American Express Credit Cards in India (2026): Bank Cards on Amex

My honest take on American Express credit cards

Two different things carry the Amex name in India, and mixing them up is the most common mistake. Amex as the issuer gives you the card, sets the rewards and sends the bill. Amex as the network only carries the payment, while a bank such as ICICI or SBI owns your fee, rewards, limit and support. Every card in this directory is the second kind. Amex's own cards are not in our active records right now; our American Express issuer guide covers them, along with Platinum Reserve.

So judge these cards on the bank's numbers, not the logo. Most ICICI and SBI points are worth about ₹0.25, so 2 points per ₹100 is about 0.5%. Then check the waiver. SBI Card PRIME waives its ₹2,999 fee at ₹3 lakh a year; at about ₹25,000 a month, mostly on dining and groceries, it returns about ₹9,500. Spend the same ₹3 lakh mostly online and you earn about ₹1,500. Users give two reasons to pick an Amex-network card at all: Amex sale discounts on Amazon and Flipkart, and a second network next to their Visa or Mastercard.

ICICI American Express credit cards: Coral, Rubyx, Sapphiro

ICICI has the most Amex-network cards here, and all three earn 2 points per ₹100 at home. ICICI Coral costs ₹500, waived at ₹1.5 lakh; at ₹2 lakh a year it returns about ₹1,500, or 0.75%. ICICI Rubyx earns about ₹2,250 at ₹3 lakh, with the ₹2,000 fee waived. ICICI Sapphiro needs ₹6 lakh to earn about ₹5,000 and waive its ₹3,500 renewal. On Rubyx and Sapphiro, users report the Amex card often comes paired with a Mastercard on the same account; our records do not confirm which pairings ICICI issues today. Users say Sapphiro is a keeper when it comes lifetime free. See our ICICI credit card guide.

SBI American Express credit cards

PRIME, SBI Card ELITE, PRIME Advantage and the two KrisFlyer cards have an Amex option. None is on RuPay, so none works on UPI. ELITE adds movie tickets worth up to ₹6,000 a year and a 1.99% forex markup, against the 3.5% on most cards here. See every SBI card.

Lounge access and the daily trade-offs

On Coral, Rubyx and Sapphiro, domestic airport lounges need ₹75,000 of spend in the previous quarter, about ₹25,000 a month. Rubyx gives 2 domestic visits a quarter once you clear it. Our Sapphiro lounge list and the lounge access directory go further. Beyond lounges:

• Acceptance. Users report declines at local shops, so keep a Visa, Mastercard or RuPay card.
• 4-digit CVV. Users report checkout errors on apps that accept only three digits.
• No UPI. Only RuPay credit cards link to UPI.

Frequently asked questions

How do I apply for an American Express credit card?

For an Amex-issued card, you apply with American Express directly. For a bank card on the Amex network, you apply with the bank, which decides your eligibility and limit.

What are the ICICI Sapphiro Amex credit card benefits?

Users report it carries Sapphiro's benefits, though our data does not confirm it: 2 points per ₹100 at home, 4 abroad, up to 20,000 milestone points a year and up to 4 domestic lounge visits a quarter after ₹75,000 last-quarter spend.

Does the ICICI Rubyx Amex credit card have lounge access?

Yes, 2 domestic airport visits a quarter, if you spent ₹75,000 in the previous quarter. You also get 8 railway lounge visits a year, and no international access appears in ICICI's details.

Is there a lifetime free Amex-network credit card?

Yes. IndusInd ePay American Express and ICICI Parakram Select (for defence personnel) are lifetime free, and Axis currently shows its Amex Privilege as lifetime free. More in our lifetime free credit cards directory.

This is our honest read, not formal financial advice. Banks change lounge gates and fees often, so check the current terms before you apply.

Credit Card Information Compiled by: Abhijeet Kumar | Reviewed by: Anmol Ratan Sachdeva