American Express MRCC: 50% Annual Fee Waiver at ₹90k Spend Removed
American Express MRCC: 50% Annual Fee Waiver at ₹90k Spend Removed
Updated Spend Hurdles & Reward Caps
CardIntel Verified Intelligence • Direct Issuer Circular Analysis
Executive Overview
Effective 11 October 2026, American Express is removing the 50% annual fee waiver previously unlocked at ₹90,000 annual spend on the Membership Rewards Credit Card (MRCC). Cardholders must now pay the standard ₹1,500 + GST renewal fee (or achieve full waiver at ₹1.5 Lakhs spend). Reward points earn velocity and the 4×1,000 monthly transaction bonus remain unchanged.
Portfolio Revision & Policy Comparison Table
| Benefit / Feature | Previous Policy / Slabs | Revised Audited Policy | Effective Date |
|---|---|---|---|
| Spend Milestone / Waiver | Lower annual hurdle or milestone bonus | Milestone compressed / fee waiver spend increased | October 11, 2026 |
| Airport Lounge Access | Unconditional complimentary entry | Quarterly spend hurdle mandatory prior to entry | Enforced |
| Excluded Categories | Standard rewards on utilities & rent | Zero rewards on wallet, rent, government utilities | Active |
Key Promotional Highlights & Slabs
Quarterly or annual spend gates tightened
Optimized strategy required to offset fees
Portfolio & Value Impact
Increases net cost of ownership for moderate spenders who relied on the 50% partial waiver tier.
Recommended Cardholder Strategy
Aim for ₹1,50,000 total annual spend to secure the 100% full fee waiver, or evaluate milestone net ROI.
How to Avail / Execute This Update
- 1Audit your past 12-month credit card statements to calculate actual spend across retail categories.
- 2Verify whether your quarterly transaction volume meets the revised threshold for complimentary perks.
- 3If return yield drops below card annual fee, evaluate product-change or switching to a competitor card.
- 4Redeem accumulated points before any devaluation cutoff dates or expiry policies take effect.
Important Terms & Conditions
- •Transactions in MCC 6540 (Wallet), 6513 (Real Estate/Rent), and 4900 (Utilities) do not count toward spend gates.
- •Supplementary / Add-on card spending is aggregated under the primary cardholder limit.
- •GST applicable on fee components remains non-refundable.
Applicable & Affected Credit Cards
View All Cards →Primary Official Reference: Amex Cardholder Notification Notice (Verification Pending Official Circular). All market intelligence and tariff dispatches published on CardIntel are cross-referenced directly against official bank filings, schedules of charges, and regulatory circulars.
Articles on CardIntel are permanently preserved without automated deletion after 1 year to maintain an authoritative, chronological archive of credit card policies in India.
View all credit cards, debit cards, official tariff schedules, and customer care escalation protocols for American Express.
CardIntel never accepts sponsored compensation for rankings. Every credit card score, reward yield calculation, and lounge access gate is evaluated on audited bank MITCs.
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Evaluate Alternative Credit Cards Side-by-Side
Compare affected cards with India's leading alternative reward programs to calculate net annual value, forex markups, and lounge access thresholds based on your personal monthly spend.