{"id":615,"date":"2026-08-11T05:13:05","date_gmt":"2026-08-11T05:13:05","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/great.cards\/blog\/?p=615"},"modified":"2026-08-11T09:45:45","modified_gmt":"2026-08-11T09:45:45","slug":"american-express-platinum-travel-card-update","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/great.cards\/blog\/american-express-platinum-travel-card-update\/615","title":{"rendered":"American Express Platinum Travel Card Devaluation: What\u2019s Changing?"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">American Express is devaluing the <a href=\"https:\/\/great.cards\/credit-card-store\/american-express-platinum-travel-credit-card\">American Express Platinum Travel Credit Card<\/a>, with changes to both its milestone rewards and airport lounge access.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The changes will take effect from <strong>10 September 2026<\/strong>, with the lounge changes following from <strong>1 October 2026<\/strong>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading has-large-font-size\">1. TL;DR<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>\u20b91.9 lakh milestone:<\/strong> 7,500 bonus Membership Rewards points removed.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>\u20b94 lakh milestone:<\/strong> 10,000 bonus Membership Rewards points remain unchanged.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>\u20b97 lakh milestone:<\/strong> 22,500 bonus Membership Rewards points removed, but the <strong>\u20b920,000 Taj Experiences e-Gift Card remains<\/strong>.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Overall, cardholders reaching \u20b97 lakh will lose <strong>30,000 bonus Membership Rewards points<\/strong>.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>From <strong>1 October 2026<\/strong>, lounge access will require <strong>\u20b91 lakh eligible spending in the previous calendar quarter<\/strong>.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>For October-December 2026 lounge access, the requirement is <strong>\u20b970,000 spending between July and September 2026<\/strong>.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Milestone eligibility will be based on the <strong>transaction posting date<\/strong>.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading has-large-font-size\">2. What\u2019s Changing?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-table\"><table class=\"has-fixed-layout\"><thead><tr><th>Spend milestone<\/th><th>Current benefit<\/th><th>From 10 September 2026<\/th><\/tr><\/thead><tbody><tr><td>\u20b91.9 lakh<\/td><td>7,500 bonus MR points<\/td><td><strong>Removed<\/strong><\/td><\/tr><tr><td>\u20b94 lakh<\/td><td>10,000 bonus MR points<\/td><td><strong>Unchanged<\/strong><\/td><\/tr><tr><td>\u20b97 lakh<\/td><td>22,500 bonus MR points + \u20b920,000 Taj voucher<\/td><td><strong>\u20b920,000 Taj voucher only<\/strong><\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading has-large-font-size\">3. Lounge Access Changes<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">From <strong>1 October 2026<\/strong>, complimentary domestic lounge access will be linked to quarterly spending.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">To get up to <strong>2 complimentary domestic lounge visits in a calendar quarter<\/strong>, you will need to spend <strong>\u20b91 lakh or more in eligible transactions during the preceding calendar quarter<\/strong>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">For the October-December 2026 quarter, the transition requirement is <strong>\u20b970,000 in eligible spending between July and September 2026<\/strong>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading has-large-font-size\">4. When Do the New Rules Apply?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">American Express will use the <strong>transaction posting date<\/strong> to determine which milestone benefits apply.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>Posted on or before 9 September 2026:<\/strong> Current benefits<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Posted on or after 10 September 2026:<\/strong> Revised benefits<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading has-large-font-size\">5. Is the Platinum Travel Card Still Worth It?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The devaluation makes the card less attractive, particularly for cardholders who previously targeted the \u20b91.9 lakh or \u20b97 lakh milestones.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The <strong>\u20b94 lakh milestone remains unchanged<\/strong>, and the <strong>\u20b920,000 Taj voucher at \u20b97 lakh<\/strong> is still available. However, losing 30,000 milestone points significantly reduces the value available to high spenders.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The new lounge-spend requirement also makes the card less useful for people who don&#8217;t regularly spend \u20b91 lakh per quarter.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">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.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">I\u2019d add it <strong>right after the \u201cIs the Platinum Travel Card Still Worth It?\u201d section<\/strong>, before the FAQ. That makes the CTA feel natural: you\u2019ve explained why the card is weaker, then immediately give readers a way to find an alternative.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading has-large-font-size\">6. Find Your Next Best Card<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">If the Platinum Travel no longer makes sense for your spending, <strong>use Great.Cards to find the next best card for you<\/strong>. Enter your spending across categories and compare the rewards you could earn with other credit cards.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>Find your next best card on <a href=\"https:\/\/great.cards\/categories\">Great.Cards<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading has-large-font-size\">7. FAQs<\/h2>\n\n\n<div id=\"rank-math-faq\" class=\"rank-math-block\">\n<div class=\"rank-math-list \">\n<div id=\"faq-question-1786353638337\" class=\"rank-math-list-item\">\n<h3 class=\"rank-math-question \">What is changing on the Amex Platinum Travel Card?<\/h3>\n<div class=\"rank-math-answer \">\n\n<p>American Express is removing the 7,500-point \u20b91.9 lakh milestone and the 22,500-point \u20b97 lakh milestone. The \u20b94 lakh milestone remains unchanged.<\/p>\n\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div id=\"faq-question-1786353653956\" class=\"rank-math-list-item\">\n<h3 class=\"rank-math-question \">How many Membership Rewards points are being removed?<\/h3>\n<div class=\"rank-math-answer \">\n\n<p>A total of <strong>30,000 bonus Membership Rewards points<\/strong> are being removed across the \u20b91.9 lakh and \u20b97 lakh milestones.<\/p>\n\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div id=\"faq-question-1786353665192\" class=\"rank-math-list-item\">\n<h3 class=\"rank-math-question \">Is the \u20b920,000 Taj voucher being removed?<\/h3>\n<div class=\"rank-math-answer \">\n\n<p><strong>No.<\/strong> The \u20b920,000 Taj Experiences e-Gift Card at the \u20b97 lakh milestone remains unchanged.<\/p>\n\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div id=\"faq-question-1786353679970\" class=\"rank-math-list-item\">\n<h3 class=\"rank-math-question \">Is the \u20b94 lakh milestone being devalued?<\/h3>\n<div class=\"rank-math-answer \">\n\n<p><strong>No.<\/strong> The 10,000 bonus Membership Rewards points at \u20b94 lakh remain unchanged.<\/p>\n\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div id=\"faq-question-1786353691362\" class=\"rank-math-list-item\">\n<h3 class=\"rank-math-question \">What is the new lounge access requirement?<\/h3>\n<div class=\"rank-math-answer \">\n\n<p>From 1 October 2026, you need <strong>\u20b91 lakh of eligible spending in the previous calendar quarter<\/strong> to receive up to two complimentary domestic lounge visits in the following quarter.<\/p>\n\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div id=\"faq-question-1786353700705\" class=\"rank-math-list-item\">\n<h3 class=\"rank-math-question \">What happens to lounge access in October 2026?<\/h3>\n<div class=\"rank-math-answer \">\n\n<p>For October-December 2026, you need <strong>\u20b970,000 of eligible spending between July and September 2026<\/strong>.<\/p>\n\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div id=\"faq-question-1786353713852\" class=\"rank-math-list-item\">\n<h3 class=\"rank-math-question \">Does the transaction date matter for the milestone?<\/h3>\n<div class=\"rank-math-answer \">\n\n<p>Yes. American Express will use the <strong>settlement date<\/strong>, not simply the date on which you made the transaction.<\/p>\n\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div id=\"faq-question-1786353740173\" class=\"rank-math-list-item\">\n<h3 class=\"rank-math-question \">Should I still spend \u20b91.9 lakh on the Platinum Travel?<\/h3>\n<div class=\"rank-math-answer \">\n\n<p>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 \u20b91.9 lakh.<\/p>\n\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div id=\"faq-question-1786353756255\" class=\"rank-math-list-item\">\n<h3 class=\"rank-math-question \">What is the settlement date?<\/h3>\n<div class=\"rank-math-answer \">\n\n<p>The <strong>settlement date is when a transaction is processed and officially posted to your card account<\/strong>. This usually happens within <strong>24\u201348 hours<\/strong>, but the timeframe can vary.<\/p>\n\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading has-large-font-size\">8. Great.Cards Take<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">With <strong>30,000 milestone points removed<\/strong> and lounge access becoming spend-based, cardholders have fewer reasons to blindly chase the old milestones.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>Before putting your next spend on the card, run the numbers.<\/strong><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>American Express is devaluing the American Express Platinum Travel Credit Card, with changes to both its milestone rewards and airport [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":8,"featured_media":616,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"site-sidebar-layout":"default","site-content-layout":"","ast-site-content-layout":"default","site-content-style":"default","site-sidebar-style":"default","ast-global-header-display":"","ast-banner-title-visibility":"","ast-main-header-display":"","ast-hfb-above-header-display":"","ast-hfb-below-header-display":"","ast-hfb-mobile-header-display":"","site-post-title":"","ast-breadcrumbs-content":"","ast-featured-img":"","footer-sml-layout":"","ast-disable-related-posts":"","theme-transparent-header-meta":"","adv-header-id-meta":"","stick-header-meta":"","header-above-stick-meta":"","header-main-stick-meta":"","header-below-stick-meta":"","astra-migrate-meta-layouts":"default","ast-page-background-enabled":"default","ast-page-background-meta":{"desktop":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-5)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"tablet":{"background-color":"","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"mobile":{"background-color":"","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""}},"ast-content-background-meta":{"desktop":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-4)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"tablet":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-4)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"mobile":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-4)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""}},"footnotes":""},"categories":[64],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-615","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-featured"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/great.cards\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/615","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/great.cards\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/great.cards\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/great.cards\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/8"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/great.cards\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=615"}],"version-history":[{"count":3,"href":"https:\/\/great.cards\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/615\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":620,"href":"https:\/\/great.cards\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/615\/revisions\/620"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/great.cards\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/616"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/great.cards\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=615"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/great.cards\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=615"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/great.cards\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=615"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}