AMEX

American Express SmartEarn Credit Card

Good for online shopping across multiple brands.

Should you get this?

Conditional fit

Some details need issuer confirmation

Why this card

  • 20 points/₹100 on eligible blinkit, bookMyShow, easeMyTrip, flipkart, myntra, nykaa, select 10X partners, uber, and zomato
  • You spend on blinkit.
Issuer evidence · 3 sources →

Trade-off

The annual fee (₹495) is waived only when eligible annual spend exceeds ₹40,000.

Annual fee ₹495 per year
Rewards 2 pts / ₹100
Lounge access 0 no lounge
Forex markup 3.5% high
Compare with Axis Bank ACE →

Similar tier comparison

Rewards

Earning rules

Detail · from the summary above
ScopeRateEligibilityLimit
General spend2 pts / ₹100Credited as reward points—
Blinkit (domestic)BookMyShow (domestic)EaseMyTrip (domestic)Flipkart (domestic) and more — issuer list applies
  • Myntra (domestic)
  • Nykaa (domestic)
20 pts / ₹100Credited as reward points500 points per month; at 20 pts / ₹100, this lane reaches the cap at ₹2,500 of eligible spend
Select 10X partners20 pts / ₹100Credited as reward points500 points per month; at 20 pts / ₹100, this lane reaches the cap at ₹2,500 of eligible spend
Uber (domestic)20 pts / ₹100Credited as reward points500 points per month; at 20 pts / ₹100, this lane reaches the cap at ₹2,500 of eligible spend
Show all 6 earning rules (2 more)
Zomato (domestic)20 pts / ₹100Credited as reward points500 points per month; at 20 pts / ₹100, this lane reaches the cap at ₹2,500 of eligible spend
Amazon (domestic)10 pts / ₹100Credited as reward points250 points per month; at 10 pts / ₹100, this lane reaches the cap at ₹2,500 of eligible spend

Redemption value

What a Reward Point is worth

  1. Cash redemption value₹0.25 per Reward Point
  2. Catalogue₹0.25 / pt

How to avoid the annual fee

Spend threshold for waiver
Above ₹40K annual eligible spend required for the waiver

Above ₹40K eligible annual spend waives the fee

Reward reality — the earning-rate detail behind the numbers above

Reward reality

Conclusion · what you actually get

Eligible spend

2 points per ₹100 on eligible spend

Verified value

₹0.25 per point

Catalogue

Caps

  • Select 10X partners500 points per month
    Why?

    at 20 pts / ₹100, this lane reaches the cap at ₹2,500 of eligible spend

  • Blinkit (domestic), BookMyShow (domestic), EaseMyTrip (domestic), Flipkart (domestic)500 points per month
    Why?

    at 20 pts / ₹100, this lane reaches the cap at ₹2,500 of eligible spend

  • Amazon (domestic)250 points per month
    Why?

    at 10 pts / ₹100, this lane reaches the cap at ₹2,500 of eligible spend

View full earning rules →

Realisation

Credited as reward points

Costs & fees

Eligibility

Applicant class · age · income

Reported criteria · as stated by sources

Self-employed applicant

Annual personal income
₹6,00,000 or moreissuer-stated
Annual personal income
Above ₹4,50,000secondary

Sources disagree on threshold wording for annual personal income — the rows above state one requirement two ways, not two requirements.

Attestation differs per figure — see each tag

Salaried applicant

Annual personal income
Above ₹4,50,000

Reported by secondary sources · verify with issuer1 other source

Evidence only · excluded from decisions

Spending requirements

Spend gates · caps · milestone thresholds
RequirementAmountPeriodUnlocks
Annual fee waiver₹40,000yearAnnual fee waiver

Reported but unverified

Evidence · not used as this card's figures
Renewal fee
₹495Reported in community/forum sources only · verify with issuer · 1 source

Evidence only · excluded from decisions

Watch outs

Before choosing this card
  • Forex markup is 3.5%, so frequent international spends may be costly.

Estimated usage

Example usage at this monthly spend

₹
  • At this monthly spend, you'd earn: Based on the standard earn rate (2 pts / ₹100). Up to ~1,000 pts/month if the entire spend qualifies. Excluded transactions and category rules earn less. Partner bonuses aren't included.
  • Worth ~₹250 at the conservative redemption floor
  • Fee waiver achievable at this spend
  • Forex cost ~₹1,750 per ₹50k international spend

Illustrative only, using current base rates and snapshot data.

Benefits & charges

Side-by-side facts
Benefits

Lounge Access

Domestic (cardholder)
No complimentary lounge access
International (cardholder)
No international lounge entitlement documented by the issuer Absence of an international claim on the product page is not proof of exclusion. Visa or programme terms may still apply.

Issuer documented · single source · verify on issuer site

Where to verify
  • Operator-verified anchor

Rewards

Base earn
2 points per ₹100 value depends on redemption
Effective return (honest floor)
~0.5% base (conservative redemption) Conservative redemption floor; best documented path is not ranked on.
Headline point value
₹0.25 per Reward Point (Catalogue) Issuer headline channel — full channel grid in Redemption value.
Fees & charges

Fees

Monthly interest rate
3.5% / month
Annual fee
₹495
Joining fee
₹495 · verified 13 Jun 2026
Fee waiver spend
Above ₹40,000 · verified 4 Sept 2026 Annual fee waived on eligible anniversary-year spend above ₹40,000.

International Use

Forex markup
3.5%

Issuer documented · corroborating sources · verify issuer terms before applying

Where to verify
Product tier
Entry-level

Travel & perks

Fuel Benefits

At the pump
  • 1% fuel surcharge waived on transactions of ₹5,000+.
  • Fuel transactions do not earn reward points.

Fine print & compare

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The fine print

Caps · exclusions · earning · redemption · last refresh
Caps & limits: 10
  • Blinkit cap: 500 points per month; at 20 pts / ₹100, this lane reaches the cap at ₹2,500 of eligible spend.
  • BookMyShow cap: 500 points per month; at 20 pts / ₹100, this lane reaches the cap at ₹2,500 of eligible spend.
  • EaseMyTrip cap: 500 points per month; at 20 pts / ₹100, this lane reaches the cap at ₹2,500 of eligible spend.
  • Flipkart cap: 500 points per month; at 20 pts / ₹100, this lane reaches the cap at ₹2,500 of eligible spend.
  • Myntra cap: 500 points per month; at 20 pts / ₹100, this lane reaches the cap at ₹2,500 of eligible spend.
  • Nykaa cap: 500 points per month; at 20 pts / ₹100, this lane reaches the cap at ₹2,500 of eligible spend.
  • Select 10X partners cap: 500 points per month; at 20 pts / ₹100, this lane reaches the cap at ₹2,500 of eligible spend.
  • Uber cap: 500 points per month; at 20 pts / ₹100, this lane reaches the cap at ₹2,500 of eligible spend.
  • Zomato cap: 500 points per month; at 20 pts / ₹100, this lane reaches the cap at ₹2,500 of eligible spend.
  • Amazon cap: 250 points per month; at 10 pts / ₹100, this lane reaches the cap at ₹2,500 of eligible spend.

Exclusions

These spends do not earn reward points.

Financial

  • Fuel

Latest update

  • Annual fee: ₹495.
  • Forex markup currently listed at 3.5%.
  • No complimentary lounge access.

Common questions

From verified card facts

Is this good for lounge access?

No lounge access.

Is this good for international spends?

Forex markup is 3.5%, so frequent international spends may be costly.

Is the annual fee easy to recover?

Fee waiver applies above ₹40,000 annual spend. Verify eligible spend exclusions before counting on it.

When do welcome benefits arrive?

A welcome benefit is listed. Included items: ₹500 gift voucher — welcome; joining fee required; spend 10000 in 90 days. Timing may depend on joining fee payment, card activation, first eligible transaction, or issuer processing.

Learn

Learn more

Guides matched to this card — not a random syllabus.

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Last refreshed 6 Sept 2026 moneymatters.cards Change look saved in this browser only
Important

Data compiled from issuer and public information. Details may change — verify with issuer. Reference data, not financial advice.

Money Matters is an independent comparison and information service. It is not affiliated with, sponsored by, or endorsed by any bank or card issuer. Card and issuer names are trademarks of their respective owners and are used here only to identify the products being compared.