at HPCL for transactions less than Rs. 5,000. However, you need to pay 1% convenience fee on fuel purchases per transaction of Rs. 5,000 and above.

Reward Value & Rates

Base Reward Rate

  • You can earn 2 Membership Rewards Points for every Rs. 100 spent which is 2% redemption value for Taj vouchers. 
  • No reward points for spending on fuel, insurance, utilities and cash withdrawal.

Accelerated Reward Rate

  • 3MR points for every Rs. 50 spent on the Amex Reward Multiplier portal.

Milestone Benefit 

  • You get 15,000 Membership Rewards Points on annual spend of Rs. 1.9 lakhs. You can redeem these MR points in Flipkart voucher or Pay with Points option in Amex Travel Online worth Rs. 7500. Considering 4% (7500 /190000) reward rate. 
  • You get additional 25,000 MR points on spending Rs. 400,000 in a year. This 25000 MR points worth up to Rs. 12,500 in redemption value of the Flipkart voucher or Pay with Points on AmEx Travel Online. The reward rate is 5%.
  • Also, get a Taj Experiences E-Gift Card worth Rs. 10,000.

Reward Redemption

  • You can redeem Membership Rewards Points for online shopping vouchers (like Flipkart), INSTA rewards for offline purchases, and make credit card bill payments under the Cash + Points scheme.
  • You can also transfer the Amex reward points to various flight and hotel loyalty programmes such as Club Vistara, Emirates, Skywards, Asia Miles, British Airways Executive Club, InterMiles, Etihad Guest, Finnair Plus, Qatar Privilege Club, Marriott Bonovoy, Singapore KrisFlyer, Virgin Points, and Hilton Honors.

International and Domestic Lounges

  • You get access to international lounges through the Priority Pass Membership (lounge access program) with an annual fee waiver of USD $99. However, a charge of USD $32 is applicable on every lounge visit.
  • You also get 8 complimentary domestic airport lounge access annually. Maximum visit two per quarter.

Forex Markup Fees: This Amex credit card has a forex markup fee of 3.5%.

Final Review

The American Express Platinum Travel credit card is a good choice for frequent travelers who travel on business trips. Apart from the travel benefits, you can also achieve the milestone benefits through making the insurance payment that can help you save money and enjoy a more comfortable travel experience.

FAQs:

#1. What is the eligibility criteria of Amex Platinum Travel credit card? 

The eligibility criteria for the American Express Platinum Travel Credit Card include a minimum age of 18 years, a good credit score, and minimum Rs. 6,00,000 per annum income.

#2. Which documents are required to apply for this credit card?

  • Identity Proof: Aadhar Card, Voter ID Card, PAN Card, driving license, passport.
  • Address Proof: Aadhar Card, Voter ID Card, electricity/telephone bills, passport.
  • Proof of Income: Salary slips or ITR acknowledgments.

#3. How can I apply for this credit card? 

You can apply for the American Express Platinum Travel Credit Card online by visiting the American Express website or by visiting an American Express branch near you.

#4. Are there any foreign transaction fees? 

Yes, the card has a forex markup fee of 3.5% on foreign transactions.

#5. What is the fuel surcharge waiver offered by the card?

The card offers a 0% fuel surcharge at HPCL for transactions less than Rs. 5,000 and a 1% convenience fee on fuel purchases per transaction of Rs. 5,000 and above.

#6. What is the customer service support provided by American Express for this card?

 American Express provides 24/7 customer service support for this card through phone, email, and online chat.

About Shilpa Gupta

I have done MBA in finance and love to talk about saving through credit cards. I share my personal experience and money-saving hacks on SimpleInterest.

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