American Express relaxes policy for Mumbai lounge access

It has been roughly about ten months since American Express opened their Mumbai Airport Domestic Lounge to cardmembers. I’ve been using the lounge for a while now, and it is always a good place to be, given the proximity to the gates and the fresh meals they prepare for their Platinum and Centurion Cardmembers. In fact, the American Express lounge opening up in Mumbai again was one significant consideration in getting the American Express Platinum Card for us.

a man standing at a desk in front of a glass wall

For this lounge, the admittance policy was that the Centurion Cardmembers could bring two guests free of charge together departing on a same-day flight as the Cardmember, while Platinum Charge Cardmembers were not able to bring any guests for complimentary access. Platinum Reserve Credit Cardmembers were also not able to bring any guests free as well. For any guests on a chargeable basis, an amount of INR 2000 plus taxes is payable.

a room with chairs and tables

However, this policy has now been relaxed. I was at the Lounge on Saturday, October 18, 2019, and while we were pulling out two cards to access the lounge, the lounge manager informed me that the policy was changed just a day before, and now on, one Platinum Cardmember could bring in two additional guests on a same-day departure as well on their card.

While this policy has not been updated on the relevant websites at the moment, Shipra and I were able to use just one card to access the lounge on Saturday. The authentication amount of INR 2 was charged twice over, and that was it.

Remember, the American Express Platinum Card is on offer with 110,000 Membership Rewards points, and grants the Cardmember and supplementary Cardmembers access to the Amex Lounges in India and abroad, apart from a vast range of other lounges as well, including Lufthansa Lounges in Frankfurt and Munich.

Have you used the American Express Platinum Card for access at the Mumbai Lounge with more than one person accessing the lounge on the same card? 


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About Ajay

Ajay Awtaney is the Founder and Editor of Live From A Lounge (LFAL), a pioneering digital platform renowned for publishing news and views about aviation, hotels, passenger experience, loyalty programs, travel trends and frequent travel tips for the Global Indian. He is considered the Indian authority on business travel, luxury travel, frequent flyer miles, loyalty credit cards and travel for Indians around the globe. Ajay is a frequent contributor and commentator on the media as well, including ET Now, BBC, CNBC TV18, NDTV, Conde Nast Traveller and many other outlets.

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Comments

  1. @Ajay, I am a primary Platinum Reserve Card Holder and asked in the AmEx Lounge in Mumbai Airport if they would allow my wife (who holds a supplementary platinum reserve card) along me as a guest and they clearly said only the primary cardholder is allowed and no one else can access the lounge free of charge (Rs. 2600 per guest is what they said). So not sure of the lounge access policy has been relaxed.

    • @Sanjay, where does the post say that your credit card was eligible for access with a +1? Just because your card has the word Platinum in it does not mean it is the Platinum Charge card, kind sir.

  2. Can Primary Platinum Reserve Card Holder bring 1 guest along or can Primary & Secondary Card Holder get lounge access?

    As of now they don’t allow Secondary Card Holder to access Lounge unless you pay.

  3. @ Ajay very good information. Does this applicable only to platinum primary card member or even supplementary card member can bring two guest.?

  4. @Ajay, Won’t it better to clarify to call out relaxation is in terms of no. of guests you can bring and the fact that its only for the Platinum Card (no impact for Plat Reserve Card holders) within the title?

    Honestly, I got excited there for a min. 🙁

  5. This was already permitted at the lounge inside international terminal. While was refused at Munich airport.

    • I think Lufthansa lounge access works only if you are flying Lufthansa in any class.

      The policy to allow 2 guest for Platinum Card members was universal (as mentioned in American Express US website) and they are only implementing it in India to standardise.

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