The American Express Platinum Reserve credit card is the second most premium offering from Amex in India. It is positioned just below the super-premium Platinum Charge. Amex India recently revamped the rewards and benefits on the the Plat Reserve to make it more rewarding. The Platinum Reserve comes with a joining and annual fee of Rs 10,000. We get 1 MR point per Rs 50 spend and Rs 12,000 worth of gift vouchers as milestone rewards. The benefits on the American Express Platinum Reserve credit card include complimentary airport lounge access, EazyDiner Prime and Accor Plus Traveller memberships.
American Express Platinum Reserve Credit Card Eligibility
Unlike other credit card issuers, Amex has some of the simplest eligibility criteria for its credit cards. To apply for an American Express Platinum Reserve credit card we need:
- CIBIL Score: 750+
- Annual Income: Rs 6 Lakh+
Fees
| Joining Fee | Rs 10,000+GST ~Rs 11,180 |
| Welcome Benefit | 11,000 MR Points + 4000 MR points (via referral) |
| Annual Fee | Rs 10,000+GST ~Rs 11,180 |
| Annual Fee Waiver | On Rs 10 Lakh spends in a membership year |
| Renewal Benefit | None |
| Complimentary Memberships | Accor Plus Traveller, EazyDiner Prime |
The annual fee waiver at Rs 10 Lakh spends is a recent addition. However, even if you do not meet the fee waiver spends you can still call Amex to negotiate for a renewal benefit.
Regular Rewards
| Spend Category | Rewards |
|---|---|
| Retail Spends | 1 MR point/Rs 50 ~1% to 2% |
| Fuel, Utility, Insurance & EMI | No Rewards |
This is the same reward rate that other Amex cards like MRCC, Platinum Travel and Gold Charge get. Considering the fee point of the Plat Reserve, Amex should have given the Gold Charge feature where we earn 1 MR point on fuel and utility spends too. It is surprising that Plat Reserve misses out on that.
The above reward rate is determined based on the assumption that we will transfer out MR points to Marriott Bonvoy or other point transfer partners. In this case, we can get a value from 50 paise to Rs 1 for our MR points.
Milestone Rewards
Instead of bonus MR points for milestone spends, Amex goes with a GV approach for the Plat Reserve milestone rewards. We are sure the cardholders would have appreciated a good MR points milestone benefit as the spend target is set quite high.
- Calendar Month Milestone: Get Rs 1000 gift voucher on spending more than Rs 50,000. Enrolment is mandatory to be eligible for this benefit.
- Gift Voucher options are Flipkart, BookMyShow, MakeMyTrip, Myntra, PVR Cinemas, Shoppers Stop
Amex Platinum Reserve gets 3X on Reward Multiplier
American Express Platinum Reserve credit card gets 3X Membership Reward Points on Reward Multiplier.
- Standard Reward Rate: 1 MR point/Rs 50 ~1% to 2%
- 3X Reward Rate: 5 MR points/Rs 50~3% to 6%
Complimentary EazyDiner Prime Membership
The American Express Platinum Reserve credit card gets EazyDiner Prime membership. We need to call the helpline and ask them to enrol our card into the benefit.
- EayzDiner Prime will get you 25% to 50% discount at participating restaurants
- 2000 EazyPoints as joining bonus
- 2X EazyPoints on EazyDiner spends
Accor Plus Traveller Membership
Accor Plus membership is a new addition on the revalued. We get the Accor Plus Traveller membership that comes with 20 status nights. However, we do not get the dining and stay vouchers that we would have got if purchased directly from Accor Plus. Accor Plus Traveller memberships include:
- Up to 50% off on dining at over 1,400 participating Accor hotel restaurants across Asia Pacific, plus 15% off on drinks in Asia.
- Up to 50% savings with exclusive member offers and hotel packages at more than 1,000 participating Accor hotels in Asia Pacific.
- Members’ Rate at minimum 10% off the best available public room rate Elite membership status with a bonus of 20 Status Nights in ALL – Accor Live Limitless, Accor’s global lifestyle loyalty programme.
- Access to exclusive member events such as celebrity masterclasses, unique wine and dine experiences and more.
Taj Epicure Membership
The Taj Epicure Plus membership is a stripped down version of the Epicure memberships we can buy directly from Taj. There are no free nights but we get some of the benefits. Enter your card details on this portal to enroll.
- 25% discount on food & beverage for dine-in and takeaway
- 25% discount on Qmin food deliveries
- 20% discount on Jivas Spa treatments
- 20% discount on Salon experiences
- Complimentary celebration cake (500 gms) in birthday month
- One-time access to the pool with Lunch & Wine at Rs 3000+GST
- Happy Hours 1:1 at Taj Club valid twice
- 20% discount on stay valid twice
Complimentary Airport Lounge Access
| Airport Lounge Access | Complimentary Visits |
|---|---|
| Domestic Airport Lounge Access | 3 visits/quarter to eligible lounges |
| International Airport Lounge Access | 2 visits/year with Priority Pass |
Fuel Surcharge Waiver
American Express Platinum Reserve credit card gets a 0% convenience fee for HPCL fuel pumps. This is valid for all transactions of value less than Rs 5000. So, you can potentially use your Amex Plat Reserve card at HPCL fuel pumps to hit the milestone. You will not get regular MR points but you will get the milestone bonus.
Other Benefits & Charges
- Fuel Surcharge Waiver: Not available except at HP fuel pumps
- Foreign Currency Markup: 3.5%+GST ~4.13%
Rewards Redemption
There are multiple other options for redeeming the MR points on the Amex Platinum Reserve credit card on the go. These include electronics, luxury and lifestyle products, fashion accessories, and instant gift vouchers for various brands. We can even pay for transactions or book travel using MR points. The MR point value in these options is around 25p per point.
But, you can also redeem your MR points for the Platinum Travel collection or the 18K/24K Gold collection if you have the Platinum Travel or Gold Charge/MRCC. All MR points get pooled into a single account.
Transfer to Airlines/Hotel Loyalty Programs
Amex MR points are also one of the most versatile ones when it comes to using them for airline and hotel loyalty programs. We get multiple transfer partners. But, the most valuable one is Marriott Bonvoy with its 1:1 transfer ratio.
| Partner | Conversion Rate |
|---|---|
| Asia Miles | 800 Points = 400 Asia Miles |
| Club Vistara | 900 Points = 300 Club Vistara Points |
| Emirates Skywards | 800 Points = 400 Emirates Skywards Miles |
| Etihad Guest | 1600 Points = 800 Etihad Guest Miles |
| Hilton Honors | 1000 Points = 900 Hilton Honors Points |
| Marriott Bonvoy | 100 Points = 100 Marriott Bonvoy Points |
| Qatar Privilege Club | 500 Points = 250 Avios |
| Singapore KrisFlyer | 800 Points = 400 KrisFlyer Miles |
| Virgin Atlantic Flying Club | 800 Points = 400 Virgin Points |
Is the Amex Platinum Reserve worth it?
The most rewarding credit cards from Amex are MRCC, Platinum Travel and Gold Charge. These three are also fondly referred to as the ‘Amex Trifecta’ by credit card enthusiasts. When it comes to rewards, the Platinum Reserve is still behind these three cards even after the recent revaluation of its rewards and benefits. While the new Accor Plus Traveller membership is a nice touch, it does not get the stay and dining vouchers that come with the direct purchase. That would have added some value to the card’s benefits.
We feel the 10K annual fee on the Platinum Reserve is still too high considering we can get better rewards with a lesser annual fee using the Amex Trifecta. The USP of the Platinum Reserve was the Centurion Lounge access. Previously, we could access these coveted lounges with Plat Charge as well as Plat Reserve. Amex has not added this benefit back on the Plat Reserve after it was removed in 2023.
American Express Platinum Reserve Credit Card
1 thought on “American Express Platinum Reserve Credit Card Review”
I spent 3,90,000 on 1st November 2021 as my credit limit only 4,00,000 still I was not eligible neither for “Top Spender Offers” nor “Top weekly spender” I just get 2% reward point only.