American Express Membership Rewards Credit Card Review
A low joining fee, strong monthly milestone bonuses, and a renewal fee that disciplined spenders can waive entirely — reviewers often rate it above some premium cards.
Quick facts
50% of the renewal fee is waived on ₹90,000–₹1,49,999 annual spend, and it is fully waived once annual spend crosses ₹1.5 lakh in the preceding membership year.
Fees and reward rates
4,000 Membership Rewards welcome bonus points, plus 5,000 MR points on first-year renewal once the annual fee is paid.
| Charge | Amount |
|---|---|
| Joining fee (first year) | ₹1,000 + GST |
| Renewal fee (second year onwards) | ₹4,500 + GST |
| Renewal fee on ₹90,000–₹1,49,999 spend | 50% waived |
| Renewal fee on ₹1.5 lakh+ spend | 100% waived |
| Cash withdrawal fee | 3.5% of amount, minimum ₹250 |
| Forex mark-up | 3.5% of transaction value |
| Spend category | Reward rate |
|---|---|
| Base spends | 1 MR point per ₹50 |
| Amex Reward Multiplier portal | 2 MR points per ₹50 |
| Fuel, insurance, utilities, cash & EMI conversions | No MR points |
- 1,000 bonus MR points for 4 transactions of ₹1,500 or more in a calendar month (enrolment required)
- Additional 1,000 bonus MR points for spending ₹20,000 or more in the same calendar month (enrolment required)
What else you get
Redeem points through the 18 and 24 Karat Gold Collection for vouchers from Taj, Amazon, Flipkart and more
Zero convenience fee on HPCL fuel purchases below ₹5,000
15% discount at select partner restaurants
Zero lost-card liability when reported within 3 working days
Points never expire as long as the account is active and in good standing
Eligibility
| Criteria | Requirement |
|---|---|
| Age | 18 years and above |
| Income (salaried) | ₹6 lakh gross annual income and above |
| Income (self-employed) | ₹6 lakh gross annual income and above |
| Credit history | CIBIL score of 750 or above is typically expected |
| Residency | Resident Indian with a savings/current account at an Indian or multinational bank |
American Express periodically pauses new applications in certain cities, and cards are issued mainly in metro and Tier-1/Tier-2 locations — confirm current city availability on the official American Express India site before applying.
Verdict
What works
- Low ₹1,000 joining fee with a fully achievable 100% renewal fee waiver
- Two stackable monthly milestone bonuses worth up to 2,000 MR points combined
- Reviewers consistently rate the effective rewards rate above several premium cards when milestones are met
- Amex's customer service is widely regarded as best-in-class
What to watch for
- No rewards on fuel, insurance, utilities or cash transactions
- No airport lounge access at all
- Milestone bonuses require one-time enrolment that's easy to miss
- Renewal fee jumps to ₹4,500 if the ₹90,000 spend floor isn't met
FAQs
How do I get the Amex MRCC renewal fee waived?
What are the MRCC's monthly milestone bonuses?
Does the Amex MRCC offer airport lounge access?
Is Amex MRCC better than the SmartEarn card?
Compare more American Express cards
See the full American Express India lineup on SearchLocally.in.