American Express Overhauls Platinum Travel Card Rewards in September

Starting September 10, 2026, American Express is making significant changes to its Platinum Travel Card's milestone rewards. The ₹1.9 lakh spending threshold will no longer offer an additional 7,500 Membership Rewards points, while the ₹4 lakh milestone remains unchanged with a 10,000 bonus point reward. For cardholders reaching the ₹7 lakh milestone, the existing 22,500 bonus points will be replaced with a ₹20,000 Taj Experiences e-Gift Card.

The revised structure also introduces a spend-based requirement for domestic lounge access, starting October 1, 2026. To receive up to two complimentary domestic lounge visits per quarter, cardholders must spend ₹1 lakh or more in eligible transactions during the preceding calendar quarter.

Cardholders who previously targeted the ₹1.9 lakh milestone may want to consider alternative cards like the HSBC Live+ Credit Card, which offers 10% cashback on dining, food delivery, and grocery spends, as well as 1.5% cashback on most other eligible transactions.