Upgrade Your Amex Card and Get 1,35,000 MR Points

[coolguy1]

Amex plans to start 2024 with a grand reward of 1,35,000 MR points when upgrading to a Platinum Charge card.

Users currently holding Amex Platinum Travel, Amex Platinum Reserve and Amex Gold Charge card are getting these offers.
You can see it in the app, refer to the screenshots attached below.

For the heavy spenders, this is a great deal since you get multiple loyal hotel loyal memberships and do anything concierge service.

If you don't spend a lot of money but feel the points can help, you can still upgrade for the points.


If you don't need the points, you can get the Amex Platinum Travel or the Amex MRCC card which remains the best card for monthly spends between 6K-40K.




T&C: https://www.americanexpress.com/con...ts/IA_New_Plat_RCP_Upgrade_Q1_2024_MT_TnC.pdf

 

[card_monarch]

If the goal is to maximize reward points using small transactions, Plat Charge is not the card for you.
However, try spending on 20x reward accelerator platform. you'll need to spend 2K for 1000 reward points.

Agreed, but you can have the best of both - gold charge + platinum charge.. why choose only one?
Of course it depends on person to person and spends and requirements.
I have retained gold charge and upgraded to platinum charge, so have both. Also, next year I now don't need to bother if I choose to close Platinum Charge as woud still retain Gold Charge. With 135k MR points, I will recover more than the fees paid for my planned travel.

 

[ALOAK]

Wait hold on!

How is the Gold Charge Card still staying? They upgraded my GOLD Charge to Plat Charge and are claiming that one cannot have both.

Yes thay is correct and it is as per their tnc

 

[ALOAK]

I actually didn't do anything. I was just trying to negotiate my fees for my Plat Travel since I had now taken their Plat Charge as-well.

Few days later, I received a call stating my Plat Travel is now a companion to the Plat Charge + my MRCC is a companion to my Plat Travel.

So, as long as I have the Plat Charge - both my Plat Travel and MRCC are free.

This is a good news for you.

 

[sahilgulati5]

I basically took the Platinum Charge just for the 1,35,000 membership bonus points. Rest everything is just added bonus.

I can easily translate that 1,35,000 reward points for a ~2 lakh stay in Marriot for the 70,000 I paid them.

Idea is to close this card next year if a similar retention is not provided.

Lucky for me, Gold is still active.

To maximize points this is the best method if you spend let's say 12L a year:

1. 4 x INR 1,500 + INR 14,000 = INR 20,000 a month on MRCC
Gives me 2,400 points a month
28,800 points a year for spending INR 2,40,000 a year

2. 6 x INR 1,000 = INR 6,000 a month on Gold Charge
1,000 points a month
12,000 points a year for spending INR 72,000 a year

3. INR 4,00,000 on Platinum Travel
48,000 points a year for spending INR 4,00,000 a year

For the rest, I spend on Amazon Pay Vouchers using my Platinum Charge on Reward Multiplier (5x rewards)

Do note - Platinum Charge provides 1 point for every INR 40, instead of 1 point for every INR 50 on Gold Charge

I have now spent INR 2,40,000 + INR 72,000 + INR 4,00,000 on MRCC + Gold Charge + Plat Travel = INR 7,12,000

My total pending spends on Platinum Charge = INR 12,00,000 - INR 7,12,000 = INR 4,88,000

Which gives me 12,200 x 5 ((4,88,000/40)*5)) = 61,000 points a year

For spending INR 12,00,000, I am now getting 1,50,000 MR point which I value at INR 1.5 per point at least given my lifestyle and hotel choices.

Note: The bonus is I transfer these 1,50,000 MR points to Marriot at a 1.3x bonus minimum - Hence 1,95,000 MB points for the 1,50,000 AMEX points.

1,95,000 x 1.5 INR per point = INR 2,92,000 value back from spending INR 12,00,000 a year = ~25% value back.

Also note: I have not added the fees for the cards since (MRCC is free, Plat Travel is free, Gold is INR 1,000 a year, Platinum is 70,000 but for which I received 1,35,000 points which I have not taken into consideration for above)

SALAAM!! Hats OFF!!

 

[card_monarch]

Wait hold on!

How is the Gold Charge Card still staying? They upgraded my GOLD Charge to Plat Charge and are claiming that one cannot have both.

If you upgrade gold charge to platinum charge, then your gold charge will be closed. However if you upgrade any credit card (not gold charge) to platinum charge, then you will retain your gold charge and will have 2 charge cards. It's mentioned in the upgrade tnc.

 

[phildunphy]

Finally got my charge card, current holders please give tips if any.

Also can anyone confirm the offer of book 1L through travel desk/service and get X amount of taj voucher, is that offer still going on?

 

[sam609619]

I hold Plat Travel and when I applied for the upgrade via the link they shared, I was asked to do VKYC immediately after submitting the application. If you have a Gold Charge, I think the VKYC may not be needed, but not sure. Check with Customer support in a day if you don't hear anything.

Hey Thanks for the help ,
I got a call from amex today , negotiated with them to make amex plat travel free If i pay fees for amex plat , they agreed , video kyc done , card got approved ,
I din ask for amex mrcc to be free as I achieve that target for fee waiver .

 

[Oscar]

Hey Thanks for the help ,
I got a call from amex today , negotiated with them to make amex plat travel free If i pay fees for amex plat , they agreed , video kyc done , card got approved ,
I din ask for amex mrcc to be free as I achieve that target for fee waiver .

For me, initially they said that making the Plat Travel a companion card wasn't possible. However, they have now requested a 5 day time to reevaluate the possibility.

 

[kshitij_0]

I basically took the Platinum Charge just for the 1,35,000 membership bonus points. Rest everything is just added bonus.

I can easily translate that 1,35,000 reward points for a ~2 lakh stay in Marriot for the 70,000 I paid them.

Idea is to close this card next year if a similar retention is not provided.

Lucky for me, Gold is still active.

To maximize points this is the best method if you spend let's say 12L a year:

1. 4 x INR 1,500 + INR 14,000 = INR 20,000 a month on MRCC
Gives me 2,400 points a month
28,800 points a year for spending INR 2,40,000 a year

2. 6 x INR 1,000 = INR 6,000 a month on Gold Charge
1,000 points a month
12,000 points a year for spending INR 72,000 a year

3. INR 4,00,000 on Platinum Travel
48,000 points a year for spending INR 4,00,000 a year

For the rest, I spend on Amazon Pay Vouchers using my Platinum Charge on Reward Multiplier (5x rewards)

Do note - Platinum Charge provides 1 point for every INR 40, instead of 1 point for every INR 50 on Gold Charge

I have now spent INR 2,40,000 + INR 72,000 + INR 4,00,000 on MRCC + Gold Charge + Plat Travel = INR 7,12,000

My total pending spends on Platinum Charge = INR 12,00,000 - INR 7,12,000 = INR 4,88,000

Which gives me 12,200 x 5 ((4,88,000/40)*5)) = 61,000 points a year

For spending INR 12,00,000, I am now getting 1,50,000 MR point which I value at INR 1.5 per point at least given my lifestyle and hotel choices.

Note: The bonus is I transfer these 1,50,000 MR points to Marriot at a 1.3x bonus minimum - Hence 1,95,000 MB points for the 1,50,000 AMEX points.

1,95,000 x 1.5 INR per point = INR 2,92,000 value back from spending INR 12,00,000 a year = ~25% value back.

Also note: I have not added the fees for the cards since (MRCC is free, Plat Travel is free, Gold is INR 1,000 a year, Platinum is 70,000 but for which I received 1,35,000 points which I have not taken into consideration for above)

1) I am having only MRCC, how can I get Plat Travel for free?
2) How do you value 1 MR equivalent to Rs 1.5?

 

[V5689]

People who have upgraded and received the card, - Can you please update on the timelines till you received the card ( like day 0 - applied, day xyz for received call, VKYC (if yes), approval, delivered and so "

 

[V360V360 is verified member.]

People who have upgraded and received the card, - Can you please update on the timelines till you received the card ( like day 0 - applied, day xyz for received call, VKYC (if yes), approval, delivered and so "

Applied on 13th Jan, approved on 15th Jan, card delivered on 16th Jan

 

[sahilgulati5]

Still 1.35Lakh MR Points there. When i spoke they are saying no such offer is going on

 

[coolguy1]

Still 1.35Lakh MR Points there. When i spoke they are saying no such offer is going on

It's not open to everyone, only those who received the offer in the email/saw it on the app! 🙂

 

[Riya]

Amex plans to start 2024 with a grand reward of 1,35,000 MR points when upgrading to a Platinum Charge card.

Users currently holding Amex Platinum Travel, Amex Platinum Reserve and Amex Gold Charge card are getting these offers.
You can see it in the app, refer to the screenshots attached below.

For the heavy spenders, this is a great deal since you get multiple loyal hotel loyal memberships and do anything concierge service.

If you don't spend a lot of money but feel the points can help, you can still upgrade for the points.


If you don't need the points, you can get the Amex Platinum Travel or the Amex MRCC card which remains the best card for monthly spends between 6K-40K.




T&C: https://www.americanexpress.com/con...ts/IA_New_Plat_RCP_Upgrade_Q1_2024_MT_TnC.pdf

I think Platinum charge card is only for big hotshots ..... Else paying 70k+ as fee is insane for a card... Yeah benefits come along but then one gets stuck with this card and amex acceptability already has issues in India....

 

[ALOAK]

Today I tried using plat travel and gold charge in Thailand at JJ mall and both were not accepted by EDC then I saw they accept master visa JCB and local wallets . Better carry visa or cash as backup if travelling abroad.

Then I started exploring if any accepting amex and none in malls maybe Amex acceptable only in big hotels

 

[1RC]

People who have upgraded and received the card, - Can you please update on the timelines till you received the card ( like day 0 - applied, day xyz for received call, VKYC (if yes), approval, delivered and so "

I had Gold Charge Card:

January 16th - Clicked on upgrade
January 17th - I noticed Amex Gold Charge was replaced with Amex Plat Charge
January 19th - 9:30 am the Plat card was delivered to my office in Gurugram.

Note: No KYC was done. It was a quick simple upgrade.

Btw I still think Axis Magnus Burgundy still gives me more rewards per INR. I am still unable to digest the 70k fee.

 

[Riya]

I had Gold Charge Card:

January 16th - Clicked on upgrade
January 17th - I noticed Amex Gold Charge was replaced with Amex Plat Charge
January 19th - 9:30 am the Plat card was delivered to my office in Gurugram.

Seems like they had the card pre-printed and were waiting for your nod to deliver

 

[1RC]

Seems like they had the card pre-printed and were waiting for your nod to deliver

Bluedart guy called me up at 9 am asking if I'll there in my office. I asked him to leave it at the reception / mail room.
For me it was like BlinkIt. But I think these days cards are issued / replaced quickly. Had similar experiences recently with other banks.

Btw they had both mine and addon cards ready and delivered on the same day.

 

[Riya]

Bluedart guy called me up at 9 am asking if I'll there in my office. I asked him to leave it at the reception / mail room.
For me it was like BlinkIt. But I think these days cards are issued / replaced quickly. Had similar experiences recently with other banks.

I was also about to quote blinkit... 🤣 🤣

 

[1RC]

Primary and Add-on cards were delivered.