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How To Get An Amex Card Easily | Best Amex Credit Card For You | All Amex Card Eligibility Criteria

TechnoFino

Founder
TF Family
Founder
Admin
If you are a credit card enthusiast, then you must have an Amex card. Your credit card portfolio is incomplete if you don't have an American Express card. There are many reasons behind holding a credit card from Amex. They come up with frequent online and offline deals. Their reward system [MR Points] is one of the most rewarding and valuable credit card reward programmes.
Amex India offers four credit cards and two charge cards in India.

Credit Card List-
  1. Amex SmartEarn Credit Card
  2. Amex Membership Rewards Credit Card
  3. Amex Platinum Reserve Credit Card
  4. Amex Platinum Travel Credit Card
  5. AMEX Platinum Charge Card
  6. AMEX Gold Charge Card
Eligibility Criteria-
1.
You must have a serviceable area address [can be your current address]. Normally, Amex doesn't ask for address proof.

Serviceable City List-
Guntur, Hyderabad, Krishna, Medak, Rangareddy, Visakhapatnam, Vizianagaram, Chandigarh, Jaipur, Ahmedabad, Gandhinagar, Bardoli, Surat, Vadodara, Ambala, Jhajjar, Panchkula, Bengaluru, Kochi, Bhopal, Indore, Mumbai, Pune, Raigad, Thane, Bhubaneswar, Khurdha, Mohali, Chennai, Coimbatore, Erode, Kanchipuram, Krishnagiri, Salem, Tiruvallur, Gautam Buddha Nagar, Hooghly, Howrah, Kolkata, North 24 Parganas, South 24 Parganas, Delhi, Noida, Ghaziabad, Gurgaon, Faridabad, Vijayawada, Ernakulam, Secunderabad, Aluva, Ropar, Hosur, Sriperumbudur, Tiruppur, Baramati, Navi Mumbai, Lucknow, Trivandrum, Mysuru, Nasik, Nagpur, Ludhiana,

2. Income:-

Card NameSalaried PersonSelf-Employed
AMEX SmartEarn Credit CardRs. 4,50,000Rs. 6,00,000
AMEX Membership Rewards Credit CardRs. 6,00,000Rs. 6,00,000
AMEX Platinum Travel Credit CardRs. 6,00,000Rs. 6,00,000
AMEX Platinum Reserve Credit CardRs. 6,00,000Rs. 6,00,000
AMEX Gold Charge CardRs. 6,00,000Rs. 6,00,000
AMEX Platinum Charge CardRs. 25,00,000Rs. 15,00,000

Things to remember when applying for an Amex card:

1. You must have an address in a serviceable area.
2. Your CIBIL score should be a minimum of 750.
3. No late payment entries in your CIBIL report in the last 7 years. [unofficial]
4. No more than three hard inquiries in the last three months. [unofficial]

If you are eligible, just apply for an AMEX card using this link - Click Here & Apply For AMEX Card.

Best Amex Credit Card For You:

Amex offers entry-level cards as well as ultra-premium cards. We typically use our American Express card to earn miles and hotel loyalty points. You have to choose the right credit card for you according to your needs and how you want to redeem your card's reward points.

Lets Simplify This-
  • If you are not looking for airmiles or hotel points but just want an AMEX card for their online and offline deals, then get an entry-level card like the Amex SmartEarn.
  • Get an AMEX MRCC if you can spend Rs. 1,50,000 per year [1,500 X 4 Transactions per Month] but aren't interested in airmiles.
  • If you are into airmiles games, you want to redeem your reward points for airmiles or hotel points, and you can spend Rs. 5,50,000 to Rs. 8,00,000 a year, then get AMEX Platinum Travel + AMEX Gold Charge + AMEX MRCC. More details below.
  • If you are looking for a pure lifestyle credit card and don't care about the card's fees or reward rate, then you can go for the American Express Platinum Charge Card.
Now, how to maximise your AMEX reward:
Apply for Amex Gold Charge, Amex Platinum Travel, and Amex MRCC. You can get MRCC as a companion card with an Amex Gold Charge. That means you don't have to pay any fees for the Membership Rewards Card as long as you hold an AMEX Gold Charge Card. And you can always negotiate with Amex for your other card's fees reversal, remember one think... If you don't ask for retention offer, you'll get nothing.

Use your Platinum Travel Card to spend Rs. 400,000:
If you spend 4L using your Plat travel card, you'll get 48,000 MR points and a Taj Hotel voucher of Rs. 10,000.
Regular MR for spending 4L = 8,000 MR
Milestone 1 [1.9L spends] = 15,000 MR
Milestone 2 [4L spends] = 25,000 MR, TAJ GV- 10K

Using your AMEX Gold Charge Card, spend Rs. 72,000:
If you make 6 transactions a month of Rs. 1,000 each via Amex reward multiplier [ex-buy any gift voucher], then you'll get 5X MR points + 1000 bonus MR points.
Total Points Per Year-
5X Bonus = 7200 MR
6 Transactions bonus = 12,000 MR
Total = 19,200 MR

Use your American Express MRCC to spend 72,000/2,40,000:
Case 1:
If you make 4 transactions a month of Rs. 1,500 each via Amex reward multiplier [ex-buy any gift voucher], then you'll get 2X MR points + 1000 bonus MR points.
Total Points Per Year-
2X Bonus = 2880 MR
6 Transactions bonus = 12,000 MR
Total = 14,880 MR

Case 2:
If you make 4 transactions a month of Rs. 1,500 each via Amex reward multiplier [ex-buy any gift voucher], then you'll get 2X MR points + 1000 bonus MR points, and spend a total of Rs. 20,000 a month.
Total Points Per Year-
2X Bonus on 72K = 2880 MR
Normal Reward On 1.68L = 3360 MR
6 Transactions bonus = 12,000 MR
20K Transaction bonus = 12,000 MR
Total = 30,240 MR

So, if you spend 4L using AMEX Platinum Travel + 72K using Gold Charge + 72K using MRCC (case 1), then you'll get a total of 82,080 MR points and a Taj hotel voucher worth Rs. 10,000.
Total Spends = Rs. 5,44,000
Total Value Back [If you value 1 MR = Rs. 0.80] = Rs. 75,664
Card Annual Fees you have to pay-
Gold Charge = Rs. 4,500 + 18% GST = Rs. 5310
Platinum Travel = Rs. 5000 + 18% GST = Rs. 5900
MRCC = 0* Companion Card
Total Fees= Rs. 11,210
Actual Value Back = Rs. 64,454 [after spending 5.44L]
Reward Rate-11.85%
# If you manage to get Platinum Travel Card fees waiver, then reward rate will be- 12.93%

Now,
If you spend 4 lakhs using AMEX Platinum Travel + 72K using Gold Charge + 2.40 lakhs using MRCC, then you'll get a total of 97,440 MR points and a Taj hotel voucher worth Rs. 10,000.
Total Spends = Rs. 7,12,000
Total Value Back [If you value 1 MR = Rs. 0.80] = Rs. 87,952
Card Annual Fees you have to pay-
Gold Charge = Rs. 4,500 + 18% GST = Rs. 5310
Platinum Travel = Rs. 5000 + 18% GST = Rs. 5900
MRCC = 0* Companion Card
Total Fees = Rs. 11,210
After spending 7.12L, the actual value returned is Rs. 76,742.
Reward Rate-10.78%
# If you manage to get Platinum Travel Card fees waiver, then reward rate will be- 11.61%

Apply For AMEX Credit Card- Click Here (All Amex Card Application Link)
 
Last edited:

metro

TF Buzz
VIP Lounge
If you are a credit card enthusiast, then you must have an Amex card. Your credit card portfolio is incomplete if you don't have an American Express card. There are many reasons behind holding a credit card from Amex. They come up with frequent online and offline deals. Their reward system [MR Points] is one of the most rewarding and valuable credit card reward programmes.
Amex India offers four credit cards and two charge cards in India.

Credit Card List-
  1. Amex SmartEarn Credit Card
  2. Amex Membership Rewards Credit Card
  3. Amex Platinum Reserve Credit Card
  4. Amex Platinum Travel Credit Card
  5. AMEX Platinum Charge Card
  6. AMEX Gold Charge Card
Eligibility Criteria-
1.
You must have a serviceable area address [can be your current address]. Normally, Amex doesn't ask for address proof.

Serviceable City List-
Guntur, Hyderabad, Krishna, Medak, Rangareddy, Visakhapatnam, Vizianagaram, Chandigarh, Jaipur, Ahmedabad, Gandhinagar, Bardoli, Surat, Vadodara, Ambala, Jhajjar, Panchkula, Bengaluru, Kochi, Bhopal, Indore, Mumbai, Pune, Raigad, Thane, Bhubaneswar, Khurdha, Mohali, Chennai, Coimbatore, Erode, Kanchipuram, Krishnagiri, Salem, Tiruvallur, Gautam Buddha Nagar, Hooghly, Howrah, Kolkata, North 24 Parganas, South 24 Parganas, Delhi, Noida, Ghaziabad, Gurgaon, Faridabad, Vijayawada, Ernakulam, Secunderabad, Aluva, Ropar, Hosur, Sriperumbudur, Tiruppur, Baramati, Navi Mumbai, Lucknow, Trivandrum, Mysuru, Nasik, Nagpur, Ludhiana,

2. Income:-

Card NameSalaried PersonSelf-Employed
AMEX SmartEarn Credit CardRs. 4,50,000Rs. 6,00,000
AMEX Membership Rewards Credit CardRs. 6,00,000Rs. 6,00,000
AMEX Platinum Travel Credit CardRs. 6,00,000Rs. 6,00,000
AMEX Platinum Reserve Credit CardRs. 6,00,000Rs. 6,00,000
AMEX Gold Charge CardRs. 6,00,000Rs. 6,00,000
AMEX Platinum Charge CardRs. 25,00,000Rs. 15,00,000

Things to remember when applying for an Amex card:

1. You must have an address in a serviceable area.
2. Your CIBIL score should be a minimum of 750.
3. No late payment entries in your CIBIL report in the last 7 years. [unofficial]
4. No more than three hard inquiries in the last three months. [unofficial]

If you are eligible, just apply for an AMEX card using this link - Click Here & Apply For AMEX Card.

Best Amex Credit Card For You:

Amex offers entry-level cards as well as ultra-premium cards. We typically use our American Express card to earn miles and hotel loyalty points. You have to choose the right credit card for you according to your needs and how you want to redeem your card's reward points.

Lets Simplify This-
  • If you are not looking for airmiles or hotel points but just want an AMEX card for their online and offline deals, then get an entry-level card like the Amex SmartEarn.
  • Get an AMEX MRCC if you can spend Rs. 1,50,000 per year [1,500 X 4 Transactions per Month] but aren't interested in airmiles.
  • If you are into airmiles games, you want to redeem your reward points for airmiles or hotel points, and you can spend Rs. 5,50,000 to Rs. 8,00,000 a year, then get AMEX Platinum Travel + AMEX Gold Charge + AMEX MRCC. More details below.
  • If you are looking for a pure lifestyle credit card and don't care about the card's fees or reward rate, then you can go for the American Express Platinum Charge Card.
Now, how to maximise your AMEX reward:
Apply for Amex Gold Charge, Amex Platinum Travel, and Amex MRCC. You can get MRCC as a companion card with an Amex Gold Charge. That means you don't have to pay any fees for the Membership Rewards Card as long as you hold an AMEX Gold Charge Card. And you can always negotiate with Amex for your other card's fees reversal, remember one think... If you don't ask for retention offer, you'll get nothing.

Use your Platinum Travel Card to spend Rs. 400,000:
If you spend 4L using your Plat travel card, you'll get 48,000 MR points and a Taj Hotel voucher of Rs. 10,000.
Regular MR for spending 4L = 8,000 MR
Milestone 1 [1.9L spends] = 15,000 MR
Milestone 2 [4L spends] = 25,000 MR, TAJ GV- 10K

Using your AMEX Gold Charge Card, spend Rs. 72,000:
If you make 6 transactions a month of Rs. 1,000 each via Amex reward multiplier [ex-buy any gift voucher], then you'll get 5X MR points + 1000 bonus MR points.
Total Points Per Year-
5X Bonus = 7200 MR
6 Transactions bonus = 12,000 MR
Total = 19,200 MR

Use your American Express MRCC to spend 72,000/2,40,000:
Case 1:
If you make 4 transactions a month of Rs. 1,500 each via Amex reward multiplier [ex-buy any gift voucher], then you'll get 2X MR points + 1000 bonus MR points.
Total Points Per Year-
2X Bonus = 2880 MR
6 Transactions bonus = 12,000 MR
Total = 14,880 MR

Case 2:
If you make 4 transactions a month of Rs. 1,500 each via Amex reward multiplier [ex-buy any gift voucher], then you'll get 2X MR points + 1000 bonus MR points, and spend a total of Rs. 20,000 a month.
Total Points Per Year-
2X Bonus on 72K = 2880 MR
Normal Reward On 1.68L = 3360 MR
6 Transactions bonus = 12,000 MR
20K Transaction bonus = 12,000 MR
Total = 30,240 MR

So, if you spend 4L using AMEX Platinum Travel + 72K using Gold Charge + 72K using MRCC (case 1), then you'll get a total of 82,080 MR points and a Taj hotel voucher worth Rs. 10,000.
Total Spends = Rs. 5,44,000
Total Value Back [If you value 1 MR = Rs. 0.80] = Rs. 75,664
Card Annual Fees you have to pay-
Gold Charge = Rs. 4,500 + 18% GST = Rs. 5310
Platinum Travel = Rs. 5000 + 18% GST = Rs. 5900
MRCC = 0* Companion Card
Total Fees= Rs. 11,210
Actual Value Back = Rs. 64,454 [after spending 5.44L]
Reward Rate-11.85%
# If you manage to get Platinum Travel Card fees waiver, then reward rate will be- 12.93%

Now,
If you spend 4 lakhs using AMEX Platinum Travel + 72K using Gold Charge + 2.40 lakhs using MRCC, then you'll get a total of 97,440 MR points and a Taj hotel voucher worth Rs. 10,000.
Total Spends = Rs. 7,12,000
Total Value Back [If you value 1 MR = Rs. 0.80] = Rs. 87,952
Card Annual Fees you have to pay-
Gold Charge = Rs. 4,500 + 18% GST = Rs. 5310
Platinum Travel = Rs. 5000 + 18% GST = Rs. 5900
MRCC = 0* Companion Card
Total Fees = Rs. 11,210
After spending 7.12L, the actual value returned is Rs. 76,742.
Reward Rate-10.78%
# If you manage to get Platinum Travel Card fees waiver, then reward rate will be- 11.61%

Apply For AMEX Credit Card- Click Here
How do we get value of 1 MR point to 0.80 Rs. I hold platinum travel card, i get mostly 0.25 for vouchers (4000 MR points to buy 1000 Rs.) Or on travel portal around 0.38 rs for 1 MR. Please guide thanks
 

Wealth is my birth right!

TF Prestige
VIP Lounge
How do we get value of 1 MR point to 0.80 Rs. I hold platinum travel card, i get mostly 0.25 for vouchers (4000 MR points to buy 1000 Rs.) Or on travel portal around 0.38 rs for 1 MR. Please guide thanks
So far I converted Amex points to Marriott bonvoy loyalty and able to see the value of points around 80p again it depends on season and rates for the property which u choose in Marriott
 

Wealth is my birth right!

TF Prestige
VIP Lounge
can we get a Magnus card and eliminate all these AMEX cards?
If ur spending in a month is more than 1lakh then magnus is best
But if u compare a 20k spend then amex MRCC will be the winner with 2400 RPs
Same 20k in magnus just yield very low points
As long as ur spending monthly is 1lac and till axis gives milestone of 25k points then sure magnus no cards compete
 

0b110

TF Select
VIP Lounge
If ur spending in a month is more than 1lakh then magnus is best
But if u compare a 20k spend then amex MRCC will be the winner with 2400 RPs
Same 20k in magnus just yield very low points
As long as ur spending monthly is 1lac and till axis gives milestone of 25k points then sure magnus no cards compete
True. Also note that Amex gives points for wallet load which Magnus excludes makes it even dearer.
 

metro

TF Buzz
VIP Lounge
So far I converted Amex points to Marriott bonvoy loyalty and able to see the value of points around 80p again it depends on season and rates for the property which u choose in Marriott
Thanks. Even in marriot i have rarely got 1:0.80 value. Is there amex to ITC to marriot route to get more value. I fail to understand how this initial thread calculation works out if 1 Mr point is not 0.8 rs. Any clarification will be good. thanks.
 

Wealth is my birth right!

TF Prestige
VIP Lounge
Thanks. Even in marriot i have rarely got 1:0.80 value. Is there amex to ITC to marriot route to get more value. I fail to understand how this initial thread calculation works out if 1 Mr point is not 0.8 rs. Any clarification will be good. thanks.
I too read some old blog reg ITC via marriott conversion with increased % as bonus but atm amex not having ITC.
Maybe this route works with axis magnus right now but is there ITC giving bonus for MB transfer?
in my ITC app no such offer.
final note: sometimes MB we get 1:1.5 properties too it all depends upon location and season
 

metro

TF Buzz
VIP Lounge
I too read some old blog reg ITC via marriott conversion with increased % as bonus but atm amex not having ITC.
Maybe this route works with axis magnus right now but is there ITC giving bonus for MB transfer?
in my ITC app no such offer.
final note: sometimes MB we get 1:1.5 properties too it all depends upon location and season
Some friends have done axis magnus -> ITC -> marriot. Max 60k points limit per year
 

iAmPm

TF Premier
Did anyone redeemed MR points to Tanishq voucher and used it? Was it seamless? can we use two vouchers in one transaction?
This could be silly but that seems the only best-value way for me hence confirming before I apply.
 

Copycat

TF Ace
VIP Lounge
@BestBanker
When all other banks can do Video KYC or hire 3rd parties for verification why is American Express still stuck in the stone age of servicing only a select range of cities? No offense meant, I am just curious why this is not happening. Maybe it's time AmEx realises that there is more to India than just the big cities.

P.S. This rant is born out of frustration :) I want an MRCC card and I can't get it just because of where I stay (even though I live in the state with the highest per capita income)
 

metro

TF Buzz
VIP Lounge
@BestBanker
When all other banks can do Video KYC or hire 3rd parties for verification why is American Express still stuck in the stone age of servicing only a select range of cities? No offense meant, I am just curious why this is not happening. Maybe it's time AmEx realises that there is more to India than just the big cities.

P.S. This rant is born out of frustration :) I want an MRCC card and I can't get it just because of where I stay (even though I live in the state with the highest per capita income)
1. They have concierge service which has service provider network in few cities, so if they can't provide good service in other centres they will not issue cards there.

2. Same for the merchants acceptance. Imagine you get a card and in your city only few restaurants accept it and you feel like duped.
3. There target user segment is different then other mass card issuer in India. So is there charges. They want to keep charges high and target only some set of working mass who will never leave (in most cases) amex.
4. Recovery of card dues are difficult and costly in non metro cities.

These are some reasons I got to know when talking to CC.
 

theglobalinvestor

TF Premier
VIP Lounge
1. They have concierge service which has service provider network in few cities, so if they can't provide good service in other centres they will not issue cards there.

2. Same for the merchants acceptance. Imagine you get a card and in your city only few restaurants accept it and you feel like duped.
3. There target user segment is different then other mass card issuer in India. So is there charges. They want to keep charges high and target only some set of working mass who will never leave (in most cases) amex.
4. Recovery of card dues are difficult and costly in non metro cities.

These are some reasons I got to know when talking to CC.
All these reasons are bullshit! The prime target clientele of amex is wealthy international travelers who are into luxury experiences. So it doesn't matter where the end user lives as long as he spends on travel and luxury. My spends on credit card in my hometown where I live is ₹0 in my entire lifetime. But I just spent ₹25-30L over the last 2 months booking international travel and accommodation. Everything went on my infinia since I only just got my amex. (not easily and only due to non-wavering help and support from best banker).
 

Wealth is my birth right!

TF Prestige
VIP Lounge
All these reasons are bullshit! The prime target clientele of amex is wealthy international travelers who are into luxury experiences. So it doesn't matter where the end user lives as long as he spends on travel and luxury. My spends on credit card in my hometown where I live is ₹0 in my entire lifetime. But I just spent ₹25-30L over the last 2 months booking international travel and accommodation. Everything went on my infinia since I only just got my amex. (not easily and only due to non-wavering help and support from best banker).
I agree with you as well as @metro points
Anyways nothing wrong if some bank or corporate wants elite clients only
Their risk model makes them stay away from non metros
Another such blunder guy is SCB’s card sourcing as well as limit enhancement policies
Atleast we can thank amex for providing max available limit cibil showing (in my case)
 
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