Membership Rewards (MRCC)
✓ Base rate 1% on other spends earns you about ₹2,426 a year on ₹2,42,640 of spend.
Issuer · 6 cards · updated 2026-09-19
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.
✓ Base rate 1% on other spends earns you about ₹2,426 a year on ₹2,42,640 of spend.
✓ Base rate 1% on other spends earns you about ₹2,426 a year on ₹2,42,640 of spend.
| # | Card | Score | Net savings / yr | Type | Annual fee | Lounge |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Membership Rewards (MRCC)American Express | 74/100 | ₹14,786 4.5% rate | Entry-level · 3.5% forex | Waived | No lounge access |
| 2 | Platinum TravelAmerican Express | 50/100 | ₹4,386 1.3% rate | Travel · 3.5% forex | You pay ₹5,900 | 8 domestic/yr |
| 3 | SmartEarnAmerican Express | 42/100 | ₹5,306 1.6% rate | Entry-level · 3.5% forex | Waived | No lounge access |
| 4 | Gold ChargeAmerican Express | 40/100 | ₹5,903 1.8% rate | Lifestyle · 3.5% forex | You pay ₹5,310 | No lounge access |
| 5 | Platinum ReserveAmerican Express | 34/100 | −₹9,014 -2.8% rate | Premium · 3.5% forex | You pay ₹11,800 | 8 domestic/yr |
| 6 | Platinum ChargeAmerican Express | 25/100 | −₹66,507 -20.4% rate | Super-premium · 3.5% forex | You pay ₹70,800 | unlimited 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 →
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.
None of the American Express cards on CardLens is lifetime free; the cheapest renewal fee is ₹584 incl. GST.
Platinum Travel (8 domestic); Platinum Reserve (8 domestic); Platinum Charge (Unlimited domestic).