Bank rewards · By Patrick Karsh ·
American Express is changing how Membership Rewards points work for its cardholders in India. According to Amex India's update page, most of the changes take effect on November 15, 2026. Some deadlines come sooner, starting October 27.
The biggest change is that points will be kept separately for each card. If you hold more than one Amex card in India, you can no longer treat your points as one pool.
Points tracked by card
From November 15, cardholders with two or more Basic Cards will see a separate Membership Rewards balance on each card. Amex says existing points will be split according to each card's balance. You will have to redeem from the balance on the right card, and moving points between your own cards is "permanently discontinued."
Amex says the earn rates and redemption options themselves do not change. The value of points for its Select and Redeem option also stays the same.
This matters most for anyone who earns on one card and redeems through another. After November 15, each card's points stay with that card.
Paying a bill with points
Redemptions also move to the new Amex Mobile App. For a statement credit, points will now apply to your total outstanding balance at once, rather than to single transactions you pick.
The minimum redemption is 1,000 points. The most you can use is the lower of your points or your balance. If points cover only part of the bill, you still need to pay the Minimum Amount Due. If they cover the Total Amount Due, you do not.
Milestones and late payments
Monthly milestone bonuses will be based on when a charge posts, not when you made it. Amex gives an example: a purchase on November 30 that posts in December counts toward December. Milestone points will be credited by the end of the month you qualify. This applies to the Platinum Reserve, Platinum Travel, Gold, Membership Rewards Credit Card and SmartEarn cards, among others listed.
Late payments now carry a points penalty. If a payment is still overdue when your next statement is generated, you stop earning points on that card from that statement date. You also cannot redeem until the overdue amount is paid. Existing points are not lost, and only the overdue card is affected.
Fee waiver and extra cards
The Membership Rewards Credit Card loses its 50% annual fee waiver for spending ₹90,000 or more in a membership year, from November 15.
New Supplementary Card applications pause from October 27, 2026. Amex says you must apply by then and finish the application by November 3. New Account Cards are also ending, on the same timeline, though one FAQ on the page gives November 15 as the date. Confirm with Amex if this affects you. Amex also warns of service disruptions from November 11 to 16.
What to do now
If you hold several Amex cards in India, decide now where you want your points. Amex describes the end of transfers between your cards as part of the November 15 change, so check in the app whether you can still pool points on the card you redeem most from. If you plan to add a family member, apply before October 27.
Our Membership Rewards page covers the US program. Points Frog shows values in Indian rupees as well as US dollars, so you can use the calculator there to compare your balance.
My take
The per-card split is the change I would act on first. If I had points spread across cards, I would try to pool them before November 15. After that, each balance is on its own.