Issuer · 6 cards · updated 2026-09-19

American Express credit cards, ranked

Every American Express card scored in rupees for the standard profile – fee incl. GST, net savings, lounge rules and what changed recently.

Best American Express credit card (Sept 2026): American Express Membership Rewards (MRCC) – score 74/100, ₹14,786 net a year for the standard profile; Platinum Travel is next. 6 American Express cards on CardLens: 0 lifetime free, 3 with lounge access.

Standard profile
Scored for Typical Indian cardholder · ₹32k/monthBills paid in full · first-year offers shown separately · set up your profile to score cards for your own spend

Top 3 American Express cards

American Express Membership Rewards (MRCC) credit card
American ExpressAmerican Express

Membership Rewards (MRCC)

74
Net savings₹14,786/yr
Savings rate4.5%
Annual feeWaived ₹5,310
Lounge✈ none

✓ Base rate 1% on other spends earns you about ₹2,426 a year on ₹2,42,640 of spend.

Details
American Express Platinum Travel credit card
American ExpressAmerican Express

Platinum Travel

50
Net savings₹4,386/yr
Savings rate1.3%
Annual feeYou pay ₹5,900
Lounge8 dom

✓ Base rate 1% on other spends earns you about ₹2,426 a year on ₹2,42,640 of spend.

Details
American Express SmartEarn credit card
American ExpressAmerican Express

SmartEarn

42
Net savings₹5,306/yr
Savings rate1.6%
Annual feeWaived ₹584
Lounge✈ none

✓ 10X on Flipkart, Uber, Amazon (cap 500 MR/mo) earns you about ₹2,520 a year on ₹50,400…

Details

All 6 American Express cards

American Express credit cards ranked
#CardScoreNet savings / yrTypeAnnual feeLounge
1American Express Membership Rewards (MRCC) credit cardMembership Rewards (MRCC)American Express74/100₹14,786
4.5% rate
Entry-level · 3.5% forexWaived ₹5,310No lounge access
2American Express Platinum Travel credit cardPlatinum TravelAmerican Express50/100₹4,386
1.3% rate
Travel · 3.5% forexYou pay ₹5,9008 domestic/yr
3American Express SmartEarn credit cardSmartEarnAmerican Express42/100₹5,306
1.6% rate
Entry-level · 3.5% forexWaived ₹584No lounge access
4American Express Gold Charge credit cardGold ChargeAmerican Express40/100₹5,903
1.8% rate
Lifestyle · 3.5% forexYou pay ₹5,310No lounge access
5American Express Platinum Reserve credit cardPlatinum ReserveAmerican Express34/100−₹9,014
-2.8% rate
Premium · 3.5% forexYou pay ₹11,8008 domestic/yr
6American Express Platinum Charge credit cardPlatinum ChargeAmerican Express25/100−₹66,507
-20.4% rate
Super-premium · 3.5% forexYou pay ₹70,800unlimited domestic + unlimited international/yr

Ranked by the open CardLens engine: rewards at realistic redemption value + milestones + waivers − fee incl. 18% GST − forex, for the spend profile stated above. Figures are estimates from public issuer terms – verify on the issuer page before applying. How the score works →

Compare American Express cards

Other banks

Frequently asked questions

Which American Express credit card is best?

For the standard ₹32k/month profile, American Express Membership Rewards (MRCC) scores highest (74/100, ₹14,786 recurring net savings), ahead of Platinum Travel (50). Your own spend can change the order – use Find My Card.

Which American Express credit card is lifetime free?

None of the American Express cards on CardLens is lifetime free; the cheapest renewal fee is ₹584 incl. GST.

Which American Express credit card gives airport lounge access?

Platinum Travel (8 domestic); Platinum Reserve (8 domestic); Platinum Charge (Unlimited domestic).