American Express is devaluing the American Express Platinum Travel Credit Card, with changes to both its milestone rewards and airport lounge access.
The changes will take effect from 10 September 2026, with the lounge changes following from 1 October 2026.
1. TL;DR
- ₹1.9 lakh milestone: 7,500 bonus Membership Rewards points removed.
- ₹4 lakh milestone: 10,000 bonus Membership Rewards points remain unchanged.
- ₹7 lakh milestone: 22,500 bonus Membership Rewards points removed, but the ₹20,000 Taj Experiences e-Gift Card remains.
- Overall, cardholders reaching ₹7 lakh will lose 30,000 bonus Membership Rewards points.
- From 1 October 2026, lounge access will require ₹1 lakh eligible spending in the previous calendar quarter.
- For October-December 2026 lounge access, the requirement is ₹70,000 spending between July and September 2026.
- Milestone eligibility will be based on the transaction posting date.
2. What’s Changing?
| Spend milestone | Current benefit | From 10 September 2026 |
|---|---|---|
| ₹1.9 lakh | 7,500 bonus MR points | Removed |
| ₹4 lakh | 10,000 bonus MR points | Unchanged |
| ₹7 lakh | 22,500 bonus MR points + ₹20,000 Taj voucher | ₹20,000 Taj voucher only |
3. Lounge Access Changes
From 1 October 2026, complimentary domestic lounge access will be linked to quarterly spending.
To get up to 2 complimentary domestic lounge visits in a calendar quarter, you will need to spend ₹1 lakh or more in eligible transactions during the preceding calendar quarter.
For the October-December 2026 quarter, the transition requirement is ₹70,000 in eligible spending between July and September 2026.
4. When Do the New Rules Apply?
American Express will use the transaction posting date to determine which milestone benefits apply.
- Posted on or before 9 September 2026: Current benefits
- Posted on or after 10 September 2026: Revised benefits
5. Is the Platinum Travel Card Still Worth It?
The devaluation makes the card less attractive, particularly for cardholders who previously targeted the ₹1.9 lakh or ₹7 lakh milestones.
The ₹4 lakh milestone remains unchanged, and the ₹20,000 Taj voucher at ₹7 lakh is still available. However, losing 30,000 milestone points significantly reduces the value available to high spenders.
The new lounge-spend requirement also makes the card less useful for people who don’t regularly spend ₹1 lakh per quarter.
Ultimately, whether the card is still worth keeping depends on how much you spend and how much value you get from Membership Rewards points and the Taj voucher.
I’d add it right after the “Is the Platinum Travel Card Still Worth It?” section, before the FAQ. That makes the CTA feel natural: you’ve explained why the card is weaker, then immediately give readers a way to find an alternative.
6. Find Your Next Best Card
If the Platinum Travel no longer makes sense for your spending, use Great.Cards to find the next best card for you. Enter your spending across categories and compare the rewards you could earn with other credit cards.
Find your next best card on Great.Cards
7. FAQs
What is changing on the Amex Platinum Travel Card?
American Express is removing the 7,500-point ₹1.9 lakh milestone and the 22,500-point ₹7 lakh milestone. The ₹4 lakh milestone remains unchanged.
How many Membership Rewards points are being removed?
A total of 30,000 bonus Membership Rewards points are being removed across the ₹1.9 lakh and ₹7 lakh milestones.
Is the ₹20,000 Taj voucher being removed?
No. The ₹20,000 Taj Experiences e-Gift Card at the ₹7 lakh milestone remains unchanged.
Is the ₹4 lakh milestone being devalued?
No. The 10,000 bonus Membership Rewards points at ₹4 lakh remain unchanged.
What is the new lounge access requirement?
From 1 October 2026, you need ₹1 lakh of eligible spending in the previous calendar quarter to receive up to two complimentary domestic lounge visits in the following quarter.
What happens to lounge access in October 2026?
For October-December 2026, you need ₹70,000 of eligible spending between July and September 2026.
Does the transaction date matter for the milestone?
Yes. American Express will use the settlement date, not simply the date on which you made the transaction.
Should I still spend ₹1.9 lakh on the Platinum Travel?
Not automatically. Since the 7,500-point milestone is being removed, it is worth comparing the rewards from alternative cards before routing spending to Platinum Travel purely to reach ₹1.9 lakh.
What is the settlement date?
The settlement date is when a transaction is processed and officially posted to your card account. This usually happens within 24–48 hours, but the timeframe can vary.
8. Great.Cards Take
With 30,000 milestone points removed and lounge access becoming spend-based, cardholders have fewer reasons to blindly chase the old milestones.
Before putting your next spend on the card, run the numbers.