Introduction

How about your regular spends getting you a 7–8% reward rate, which can be converted into luxury stays at Taj or
Marriott hotels and/or taking Singapore Airlines flights? We are talking about the American Express Membership
Rewards Credit Card (MRCC). It is an entry-level American Express credit card that packs serious punch, provided you
know how to play it right. In this article, we will explore the details of the American Express Membership Rewards
Credit Card (MRCC). We will understand the card’s features and benefits, rewards structure, redemption options, how
to earn a 7–8% reward rate, etc.

The American Express Membership Rewards Credit Card (MRCC) is an excellent entry point into the premium world of
American Express. While it may not be a heavy metal card like its ultra-premium siblings, it carries the
distinctive, globally recognised American Express logo, a sign of quality service and financial prestige. Holding
this card offers an experience that goes beyond mere transaction, delivering a premium feel and signaling that you
belong to an exclusive club. It is engineered for the savvy spender who seeks to maximise everyday rewards through a
well-defined milestone structure.

American Express Membership Rewards Credit Card

Joining Fees: 1000

Renewal Fees: 4500

Reward Percentage: 0.02

Best For: Shopping

Category Of Card: Rewards

• Welcome Benefit:

  Welcome benefit of 4,000 Bonus Membership RPs can be availed on settling the joining fee of Rs. 1,000 and spending of Rs 15,000 within the first 90 days of the card issuance.

• Renewal Benefits:

  The Annual Membership Renewal fee of Rs.4500 will be 100% waived off if total spends on American Express Credit Card in the immediately preceding membership year is Rs.1,50,000 and above; else 50% annual membership renewal fee will be waived off if total spends on American Express Credit Card in the immediately preceding membership year is Rs.90,000 to Rs.1,49,999.

• Usps:

  BONUS MEMBERSHIP REWARDS POINTS, Monthly Spend Milestone, ADDITIONAL REWARDS ON CARD RENEWAL, AMERICAN EXPRESS EMI

Apply Now More Details

Pros:

• Annual fee waiver on meeting the spending threshold.
• Points redemption options across travel, luxury brands, and Gold Collection.
• Welcome bonus in the form of reward points redeemable for premium vouchers.

Cons:

• Limited acceptance in smaller retail stores compared to Visa/Mastercard.
• No reward points on fuel, utility payments, and insurance spends.
• High renewal fee if spending criteria are not met.
• Base reward rate is lower compared to other premium cards.

Overview Table

Fees & Benefits

The joining fee is Rs. 1,000 + Taxes.

The cardholder gets a welcome benefit or joining bonus of 4,000 Membership Rewards (MR) points on spending
Rs. 15,000 within 90 days of card membership.

The renewal fee is Rs. 4,500 + Taxes.

The cardholder will get 5,000 MR points for 1st year renewal, on payment of the annual fee. The renewal fee will be
100% waived if the total spends in the previous membership year are Rs. 1,50,000 and above. If the total spends in
the previous membership year are between Rs. 90,000 and Rs. 1,49,999, then 50% of the renewal fee will be waived.

Rewards Structure

The MRCC cardholder can earn MR points through the following ways.

Regular reward earn rate

A cardholder earns 1 MR point for every Rs. 50 spent. Spends on fuel, insurance, utility bills, and EMI conversion
at Point of Sale (POS) are excluded from earning regular MR points.

Milestone reward points

A cardholder can earn bonus MR points by achieving the following 2 spend-based monthly milestones.

The 2nd milestone (earning 1,000 MR points/month for spending Rs. 20,000 or above) requires a one-time registration
at the following link:

MRCC 1,000 MR registration link

The MR points don’t have any validity date. Thus, they never expire. One of the USPs of American Express credit
cards is that their MR points never expire. So, the cardholder is free to accumulate and use them whenever required
without any deadline pressure of redeeming them.

Accelerated reward points with the Reward Multiplier (RM) platform

All American Express credit cardholders can earn accelerated reward points with the Reward Multiplier platform. An
American Express Membership Rewards Credit Card (MRCC) holder can earn 2X reward points for spends through the RM
platform. It means, instead of 1 MR point, the cardholder will earn 2 MR points for every Rs. 50 spent through the
RM platform.

The cardholder can use the RM platform for shopping at merchants/websites under various categories, such as:

The cardholder can use the RM platform to purchase gift cards of 100s of online/offline brands under various
categories. The cardholder can get instant discounts (if any) and earn 2X MR points on the gift vouchers.

Link to Reward Multiplier:

https://www.americanexpress.com/in/benefits/rewards-programs/reward-multiplier/

The maximum number of Bonus MR Points that can be earned through the RM platform is capped at 25,000 Bonus MR
Points per month. The bonus MR Points are credited to the card account within 120 business days from the date of the
valid transaction made on the merchant website/platform.

There is a monthly purchase limit for Amazon Pay Gift Card, Amazon Shopping Voucher, and Flipkart Gift Voucher. A
cardholder (primary and supplementary) can purchase a maximum of Rs. 10,000 worth of vouchers for each of the three
individual brands in a calendar month. A 1.5% convenience fee + GST is charged on the purchase of Amazon Pay and
Amazon Shopping gift vouchers on the RM platform.

Certain transactions are excluded from earning bonus MR points on the RM platform. These can be checked at:

RM Terms & Conditions

Extra rewards on Reward Multiplier

From time to time, American Express comes out with offers that reward cardholders with extra MR points for
transactions done through the Reward Multiplier platform. For example, American Express ran an offer from 24th to
28th January 2025 as part of Republic Day celebrations.

As per the offer, the cardholder got 25 MR points for every Rs. 100 spent across brands/merchants listed on the
Reward Multiplier platform. During such offers, the ongoing 2X MR points on the MRCC are not applicable.
E-vouchers/Gift vouchers purchased through the e-Voucher platform (Gyftr) on Reward Multiplier are not a part of
this offer.

From time to time, American Express keeps coming out with similar bonus MR points offers for the RM platform,
insurance premium payment transactions, etc. Participation in these offers may require prior registration.

Purchasing MR points from American Express

A cardholder can purchase MR points from American Express at the rate of Rs. 0.40 per MR point. A maximum of 10,000
MR points can be purchased in a calendar year. The amount is charged to the cardholder’s account.

Reward Redemption

The MR points earned with the Membership Rewards Credit Card can be redeemed in the following ways:

• Gold Collection
• Transfer to partners
• Purchase of INSTA Vouchers
• Payment of online transactions

These MR points redemption options can be accessed from the ‘Rewards & Benefits’ section of the American Express
Dashboard.

Gold Collection

The Gold Collection has 2 parts to it: 18 Karat Gold Collection and 24 Karat Gold Collection.

18 Karat Gold Collection

Under the 18K Gold Collection, an MRCC cardholder can redeem 18,000 MR points for the following:

24 Karat Gold Collection

Under the 24K Gold Collection, an MRCC cardholder can redeem 24,000 reward points for the following:

The above table shows how an MRCC cardholder can get a redemption value ranging from Rs. 0.33 to Rs. 0.58 per MR
point under the Gold Collection.

Transfer partners

American Express has a tie-up with various airline and hotel partners for the transfer of MR points.

From the above list, the Singapore KrisFlyer and Marriott Bonvoy transfers are popular among American Express credit
cardholders in India.

Purchase of INSTA Vouchers

The cardholder can redeem MR points to purchase INSTA Vouchers of more than 100 online and offline brands. The
redemption value is Rs. 0.25 per MR point.

Payment of online transactions

Payment for online transactions can be done using MR points. The redemption value is Rs. 0.25 per MR point.

From the above-discussed redemption options, transferring MR points to partners like Singapore KrisFlyer and
Marriott Bonvoy can give good redemption value. For example, the points requirement for booking a hotel room through
the Marriott Bonvoy hotel loyalty program is dynamic. The cardholder usually gets a redemption value of Rs. 0.50 to
Rs. 1.0 per point. However, at times, they can get a higher redemption value.

Similarly, the Gold Collection vouchers give a decent redemption value of up to Rs. 0.58 per MR point. You can use
the Reward Calculator Tool to maximise the value of your MR points.

How to earn an up to 8% reward rate

The American Express Membership Rewards Credit Card gives the best reward rate when used for Rs. 2.4 lakhs in a
year. It must be broken down into Rs. 20,000 monthly spends involving 4 transactions of Rs. 1,500 or more per month.
Let us see how you can earn a 7% reward rate and enjoy free stays for a couple of nights at Taj properties every
year for an annual spend of Rs. 2.4 lakhs.

When you spend Rs. 2.4 lakhs (Rs. 20,000/month with 4 transactions of Rs. 1,500 or more per month) in a year with MRCC, you get:

• Base reward rate: 1 MR point for every Rs. 50 spent = 4,800 MR points
• 4 transactions every month of Rs. 1,500 or more = 1,000 MR points/month × 12 = 12,000 MR points
• Spends of Rs. 20,000 or more per month = 1,000 MR points/month × 12 = 12,000 MR points

Total = 28,800 MR points.

Under the 24 Karat Gold Collection, the MR points can be redeemed against Taj vouchers at the rate of Rs. 0.58 per
MR point. Thus, the 28,800 MR points can be redeemed for Taj vouchers of Rs. 16,704.

The redemption value of Rs. 16,704 on annual spends of Rs. 2,40,000 translates into a reward rate of 6.96%, which is
almost 7%.

Note: Taj vouchers can only be redeemed in denominations of Rs. 14,000 against 24,000 MR points. If a card member
wants to buy more than one Taj voucher of Rs. 14,000 each, they will have to redeem in multiples of 24,000 MR
points.

Suppose a person spends 50% of Rs. 2.4 lakhs annual spend through the Reward Multiplier platform. The reward rate will increase to 7.54% as follows:

• Base reward rate for Rs. 1.2 lakhs spends: 1 MR point for every Rs. 50 spent = 2,400 MR points
• Accelerated reward rate for Rs. 1.2 lakhs spends through RM: 2 MR points for every Rs. 50 spent = 4,800 MR points
• 4 transactions every month of Rs. 1,500 or more = 12,000 MR points/year
• Spends of Rs. 20,000 or more per month = 12,000 MR points/year

Total = 31,200 MR points.

Under the 24K Gold Collection, 31,200 MR points can be redeemed for Taj vouchers worth Rs. 18,096. The redemption
value of Rs. 18,096 on annual spends of Rs. 2,40,000 translates into a reward rate of 7.54%.

If an individual spends the entire Rs. 2.4 lakhs in a year through the RM platform (Rs. 20,000 per month involving 4
transactions of Rs. 1,500 or more), the reward rate will increase further to around 8.12%.

How to Apply

The eligibility criteria includes the following:

• The applicant must be over 18 years of age.
• Must have a savings or current account in India.
• Must have a good credit history and no payment defaults.
• Must have a permanent residential address in India.
• Must reside in one of the cities in which American Express credit cards are issued.

The applicant, whether salaried or self-employed, must have a personal annual income of Rs. 6 lakhs or above.

If you apply online through a referral (existing American Express cardholder), you will get a referral bonus of
2,000 MR points.

Optimal Use

The American Express Membership Rewards Credit Card is best for annual expenses of Rs. 2.4 lakhs (Rs. 20,000 monthly
spends with 4 transactions of Rs. 1,500 or above per month). For spends above Rs. 2.4 lakhs, the reward rate falls.
Hence, to optimise the card benefits, use it for annual spends of Rs. 2.4 lakhs. Beyond that, you may switch your
spends to another American Express credit card, like the Platinum Travel Credit Card or Gold Charge Card.

Bonus Tips & Insider Hacks

From time to time, American Express sends spend-based offers. For example, during Diwali, American Express sends a
festive spend-based offer every year. When the cardholder spends the specified amount during the specified period,
they get rewarded with bonus vouchers from brands like Taj, Amazon, Flipkart, etc. These spend-based offers enhance
the overall reward rate by 2 to 5%.

American Express also runs campaigns related to the Reward Multiplier platform. For example, a campaign may offer 5
to 25 MR points for every Rs. 100 spent through the Reward Multiplier platform. During such offers, the usual 2X MR
points offer doesn’t apply. Some campaigns are spend-based, offering a specified gift card for spending a specified
amount through the RM platform.

All the above offers boost the overall return rate on the Amex Membership Rewards Credit Card. As discussed earlier,
the Membership Rewards Credit Card is good for annual spends of Rs. 2.4 lakhs. Beyond that, the cardholder may
switch to another Amex card(s).

Tips to Maximise Rewards

Hit the Monthly Milestones Religiously
Make four transactions of Rs. 1,500 or more each month to earn the bonus 1,000 MR Points. This alone
significantly boosts your effective reward rate.

Enroll for the Rs. 20,000 Bonus
If your monthly expenditure is higher, ensure you enroll for and meet the Rs. 20,000 monthly spend threshold
(in a calendar month) for the additional 1,000 MR Points.

Target Gold Collection Redemptions
Always save your Membership Rewards Points for the 18K or 24K Gold Collection (redemption in multiples of
18,000 or 24,000 points) to get the best value.

Use the Reward Multiplier Portal
Make high-value online purchases (electronics, travel) through the Amex Reward Multiplier portal to earn
accelerated points.

Meet the Annual Fee Waiver Threshold
Aim to spend at least Rs. 1.5 lakh annually to get a 100% waiver on the renewal fee, making the card virtually
free for a high reward return.

Eligibility & Documents

To qualify for the American Express Membership Rewards Credit Card, applicants generally need to meet the following criteria:

CardGenius Verdict

The American Express Membership Rewards Credit Card has a lot of pros and some cons.

Pros:

• High reward rate (combination of base reward rate, milestones, Reward Multiplier, spend-based offers, etc.).
• Good milestones to earn up to 24,000 MR points (2 milestones/month × 1,000 MR points/month × 12 months).
• Good redemption options under the 18K and 24K Gold Collection and travel redemption offers for airmiles and hotel
  loyalty programs.

Cons:

• All American Express credit cards, including Membership Rewards Credit Card, have limited offline acceptance. It
  can be overcome by buying gift vouchers of offline brands from the RM platform at a 2X MR points reward rate along
  with instant discounts (if any).
• There is no complimentary domestic or international airport lounge access.

Who should get this card?

The rewards of this card are for travellers and others looking to redeem MR points for shopping vouchers. So, if you
are a regular traveller, the MRCC rewards can get you Taj and Marriott hotel stays and flights with airlines like
Singapore Airlines. If you are looking for shopping vouchers, the Gold Collection can get you vouchers of Tanishq,
Shoppers Stop, Amazon, Flipkart, Tata CLiQ, Reliance Digital, Myntra, etc.

So, whether you are looking for travel benefits, shopping vouchers, or both, you can go for the American Express
Membership Rewards Credit Card.

FAQ

1) Do utility bills and insurance premium payments earn MR points?

Paying utility bills and insurance premiums directly using the MRCC will not earn MR points. However, the cardholder
can buy Amazon Pay gift vouchers with 2X MR points through the Reward Multiplier platform. The Amazon Pay gift
voucher must then be added to the Amazon Pay wallet. The Amazon Pay balance can be used to pay utility bill payments
and insurance premiums through the Amazon website/App.

2) Is the renewal bonus of 5,000 MR points given every year?

The 5,000 MR points renewal bonus is given only on the first-year renewal. It is given only on payment of the annual
membership fee of Rs. 4,500 + Taxes. If the cardholder has spent Rs. 1,50,000 or more in the first year, the
first-year renewal fee will be waived. In such a case, the first-year renewal bonus of 5,000 MR points will not be
given as it is applicable only when the annual renewal fee is paid.

3) How does the Rs. 20,000 monthly milestone work? Statement cycle basis or calendar month basis?

The Rs. 20,000 monthly milestone works on a calendar month basis. Spends from the 1st of the month till the last
date of the month will be added to arrive at the monthly spend. Similarly, the 4 transactions of Rs. 1,500 or more
also have to be done on a calendar month basis.

4) How can I get a waiver on the MRCC renewal fee?

The annual renewal fee (Rs. 4,500 + Taxes) is 100% waived if your total spending in the immediately preceding card
membership year is Rs. 1,50,000 or more. A 50% waiver is granted if your spending is between Rs. 90,000 and
Rs. 1,49,999.

5) Is there a fuel surcharge on the Amex MRCC?

Yes, there is a Fuel Convenience Fee. However, you receive a 0% convenience fee on fuel purchases less than Rs. 5,000
at HPCL Petrol Pumps. For fuel purchases of Rs. 5,000 and above at HPCL, a 1% convenience fee applies.

6) How do I apply for the American Express MRCC online?

The application process is online through the official American Express website. You need to:

• Visit the American Express India website and select the MRCC.
• Fill out the online application form with personal, contact, and financial details.
• Upload the required KYC documents (ID, Address, and Income proof).

Amex will conduct a credit check and review your application. Approval can take a few days to a couple of weeks.