Editor’s note: This is a recurring post, regularly updated with new information and offers. Last Updated 25th April 2024.
Overview
AMEX Rewards Multiplier is an online program designed for AMEX card holders so that they multiply their Membership Reward (MR) points earnings. AMEX users can do the following things via the portal.
Air Ticket Bookings
Hotels Bookings
Affiliate Shopping
Purchasing Instant Vouchers
All the merchant offers are dynamic and thus keep on changing occasionally. So always check the T&Cs before making a purchase.
Reward Rate
Customers shall get respective bonus reward points/cashback on their credit card account within 150 days from the date of the transaction.
The above reward rates can only be achieved if you hold at least one AMEX Gold Collection card out of the AMEX MRCC or the AMEX Gold Charge card so that you can do redemptions for 18Karat and 24Karat gold collection options.
Bottomline
AMEX Rewards Multiplier is the best way to accelerate your reward rate which is generally very slow on most of their cards. Most of the AMEX Gold Charge and AMEX MRCC users use the portal to purchase instant vouchers every month to complete the monthly milestones. Other than that you can also use AMEX Platinum Travel if you have some big ticket shopping and double dip with its yearly ₹4L milestone.
I had earlier reviewed the HDFC SmartBuy program and will further be reviewing the Axis Edge Rewards and Grab Deals portals so that you can make a conscious choice of making your purchases via the highest rewarding portal for your purchases.
What is your favourite way of using the AMEX Rewards Multiplier portal? Do let us know in the comments below!
Editor’s note: This is a recurring post, regularly updated with new information and offers. Last Updated 24th April 2024.
SBI cards have recently launched three miles-focussed credit cards. The variants are named SBI Miles, SBI Miles Prime and SBI Miles Elite which is the topmost version.
Here’s everything you wish to know about the base variant called the SBI Miles Credit Card.
*1500 Travel Credits will be credited on spends of ₹30,000 within 60 days of card issuance.
Just like the other two cards in the lineup, there is no incentive for renewal against the annual fee.
Reward Points Accrual
Spends Area
Reward Rate
Travel
2 Travel Credits per ₹200
All other Spends*
1 Travel Credits per ₹200
*Except for Fuel, Rental Payments, Utility, Insurance, Wallets and Education.
Reward points are valid only for 2 years from the date of accumulation
Milestone Benefits
Get an additional Domestic Lounge visit to Priority Pass lounges over and above the complimentary domestic limits with every spend of ₹1 Lakh maximum of up to 8 visits in a year.
Earn 5,000 Bonus Travel Credits on annual spends of ₹5 Lakh
Reward Points Redemption
Modes of Redemption
Value per point
Reward Rate
AirMiles/ Hotel Loyalty Points
1 Travel Credit = Upto 1 Airmile/Hotel Loyalty Point
Up to 1% (Travel) Up to 0.5% (All other Spends)
Travel Booking
1 Travel Credit = ₹0.5
0.5% (Travel) 0.25% (All other Spends)
Merchandise
1 Travel Credit = ₹0.25
0.25% (Travel) 0.125% (All other Spends)
SBI has brought in a host of new transfer partners with a mixed bag of transfer ratios. Some of the partners are eligible for 1:1 whereas others are at 2:1.
Access Via – Credit Card Complimentary Domestic Limit – 4 Visits/Calendar year within India only for primary cardholder (Maximum 2/Qtr) Network – MasterCard/Rupay
Access Via – Priority Pass Complimentary Domestic Limit – Up to 8 Visits/Calendar year for primary as well as guests on every spend of ₹1 Lakh Complimentary International Limit – NIL
Priority Pass membership is valid only for the first 2 years.
If you exceed the 6 Complimentary visits, you will be charged US $27 + GST per visit.
Fuel Surcharge Waiver
1% fuel surcharge waiver max up to ₹500 per month.
Insurance Coverage
Accidental air death cover worth ₹1 Crore
Emergency overseas hospitalization: up to ₹15 lakhs
Lost Card Liability Cover: Upto ₹1 lakh
Up to 6 flight cancellations per year, each limited to ₹ 3,500
Forex Markup Charges
FCY Markup Fee: 3%+GST
Reward Rate: 0.5%
Net: –2.86% (loss)
TechnoFino Recommends
The card just like the other two in the series is poorly rewarding whether it’s the joining benefits, renewal benefits or the earning rate. The market is loaded with better cards like Axis Atlas which beats even the elite version hands down. The only USP is the spending-based complimentary domestic lounge access to select lounges accessible only via PP which are now exclusive to cards like HDFC Infinia, HDFC Diners Club Black and AMEX Platinum after the devaluation of Priority Passes of Axis Magnus and Axis Reserve.
What are your thoughts about this card? Feel free to share in the comments below.
Editor’s note: This is a recurring post, regularly updated with new information and offers. Last Updated 24th April 2024.
SBI cards have recently launched three miles-focussed credit cards. The variants are named SBI Miles, SBI Miles Prime and SBI Miles Elite which is the topmost version.
Here’s everything you wish to know about the mid-tier variant the SBI Miles Prime.
*3000 Travel Credits will be credited on spends of ₹60,000 within 60 days of card issuance.
Just like SBI Miles Elite, there is no incentive for renewal against the annual fee.
Reward Points Accrual
Spends Area
Reward Rate
Travel
4 Travel Credits per ₹200
All other Spends*
2 Travel Credits per ₹200
*Except for Fuel, Rental Payments, Utility, Insurance, Wallets and Education.
Reward points are valid only for 2 years from the date of accumulation
Milestone Benefits
Get an additional Domestic Lounge visit to Priority Pass lounges over and above the complimentary domestic limits with every spend of ₹1 Lakh maximum of up to 12 visits in a year.
Earn 10,000 Bonus Travel Credits on annual spends of ₹8 Lakh
Reward Points Redemption
Modes of Redemption
Value per point
Reward Rate
AirMiles/ Hotel Loyalty Points
1 Travel Credit = Upto 1 Airmile/Hotel Loyalty Point
Up to 2% (Travel) Up to 1% (All other Spends)
Travel Booking
1 Travel Credit = ₹0.5
1% (Travel) 0.5% (All other Spends)
Merchandise
1 Travel Credit = ₹0.25
0.5% (Travel) 0.25% (All other Spends)
SBI has brought in a host of new transfer partners with a mixed bag of transfer ratios. Some of the partners are eligible for 1:1 whereas others are at 2:1.
Access Via – Credit Card Complimentary Domestic Limit – 8 Visits/Calendar year within India only for primary cardholder (Maximum 2/Qtr) Network – MasterCard/Rupay
Access Via – Priority Pass Complimentary Domestic Limit – Up to 12 Visits/Calendar year for primary as well as guests on every spend of ₹1 Lakh Complimentary International Limit – 4 Visits/Calendar year only for primary cardholder (Maximum 2/Qtr)
Priority Pass membership is valid only for the first 2 years.
If you exceed the 6 Complimentary visits, you will be charged US $27 + GST per visit.
Fuel Surcharge Waiver
1% fuel surcharge waiver max up to ₹500 per month.
Insurance Coverage
Accidental air death cover worth ₹1 Crore
Emergency overseas hospitalization: up to ₹15 lakhs
Lost Card Liability Cover: Upto ₹1 lakh
Up to 6 flight cancellations per year, each limited to ₹ 3,500
Forex Markup Charges
FCY Markup Fee: 2.50%+GST
Reward Rate: 1%
Net: –1.95% (loss)
TechnoFino Recommends
The card just like the other two in the series is poorly rewarding whether it’s the joining benefits, renewal benefits or the earning rate. The market is loaded with better cards like Axis Atlas which beats even the elite version hands down. The only USP is the spending-based complimentary domestic lounge access to select lounges accessible only via PP which are now exclusive to cards like HDFC Infinia, HDFC Diners Club Black and AMEX Platinum after the devaluation of Priority Passes of Axis Magnus and Axis Reserve.
What are your thoughts about this card? Feel free to share in the comments below.
Editor’s note: This is a recurring post, regularly updated with new information and offers. Last Updated 24th April 2024.
SBI cards have recently launched three miles-focussed credit cards. The variants are named SBI Miles, SBI Miles Prime and SBI Miles Elite which is the topmost version.
Here’s everything you wish to know about the Elite version of this card.
*5000 Travel Credits will be credited on spends of ₹1,00,000 within 60 days of card issuance.
The welcome benefits are the same as the Axis Atlas, which now comes with 2500 Edge Miles and can be converted at 2:1 but with no spending condition. SBI should have given an incentive for renewal since paying such a hefty fee without any benefits makes no sense.
Reward Points Accrual
Spends Area
Reward Rate
Travel
6 Travel Credits per ₹200
All other Spends*
2 Travel Credits per ₹200
*Except for Fuel, Rental Payments, Utility, Insurance, Wallets and Education.
Reward points are valid only for 2 years from the date of accumulation
Milestone Benefits
Get an additional Domestic Lounge visit to Priority Pass lounges over and above the complimentary domestic limits with every spend of ₹1 Lakh maximum of up to 15 visits in a year.
Earn 20,000 Bonus Travel Credits on annual spends of ₹12 Lakh
Reward Points Redemption
Modes of Redemption
Value per point
Reward Rate
AirMiles/ Hotel Loyalty Points
1 Travel Credit = Upto 1 Airmile/Hotel Loyalty Point
Up to 3% (Travel) Up to 1% (All other Spends)
Travel Booking
1 Travel Credit = ₹0.5
1.5% (Travel) 0.5% (All other Spends)
Merchandise
1 Travel Credit = ₹0.25
0.75% (Travel) 0.25% (All other Spends)
SBI has brought in a host of new transfer partners with a mixed bag of transfer ratios. Some of the partners are eligible for 1:1 whereas others are at 2:1.
Access Via – Credit Card Complimentary Domestic Limit – 8 Visits/Calendar year within India only for primary cardholder (Maximum 2/Qtr) Network – MasterCard/Rupay
Access Via – Priority Pass Complimentary Domestic Limit – Up to 15 Visits/Calendar year for primary as well as guests on every spend of ₹1 Lakh Complimentary International Limit – 6 Visits/Calendar year only for primary cardholder (Maximum 2/Qtr)
Priority Pass membership is valid only for the first 2 years.
If you exceed the 6 Complimentary visits, you will be charged US $27 + GST per visit.
Fuel Surcharge Waiver
1% fuel surcharge waiver max up to ₹500 per month.
Insurance Coverage
Accidental air death cover worth ₹1 Crore
Emergency overseas hospitalization: up to ₹15 lakhs
Lost Card Liability Cover: Upto ₹1 lakh
Forex Markup Charges
FCY Markup Fee: 1.99%+GST
Reward Rate: 1%
Net: –1.36% (loss)
TechnoFino Recommends
The card is poorly rewarding whether it’s the joining benefits, renewal benefits or the earning rate. There are many better travel-focussed cards available in the market. So I will be giving this card a pass. The only USP is the spending-based complimentary domestic lounge access to select lounges accessible only via PP which are now exclusive to cards like HDFC Infinia, HDFC Diners Club Black and AMEX Platinum after the devaluation of Priority Passes of Axis Magnus and Axis Reserve.
What are your thoughts about this card? Feel free to share in the comments below.
The Postcard Hotels and Resorts, a boutique hotel chain, redefines luxury with an infusion of Indian hospitality, promising an intimate and unforgettable experience. This brand introduces a fresh perspective, founded by Kapil Chopra, a veteran with decades of experience in the hospitality industry, including his tenure as President of The Oberoi Hotels. Alongside notable figures like Akansha Lamba and Anirudh Kandhpal, The Postcard Hotels aims to revive the essence of the “Old Way of Holidaying“, offering distinctive perks and a transformative approach to luxury.
With an international footprint in Sri Lanka and Bhutan, The Postcard Hotels currently operates nine properties with the rest of them in India. They are also building India’s most expensive hotel in Ranthambore, Rajasthan which is among the five others under construction. Since its launch in 2018, they have been rapidly expanding towards its ambitious goal of encompassing 50 hotels within its portfolio.
What Makes The Postcard Hotels Different?
The Postcard Hotels have a unique take on hospitality. They aim to identify the needs of the leisure traveller and solve problems that the hospitality industry, in general, is having.
Anytime Breakfast: Going out of bed and rushing for breakfast with half-opened eyes especially when you are on a holiday is certainly nonsensical. We all enjoy the huge breakfast spread, but many just skip it due to the huge morning hustle involved. The perk with The Postcard Hotels is that your breakfast gets freshly made when you want it. You can order it from a set menu and get it freshly made. Also, there are no restrictions if you want to get something even out of the menu.
Anytime Check-in and Check-out: Most of us go for the early morning flights since they tend to be cheaper and then have to worry whether the hotel will allow complimentary early check-in or charge us for the same. And sometimes we even have to spend hours in the hotel lobby. But with the anytime check-in and check-out you don’t have to worry about anything, even while check-out you can easily leave the hotel late if you have a late evening return flight.
Authentic Regional Cuisine: You can delve into the authentic culinary traditions of the region against the stunning views of the property. They also source ingredients from the resort’s in-house organic garden at some of their properties.
The Classic Gujarati Thali, The Postcard Gir Wildlife Sanctuary
Artisanal Welcome Drinks: Locally inspired & curated cocktails or fresh beverages are served to each guest on check-in instead of sugary artificial drinks.
Goa’s famous Cashew Feni at The Postcard Hideaway, Netravali. Perfect to sip on a hot, balmy day!
Authentic Experiences: They provide authentic local experiences within the hotel and the surrounding neighbourhood.
The Postcard Gir Jungle Safari Experience
Sunshine Club
The Postcard Hotels have recently introduced their exclusive loyalty program, the Sunshine Club, offering a refreshingly simple and transparent approach. Unlike most other traditional hotel loyalty programs where points have fixed or variable values, Sunshine Club points function like cashback. This means that each point is equivalent to the corresponding amount in your invoice that you can offset using your points balance.
The Postcard Galle, Sri Lanka
The Sunshine Club features three distinct levels: Gold, Platinum, and Black, each offering its own set of benefits.
Gold
Earn 5% cashback on total spending as points
No minimum spends required
Platinum
Earn 7% cashback on total spending as points
Earn Platinum status when you spend over 5 lakhs in a year or stay 15 nights a year
Enjoy complimentary laundry service on all stays across all hotels
Black
Earn 10% cashback on total spending as points
Achieve Black membership by spending 10 lakhs or staying over 25 nights at any of our hotels
Receive one complimentary spa treatment or a ₹3000 dining voucher when reserving a stay for three nights or more, in addition to a significant 10% earning for every stay
Enjoy complimentary laundry service on all stays across all hotels
Redemption Partners
American Express
Now, with AMEX Membership Reward Points, you have the opportunity to directly redeem your stays at The Postcard Hotels. Currently, there are three enticing redemption options available:
The Postcard Gir Wildlife Sanctuary, Gujarat: For 1,11,000 MR points, indulge in a private jeep safari in Gir Jungle or Dewalia Park at The Gir Wildlife Sanctuary. This package includes a 2-night stay, anytime à la carte artisanal breakfast, and signature welcome drinks upon arrival.
The Postcard Gir Wildlife Sanctuary
The Postcard Hideaway, Netravali, Goa: For 72,000 MR points, immerse yourself in the Waterfall Odyssey experience guided by a naturalist at The Postcard Hideaway. This package includes a 2-night stay, anytime à la carte artisanal breakfast, and signature welcome drinks upon arrival.
The Postcard Hideaway, Netravali, Goa
The Postcard on the Arabian Sea, Maravanthe Beach, Karnataka: For 1,11,000 MR points, indulge in a 2-night stay with a delightful dolphin boat ride for two at The Postcard Arabian Sea, Maravanthe Beach, Karnataka. This package also includes any time à la carte artisanal breakfast and signature welcome drinks upon arrival.
Ocean View Suite, The Postcard on the Arabian Sea, Karnataka
The Postcard Galle, Sri Lanka: For 71,450 MR points you are set for a 2-night stay with a signature Sri Lankan cuisine dinner experience once during the stay for two people. This package also includes any time à la carte artisanal breakfast and signature welcome drinks upon arrival.
EazyDiner
With EazyDiner‘s Eazypoints redemption, you can enjoy a complimentary one-night stay at The Postcard Hotels, including breakfast. The points are earned when you dine out at nearby restaurants that too on huge discounts. However, it requires booking a minimum of two nights, with one night being paid.
The redemption points vary across different properties:
For 20,000 points, you can stay at The Postcard Galle, Sri Lanka.
For 30,000 points, you have five options: The Postcard Hideaway Netravali, The Postcard Moira, The Postcard Cuelim in Goa, The Postcard Gir Wildlife Sanctuary, and The Postcard Mandalay Hall in Kochi.
For 40,000 points, you can enjoy a stay at The Postcard on the Arabian Sea.
Lastly, for 50,000 points, you can experience a stay at The Postcard Dewa, Thimphu, Bhutan.
The Postcard Cuelim, Goa
Offers on The Postcard Hotels
There are numerous discount offers always running with various banking partners for booking a stay in any of The Postcard Hotels which are dynamic. We are listing some of the ongoing offers here.
Axis Bank
When you book with Axis Bank Burgundy Private credit card or Axis Bank Reserve credit card, you’re entitled to a 15% instant discount on your booking. This offer is valid for a minimum booking of 2 nights.
ICICI Bank
When booking with an ICICI Bank credit card, debit card, or net banking, you can enjoy a 25% discount, up to ₹5,000 per room. This discount is applicable for a maximum of 3 rooms per booking.
Bottomline
The Postcard Dewa, Thimpu, Bhutan
The Postcard Hotel prides itself on offering top-tier hospitality that meets global standards. The unique perks like Anytime Breakfast, Anytime Check-in and Check-out are potential market disruptors. While currently operating a limited number of properties, the brand harbours ambitious expansion plans. Although their loyalty program may not initially captivate enthusiasts due to the absence of a banking transfer partner, I firmly believe they are actively working to enhance the program. Their recent collaboration with AMEX for stay redemptions using Membership Reward Points suggests a promising future strategy to broaden their appeal to a wider audience of travellers seeking intimate luxury experiences using their reward points.
Have you had the opportunity to stay at The Postcard Hotels? We’d love to hear about your firsthand experience.
HDFC SmartBuy is an online portal exclusively designed for HDFC Bank customers offering an extensive range of products and services provided by merchants across a variety of categories. The most commonly used cases of this portal can be listed as follows:
Air/Rail/Bus Ticket Bookings
Hotels Bookings/Holiday Packages
Car Rental
Affiliate Shopping
Instant Vouchers
All the merchant offers are dynamic and thus keep on changing occasionally.
Reward Rate
Multiplier
Infinia, BizBlack Metal Edition Diners Black Metal Edition, Diners Black card
The above reward rates are the maximum redemption values and can be redeemed only on travel since these cards are travel-focused. Other than the above-listed cards HDFC Bank also offers a 5% to 10% cashback on their other credit cards and all debit cards as well. HDFC follows a completely different reward chart for TATA Neu Cobranded cards.
Customers shall get respective bonus reward points/cashback on their credit card account within 90 working days from the last date of the transaction month.
Monthly Capping
There is also a maximum capping on the bonus reward rate ie if you are utilizing a 5X multiplier benefit then you will get unlimited 1X reward points as per the base feature of your card but the rest of the 4X points will follow a daily as well as a monthly capping. Here I am listing a monthly capping for the same. Instead of calculating manually, it’s always a wise move to use the HDFC Savings Calculator.
SmartBuy is a good way to press that accelerator on your reward rate whether you are mileshunter or a cashback junkie. Buying Amazon Pay, Flipkart, BigBasket etc instant vouchers is almost a monthly ritual for all credit card users. Other than that there is some real value in booking flights and hotels via the portal even if don’t intend to burn your points since sometimes they tend to be cheaper than the offers available on the OTA websites directly.
What is your favourite way of using the HDFC SmartBuy portal? Do let us know in the comments below!
IHCL, or the Indian Hotels Company Limited, oversees a group of hotels including the iconic brand – The Taj! Incorporated by the founder of the Tata Group, Jamsetji Tata, the company opened its first hotel – The Taj Mahal Palace, in Bombay in 1903. IHCL has a portfolio of over 180 hotels in over 90 cities across 11 countries. IHCL currently comprises the following brands:
Taj
Vivanta
SeleQtions
Ginger
Ama Stays and Trails
Gateway
As part of the esteemed TATA Group of Companies, IHCL is a prominent name in the hospitality sector, providing high-quality service in India and internationally. Taj stands out as the luxury segment among these brands, offering refined and sophisticated luxury experiences.
Grand Royal Suite, Taj Lake Palace, Udaipur, India
This Ultimate Guide on IHCL will explore the benefits of IHCL’s loyalty programs and other strategies to enhance your experience. Let’s delve into the details and discover the perks associated with these loyalty programs and various tips to make the most out of your stay. Join us as we navigate through the features that make IHCL hotels a preferred choice, ensuring your hospitality experience is exceptional.
Brands
Within the illustrious umbrella of the Indian Hotels Company Limited (IHCL), a diverse collection of hotel brands caters to a spectrum of traveller preferences:
Taj: Defined as the epitome of luxury, the Taj offers an unparalleled experience of sophistication and refinement.
Vivanta: A contemporary and vibrant brand, Vivanta is dedicated to serving the modern traveller’s needs.
SeleQtions: Comprising a unique collection of hotels, SeleQtions captivates guests with distinct charm and character at each location.
Ginger Hotels: Focused on simplicity and efficiency, Ginger Hotels provides comfortable and affordable accommodation options.
IHCL’s meticulous oversight ensures that these brands contribute to a comprehensive and varied portfolio, crafting tailored experiences for every type of traveller. Whether seeking luxury, modernity, distinctiveness, or affordability, the IHCL family of brands promises a memorable stay in diverse settings.
IHCL Hotel Locations
We have curated a Google My Maps for all the IHCL properties which are listed already on the Google Maps.
NeuPass
Deluxe Villa Mangrove Facing, Taj Exotica Resort and Spa, Havelock Island, Andamans, India
TATA Group of companies has an umbrella loyalty program for its brands and is called the NeuPass. It is an exclusive membership service linked with the Tata Neu Application, that confers upon its subscribers, several unique privileges with Tata brands. NeuCoins is the loyalty currency and is earned for every spend done on TATA brands and these add up to give you amazing experiences. The NeuCoins on the Tata Neu App can be used at any participating brands online, at IHCL hotels or in-store. The value of 1 NeuCoin = 1 Rupee and can be redeemed for no minimum order value.
Taj InnerCircle Membership Tiers
Additionally, IHCL has a tier program called Taj InnerCircle within the NeuPass that provides you additional benefits and rewards based on your status. Starting from the top with the Platinum tier, you get unlimited room upgrades and your very own concierge to make your stay extra fancy. Move down to the Gold tier, and you get room vouchers and special help from the concierge. Even the Silver and Copper tiers are packed with awesome perks to make your journey special.
NeuPass is like your VIP ticket to a whole new level of travel with IHCL! Below is the chart of all the Taj InnerCircle tier benefits of NeuPass for IHCL Hotels.
Membership Tier
Eligibility
Earn Rate
Additional Benefits
Platinum
80 room nights or ₹8 lakhs of eligible spends in 1 year
Earn 8 NeuCoins per ₹100 of eligible spends
– Early Check-in and late check-out (subject to availability)
– Unlimited room upgrades to the next level (up to standard suite)
– 4 Taj Club room upgrade vouchers (for stays up to 5 days)
– Priority Check-in and In Room Check-ins
– 20% Spa Savings
– 10% F&B Savings
– Special Welcome Amenity
40 room nights or ₹4 lakhs of eligible spends in 1 year
– 24/7 Dedicated Platinum Concierge services
– Premium Wi-Fi
Gold
40 room nights or ₹4 lakh of eligible spends in 1 year
Earn 7 NeuCoins per ₹100 of eligible spends
– Early Check-in and late check-out (subject to availability)
– 20 room upgrade vouchers to the next level (up to standard suite)
– 2 Taj Club room upgrade vouchers (for stays up to 5 days)
– Priority Check-in
– 15% Spa Savings
– 10% F&B Savings
– 24/7 Dedicated Gold Concierge Service
Silver
10 room nights or ₹1 lakhs of eligible spends in 1 year
Earn 5 NeuCoins per ₹100 of eligible spends
– Late check-out (subject to availability)
Copper
Base tier
Earn 4 NeuCoins per ₹100 of eligible spends
Banking Partners
Currently, there are no cobranded IHCL credit cards in India. In the past before NeuPass was launched IHCL allowed members to transfer credit card points, such as those from HSBC, to their Taj InnerCircle account and redeem them for any of the services in IHCL Hotels.
Although TATA has launched cobranded cards for the NeuPass in collaboration with the HDFC Bank. The cards come in two variants
HDFC TATA NeuCard Infinity
HDFC TATA NeuCard Plus
Both cards are quite popular among users since they work on the RuPay platform and thus are UPI-enabled. These cards offer the opportunity to earn up to 10% valueback in the form of Neu Coins. Also, HDFC TATA NeuCard Infinity is one of the highest rewarding UPI-based credit cards in India.
Presidential Suite, Taj Exotica Resort and Spa, The Palm, Dubai, UAE
Additionally, you have the option to redeem your credit card points and acquire Taj Experience Vouchers in various denominations through banking partners such as AMEX, SBI, and Standard Chartered Bank. AMEX Platinum Travel is the most popular card if you like to pamper yourself at Taj properties frequently. These vouchers can be applied towards settling bills at IHCL hotels, covering stays, food and beverage expenses, and other in-house consumables.
It’s important to note that when using these vouchers for stays, reservations must be made at public rates rather than the members’ rates. While some hotels may make exceptions, many typically do not allow voucher redemption for bookings made at members’ rates which are visible in the Tata Neu App. Another important point related to these vouchers is that they work only in India and not at the overseas properties of IHCL.
TajEpicure
Taj Lake Palace, Udaipur, Rajasthan, India
IHCL offers a paid hotel membership program called Taj Epicure that offers exclusive discounts on dining, spa treatments, stays, and more. This membership comes in two variants:
Epicure Privileged
Epicure Preferred
With Preferred, get special perks, and discounts, and enjoy yummy experiences at IHCL’s top restaurants. For the ultimate gourmet adventure, go for Privileged. It gives you free meals, better rooms, and lots of extra goodies. Preferred membership comes at ₹25,000 + GST and Privileged membership comes at ₹50,000 + GST. Let’s check out the benefits of each membership below:
Benefits
Benefits
Preferred
Privileged
25% Discount on Food & Beverage
Available
Available
25% Discount on Qmin Deliveries
Available
Available
20% Discount on Spa Treatments
Available
Available
Add on Card for enabling discount-led Benefits
Not Available
Available
Complimentary NeuPass Membership Tier
Silver
Gold
Experience Vouchers
Vouchers
Preferred
Privileged
One-Night Stay Voucher at Participating Hotels
1 Night
1 Night x 2
One Level Room Upgrade for One Night
Twice a Year
Four Times a Year
Sixty Minute Spa Treatment, access to steam and sauna for one person at our Spas across Participating Hotels
Once a Year
Thrice a Year
Set Meal for Two
Twice a Year
Four Times a Year
Celebration Cake in Member’s Birthday Month
Available
Available
20% discount on the Best Available Rate for a Room/Suite at Taj Palaces
Once a Year
Twice a Year
20% discount on the Best Available Rate for Rooms at Taj Safaris
Once a Year
Twice a Year
20% discount on the Best Available Rate for a Room/Suite Stay for Unlimited Consecutive Nights
Once a Year
Four Times a Year
One-time Access to the Pool, with Set Lunch & Wine at a Special Price of ₹3000 + Taxes per person for a maximum of 4 people
Available
Available
Exclusive Access to The Taj Club Lounge for two
Not Available
Four Times a Year
The complimentary night vouchers can be redeemed at only selected properties of IHCL. The best use case for a free night voucher would be redemptions at:
Taj Chia Kutir Resort and Spa, Darjeeling, West Bengal
Taj Exotica Resort & Spa, Goa
Taj Fort Aguada Resort & Spa, Goa
Taj Holiday Village Resort & Spa, Goa
Vivanta Dal View, Srinagar, Jammu and Kashmir
Taj Bekal Resort & Spa, Kerala
Taj Corbett Resort & Spa, Uttarakhand
Taj Green Cove Resort & Spa, Kovalam, Kerala
Complimentary Epicure Access
There are two ways to get the Taj Epicure membership in India, either by buying the program membership or as a complimentary gift with some selected cards and bank accounts.
Epicure Privileged
At present customers possessing the AU IVY Debit Card can get Epicure Privileged Membership, which comes with 2 stay voucher with breakfast for two by spending ₹10,000 within 45 days of account opening/upgrade.
Epicure Preferred
Currently, the IndusInd Solitaire is the only credit card in India which offers Taj Epicure Preferred membership complimentary with it including a one-night stay voucher for the first year.
Apart from this customers having HDFC Speciale Platinum bank accounts can acquire the preferred version (Valid for 1 Year) by spending ₹75,000 within the first 180 days of account opening/upgrade.
Epicure Plus
Epicure Plus membership is the stripped-down version of both the paid versions of Epicure. In Epicure Plus you get only the discount benefits and not the experience vouchers. The benefits of Epicure Plus can be broadly summarized as follows:
25%* discount on dining and takeaway
25%* savings on food deliveries from Qmin
20%* off on Spa Treatments at Jiva Spas
20%* off on Salon
Complimentary Birthday Cake for Member’s Birthday month
20%* off on room/suite stay for unlimited consecutive nights
20%* discount on the Best Available Rate of room/suite at Taj Palaces
20%* off on the Best Available Rate for a Room/Suite Stay at Taj Safari
One-time pool access with set lunch and wine at a special price of ₹3,000+tax per person for up to 4 guests
Happy hours at Taj Club Lounge at select Taj hotels*
The following credit cards in India provide Epicure Plus complimentary:
Axis Burgundy Private Credit Card (Renews Every Year)
ICICI Emeralde Private Metal Credit Card (Valid for 1 year)
IDFC First Private Credit Card (Renews Every Year)
HSBC Premier Metal Credit Card
AMEX Platinum Charge Card (Renews Every Year)
AMEX Platinum Reserve Credit Card (Renews Every Year)
AU Bank Zenith+ Credit Card (Milestone Benefit at ₹12L in a year)
AU Bank Zenith Credit Card (Milestone Benefit at ₹8L in a year)
Citi Prestige Credit Card (Renews Every Year)
Also, there are certain minor differences even in the Epicure Plus offered by various credit card issuers so do check their T&Cs in detail before applying for them. The most notable difference is that with the ICICI Emeralde Private Metal, you are also entitled to a free night stay voucher similar to the paid version of the program which jacks up the value of that card. The Complimentary Night voucher stands out as one of the most prized features of the Epicure Membership, adding substantial value when compared to the other cards listed.
Other than the mentioned credit cards the Axis Bank Priority Savings Account (Valid for 1 Year) provides you with Epicure Plus when you do 15 transactions worth ₹5,000 or more each within 3 months of opening the account by maintaining the required TRV.
The Chambers
Presidential Suite, Taj Aravali Resort and Spa, Udaipur, India
Established in 1975, The Chambers has solidified its reputation as a prestigious membership within the influential business community. Boasting a legacy of over 40 years, it stands as the esteemed club for global achievers who have continually pushed boundaries. Now an exclusive Invite Only membership, it requires a ₹20,00,000 joining fee and a ₹3,00,000 annual fee. Following a recent revamp, it offers a one-time transfer to the next of kin, ensuring your children can enjoy its privileges. This membership includes an upgrade to the Platinum Tier of NeuPass. Presently, a direct invitation is reserved for American Express Centurion Card members. The benefits are as follows:
Invitations to Exclusive Events:
Access to ultra-exclusive events curated by The Chambers.
Complimentary Room Upgrade:
Priority bookings with a complimentary one-level room upgrade at Taj, SeleQtions, and Vivanta hotels.
Dining & Wellness Experiences:
Exclusive vouchers for complimentary dining and wellness services at Taj, SeleQtions, and Vivanta hotels.
24*7 Concierge:
Round-the-clock concierge services for a connected and seamless experience.
Complimentary Wash & Change Facility, Worldwide:
Book wash and change facility at Taj, Vivanta, and SeleQtions properties worldwide for 2 hours, complimentary through The Chambers Concierge.
Complimentary Access to Hotel Facilities:
Enjoy complimentary access to the pool and fitness centre across all Taj, SeleQtions, and Vivanta hotels worldwide.
Business Centre & Lounge Access:
Unrestricted access to the business centre and club lounge across all Taj, SeleQtions, and Vivanta hotels worldwide.
Other Privileges:
25% off at restaurants and bars on food and beverages.
25% off on the Best Available Rate for room reservations made directly.
25% off at J Wellness Circle.
25% off at select salons.
50% off on laundry services.
25% off on business centre usage.
25% off at the club lounge.
Noteworthy Points
Taj Experiences eGift cards can be utilised by members or gifted to anyone and are redeemable against stays, dining, and spa spends across participating Taj, SeleQtions and Vivanta hotels only.
Some of the Taj Experiences eGift cards are non-transferable.
Tree of Life Resorts & Hotels which come under IHCL SeleQtions are currently not eligible to Earn/Redeem NeuCoins under the NeuPass loyalty membership program.
On Ginger Hotels you get to earn NeuCoins only for your stay and not for any other transactions.
amã Stays & Trails Bungalows, Ginger Hotels and Tree of Life Resorts & Hotels are not participating brands in the Epicure Program.
Bottomline
Rehendi Presidential Suite, Taj Exotica Resort and Spa, Maldives
IHCL stands as one of India’s premier hotel chains, boasting a significant domestic and international presence. Its diverse range of accommodations caters to a wide spectrum of travellers, spanning from budget-conscious options to the epitome of luxury. This diversity ensures that every traveller can find a unique experience tailored to their preferences.
From historic properties steeped in heritage, with buildings standing for centuries, to contemporary hotels showcasing modern architecture, IHCL offers a variety of settings for guests to explore. The membership program mirrors this diversity, with each tier offering its own set of benefits. Notably, the paid membership Epicure delivers on its promises, while the exclusive Taj Chambers, accessible only by invitation, provides unparalleled perks for the most discerning clientele.
With something to offer for everyone, IHCL’s loyalty program is admired by TechnoFino as one of the most versatile and user-friendly options available to Indian travellers.
Are you planning any redemptions at IHCL soon? Do let us know in the comments below.
Best Credit Cards In India For Dining & Food Delivery
At TechnoFino we always try to provide knowledge about the best credit cards in India and this time we have curated a very detailed list of the Best Credit Cards for Dining Spends in India!
When it comes to standalone restaurants or even chain restaurants which are not listed as any of the dining apps available in India there are cards which can offer you some good value-back. So if you frequent only such places then consider having a card from the list below.
Annual Fee: ₹999+GST (Waived off on ₹2L Spends in a Year)
HDFC Diners Club Black/ Diners Club Black Metal Edition
HDFC Diners Club Black
Reward rate on Dining Spends: 6.6% on Weekends
Joining Fee: ₹10,000+GST
Annual Fee: ₹10,000+GST (Waived off on ₹8L Spends in a Year)
AU Zenith
AU Zenith Credit Card
Reward rate on Dining Spends: 5%
Joining Fee: ₹7,999+GST or LTF for select corporates
Annual Fee: ₹7,999+GST(Waived off on ₹8L Spends in a Year)
EazyDiner
EazyDiner is a dine-out application created by a team that is extremely passionate about food, wine and all things fine. As a collective group of Chefs and Hoteliers who have worked in some of the best hotels and restaurants around the world, they are always on the lookout for new dining experiences and exciting cuisines. It is this love and passion for eating and exploring that brought them together to create EazyDiner.
IndusInd Bank HNI Credit Cards
The IndusInd Bank in conjunction with the EazyDiner offers instant discounts worth ₹3,000 on select luxury restaurants in India twice a year. This offer is valid only on a chosen few HNI cards of the bank.
Annual Fee: NIL/90,000+GST(Waived off on ₹10L Spends in a Year)
IndusInd Indulge
IndusInd Indulge
Joining Fee: ₹2,00,000+GST
Annual Fee: NIL
IndusInd Club Vistara Explorer
IndusInd Club Vistara Explorer
Joining Fee: ₹40,000+GST
Annual Fee: ₹10,000+GST
IndusInd Celesta
IndusInd Celesta
Joining Fee: ₹50,000+GST
Annual Fee: ₹5,000+GST(Waived off on ₹10L Spends in a Year)
IndusInd Crest
IndusInd Crest
Joining Fee: ₹2,00,000+GST/₹1,00,000+GST
Annual Fee: NIL/₹10,000+GST(Waived off on ₹20L Spends in a Year)
Axis Bank HNI Credit Cards
EazyDiner has also partnered with Axis Bank to provide Dining Delights which entitles you to a premium dining experience on their HNI Cards, they provide you with a 40% instant discount up to ₹1,000. Other than this for your birthday you are eligible for a discount of 50% up to ₹3000 on dining out across specially curated restaurants using the above-mentioned Axis Bank credit cards.
Axis Burgundy Private (The OneCard)
Axis Burgundy Private
Joining Fee: NIL for Burgundy Private Clients (5Cr TRV)
Axis Bank has another offer for their other card holders which offers 25% off up to ₹800 on EazyDiner on paying via PayEazy.
Cobranded Credit Cards
EazyDiner also offers two cobranded credit cards with IndusInd Bank and I have extensively reviewed them before. Both the cards are highly recommended for frequent diners.
Reward rate on Dining: 20% off up to ₹1000 + 0.4% Reward Rate
Joining Fee:LTF
Annual Fee:LTF
Other than the above offers there are more than 10 banks which provide instant discounts if you pay via the PayEazy feature of EazyDiner. Since the partnerships are mostly dynamic hence I am not listing them all here but do check them out!
Swiggy Dineout
Swiggy Dineout is another dining-out platform and has been a longtime partner with HDFC Bank for providing discounts when booking a table and eating out. Here I am listing some top cards if you use the app regularly.
Reward rate on Dining: 10% Cashback up to ₹1500 per month
Joining Fee: ₹500 + GST
Annual Fee: ₹500 + GST(Waived off on ₹2L Spends in a Year)
HDFC Diners Club Black/ Diners Club Black Metal Edition
Reward rate on Dining: 10% off up to ₹500 per month
Joining Fee: ₹10,000 + GST
Annual Fee: ₹10,000 + GST (Waived off on ₹8L Spends in a Year)
Zomato Dining
Zomato Dining has no dedicated partnership when it comes to banking partners. You can either try to use any of the ongoing offers or pay using Zomato Vouchers bought using any of the multiplier portals.
Best Credit Cards for Online Food Delivery
For online food delivery, one can easily take advantage of certain cards which offer exceptional reward rates on online spending other than the cards which offer good reward rates on dining spending.
Reward rate on Food Ordering: 10% cashback up to ₹1500 per month
Joining Fee: ₹500+GST
Annual Fee: ₹500+GST(Waived off on ₹2L Spends in a Year)
Other than the above-listed cards you can also bet on Axis Airtel/HSBC Cashback for 10% cashback, HDFC Millennia for 5%, Axis Ace for 4%, and Axis Flipkart for 4% reward rate even for Zomato and Swiggy.
But if you are into Hotel Loyalty and Airmiles games then buying Swiggy and Zomato vouchers from HDFC SmartBuy, AMEX Reward Multiplier and Axis Gift Edge type platforms would give you much better returns especially if you hold cards like Amex Gold Charge, AMEX Platinum Charge, HDFC Infinia, HDFC Diners Club Black, Axis Reserve, Axis Magnus etc.
Which of these credit cards do you use regularly for your dining spends?Do let us know in the comments below.
United MileagePlus is the customer loyalty program of United Airlines which stands as one of the largest and most influential carriers, not only in the United States but globally as well. Operating with domestic hubs strategically located in Chicago, Houston, Newark, Denver, San Francisco, Washington-Dulles, Los Angeles, and Guam, the airline has a widespread reach. Here we have tried to curate a guide specifically for Indians.
With an extensive operational footprint, United Airlines manages a staggering volume of over 4,500 daily flights, connecting travellers to more than 300 cities spread across five continents. The airline has fortified its global presence through partnerships with 14 other carriers and its affiliation with the Star Alliance, which encompasses a total of 26 member airlines. These affiliations translate to a broad spectrum of opportunities for passengers, allowing them to earn and redeem miles on 39 different airlines, and facilitating travel to diverse destinations.
At the heart of this loyalty network is the United MileagePlus program, United Airlines’ frequent flyer initiative. Whether travelling on paid tickets with United Airlines, its partner airlines, or those within Star Alliance, passengers have the opportunity to accrue MileagePlus miles. Additionally, the program extends its benefits beyond flight bookings, providing various avenues for earning miles, including transferring points from banking partners, other loyalty programs, and various other methods.
United Airline’s Partners
United Airlines provides its passengers with the opportunity to earn and redeem miles through its association with the Star Alliance, the largest airline alliance globally. This affiliation comes with a range of benefits for United Premier members, including perks such as lounge access and additional baggage allowance when travelling with the alliance’s partner airlines.
Among the Star Alliance partners are renowned international carriers, offering an extensive network for United MileagePlus members. The list of these partners includes Aegean (A3), Air Canada (AC), Air China (CA), Air India (AI), Air New Zealand (NZ), ANA (NH), Asiana Airlines (OZ), Austrian Airlines (OS), Avianca (AV), Brussels Airlines (SN), Copa Airlines (CM), Croatia Airlines (OU), EGYPTAIR (MS), Ethiopian Airlines (ET), EVA Air (BR), LOT Polish Airlines (LO), Lufthansa (LH), SAS (SK), Shenzhen Airlines (ZH), Singapore Airlines (SQ), South African Airways (SA), Swiss Air Lines (LX), TAP Air Portugal (TP), Thai Airways (TG), and Turkish Airlines (TK).
In addition to the Star Alliance partners, United Airlines collaborates with several non-alliance airline partners, expanding the options for earning and redeeming miles. These include Aer Lingus (EI), Air Dolomiti (EN), Airlink (4Z), Azul (AD), Boutique Air (4B), Cape Air (9K), Edelweiss (WK), Emirates (EK), Eurowings (EW), Eurowings Discover (4Y), FlyDubai (FZ), Hawaiian Airlines (HA), JSX (XE), Olympic Air (OA), Silver Airways (3M), Virgin Australia (VA), and Vistara (UK).
Furthermore, as a Star Alliance Connecting Partner, Juneyao Air (HO) adds to the diverse range of options available within the United Airlines network.
United Airlines Premier Status
United Airlines extends its elite status program to passengers through four distinct levels:
Premier Silver
Premier Gold
Premier Platinum
Premier 1K
An additional and exclusive tier, Global Services, stands as the pinnacle, attainable only after completing 4 million lifetime flight miles or by invitation.
Achieving United Premier status involves earning Premier Qualifying Points (PQPs) or a combination of Premier Qualifying Flights (PQFs) and PQPs. Accumulating these points is possible through travel on United Airlines or its partner carriers.
The following are the requirements to earn the United Premier Status:
Tier
PQPs + PQFs Required
PQPs Only Required
Premier Silver
4,000 PQPs + 12 PQFs
5,000 PQPs
Premier Gold
8,000 PQPs + 24 PQFs
10,000 PQPs
Premier Platinum
12,000 PQPs + 36 PQFs
15,000 PQPs
Premier 1K
18,000 PQPs + 54 PQFs
24,000 PQPs
United Premier members, spanning across the different tiers, enjoy various perks such as bonus miles on paid tickets, complimentary checked bags, and waitlisted upgrades on most flights operated by United.
The privileges amplify as members ascend through the elite tiers, with additional benefits like complimentary Economy Plus seating, PlusPoints for confirming upgrades, Marriott Bonvoy Gold Elite status, and coveted Star Alliance Gold status. The latter brings added advantages when flying with other carriers within the Star Alliance network.
United MileagePlus: The Ultimate Guide for Indians
How to earn United Miles
Fly with United Airlines
When you fly with tickets marketed and operated by United, the accrual of MileagePlus miles is determined by the ticket price minus taxes, rather than the distance travelled. Here’s the breakdown of miles earned per dollar spent, contingent on your status level:
General Member: 5 miles
Premier Silver: 7 miles
Premier Gold: 8 miles
Premier Platinum: 9 miles
Premier 1K: 11 miles
These earning rates are also applicable when booking United’s basic economy fare class.
Fly with Partner Airlines
Accruing United MileagePlus miles through partner flights adds a layer of complexity, but understanding the process is essential. When you book a partner flight through United, your miles are determined by your ticket fare and elite status.
However, if you opt for partner ticket stock, the miles earned hinge on the flight distance and fare class. Your fare class is typically visible during booking or in your confirmation email. Since mileage rates differ among airlines, cross-reference your booking class with United’s partner airline list to ascertain your award miles. Generally, premium cabins yield more miles than economy tickets, and Premier members qualify for bonus miles on specific partner airlines.
Each United Premier status level comes with its own mileage bonus on partner flights. Silver, Gold, Platinum, and 1K elites earn 25%, 50%, 75%, and 100% bonus miles on partner tickets, respectively.
Additionally, United’s partners allow you to earn Premier Qualifying Points (PQPs) and Premier Qualifying Flights (PQFs). It’s crucial to note that certain fare classes may not qualify for mileage credit, and United imposes limits on the PQPs that can be earned on a single flight.
To navigate the earning process, consult United’s website for detailed earning rates with each airline partner. Pay close attention, as some airlines may restrict mileage accrual to specific routes and fare classes.
United Polaris Business Class, taken by BrownPoints
Transfer Partners
Hotel Transfer Partners
United has established partnerships with the majority of major hotel chains. The earning structure for United Miles varies among these partnerships, with some providing a fixed number of miles per stay, while others are based on the amount spent at the respective hotels. Additionally, several hotel loyalty programs offer the option to transfer points to United. However, it’s worth noting that this might not always be the ideal use of loyalty points. Let’s see the hotel partners and their transfer/earning options:
Accor: Transfers ALL-Accor Live Limitless Rewards points at a rate of 2,000 Rewards Points to 1,000 MileagePlus miles.
Choice Privileges Rewards: Converts Choice Privileges Rewards points into MileagePlus miles at a ratio of 5,000 points to 1,000 miles.
Hilton: Transfers Hilton Honors points at a rate of 10,000 Hilton points to 1,000 MileagePlus Miles.
Hyatt: World of Hyatt points transfer at a rate of 2.5 World of Hyatt points to 1 MileagePlus mile. Members can receive a 5,000-mile bonus when converting 50,000 World of Hyatt points into 20,000 MileagePlus miles.
IHG: Members of IHG One Rewards can convert their points to United MileagePlus at a rate of 10,000 points to 2,000 miles.
Marriott: Transfers Marriott Bonvoy points at a rate of 3 Bonvoy points to 1 MileagePlus mile. Additionally, get an extra 10,000 miles when transferring 60,000 Bonvoy points. MileagePlus Premier members can convert their miles at a rate of 1:1, up to 100,000 a year.
Shangri-La: Transfers Shangri-La Circle points at a rate of 1 point to 1 MileagePlus mile.
Wyndham: Wyndham Rewards points transfer at various rates – 6,000 Wyndham Rewards to 1,200 MileagePlus miles, 16,000 Wyndham Rewards to 3,200 MileagePlus miles, and 30,000 Wyndham Rewards to 6,000 MileagePlus miles.
Banking Partners
There are two banking partners in India from where you can transfer points to your United MileagePlus account:
Axis Bank: Utilizing Axis Bank credit cards, you have the option to transfer Edge Reward Points. The transfer ratio is 5:2 for Axis Reserve and Axis Magnus, 5:4 for Magnus Burgundy and Burgundy Private, and 10:1 for other cards. In the case of the Axis Atlas, Edge Miles can be transferred at a ratio of 1:2.
HDFC Bank: For Infinia, DinersClub Black, DinersClub Black Metal, and Regalia Gold, points can be transferred at a ratio of 2:1.
Buying United Miles
In situations where you find yourself lacking the required miles, an alternative is to consider purchasing United Miles. While it may not offer the optimal value, United occasionally releases special offers, such as a 50% discount on purchased miles or a 100% bonus on acquired miles. These opportunities can be advantageous, especially when you need to supplement your miles for last-minute redemptions.
United Polaris, taken by BrownPoints
How to use United Miles
United Airlines transitioned to dynamic award pricing for all partner award tickets starting in early 2020. Despite this change, having the flexibility to redeem miles on partner flights remains a valuable option, provided you have the necessary miles in your account.
It’s worth noting that United generally sets lower award prices for flights operated on its own planes compared to those operated by partner airlines. However, if you plan to connect from a United flight to a partner flight, additional miles may be charged.
Leveraging United’s extensive partner flight network allows you to reach destinations that may not be directly served by United, often requiring only a modest increase in miles. Essentially, your United miles open up the possibility of flying to a wide array of global destinations.
To explore available award space, United provides a comprehensive platform on its website where you can find information for virtually all partners, including non-alliance partners like Aer Lingus and Hawaiian Airlines, along with all Star Alliance partners.
Sweet Spot of United Miles
United’s dynamic pricing model has shifted the focus of finding optimal redemption opportunities from skill to luck. However, amidst this uncertainty, United offers a valuable feature known as the Excursionist Perk, which has the potential to transform a mediocre redemption into an exceptional one.
Defined by United as a complimentary one-way award within specific multi-city itineraries, the Excursionist Perk may initially appear complex to utilize. Nevertheless, investing some time to understand its mechanics can prove to be highly rewarding.
Family Pooling & Redemption
United Airlines permits the redemption of award tickets for friends and family without imposing any constraints on nominees, offering a remarkable benefit that streamlines the process and eliminates unnecessary complications associated with nominee limitations. Moreover, United does not offer a family pooling feature.
Miles Expiry
One of the most loved benefits of the United Mileage Plus program is that the points don’t expire ever and hence you can use them whenever you want. Also since January 1st, 2023, they have removed fees for changing or canceling award tickets which is simply unbelievable.
Bottom Line
An essential consideration in evaluating an airline loyalty program is the tax element, often referred to as fuel surcharges (YQ). United Airlines does not transfer carrier-imposed fees to customers. Additionally, the taxes levied on reward redemptions through both United Airlines and its partner airlines are among the lowest in the industry.
In conclusion, United MileagePlus stands as a versatile and rewarding loyalty program, offering a multitude of ways to earn and redeem miles. With a vast network of airline partners, hotel collaborations, and the unique Excursionist Perk, members have the flexibility to tailor their travel experiences. While United’s dynamic pricing model introduces an element of unpredictability, the program’s various benefits, tier levels, and exclusive partnerships make it an appealing choice for frequent travellers. Whether you’re aiming for elite status, leveraging partner networks, or exploring unique redemption opportunities, United MileagePlus provides a platform for a diverse range of travel possibilities.
Have you ever utilized United Miles to book your international journeys? Share your experiences in the comments section below!
Editor’s note: This is a recurring post, regularly updated with new information and offers. Last Updated 16th Jan 2024.
IndusInd Bank recently launched another cobranded card in collaboration with EazyDiner on a Visa Platinum platform. This new card is Lifetime Free and hence a toned-down version of the earlier launched IndusInd EazyDiner Signature.
EazyDiner is a dine-out application which helps you get great dining deals in India and the UAE. With this, you can book tables at your nearby fine dining and or even fast-food chains.
Let’s check out all that this card brings to the table!
You get a 3-month EazyDiner Prime Membership along with the IndusInd Bank EazyDiner Platinum card which will get renewed if you spend ₹30,000 in 90 days.
Reward Accrual
Spends Area
Earn Rate
Reward Rate
All Retail Spends*
2 Reward Points/₹100
0.4%
Insurance, Rent, Utility and Government spend
0.7 Reward Points/₹100
0.14%
EazyDiner Table Bookings
2X EazyPoints
NA
*Retail spending excludes fuel spending.
1 Reward Point = 20p
Accumulated reward points will expire after every anniversary year.
EazyPoints expire if you don’t do a transaction for more than 6 months on the EazyDiner platform.
EazyPoints are earned differently than the Reward Points on the EazyDiner application. You can earn EazyPoints by doing the following
2000 EazyPoints when you purchase a paid EazyDiner Prime Membership
50 EazyPoints per person on booking a table and dining out
75 EazyPoints on uploading the bill
75 EazyPoints on reviewing the restaurant
Out of all the above ways, you will get 2X EazyPoints on the Book a Table Feature only, and the rest of the earning rate will be as usual. If you are a non-prime member you are entitled to 25 EazyPoints per diner on booking a table so with this card you will receive 50 EazyPoints per diner.
Milestone Benefits
You can get 2000 Reward Points upon spending ₹30,000 on categories other than dining every 90 days. The effective value of these points is ₹400 (~1.33%) and can be used to slash your dining bills.
Reward Redemption
You can earn rewards in two different forms that are Reward Points and EazyPoints but the currency is a single entity called EazyPoints. Now the interesting part is that the redemption process for both of them is different. Both points will be visible separately in your application once you have the card linked to your application.
For redemption, you have the following options.
Reward Points
Reward Points earned on spending are instantly redeemable against your food bills at 20p per point. You cannot redeem them in cash.
EazyPoints Redemption
You can redeem EazyPoints against Meal Vouchers, Restaurant events or free Hotel Stays as and when they are unlocked for you.
EazyPoints when redeemed for a meal voucher gives you a value of 20p each and has a minimum spending condition. A 200 voucher comes with a 1000 minimum billing condition. So redemptions for meal vouchers are pointless since you won’t be able to 20%-40% club card discounts with them and points would simply go to waste.
You can also redeem EazyPoints for a night’s stay in select juSTa Resorts in Dharamshala and Shimla if you pay for the other night. A night at juSTa Birding Dharamshala starts from 5K a night whereas juSTa Cliffend Resort & Spa Mashobra Shimla costs around 7.5K with the same redemption requirements.
Further if luxury is your cup of tea, then Postcard Hotel (India/ Sri Lanka/ Bhutan) redemption option is also there, starting from 20K EazyDiner points. But there is a condition of paying the full amount for the first night and then the second night becomes complimentary.
To get the maximum out of EazyDiner points I recommend you accumulate them and use them for hotel redemptions.
EazyDiner Dining Benefits
Avail an extra 20% OFF up to ₹500 thrice a month when you eat out & pay on the app via PayEazy over and above the Prime Discount.
This discount is applicable through the IndusInd Bank EazyDiner Platinum Card only on paying on the EazyDiner App online via PayEazy.
You can avail of this discount multiple times in a day but will not be applicable if consecutive transactions are made at the same restaurant within a gap of 120 minutes or less. So clearly you can’t split the payment and enjoy the double dip.
The most highlighted feature of this card is that there are no minimum billing amount requirements.
Now, PayEazy is a payment channel provider that helps you pay the restaurant bill. This helps you make a transaction with any debit or credit card and other popular payment gateways and enjoy offers and discounts from their payment partners. You have to keep in mind that not all restaurants available on EazyDiner give Prime benefits and also not all the Prime restaurants are PayEazy enabled. So for a maximum savings combination, a restaurant should be a PayEazy-enabled Prime restaurant.
So a bill of ₹2,000 in a restaurant gets an EazyDiner discount of let’s say, 25% and becomes ₹1,500 and then becomes ₹1,200 instantly on paying via EazyPay with this card!
Here’s how you can avail of maximum discount when you dine in with your IndusInd EazyDiner Credit Card
Go to the EazyDiner App/Website
Select a deal at your choice of Prime restaurant and confirm the booking
After you reach the restaurant, grab your table and inform the server that you have booked a table using EazyDiner
Enjoy your meal, and open up the application
To make a payment towards the bill, open the EazyDiner App, select PayEazy and pay with the best card offer you can see
New to EazyDiner? Download the application and use the referral code: BHAVY9104 to get a ₹500 worth voucher.
Other Benefits
Forex Markup Charges
All overseas transactions are levied with a 3.5% + GST transaction fee.
Fuel Surcharge Waiver
Enjoy a 1% fuel surcharge waiver across all fuel stations in India. This waiver applies for all fuel transactions between ₹400 to ₹4000. Since the bank has mentioned no capping on this card I think it’s an unlimited fuel surcharge waiver.
How to Apply?
Currently, this card is being issued only to people who don’t hold any IndusInd Credit Card and can be applied from the EazyDiner portal. If you already hold an IndusInd card then you can only apply for the signature version.
TechnoFino Recommends
I would easily say that EazyDiner has again nailed it with their IndusInd Bank EazyDiner Platinum Card just like its highly popular Signature version which has been a hit among foodies. At the same time, many people didn’t take the card due to a fee of roughly ₹2500 annually. Although the BookMyShow offer and other benefits of the card easily outweigh the annual fees still from the perspective of people who didn’t dine out much the card was not plunge-worthy.
Now coming to this card I would say that this card must be in your wallet if you dine out once in a while and your favourite restaurant is listed on the EazyDiner app. The features of the card have been very well designed for this to qualify as a cobranded card since only the value-added features have been removed when compared to the signature version. This card is built for people who have just started earning and are looking for an LTF card which can give them some great value on their small ticket-size cafe expeditions.
The only thing which I feel dampens this card slightly is the thrice-a-month discount limit on the dining bills since many other EazyPay partner banks are providing discounts even four times a month. Being a cobranded card it could have covered a weekend every week by giving instant discounts at least 4-5 times a month.
Are you planning to get hold of this IndusInd EazyDiner card? Do let us know in the comments below.
Editor’s note: This is a recurring post, regularly updated with new information and offers. Last Updated 1st Jan 2024.
AMEX SmartEarn Credit Card is the entry-level credit card from AMEX in India designed specifically for the mass market. Though the card is not that popular but is very decent due to its accelerated reward rate on day-to-day spending and milestone benefits.
Let’s check out how we can maximize rewards on it!
2000 Membership Reward Points on spending ₹5,000 within 90 days (Referral Cards) + ₹500 worth of Amazon Vouchers on Spending ₹10,000 within 90 days
Renewal Fees
₹495 + GST
Renewal Benefits
NA
Renewal Fee Waiver
100% fee waiver on spending ₹40,000 in a year.
Add on Cards
1 complimentary supplementary card is provided.
Joining via referral gives you an edge as you get the 2000 welcome MR points extra which you won’t get by applying directly.
Check out the link for detailed information.
***Apply now for any AMEX Card by clicking on the banner above and get all the referral benefits***
Disclaimer:I will receive a referral bonus for anyone who applies for and is approved for the card through the above link.
If you face any problems in the application process you can contact me on Twitter.
You can choose to apply for any AMEX card from the link in the banner. To choose and apply a card of your choice simply click on the View All Cards option and select one. All the information for that particular card is readily available on the website.
Regular Reward Accrual
Spends Area
Reward Rate
All Spends*
1 MR Points/ ₹50 spent
*Spends exclude Fuel, Insurance, Utilities, Cash Transactions and EMI conversion at the Point of Sale
Reward points never expire
You get to earn MR points even on wallet loads
As you can see base reward rate is really poor and the maximum that you can yield out of it will be less than 1% whether you go for their Gold Collection voucher redemption or transfer them to Marriot Bonvoy/Taj Hotels
The above-mentioned reward rate is considered if you would be transferring your points to Marriott Bonvoy or redeeming them for Taj Vouchers. But if you would like to redeem them for Amazon Pay vouchers then you may get much lesser value.
AMEX Rewards Multiplier
AMEX has a Rewards Multiplier portal just like HDFC SmartBuy from where you can purchase gift vouchers or do affiliate shopping and get 2X the normal reward points.
There are the following redemption options for the AMEX SmartEarn Credit Card.
Statement Credit/ Pay with Points
AMEX allows you to take a statement credit on eligible transactions or pay with points on select merchants while entering OTP for your transaction at a value of 25p/point. Most of the new AMEX cardholders use this redemption method but trust me there can’t be a method worse than this to use your MR Points. They are much more valuable than this so kindly ignore these two options.
Travel With Points
Another method to redeem your MR points. With this, you can purchase flights, prepaid hotels, car rentals, and more on AmexTravel. Again this gives you a value of 25p/MR point and is highly not recommended.
Insta Vouchers & Gold Collection
AMEX further offers you a huge variety of instant vouchers against your MR points which have different values for different brands. In this section, there are certain brand vouchers like Amazon, TAJ, BigBasket, Croma, Flipkart etc. which give better value over others and are called Gold Collection vouchers from AMEX. To redeem the gold collection you need to redeem vouchers in multiple of 18,000 or 24,000 MR points.
It is always better to hold a gold collection card like AMEX Gold Charge or AMEX MRCC along with the SmartEarn so that you can redeem your MR Points for the gold collection vouchers.
Just for an idea, I have presented some values for the Gold Collection as Amazon and Taj give the highest and lowest monetary value per point. Also, keep in mind that AMEX vouchers can only be used to book Taj Properties at non-discounted rates only. Amazon voucher option is good for cashback lovers while Taj or Vistara vouchers are good for those who are into travelling.
Sometimes AMEX brings up Hot Rewards on particular brand voucher redemption which may give a very tempting value. You need to keep an eye on them.
Transfer Points
Now, this is the hottest redemption option for MR points and if you can play well with this you can yield values of even greater than a rupee per point.
Airlines Transfers
AMEX allows you to transfer points to 8 different airline partners and some of them are so unique that none of the Indian credit cards allows you to transfer points to them like Asia Miles. We have a curated list of all AMEX airline transfer partners here. For booking award tickets using points, you can refer to this post on the TechnoFino Community.
Hotel Transfers
Now, this is the most sought redemption option since anyone with a Platinum or Gold status with Marriott Bonvoy can just extract a value of more than 1Re/MR point by transferring a 1:1 ratio with suite upgrades, breakfast and lounge access with complimentary drinks are an added plus. Since AMEX is the sole transfer partner to Marriott Bonvoy so many points miners use MR points only for transfer to Marriott.
Other than this you can transfer to Hilton Honors also but the value is not that great as compared to Marriott. We have curated a complete list of AMEX hotel transfer partners here.
It takes about 3-5 days to transfer Amex MR Points to various loyalty programs so transfer them well in advance to use them.
TechnoFino Maximum
If you spend ₹7,500 a month on all the listed merchants then you can earn 1250 MR points per month on this card. So you can easily earn 15000 MR points in a year on this card just by doing everyday spending and also get a fee waiver.
Spending on the Rewards Multiplier doesn’t make much sense on this card since a 2X multiplier isn’t that exciting.
Other Benefits
Fuel Surcharge Waiver
0% for HPCL transactions less than ₹5,000,1% fee per transaction is applicable for all HPCL transactions on and above ₹5,000.
1% of the transaction value subject to a minimum of ₹10 + applicable taxes, will be charged as a convenience fee at fuel stations operated by the Public Sector Oil Marketing Companies BPCL and IOCL.
2.5% of the transaction value subject to a minimum of ₹10 + applicable taxes, will be charged as a convenience fee at fuel stations of all other Oil Marketing Companies (except HPCL, BPCL and IOCL).
Forex Markup Charges
Forex Markup charges are standard 3.50% + GST
Eligibility Criteria
For SmartEarn income of a minimum ₹4.5LPA is required if you are salaried and an ITR of a minimum ₹6LPA is required for self-employed. AMEX doesn’t process applications on a Card-to-Card basis. (Although an income proof is required to apply sometimes this card gets processed without one so you may try your luck)
Your CIBIL score should be a minimum of 750
You must have an address proof of any serviceable area.
***Apply now for any AMEX Card by clicking on the banner above and get all the referral benefits***
Joining via referral gives you an edge as you get the 2000 welcome MR points extra which you won’t get by applying directly.
TechnoFino Recommends
AMEX SmartEarn though decent doesn’t have many takers since the card becomes less meaningful if used alone. Instead of this most people take the AMEX MRCC since the eligibility criteria are almost similar. But its value can be used in your favour by combining it with MRCC or a Gold Charge card. So, if you are not willing to commit 4L spends on an AMEX Card then you can shun the AMEX Platinum Travel and make your own AMEX Trifecta with AMEX Gold Charge, AMEX MRCC and AMEX SmartEarn.
Are you planning to get the American Express SmartEarn and start your credit relationship with them? Feel free to share your thoughts in the comments below.
Editor’s note: This is a recurring post, regularly updated with new information and offers. Last Updated 31st Dec 2023.
Yes Bank has recently started revamping its credit card portfolio and has launched a super premium card by the name of Yes Bank Marquee. The card is gaining a lot of attention due to its USP of great reward on online spending and loads of lounge access which can be shared even with addon card holders.
Let’s check whether the benefits of this card are worth the hype or not!
*Select categories include Rental Payments, Wallet Loading, Recharge, Utility Bill Payments, Insurance, Education and Government Payments
No reward points are applicable on Fuel transactions, Cash withdrawals, Cash Advance fees, post-purchase EMI or instant EMI transactions
Reward Redemption
Spends Area
Flights/Hotel Bookings
Gift Vouchers
Air Miles Transfer
Statement Credit
Online Spends
4.5%
Up to 4.5%
1.8%
2.7%
Offline Spends
2.25%
Up to 2.25%
0.9%
1.35%
Special Categories*
1.25%
Up to 1.25%
0.50%
0.75%
Flights and Hotels can be booked for a value of 25 paise per Yes Rewardz Point
Gift voucher redemption starts from 10p a point although some of the Gift Vouchers are redeemable at 25p per point
Convert your Reward Points to Airmiles with our Airline Partners in the ratio of 10 Reward Points = 1 Air Mile (Options: Club Vistara (CV Points) & Intermiles)
For statement credit 1 Reward Point = 15 paise
Other Benefits
Airport Lounge Access
Domestic Airport Lounge Access Complimentary Limit – 6 Visits/ Calendar quarter within India for primary and add-on cardholders Guest Visits: 8 Complimentary Lounge visits per quarter Access Via – Credit Card
International Airport Lounge Access Unlimited complimentary Visits outside India for primary as well as add-on cardholders Guest Visits: 8 Complimentary Lounge visits per quarter Access Via – Credit Card Network – LoungeKey
BookMyShow Offer
Buy 1 get 1 movie ticket for a maximum of 3 tickets per calendar month. Offer valid only for Movies tickets. Discount is capped at ₹800 per ticket.
Golf Benefits
Enjoy waiver of 4 Green Fee at select golf courses in India
Enjoy one complimentary Golf Lesson every calendar month at select golf courses in India
Purchase Protection Insurance
Purchase Protection – Insurance cover against accidental damage/Burglary in residential premises of the customer as per bank records, for 6 months for mobile & electronic devices purchased online using this card. The maximum limit for the same is ₹50,000.
Fuel Surcharge Waiver
1% waiver for transactions between ₹400 to ₹4000. Maximum surcharge waiver of ₹1000 per statement cycle.
Forex Markup
1% + GST Forex Markup charges are applicable on international transactions. Hence online spending translates to a reward rate of 3.32% which is quite good.
Eligibility and How to Apply?
21 to 60 years of age
Salaried or self-employed
Minimum Net Salary of INR 3 Lakhs per month or Income Tax Return of INR 24 Lakhs and above
The best way to apply currently is via their website by simply punching in your details online. They are also offering an Amazon voucher for applying directly via their website.
TechnoFino Recommends
Yes Bank Marquee is highly recommended since both the joining fees and the annual fees are well covered by the points being given against the fee. The USP of unlimited lounge access and an unbelievable reward rate for online and offline spending will disrupt the market for sure. Yes Bank should try to rope in some more transfer partners as well if it wants to make its reward points-based card portfolio successful.
A feature-wise comparable card to this can be the ICICI Bank Emeralde Private Metal which comes at a similar joining fee points but without any substantial joining benefits.
Are you planning to get the Yes Bank Marquee Credit card? Tell us in the comments below.
Editor’s note: This is a recurring post, regularly updated with new information and offers. Last Updated 31st Dec 2023.
IndusInd Bank has recently launched a card named Solitaire Credit Card in metal form factor loaded with some luxury travel benefits. This card is loaded with a good number of lounge access for both domestic and international airports plus this also gives access to memberships of two of the luxurious hotel chains in India.
Let’s check the benefits of this card and see whether it justifies its fees or not.
1) Spend ₹1 lakh in the first 30 days from the card issuance date and earn 5000 Bonus Reward Points 2) Complimentary TAJ Epicure Membership for the first year. 3) EazyDiner Prime for the first year. 4) Club ITC Culinaire Membership is renewed every year.
Annual Fees
₹10000 + GST
Annual Benefits
Club ITC Culinaire Membership is renewed every year.
Annual Fee Waiver
Waived off on ₹10L annual spending.
Add-on Fees
NIL
Card Category
Reward Points
IndusInd bank has kept this card in a very high price range but without any tangible joining benefits this card lacks a punch. Even for renewal fees paid, there is no value back.
Reward Rate
Spends Area
Reward Rate
All Spends*
1 Reward Point per ₹100
*Reward points earned on transactions done at select MCC categories such as utility bill payments, insurance premiums, government services, Educational Institutes, Real Estate and rental payments will be 0.70 Reward Points for every Rs 100 spent
Fuel transactions will not accrue any reward points
Reward Redemption
Spends Area
Airmiles
Cash
All Spends*
0.80%
0.50%
Convert your Reward Points to Airmiles with our Airline Partners in the ratio of 5 Reward Points = 4 Air Miles (Options: Club Vistara & Intermiles)
Get Cash Credit in the ratio of 1 Reward Point = ₹0.50
Other Benefits
Airport Lounge Access
Domestic Airport Lounge Access Complimentary Limit – 4 Visits/ Calendar quarter within India only for primary cardholders. Access Via – Credit Card
International Airport Lounge Access Complimentary Limit – 4 Visits/ Calendar quarter outside India only for primary cardholders. Access Via – Credit Card Network – LoungeKey
Experience the luxury of a complimentary Taj Epicure Preferred Membership for one year which comes with:
Night Stay: Get one voucher for 1 Night Stay with breakfast for two persons Upgrade Vouchers: 2 Vouchers for a one-level room upgrade for one night reserved directly at the Best Available Rate Set Meals: Get two vouchers at All Day Dining Restaurants for two people Complimentary Spa Treatments: Complimentary one-time 60-minute spa treatment and access to sauna and steam for one person Year-round discounts: Get up to 25% discount on your stay, dine-in, takeaway and Spa treatments More details about Taj Epicure Preferred Membership are here.
EazyDiner Prime
EazyDiner Prime Membership for One Year
Guaranteed 25% and up to 50% discount at over 2000 best restaurants in India and Dubai
Exclusive 1+1 deals on buffets at hotels
2X (double) EazyPoints every time you eat out, redeemable for free meals, free 5-star hotel stays & exclusive foodie events
12 rounds of complimentary green fees for a year, not exceeding 3 rounds of complimentary green fees in a calendar quarter
4 complimentary green fee access for guests, not exceeding 1 complimentary guest green fee in a calendar quarter
12 complimentary golf lessons every year, not exceeding 3 lessons in a calendar quarter
Fuel Surcharge Waiver
1% waiver for transactions between ₹400 to ₹4000. Maximum surcharge waiver of ₹500 per statement cycle.
Forex Markup
Zero Forex Markup charges are applicable on international transactions.
TechnoFino Recommends
At the time of joining, you are getting more than enough benefits to offset the joining fees, but this card seriously lags in terms of the reward system. I mean, look at its value-back percentage; it’s lower than any entry-level credit card. When you are paying a 30,000 joining fee and a 10,000 annual fee every year, then you should get enough value back to justify the fees, but this card offers nothing more than zero markup fees and a large number of complimentary lounge access.
If you are looking at the hotel memberships then there are better cards available if you want a Taj Epicure membership. Hence I would say that this card is not a value-for-money credit card. IndusInd should work more on bringing some good transfer partners like it tried to do with it’s IndusInd Bank Avios Credit Card.
Are you planning to get this card? Tell us in the comments below.
IHG, or the InterContinental Hotel Group, is a big name in the hotel business with over 6000 properties worldwide. The story of IHG goes way back to 1777 when William Brass first entered the hospitality industry with Brass Hotels. In 1946, Juan Trippe, the founder of Pan-American Airways, established InterContinental Hotels. Over time, new brands like Holiday Inn and later Holiday Inn Express were introduced. In 2003, the hotel chain went through a restructuring process and emerged as the IHG Hotel Group, boasting 19 different brands across the globe. Today, IHG continues its legacy, providing a wide range of accommodations to travellers everywhere. We have curated this Ultimate Guide on the IHG One Rewards for the Indian Travellers.
IHG Hotel Brands
IHG Hotels has 20 different types of hotels to make all kinds of guests happy. From super fancy Six Senses to the budget-friendly Holiday Inn, they have something for everyone. Let’s look at each brand and its speciality:
Luxury and Lifestyle Collection:
Six Senses Hotels Resorts Spas: Fancy hotels close to nature, with a nod to local culture and a big focus on being kind to the environment.
Regent Hotels & Resorts: High-end resorts, especially in Asia, with a focus on sophistication.
InterContinental Hotels & Resorts: Luxury hotels in big cities, often with a lot of history.
Vignette Collection: Luxury resorts that blend local culture into your stay to support the community.
Kimpton Hotels & Restaurants: Unique and quirky luxury hotels, each one different and reflecting its location.
Hotel Indigo: Like Kimpton, these hotels are unique and break the mould of typical chain hotels.
Premium Collection:
HUALUXE Hotels & Resorts: Aimed at Chinese travelers, focusing on Chinese customs and nature.
Crowne Plaza Hotels & Resorts: Good for meetings, a step above Holiday Inn but not super fancy.
EVEN Hotels: Mid-range hotels focusing on wellness.
VOCO Hotels: A high-end conversion brand with clear and concise quality criteria.
Essentials Collection:
Holiday Inn: The original brand, is big and focused on leisure.
Holiday Inn Express: Like Holiday Inn but with free breakfast and a bit fewer extras in terms of amenities.
Avid Hotels: Simple and affordable, great for a good night’s sleep.
Garner: Affordable with character, part of IHG’s mid-range conversion spaces.
Suites Collection:
Atwell Suites: A newer brand promising a more upscale extended stay experience.
Staybridge Suites: Family-friendly suites with kitchens and free breakfast.
Holiday Inn Club Vacations: IHG’s version of timeshare ownership properties.
Candlewood Suites: No-frills extended stay.
Exclusive Partners:
Iberostar Beachfront Resorts: Fancy resorts and all-inclusive properties by the beach.
IHG tries to make sure there’s a perfect hotel for every guest, no matter what they’re looking for.
The IHG One Rewards program offers different membership levels, each with its own set of benefits. Here’s a breakdown of the IHG One Rewards levels:
Club
Requirement: Enrollment in the program
Benefits:
Collect points or miles on stays
Discounted member rates
Free internet
2 PM late check-out (subject to availability)
Silver
Requirement: 10 qualified nights
Additional Benefits:
20% more points earned on top of the base points
Points don’t expire
Gold Elite
Requirement: 20 qualified nights or 40,000 Elite qualifying points
Additional Benefits:
40% more points earned on top of the base points
Elite rollover nights for next year’s status
Platinum Elite
Requirement: 40 qualified nights or 60,000 Elite qualifying points
Additional Benefits:
60% more points earned over base points
Reward Night discounts
Guaranteed room availability if booked 72 hours ahead
Complimentary room upgrades (subject to availability)
Welcome amenity of points, a drink, or a snack
Early check-in (subject to availability)
Diamond Elite
Requirement: 70 qualified nights or 120,000 Elite qualifying points
Additional Benefits:
Dedicated Diamond support
100% more points earned on top of the base points
Welcome amenities include free daily breakfast for two
IHG Memberships
In addition to these tier levels, IHG offers its paid membership program called the Intercontinental Ambassador.
Intercontinental Ambassador
Requirement: US$200/year membership
Benefits:
Instant Platinum Elite IHG One Rewards status
Guaranteed upgrades
4 PM checkout
A complimentary weekend night stay
US$20 in restaurant and bar credits
This paid program offers exclusive perks, particularly when staying at InterContinental hotels, enhancing the overall IHG experience for members.
Invite-only Memberships
Apart from the above, IHG also offers two exclusive, invite-only programs for their most dedicated customers, providing extraordinary perks beyond publicly available elite statuses:
Royal Ambassador
Benefits:
Guaranteed two-category room upgrade
Complimentary Club InterContinental lounge access or free full breakfast for two
Free night at an IHG Hotel (up to 70,000 points per night)
Guaranteed early check-in at 10 a.m. on the day of arrival
$50 per night minibar credit (up to $200 per stay)
In-room welcome amenity choice of fruit, sweet, or savoury snack on the day of arrival
Waived amenity or destination fees
Single-room rate for double occupancy
Guaranteed room availability when booked 24 hours in advance.
Compensation for Unfulfilled Benefits:
IHG backs up Ambassador benefits with cash, credits, or points if certain benefits cannot be provided during the stay, such as a $50 Restaurant & Bar or Spa credit or 10,000 IHG Rewards Points for not being able to provide a room upgrade or a 4 pm late check-out.
Kimpton Inner Circle Status
Benefits:
Inner Circle Amenity (personalized treat on arrival)
Complimentary Chef’s Taste
Complimentary night at new hotels during the limited-time opening offer
VIP dedicated phone line
Guaranteed one-category room upgrade
Guaranteed 10 am check-in and 4 pm check-out
Waived amenity fee (excluding resort fees)
Invitation Process:
Kimpton Inner Circle status is invitation-only and is offered to members who have earned IHG Diamond Elite status and demonstrated loyalty to Kimpton by frequent stays at their hotels.
Invitations are typically sent out in January each year via email.
These exclusive programs aim to provide top-tier members with exceptional benefits, ensuring a truly luxurious and personalized experience during their stays.
Status Match & Fast-Track Status
IHG provides both publicly advertised and undisclosed fast-track options for achieving Elite Status. Occasionally, IHG may present a Fast-track Elite Status promotion, allowing you to reach Elite Status with a reduced number of stays at their properties within a specified timeframe. It’s advisable to stay alert for such promotions, particularly around year-end, to expedite your status. You can find such offers here.
Another avenue to explore is the Status Matcher website, where individuals share their experiences attempting to match Elite Status from other loyalty programs with IHG’s Elite Status. These processes involve trial and error, and as of now, individuals have reported success with Hilton and Marriott Elite Status matches.
IHG One Rewards’ Milestones Rewards
IHG One Rewards Milestone Rewards are special benefits you get each year based on how many nights you stay at IHG hotels. Starting at just 20 nights and going up to 100 nights, you get Milestone Rewards every 10 nights. All kinds of nights, including ones where you use your points, count.
Here’s what you get for reaching different milestones in a year:
20 nights: Choose between 5,000 bonus points, two $20 food and drink vouchers, or a special upgrade to a suite.
30 nights: Choose between 5,000 bonus points or two $20 food and drink vouchers.
40 nights (pick two): Choose between 10,000 bonus points, five $20 food and drink vouchers, a special suite upgrade (only one time), or a yearly lounge membership (only one time).
50 nights: Choose between 10,000 bonus points or five $20 food and drink vouchers.
60 nights: Choose between 10,000 bonus points or five $20 food and drink vouchers.
70 nights (pick two): Choose between 10,000 bonus points, five $20 food and drink vouchers, two special suite upgrades (only one time), or a yearly lounge membership (only one time).
80 nights: Choose between 10,000 bonus points or five $20 food and drink vouchers.
90 nights: Choose between 10,000 bonus points or five $20 food and drink vouchers.
100 nights: Choose between 10,000 bonus points or five $20 food and drink vouchers.
These rewards make staying with IHG even more exciting and enjoyable!
IHG members have various ways to accumulate IHG One Rewards points, with hotel stays being the primary method. When staying at eligible IHG brand properties, members earn points based on the amount spent:
10 IHG One Reward points for each dollar spent at most IHG hotels
5 IHG One Reward points for every dollar spent at Staybridge Suites and Candlewood Suites
For elite status holders, the point-earning potential is even greater. In addition to the standard base points earned for each dollar spent at IHG, elite status brings additional bonuses, allowing members to earn up to 100% more points. Here are the elite status levels and their respective bonus rates:
Club: No bonus IHG points earned
Silver Elite: 20% bonus
Gold Elite: 40% bonus
Platinum Elite: 60% bonus
Diamond Elite: 100% bonus
Please do note that you can earn Reward Points for up to 9 rooms booked under your name but you’ll only earn Status Night for 1 room only.
Earn Through Transfer Partners
Credit Card Transfer Partners
IHG One Points can be earned through banking transfer partners, currently involving three available banking partners that permit the transfer of credit card points to the IHG One program:
Axis Bank
For Axis Reserve and Magnus, the transfer ratio is 5:2 for Edge Reward Points to IHG Reward Points.
For Magnus Burgundy and Burgundy Private credit card points, it’s 5:4.
For Select and Privilege cards, it’s 5:1.
For other Edge Reward earning cards, it’s 10:1.
For Atlas, Edge Miles can be transferred at a ratio of 1:2
Burgundy Private Account Holders can transfer Axis Reserve credit card Points at a 5:4 ratio, including all Edge Reward Points earning cards.
HDFC Bank
HDFC Infinia and Diner Club Black Cards allow points to be transferred at a 1:1 ratio.
CitiBank
Citi Premier Miles Card points can be transferred at a 1:1 ratio.
Citi Prestige Card points can be transferred at a 1:4 ratio.
Citi Ultima Card points can be transferred at a 1:5 ratio.
Earn Through Meetings and Events
You have the opportunity to accumulate IHG One Reward points through the IHG Business Rewards program, which enables you to earn points when organizing various gatherings, including meetings and weddings, at select IHG properties.
To accrue points from meetings and events, it is essential to sign up on the IHG website. Once registered, you can earn 3 points per dollar spent when booking rooms, meetings, and events on behalf of others. Qualifying expenditures encompass:
Guest rooms being reserved for others
Costs associated with meetings and events
Conference room expenses
Food and beverage services connected to meetings and conferences
All-inclusive meeting packages
It’s worth noting that some properties do not participate in the IHG Business Rewards program. A list of non-participating properties can be found on the IHG website. Additionally, there is typically a maximum cap of 60,000 points that can be earned for an individual meeting or event.
Buying IHG One Reward Points
Every year, IHG One Rewards members have the option to purchase points, with a limit of 150,000 points annually. While these points can be gifted to friends or family at a fee, they still fall under the 2,50,000 yearly limit for individual accounts. Members are allowed to receive a maximum of 2,50,000 gift points each year. It’s important to note that purchases are handled by a third-party service called Points.com, meaning no travel category bonuses from credit card spending will be received.
Generally, buying IHG One Rewards points, or any points, is not a practice we often recommend, especially when not on sale. However, if you find yourself in need of boosting your point balance for an upcoming stay, purchasing points may be a viable option.
Before making a purchase, it’s essential to evaluate the value you’ll gain from the points. Additionally, IHG frequently runs promotions offering up to a 100% bonus on purchased points, making it advantageous to wait for such promotions to get a better deal. You can go and buy the points just by clicking here.
Ways to Redeem IHG One Reward Points
Room Redemptions
In 2020, IHG, like many other hotel loyalty programs, abandoned its award charts and introduced a dynamic pricing model, aligning award rates with demand fluctuations, similar to cash rates. While the traditional concept of sweet spots has faded, opportunities for excellent deals still exist. Maximizing the value of your IHG One Rewards points requires flexibility, encouraging consideration of off-peak travel seasons.
When redeeming IHG One Rewards points, it’s advisable to compare cash and award pricing. A generally solid use of points is achieved when you get more than 50 Paisa per point.
For those facing budget constraints, IHG’s Points & Cash option offers a solution. This feature allows you to utilize a minimum of 5,000 points to offset room costs. To employ Points & Cash, conduct an award night search, ensuring “Rewards Nights” is selected under “Rate Preference”. Choose the desired property and select the “Points & Cash” option during the booking process, offering flexibility to tailor your choice based on your preferences.
Transferring to Airline Partners
If you have IHG One Rewards points and no upcoming stays planned, you can still extract value by transferring your points to an airline. Typically, IHG One Rewards points convert at a ratio of 5:1, meaning you get one airline mile for every five IHG One Rewards points transferred. The minimum transfer is 10,000 IHG Reward Points, and multiples of this amount are required for eligible airline partners.
Initiating the conversion of IHG One Rewards points to airline miles must be done via phone. Contact your regional IHG reward service centre based on your location. Keep in mind that it may take 14 to 21 days for the miles to be posted, so plan accordingly. Generally, this may not offer the best value for your points.
IHG’s airline transfer partners encompass a wide range, including Aeroflot Russian Airlines, Air Canada, Air China, Air France, American Airlines, British Airways, Delta Air Lines, Emirates, United Airlines, and many others. This provides flexibility in choosing the airline program that suits your travel preferences. For the complete list of airline transfer partners Click Here
Following recent updates in IHG Rewards, transferring points between family accounts now incurs a $5 fee for every 1,000 points. However, if you have an IHG Business Rewards account, which is available to regular IHG One Rewards members as well, also considering you’re a Diamond Elite member, you can enjoy fee-free transfers. It’s worth noting that there is a limit of 150,000 points for transfers to and from each account per calendar year.
For elite status members, IHG One Rewards points remain valid as long as the status is maintained, with no expiration. However, Club members’ points expire after 12 months of inactivity. To prevent the expiration of IHG One Rewards points, Club members can take any of the following actions:
Book a reward night.
Utilize Points and Cash bookings.
Purchase IHG One Rewards points.
Bottomline
IHG’s loyalty program offers ample chances to accrue IHG One Rewards points, which can be redeemed for reward nights. While the dynamic pricing model requires some effort to find optimal values, opportunities for significant benefits exist. IHG’s extensive global presence ensures that there’s likely a suitable IHG property worldwide, catering to diverse travel needs and points budgets.
Editor’s note: This is a recurring post, regularly updated with new information and offers. Last Updated 5th Dec 2023.
HSBC has recently revamped their Cashback Credit card and I would say it has been revalued as an exception in this season of brutal devaluations. Since earning points for travel is again becoming difficult many people are shifting to cashback credit cards to bump up their valueback.
Here’s a quick review of this great credit card from HSBC Bank!
The welcome voucher compensates the joining fee but there will be no annual benefits for paying the annual fees.
Reward Rate
Spends Area
CashbackRate
Capping
All dining, food delivery and grocery spends
10%
₹1000
All Other Spends*
1.50%
Unlimited
*Cashback cannot be earned on transactions made on Fuel, e-wallets, rental payments, Business to Business transactions, education and government payments, Insurance, Jewelry and antique items, Gambling, Tolls and Bridge Fees, Financial and Non-Financial Institutions, Security Broker Services, Collection Agencies, Charity, Money Transfers and Wholesale Clubs.
Your cashback will be credited within 45 days after the statement generation date
No cash-back redemption fee is applicable
Other Benefits
Airport Lounge Access
Domestic Airport Lounge Access Complimentary Limit – 4 Visits/ Calendar year (1 per quarter) within India only for primary cardholders. Access Via – Credit Card
Fuel Surcharge Waiver
No fuel surcharge waiver is applicable on this card.
Forex Markup
Forex markup charges are applicable of 3.5%+GST.
Eligibility
You must be aged between 18 to 65
Your annual income must be at least INR400,000 per annum (for salaried individuals)
You must be an Indian resident
You must reside in any of the following cities: Bangalore, Chennai, Gurgaon, Hyderabad, Mumbai, New Delhi, Noida, Pune
HSBC Bank is currently only offering their credit cards to salaried individuals that too very strictly. If you are a self-employed individual then you may try your luck by opening a premium bank account against a huge NRV.
TechnoFino Recommends
A simple no-nonsense cashback card from HSBC Bank which caters to both Groceries and Dining that too at a flat 10% rate which I would say is unheard of before. Earlier Kotak was offering such cashback on their Essentia and Delight credit cards with some conditions and now have been discontinued. Apply Now For HSBC Cashback Credit Card
If you are looking for a great multi-utility card for all your grocery and dining spending then this card should be there in your wallet! Not to worry about the fees since in festive time reaching that upper cap on 10% cashback even for just one time will make your card free virtually for the year. This card is in direct competition with the HDFC Swiggy card now.
Are you planning to get this card? Tell us in the comments below about your experience.
Editor’s note: This is a recurring post, regularly updated with new information and offers. Last Updated 19th Nov 2023.
Axis Bank Flipkart credit card was launched back in 2019 when the cobranded card space was evolving. I have held this card since then until last year after which I had closed this card to make space for other cards from Axis Bank’s stable. I got this as an upgrade from the erstwhile Axis Buzz credit card which has similar benefits. This card is quite popular among cashback enthusiasts.
Spend ₹3.5L on your card in a year for an annual fee waiver*.
Add-on Fees
NIL
Card Category
Cashback
*Rental and Wallet Transactions not included in annual fee waiver.
The joining fee is well compensated by the welcome voucher but there will be no annual benefits on paying the annual fees.
Reward Rate
Spends Area
CashbackRate
Flipkart Spends*
5%
Myntra, Flipkart Hotel and Flight Bookings
1.50%
Spends at Cleartrip, Swiggy, Uber, PVR, Tata Play and Cure.fit
4%
Other Spends
1.5%
*Cashback cannot be earned on transactions made on fuel spends, govt spends, purchase of gift cards on Flipkart and Myntra, EMI transactions, purchases converted to EMI post-facto, wallet-loading transactions, cash advances, rental payments, purchase of jewellery, insurance services, utilities, educational services, payment of outstanding balances, payment of card fees and other card charges
Your cashback will be credited in the next billing cycle 3 days before the statement generation date
No cash-back redemption fee is applicable
This card currently has no cap on any kind of spending but it does have a large list of exclusions. With a meagre difference of 0.5% cashback, this card is in direct competition with Axis Ace.
Other Benefits
Airport Lounge Access
Domestic Airport Lounge Access Complimentary Limit – 4 Visits/ Calendar year within India only for primary cardholders. Access Via – Credit Card Network – Visa Signature/ MasterCard World
The lounge access tie-up is very limited on this card so do check the latest lounge list before taking this card.
Fuel Surcharge Waiver
1% waiver for transactions between ₹400 to ₹4000. Maximum surcharge waiver of ₹500 per statement cycle.
Forex Markup
Forex markup charges are applicable of 3.5%+GST.
TechnoFino Recommends
If you are a heavy spender on Flipkart and other preferred partners and want to have a card for offline spending as well then Axis Bank Flipkart Card is just the right one. The 5% unlimited cashback benefit on Flipkart purchases and an unlimited 1.5% cashback on all the spends make this card shine.
This one card when used for all your spending will give you quite a good value if you cross the yearly spending requirements. Its direct competitors are SBI Cashback and HDFC Millennia but they only give better reward rates on online spends only.
Are you holding the Axis Flipkart Credit Card? Tell us in the comments below about your experience.
Editor’s note: This is a recurring post, regularly updated with new information and offers. Last Updated 14th Nov 2023.
Axis Ace credit card is a darling of all cashback lovers with its best-in-class unlimited 2% cash back on offline spending and 5% on paying bills via Google Pay.
Here’s an updated review of its benefits amid all the devaluations!
Spend ₹2L on your card in a year for an annual fee waiver*.
Add-on Fees
NIL
Card Category
Cashback
*Rental and Wallet Transactions not included in annual fee waiver.
Reward Rate
Spends Area
CashbackRate
Capping
Bill Payments on Google Pay (Electricity, Internet, Gas, DTH, and Mobile Recharges)
5%
Maximum cashback of ₹500 per statement cycle.
Swiggy, Zomato and Ola
4%
Same as above combined capping.
Other Spends*
2%
NIL
*Cashback cannot be earned on transactions made on Educational Services, Fuel Spends, Rental Payments, Insurance Premium Payments, EMI transactions or purchases converted to EMI, Wallet loading transactions, Govt Payments and Gold/Jewelry Purchases
Cashback earned for the purchases during the current billing cycle will be credited in the next billing cycle 3 days before the statement generation date
No cash-back redemption fee is applicable
This card is still a leader for offline spending since it offers 2% unlimited flat statement credit at such a low fee point. This credit card has one of the most clean statements I have ever seen regarding cashback calculations.
Other Benefits
Airport Lounge Access
Domestic Airport Lounge Access Complimentary Limit – 4 Visits/ Calendar year within India only for primary cardholders. Access Via – Credit Card Network – Visa Signature/ MasterCard World
Fuel Surcharge Waiver
1% waiver for transactions between ₹400 to ₹4000. Maximum surcharge waiver of ₹500 per statement cycle.
Forex Markup
Forex markup charges are applicable of 3.5%+GST.
TechnoFino Maximum
Paying bills of ₹10,000 on the Google Pay app or using the card on select merchants ₹12,500 will maximize your savings of ₹500 per month. Rest the card can be used on all offline and online merchants for unlimited 2% cashback.
TechnoFino Recommends
Amid all the devaluations this card still has some steam left especially the 2% unlimited cashback on offline spending. At such a low fee point, easy to achieve fee waiver, and reasonable cappings on a usually low rewarding category like bill payments this card is a showstopper as of now.
Currently, the Axis Bank credit card is being issued only by Google Pay on an invite-only basis. You can also apply it on the Axis Bank mobile app if you have a pre-qualified offer. I had used this card quite extensively along with Axis Flipkart since its launch but got rid of them in 2023 when I started transitioning to travel credit cards. A word of caution for Apple users since GPay doesn’t support bill payments using a credit card on iOS.
Using SBI Cashback for online and Axis Ace for offline is also good if you like to over-optimize your spending. Its direct competitors are Standard Chartered Smart and Axis Flipkart.
If you’re into luxury travel and enjoy how your favourite credit card rewards can be converted into Airmiles and hotel loyalty points, you’ll love spreading the word about them and earning some bonus points in the process! Very few card issuers offer a referral benefit in India. The American Express Member-Get-Member is the most rewarding program for both the referrer(MGMer) and the referee(MGMee).
This post will cover the complete American Express MGM Program to help you maximise your referrals.
The American Express Member-Get-Member Program is a way to earn bonus points for spreading the word about AMEX cards with others.
You get a unique link for every card you hold with AMEX which needs to be shared with the MGMee. And, when MGMee gets a card approved through that link, you will earn bonus points for your endeavour. The MGMee can apply for any of the cards from the AMEX portfolio irrespective of the card you hold.
I believe referring your friends and family is a great way to earn those valuable MR (Membership Reward) points.
Whom Can You Refer?
AMEX Member-Get-Member program is intended to invite your friends and family for an American Express Card.
There are certain situations in which you may not receive a referral bonus:
The MGMee receives the link but doesn’t apply using your link.
The application gets rejected due to any reason whatsoever.
Your past dues are not clear and your account stands inactive.
You have reached the maximum number of points you can earn in a calendar year on the card you hold.
What are the benefits for the MGMee?
I am listing all the AMEX Cards and the benefits one gets over applying directly. These are subject to change hence the offers must be verified online before applying.
Other than the bonuses mentioned below, AMEX is offering a set of Limited Edition Playing Cards to the MGMee per approved application between 14th September 2023 till 31st October 2023, if the application is approved before 6 PM on the offer end date. This is a great but limited-time offer (LTO) for all those who love to play cards on Diwali Night which is just around the corner.
AMEX Platinum Card
Annual fee: ₹60,000 plus applicable taxes
10,000 Referral Bonus Membership Rewards points when you spend INR 5,000 within 90 days of Cardmembership*
Stay vouchers worth INR 45,000 from Taj, SeleQtions and Vivanta Hotels* as welcome gifts within 6-8 weeks of payment of the annual fee and upon spending INR 50,000 in the first 2 months of Cardmembership.
A set of Limited Edition Playing Cards if your application is approved between 14th September 2023 and 31st October 2023, 6 PM IST.
AMEX Platinum Reserve Card
First Year fee: ₹5,000 + Applicable Taxes
Second year onwards: ₹10,000 + Applicable Taxes
4,000 Referral Bonus Membership Rewards® points when you spend INR 5,000 within 90 days of Cardmembership*
Welcome Gift of 11,000 Bonus Points on payment of the annual fee and on spending an additional INR 25,000 within 90 days of Cardmembership.
A set of Limited Edition Playing Cards if your application is approved between 14th September 2023 and 31st October 2023, 6 PM IST.
2,000 Referral Bonus Membership Rewards® points when you spend INR 5,000 in the first 90 days of Cardmembership*
Welcome Gift of 4,000 Bonus Membership Rewards® Points on payment of the annual fee and spending an additional INR 5,000 within 90 days of Cardmembership*
A set of Limited Edition Playing Cards if your application is approved between 14th September 2023 and 31st October 2023, 6 PM IST.
2,000 Referral Bonus Membership Rewards® points when you spend INR 5,000 within 90 days of Cardmembership*
A set of Limited Edition Playing Cards if your application is approved between 14th September 2023 and 31st October 2023, 6 PM IST.
AMEX SmartEarn Card
Annual fee: ₹495 plus applicable taxes
2,000 Referral Bonus Membership Rewards® points for being referred to American Express, when you spend INR 5,000 in the first 90 days of Cardmembership*
₹500 cashback as a Welcome Gift on eligible spends of an additional INR 5,000 within 90 days of Cardmembership
A set of Limited Edition Playing Cards if your application is approved between 14th September 2023 and 31st October 2023, 6 PM IST.
How to Refer A Friend to an AMEX Card?
Go to https://www.americanexpress.com/en-in/referral and log in to your AMEX account
Next, choose the card on which you wish to earn the referral bonus. Your friend can apply for any of the cards from the AMEX portfolio
Once you choose the card, you can either mail your personalized link via e-mail or simply copy it and share it directly with your friend
Once your friend’s card is approved through your referral link, you become eligible to receive the bonus Membership Rewards Points
Cards With Member-Get-Member Bonuses
I am listing all the AMEX Cards with their referral bonuses. These are subject to change hence the offers must be verified online before applying.
Other than the bonuses mentioned below, AMEX is offering a set of Limited Edition Playing Cards to the MGMer, per product used to make successful referrals between 14th September 2023 and 31st October 2023, if the application is approved before 6 PM on the offer end date.
AMEX Platinum Card
Earn 25,000 Membership Rewards points for each successful referral for an American Express Platinum Card.
Earn up to 5,00,000 Membership Rewards points in a calendar year.
AMEX Platinum Reserve Card
Earn 8,000 Membership Rewards points for each successful referral for any American Express Card available in the market.
Earn up to 1,50,000 Membership Rewards points in a calendar year.
Earn 8,000 Membership Rewards points for each successful referral for any American Express Card available in the market.
Earn up to 1,50,000 Membership Rewards points in a calendar year.
AMEX SmartEarn Card
Earn 5,000 Membership Rewards points for each successful referral for any American Express Card available in the market.
Earn up to 1,50,000 Membership Rewards points in a calendar year.
Final Thoughts
The American Express Member-Get-Member Program is a great way to earn rewards by referring your friends and family for an American Express Card. Once you accumulate the bonus points, you can redeem your points for your next holiday!
Editor’s note: This is a recurring post, regularly updated with new information and offers. Last Updated 18th October 2023.
HDFC Bank has recently launched the most speculated and much-awaited Marriott Bonvoy cobranded credit card in India. This is the first credit card ever launched in India by one of the most renowned global hotel chains in the world. The card is available on the Diners Club platform.
Here’s everything you wish to know about the card.
1) 1 Free Award Night (valued up to 15,000 Marriott Bonvoy points) 2) 10 Elite Night Credits (ENCs) under the Marriott Bonvoy Program 3) Complimentary Marriott Bonvoy Silver Elite Status
Renewal Fees
₹3000 + GST
Renewal Benefits
1 Free Award Night (valued up to 15,000 Marriott Bonvoy points)
Renewal Fee Waiver
NIL
The welcome benefit on this card is easily worth ₹7,500 minimum which is much more than the fee paid. Allow up to 12 weeks after paying the Joining Fee or Annual Membership Fee, or fulfilling the relevant spending thresholds, for your Free Night Award to be automatically deposited into your Marriott Bonvoy Member Account.
Reward Points Accrual
Spends Area
Earn Rate
Monthly Capping
All retail spends*
2 Marriott Bonvoy Points per ₹150 spent
NIL
Travel, Dining and Entertainment
4 Marriott Bonvoy Points per ₹150 spent
53335 Marriott Bonvoy Points (monthly spends threshold of ₹10,00,000)
Marriott Hotels
8 Marriott Bonvoy Points per ₹150 spent
13335 Marriott Bonvoy Points (monthly spends threshold of ₹5,00,000)
*Except for Fuel, Rental Payments, Packers and Movers, Government Transactions, Wallet loads, and Easy EMI transactions.
The points will be credited to your Marriott Bonvoy account within 3 months of bill generation.
Maximum Eligible Spend for earning Marriott Bonvoy Points on grocery store spend (i.e., 2 Marriott Bonvoy Points per ₹150) will be capped at spends of INR 1,50,000 per month (i.e., maximum 2000 Marriott Bonvoy Points could be earned on grocery spends per month).
Reward Points Redemption
For Marriott Bonvoy we can assume one MB point to be easily around 50p though you can extract more than Re 1 at some properties in some regions.
Spends Area
Reward Rate
All retail spends*
0.66%
Travel, Dining and Entertainment
1.33%
Marriott Hotels
2.66%
Milestone Benefits
1 Free Night Award on Eligible Spend of ₹6 lakhs in an Anniversary Year
1 Free Night Award on Eligible Spend of ₹9 lakhs in an Anniversary Year
1 Free Night Award on Eligible Spend of ₹15 lakhs in an Anniversary Year
Each Free Night Award is valid for 12 months and can be redeemed for a one-night stay, inclusive of room rate and applicable taxes, at hotels participating in Marriott Bonvoy with a redemption level of up to 15,000 Marriott Bonvoy Points.
Other Benefits
Airport Lounge Access
Access Via – Credit Card Complimentary Domestic Limit – 12 Visits/ Calendar year within India Network – Diners Club India
Access Via – Credit Card Complimentary International Limit – 12 Visits/ Calendar year on lounges outside India.
Golf Access
Get access to 2 Complimentary golf lessons per quarter at select golf courses in India.
Get 2 Complimentary Golf course access per quarter at select premium golf courses in India and golf courses internationally.
Fuel Surcharge Waiver
No fuel surcharge waiver is applicable on this card.
Insurance Coverage
Delay or loss of checked-in baggage cover of up to $250
Loss of travel documents cover of up to $250
Flight delay cover of up to $250
Air accidental cover of up to $12,500
Emergency medical expenses up to $18,750
Credit shield of up to ₹100,000
Loss liability cover of up to ₹100,000
Concierge Services
Enjoy the exclusive Concierge Services on your Marriott Bonvoy HDFC Bank Credit Card. Customers can connect to the concierge number from 9 a.m.-9 p.m.
Toll Free: 18003093100
Email: support@marriotthdfcbank.com
Forex Markup Charges
FCY Markup Fee: 3.5%+GST
Reward Rate: 0.66%
Net: –3.5% (loss)
Eligibility
Officially the bank has the following criteria but can vary as per your relationship with the bank.
For Salaried Indian national
Age: Min 21 years & Max 60 Years
Net Monthly Income > ₹1 Lakh
For Self Employed Indian national
Age: Min 21 years & Max 65 Years
ITR > ₹15 Lakhs per annum.
Last Thoughts
The mediocre features of this card suggest that Marriott is looking to tap into new customers or many who stay at Marriott properties but not into their loyalty programme Marriott Bonvoy. I am also expecting a much more premium card either from HDFC Bank or ICICI Bank soon. This card is up for keep since the joining fee is well compensated by the joining benefits even if you don’t spend on this card.
What are your thoughts about this card? Feel free to share in the comments below.
If you’re someone who spends a substantial amount in foreign currency every month, whether it’s online transactions or frequent visits to foreign countries involving offline transactions in foreign currencies, you’re likely in search of a credit card that offers low markup fees and provides good value on international spending. If that’s the case, you need to be aware of the valuable benefit offered by HDFC Bank to its select credit card users. HDFC Bank boasts a program called the “Global Value Back Program” (GVP), which allows you to earn a 1% cashback on all your international expenses. Let’s delve deeper into this program.
Global Value Back Program (GVP) is accessible to both retail and business credit card holders of HDFC Bank. When you enroll in this program, you’re entitled to receive a 1% direct cashback, credited to your credit card statement for all your international expenditures.
Charges: Joining/Annual Fees: Rs. 199 + GST
Welcome Benefit:
500 Bonus Reward Points on your first international transaction during the first year. This feature is not available upon renewal. Cashback Rate: 1% Cashback Cap: Rs. 1000 per statement cycle. This means if you spend 1 lakh in a statement cycle, you’ll receive a maximum cashback of Rs. 1000. Milestone Benefit: Receive Rs. 2,000/- worth of Yatra, Cleartrip, or MakeMyTrip vouchers once you accumulate international spends of Rs. 1,50,000/- in a year. This feature is available once a year.
Offer Eligibility:
Must be an Indian Citizen.
Applicable to HDFC Bank Credit Card customers (Applicable on Retail & Business Cards only; Corporate and Commercial cards are excluded).
Exclusions: Merchants dealing in Gaming, Betting, Gambling, and ATM cash withdrawal are not eligible for cashback. How to Avail GVP: Call HDFC Bank customer care and request them to activate the Global Value Back Program (GVP) on your credit card. You will receive an SMS confirmation of activation within 3 to 5 days.
The Global Value Back program is an exceptional value-added service provided by HDFC Bank to its customers. If you hold an HDFC Infinia or DCB card and frequently make international transactions, this service is highly recommended. By using GVP in conjunction with an Infinia/DCB card for international transactions, you can save 1.97% (including the 1% GVP cashback) on all international transactions up to 1 lakh in monthly spends. In the case of Regalia/Regalia Gold/DCP cards, you can virtually eliminate markup fees by utilizing GVP.
Discuss HDFC Bank Global Value Back Program On TF Community; HDFC Bank Page GVP Official Page Link.
Marriott Bonvoy, a globally renowned loyalty program, offers a gateway to unforgettable experiences for Indian travellers, catering to diverse preferences and travel goals. It encompasses a variety of brands under the Marriott International umbrella, offering an expansive range of hotels and resorts for every type of traveller. Whether one is planning a luxury retreat, a business trip, or a budget-friendly vacation, Marriott Bonvoy accommodates all, making it a popular choice amongst Indian tourists.
This ultimate guide is tailored to help Indian members navigate the multitude of benefits, rewards, and exclusive offers available through the Marriott Bonvoy program. It aims to provide insights on optimizing point earnings through hotel stays, credit card partnerships, dining, and organizing events at Marriott properties. The guide will also elucidate how to effectively redeem points for free nights, room upgrades, and unique experiences, maximizing value for every point earned. It covers the various membership tiers, each offering a spectrum of perks and privileges, allowing members to elevate their travel experience. Embracing this guide will empower Indian travellers to explore the world with Marriott Bonvoy, turning every journey into a memorable adventure.
Marriott Bonvoy has structured its loyalty program into several elite tiers, each offering a myriad of benefits to reward its most loyal members. Here’s an in-depth look into each tier, revealing how Indian travellers can maximize their travel experiences by leveraging these benefits.
Member Level
This is the entry-level tier for every individual who joins Marriott Bonvoy.
Benefits:
Members earn points per dollar spent on qualifying charges.
Access to member rates and free Wi-Fi.
Mobile check-in services.
Silver Elite
Attained after 10 qualifying nights in a calendar year.
Benefits:
Earn 10% more points on stays.
Late checkout (subject to availability).
Reservation guarantee.
Access to a dedicated elite reservation line.
Gold Elite
Reached after 25 qualifying nights in a calendar year.
Benefits:
Earn 25% bonus points on stays.
2 PM late checkout (based on availability).
Welcome gift of points.
Enhanced room upgrade, including select suites (subject to availability).
Platinum Elite
Achieved after 50 qualifying nights in a calendar year.
Benefits:
Earn 50% bonus points on stays.
4 PM late checkout.
Welcome gift options (points, breakfast offering, or amenity).
Room upgrades, including suites (subject to availability).
Lounge access at participating hotels.
Annual gift choice (such as gift of Silver Elite status for a friend or family member).
Titanium Elite
Attained after 75 qualifying nights in a calendar year.
Benefits:
Earn 75% bonus points on stays.
Additional Choice Benefit at 75 nights.
48-hour guarantee on room availability.
United MileagePlus Premier Silver status through RewardsPlus.
Ambassador Elite
Reached after 100 qualifying nights and $23,000 in qualifying spend in a calendar year. The only Elite Tier which requires spending
Benefits:
Your own Marriott Bonvoy Ambassador to help with your travel planning.
24/7 access to the Ambassador Service for travel assistance.
Your24™, allowing personalized check-in and check-out times.
Status Match: If you hold some other Elite Status on other Loyalty Programs, you may get offered a Status Match or you will be offered a “fast track” option where you’ll be provided with an elite status for 90 days and you’ll have to complete a certain amount of stays to proceed further or to maintain the same in that specific timeframe. It’s better to call the Marriott Bonvoy helpline for the offers.
Gold / Platinum Challenge: Marriott Bonvoy offers a fast-track method to attain Gold or Platinum status through their Challenge. By contacting Marriott Bonvoy support and requesting the Gold/Platinum Challenge, members are given 90 days to achieve the desired status. To secure Gold, 8 paid nights are required; for Platinum, it’s 18 paid nights. Only stays booked directly through Marriott after enrolling in the challenge are eligible, with third-party bookings excluded. Successful completion ensures the acquired status for a year.
Fast Track Offer: Marriott brings their yearly fast track offer where you usually get rewarded double the elite nights for a single stay on each of your paid nights. It’s an enrollment-only program and it’s not a targeted offer, which means everyone can avail it when it’s published by Marriott.
Merging Credit Card Signup/Renewal Offer: Currently only 3 cards in India offer Marriott Elite Statuses.
1) AMEX Centurion: Gold Elite Tier Status as long as the card is active. 2) AMEX Platinum Charge: Gold Elite Tier Status as long as the card is active. 3) HDFC Marriott Bonvoy: Silver Elite Tier Status as long as the card is active.
If someone is having or Planning to get the Platinum Charge card which gives the Gold Elite status, can be clubbed with the 10 free Elite Nights with the HDFC Marriott Bonvoy card, now after Marriott starts their Double Elite Night offering, one needs to stay at least 20 paid nights just to achieve the Platinum Elite Status. The sweet part is, that you’re already enjoying your Gold Elite benefits with these paid nights that came with the Platinum Charge card. You can also book ITC Hotels’ Properties which comes under The Luxury Collection, and settle the bill with Green Points of Club ITC and ask them to credit the nights to your Marriott Bonvoy account, they’ll also count it as paid nights. This may or may not work at all TLC of ITC Hotels, please do check with respective hotels during the time of check-in.
*Please do note that a few offerings may change over time. Please check at respective platforms from time to time to keep yourself updated with the latest offerings.
Marriott Bonvoy Lifetime Elite status is a prestigious recognition awarded to members who have shown long-term loyalty to the Marriott hotel chain. This status comes in three tiers: Silver, Gold, and Platinum Elite, each offering a unique set of benefits. To attain Lifetime Elite Status, members need to fulfil specific requirements in terms of Elite Nights and years of Elite membership.
Lifetime Silver Elite: 250 lifetime nights plus 5 years of Silver Elite status or higher.
Lifetime Gold Elite: 400 lifetime nights plus 7 years of Gold Elite status or higher.
Lifetime Platinum Elite: 600 lifetime nights plus 10 years of Platinum Elite status or higher.
Marriott Bonvoy’s Elite Breakfast Benefits
Marriott Bonvoy has one of the most complicated and unnecessary breakfast benefit rules when it comes to any elite hotel chain and even die-hard Marriott loyalists won’t know them all. I will try to uncomplicate things a bit by mentioning some broad points as per their policies.
The following Marriott brands offer all guests complimentary breakfast irrespective of their elite status:
Element
Fairfield Inn & Suites (*Except Asia Pacific Region)
Residence Inn
SpringHill Suites
TownePlace Suites
The following Marriott brands don’t offer even elite members complimentary breakfast:
Design Hotels
EDITION
Marriott Grand Residence Club
Marriott Vacation Club
Sheraton Vacation Club
Westin Vacation Club
Ritz-Carlton
Ritz-Carlton Reserve
Further, if you are a Marriott Platinum, Titanium and Ambassador Elite member then you can choose a welcome amenity upon check-in at most participating hotels which includes a breakfast option.
The following Marriott brands offer a complimentary breakfast as their welcome amenity:
Aloft
Autograph Collection (resorts only)
Delta (resorts only)
Four Points by Sheraton
JW Marriott (resorts only)
Le Meridien
Luxury Collection
Marriott (resorts only)
Protea
Renaissance (resorts only)
Sheraton
St. Regis
Tribute Portfolio
Westin
W
The following Marriott brands allow elite members to select a food and beverage credit as their welcome amenity which can redeemed for breakfast or any other meal:
AC Hotels
Autograph Collection (hotels only)
Courtyard
Delta (hotels only)
Gaylord
JW Marriott (hotels only)
Marriott (hotels only)
Moxy
Renaissance (hotels only)
Executive Lounge Access
The most loved benefit of Marriot Bonvoy is its executive lounge access which is another way to receive complimentary breakfast.
The following brands guarantee lounge access to Platinum, Titanium and Ambassador Elite members only at their hotels and not the resorts:
JW Marriott.
Marriott Hotels.
Sheraton.
Delta Hotels.
Le Meridien.
Westin.
Autograph Collection.
Renaissance.
Courtyard (only outside the U.S./Canada).
Alas, there is no way to access Ritz-Carlton clubs using any elite status. If the above-mentioned brand properties have their lounge closed or if a lounge is not available at all then you will receive complimentary breakfast in the restaurant or you can choose to receive some bonus points in your Marriott Account.
Marriott STARS and Luminous Program For Enhanced Perks
The Marriott STARS and Luminous programs are elite travel agency programs that allow travellers to access unique benefits, personalized touches, and special amenities at select Marriott International luxury hotels. These programs are typically accessible through travel advisors affiliated with Marriott International’s luxury brands.
Marriott STARS Program
The STARS program is designed for an array of luxury brands within the Marriott International portfolio, including The Ritz-Carlton, St. Regis, and The Luxury Collection. Guests booking through this program can enjoy exclusive benefits such as:
Daily Breakfast for Two
Complimentary Room Upgrades
Early Check-In and Late Check-Out
Customized VIP Experiences
Hotel Credits up to 100$ per day
Marriott Luminous Program
The Luminous program extends to other high-end Marriott brands like W Hotels, Autograph Collection, and more, providing enhanced travel experiences, with benefits such as:
Daily Breakfast for Two
Priority for Complimentary Room Upgrades
Early Check-In and Late Check-Out, Subject to Availability
Unique, Locally-Inspired Amenity
Access to Exclusive Experiences
You can combine these perks with your Bonvoy Elite Status and also you can earn your Elite Nights and Bonvoy Points with your paid nights. You need to search for a travel advisor who uses these programs to avail the benefits.
Club Marriott South Asia is a coveted paid membership program, that extends a plethora of exclusive benefits and privileges across participating Marriott International hotels in the region. Members can savour extensive dining benefits, including special discounts on food and beverages at numerous participating restaurants and bars within the Marriott properties.
Members can avail themselves of impressive dining discounts, allowing them to explore a variety of culinary delights at participating restaurants and bars within the Marriott hotels in South Asia. Additionally, members enjoy exclusive access to special events, promotions, and preferential rates on accommodations, enriching every stay with luxury and comfort.
Club Marriott offers two types of memberships. A hotel-specific membership can be purchased directly from a hotel’s sales desk, offering elevated perks including free stays and higher discounts. This specialized membership allows for a more tailored and enhanced experience at the respective hotel, providing more exclusive and lucrative benefits, and emphasizing the brand’s commitment to offering varied and enriched experiences to its diverse member base.
The other one is a vanilla membership which comes with Axis Reserve as long as you hold the card and with HDFC Infinia and HDFC Diners Club Black for the first year. The benefits at the participating Marriott Hotels in India include:
Up to 20% off on the Best Available Rate on the base category of rooms.
Up to 20% off on the food and beverage bill at participating restaurants for up to a maximum of ten (10) guests.
Up to 20% discount on participating Marriott Spa’s in India.
Up to 20% off on dining and weekend rates on accommodation at participating Marriott hotels across Asia-Pacific.
5 one-time use gift certificates on Dining and Accommodation across participating hotels in India.
Ways to Earn Marriott Bonvoy Points
In India, Marriott Bonvoy Points can be accrued through several avenues, facilitating travellers to explore more perks and benefits.
Marriott currently has only one co-branded card in India, which is partnered with HDFC Bank. This card is on Diners Club platform, being the 3rd card from HDFC Bank which is on Diners Club platform. HDFC and Marriott are targeting new customers who are still not into the Bonvoy Program yet, which can be observed by the features of the card:
HDFC Marriott Bonvoy comes with a yearly fee of ₹3,000 + GST
Silver Elite Status
10 Elite Nights
1 free award night worth 15,000 Bonvoy Points
You can earn 8 Bonvoy Points per ₹150 spent on participating hotels in the Marriott Bonvoy program
You can earn 4 Bonvoy Points per ₹150 spent on travel, dining & entertainment categories
You can earn 4 Bonvoy Points per ₹150 spent on all other categories which qualifies to earn points
ICICI Bank is also in the process of launching its co-branded card with Marriott, though no confirmed news has surfaced yet.
Stay at Marriott Hotels
Staying at Marriott-branded hotels and their partners is a direct way to earn points. Regular members, Silver Elite, Gold Elite, Platinum Elite, Titanium Elite, and Ambassador Elite earn 10, 11, 12.5, 15, 17.5, and 17.5 points per USD respectively on qualifying charges. It also varies from the categories of the hotel brands. Please visit the official website for further details and any future changes or modifications.
Transfer Partners
Credit Card Transfer Partners
Points can be transferred from partner programs, such as credit card reward programs, to Marriott Bonvoy. Credit cards from banks like American Express and Axis Bank allow the transfer of their reward points to Marriott Bonvoy points.
Listing a few important points transfer partners:
Axis Bank:Axis Reserve, and Axis Magnus points can be transferred at a 5:2 ratio. Axis Burgundy Magnus and Axis One / Burgundy Private points can be transferred at a 5:4 ratio. Axis Atlas card points can be transferred at a 2:1 ratio.
American Express: AMEX Membership Reward Points from your favourite AMEX cards like Platinum Travel, MRCC and Gold Charge can be transferred at a 1:1 ratio to Bonvoy.
For detailed information, you can visit our community informational page here.
Airlines and Hotel Transfer Partners
In India, you can transfer from 3 Loyalty Programs’ points to Marriott Bonvoy Points, namely Club ITC, United MileagePlus and Japan Airline.
Club ITC: You can transfer up to 60,000 Club ITC points to Marriott Bonvoy points in a year with a 2:3 ratio. With the recent revaluation of this transfer, you’re limited to transferring 15,000 Club ITC points per quarter of a calendar year to your Marriott Bonvoy account.
United MileagePlus: You need to be a MileagePlus Premier member to be able to initiate this transfer. You can transfer up to 1,00,000 United miles per calendar year to Marriott Bonvoy at a 1:1 ratio.
Japan Airline: You can transfer your Japan Airlines miles to Marriott Bonvoy at a 4:3 ratio. The maximum number of points that can be transferred per calendar year is 50,000.
Dining and Spa Services
Even without a stay, dining at Marriott’s participating restaurants and availing spa services at Marriott properties could potentially earn members Bonvoy points.
Marriott Bonvoy Events
Organizing events or meetings at participating Marriott hotels can also accrue points. One can earn a maximum of 60,000 points per event. However, the Marriott Elites can earn a bonus on these events and can stack up to a 75% bonus depending on their elite status.
Exclusive Offers and Promotions
Regularly check Marriott Bonvoy’s official site for any ongoing offers, promotions, or challenges that might offer additional points or faster ways to earn them.
Refer Friends
Marriott Bonvoy will send you Bonvoy Points for referring friends to the program. You can refer up to five new members each calendar year and earn 2,000 points for up to five of their paid stays. You can earn up to 50,000 points in a year with this and the friends you’ll refer will also earn 2,000 points at each of their stays.
Family Pooling
One can transfer up to 1,00,000 Points per calendar year to another Bonvoy account and one can receive a maximum of 5,00,000 Bonvoy Points per calendar year. One needs to have an account created at least 30 days prior with a qualifying activity or created at least 90 days prior without a qualifying activity to perform this action.
Please note, that Marriott Bonvoy doesn’t allow trading points. Any suspicious activity may trigger to account review, suspension and up to permanent ban of the account. Please do transfer points where you’ll be able to give justifiable answers to Marriott Bonvoy if anything triggers the suspicious activity alert.
Buying Points
As with any other loyalty program, you do have the option to buy Marriott Bonvoy Points. Marriott often does run promotional offers of buying points, you can sometimes get up to 100% reward points with your purchases. 40-50% offers are quite common with Bonvoy promotion. You can check this link for purchasing Bonvoy Points.
Please do note that buying points only makes sense when it’s needed or else try to transfer points from credit card partners.
The Marriott Bonvoy program offers a lucrative points system, allowing members to accumulate points and enjoy a range of benefits and services. However, it’s important to note that these points are subject to expiration if there is no account activity for 24 months.
As per the official Marriott guidelines referenced, members need to ensure that they engage in qualifying activities to maintain the validity of their points. Qualifying activities can include making a stay at a participating hotel, earning or redeeming points, or any transaction that results in earning or using points. It is crucial to engage in at least one qualifying activity every 24 months to prevent points from expiring.
Transferring or gifting points, or receiving them as gifts or transfers between Marriott Bonvoy members does not constitute a qualifying activity and will not prevent points from expiring due to inactivity.
Members lacking activity for five consecutive years risk account deactivation and irreversible point forfeiture. While the lost points can not be recovered, earning new points is possible, barring account deactivation. Maintaining active status is crucial to avoid these repercussions and to continue enjoying Marriott Bonvoy benefits.
Lifetime Elite Membership Accounts in Marriott Bonvoy are exempt from the Points expiration policy; their points currently do not expire.
How to Redeem Marriott Bonvoy Points
Redeeming Marriott Bonvoy Points effectively enables members to experience various benefits and luxuries offered by Marriott. Here are several ways to redeem these points:
Free Night Awards
Redeem points for free stays at any Marriott Bonvoy property, with the number of points required varying by hotel category and availability. Prioritize high-value redemptions and use points during peak seasons or at luxury properties to maximize value. Bonvoy Points can typically be valued at ₹.50 per point on average. Considering the current state of Bonvoy Points which is now dynamic in nature, it’s always wise to plan vacations in an effective way to reduce the points burning and gain the maximum value of your points. Few tips while booking:
If you book 5 consecutive nights, one night will become complimentary by default, so you will not be burning your points. Very useful for longer stays as it does apply for every 5 nights at a single property.
Book in off-peak season for maximum value and a chance to get more benefits out of your Elite Tier.
Transfer Marriot Bonvoy Points to Airlines
Marriott Bonvoy members can leverage their points effectively by transferring them to a multitude of airline partners, maximizing their reach and flexibility in travel options. The standard transfer ratio for most airlines is 3:1, but the value can differ depending on the partner. When transferring 60,000 points at once, Marriott provides a bonus, allowing members to receive 25,000 miles instead of the standard 20,000 with many airline partners. This advantageous conversion option enables members to optimize their points’ value by aligning them with diverse airline rewards programs, thereby accessing a broader spectrum of flight redemption opportunities, premium cabin availabilities, and global destinations. However, it is imperative to consider the transfer times, which can vary, and to research each airline’s award chart and availability to maximize the value obtained from each point transferred. You can only transfer between 3,000 to 2,40,000 points per day.
Transfer Partners List
Airline
Transfer Ratio
Transfer Bonus
Estimated Transfer Time
Aegean Airlines Miles+Bonus
3:1
5,000 for every 60,000 points transferred
1-2 days
Aeroflot Bonus
3:1
5,000 for every 60,000 points transferred
1-2 days
Aeromexico Club Premier
3:1
5,000 for every 60,000 points transferred
1-2 days
Air Canada Aeroplan
3:1
5,000 for every 60,000 points transferred
1-2 days
Air China PhoenixMiles
3:1
5,000 for every 60,000 points transferred
1-2 days
Air France/KLM Flying Blue
3:1
5,000 for every 60,000 points transferred
1-2 days
Air New Zealand Airpoints
200:1
—
1-2 days
Alaska Airlines Mileage Plan
3:1
5,000 for every 60,000 points transferred
1-2 days
Alitalia MilleMiglia
3:1
5,000 for every 60,000 points transferred
1-2 days
American Airlines AAdvantage**
3:1
5,000 for every 60,000 points transferred
1-2 days
ANA Mileage Club
3:1
5,000 for every 60,000 points transferred
1-2 days
Asiana Airlines Asiana Club
3:1
5,000 for every 60,000 points transferred
1-2 days
Avianca LifeMiles**
3:1
5,000 for every 60,000 points transferred
1-2 days
British Airways Executive Club
3:1
5,000 for every 60,000 points transferred
1-2 days
Cathay Pacific Asia Miles
3:1
5,000 for every 60,000 points transferred
1-2 days
Copa Airlines ConnectMiles
3:1
5,000 for every 60,000 points transferred
1-2 days
Delta SkyMiles**
3:1
5,000 for every 60,000 points transferred
1-2 days
Emirates Skywards
3:1
5,000 for every 60,000 points transferred
1-2 days
Etihad Airways Guest
3:1
5,000 for every 60,000 points transferred
1-2 days
Frontier Airlines Frontier Miles
3:1
5,000 for every 60,000 points transferred
1-2 days
Hawaiian Airlines HawaiianMiles
3:1
5,000 for every 60,000 points transferred
1-2 days
Iberia Plus
3:1
5,000 for every 60,000 points transferred
1-2 days
Japan Airlines Mileage Bank
3:1
5,000 for every 60,000 points transferred
1-2 days
Korean Air SKYPASS**
3:1
5,000 for every 60,000 points transferred
1-2 days
LATAM Pass
3:1
5,000 for every 60,000 points transferred
1-2 days
Lufthansa Miles & More
3:1
5,000 for every 60,000 points transferred
1-2 days
Qantas Frequent Flyer
3:1
5,000 for every 60,000 points transferred
1-2 days
Qatar Privilege Club
3:1
5,000 for every 60,000 points transferred
1-2 days
Saudi Arabian Airlines Alfursan
3:1
5,000 for every 60,000 points transferred
1-2 days
Singapore Airlines KrisFlyer
3:1
5,000 for every 60,000 points transferred
1-2 days
Southwest Airlines Rapid Rewards
3:1
5,000 for every 60,000 points transferred
1-2 days
TAP Air Portugal Miles&Go
3:1
5,000 for every 60,000 points transferred
1-2 days
Turkish Airlines Miles&Smiles
3:1
5,000 for every 60,000 points transferred
1-2 days
United MileagePlus
3:1.1
5,275 for every 60,000 points transferred
1-2 days
Virgin Atlantic Flying Club
3:1
5,000 for every 60,000 points transferred
1-2 days
Vueling Club
3:1
5,000 for every 60,000 points transferred
1-2 days
** A 5,000 Bonus offer will not be applicable for these Airline Partners.
This table contains most of the Marriott Bonvoy airline transfer partners, but always refer to the official Marriott website for the most current and accurate list, along with any additional details or restrictions.
PointSavers Awards
Occasionally, Marriott offers PointSavers awards where rooms are available for fewer points than usually required. Regularly check the PointSavers page on the Marriott website for available deals and book promptly as these are subject to availability.
Room Upgrades
Use points to enhance your stay with room upgrades. These could range from rooms with preferable views to luxurious suites, subject to availability. Before booking, check if your desired property allows room upgrades with points and inquire about availability. Alternatively, few properties do allow higher category rooms to be booked with Points or Points + Cash option, it can be beneficial if you’re looking for a guaranteed higher category room with Points.
Instant Redemptions at Property
Redeem points instantly at participating properties to cover incidental charges, such as meals, spa services, and more, right at the point of transaction. This option provides flexibility, allowing members to utilize points without pre-planning. This may not be the ideal “value-redemption” but an excellent option to be. This will come as ₹.20 per point valuation, so if you’re in absolute need of it, then only use the points.
Marriott Bonvoy Moments
Bid or redeem points for exclusive experiences, like intimate concerts, gourmet dinners, and special events, through Marriott Bonvoy Moments. These unique experiences can often offer high value and memorable returns on your points. You can browse through all the offers from their official website.
Gift Cards
Marriott Bonvoy Points can be redeemed for gift cards from various retailers, restaurants, and travel companies. Explore available gift card options within the Marriott Bonvoy online portal. Though this is not an ideal option, it’s a good-to-have option.
Charity Donations
Points can be donated to charitable organizations through the “Donate Points” feature on the Marriott Bonvoy website, making it a thoughtful way to contribute to a cause. You can visit this link to head to the donation page.
Marriott Bonvoy’s Best Rate Guarantee ensures that guests receive the most competitive rates when booking directly through Marriott. If a guest finds a lower rate on a competing website within 24 hours of booking, Marriott promises not only to match that rate but also to give an additional 25% discount or 5,000 Marriott Bonvoy bonus points. This guarantee applies after verifying that the lower rate found is for the same hotel, room type, and dates and that it carries the same cancellation policy and other booking conditions.
To claim this, guests must submit a claim form available on the Marriott website immediately after booking and at least 24 hours before the standard check-in time. After verification, guests can choose either the additional discount or the bonus points. However, this does not apply to rates found on websites that package the room with other services or products, like airfare or vacation packages.
This policy highlights Marriott’s commitment to providing its guests with the most value, ensuring satisfaction and trust in the pricing provided on its booking channels.
Bottomline
In conclusion, Marriott Bonvoy extends far beyond a conventional loyalty program for Indians, presenting a harmonious blend of luxury, value, flexibility, and diverse redemption options. It stands as a paradigm of enriched travel experiences and impeccable hospitality, ensuring that every journey is imbued with memorable moments and unparalleled value, catering to the discerning needs and evolving preferences of Indian travellers. Whether travelling for leisure or business, within India or internationally, Marriott Bonvoy’s extensive portfolio and innovative offerings make it an indispensable companion for Indians seeking enriching travel experiences. Let us know how you’ve leveraged or planning to leverage this diverse loyalty program.
Editor’s note: This is a recurring post, regularly updated with new information and offers. Last Updated 20th September 2023.
Earlier in 2023 HDFC launched Regalia Gold which is an upgraded version of their most popular HDFC Regalia credit card. With this, the HDFC Bank has positioned it just below the HDFC luxury twins HDFC Infinia Credit Card and HDFC Diners Club Black Credit Card. I have recently taken a plunge into it.
Here’s everything you wish to know about the card.
1) Gift Voucher worth ₹2500 (Paid Cards) 2) Complimentary Club Vistara Silver Tier and MMT Black Elite Membership*
Renewal Fees
₹2500 + GST
Renewal Benefits
NIL
Renewal Fee Waiver
Spend ₹4L or more in a year.
*Applicable on ₹1L spent within 90 days of card issuance
HDFC has done away with reward points on both welcome and annual benefits on Regalia Gold which I found surprising since its a premium reward points based travel card.
Reward Points Accrual
Spends Area
Reward Rate
Maximum Capping per Calendar Month
All retail* spends
4 Reward Points per ₹150 spent (1X)
No capping
Marks & Spencers, Myntra, Nykaa & Reliance Digital
20 Reward Points per ₹150 spent (5X)
5000 per month on 4X accelerated points
*Except for Fuel, Rental Payments, Packers and Movers, Government Transactions, Wallet loads, and Easy EMI transactions.
Reward points are valid only for 2 years from the date of accumulation
Reward points accrued for Insurance transactions will have a maximum cap of 2,000 per day
Reward points accrued for Grocery transactions will have a maximum cap of 2,000 per month
HDFC Bank has a dedicated portal named SmartBuy with which we get some extra rewards and cashback.
SmartBuy Benefits
Accelerated Reward Rate
Maximum Reward Points per Calendar Month
Maximum Reward Points per Day
Upto 10X
4000
2000
It supports merchants like Flipkart, MakeMyTrip, IGP, Apple Tresor, and likes. It also supports multiple partners for travel bookings like IRCTC, RedBus, MMT and Yatra.
Customers can redeem up to a maximum of 70% on travel bookings (Flights, hotels and experiences) using Reward Points. The balance amount will need to be paid via credit card.
Although the maximum value on paper lies in the redemptions via Gold Catalogue in which you can buy iPhones, Bose products and Samsung phones then you will be missing the instant card discount on the same. The best redemptions on Regalia Gold would be airmiles or hotel redemptions since it comes with a gold partner redemption list or else simply you can go for travel redemptions from the SmartBuy portal.
Get ₹1,500 Gift Voucher from Marriott, Myntra, Marks & Spencer or Reliance Digital when you spend 1.5 Lakhs in every calendar quarter.
Get ₹5,000 worth of flight vouchers when you spend ₹5 Lakhs in an anniversary year
Get an additional ₹5,000 worth of flight vouchers when you spend ₹7.5 Lakhs in an anniversary year
An anniversary year is defined as a 12-month period from card setup or the last upgrade/downgrade date.
All these benefits add up to ₹16,000 on a spend of ₹7.5L a year which is approximately 2.1% of additional benefits other than the base rewards.
Other Benefits
Airport Lounge Access
Access Via – Credit Card Complimentary Domestic Limit – 12 Visits/ Calendar year within India (Shared between Primary & maximum 3 Add-on cardholders but both cards cannot be used for the same lounge, same day). Network – Visa Signature/ MasterCard World
Access Via – Priority Pass Complimentary International Limit – 6 Visits/ Calendar year (Shared between Primary & Add-on cards)
You can apply for a Priority Pass for yourself and 3 add-on members once you complete a minimum of four retail transactions on your HDFC Bank Regalia Gold Credit Card.
If you exceed the 6 Complimentary visits, you will be charged at US $27 + GST per visit.
Airport Transfers
You can avail of 1 voucher per booking if you book your flight tickets through the Regalia Gold Unified Smartbuy portal. You have to generate your voucher code and use it in the Uber application for the airport pick-and-drop service. This voucher can be generated a maximum of twice per quarter. Quite a unique and value-oriented feature I must say.
Good Food Trail Program
Get up to 20% savings on all your restaurant bill payments via Swiggy Dineout (20k+ restaurants)
Offer inclusive of Restaurant and Swiggy Discount. Offer valid only on payments done via the Swiggy App.
Fuel Surcharge Waiver
No fuel surcharge waiver is applicable on this card.
Insurance Coverage
Accidental air death cover worth Rs. 1 Crore
Emergency overseas hospitalization: up to Rs. 15 lakhs
Lost Card Liability Cover: Upto Rs 9 lakhs
Concierge Services
Enjoy the exclusive 24/7 Concierge Services on your HDFC Bank Regalia Credit Card. Simply call the bank toll-free on 1860 425 1188 (India) / Email ID: regaliagold.support@smartbuyoffers.co
Forex Markup Charges
FCY Markup Fee: 2%+GST
Reward Rate: 1.3%
Net: –1% (loss)
Eligibility
Officially the bank has the following criteria but can vary as per your relationship with the bank.
For Salaried Indian national
Age: Min 21 years & Max 60 Years
Net Monthly Income > Rs 1 Lakh
For Self Employed Indian national
Age: Min 21 years & Max 65 Years
ITR > Rs 12 Lakhs per annum.
Unofficially, If you are an existing HDFC Credit Cardholder then you can ask for an upgrade if there is a 3L limit on your existing card.
TechnoFino Recommends
HDFC Regalia Gold Credit Card is definitely a highly rewarding and lifestyle credit card and is also the gateway to the HDFC twins. With an upgraded list of transfer partners, travel vouchers and complimentary airport transfers this card surely packs a lot of punch.
Since many LTF Regalia holders have already received an upgrade invite to FYF Regalia Gold I would recommend them to take the plunge and enjoy the shining new card and the host of benefits that it has to offer over its predecessor.
What are your thoughts about this card? Feel free to share in the comments below.
KrisFlyer is the frequent flyer program of Singapore Airlines, the national carrier of Singapore. It is designed to reward loyal customers by offering a range of benefits and privileges. Whether you’re a frequent traveller or an occasional flyer, KrisFlyer allows you to earn miles when you fly with Singapore Airlines or its partner airlines. Singapore Airlines is very popular among Indian points and miles enthusiasts for its complex product. Singapore Airlines may not be suitable for all due to its limited connectivity but being a Star Alliance member one can easily book with partner airlines.
It’s mainly popular for its amazing First Class product called Suite which can be found in A380s. It has one of the biggest fleets of wide-body aircraft namely A350 & A380 and Boeing 777 & 787.
Membership & Tiers
Let’s dive more into the KrisFlyer membership:
KrisFlyer
You get automatically rolled into the base membership when you sign up. The benefits are as below:
Accumulate Elite miles to redeem KrisFlyer Milestone Rewards, such as discounts, bonus miles, and free upgrades
Members-only promotions, deals, and offers
Mix miles and cash to purchase flights, additional baggage, and select seats
Personalised inflight entertainment on KrisWorld
Discounts on flight add-ons
Complimentary Wi-Fi on board all Singapore Airlines aircraft, excluding Boeing 737-800NG
KrisFlyer Elite Silver
You need to accumulate 25,000 Elite Miles to roll into the Elite Silver tier. You get all the benefits of the previous tier and the rest of the benefits are as below:
25% tier bonus on actual miles flown on Singapore Airlines and Scoot
Complimentary Standard Seat selection in Economy Class on Singapore Airlines
Automatic assignment of the best available standard seat for the travelling group on Scoot
BoardMeFirst and an additional 5kg with every baggage allowance purchase when travelling with Scoot
KrisFlyer Gold Elite
You need to accumulate 50,000 Elite Miles to roll into the Elite Gold tier. You get all the benefits of the previous tier and the rest of the benefits are as below
Worldwide lounge access, including Star Alliance lounges
Priority check-in, boarding, and baggage handling
Complimentary Forward Zone Seat selection in Economy Class on Singapore Airlines
PPS Club
PPS Club is another way to get yourself pampered with added benefits if you’re travelling with Singapore Airlines as a frequent flyer. This status can only be achieved with 25,000 PPS Points which can only be accumulated based on your spending. You can earn 1 PPS Club Point per SG$ 1 spent at Singapore Airlines. With this, you get SilverKris and some partner lounge access, some partner airline benefits, added luggage allowance etc. There’s even 1 higher tier than PPS Club which is Solitaire PPS Club which can be achieved by accumulating 50,000 PPS Points.
Please do note, that you can only earn PPS points when you are travelling in Premium Cabins, which means, Economy and Premium Economy Cabins are excluded. For more information on the PPS Club, click here.
How to Earn KrisFlyer Miles
You can earn KrisFlyer Miles in various ways, but as this Ultimate Guide is made especially for the Indians, I’m going to focus on the ways where being an Indian Resident you can earn KrisFlyer Miles
Earn When You Fly
With KrisFlyer you can earn miles while flying with Singapore Airlines, Star Alliance Partner Airlines, and code-share partners as well. You can refer to this chart to determine the amount of miles you will earn. Alternatively, you can use the Miles Calculator to calculate the estimated miles.
Hotels
Accor: You can convert 4000 Accor Points to 2000 KrisFlyer miles
Agoda: You can earn 3 KrisFlyer miles for every 1$ spent
Hilton: You can convert 4000 Hilton Honors points to 500 KrisFlyer miles
Hyatt: You can convert 5000 World of Hyatt points to 2000 KrisFlyer miles
IHG: You can earn 1 or 2 KrisFlyer miles per 1$ spent depending on hotel brands. Alternatively, you can convert 10,000 IHG points to 2000 KrisFlyer miles
Marriott Bonvoy: You can earn 1 or 2 KrisFlyer miles per 1$ spent depending on hotel brands
Radisson: You can convert 10 Radisson Rewards points to 1 KrisFlyer miles
Shangri-La: You can earn 500 KrisFlyer miles per eligible stay
IHCL: You can earn 2 KrisFlyer miles per 1$ spent
Postcard Hotels: You can earn 2000 KrisFlyer miles per eligible stay
Other Partners:
FORM Art: You can earn 3000 KrisFlyer Miles when you will purchase artwork worth ₹1,00,000 or more from FORM Art of place a bid of the same amount
Kalyan Jewellers: You can earn 1 KrisFlyer Miles on every ₹100 spent at Kalyan Jewellers
Financial Partners
Axis: With Axis Bank credit cards you can transfer Edge Reward Points at a 5:4 ratio for Axis One Card, a 5:2 ratio (Axis Reserve, Axis Magnus), 10:1 (All other Edge RP earning cards), and at 1:2 (Axis Atlas card) to KrisFlyer
AMEX: With AMEX cards, you can transfer MR points at a 2:1 ratio to KrisFlyer
Citi: With Citi Premiermiles you can transfer at a 2:1 ratio and with Prestige it’s a 1:4 ratio to KrisFlyer
HDFC: With Infinia, Diners Club Black, and Diners Club Miles you can transfer at 1:1 and with Regalia Gold, Regalia, and Diners Club Privilege you can transfer at a 2:1 ratio
HSBC: With HSBC cards you can transfer to KrisFlyer at a 2:1 ratio
Earn With Partner Flights
As Singapore Airlines is a Star Alliance member, you’re entitled to earn points when travelling with Partner Airlines of Star Alliance. Apart from Star Alliance Partners, you can also earn KrisFlyer miles with non-partner airlines such as Alaska Airlines, JetBlue and Virgin Atlantic. You can calculate and check how many points you’ll earn. Each partner airline has its own earning rate. Refer to this chart for more details.
Earn With KrisShop
KrisShop is a marketplace of Singapore Airlines where you can buy gadgets, perfume, and many other things. KrisShop will be discussed later on in this article. You can burn your KrisFlyer miles here but as we’re talking about earning, let’s dig down to the earning factor. You’ll earn 4 KrisFlyer miles per 1 SG$ spent. Though the value is not that great to be considered, but hey, it’s better to have options.
Redeeming KrisFlyer Miles
Booking Award Tickets
Redeeming KrisFlyer Miles is a fairly easy task. All you need is to log in to your KrisFlyer account, then go to Book Flight, select Redeem Flight, and put your route and dates, and here you’ll find the available list of the flights, which will also show other dates as well as a month.
There are two types of tickets: Saver and Advantage. Saver tickets are quite hard to find and often get sold out faster. So if you want to save those precious miles, you need to plan quite early if you want to grab those Saver tickets.
Singapore Airlines is divided into 13 zones with different mile requirements. In this Chart, you can find the requirements.
Singapore Airlines First Class Cabin
If anyone wants to explore Singapore, it’d be an excellent option for them.
Booking For Nominee
One can add up to 5 nominees to their account. You have the flexibility to remove the nominee but it comes with a flat nominal fee. This deletion will add a cool-down period of 6 months before you can add another nominee.
Upgrade Award Tickets
You can upgrade award tickets with miles. The amount of miles depends on the fare class you have booked your ticket at. Some connecting routes with mixed cabins can not be upgraded directly by yourself, you need to call Singapore Airlines’ helpline and ask them to upgrade it. For example, DEL – DSP where you’ll be going via SIN, and DEL – SIN is First Class. This will require an additional $25 or 2000 KF Miles as a rebooking fee per person. Please note, that you can not upgrade the partner airline’s ticket with KrisFlyer miles.
Singapore Airlines Business Class on A380
Redemption on Partner Airlines
As a Star Alliance member, you can use your KrisFlyer miles to book partner airlines’ flights. The only issue is that KrisFlyer does impose a fuel surcharge, which can pump up the cash burn. You can check this Partners’ Redemption Chart for further details.
KrisShop
KrishShop is helpful when you don’t have any travel plan before the miles expire. It helps you to get usually more than that ₹.50 value. You get multiple categories of products to browse from Apple iPhone to jewellery, many things are there to choose from. You can visit KrisShop by clicking here.
Redemption Examples
Singapore Airlines has a very good network in South East Asia, Europe, USA. The SE Asia redemption is pretty common with Singapore Airlines. From my personal experience, when Axis Bank introduced the points transferring opportunity, Singapore Airlines was the first frequent flyer program where I transferred my points.
SE Asia: BOM – SIN, BOM – DPS, DEL – SIN, DEL – DPS are some of the most popular routes and guess what, if you want to experience the big bird A380, BOM/DEL – SIN is the route for a beginner to even experience the F Suites. The Business Class one way is 43,000 KF Miles and for the F / F Suites it’s 58,500, both are on savers
USA: For this sector, you can try the BOM – JFK route which will come at 1,36,500 KF Miles.
UK: Here’s one of my favourite routes, which is BOM – ZRH which will come at 1,46,000 KF Miles.
Rescheduling & Cancellation
Type of Change / Cancellation
Saver
Advantage
Change of date for Singapore Airlines
25
0
Change of route/cabin class/award seat type/addition of stopover on Singapore Airlines
25
25
Change of date/route/flight/carrier on Partner Airlines
50
NA
Redeposit of miles for award redemption/upgrades
75
50
*all the values are in USD
Stop-Over
One of the best features of Singapore Airlines is to have free stopovers. You can have 1 stopover in a one-way ticket for Advantage redemption and 2 stopovers for a round trip on Advantage and 1 stopover for Saver.
Family Pooling
Family pooling for Singapore Airlines is actually between child and parent. It gives the flexibility to the parents to use the earned miles on the child’s account. This specifically is not useful for most people due to this specific condition restriction. Please do note, you can not transfer other’s credit card’s points to your account or vice versa because it’s not applicable according to the T&C. This may cause temporary suspension or permanent ban and forfeit of the points.
Waitlist
With the waitlist, you can nominate yourself for the unreleased award tickets, which can be available prior 3 weeks of departure. It’s an easy way to save yourself from constantly checking for the availability of the same. The waitlist will require you to have the same amount of points available to your account to make the booking go through. If you get the waitlisted ticket, you need to complete the transaction within 72 hours of the initiative. If you don’t get the waitlisted ticket, it’ll automatically get cancelled 2 weeks before the scheduled flight. As mentioned in the tiers of Elite Status, it helps you to gain priority on this waitlist.
Spontaneous Escapes
Spontaneous Escapes is a promo which gets run by Singapore Airlines where you can save up to 30% of the usual redemption value. This applies to a few routes only and with some blackout dates. This also comes with restrictions like non-cancellable and non-changeable tickets. So if you only can plan on very short notice of 1 month, it’s for you. You can only book till Business Class, First Class tickets are excluded.
KrisFlyer Gold Lounge
KrisFlyer Gold Lounge can be accessed by KrisFlyer Elite Gold and Star Alliance Gold members departing from Singapore. KrisFlyer Gold Lounge is at Changi Airport’s T2 and T3. If one is travelling with Economy or Premium Economy, it’s a great perk to have.
SilverKris Lounge
If you’re a PPS Club member, KrisFlyer Gold or Flying Singapore Airline’s First or Business Class, you will have complimentary access to SilverKris Lounge which is one of the best Airline Lounge you can experience. The cherry on the cake, if you’re flying First Class, you will have access to Private Rooms in the lounge which can fulfil your basic needs and can have the best customised Chef’s Special meals.
Helpline
You can directly get in touch with Singapore Airlines over the call from within or outside of India. To get in touch with them, dial: Within India: 1800 121212 Outside of India: +91 22501 66046
Bottomline
Singapore Airlines is an amazing airline with one of the most straightforward loyalty programs. For all beginners who want to experience the luxury, it’s a no-brainer. With up to 4 business class award seats and two first class award seats, the availability is quite decent. For the first class, they release the inventory about 1-2 months prior, so keep checking if you have any plans with that. The value of the miles are class part, but at the end of the day, make sure you’re using your valuable miles wisely, and getting the best of the experience.
Let us know if you’ve made any plans for it or already have experienced it. Would love to listen to them!
Editor’s note: This is a recurring post, regularly updated with new information and offers. Last Updated 10th September 2023.
IndusInd Pioneer Heritage credit card is one of the few MasterCard World Elite cards available in India given to their HNI clients. This card is also the first metal card ever launched by IndusInd Bank. The card comes in two variants Pioneer Heritage credit card and Pioneer Heritage Metal credit card. The USP of these cards is the lifestyle benefits that no other card in India provides right now.
The fee point of these cards is also way higher since it’s not meant for the masses. But is it worth the fee for you? Let’s check it out! Also at the end of the article, I will tell you supposedly the best way to get this card.
Welcome Vouchers are equal to the fee paid. Vouchers include Non-Essential Vouchagram/ Luxe Gift Vouchers/ Oberoi Hotels Stay Voucher/ PostCard Hotels Stay Voucher
Renewal Benefits
NIL
Renewal Fee Waiver
Full fee waiver on spending ₹10L in a year.
Add-on Card Fees
NIL
No Late Payment Fee and no Over Limit Fee
No Cash Advancement / Withdrawal Charges
The joining fee is well compensated by the joining vouchers. If it still seems high to you then you can negotiate with the bank and they may consider based on your relationship with the bank since I have seen many approvals for LTF cards at ₹90K fee points that too just for Oberoi Vouchers as compared to a mix of all the vouchers.
IndusInd Heritage Metal Credit Card comes in a very useful wooden Jewellery Box.
IndusInd provides a wooden jewellery box with this card which is much better than the Axis Reserve‘s useless cardboard boxes.
Voucher Options
The most popular choices are Oberoi Hotels and PostCard Hotels. I would say that this is also the best way to get the card if you are planning to stay in a luxury hotel for a lifetime experience for a special memorable occasion.
For a PostCard Voucher worth ₹45K you can get two night’s stay in the luxury room of the Postcard on the Arabian Sea which goes north of ₹50K with GST per night. Since I have already explored PostCard Gir Wildlife Sanctuary and PostCard Hideaway Netravali Goa hence I can vouch for their extremely amazing hospitality!
The Postcard on the Arabian Sea, Maravanthe Beach Karnataka
And for an Oberoi Voucher worth ₹50K you can get two night’s stay in the luxury tent of the Oberoi Vanyavilas which goes north of ₹60K with GST per night.
Oberoi Vanyavilas, Ranthambore
And if you are planning an international holiday in the lap of nature then you use your ₹45K Postcard voucher for a single night in the luxury room at Postcard Dewa, Bhutan which costs about ₹80K a night including Bhutan Sales Tax.
The Postcard Dewa, Thimpu, Bhutan
Reward Points Accrual
Spends Area
Reward Points Earning Rate
All Domestic Spends
1 Reward Point/ ₹100
Utility Bill Payments Insurance Premium Payments Government Services/Charges/Payments Education Institute Fees Real Estate/Rental Payments
0.70 Reward Point/ ₹100
International Spends
2.5 Reward Points/ ₹100
Reward Points Redemption
Redemption Options
Value Per Point
Reward Rate
Statement Cash
₹1
1% – 2.5%
Airmiles Club Vistara
1 CV Point
Minimum 1% – 2.5%
E-Gift Vouchers
₹1
1% – 2.5%
You can redeem a minimum of 500 reward points against Cash Credit and AirMiles
Only up to 30,000 reward points can be redeemed per statement cycle
There is no reward redemption fee applicable to this card.
The reward rate as you can see quite poor, especially on domestic transactions in comparison to the stature that this card holds keeping in mind that this card comes with zero milestone benefits. Indusind needs to work on the reward rate and bring some milestone benefits on this card since even Indusind Pinnacle which comes at one-fourth the fee rewards much better than this.
Milestone Benefits
Indusind Pioneer Heritage Metal credit card offers no milestone benefits which is highly surprising for this fee point.
Other Benefits
Lounge Access
Access Type
Access Via
Complimentary Access
Domestic
Pioneer Heritage Metal
Unlimited
International
Priority Pass/Lounge Key
Unlimited
You get unlimited domestic lounge access for the primary cardholder which though not categorically stated can be shared with add-on holders. And, since the priority pass with this card comes with no guest access, international usage is only for the primary cardholder.
Eazydiner Complimentary Dining Vouchers
Now here comes the most sought and the unique benefit of this card. How about a meal at a luxurious restaurant in your city for absolutely free twice a year? Yes, you have read it right. This card offers you a dining voucher worth ₹3,000 twice a year with a 6-month cooldown period in between which can be used for minimum billing of ₹500 at select restaurants all over India in collaboration with EazyDiner. The list of the select restaurants can be accessed from here.
BookMyShow Offer
A larger-than-life offer for you to take a break and unwind with movies, events and concerts. Another unique offer from IndusInd Bank that tempts you to get this card.
Movies: 4 Complimentary movie tickets up to ₹1,000 on each ticket per quarter
Events and Concerts: 20% discount up to ₹350 per on non-movie events
This card provides a toned-down version of Club ITC Culinaire and doesn’t offer the Free Night Stay instead they give a 3rd night stay on booking two revenue nights. It also offers just 1 room upgrade voucher instead of two. But it does provide two 50% and 20% off F&B Vouchers each. This membership is renewed every year complimentary till you hold an active card.
Earn Green Points at 25% on all eligible Food & Beverage spent at participating ITC Hotels & Welcomhotels
Earn Green Points at 5% on all eligible non-food and beverage spend at participating ITC Hotels, Welcomhotels & Fortune Hotels
Enjoy savings of 20% on Food and beverage spending at participating Fortune Hotels (valid for up to 8 guests including the member)
Golf Benefits
The primary cardholders get unlimited complimentary rounds at selected golf courses every year
You also get unlimited golf lessons at select golf courses
The unlimited golf benefit on this card places it in the league of HDFC Infinia and HDFC Diners Club Black. For booking golfing sessions you can proceed here.
Further, if you hold its MasterCard Elite version then you get the following benefits which can be booked from here.
12 rounds of complimentary green fees for a year, not exceeding 3 rounds of complimentary green fees in a calendar quarter
4 complimentary green fee access for guests, not exceeding 1 complimentary guest green fee in a calendar quarter
12 complimentary golf lessons every year, not exceeding 3 lessons in a calendar quarter
Fuel Surcharge Waiver
This card provides an unlimited 1% fuel surcharge waiver at all the fuel stations for transactions ₹400 to ₹4000.
Forex Markup
This card provides a reduced forex markup charge of only 1.8% + GST and with an accelerated reward rate of 2.5% on international spending the net reward rate is around 0.30% only.
Insurance Benefits
You get a complimentary air accident protection cover worth up to ₹2.5 crore on this credit card
A protection liability cover in case of any fraudulent transactions reported within 48 hours
Eligibility
The first and foremost criterion to even apply for an IndusInd Pioneer Heritage card is to get a Pioneer Banking relationship. A Pioneer Banking relationship with IndusInd Bank requires
AQB Requirement: ₹10L (Savings+Current)
NRV Requirement: ₹30L (All Investments Combined) with ₹1L+ on Savings Account
TechnoFino Recommends
IndusInd Pioneer Heritage Metal credit card benefit guide and packaging.
IndusInd Pioneer Heritage card is indeed a pioneer regarding lifestyle benefits since it can take good care of your dining and entertainment expenses every year. A card of such high fees is intended only for the HNIs and IndusInd Bank is very clear with its target market since this card is exclusively given to their Pioneer banking customers.
I would like to suggest that if you wish to take this card then the best route is to get those luxury hotel vouchers which come with 6 months validity and have a good staycation with your family and after that enjoy all the great features on dining, golfing and entertainment on this card for life. So better take this card first and then plan those special occasions like your better half’s birthday, your marriage anniversary or even your honeymoon. But then this doesn’t work for everyone and depends on their lifestyle as well.
Do you hold this metallic beauty? What welcome vouchers did you take?
Credit cards were not very popular in India, at least until 2015. In the last few years, credit cards have become one of the preferred methods of digital payment. As you all know, India is the number one country in the world in terms of digital payments. More people are joining this digital payment revolution day by day. In January 2015, the total number of credit card users was 2,06,12,165 (Source: RBI Data). This number grew to 2,88,45,858, with approximately 83.33 lakhs credit cards added by the end of January, 2017. In January 2019, the total credit card users numbered 4,51,71,042, and by July 2023, it’s standing at 8,98,73,251, almost 9 crore credit cards. It is forecasted that this number might grow to 10 crore by the end of the current financial year.
On the other hand, foreign banks are struggling with their credit card business. Big credit card companies and banks like American Express, HSBC, and Standard Chartered are all struggling in India. If we look at the last 6 months’ data, we can clearly understand that something is wrong with most foreign banks. Foreign banks have a history of struggling with their credit card business in India. In 2011, Deutsche Bank sold its credit card business to IndusInd Bank, and just two years later, in 2013, Barclays Bank sold its credit card business to Standard Chartered and Kotak Mahindra Bank. Same year, RBL Bank has acquired RBS credit card business in India. Recently, in 2022, CitiBank sold its Indian banking business, including the credit card portfolio, to Axis Bank. So why are all these foreign banks leaving India or struggling?
Let’s examine the current numbers of foreign banks, and then we’ll try to understand the possible reasons for this.
If you look at the above data sheet, you’ll find that Amex India is only adding approximately 4600 credit cards per month. HSBC Bank is in the negative, continuously losing customers after March 2023, and the numbers are high, which is a bit concerning for HSBC Bank. The same goes for Standard Chartered Bank; after February 2023, they are constantly losing customers. SBM Bank, known as a fintech-friendly bank, was growing rapidly last year, but due to some KYC and LRS transaction-related problems, they lost almost 1.4 lakhs credit cards. However, they have started to recover. They just need to fix their issues, and they can get back on track as they are associated with many growing fintech companies. SBM understands today’s generation and the importance of tech-friendly facilities.
On the other hand, DBS Bank is continuously growing. They have added almost 1,82,000 credit cards in the last 6 months, and the numbers are increasing. It might seem strange that without a strong credit card offering, DBS is managing to outperform other foreign banks with a very strong credit card portfolio like Amex, SC, and HSBC. Let me remind you that DBS Bank is issuing credit cards in partnership with Bajaj Finance. It’s because of Bajaj Fin that they are able to issue such a number of credit cards.
If you look at the per-card spending data, you can see that only Amex India is surpassing the average per-card spending figure by a significant margin. Standard Chartered, HSBC, and DBS Bank have per-card spends almost Rs. 5000 less than the industry average, while SBM Bank has the lowest figures, with cardholders spending only about Rs. 1400 per card. From this data, you can understand the importance of quality customers. At the end of the day, the business you receive from your customers is crucial, and Amex India is consistently doing an amazing job of maintaining such high per-card spending figures. In July, Amex had the highest per-card spending in India, and in June, they were in the second position.
But why are most foreign banks struggling in India? There are a few possible reasons:
Limited Service Area: If you check the service areas of all struggling foreign banks, you’ll find that they serve a very limited number of cities, mostly metro cities. Big banks like HSBC, Standard Chartered, and Amex India only serve 10 to 13 cities in India. Recently, Amex India started offering their cards in Tier II cities as well. On the other hand, well-performing banks like SBM and DBS offer their credit cards in maximum Tier II and even Tier III cities.
Less Banking Network: Foreign banks only have a physical presence in Tier I cities, so reaching more customers is a real challenge for them.
Cross-Selling Credit Cards: As I already mentioned, foreign banks are only present in Tier I cities, so their customer base is also smaller compared to our Indian banks. More banking customers mean that the bank can cross-sell credit cards to more customers. But foreign banks lag behind in this aspect.
Credit Card Benefits & Rewards: Good-quality products can be sold without much marketing. Most foreign banks have been offering the same credit cards for the last 5 years without any major changes or upgrades. However, in the last 2 or 3 years, Indian banks like HDFC Bank, SBI Card, Axis Bank, etc., have significantly upgraded their credit card offerings, launching multiple credit cards with amazing benefits and reward systems. Naturally, they are selling more credit cards than any foreign banks. Foreign banks should review their credit card portfolios and try to offer similar or better deals.
High and Strict Eligibility Criteria: Most foreign banks have very high and strict eligibility criteria for their credit cards. Having a good credit score and income may not get you a credit card from banks like Standard Chartered or HSBC Bank. They analyze your credit profile, match your income with other credit card’s limit or loans you already have from the same or different banks, and then decide.
Those days are gone when people used to think that only those living in Tier I cities could have credit cards. There was a general assumption that only the elite class used credit cards, but this is far from true. You might think that merchants in Tier III cities or semi-rural areas wouldn’t have POS machines to accept credit cards, but surprisingly, many merchants in those areas do accept card payments. Moreover, nowadays, we can pay any small merchant using a RuPay credit card via the UPI network. This is the era of digital transactions; we shop online, order food online, buy electronics online, pay education fees online, pay taxes online, buy insurance online – everything is online. So, even people living in remote places are using credit cards for their online shopping and other payments. Foreign banks need to break free from their old mindset. They must expand their service areas if they genuinely want to grow their business in India. They also need to simplify their application process. SBI Card, India’s second-largest credit card issuer, may overtake the largest card issuer, HDFC Bank, in a few months, all because of their reach. They are issuing credit cards in many rural areas, and the State Bank of India is present almost everywhere, boasting the largest banking network in India.
Selling credit cards solely in the name of exclusivity won’t work for long either. Amex India has always tried to follow this approach, selling cards in the name of exclusivity. However, over time, people have come to understand credit cards better. They are choosing lucrative benefits and rewards at lower prices over exclusivity. Overall, this is a positive trend for Indian banks. Indian banks have been doing exceptionally well with their credit card offerings in recent times. But competition makes products better for consumers. Hopefully, we’ll see some fresh and lucrative offerings from a few foreign banks, at least from Amex India.
AMEX Platinum Travel as the name suggests is a travel-based card for all AMEX enthusiasts. I would call this another no-brainer card from the AMEX stable. I have reviewed the other AMEX cards like AMEX Gold Charge and AMEX MRCC here.
Let’s check out what is so tempting about this card!
2000 MR Points on spending ₹5,000 within 90 days (Referral Cards) Or 10000 MR Points on spending ₹15,000 in the first 90 days (Paid Cards)
Renewal Fees
₹5,000+ GST
Renewal Benefits
NIL
Renewal Fee Waiver
NA
Add on Cards
2 complimentary supplementary cards are provided.
AMEX doesn’t give you a spends-based fee waiver but you may get a waiver or a retention offer to keep you in the loop. Especially if you hold other AMEX cards then AMEX really values the overall relationship. Even then the rewards of this make up for the fee very easily.
Application through referral is a clear-cut winner due to the extra NIL Joining fees. Check out the link for detailed referral benefits information. You can apply for any of the six AMEX Cards available in India via this link.
***Apply now for any AMEX Card by clicking on the banner above and get all the referral benefits***
Disclaimer:I will receive a referral bonus for anyone who applies for and is approved for the card through the above link.
If you face any problems in the application process you can contact me on Technofino Community.
You can choose to apply for any AMEX card from the link in the banner. To choose and apply a card of your choice simply click on the View All Cards option and select one. All the information for that particular card is readily available on the website.
Regular Reward Accrual
Spends Area
Reward Rate
Capping
All Spends*
1 MR Points/ ₹50 spent
NA
*Spends exclude Insurance payments, Utilities and Fuel but are counted for milestone spends.
You can get up to 48000 MR points on completing both milestones.
Technofino Tip: Credit of AMEX points on completing the milestones is not automatic. After completion of the first milestone, you will get 7500 MR points automatically and the rest of the points will need to be requested from AMEX and same goes for the 4L milestone.
AMEX Reward Multiplier
AMEX has a Rewards Multiplier portal just like HDFC SmartBuy from where you can purchase gift vouchers or do affiliate shopping and get 3X the usual reward points.
AMEX allows you to take a statement credit on eligible transactions or pay with points on select merchants while entering OTP for your transaction at a value of 25p/point. Most of the new AMEX cardholders use this redemption method but trust me there can’t be a method worse than this to use your MR Points. They are much more valuable than this so kindly ignore these two options.
Travel With Points
Another method to redeem your MR points. With this, you can purchase flights, prepaid hotels, car rentals, and more on AmexTravel. Again this gives you a value of 25p/MR point and is highly not recommended.
Insta Vouchers
AMEX further offers you a huge variety of instant vouchers against your MR points which have different values for different brands.
Clearly, this card is meant for travel only since MR points are better redeemed for Taj Stays Voucher or Marriott Transfer since that is where the value lies.
TechnoFino Tip: Since the MR points are credited into a common pool so if you hold either an AMEX MRCC or an AMEX Gold Charge then you can redeem them for AMEX Gold Collection Vouchers which will you a much better value.
Like redeeming a 24K Taj Voucher will give 58p/MR Point and Amazon Pay/ Flipkart Voucher will give you just 37p/ MR Point.
Transfer Points
Now, this is the hottest redemption option for MR points and if you can play well with this you can yield values of even greater than a rupee per point.
Airlines Transfer Partners
AMEX allows you to transfer points to 8 different airline partners and some of them are so unique that none of the Indian credit cards allows you to transfer points to them like Asia Miles. We have a curated list of all AMEX airline transfer partners here. For booking award tickets using points, you can refer to this post on the TechnoFino Community.
Hotel Transfer Partners
Now, this is the most sought redemption option since anyone with a Platinum or Gold status with Marriott Bonvoy can just extract a value of more than 1Re/MR point by transferring a 1:1 ratio with suite upgrades, Breakfast and lounge access with complimentary drinks are an added plus. Since AMEX is the sole transfer partner to Marriott Bonvoy, many points miners use MR points only for transfer to Marriott.
Other than this you can transfer to Hilton Honors also but the value is not that great as compared to Marriott. We have curated a complete list of AMEX hotel transfer partners here.
It takes about 0-5 days to transfer Amex MR Points to various loyalty programs so transfer them well in advance to use them.
TechnoFino Maximum
This card is good for just ₹4L spent in a year and after that, the spending can be put on other cards.
On completing both the milestones you will have 48000 MR points in your kitty along with a Taj Voucher worth ₹10,000.
Now with a value of 50p/MR point when redeemed for travel one would get a ₹34,000 worth (including TAJ voucher) reward value on completing both milestones which converts to an 8.5% reward rate. I mean what more can one ask for?
If you are not into travelling and will redeem the points for Flipkart vouchers then the value drops to ₹24,400 and the reward rate comes out to be nearly 6.1% which is also not bad in my opinion.
And if you hold any of the gold collection cards along with this card then with 58p/ MR Point value on a 24K Taj Voucher redemption you can easily earn up to a 9.5% reward rate. Even for cash-back lovers 18,000 worth of cash equivalent Amazon Pay vouchers along with a ₹10K Taj Voucher the reward rate translates into 7%!!!
Other Benefits
Airport Lounge Access
Access Type
Access Via
Complimentary Access Limit
Domestic
AMEX Credit Card
2/Quarter
International
Priority Pass
NIL
You are eligible to access only third-party airport lounges using AMEX Platinum Travel since to access AMEX Proprietary lounges you need to have an AMEX Platinum Charge card.
For International lounges only the Priority Pass membership is complimentary and all access will be chargeable. Also, access is restricted only to primary cardholders.
Fuel Surcharge Waiver
0% for HPCL transactions less than ₹5,000,1% fee per transaction is applicable for all HPCL transactions on and above ₹5,000.
1% of the transaction value subject to a minimum of ₹10 + applicable taxes, will be charged as a convenience fee at fuel stations operated by the Public Sector Oil Marketing Companies BPCL and IOCL.
2.5% of the transaction value subject to a minimum of ₹10 + applicable taxes, will be charged as a convenience fee at fuel stations of all other Oil Marketing Companies (except HPCL, BPCL and IOCL).
Forex Markup Charges
Forex Markup charges are standard 3.50% + GST.
Eligibility Criteria
For the AMEX Platinum Travel card an income proof of a minimum gross ₹6LPA is required whether you are salaried or self-employed. AMEX doesn’t process applications on a Card-to-Card basis.
Your CIBIL score should be a minimum of 750.
You must have an address proof of any serviceable area.
***Apply now for any AMEX Card by clicking on the banner above and get all the referral benefits***
Application through referral is a clear-cut winner due to the extra NIL Joining fees. Check out the link for detailed referral benefits information. You can apply for any of the six AMEX Cards available in India via this link. Even better, you can also get another 2000 Bonus MR Points by spending ₹5000 within 90 days of membership.
TechnoFino Recommends
AMEX Platinum Travel is one of their best credit cards which provides an exceptional reward rate of 8.5% and is one of my go-to cards till I complete its milestone for the year. The only issue with AMEX cards is low acceptance but if you swipe your cards in premium places then there is nothing to stop you from clinching all of those milestones.
Isn’t AMEX Platinum Travel a no-brainer for all? Feel free to share your tricks in the comments below.
Complimentary lounge access stands as one of the widely promoted features of credit cards. Almost all mid-range and higher-tier credit cards offer free lounge access to their customers, with even some entry-level credit cards featuring this perk. Due to the extensive advertising, a surge in air travelers, and increased credit card users, banks are grappling to continue offering free lounge access across their entry-level, mid-range, and premium credit cards. Some banks have introduced certain conditions, while others have completely eliminated the lounge access facility from their cards.
So, what costs do banks incur when offering free lounge access? Before delving into the costs, it’s important to understand how free lounge access operates. Refer to my previous article [Free Airport Lounge Access Using Credit Cards: How It Works] on this topic for more insights. Banks and airport lounge companies function independently, lacking direct contact or connection. Instead, intermediary aggregator companies step in. Entities such as PriorityPass, Dreamfolks, and others establish partnerships with airport lounge companies and credit card issuers. These aggregators bridge the gap between banks and airport lounges, extending free access benefits to the banks’ credit cardholders.
Banks can provide free airport lounge access through two methods:
Via Card Network: Employing the “Via Card Network” approach, banks purchase bulk free lounge visits from the card network associated with the credit card. For example, if your credit card network is Visa, the bank would already have a tie-up with Visa for issuing their credit cards. Visa, in turn, collaborates with various airport lounges worldwide. The bank pays a per-visit fee to Visa and grants its customers free airport lounge access.
Via Aggregator Company: In the “Via Aggregator Company” method, banks directly partner with aggregators like PriorityPass or Dreamfolks. These aggregators connect banks with airport lounges across the globe. Here, the bank pays a per-visit fee to the aggregator company, which then purchases lounge visits in bulk from the actual airport lounge providers. This ultimately offers customers free airport lounge access.
Now, moving to the core point – what are the actual costs of providing free lounge access? In both scenarios, the bank covers the cost of furnishing free airport lounge access to customers. While cardholders enjoy the benefits of complimentary lounge access, the bank bears the expenses. The per-visit charges vary based on the bank’s bargaining power and location. For instance, if you were to access airport lounges in India without a credit card offering this benefit, you might pay anywhere from Rs. 800 to Rs. 2500, depending on the location. However, for banks, this rate is considerably lower than the regular public rate. Banks generally pay between Rs. 200 to 1000 per visit, depending on the location and their negotiation strength.
The Growing Pressure on Banks: With the continuous rise in air traffic, offering free lounge access has posed a financial challenge for banks. They are spending substantial sums to provide lounge access to customers. Many customers who don’t frequently use their credit cards still avail the free lounge benefit, resulting in no income generation for the bank from those customers. As a result, banks are now stipulating specific spending criteria that customers must meet within a designated time frame before enjoying free lounge access. For instance, lifetime free credit cardholders from IDFC First Bank can only avail free airport lounge benefits if they spend Rs. 5000 in the previous month. Major players like ICICI Bank require customers holding premium credit cards such as ICICI Sapphiro and Rubyx to spend Rs. 5000 in the previous quarter to access free lounges in the current quarter. In response to increasing costs, some card issuers have been compelled to eliminate free lounge access benefits from certain credit cards. For example, SBI Card removed lounge access benefits from their SBI cashback credit card to curtail expenses.
The Future of Complimentary Airport Lounge Access: Today, people are increasingly choosing air travel over railways due to rising railway fares. Rather than booking AC Tier 2 and Tier 1 tickets, one can secure a flight ticket at nearly the same rate. Consequently, air traffic is growing day by day, and airport lounges are becoming overcrowded due to credit card-linked free lounge access. Banks are finding it challenging to continue offering airport lounges for free. As a result, they have begun implementing various conditions. In the near future, we might witness the complete removal of lounge access from entry-level and mid-range credit cards. Moreover, banks may raise the spending criteria for premium cards to grant free access. I believe that banks should also extend premium treatment to their top-tier super-premium credit cards, such as a dedicated section at the airport lounge or queue-less entry.
Having a high credit limit on your credit card can be beneficial in some cases, but it can also have drawbacks in others. However, we generally prefer to maintain a high credit limit on our credit card. Typically, we don’t receive a very high credit limit when signing up for a new credit card. However, if we use the card responsibly over an extended period, the bank might gradually increase our credit limit. Banks routinely review our credit card accounts, and if they deem us eligible for a credit limit increase or card upgrade, they may offer it.
However, banks sometimes decrease our credit card limit. There are several reasons behind this decision. Let’s delve into these reasons to better understand why.
Banks review our credit profile periodically, checking credit reports like the CIBIL report. If they identify any issues that could raise concerns about our repayment capabilities, they might decide to decrease our credit limit. Here are a few reasons related to credit profiles:
A significant drop in the customer’s credit score: If your credit score (such as the CIBIL Score) experiences a steep decline within a short time frame, (For example, if someone’s CIBIL score drops from 750 to 690), the bank might raise a flag on your account and reduce your credit card limit.
Excessive Credit Limit Exposure: A significant and sudden increase in the total credit limits across other credit cards can also be a reason. For instance, let’s say you initially have 10 credit cards with a total credit limit of 20 lakhs. Within the next year, you apply for and are approved for 10 more credit cards with a total credit limit of 70 lakhs. This means your total credit card count becomes 20, and your total credit limit increases to 90 lakhs. If your income isn’t sufficient to manage this sudden 70 lakhs jump, the older banks might decide to reduce your credit limit, citing a potentially risky credit profile.
Delay Bill Payment: Failure to make timely payments of credit card bills can lead to a reduction in your credit limit. If you repeatedly miss payments on your credit card bills, the bank may decide to lower your credit limit.
Delayed payments of bills or loan EMIs from other banks’ credit cards: If you have credit cards or loans from other banks and fail to make timely payments of bills and loan EMIs, banks may choose to decrease your credit card limit.
Those are a few reasons related to your credit profile; however, banks may also lower your limit for a few other reasons.
1. Financial or Other Problems in Your Country: If there is a financial crisis or any other adverse situation in your country due to natural or man-made factors, banks might choose to decrease their total credit exposure. This can ultimately result in the reduction of their customers’ credit limits. We witnessed such cases in 2020 when the COVID-19 pandemic affected us significantly. HDFC Bank and a few other banks decided to decrease their customers’ credit limits during that time.
2. Misusing Credit Card: If you misuse your credit card or attempt to manipulate its reward system to earn more rewards, banks might choose to cancel your credit card. In such cases, they may also opt to lower your credit limit.
What can you do if the bank reduces your credit card limit? Banks can decrease your credit card limit without prior notice, leaving you with limited options in such cases. According to the RBI, banks cannot increase your credit limit without your consent, but they can reduce it without your consent or notification if they perceive your profile as risky.
If the bank decreases your credit limit, reach out to them via email. Inquire about the reason behind their decision and kindly request them to reinstate your previous limit. Provide insights about your credit profile and explain why you hold significance to the bank. With luck, they will consider your request.
Editor’s note: This is a recurring post, regularly updated with new information and offers. Last Updated 27th July 2023.
The recently launched HDFC Swiggy Credit card makes it the first cobrand card for the food cum instant grocery delivery giant. This card is surely going to delight a lot of foodies.
Spend ₹2L on your card in a year for an annual fee waiver.
Add-on Fees
NIL
Card Category
Cashback
As you can see the joining fee is being compensated with a 3 months Swiggy One Membership which I would say is not clever on their part. The card could have been priced a bit higher and provided with a Swiggy One membership as long as the card is active.
Reward Rate
Spends Area
CashbackRate
Capping
Food ordering, Instamart, Dineout & Genie on Swiggy*
10%
Maximum discount of ₹1,500 per statement cycle.
Online Spends (Apparel, Department Store, Electronics, Entertainment, Home Decor Medical Stores & Pharmacies, Personal Care, Local Cabs, Pet Stores & Supplies & Discount Stores)
5%
Maximum discount of ₹1,500 per statement cycle.
Others
1%
Maximum discount of ₹500 per statement cycle.
*Cashback cannot be earned on transactions made using Swiggy Money Wallet, Swiggy Minis & Swiggy Liquor, and any other categories decided later (if any).
Only Selected merchants are valid for 5% cashback.
No cash back for transactions less than ₹100.
No cash back will be given for Fuel, Rent, EMI, Wallet Loads, Jewellery and Government transactions.
The cashback will always be rounded down to the nearest integer on every transaction.
Card Cashback will be auto-credited to the Swiggy Money account within 10 days of statement generation.
HDFC strangely haven’t clearly stated the name of the merchants eligible for the 5% cashback and will not give the customers confidence in doing any spending on that category.
TechnoFino Maximum
Spending ₹15,000 on the Swiggy portal will maximize your savings of ₹1,500 per month. The online spending cashback capping gets breached at ₹30,000 per statement cycle.
TechnoFino Recommends
I have never written such a short review on TechnoFino for any other card. Surprised to see a card with no milestone benefits, lounge access and even a fuel surcharge waiver. Also, The joining fee is also not well compensated here. I would say, that the Swiggy HDFC card is really made for Swiggy-holics, since with no other visible benefits grab it only if you spend a lot on Swiggy.
The good thing about this card is that it will come on the MasterCard World platform and will provide the associated perks and even current HDFC card holders can apply for this card. Also, a 10% discount on Swiggy Instamart with no exclusions items is also a worthy thing to note. Still, the product looks sustainable in the long run, unlike the RBL-Zomato debacle.
A much more versatile card which gives direct cashback and competition to this card is the Axis Airtel. The Card will be available for application in Swiggy App in the next 10 days.
Are you also planning to grab this card? Share your thoughts below!
Free Airport Lounge Access Using Credit Cards: How It Works and How Much Banks Spend for Your Free Lounge Access.
If you’re a frequent air traveler, you’re probably familiar with the concept of airport lounges. And if you’re a credit card user, you might have heard about the attractive benefit of complimentary airport lounge access that comes with certain credit cards. Many credit cards offer this perk, and the number of free lounge visits depends on the credit card variant. But have you ever wondered how banks manage to offer you this seemingly luxurious benefit? How much does it actually cost the bank? And who arranges these services? Let’s delve into the intricacies and find answers to these intriguing questions.
The Why Behind Banks Offering Free Lounge Access: Banks provide complimentary airport lounge access with many credit cards to attract frequent air travelers. As air traffic continues to increase in India, banks aim to target those who travel by air frequently. It can be assumed that people who travel frequently by air tend to earn more than the average Indian and possess a higher spending power. For banks, attracting such customers translates to higher credit card usage, resulting in increased income.
Do Banks Directly Tie-Up with Lounges? Bank and airport lounge companies operate independently and have no direct contact or connection with each other. Instead, there are aggregator companies that act as intermediaries. Entities like PriorityPass, Dreamfolks, and others establish partnerships with airport lounge companies and credit card issuers. These aggregators bridge the gap between the banks and airport lounges and offer free lounge access benefits to the banks’ credit cardholders.
How It Works: Banks can offer free airport lounge access using two methods:
Via Card Network: When using the “Via Card Network” method, banks purchase bulk free lounge visits from the card network associated with the credit card. For instance, if your credit card network is Visa, the bank would already have a tie-up with Visa for issuing their credit cards. Visa, in turn, partners with various airport lounges worldwide. The bank pays a per-visit fee to Visa and extends free airport lounge access to its customers.
Via Aggregator Company: In the “Via Aggregator Company” approach, banks directly tie-up with an aggregator such as PriorityPass or Dreamfolks. These aggregators connect the banks with airport lounges across the world. In this case, the bank pays a per-visit fee to the aggregator company, which, in turn, purchases lounge visits in bulk from the actual airport lounge providers, ultimately granting customers free airport lounge access.
Are They Really Free? In both cases, the bank covers the cost of providing free airport lounge access to its customers. While cardholders enjoy the benefits of complimentary lounge access, the bank bears the expense. The per-visit charges vary based on the bank’s negotiation power and location. For instance, if you were to access airport lounges in India without a credit card offering this benefit, you might pay anywhere from Rs. 800 to Rs. 2500, depending on the location. However, for banks, this rate is significantly cheaper than the regular public rate. Banks usually pay between Rs. 200 to 1000 per visit, depending on the location and their negotiation power. The fact is, banks subsidize the cost to offer this attractive perk to their customers.
The Increasing Burden on Banks: As air traffic continues to rise, offering free lounge access has become a financial challenge for banks. They are spending substantial amounts of money to provide lounge access to their customers. Many customers who don’t spend much using their credit cards still enjoy the free lounge benefit, leading to no income generation for the bank. Consequently, banks now ask customers to meet specific spending criteria within a given time frame before availing free lounge access. For instance, IDFC First Bank lifetime free credit card customers can only avail free airport lounge benefits if they spend Rs. 5000 in the previous month. In response to the increasing costs, some card issuers have been compelled to remove free lounge access benefits from certain credit cards. For instance, SBI Card removed lounge access benefits from their SBI cashback credit card to cut down expenses.
The Impact on Aggregator Companies: One such aggregator company, Dreamfolks, has seen remarkable growth due to increasing air traffic and more banks tying up with them for complimentary lounge access benefits, airport meet and greet, airport spa and airport transfers. In 2021, their total operational revenue was Rs. 105.63 crore, which surged to Rs. 282.49 crore in 2022—an impressive 167% increase. Almost 98% of their operational revenue comes from lounge fees charged to their partner banks. While this indicates that more customers are using free airport lounge access, leading to increased revenue for aggregator companies like Dreamfolks, it also poses a financial challenge for banks due to rising expenses. However, this also indicates that the number of credit card users in india are increasing rapidly, and this is ultimately beneficial for credit card issuers.
In conclusion, while credit card users enjoy the luxury of free airport lounge access, it comes at a cost to the banks. As air travel continues to gain popularity, banks are eager to retain their valued customers by providing attractive benefits like complimentary lounge access. So, next time you find yourself relaxing in an airport lounge, remember that it’s not entirely free—it’s the banks that are footing the bill to enhance your travel experience.
IDFC First has recently launched an Air Vistara credit card which is drawing quite a lot of interest due to the value that Club Vistara provides when it comes to its loyalty program. After Axis Bank, SBI Card and IndusInd Bank this is the fourth co-branded partner for Vistara Airlines. Read on to know the benefits of this card, how to maximize them and compare it with the other cobranded offerings.
1) Get 1 Premium Economy ticket as an E-Gift Voucher on payment of the annual fee and a One-Class upgrade voucher* 2) Club Vistara Silver Tier Annual Membership 3) EazyDiner Prime membership: complimentary for 3 months 4) Enjoy BQ Prime subscription: complimentary for 3 months
Renewal Fees
₹4999 + GST
Renewal Benefits
1) Get 1 Premium Economy ticket as an E-Gift Voucher on payment of the renewal fee and a One-Class upgrade voucher* 2) Club Vistara Silver Tier Annual Membership
Renewal Fee Waiver
NA
The e-Gift voucher will be sent via e-mail within 15 working days post payment of the Annual Fee
You will have to claim the voucher within six months of issuance post which will be auto-credited to your account
After claiming the voucher you get another 3 months to use them after which they will get expired
*This One-Class Upgrade Voucher is given exclusively by IDFC First Bank and is not a part of the Silver Tier Renewal benefits which you will get every year. These vouchers can only be used either for revenue flights or award flights booked using CV points only. So with this card, you get two One-Class Upgrade Vouchers.
With a premium economy ticket voucher being given on every renewal, I would say this card is absolutely free even if you don’t use it since you will be getting a renewal benefit which is at least 2X of the fee that you are paying. The perks offered on this card are too good at the given fee range.
Reward Accrual
Spends Area
Reward Rate
All Spends
6 CV Points/ ₹200*
Fuel, Insurance, Utility, Rent & Wallet Load
1 CV Points/ ₹200
Dining Spends on Birthday
10 CV Points/ ₹200
*Earn 6 CV Points per ₹200 on spends up to ₹1 Lakh in each statement cycle after that earning is reduced to 4 CV points per ₹200 spent
No CV Points are awarded for EMI transactions and cash withdrawals
Activation Bonus
You can get up to 6000 CV Points that is 2000 CV Points per month on a minimum spend of ₹30,000 per cycle in the 3 full billing cycles after the completion of the first cycle from card generation.
Milestone Benefits
The earn rate of 6 CV points gives a decent value. But the real value of this card lies in its milestone benefits.
Spending Amount
Milestone Reward
₹1.5L
1 Premium Economy Domestic Ticket
₹3L
1 Premium Economy Domestic Ticket
₹4.5L
1 Premium Economy Domestic Ticket
₹9L
1 Premium Economy Domestic Ticket
₹12L
1 Premium Economy Domestic Ticket
Menu card for Premium Economy fliers.
TechnoFino Maximum
Since the 9 Lakh milestone sits almost at double the requirement so it doesn’t make any sense to go beyond ₹4.5L milestone. Assuming you spend 50-50% on both categories you get to earn approximately
8,000 CV points
4 Premium Economy tickets
With 8K CV points, you can fly from Delhi to Bengaluru economy which approximately costs ₹5,000 for a revenue ticket. The 4 domestic flight vouchers are worth ₹10K each even if we are taken a conservative value like for the Delhi-Bengaluru flight.
The equivalent reward rate comes out to be a whopping 9%! even if you factor in the taxes you will be paying for booking redemption tickets.
Veg Meal @ Vistara Premium Economy
I hope now you can imagine the value that it gives to you. And you can also use these vouchers and points for your family and friends by adding them as a nominee in your Club Vistara Account.
Other Benefits
Vistara CV Silver Membership
One gets a complimentary Club Vistara Silver Tier till you hold IDFC Club Vistara which offers you a host of benefits like priority boarding, priority check-in, 5 kg extra baggage allowance, and the like. It also gives you 9 Club Vistara Points for every ₹100 that you spend on Vistara flights.
You are entitled to a One-Class Upgrade Voucher as a part of Silver Tier Renewal benefits which you will get every year and can only be used either for revenue flights or award flights booked using CV points only.
Airport Lounge Access
2 Complimentary Visits/ Quarter to Domestic Airport lounges and 1 Complimentary Visit/ Quarter to select international lounges subject to spending of ₹5,000 in the previous month
Shared access for add-on cardholders
Airport Spa Access
2 Complimentary Visits/ Quarter to Airport Spa in collaboration with DreamFolks subject to the spending of ₹5,000 in the previous month.
Shared access for add-on cardholders
Golf Benefits
Enjoy exclusive privileges of playing on a golf course with 4 complimentary rounds of green fees golf per calendar year (maximum 1 round per calendar month)
Master your golfing skills with 12 complimentary golf lessons per calendar year (maximum 1 lesson per calendar month)
Get discounted golf services at 50% of the green fee beyond complimentary sessions
Air Accident & Fraud Liability Cover
IDFC Club Vistara also gives a unique feature that gives you cancellation insurance in which you can cancel annually 2 hotel and flight bookings for any reason that too worth ₹10,000 when booked using this card. This concept is very interesting.
Get a complimentary Air Accident Liability Cover of ₹1 Cr.
Get complimentary credit card Fraud Liability Cover of ₹50,000.
Fuel Surcharge Waiver
No fuel surcharge waiver is applicable on this card
Forex Markup Charges
Forex Markup charges are standard 2.99% + GST
TechnoFino Recommends
The cards which are direct competitors of this card are the SBI Club Vistara Prime and the Axis Vistara Signature. My general recommendations for the Vistara lineup of cards are the SBI Club Vistara Prime and Axis Infinite so that you get the best of the Vistara with CV Gold.
So if you really travel a lot using Vistara Airlines then you can get this card and try reaching that ₹4.5L or even keep it just for that annual voucher benefit. If you don’t travel a lot and just want to get the best card then I would suggest you get the SBI Vistara one which provides you 4 PEY tickets and a Yatra Voucher worth ₹10K on crossing the ₹8L milestone.
I would rate this card equal to Axis Vistara Signature priced at ₹3000 although the earning rate of IDFC First Club Vistara is higher but spending to access the airport lounges that too for a paid card worth ₹4999 doesn’t make any sense. Also, keep in mind Axis does rewards spends on Insurance and Utilities. The only thing which makes it superior is that extra one-class upgrade voucher.
What are your thoughts on the IDFC First Vistara Card? Feel free to share your comments below.
Hello everyone! I am back again with the Ultimate Guide of the audience’s favourite Domestic Frequent Flyer Program, Club Vistara. To all those miles enthusiasts, who prefer to travel in domestic sectors, Club Vistara is the frequent flyer program, you use if it serves that route. Vistara, the brand which was created by two of the greatest, TATA Group and Singapore Airlines, serves as a full-service carrier for Domestic and International travel. Their fleet includes Airbus A320, A321neo, Boeing 737-800NG, and Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner in its fleet and run A320 and A321neo on domestic routes, 737-800NG, and Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner on its international route. Vistara’s A321neo is the star of the show for domestic travel especially for its flatbed Business Class Seats.
Business Class of Vistara A321neo, captured by me. (CenturionGuy1)
With the current state of miles and points, it’s now really easy to experience it. From co-branded cards to point transfer partners, Vistara gives everyone a choice to experience its product.
Club Vistara Elite Tiers
Now let’s dive into the Frequent Flyer Program Vistara offers: Club Vistara. Let’s know the basics of Club Vistara and its tier benefits. Club Vistara has 4 tiers, let’s discuss the important benefits of the respective tiers:
CV Base
You can earn 8 points per ₹100 spent
You’ll be enrolled in promotional offers
CV Silver
You need to achieve 15,000 tier points and 4 flights to get to Silver Tier.
You can earn 9 points per ₹100 spent
You’ll be able to connect to the customer helpline on a priority
You are entitled to Priority Waitlist Clearance. In the case of the same tier, the person who booked earlier will be entitled first
You are entitled to a Priority Check-in through the Premium Economy counter
You are entitled to an extra 5 kg check-in luggage allowance
For flying Economy Lite you’re entitled to carry 1 extra piece of luggage for domestic sectors
1 One-Class Upgrade voucher on tier upgrade
1 One-Class Upgrade Voucher on tier renewal
CV Gold
You need to achieve 25,000 tier points and 6 flights to get to Gold Tier
You can earn 10 points per ₹100 spent
You’ll be able to connect to the customer helpline on a priority
You are entitled to Priority Waitlist Clearance. In the case of the same tier, the person who booked earlier will be entitled first
You are entitled to avail 1 complimentary rescheduling per flight booking at least 24 hours prior to departure within India. This is not available for Economy Light fare and booking should be made from the Vistara App or the Vistara website
You can choose Preferred Seats except for Emergency seats on a complimentary basis
You are entitled to a Priority Check-in through the Business Class counter
You are entitled to get priority on your requested flight’s standby list
Carry-on luggage allowance is up to 12 kg inclusive of standard cabin luggage allowance on domestic flights
You are entitled to a Priority-Boarding
You are entitled to a Priority-Baggage Handling
You are entitled to an extra 10 kg check-in luggage allowance
For flying Economy Lite you’re entitled to carry 1 extra piece of luggage for both domestic and international sectors
Access to Partner Lounges
2 One-Class Upgrade vouchers on tier upgrade
3 One-Class Upgrade Voucher on tier renewal
Enhanced privileges when flying with Singapore Airlines
You get a guaranteed economy class seat until 48 hours of departure
CV Platinum
You need to achieve 35,000 tier points and 8 flights to get to Platinum Tier
You can earn 11 points per ₹100 spent
You’ll be able to connect to the customer helpline on a priority
You are entitled to Priority Waitlist Clearance. In the case of the same tier, the person who booked earlier will be entitled first
You are entitled to avail of 2 complimentary reschedule per flight booking at least 24 hours prior to departure within or outside India. This is not available for Economy Light fare and booking should be made from the Vistara App or Vistara website.
You can choose Preferred Seats including Emergency seats on a complimentary basis
You are entitled to a Priority Check-in through the Business Class counter
You are entitled to get priority on your requested flight’s standby list
Carry-on luggage allowance is up to 12 kg inclusive of standard cabin luggage allowance on domestic flights
You are entitled to a Priority-Boarding
You are entitled to a Priority-Baggage Handling
You are entitled to an extra 15 kg check-in luggage allowance
Additional Perks
For flying Economy Lite you’re entitled to carry 1 extra piece of luggage for both domestic and international sectors
Access to Partner Lounges
3 One-Class Upgrade vouchers on tier upgrade
5 One-Class Upgrade Voucher on tier renewal
Enhanced privileges when flying with Singapore Airlines
You get a guaranteed economy class seat till 24hrs of departure
You’re entitled to a 50 MB data voucher on international flights
You’re entitled to FlyEarly, if you reach the airport early and there’s an early flight within 4 hours of the originally booked flight, you can on-board that without any additional charges
You’re entitled to companion lounge access to the Partnered Lounges if you’re flying international sectors
Business Class of Vistara 787-9 Dreamliner, Source BrownPoints
For Club Vistara Gold and Platinum tiers, you can enjoy enhanced perks from Singapore Airlines if you’re flying with them. The perks are as below:
As you can see, Club Vistara offers great perks when you climb up the ladder in Elite Tiers. Elite Tiers used to be easier to climb earlier, just by flying a number of flights, but as now you need to complete revenue flights to earn Tier Points, it has become more challenging. Tier Points earning rate is the same as CV points earning according to which Elite Tier you belong. The chart is as below:
How to Earn Club Vistara Points
By Taking Revenue Flights
CV Points can be earned by taking revenue flights and the number of CV points you earn depends on the Elite Tier you belong to. You can earn as per the chart below:
Co-branded Cards
With co-branded cards, one can get perks like getting direct access to CV Gold, different classes of tickets, upgrade vouchers, etc.
Club Vistara Points can be transferred from different banking partners as per below:
Axis Bank eDGE Rewards: At a 5:4 ratio for HNI Cards and a 10:1 ratio for other cards. 1:2 Ratio from Axis Atlas (minimum 300 RP)
American Express Membership Rewards: At a 3:1 ratio (minimum 900 RP)
HDFC Bank Reward Points: For Infinia, Diners Black, Diners ClubMiles at 1:1 ratio, and for Regalia, Diners Privilege, Corporate Platinum, Corporate World, Corporate Signature, Corporate Premium at 2:1 ratio (minimum 100 RP)
Yes Bank Reward Points: For Yes Private at 4:1 (250 and then multiples of 2 thereafter), for other Yes Bank Cards at 10:1 (2000 and then multiples of 10 thereafter)
IndusInd Bank Reward Points: Premium cards at 1:1, others at 2:1
Club ITC: At 3:2 (minimum 500 RP)
AU Bank Rewardz: At 4:1 (minimum 200 RP)
FAB Miles Programme: At 1:1 (minimum 1000 RP)
Standard Chartered 360° Rewards: 5:1 (minimum 100)
HSBC Reward Programme: For Premier at 1:1, for others at 2:1
Fi Coins: At 40:1 (minimum 200 RP)
Airline Partners
Air Canada: You can earn CV points if you take Air Canada revenue flights within Canada or from Canada to the rest of the world. The total accrual points will stay between 25% to 125% as the chart suggests below
Japan Airlines: You can earn CV points if you take Japan Airlines revenue domestic, international, and code-share flights. The total accrual points will stay between 30% to 150% as the charts suggest below:
Lufthansa: You can earn CV points if you take Lufthansa revenue flights. The total accrual points will stay between 25% to 250% as the chart suggests below:
Singapore Airlines: You can earn CV points if you take Singapore Airlines revenue flights. The total accrual points will stay between 70% to 150% as the chart suggests below:
United Airlines: You can earn CV points if you take United Airlines revenue flights. The total accrual points will stay between 25% to 125% as the chart suggests below
Car Rentals
Avis: You can earn 16 CV Points for every ₹100 spent
BookAirportCab: You can earn 5 CV Points for every ₹100 spent
Urban Drive: You can earn 6 CV Points for every ₹100 spent
Zoom Car: You can earn 5 CV Points for every ₹100 spent
Health and Wellness
Shyft: For purchasing the Yoga & Nutrition program you can earn up to 2000 CV points
MediBuddy: You can earn up to 1000 CV points for booking the packages of different medical tests
Stay Partners
Booking.com: You can earn 2 CV Points for every ₹100 spent
IHCL: You can earn 3 CV Points for every ₹100 spent
Luxury Escape: You can earn 5 CV Points for every ₹100 spent
Onefinerate.com: You can earn 6 CV Points for every ₹100 spent
The Kingsbury: You can earn 600 CV Points for every night of stay
The Postcard Hotel: You can earn 5000 CV Points for a minimum of 2 nights of booking, capped at 60000 CV points a year
Soneva: You can earn 16 CV Points for every ₹100 spent
Sterling: You can earn 8 CV Points for every ₹100 spent
The Grand Dragon, Ladakh: You can earn 20 CV Points for every ₹100 spent
Voyaah: You can earn 6 CV Points for every ₹100 spent
Travel Services
VISA2FLY: You can earn 5 CV Points for every ₹100 spent
Airportzo: You can earn 3 CV Points for every ₹100 spent
How to Burn Club Vistara Points
As we can see there are quite a few numbers of ways we can actually earn points but what’s the fun in earning if we can’t burn the points properly? Let’s see where you can burn your points.
Vistara Award Flights
Of course, this is the best possible way to burn the points. You can get the flights in way less cost-effective way when you burn your points to book the flights, and you end up paying the tax only. You can redeem both domestic and international sectors.
Though award booking is great to have, one needs to remember that there’ll always be limited availability of Award Seats, for example, an A320 will have 2 Business Class award seats and generally 4 in Premium Economy and 6 Economy award seats. Typically at max A321neo will be offering 3 Business Class award seats. Oh, wait, sometimes you may observe 4 as well on A321neo and 8 Economy award seats.
You can check the Club Vistara points requirement for each class here. Alternatively, Vistara has an Award Calculator, where you can check the mileage requirements for your desired route.
Business Class of Vistara A321neo. captured by me. (CenturionGuy1)
Cancellation and Reschedule
The award flights booked using points can definitely be cancelled and rescheduled depending on the availability like any normal flights. As with any normal flight, it’ll also be coming with some charges, but here it’ll be with CV Points.
If you wish to cancel your booking, you need to give up 30% of the booking amount as CV Points. However, if you wish to reschedule, you need to give up 10% of the booking amount as CV Points.
Upgrade Awards
You can upgrade your ticket with CV Points for both domestic and international sectors. This falls under subject to availability. Though upgrading is a great option you can only upgrade your revenue flights or the award seats booked using CV points, not the award flights booked using vouchers. For the CV points requirement to upgrade, please refer here. Alternatively, you can also check with the Upgrade Awards option with the award calculator here.
Meal Service of Business Class.captured by me. (CenturionGuy1)
Redeem with Partners
You can redeem CV points with partner airlines such as Air Canada, Japan Airlines, Singapore Airlines, United Airlines, and Lufthansa. There are two major downsides to it. The first is, that the value is terribly low, and the second is it takes 14 working days just to book the flight. So even after this if you want to go with this option, you need to call Vistara Customer Care at +91 9289228888 and book your flight. The award redemption chart of partner airlines can be checked here.
Cash + Points
Vistara does give the flexibility to book a flight using the cash + points option if you’re falling short of CV points. The value is relatively low here. It’d be wiser to purchase points and book rather than go with this option.
Expiry of Points
Club Vistara Points remain valid for 36 months from the date of acquisition, with the option to extend their validity by an additional 3 months through payment of a fee to Vistara. The extension is only possible when there are 3 months remaining before the points expire. Similar to many other frequent flyer programs, points cannot be earned, transferred, or used to prolong their validity. For Vistara, the expiration of points is determined based on their earning date.
Booking With Vouchers
With Vistara you can have 2 kinds of vouchers:
Complimentary Ticket Voucher
One-Class Upgrade Voucher.
The Complimentary Ticket Vouchers which are earned by using their co-branded credit cards, can be used to book the desired seat category that the voucher provides but you have to pay other charges such as taxes, surcharges and other levies as applicable on the ticket at the time of booking. These vouchers are only applicable on a non-stop domestic ticket and share the same award quota as for the seats booked using CV points.
With the One-Class Upgrade Voucher, you can upgrade to the next class category only if you booked a ticket using cash or CV points as per T&C. To upgrade award seats booked using vouchers, you need to pay in cash while checking in at the airport although some users have had luck even with their vouchers in this case. These vouchers are provided to you on your elite tier upgrade or renewal.
You can check all your vouchers by going to the “My Vouchers” section. For complimentary vouchers, go to “On-demand” vouchers and redeem them. If you get complimentary vouchers from Vistara for any compensation, you can redeem them from the “Redeem complimentary Voucher” section.
A voucher is issued as soon as you complete a respective milestone with a Vistara co-branded credit card and then can be self-issued anytime within the next 6 months
If you don’t self-issue itthen it will automatically get issued after 6 months and will be valid for another 3 months
Your travel date should be within those next 3 months only; if you still don’t use it, it will expire
After expiry also the vouchers can be revived within 3 months of expiry for another 3 months by paying a nominal fee as per the class of travel
So you have to travel using a voucher within 9 months if you don’t want to pay for its validity extension
In case of any cancellations or no-shows, the Voucher will be deemed utilized and, in such cases, only the statutory taxes will be refunded
Bonus Tip
Though practically you can use a voucher in 9 months but don’t ever issue a voucher if you are not travelling within the next 3 months else you won’t be able to use it for your travel. For example, if you receive a voucher using your Axis Vistara Infinite Credit Card on 1st Jan 2023 and you intend to travel on 1st August 2023 and you issue the voucher of 1st Feb 2023 then you would have to use it with the travel date on or before 1st May 2023.
So for busy sectors like Delhi-Goa and Delhi-Mumbai always try to book award seats using CV Points else you won’t get any award seats 3 months before your travel date. Remember to book this by yourself else they will levy a service charge of ₹300 if you call customer care for this.
Bottomline
Sunset Through the Window.captured by me. (CenturionGuy1)
Vistara, a full-service carrier in India didn’t only excel in the Indian aviation industry but also introduced the best Frequent Flyer Program to reward its loyal flyers. They gave the option to travel with ultimate comfort and luxury. From their lie flat bed of the Business Class of A321neo to the delicious food served in Economy class, they took care of every kind of flyer. As the merger with Air India is going to happen very soon, and as promised by Air India we’ll be able to use the same benefits currently available, we can only expect this brand should exist separately.
Have you ever wondered how credit card companies make money? They offer you a credit card, and you use it for your purchases, paying your bill on time. In return, they provide you with reward points, cashback, and enticing lifestyle benefits like airport lounge access and free golf. But how do they manage to offer all these perks? Who is actually footing the bill for these rewards and benefits? Let’s delve into some intriguing questions about the credit card business and find the answers.
How do credit card companies make money? What are the main sources of income for a credit card company? A credit card company functions as a lending business, similar to other lending enterprises, where credit card companies earn profits by providing loans. However, unlike traditional lending businesses, credit card companies generate revenue not only from interest income but also from three other significant sources of income. These sources include:
Interest Income: Similar to other lending businesses, credit card companies generate interest income by levying interest on the outstanding balances carried by cardholders on their credit cards. When a customer fails to make timely payments or pays only a portion of the total bill, credit card companies apply interest charges on the remaining balance. These interest rates are generally high, typically ranging from 30% to 50% per annum. In addition, if a customer chooses to make a purchase through an Equated Monthly Installment (EMI) plan, the credit card company applies interest on the financed amount. In such cases, the interest rates are typically lower, ranging from 10% to 20% per annum.
Furthermore, if someone withdraws cash using a credit card, the card issuer charges interest on the withdrawn amount, along with associated fees. While you may wonder who would withdraw cash using a credit card, it is interesting to note that according to RBI data, Indian consumers have consistently withdrawn amounts ranging from Rs. 300 to Rs. 400 crores each month, from April of the previous year to April of this year. It is important for cardholders to be aware of the interest rates associated with their credit cards and to make timely payments to avoid accruing high interest charges.
Interchange Income: Credit card companies generate revenue through interchange income in addition to interest income. Merchant Discount Rate (MDR) fees are charges imposed on merchants when they accept credit card payments. These fees are typically calculated as a percentage of the transaction value, ranging between 1% and 3%. The MDR income is distributed among various parties in the payment ecosystem, including the acquiring bank (which processes the merchant’s card transactions), the card issuing bank (which issued the credit card to the customer), and the card network (such as Visa, Mastercard, or American Express) that facilitates the transaction. Interchange fees, charged by the card issuer, usually represent the largest proportion of the overall MDR.
Membership Fees: Another source of income for credit card companies is membership fees. When customers apply for and are approved for a credit card, the bank may require them to pay a one-time joining fee. Additionally, credit card companies charge annual fees to cardholders. The specific amount of the annual fee depends on the features, benefits, and rewards associated with the card. Premium credit cards, which offer enhanced perks such as travel rewards, concierge services, or exclusive access to events, often carry higher annual fees.
Other Fee-based Income: In addition to interest income, interchange income, and membership fees, credit card companies earn revenue through various other fees. These fees may include balance transfer fees, late payment fees, cash advance fees, foreign transaction fees, and other charges associated with specific services or transactions.
To gain insights into the income sources of credit card companies, let’s examine the income distribution of SBI Card for the fiscal year 2021-2022. SBI Card, the second-largest card issuer in India, generated the following revenue streams:
Based on these figures, it can be observed that 45% of SBI Card’s income is derived from interest charged to its customers. An additional 24% comes from interchange fees collection, which is the fee charged to merchants. Another 24% is generated from credit card membership fees and other related charges. The remaining 6% is contributed by various other income sources.
Who actually pays for credit card rewards? We often utilize credit cards to take advantage of various rewards offered, such as cashback, reward points, and airmiles. But have you ever wondered why credit card companies incentivize us to use their cards? The answer lies in the financial benefits they derive from our spending habits. Credit card companies earn revenue through several means, and one significant source is the Merchant Discount Rate (MDR) fees paid by merchants. The more we spend using their credit cards, the more income credit card companies generate from these fees. Additionally, increased spending also raises the likelihood of delayed payments, resulting in interest income for banks. To encourage customers to spend more, banks and credit card companies frequently send targeted offers to their customers and promote discounted online/offline sales. By doing so, they aim to increase customer spending, leading to higher revenue. If we take a closer look at SBI Card’s financial report for the fiscal year 2021-2022, we can observe that they spent Rs. 622.63 crores for customer rewards (reward redemption cost). This amount accounts for approximately 5.81% of their total income and around 15% of their total operational expenses. Hence, it can be inferred that individuals who delay payments, carry balances on their credit cards each month, or make purchases through EMIs effectively finance the credit card rewards and perks enjoyed by other customers.
What are the major expenses of a credit card company? Managing a credit card company entails significant costs, with various expenses associated with its operations. Some key expenditures include interest expenses incurred from borrowing money, managing bad debt and write-offs, maintaining reward programs, and investing in advertising and sales promotion. I have consulted with bank officials from some of the top Indian credit card companies, and they have identified advertising and sales promotion, rewards and loyalty programs, collection of dues, and IT-related expenses as their major expenditures.
What would happen if all customers started paying their credit card bills on time? Would credit card companies be able to survive such situations? If all customers start paying their 100% bill on time then It’ll make more damage than good. It will reduce bad loans, improve cashflow, but credit card companies heavily rely on interest income and late payment fees. As stated earlier, almost 40 to 60% income of a credit card company comes from interest & other related fees. In such a scenario, credit card companies would need to adapt their business models and strategies to compensate for the potential loss of revenue from interest charges and late payment fees. They might explore new avenues to generate income or adjust their fee structures and rewards programs accordingly. Additionally, they would need to carefully manage costs and optimize their operational efficiency to maintain profitability. During discussions with officials from top credit card companies, they said, “All customers paying their bills in full on time is a thought experiment, just like all policyholders claiming insurance at the same time. Two things can happen in this case. The credit card business will become commoditized, with low margins and only a few big players surviving. “The Indian market will then begin to mimic the characteristics of the card market in developed economies.”
In conclusion, a credit card can be a valuable financial tool when used responsibly. However, the irony lies in the fact that if you are a responsible consumer, you may not be as profitable for the credit card company. Finding a balance is essential because we cannot expect everyone to default on their payments or pay their bills on time. Credit card companies require a mix of responsible users who pay their bills on time and users who carry forward balances, allowing them to earn interest and maintain cash flow. Striking a balance between these user types is crucial for the sustainability and profitability of credit card companies.
Spend ₹2L on your card in a year for an annual fee waiver.
Add-on Fees
₹299 + GST
Card Category
Cashback
You are eligible for welcome benefits if you complete a transaction of ₹500 or more within 30 days of card issuance. Here the joining fees is well compensated with the welcome voucher. Myntra voucher will be disbursed to the customer via Email/SMS within 30 days of the activation of the card which can be availed to enjoy a discount of Rs. 500 on your Myntra cart.
Reward Rate
Spends Area
Cashback
Capping
Myntra
7.5%
Unlimited cashback is subject to a maximum discount of ₹750 per transaction.
Other Spends (Including UPI on Rupay Variant above ₹2,000)
1.25%
NIL
*Cashback is not applicable on Rent Payments, Fuel Spends, Wallet Loads, UPI transfer less than ₹2,000, Merchant EMIs, Cash Advances, Balance Transfer, Encash & Flexipay.
The cashback will always be rounded down to the nearest integer on every transaction.
Card Cashback will be auto-credited to your card account within 30 days of transaction settlement.
Milestone Benefits
2 complimentary PVR tickets worth ₹250 on spending ₹50000 in a calendar quarter.
Rent Payments, Wallet loads, and Fuel spending will not be considered eligible spending for this quarterly milestone benefit.
TechnoFino Maximum
Since Myntra spends have no capping on the discount hence you can spend as much as you can per month if you keep the per transaction value below 10K whereas on preferred partners you need to spend 66K per month to maximize the category cashback.
Other Benefits
Lounge Access
Domestic Airport Lounge Access: 1 Complimentary Visit/Quarter using Visa Lounge Access Program/Rupay Network.
Myntra Insider Membership
Become an Insider with the Myntra x Kotak Credit Card. Enjoy exclusive benefits and offers as a part of the Myntra insider community.
Select Tier of Myntra Insider Program will be accessible to you within 7 days of card issuance.
Customers will need to spend a minimum of Rs. 7000 and place 5 orders each year on the Myntra platform, to maintain the insider tier.
Myntra Insider Program comes with a host of benefits like free shipping, early access to sale events, exclusive offers & savings, earning Supercoins and more.
Fuel Surcharge Waiver
1% Fuel Surcharge Waiver across all petrol pumps on transactions of ₹500 – ₹3,000, exclusive of GST with a maximum surcharge waiver of ₹3500 in a membership year.
TechnoFino Recommends
Kotak Myntra card is in direct competition with SBI Cashback, HDFC Millennia, Axis Flipkart and Standard Chartered Digismart since all of them reward you handsomely when you shop on Myntra. If your needs are limited then there is no card which can beat Digismart since it offers a 20% instant discount else I would suggest you go for an SBI Cashback card since with that you won’t have to restrict yourself to just select merchants.
If your spends are huge on Myntra every month then also getting paid add-ons of Digismart makes much more sense.
But if you still want to get this card then better opt for the RuPay variant so that you can get an avenue to spend via UPI from this card and complete your quarterly milestone. When it comes to UPI this is the second best rewarding card currently in the market after HDFC Tata Neu Infinity which gives 1.5% on UPI spending.
Are you also planning to grab this card? Share your thoughts below!
Pay the full amount initially and then convert the charge into EMI by contacting your card issuer.
Opt for No Cost EMI.
When we make a purchase at EMI or convert our purchases to EMI through the bank, the bank charges us interest on the principal amount. It is a short-term personal loan. However, the bank does not report these separately to the credit bureaus.
In the case of No Cost EMI, as the name suggests, it implies EMI without any interest. But is it truly interest-free? Let’s explore the charges associated with No Cost EMI to find out.
So, when you decide to make a purchase using the No Cost EMI option, let’s consider buying a Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra 5G with a cost of Rs. 1,24,999 on Amazon. You can choose to use a HDFC Bank credit card for the transaction and you will be presented with various tenure options to select from.
As you go through the options, you will notice that there is a total interest amount mentioned along with an equivalent discount for each tenure.
In reality, banks do not offer interest-free EMIs. Instead, it is the merchant who provides an upfront discount equivalent to the interest amount that the bank would charge if you were to opt for the No Cost EMI. Essentially, the bank still applies their interest as per their policy, but you receive an immediate discount of the same amount from the merchant. In this scenario, if you choose the 24-month No Cost EMI option, you will be charged a total of Rs. 1,06,372. You will receive an upfront discount of Rs. 18,627 from the merchant (Amazon in this case), which offsets the future interest charges.
Now, let’s take a look at the charges associated with No Cost EMI:
Processing Fees: Typically, banks charge a flat processing fee if you choose the No Cost EMI option. This fee can range from Rs. 99 to Rs. 300.
GST on Interest: Although customers receive the interest amount as an upfront discount, banks still levy GST (Goods and Services Tax) on the interest component of the credit card EMI. Therefore, for each EMI, you will have to pay 18% GST on the interest amount.
Foreclosure Charges: If you decide to cancel the EMI at any time, banks usually impose foreclosure charges. These charges can range from 2% to 5% of the remaining EMI amount.
It is important to be aware of these charges before opting for the No Cost EMI option.
Many people often misunderstand the concept of “No Cost EMI” and mistakenly believe that there will be no interest charged by the bank if they choose this option. This misconception can lead to feelings of being cheated once they discover the reality behind No Cost EMI. It is essential for individuals to understand all the associated fees and how No Cost EMI works before utilizing it.
Here’s a Pro Tip for you: Consider selecting the maximum available tenure when opting for a No Cost EMI. By doing so, you can receive the maximum interest discount. After the EMI is posted on your credit card account, which typically takes 3 to 7 days, contact your card issuer and cancel the EMI. The bank will ask you to pay the remaining amount. Even after paying foreclosure charges, significant savings can be achieved.
Let’s refer back to the example we discussed earlier with the Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra 5G. If you choose the 24-month EMI tenure, you will receive an upfront discount of Rs. 18,627, resulting in a charge of Rs. 1,06,372. However, if you cancel your EMI a few days after the purchase, even after paying a 3% foreclosure fee (approximately Rs. 3,035, calculated as 3% of the remaining amount after deducting the upfront discount), you can save nearly Rs. 15,500 as an upfront discount. However, it is crucial to perform your own calculations and consider the terms and conditions before employing such tactics.
Editor’s note: This is a recurring post, regularly updated with new information and offers. Last Updated 18th Nov 2023.
From insanely popular cashback cards to the cards for nerds, the Airmiles cards, we can see a lot of variation so here I am listing the best credit cards for international spending in India. Since international travel is touching its new peaks we all have certain forex spends be it on international travel or buying goods and services from International merchants sitting right here in India.
Further, at the end of the article, I will also recommend some of the cards as per a broad classification.
Reward rate on International Spends: 1.67% (GV) & Minimum of 3.3% (Transfer Partners).
Forex Markup: 2% + GST – 1% cashback till monthly spends of ₹1,00,000 if purchased Global Value Program for ₹199 per year. You also get a ₹2,000 Yatra voucher on international spending of ₹1.5L in a year under the Global Value Program.
Net Reward Rate: 0.97% (GV) & Minimum 1.94% (Transfer Partners).
Milestone Benefits: NIL
HDFC Diners Club Black
HDFC Diners Club Black
Joining Fee: ₹10,000+GST.
Annual Fee: ₹10,000+GST.
Reward rate on International Spends: 1.67% (on GV) & Minimum of 3.3% (on Travel Transfer Partners).
Forex Markup: 2% + GST – 1% cashback till monthly spends of ₹1,00,000 if purchased Global Value Program for ₹199 per year. Here you also get a ₹2,000 Yatra voucher on international spending of ₹1.5L in a year under the Global Value Program.
Net Reward Rate: 0.97% (on GV) & Minimum 1.94% (Transfer to Loyalty Partners).
Indusind Explorer in Visa and MasterCard platforms.
Joining Fee: ₹40,000+GST.
Annual Fee: ₹10,000+GST.
Reward rate on International Spends: 1%
Forex Markup: 0%
Net Reward Rate: 1% (CV Points)
Milestone Benefits: Spend ₹3L/₹6L/₹9L/₹12L/₹15L per year for Vistara Business Class Vouchers.
IDFC First WOW!
IDFC First Wow!
Joining Fee: NIL
Annual Fee: NIL
Reward rate on International Spends: 0.67%
Forex Markup: 0%
Net Reward Rate: 0.67% (Cashback)
Milestone Benefits: NIL
Other than the above list you can explore Yes Private, Standard Chartered Ultimate, and RBL Safari. Other than this if you can cross the monthly threshold then doing forex spending will leave you with an overall gain even on IDFC First Wealth and Select credit cards.
According to the latest notification of the Ministry of Finance, any individual making payments using their international debit or credit cards up to ₹7L per financial year will be excluded from the LRS (Liberalized Remittance Scheme) limits. This means that these transactions will not attract any TCS. Additionally, the existing TCS exemption for education and health payments will continue to apply.
So, you can enjoy TCS-free international transactions up to
₹7L for medical purposes.
₹7L for educational purposes.
and another ₹7L for other purposes.
Once you exceed the TCS-free limit, a 5% TCS will be applicable for medical and educational transactions, while a 20% TCS will be levied for all other transactions. You can discuss more of this here in the TF community.
TechnoFino Recommends
The recommendation for the best credit cards for international spends in India is very clear from my side. If you have huge forex spends and want to redeem the rewards for air travel or luxury hotel stays then Axis Reserve or the Axis Magnus (with 25K ER milestone benefits) is the way to go!
For cashback card lovers BOB Eterna and SBI Cashback are the only two meaning full choices for now.
So which card are you using to reward yourself on all those foreign trips? Do comment below!
American Express Centurion Credit Card Review After Using It For 2 Years: The Most Exclusive Credit Card In The World
Original Post By Ujjwal Sachdeva, Edited By Sumanta Mandal.
The AMEX Centurion Credit card, also known as the Amex Black card, is widely regarded as the most prestigious credit card globally. It offers exceptional lifestyle benefits that are unmatched by any other bank. However, it’s important to note that this exclusive credit card comes with substantial fees. Furthermore, it is not accessible to everyone through a standard application process. Instead, it is a true invite-only credit card reserved for a select group of individuals worldwide.
I’m Ujjwal, and I have been using the Amex Black card for the past two years. In this article, I will share the benefits you actually get from this highly prestigious credit card. We will explore whether the fees, both annual and joining, are truly justified, along with a few additional considerations.
Joining and Annual Fees: The Amex Centurion credit card in India carries a substantial initiation fee of Rs. 7,00,000 + GST, in addition to a joining fee of Rs. 2,75,000 + GST. This means that at the time of joining, you will be required to pay Rs. 9,75,000 + GST, amounting to a total of Rs. 11,50,500 to Amex India.
For each subsequent year, starting from the second year onwards, you will be required to pay an annual fee of Rs. 2,75,000 + GST, making a total of Rs. 3,24,500 as annual fees.
Welcome & Renewal Benefits: Unfortunately, there are no specific joining or renewal benefits available with the Centurion credit card.
How to Get the Amex Centurion Credit Card: The Amex Centurion Card is not available to everyone. When I received my invitation in 2021, Amex informed me that there were only a few hundred Centurion members in India. This exclusive credit card operates on an invitation-only basis. You cannot apply for this card directly, but you can request Amex to review your profile, and if they deem you eligible, they will extend an invitation to you.
Typically, individuals who hold an Amex Platinum Card and consistently spend a substantial amount for two to three years are considered potential Centurion customers. However, there are no fixed rules or guarantees regarding the invitation process. Amex evaluates each customer on a case-by-case basis.
Benefits We Receive: To be candid, the Amex Centurion card offers a wide range of lifestyle benefits. While not all of them may be useful to everyone, it largely depends
on your individual lifestyle. What may be valuable to me might not hold the same appeal for someone else, and vice versa. Amex does not publicly disclose the specific benefits of the Centurion credit card on their website. However, I will attempt to provide a comprehensive list of the benefits and perks associated with the Amex Black card.
Complimentary Memberships: 1. Hilton Honors Diamond Tier 2. Marriott Bonvoy Gold Elite 3. Hertz President Circle Five Star 4. Taj Epicure 5. Radisson Rewards Gold Tier (now known as Premium Status) 6. ITC Culinaire Membership 7. Emirates Gold Membership
Perks You’ll Enjoy with this Card:
No pre-set limit, you can even buy a car with a single swipe.
Complimentary Night in any Oberoi Hotel: You will receive a complimentary night stay in any Oberoi Hotel each year, which can be availed during your birthday month.
Complimentary Suite Night at Taj Hotels: Once a year, you are entitled to a complimentary suite night stay at select Taj Properties.
Etihad Upgrade: When booking Etihad business class tickets, you have the opportunity to be upgraded to first class for free, subject to availability and specific routes.
Meet & Greet and Airport Transfer: For international travel, when you book your tickets using the Amex Centurion card, you will receive complimentary airport transfers in India (from home to the airport for departures) and free meet and greet services upon arrival at selected international destinations. Additionally, you’ll also receive these services upon arrival in India.
Hotel Credit & Room Upgrade: Unlike the Platinum Card, the Centurion Card offers additional benefits with Fine Hotels and Resorts (FHR). Along with the basic FHR benefits, you receive an extra US$100 or US$200 food and beverage or spa credit, along with a room upgrade at the time of reservation, for a minimum two-night stay.
Relationship Manager: One of the most valuable aspects of the Centurion Card is having a dedicated Relationship Manager (RM). Your RM becomes your go-to contact for all travel, concierge needs, and reservations. Having a reliable RM just a phone call away is a significant advantage and one of the primary reasons I value this card.
Exclusive Invitation to Private Events: As a Centurion cardholder, you receive exclusive invitations to private events. These invitations extend to the cardholder and one guest.
₹50,000 Worth of Taj Vouchers: Twice a year, when you make eligible bookings for domestic travel or stays worth ₹100,000, you receive ₹50,000 worth of Taj vouchers.
Complimentary Cyber Threat Coverage: Enjoy ₹1 million worth of coverage against cyber threats, providing added peace of mind.
Coverage for Tangible Goods: Protect your tangible goods against loss or damage within 90 days of purchase, providing an extra layer of protection.
Preferential Airfares: When booking through American Express Travel & Lifestyle Concierge or your Relationship Manager, you can access preferential airfares on select world-class airlines.
Reward System:
Earn 6 Membership Rewards (MR) Points for every ₹200 spent using the Amex Centurion Credit Card.
Reward Rate: 3% MR Points
10X MR Points (60 MR Points for every ₹200 spent) when shoppingthrough the American Express Reward Multiplier.
Reward Rate: 30% MR Points
Redemption: You have various options for redeeming your MR Points. The best option is transferring your MR Points to Amex’s hotel and airline partners. For a complete list of transfer partners and transfer rates, please refer to Amex’s website. Hotel Transfer Partners: Click Here Airline Transfer Partners: Click Here
Now, let me share my experience with the Amex Black Card and why I opted for this credit card.
Invitation & Card Delivery: In 2021, I received an exclusive invitation from Amex India to become a Centurion card member and upgrade my Amex Platinum card to the Amex Centurion. I accepted the invitation, and the card processing began in Singapore. Afterward, the card was delivered to my mailing address within approximately 14-20 days, enclosed in a medium-sized metal box. The box contained two cards: the main Centurion card made of Titanium and another Centurion card made of plastic.
Why I Selected Amex Centurion: When you travel a lot and require a credit card with substantial spending power, your options are limited. One of the top choices is the Amex Centurion card. This card liberates me from the concerns of available credit limit. While I also possess Axis Reserve, Magnus, and other super-premium credit cards, they cannot meet my spending needs. The second most significant reason is the dedicated relationship manager assigned to Centurion cardholders. With just a call to my RM, all my travel and other needs are taken care of. This benefit is incredibly advantageous for someone like me who travels extensively for business and lacks the time to manage all the bookings and arrangements. Let me share an incident: During my visit to Paris with clients, we decided to visit one of the busiest night lounges, only to find a long line outside. I immediately contacted my RM, requesting assistance. He assured me that he would handle it within 30 minutes. To my surprise, within 15 minutes, a representative from the lounge came outside to receive us. This incident truly exemplifies the power of the Centurion card. FHR is certainly a useful tool for me and most of the times I have been upgraded from base to at-least one bedroom suites in some of the finest hotels in the world. I also did an all points booking via Hilton Honors at Waldorf Astoria Dubai DIFC for 5 nights and due to my Hilton Honors Diamond status was upgraded to a one bedroom suite with a view of the Burj Khalifa. Last year, I had the privilege of being invited to a private event in Delhi, a watch launch event. I had the opportunity to mingle with celebrities like Ranveer Singh, making it a truly memorable experience. So I definitely feel that this card is undoubtedly the best card in the world, in one word “CONVENIENCE”.
Is Amex Centurion Really Worth the Huge Fees? To be honest, whether Amex Centurion is worth the substantial fees depends entirely on your individual needs and lifestyle preferences. This credit card is best suited for high spenders. If you typically spend between 2 to 5 lakhs per month, the Amex Platinum card might be more suitable for you. While it is possible to recover the fees you pay for Amex Centurion, it requires significant spending. It’s important to remember that what works for me may not work for everyone else. Amex Centurion is often perceived as a card for flaunting wealth, but in reality, it is substantially beneficial for a few selected individuals.
In summary, Amex Centurion is a truly prestigious and advantageous credit card designed exclusively for a limited number of individuals. If you are seeking a credit card primarily for its rewards program, there may be better options available. However, if you are a high spender and the Centurion benefits align with your lifestyle, then this credit card could be a worthwhile choice.
ALL – Accor Live Limitless is the loyalty program from the Accor Group of hotels. It’s the second biggest hotel chain in the world which has a footprint in over 100 countries and more than 5,100 properties spread across its hotel brands. Accor does offer from the most exclusive and exquisite properties to the budget properties as well. It can make you awestruck with its top-of-the-line Raffles or Banyan Tree properties and also do give you the flexibility to stay at mid-range or budget hotels such as Novotel or Ibis. Accor doesn’t only show its glory in terms of the collection of properties worldwide but also does give tremendous value in terms of point value. It also offers one of the best-paid members out there which serves equally to all its guests. So let’s deep dive into it, shall we?
Accor has one of the biggest collections of hotel chains, which includes 45 brands from Super Luxury to Budget properties. Accor officially has divided the hotel brands into 4 categories. Let’s see a few of the notable mentions of the respective categories:
Luxury: Raffles, Orient Express, Banyan Tree, Sofitel, Rixos, Fairmont, etc.
Premium: M Gallery, Swissotel, Pullman, Peppers, Grand Mercure etc.
Midscale: Novotel, Mercure, Mantra etc.
Economy: Ibis, Ibis Styles, etc.
ALL Accor
Tier Benefits
Accor Plus Membership Card: Silver Tier
The ALL Accor program has 4 Elite status if the base tier is not counted. Let’s see what it requires to reach each Elite status and their benefits:
Classic
The Classic status comes just after the enrollment to the program which gives access to accumulate points for the stays made and also helps to progress to the first Elite status. It also opens the gate to more private sales of the ALL Accor.
Silver
One needs to stay at least 10 nights or have at least 2,000 status points i.e. 800 EUR spent. Few Notable Benefits:
Late checkout
Priority Welcome
Welcome Drink
Gold
One needs to stay at least 30 nights or have at least 7,000 status points i.e. 2,800 EUR spent. Few Notable Benefits: All of the Silver with the addition of
Early check-in or late check out
Guaranteed room availability on 3 days before arrival
Upgrade to the next room category (subject to availability)
Welcome Amenity (except at budget hotels such as Ibis)
Platinum
One needs to stay at least 60 nights or have at least 14,000 status points i.e. 5,600 EUR spent. Few Notable Benefits: All of Gold with the addition of
Guaranteed Suite Night Upgrade (Can be availed with vouchers when reaching platinum. You get 2 vouchers and an additional voucher on each 4,000 status points)
Guaranteed room availability on 2 days before arrival
Early check-in and late checkout
Access to Executive Lounge, if available at the hotel (Fairmont’s Gold Lounge is an exception)
Premium Wi-Fi
Free Breakfast only in Asia-pacific hotels
Dedicated customer care line
Diamond
One needs to have at least 26,000 status points i.e. 10,400 EUR spent. Few Notable Benefits: All of Platinum with the addition of
Free Breakfast on weekends worldwide, every day in Asia-pacific hotels
100 EUR (in the form of 100 RP) dining and spa credit during the stay
Gold status can be sent as a gift to one person of choice
Limitless
Limitless is an exclusive tier within the Accor loyalty program, accessible only by invitation to top-tier loyalists. Positioned above the Diamond Tier, it is not publicly advertised, and Accor employees are prohibited from discussing it with other guests when explaining the loyalty program.
Each calendar year, Accor’s headquarters in Paris selects individuals to receive the Limitless status and extends invitations accordingly. This status does not have specific achievement or maintenance criteria, as recipients typically already surpass certain benchmarks, such as staying over 200 nights at Accor Hotels and spending more than $100,000 annually.
Limitless status grants members a personal assistant to manage bookings and invitations to exclusive events hosted by Accor. Moreover, hotels go the extra mile to ensure Limitless members feel like VIPs, offering upgrades to unique suites and a host of additional benefits.
With just over 500 members worldwide, Limitless epitomizes exclusivity within the Accor loyalty program.
Even besides all these sweet benefits, there are quite a good amount of “brand specific benefits” that can be found on their official website.
Validity
Validity of Elite Status:
For valid Accor Plus members, the validity of the status stays at Silver if not progressed to the next Elite Status
It gets reset on the 31st of December of each year
Accor Plus
Raffles Udaipur, by Dr Payal Vyas
Accor Plus is a paid membership of Accor Hotels. This goes as an add-on to the Loyalty program ALL Accor. This program comes with its own added perks in terms of direct discounts or availing lucrative perks with various coupons.
Accor Traveller and Accor Explorer
Membership Fees and Benefits
Accor Plus membership needs to be bought separately, which comes in two variants:
Traveller: INR 11,800 per year (Currently being offered at INR 7,080 per year)
Explorer: INR 15,930 per year or 12,000 Accor points (Currently being offered at INR 13,541 per year)
With Traveller membership, you can buy for another individual’s membership with the “Secondary Membership” add-on which comes at INR 4,130 per year and gives all the benefits of Traveller membership to that individual at a lower cost. So if you want a double dip, you can buy one for your spouse or close ones to enjoy the perks at a lower cost.
Some tangible benefits of these memberships are
Members get 10% off on the best available public rates.
Automatic qualification to ALL Accor Silver Status.
You get up to 50% off the food bill and 15% off on drinks in Asia.
You can save up to 50% on your hotel or resort accommodation with their Red Hot Room offers.
and many more. . .
Voucher Benefits
Lunch Buffet All India & Sri Lanka for two (2 Certificates)
Birthday Cake (1kg)
Regional Hotel’s Lunch or Dinner Buffet for two (2 Certificates)
Bottle of Red or White Wine at the table of four at the Regional Hotel
500 INR off at 1000 INR bakery product purchase from Regional Hotel’s Bakery
50% discount on group dining of 6-12 people at Regional Hotel
Complimentary buffet breakfast for two when staying at Member’s rate at Regional Hotel (2 Certificates)
40% discount on food bills of 4-10 people across India and Sri Lanka
500 INR off on a minimum 2000 INR food bill across India
40 % discount on food bills of 6 and more people as well as buy two get two starters at Novotel Goa Candolim or Novotel Goa Resort and Spa
50% discount on food bills for 10-15 groups of people at Regional Hotel (2 Certificates)
Next Room Category upgrade (no capping the number of days of staying)
INR 3999 + Tax for Standard Room for 2 adults and 1 child for one night including Breakfast buffet + Lunch or Dinner buffet at Regional Hotel (2 Certificates)
Differences
Explorer comes with 1 complimentary stay night. It can be valued at INR 6,000 – INR 20,000 depending on your option of stay.
Explorer also comes with more dining and stay vouchers.
If you’re holding an Axis Bank Reserve credit card, you’re already getting the hybrid variant of Explorer membership that gives you Silver Status (which can be earned with 10 nights of stay or 800 EUR spent) and an additional 1 night of stay.
Also do note that not all hotels do participate in Accor Plus Program, such as in India Raffles Udaipur doesn’t participate in Accor Plus, but they do participate in ALL Accor so your Membership Tier benefits will be applicable only.
How to Earn Accor Points?
How to earn points? It’s pretty simple. You can earn by staying and paying with cash/card. But hey! We’re the points/miles enthusiast, that’s not the game we’re inclined to play.
Hotel Stays
Hotel stays do earn points and it depends on the tier. You can earn both Status Points and Reward Points. Status Points as discussed above are for migrating up to the Elite Status, but Reward Points are something you do earn. Accor does either earn or burn redemption. The earning happens per 10 EUR spent. Let’s see the table of each status
Accor Elite Tier Points Earning Chart
As you can see in the table, the more the ladder you climb, the more points you earn. Not only that, the Reward Points and Status Points both vary from one hotel brand to another. You’ll earn points for everything you pay for at the hotel, including spa treatments, minibar, paid TV services, and f&b.
If this table makes you confused and you don’t want to go through the hustle of predicting the total points earned, Accor has a Great Tool at your disposal to calculate it for you in a few clicks.
Credit Cards Transfer Partners
There are no co-branded cards with Accor. Currently. Accor has two transfer partners in India:
Axis Bank Credit Cards
Edge Reward points can be transferred in 5:4 super premium cards (Axis Reserve, Magnus & Burgundy Private Credit Card).
10:1 ratio (other Edge Reward Points Earning cards).
Edge Miles (Axis Atlas) can be transferred in a 1:2 ratio.
HDFC Bank Credit Cards
HDFC Infinia and DCB points can be transferred in a 1:1 ratio to Accor.
Airline Transfer Partners
Accor Points can not only be earned by transfer partners such as HDFC and Axis but also can be transferred from other Loyalty Programs, which is a great way to accumulate points. There are plenty of Airline Partners but not all can be useful to transfer to Accor as you can hardly earn with them from India. Currently, there are three airline partners in India from which you’re allowed to transfer airmiles to ALL Accor:
Air France/KLM Flying Blue: You can transfer points from Axis and HDFC to Flying Blue. 4,000 Flying Blue Miles will be converted to 1,000 Accor points which is a 4:1 ratio.
Qatar Airways Privilege Club: You can transfer points to Qatar Airways from Axis Bank. 4,500 Qmiles will be converted to 1,000 Accor Points which is a 4.5:1 ratio.
Fin Air Plus: You can transfer HDFC points to Fin Air. 3,500 Fin Air points will be converted to 500 Accor Points in a 7:1 ratio.
Yes, the ratios are not great or even good either but that can only come in handy if you have thousands of points lying around to any of those frequent flyer programs and don’t have any plan to use them in the near future and have some urgent plan with Accor where you want minimal cash-burn. Though these options aren’t recommended, it’s always good to have multiple options, isn’t it?
ALL Meeting Planner
You can earn and burn in ALL Meeting Planner which is a program where you need to enroll separately for planning Professional Planning of your events. You do earn 1 Accor Point per 2 EUR spent. These points are sharable as well, so you can share these points with other Accor members.
To sign up for the ALL Meeting Planner Click Here.
Not at every property you can avail of this benefit. The properties or brands you can avail of this benefit are below:
MAMA Shelter
Raffles
Banyan Tree
Delano
Fairmont
Potel & Chabot
Saint Clair
SLS
Sofitel
M Gallery
The Redbury
Art Series
Pullman
Swissotel
Angsana
25 h
Movenpick
Grand Mercure
Peppers
Mantra
Novotel
Mercure
Breakfree
Cassia
Ibis
Ibis Styles
Museum Hotel
Tribe
These are the 28 participating hotel brands under this program. Please do note, not all the branches of the respective brand may provide this benefit, so always do confirm with the hotel before planning.
How to Burn Accor Points?
Accor has a great valuation per point. The approximate value is 1 Accor pt = ~ INR 1.8. All the Participating Accor Hotels will let you redeem your points at a denomination of 40 EUR = 2,000 points. So in a multiple of 2,000 points, you can redeem it. Some hotels have also allowed you to redeem at 20 EUR = 1,000 points.
Burn For Hotel Stay
The property which allows you to burn points can easily be identified with “All Points” written at the bottom right corner of their property’s name as suggested below in the screenshot.
To burn the Accor points few things to be kept in mind:
Only pay at the hotel or the “pay with pts” option can be utilized to use your points, online payments may or may not allow you to use points, if they allow, you can use points, and pay the rest with your desired payment method.
Though as per T&C you can settle the total bill with the points, a few hotels do not let you settle select components of the bill with points even the tax. For example, Pullman Delhi will not allow you to pay tax with points that need to be settled with a card or cash. So if you’re planning for redemption, check with the hotel if they’re allowing the same.
Plunge Pool of Oasis Suite of Raffles, Udaipur, PC: Dr. Payal Vyas
Burn For Meal
You can settle your Food and Beverage bill with your Accor Points. You can redeem them at a flat rate of 10 EUR = 1,000 Accor Points. Even if you don’t stay at the property, you can just pay for the meal with points, be it at the restaurant or the bar.
Writers Bar, Raffles, Udaipur, PC: Dr. Payal Vyas
Burn for Airmiles
There are 30 Airline partners to which you can transfer your Accor Points. Note that, not all the time you’ll get a bang on value, so check and only transfer when needed. The Airlines are below
Aegean Olympic Air
Aero Mexico Club Premier
Air Canada Aeroplan
Air China Phoenix Miles
Air France/KLM Flying Blue
Avianca Lifemiles
Azul ToduAzul
British Airways Executive Club
Cathay Pacific Asia Miles
Delta SkyMiles
Emirates Skywards
Etihad Guest
Finnair Plus
Hainan Airlines Fortune Wings Club
Iberia Plus
Japan Airlines JAL Mileage Clb
ITA Airways Volare
Korean Air SkyPass
LATAM Pass
LATAM Pass Brazil
Oman Air Sindbad
Qantas Frequent Flyer
Qatar Airways Privilege Club
Smiles
Singapore Airlines Krisflyer
TAP Portugal Miles & Go
Thai Airways Royal Orchid Plus
Turkish Airlines Miles& Smiles
United Airlines MileagePlus
Virgin Australia Velocity
Not all airlines will give great value, so let’s check which one you should keep your eyes on:
Qantas: 2,000 Accor points = 2,000 Qantas points
Iberia: 3,000 Accor points= 3,000 Iberia Avios
Delta: 4,000 Accor points = 2,000 Delta miles
ITA: 4,000 Accor points = 5,000 Volare miles
Events
Accor often lists many more events to redeem from. It varies from sports, travel, culinary, converts, etc. You can always browse through them. Some major cities in India have already seen such events. You need to keep an eye on them.
ALL Meeting Planner
Burning these points for events has separate value. You can only consume these points at max 15% of your total bill amount (excluding tax) or 1,500 EUR whichever is lower.
There’s no blackout day for using these points so you can feel free to use them anywhere. These points don’t have any expiry.
Validity
Please do note that Accor Points’ Validity Stays/ Depends on the followings:
365 days from the last check-out day.
365 days from the last point earning/burning day.
365 days from the last point conversion day.
Sweet Spots
Now you all must be waiting for the sweet spots, aren’t you? So here it’s. For a disclaimer, these sweet spots do exist officially, they’re not loopholes that can be exploited, but these are lesser-known “facts” that haven’t been much discussed:
The free stay night can be availed at a valuation of at least INR 20,000 easily. In India, Sofitel which is the third most expensive property after Raffles and Fairmont, is an option. The tariff goes at INR 15,000-20,000. For worldwide, many Sofitel, Fairmont does give this “stay plus” redemption.
With Axis Reserve‘s Accor Plus membership, you do get two complimentary nights, but one drawback, you cannot use them together for a consecutive stay at the same property. Even if you make two separate reservations, it’ll not work out.
Those who don’t want to spend a lot of money and want the maximum out of the points’ valuation can choose “pay at the hotel” and settle the bill with points. What difference does it make that booking with points already? Big difference! You’ll earn status points which will advance you through the Elite Tiers.
The hotels which give “stay plus” nights, often use the base two-category room for redemption, but you can always redeem it for higher-category rooms. Select it to avail and pay the difference with points/cash/card.
You can reach Accor Gold in a single go in two ways. i) Buy an ALL Plus Voyageur card for EUR 199 ii) Buy at least a share of Accor Hotels through Europe’s Stock Exchange
Bottomline
ALL Accor is one of the most lucrative memberships to take advantage of. Though Accor is having more than 5,100 properties, they lack the number of properties in India. There are amazing properties like Raffles, and Fairmont in India, but the number of high-end properties is pretty less. Accor has great plans to expand their hotel chain in India as stated in a renowned newspaper article, we as guests can have more and more choices.
So have you availed any benefits of this amazing program yet? Where are you planning your next vacation with Accor Hotels? Let us know in the comment below.
Credit cards can be a double-edged sword, offering great benefits to those who use them responsibly, such as earning reward points, airmiles, and hotel points, while also posing a serious risk to those who do not use them correctly. If used irresponsibly, credit cards can ruin you financially and mentally.
While many people might identify overspending as the main disadvantage of credit cards, I believe this is a psychological issue that stems from human nature rather than a problem with the credit card itself.
Here’s why:
When you apply for a credit card, your bank gives you a pre-fixed credit limit. When you make a purchase at a store or online using your credit card, you might feel like you are not spending your own money because you are using the bank’s funds. Since cash isn’t coming out of your bank account or pocket immediately, your mind might tell you that you have more money to spend than you actually do. This type of thinking can lead to overspending and a false sense of financial security.
Credit cards can be an amazing financial product when used responsibly. However, it’s important to acknowledge that there are some potential disadvantages to using a credit card. These include high interest rates, hidden fees, and the temptation to overspend.
Despite these potential drawbacks, many people find that credit cards are a valuable tool for managing their finances. In fact, some individuals even have multiple credit cards that they use on a regular basis. For example, personally, I have 51 active credit cards but never overspend. For me, managing multiple credit cards is an art. It doesn’t require rocket science-level knowledge, just adherence to a few straightforward principles.
So, how do you stop yourself from overspending?
Just by following a simple rule: using the credit card as a debit card.
To use a credit card as a debit card without compromising any benefits that a credit card offers, you’ll need to create a separate bank account to manage your credit card expenses. This can help you stay organized and ensure that you’re able to keep track of your spending. For example, let’s say that you have Bank A as your primary bank account and Bank B as your credit card expense management account.
Whenever you use your credit card to make a purchase or pay a bill, transfer the same amount from your Bank A account to your Bank B account. For instance, if you need to make a bill payment of Rs. 10,000 using your credit card, immediately transfer Rs. 10,000 from Bank A to Bank B. Repeat this process for all your spending, and at the end of the month, after your credit card bill has been generated, pay the total amount due from your Bank B account.
By using your credit card in this way, you can enjoy all the benefits of credit cards without worrying about overspending or getting into debt. Furthermore, you have the option to invest the balance in your Bank B account into short-term savings instruments such as fixed deposits (FDs) or liquid funds to earn interest, but it’s highly recommended that you avoid investing this fund in equity. Alternatively, you can simply keep the balance in your savings account and earn interest on it. It may be worth considering a bank account that offers a higher interest rate for your credit card expense management account. This can help you maximize your savings and earn more money on your funds.
What if you are unable to pay your credit card bill in full due to an unforeseen emergency?
In such a situation, it is advisable to pay the maximum amount you can and convert the remaining balance into an Equated Monthly Installment (EMI). Credit card companies typically charge 40 to 50 percent annual interest on the outstanding amount, but if you opt for EMI, the bank will usually charge only 10 to 18 percent annual interest on it.
Of course, it’s important to remember that using a credit card responsibly requires discipline and self-control. You’ll need to be mindful of your spending habits and make sure that you’re able to pay off your balance in full each month. By doing so, you can reap the rewards of credit cards without falling into debt or financial trouble.
Editor’s note: This is a recurring post, regularly updated with new information and offers. Last Updated 7th May 2023.
HDFC recently launched a co-branded credit card with IRCTC. After SBI and BOB, HDFC is the third banking partner for the public sector undertaking which is responsible for ticketing, catering, and tourism services for Indian Railways.
Let’s check out how this card is different from the previous versions!
Gift Voucher worth ₹500 on making a transaction within 37 days of card issuance.
Annual Fees
₹500 + GST
Annual Fees Waiver
Spend ₹1.5L on your card in a year.
Renewal Benefits
None
Add-on Card Charges
NIL
The joining fee is well compensated with the welcome voucher of ₹500 on this card but no renewal benefits for the next year.
Reward Accrual
Category
Accrual Rate
Monthly Capping
Maximum Monthly Rewarding Spends
IRCTC Web and App
5 Reward Points/₹100
1,000 Reward Points
₹20,000
All Other Categories*
1 Reward Point/₹100
NIL
Not Applicable
Excluding Fuel Spends, Wallet loads / Gift or Prepaid Card loads/ Voucher purchases, Cash Advances, Government related transactions, Education, and Rental transaction.
Since this card is on the RuPay platform hence can be used for UPI transactions as well which will give you a reward rate of 1%.
Reward Redemption
Category
Reward Rate
IRCTC Web and App
5%
All Other Categories*
1%
1 Reward Point = ₹1 worth of IRCTC transactions.
Reward Points will lapse on expiry of two years from the date of issuance.
Redemption can be made only against 70% of the fare ticket amount on train ticket booking via HDFC Bank SmartBuy or buying IRCTC vouchers on the portal, inclusive of fares of all the passengers and service charges levied by IRCTC.
Milestone Benefits
Gift Voucher worth ₹500 on spends of more than ₹30,000 or more every 90 days.
TechnoFino Maximum
So a 5% reward rate on train tickets doesn’t looks exciting enough? What about if I tell you that you can double it up by using the highly rewarding platform of HDFC Bank called HDFC Smartbuy? Using this card you are eligible for an extra 5% cashback maximum up to ₹1000 a month on booking train tickets via Smartbuy. So all in all you get a 10% reward on train tickets using this card for booking train tickets worth up to ₹20,000 a month.
Though the best value with minimum spending will come if you book train tickets worth ₹10,000 every month so that you get to complete the quarterly milestone as well which brings the reward rate to 11.66%.
Also, this card rewards you for the full ticket value instead of giving rewards only on the cardholder’s ticket amount like in the case of other IRCTC cobranded cards from SBI and BOB which makes it really unique.
Other Benefits
Railway Lounge Access
8 complimentary access to select IRCTC Executive Lounges every year with a quarterly capping of 2 visits. The list of eligible lounges is quite exhaustive as compared to other eligible cards.
Railway Ticket Surcharge Waiver
1% Transaction charges waiver on transactions done on the IRCTC ticketing website and Rail Connect App with a Maximum waiver of ₹1,000 per statement cycle.
Fuel Surcharge Waiver
1% fuel surcharge waiver at all fuel stations. (Minimum transaction of ₹400, Maximum transaction of ₹5,000 & Maximum waiver of ₹250 per statement cycle).
Forex Markup
3.5% + GST forex markup charges applicable which though common are on the higher side.
TechnoFino Recommends
HDFC IRCTC credit card is recommended if you travel frequently via Indian Railways with family since this is the only card which rewards you even for the tickets booked for your family members which isn’t the case with SBI IRCTC cobranded cards. Since this is a co-branded card, your redemptions are restricted to discounted train tickets.
But if you are using Amazon to book your train tickets by buying vouchers from Axis Gift Edge, HDFC Smartbuy or AMEX Reward Multiplier and are simply into cash-back cards then ignore this straightaway. Though I have started to travel a lot by train I won’t take any exposure of this card since I am using vouchers bought from Axis Gift Edge for the same. If you are already holding a premium card from HDFC and still want this card then you can try applying it in some family member’s name.
Which card are you using for railway bookings? Do comment below.
Editor’s note: This is a recurring post, regularly updated with new information and offers. Last Updated 18th November 2023.
Axis Reserve is the big brother of Axis Magnus and was the second most sought-after card among CC enthusiasts due to its exceptional reward rate till recently. Till 2021 no one would have ever thought that Axis would bring a storm in the credit card industry and outpace all its competitors and even giants like AMEX, HDFC and Citi with such good earning rates and even better redemption partners!
Getting a card worth ₹60K? Are you outta your mind? This was the first thing that I had got to hear when I told my family members that I had applied for Axis Reserve. One of the most UHNI cards available in India right now. I took the plunge last October just before I had an international vacation planned and continuing till now.
But does this card still have some juice left that makes it worth the fees? Let’s check it out!
50,000 Edge Reward Points on every renewal even if you manage to fulfil a fee waiver.
Renewal Fee Waiver
Full fee waiver on spending ₹35L* in a year.
*Rental, Govt Payments Utility and Wallet transactions are not valid for the annual spending threshold.
Reward Points Accrual
Spends Area
Multiplier
Reward Points Earning Rate
Capping
All Domestic Spends*
1X
15 Edge Reward Points/ ₹200
NA^
International Spends
2X
30 Edge Reward Points/ ₹200
NA
Gift Edge
Up to 5X
Up to 75 Edge Reward Points/ ₹200
NA
Grab Deals
Up to 5X
Up to 75 Edge Reward Points/ ₹200
10,000 ER Points/Customer ID/Month
*Except for Wallet Loads, Govt Payments, Utility Spends and EMI.
^Rewards on rental spends are capped at ₹1,00,000 per transaction.
Edge Rewards carry an expiry of 3 years from the date of accrual.
Grab Deals points are per customer ID and not per card.
Technofino Tip – Always spend in multiples of ₹200 to maximize your earning especially when buying vouchers from Gift Edge or Grab Deals. Add smaller denominations like Swiggy/KFC to round the payable amount.
Reward Points Redemption
Redemption Options
Value Per ER Point
Reward Rate (1X)
Cash
20p
1X~ 1.5% 2X~ 3.0% 3X~ 4.5% 5X~ 7.5%
Travel Edge Redemption
20p
1X~ 1.5% 2X~ 3.0% 3X~ 4.5% 5X~ 7.5%
Gift Vouchers
20p (Amazon) to 40p (MultiBrand)
1X~ 1.5% to 3.0% 2X~ 3.0% to 6.0% 3X~ 4.5% to 9.0% 5X~ 7.5% to 15.0%
So as you can see first three redemptions won’t fetch you much value. Hence this card is basically a travel-oriented card in which the value can only be extracted if you consider transferring your points to the partner hotel and airlines. Even going by the conservative value of ₹0.80 per point (ITC Transfers) the reward rate comes out to around 4.8% flat and if you are into the miles game then you can take this value anywhere depending on your expertise.
Total EDGE Reward Points that can be converted to Partner Points in a calendar year is capped at 5,00,000 EDGE Reward Points per customer ID. For the year 2023, customers can convert 5,00,000 EDGE Reward Points from 1st September 2023– 31st December 2023.
If you wish to explore transfer partners of this card then we have compiled master lists for both Airlines and Hotels transfer partners on TF Community. Also, you can access our Axis Edge Transfer Guide to know what expected value you can get out of your Axis Edge Rewards earned on the Axis Trifecta.
Milestone Benefits
Axis Reserve offers no milestone benefits which is highly surprising for this fee point.
Other Benefits
Airport Lounge Access
Domestic Airport Lounge Access: Unlimited for Primary as well as add-on cardholders and 12 Complimentary visits per card anniversary year for accompanying guests.
International Lounge Access: Unlimited Lounge Access using Priority Pass for Primary as well as add-on cardholders and 12 Complimentary visits per card anniversary year for accompanying guests.
I would call this a one-stop credit card for you and your entire family for airport lounge access that too anywhere in the world.
Also, you can access some select domestic lounges using the Priority Pass offered by Reserve then the charges are reversed later on. Earlier the bank was allowing to access all domestic lounges in India complimentary using Priority Pass.
Luxury Airport Transfers
Luxury Airport Transfers using Axis Reserve!
How about a luxury (Merc/BMW/Audi) chauffeured car standing right outside your home ready to take you to the airport for your next flight that too for free? Welcome to the world of Luxury Airport Transfers. Axis Bank is giving this facility on Reserve in a tie-up with DreamFolks Services.
In my opinion, the number of transfers is quite low if compared to the fee paid for this card.
Airport Meet and Greet
8 Complimentary Meet and Greet Access per Calendar Year.
Airport Meet and Greet also known as an airport concierge service is the USP of this product since only a very limited set of cards in India are providing this service. In this service, you get a dedicated person right at the gate to take care of all your luggage by providing a dedicated buggy and a porter service. With this, they also provide check-in via express counters, security checks via Business class sections and also immigration assistance even if you are travelling economy.
Since Magnus is providing the same I had expected Axis Bank to at least provide double the access on this card!
This card provides a toned-down version of Club ITC Culinaire and doesn’t offer the Free Night Stay instead they give a 3rd night stay on booking two revenue nights. It also offers just 1 room upgrade voucher instead of two. But it does provide two 50% and 20% off F&B Vouchers each.
Complimentary third-night stay.
50% savings on published room tariff for suites on weekends.
Axis offers automatic enrolment to the Silver Tier membership of Accor Plus which comes with various benefits and which is generally achievable by spending 800 € which is roughly around 70,000 INR.
Sofitel Nusa Dua, Bali redemption for 2 nights can give you a good bang for the fees paid!
2-night complimentary stay across the Asia Pacific region.
Complimentary room upgrade.
Up to 50% off on dining.
Complimentary lunch buffet for 2 across Accor hotels in India.
20% off on the best available rates at participating Marriott hotels in India and on Weekend rates in Asia Pacific.
Oberoi Hotels Benefits
15% savings on Room Only Rate and Room with Breakfast Rate or 3rd Night complimentary.
50% savings on the Best Available Rates on suites.
The Postcard Hotel Benefits
15% off on the best available room rate.
Anytime check-in and check-out.
A complimentary lifestyle consultation (applicable at our hotels in Goa).
Golf Benefits
Axis Bank Reserve Credit Card entitles you to 50 complimentary rounds of golf games or lessons every year at some of the most premium golf destinations in the country. Never tried this but would soon give it a shot!
Movies & Entertainment
BookMyShow Offer
This card provides Buy 1 Get 1 on Movies and Events for a maximum of up to ₹500 and ₹1,000 per ticket respectively on bookings made on BookMyShow that too 5 times a month. Other than this you can also use the Visa Infinite benefits on this card. The availability for the Magnus offer is better than the Visa Infinite offer since the quota looks huge.
EazyDiner
Complimentary membership of the Eazydiner Prime dining program under which you up to 25% off plus a 40% card discount up to ₹1,000 at premium restaurants across the country. It is one of my favourite benefits on both Reserve and Magnus which I eagerly look forward to enjoying while dining out with my friends and family at fancy places.
Fuel Surcharge Waiver
A 1% fuel surcharge waiver at all the fuel stations for transactions ₹400 to ₹4000 with a maximum surcharge waiver of ₹400 per month.
Forex Markup
This card provides a reduced forex markup charge of only 1.5% + GST and with an accelerated reward rate of 6% on international spending this card is the crown prince for forex spending!
Insurance Benefits
Comprehensive insurance cover including purchase protection up to ₹2L, a 500 USD cover for loss/delay in baggage. Also, you are provided with an Air Accidental Insurance of ₹4.5Cr and complete lost card liability lies with the bank in case you misplace the card.
Eligibility
Indian Resident, aged 21 to 65 years of age.
Minimum ₹36LPA ITR or ₹4L credit limit on other banks’ credit cards for C2C basis application.
TechnoFino Recommends
The deadly combo of Axis Magnus and Axis Reserve!
With the recent brutal devaluations on this card, I would say Axis Bank has killed this card. But if you still have considerable forex spends and value the Accor Stay Plus nights and other perks that come along with this card then this card still makes some sense.
Do you hold this magnificent card? How are planning to redeem the truckloads of your ER points? Share your plans in the comments below.
Club ITC is a loyalty program offered by ITC Hotels, a chain of luxury hotels in India. The program is designed to reward its members for their loyalty and offer them exclusive benefits and privileges during their stays and visits to the ITC Group of Hotels. ITC Group of Hotels consists of 6 brands under a roof –
ITC Hotels
Mementos
WelcomHotel
Storii
Fortune
WelcomHeritage Hotels
As a member of Club ITC, you can earn Green Points for your stays, dining, and other eligible spends at any ITC Hotel across India. These points can be redeemed for a range of rewards, including free stays, dining, spa services, and more. Additionally, members can enjoy a range of benefits, such as access to special rates, room upgrades, late check-out, and discounts on dining and other services.
Club ITC is loved by many because of its simplistic approach toward its redemption and its value. ITC has 81 Hotels across India and most of the hotels do participate in this loyalty program, WelcomHeritage being the exception.
Let’s break the discussion into four major parts: Club ITC, ITC Culinaire, Earning and Redemption of Green Points:
Club ITC
Club ITC is the base program which consists of 3 tiers namely base, Silver, Gold and Platinum. These tiers can be achieved by completing either of the two fulfilling criteria, i.e.
Spending Criteria, and
The number of Stay Nights.
Each tier comes with its own upgrade & retention vouchers. Let’s see how these tiers benefit you:
Tier Benefits
Member
This is the introductory tier. Just after enrolling on the Club ITC Program, you get granted this tier. With this tier, you’re entitled to get 10% off on the Flexible rate if booked directly with ITC Hotels. Also, you can earn 2% of the total eligible spending as Green Points.
Silver
With a stay of 6 Nights or spending of ₹60,000, you achieve this tier. If you book Suites for weekends, you’ll get 10% off on the Flexible rate if booked through the guest contact centre. Also, you can earn 3% of the total eligible spending as Green Points. Along with these, you can avail late check-out benefit till 2:00 PM.
Upgrade & Retention, You get 4 value vouchers which include:
Room upgrade voucher.
25% savings on F&B at the coffee shop. (up to 4 guests)
25% savings on SPA services.
30% savings on laundry services.
Gold
With a stay of 16 Nights or spending of ₹1,60,000, you achieve this tier. If you book Suites for weekends, you’ll get 20% off on the Flexible rate if booked through the guest contact centre. Along with these, you can avail late check-out benefit till 4:00 PM. Apart from these, you get an enhanced room upgrade, which they may upgrade you to the ITC One/equivalent category at max, enhanced amenities will be provided. If you book for 1 person and you’re travelling with your spouse, the room charge will not be added, which also includes the standard addition of breakfast, and that’s a great value. Also, you can earn 4% of the total eligible spending as Green Points.
Upgrade & Retention, You get 4 value vouchers which include:
Suite Upgrade voucher.
25% savings on F&B at the coffee shop. (up to 4 guests)
25% savings on SPA services.
30% savings on laundry services.
Platinum
With a stay of 30 Nights or spending of ₹3,00,000, you achieve this tier. If you book Suites for weekends, you’ll get 20% off on the Flexible rate if booked through the guest contact centre. Apart from the added benefits of the Gold tier or Silver tier, you’re also eligible for a few great additional and enhanced perks such as a room upgrade to Standard Suites, and in-room tea/coffee service throughout your stay and this is apart from ready-to-make tea/coffee, Access to Towers/Upper Crust Lounge as a resident guest, and one more great feature such as 24-hour check-in check-out which need to be informed to the property’s front office prior 48 hours and can only be availed for 1 room only during the entire stay. Also, you can earn 5% of the total eligible spending as Green Points.
Upgrade & Retention, You get 8 value vouchers ( 2 of each) which include:
25% savings on F&B @ all outlets. (up to 4 guests)
25% savings on SPA services.
30% savings on laundry services.
Buy One Get one on select beverages at the bar. (up to 4 guests)
Bonus Tips
All the above-mentioned qualifying nights or spending can either be award bookings or can be paid from your pocket.
Room upgrade is subject to availability, thus it’s better to check with the hotel prior you arriving at the hotel for a better chance of upgradation, rather than showing up directly and expecting an upgrade, though it’s how it was supposed to work, but chances get thinner.
24-hour check-in check-out and late check-out are not applicable at Welcom Hotel.
Gold & Platinum tiers will get enhanced internet access.
Each tier comes with roll-over nights. For example, if you have achieved 35 nights before 31st December of 2023, 5 nights will be rolled over for next year and will count towards achieving the next tier.
Club ITC Culinaire
Membership Card of Club ITC Culinaire
Club ITC Culinaire is a paid membership which gives additional benefits such as free stay, discount F&B vouchers, room upgrade vouchers etc. Club ITC Culinaire membership comes with two kinds of membership:
ITC Culinaire Select and ITC Culinaire Elite
Membership Fees and Differences
You can purchase ITC Culinaire Select for ₹14,000 + GST and ITC Culinaire Elite for ₹21,000 + GST. Alternatively, you can purchase both the membership with Green Points where you can buy a Select membership for 16,520 Green Points and the Elite membership for 24,780 Green Points. The only difference between the two memberships is the Free Night stay, where the Elite gives two but Select gives one. Here is the list of Participating Hotels. The best redemption options IMO are
ITC Gardenia
Grand Maurya
Grand Chola
Kences Palm Resort
Sheraton, New Delhi
Rajputana
Grand Central
Royal Bengal
Port Blair
Privileged Earnings and Benefits
Earn Green Points at 25% on all eligible Food and beverage spends at participating ITC Hotels & Welcomhotels (Valid for Resident/Non-Resident Guests)
Earn Green Points at 5% on all eligible non-food and beverage spends at participating ITC Hotels, Welcomhotels & Fortune Hotels (Valid for Resident Guests)
Savings of 20% on Food and beverage spent at participating Fortune Hotels (valid for up to 8 Resident guests including the member)
Savings of 20% on Food and beverage spent at participating Fortune Hotels and WelcomHeritage Hotels (valid for up to 8 Non-Resident guests including the member)
Receive 1,000 Green Points on every accumulated spend of ₹25,000 on Food & Beverage
Hi-spirited Wednesdays: Enjoy 2 at the cost of 1 at select bars between 6:00 PM & 8:00 PM, every Wednesday (applicable on select beverages).
Gourmet Fridays: Earn 50% extra Green Points (37.5% earnings) on dining spends at select restaurants at ITC Luxury Collection Hotel & Sheraton New Delhi on Fridays. (not applicable at Bukhara – ITC Maurya, Peshawari – ITC Rajputana and Jharokha – ITC Rajputana).
Birthday Week: Receive 50% bonus Green Points during your and your Spouse’s birthday week (for example – three days prior & three days later to the birth date) on your dining spending (37.5% earnings) or stay (7.5% earnings) at all ITC Luxury collection hotel & Sheraton New Delhi.
Please note that accelerated earnings are not applicable at Fabelle.
Experience E-Certificates
Luxury Stays for Club ITC Culinaire Elite: Two e-certificates for a 1-night/2-days stay including buffet breakfast at participating hotels.
Luxury Stays for Club ITC Culinaire Select: One e-certificate for a 1-night/2-days stay including buffet breakfast at participating hotels.
Room Upgrade: Two e-certificates for a one-time room upgrade to the next category.
Luxury Getaways: Two e-certificates for 20% savings on the purchase of Welcombreak packages.
Culinary Delight: One e-certificate for 50% savings on the Food and beverage bill for a maximum of 4 guests.
Culinary Extravagance: Two e-certificates for 25% savings at all-day dining restaurants for a maximum of 4 guests.
Gourmet Delight: One e-certificate for 30% savings on purchases at the gourmet shop.
Sweet Indulgence: One e-certificate for a 1 Kg cake while dining.
Though these cards come with the benefits of Club ITC Culinaire, they’re toned versions, and both of them don’t offer the Free Night Stay instead they give a 3rd night stay on booking two revenue nights. They also offer just 1 room upgrade voucher instead of two. But they do provide two 50% and 20% off F&B Vouchers each.
Also if you’ve both cards then only one card’s membership will be activated and the other one will get forfeited.
How to Earn Green Points?
Credit Card Transfer Partners
Since there is no Co-branded card as of now in India, Axis Bank’s Reward Points, namely Edge Reward Points and Edge Miles are the only sources to earn the points without directly earning from the spending at ITC properties.
Axis Bank Credit Cards
You can transfer Edge Reward Points or Edge Miles to Club ITC Green Points. The transfer ratios are:
HNI Cards (Axis Reserve, Axis Magnus, Axis Burgundy Private): 5 Edge Reward Points = 4 Club ITC Green Points.
Axis Atlas: 1 Edge Mile = 2 Club ITC Green Points.
Other Edge Rewards Earning Axis Cards: 10 Edge Reward Points = 1 Club ITC Green Points.
Hotel Stays/ Dining
Earning Green Points when staying or dining at one of ITC’s many properties is the most obvious way to earn. ITC stays award Green Points as per the tier of member staying or dining. With the base tier, you get 2% equivalent Green points of the total spending done.
Having elite status with ITC not only allows you the upgraded perks as discussed above but also helps you earn accelerated Green Points.
CLUB ITC
Silver: This tier helps you to earn 3% of Green Points instead of 2% on the base tier on eligible spending.
Gold: With Gold, you are set to earn 4% of Green Points on eligible spending.
Platinum: This tier helps you to earn 5% of Green Points on eligible spending.
ITC Culinaire
Non-Resident Guest:
Earn Green Points at 25% on all eligible Food and beverage spending done at participating ITC Hotels & Welcomhotels.
Savings of 20% while dining at participating Fortune and WelcomHeritage Hotels (valid for up to 8 guests including the member).
Receive 1,000 Green Points on every accumulated spend of ₹25,000 on Food & Beverage, where the maximum accumulated spend is ₹1,00,000.
Resident Guest:
Earn Green Points at 25% on all eligible Food & beverages spent at participating ITC Hotels & Welcomhotels.
Earn Green Points at 5% on all eligible non-food and beverage spend at participating ITC Hotels, Welcomhotels & Fortune Hotels.
Receive 1,000 Green Points on every accumulated spend of ₹25,000 on Food & Beverage, where the maximum accumulated spend is ₹1,00,000.
Bonus Tips
If you’re in any Elite Tier of Club ITC membership, and along with that you have your Club ITC Culinaire membership, you’ll earn a 5% return on your accommodation spending which is the highest you can earn at the Platinum Tier of Club ITC. The 5% return will not club with a Tier Benefit of 2%-5%.
Similarly for F&B bills always pay the F&B bills separately using a card or cash to get extra 25% Green Points.
You’ll only be able to earn Green Points if you’re doing a revenue stay which means, you’re paying with a card or cash, not on an award stay where you’ll pay with Green Points.
Do check with hotels before check-in and make sure they’re not facing any trouble during redemption or at the time of check-in, inform them that you’ll settle the bill with Green Points. This gives you a seamless check-out experience.
Few services do exclude Green Points redemption. Due to third-party involvement in a few things such as salons, car rentals, spas etc., some properties will refuse to settle the bill with Green Points. Thus it’s advisable to check with the front desk of the respective property first before you decide to avail of any such service.
How to Redeem Green Points?
Room Redemptions
Luxury Suite, ITC Maratha, Mumbai
Green Points is the Loyalty Currency of the Club ITC Loyalty program. Green Points redemption for award nights is pretty much straightforward. The standard value of Green Points is 1 GP = ₹1. Green Points supports universal redemption through the ITC eco-system, which means, you can settle anything and everything through Green Points including the taxes! Of course, there are some exceptions, like you can neither settle nor earn Green Points for room tariff if it’s booked by a third-party/agent at a discounted rate, but for other spends during your stay, you can avail of it.
Green Points redemption for your room reservation can be done in two ways:
You can book directly with the available Green Points redemption booking through the website/over a call with the reservation centre (tax excluded, need to be paid at hotel),
Or one can book in revenue rate and settle the bill at the property itself.
For the first scenario, if booked directly via Green Points at the available property, you will definitely get more than ₹1 value per Green Point, but that option isn’t there many times and for many categories of rooms, usually Suites and excluded from direct Green Points booking. The redemption value is dynamic in this scenario which means it changes with the tariff changes of the room.
For the second scenario, you can easily settle the complete bill with Green Points with 1 GP = ₹1 value. In this scenario, you need to carry your physical membership card or you need to enable “contactless redemption” by verifying your credentials.
Bonus Tips
WelcomHeritage properties will not accept settling bills or doing award bookings with Green Points.
Though it’s universal for all ITC properties except WelcomHeritage to accept Green Points as a payment method but few may deny it, so during check-in do inform the front desk that you’ll be settling the bill with Green Points.
Some services like airport transfers or such may not be paid with points, which depends on the property itself, do check with that prior and make a reservation accordingly.
Restaurant Dining
Dum Pukht, ITC Maratha, Mumbai
If you’re going to any restaurant of ITC hotels, you can settle the F&B bill with Green Points. You can combine your discount voucher with Club ITC Culinaire and Green Points to settle the bill. However, it’s advisable to pay the bill with a card or cash as you’ll be able to earn 25% of Green Points at minimum, which is a great bonus if you are a Culinaire Member. Alternatively, you redeem your GP for Food orders (Home delivery/ takeaways ) through the ITC Hotels app.
Transfer to other Hotel Loyalty Programs and Airlines
Club ITC to Marriott Bonvoy: At 2 Club ITC Green pts = 3 Marriott Bonvoy pts you can convert your Green pts to MB pts. You can transfer a maximum of 60,000 GP in a calendar year which translates to 90,000 MB pts. with a minimum redemption value of 2,000 GP.
Club ITC to Club Vistara: At 3 Club ITC Green pts = 2 Club Vistara pts you can convert your Green pts to CV pts. You can transfer a maximum of 60,000 GP in a calendar year which translates to 40,000 CV points with a minimum redemption value of 600 GP and thereafter in multiples of 150 GP.
Club ITC to Intermiles: At 1 Club ITC Green pts = 1.25 Intermiles, you can convert your Green pts to Intermiles. You can transfer a maximum of 60,000 GP in a calendar year which translates to 75,000 Intermiles with a minimum redemption value of 500 GP and thereafter in multiples of 100 GP.
The transfer to the above partners is a manual process, it may take up to 3 weeks. You can directly do it through your Club ITC account, alternatively, you can mail it at clubitc.care@itc.in
Club ITC to International Travel House (ITH) Certificates: You can redeem ITH certificates for the Chauffeured Ride. One can redeem it at 1:1 valuation but in the denomination of 500 or 1,000 and one will get the same amount worth of GV.
Green Points Validity
For the ‘Club ITC Member’ tier members, the validity of the Green Points earned or obtained through any means is 12 months, starting from the date of their last eligible stay at a participating hotel. However, it is possible to extend the validity of these points by staying at any ITC property and renewing them for another 12 months, which can be repeated subsequently.
On the other hand, if you are a Club ITC Culinaire member which is their topmost tier, or a Club ITC Platinum, Gold, or Silver member, your Green Points will not expire as long as you maintain your corresponding Club ITC status.
Bottomline
ITC Royal Bengal, Kolkata
That’s all folks. As a person who’s really enjoying the stay and hospitality of ITC hotels and almost being Platinum, I can assure you that this is one hell of a membership where if you don’t want to spend a single penny, but can achieve the maximum tier by availing all other services at same redemption value, unlike its competitors.
So at which ITC property are you planning your next stay? Let us know in the comments below!
Editor’s note: This is a recurring post, regularly updated with new information and offers. Last Updated 9th April 2023.
Axis Bank Magnus Credit Card was launched in 2019 but it failed to create a buzz as the segment it was targeting was already captured by HDFC Bank and AMEX. The reason behind this was that there was no competition to HDFC SmartBuy and the AMEX reward multiplier program. Recently HDFC devalued their SmartBuy program heavily for Diners Club Black and even Infinia users.
Now with its VISA Infinite 2.0 metal avatar, Axis Grab Deals, Axis Travel Edge and monthly milestone benefits, it packs quite a lot of punch. After Axis Ace and Vistara lineup, this card is becoming another hot favourite among credit card users and I would call it the best card in the world currently. Let’s check out whether the buzz is worth the hype!
One Economy Class Domestic Ticket Yatra Voucher or a Tata CLiQ Voucher worth ₹10,000.
Annual Fee
₹10,000+GST = ₹11,800
Renewal Benefits
One Economy Class Domestic Ticket Yatra Voucher or a Tata CLiQ Voucher worth ₹10,000.
Renewal Fee Waiver
Full fee waiver on spending ₹15L* in a year.
*Rental and Wallet transactions are not valid for the annual spending threshold.
The Tata Cliq voucher is the ideal choice here and even if you factor in the discount that you would have got while using 10% instant discount offers on the website I would say that you get to lose only ₹2800 which is really good considering the value that it delivers back.
Reward Points Accrual
Spends Area
Multiplier
Reward Points Earning Rate
Capping
All Spends*
1X
12 Edge Reward Points/ ₹200
NA^
Gift Edge
Up to 10X
Up to 120 Edge Reward Points/ ₹200
NA
Travel Edge
5X
12 Edge Reward Points/ ₹200
NA
Grab Deals
Up to 40X
Up to 480 Edge Reward Points/ ₹200
10,000 ER Points/Customer ID/Month
*Except for Fuel, Wallet Loads, and EMI.
^Rewards on Insurance and rental spends are capped at 1,00,000 and 50,000 per transaction.
Edge Rewards carry an expiry of 3 years from the date of accrual.
Reward Points Redemption
Redemption Options
Value Per ER Point
Reward Rate (1X)
Cash
20p
1.2%
Travel Edge Redemption
20p
1.2%
Gift Vouchers
20p (Amazon) to 40p (MultiBrand)
1.2% to 2.4%
Transfer Partners
Minimum 80p
Minimum 4.8%
So as you can see first three redemptions won’t fetch you much value. Hence this card is basically a travel-oriented card in which the value can only be extracted if you consider transferring your points to the partner hotel and airlines. Even going by the conservative value of ₹0.80 per point (ITC Transfers) the reward rate comes out to around 4.8% flat and if you are into the miles game then you can take this value anywhere depending on your expertise. And with the milestone benefits the value becomes insanely hard to even believe!
If you wish to explore transfer partners of this card then we have compiled master lists for both Airlines and Hotels transfer partners on TF Community.
Milestone Benefits
25,000 additional Edge Rewards on spending ₹1,00,000 in a calendar month.
Points will be credited within 90 days from the month end in which the qualifying spends were made.
This offer is applicable from the joining month itself.
Rent and Wallet spending are excluded from the monthly spending threshold.
So if you spend 1L in a month even on 1X categories you are set to earn 6,000(1X) + 25,000(Milestone) which is a total of 31,000 ER points which can easily give you a two-night stay in a Marriot hotel. And if you can do this for at least 3 calendar months in a year then you are set to earn a return business class ticket via Singapore Airlines!! Even if you transfer them straight to ITC Green Points then you can extract a value of a Rupee per point which means it’s a 24.8% reward rate.
Now, this value is valid only if you are spending on 1X categories. Imagine what you can do with it if you start buying gift vouchers from the Gift Edge portal at 5X and 10X multipliers extensively for all your uses!! There is no other card which can match this reward-earning rate anywhere in the world.
Even if you are not able to hit the 1L monthly milestone and want to do a value analysis of the card and your spending. We have created an Optimal Usage Guide for the same.
Technofino Tip: Align your billing cycle with the calendar month so that tracking monthly spending becomes easier by just checking the unbilled section before the month is ending.
TechnoFino Maximum
If you have a Magnus in your wallet then this card should be your go-to card for all the spending so that you aim to hit the 1L milestone every month if possible. Maximize the 10,000 Edge points using Axis Grab Deals first using any of the 30X-40X partners.
Another thing to do is buy 10K Amazon Pay Vouchers, 20K Amazon Shopping vouchers and 10K Flipkart vouchers if required from the Axis Gift Edge portal and route the maximum of your online spending to your Amazon wallet if possible. There are 100s of other options available there like Uber, Domino’s Pizza, Apollo Pharmacy, Swiggy, Zomato and Croma for your everyday spending.
For travel, you can simply buy the Yatra vouchers or use travel edge to get the best reward rates out there from any bank currently. So make the hay while the sun shines!
Other Benefits
Lounge Access
Domestic Airport Lounge Access: Unlimited for Primary and Add-on Cardholders.
International Lounge Access: Unlimited Lounge Access using Priority Pass for Primary Card Holder only and 8 Complimentary visits per card anniversary year for accompanying guests.
I would call this a one-stop credit card for you and your entire family for airport lounge access that too anywhere in the world. Also even if you access the domestic lounges using Priority Pass offered by Magnus then the charges are reversed later on.
Airport Meet and Greet
8 Complimentary Meet and Greet Access per Calendar Year.
Airport Meet and Greet also known as an airport concierge service is the USP of this product since only a very limited set of cards in India are providing this service. In this service, you get a dedicated person right at the gate to take care of all your luggage by providing a dedicated buggy and a porter service. With this, they also provide check-in via express counters, security checks via Business class sections and also immigration assistance even if you are travelling economy.
Golf Benefits
Axis Magnus sadly looks like the only premium credit card that doesn’t provide Golf benefits.
Movies & Entertainment
BookMyShow Offer
This card provides Buy 1 Get 1 on Movies and Events for a maximum of up to ₹500 on bookings made on BookMyShow that too 5 times a month. Other than this you can also use the Visa Infinite benefits on this card. The availability for the Magnus offer is better than the Visa Infinite offer since the quota looks huge.
EazyDiner Prime
Complimentary membership of the Eazydiner Prime dining program under which you up to 25% off plus a 40% card discount up to ₹1,000 at premium restaurants across the country. I mostly max this out every month!
Fuel Surcharge Waiver
1% fuel surcharge waiver at all the fuel stations for transactions ₹400 to ₹4000 with a maximum surcharge waiver of ₹400 per month.
Forex Markup
This card provides a very competitive forex markup charge of only 2% + GST and with a base reward rate of 4.8% on travel redemptions you ultimately end up with net gains.
Insurance Benefits
You are provided with an Air Accidental Insurance of ₹4.5Cr and complete lost card liability lies with the bank in case you misplace the card.
Eligibility
Indian Resident, aged 21 to 65 years of age.
Minimum 18LPA ITR or 4L credit limit on other bank’s credit card for C2C basis application.
TechnoFino Recommends
Axis Magnus is one of the best credit cards currently available among all the options in India and a must-have if you can spend ~1L a month especially if you indulge in luxury travel internationally or even economy air travel regularly. Cashback or GV redemption lovers should stay clear of this. There is no other bank which can provide such transfer options in India. With recently added 6 new partners, Axis Bank currently has the highest number of transfer partners in India.
Do you hold this magnificent card? How are planning to redeem the truckloads of your ER points? Share your plans in the comments below.
Editor’s note: This is a recurring post, regularly updated with new information and offers. Last Updated 12th April 2024.
American Express has finally started issuing cards since they were put under an embargo by the RBI. Their most sought entry-level card other than the AMEX Membership Rewards is the AMEX Gold Charge Card. In my opinion, the Gold Charge card is even more rewarding than the MRCC. But wait did I tell you why it’s called a Charge Card and not a Credit Card?
A Charge Card works like a Credit Card, but without offering the option of making part payment. You are required to pay your charge card bill in full by the due date. Charge Cards offer a “no pre-set” spending limit. But this doesn’t mean that you can spend an unlimited amount using a charge card as AMEX does have an internal limit on this card which is not revealed upfront to the customer.
Now that you know what a charge card is then let’s check out how we can maximize rewards on it!
6000 MR Points on spending ₹10,000 within 90 days (Referral Cards) Or 4000 MR Points on spending ₹10,000 in the first 90 days (Paid Cards)
Renewal Fees
₹4,500+ GST
Renewal Benefits
5000 MR Points after first-year card renewal on the realization of the annual fee. Nothing in the subsequent years.
Renewal Fee Waiver
NA
Add on Cards
1 complimentary supplementary card is provided.
AMEX doesn’t give you a spends-based fee waiver on Gold Charge Cards but you may get a waiver (unofficially over ₹2-₹4Lakh spends annually) or a retention offer to keep you in the loop. Especially if you hold other AMEX cards then AMEX really values the overall relationship. Else you can get an MRCC as a companion card whenever AMEX offers you which makes MRCC free and the fee you pay for Gold Charge becomes shared.
Application through referral is a clear-cut winner due to the extra 2000 bonus points. Since everything else is the same then why lose the extra 2000 MR points? Check out the link for detailed referral benefits information.
***Apply now for any AMEX Card by clicking on the banner above and get all the referral benefits***
Disclaimer:I will receive a referral bonus for anyone who applies for and is approved for the card through the above link.
If you face any problems in the application process you can contact me on Technofino Community.
You can choose to apply for any AMEX card from the link in the banner. To choose and apply a card of your choice simply click on the View All Cards option and select one. All the information for that particular card is readily available on the website.
Regular Reward Accrual
Spends Area
Reward Rate
Capping
All Spends*
1 MR Points/ ₹50 spent
NA
Utility Bills
1 MR Points/ ₹50 spent
10,000 MR Points/ Calendar Month
Fuel
1 MR Points/ ₹50 spent
5,000 MR Points/ Calendar Month
*Spends exclude insurance payments.
Reward points never expire.
You get to earn MR points even on wallet loads.
As you can see base reward rate is really poor and the maximum that you can yield out of it will be less than 1% whether you go for their Gold Collection voucher redemption or transfer them to Marriott Bonvoy/Taj Hotels.
Bonus Reward Accrual
The major value of the AMEX Gold Charge Card lies in completing its monthly target.
Monthly Target: Spend ₹1000 six times a month and get 1000 Bonus MR Points every month.
Repeat every month to get up to 12,000 MR Points every year.
AMEX has a Rewards Multiplier portal just like HDFC Smartbuy from where you can purchase gift vouchers or do affiliate shopping and get 5X the usual reward points. Yes, 5X!!! This is simply too good to be true since MRCC offers only 2X on Rewards Multiplier.
Redemption options on MRCC and Gold Charge are almost the same. You can also combine points on both of them for redemptions.
Statement Credit/ Pay with Points
AMEX allows you to take a statement credit on eligible transactions or pay with points on select merchants while entering OTP for your transaction at a value of 25p/point. Most of the new AMEX cardholders use this redemption method but trust me there can’t be a method worst than this to use your MR Points. They are much more valuable than this so kindly ignore these two options.
Travel With Points
Another method to redeem your MR points. With this, you can purchase flights, prepaid hotels, car rentals, and more on AmexTravel. Again this gives you a value of 25p/MR point and is highly not recommended.
Insta Vouchers & Gold Collection
AMEX further offers you a huge variety of instant vouchers against your MR points which have different values for different brands. In this section, there are certain brand vouchers like Amazon, TAJ, BigBasket, Croma, Flipkart etc. which give better value over others and are called Gold Collection vouchers from AMEX. To redeem the gold collection you need to redeem vouchers in multiple of 18,000 or 24,000 MR points.
Just for an idea, I have presented some values for the Gold Collection as Amazon and Taj give the highest and lowest monetary value per point. Also, keep in mind that AMEX vouchers can only be used to book Taj Properties at non-discounted rates. Amazon voucher option is good for cashback lovers while Taj or Vistara vouchers are good for those who are into travelling.
Sometimes AMEX brings up Hot Rewards on particular brand voucher redemption which may give a very tempting value. You just need to keep an eye on them.
Transfer Points
Now, this is the hottest redemption option for MR points and if you can play well with this you can yield values of even greater than a rupee per point.
Airlines Transfers
AMEX allows you to transfer points to 8 different airline partners and some of them are so unique that none of the Indian credit cards allows you to transfer points to them like Asia Miles. We have a curated list of all AMEX airline transfer partners here. For booking award tickets using points, you can refer to this post on the TechnoFino Community.
Hotel Transfers
Now, this is the most sought redemption option since anyone with a Platinum or Gold status with Marriott Bonvoy can just extract a value of more than 1Re/MR point by transferring a 1:1 ratio with suite upgrades, breakfast and lounge access with complimentary drinks are an added plus. Since AMEX is the sole transfer partner to Marriott Bonvoy so many points miners use MR points only for transfer to Marriott. What remains to be seen is what value it will offer once Marriott Bonvoy goes full dynamic since January 2023.
Other than this you can transfer to Hilton Honors also but the value is not that great as compared to Marriott. We have curated a complete list of AMEX hotel transfer partners here.
It takes about 3-5 days to transfer Amex MR Points to various loyalty programs so transfer them well in advance to use them.
TechnoFino Maximum
Case 1: If you spend ₹1,000*4 (₹6,000) transactions per month then you get to earn 13440 MR points in a year and get a reward rate of 7.1% even if you redeem for Amazon Vouchers. But keep in mind that you need to pay annual fees of ₹4,500 in this case and reward rates decrease to 4.63%.
So anyway you get to earn a good reward rate of a minimum of 4.63% which is huge for an entry-level card.
Since AMEX charges zero fuel surcharge on HPCL pumps so you can fill fuel of 6K every month to complete your monthly milestone bonus points. On Gold Charge unlike MRCC, you get Regular MR points also on this.
Case 2: The real earning potential of AMEX lies in its Rewards Multiplier where you get 5X reward points on the Gold Charge and the reward rate increases by an insane 3%. You can buy Flipkart, Amazon Shopping etc. vouchers from here.
The only problem lies in the annual fees since there is no spend-based waiver on this card. But you have to follow the suggestions which I have shared above in the article to ensure that the reward rate doesn’t drop.
TechnoFino Tip: Always try to split your transactions in multiples of ₹1000 to reach your milestone faster.
Other Benefits
Exclusive Offers
Gold Charge is the inferior of the two charge cards AMEX offers in India but it offers quite a good of lifestyle offers which keep on changing. All the ongoing offers can be found here. Do explore them since some of them offer 100% cashback also!!
Fuel Surcharge Waiver
0% for HPCL transactions less than ₹5,000,1% fee per transaction is applicable for all HPCL transactions on and above ₹5,000.
1% of the transaction value subject to a minimum of ₹10 + applicable taxes, will be charged as a convenience fee at fuel stations operated by the Public Sector Oil Marketing Companies BPCL and IOCL.
2.5% of the transaction value subject to a minimum of ₹10 + applicable taxes, will be charged as a convenience fee at fuel stations of all other Oil Marketing Companies (except HPCL, BPCL and IOCL).
Forex Markup Charges
Forex Markup charges are standard 3.50% + GST.
Eligibility Criteria
For AMEX Gold Charge income proof of a minimum gross ₹6LPA is required whether you are salaried or self-employed. AMEX doesn’t process applications on a Card-to-Card basis.
Your CIBIL score should be a minimum of 750.
You must have an address proof of any serviceable area.
***Apply now for any AMEX Card by clicking on the banner above and get all the referral benefits***
On applying for a Gold Charge card via the link above you get 2000 MR points extra on spending ₹10,000 within 90 days! So why apply directly and lose on this benefit?
TechnoFino Recommends
AMEX is one of those cards in which one redemption option can’t fit everyone. Some find solace in gold collection vouchers and others in Marriott Bonvoy transfer. Miles enthusiasts can extract value from airline transfers too. So there is something for every AMEX card holder. While redemption opportunities are a lot I wish AMEX would bring 3X and 5X offers from time to time just like in 2020 so that everyone can rack up some points fast!
What are your favourite redemption options for AMEX Gold Charge? Feel free to share your tricks in the comments below.
Editor’s note: This is a recurring post, regularly updated with new information and offers. Last Updated 12th April 2024.
American Express has finally started issuing cards since they were put under an embargo by the RBI. Their most sought entry-level but highly rewarding card is known as AMEX Membership Rewards Credit Card and the other one is AMEX Gold Charge. If used correctly, these cards can help you yield good reward rates whether you hold entry-level cards or premium ones. With the recently started referral program, you can further take advantage of the joining offers.
Let’s check out how we can maximize rewards on it!
2000 Membership Reward Points on spending ₹5,000 within 90 days (Referral Cards) 4000 Membership Reward Points on spending ₹15,000 in the first 90 days (Paid Cards)
Renewal Fees
₹4,500+ GST₹1,500+ GST (Referral Offer)
Renewal Benefits
NA
Renewal Fee Waiver
50% waiver on ₹90K spend and 100% waiver on ₹1.5L spend.
Add on Cards
2 complimentary supplementary cards are provided.
Clearly joining via referral gives you an edge as you save complete joining fees and 67% of the annual fees every year with MRCC!! Though you lose the 2000 welcome MR points, you are still in a better position than direct application.
Check out the link for detailed information.
***Apply now for any AMEX Card by clicking on the banner above and get all the referral benefits***
Disclaimer:I will receive a referral bonus for anyone who applies for and is approved for the card through the above link.
If you face any problems in the application process you can contact me on Twitter.
You can choose to apply for any AMEX card from the link in the banner. To choose and apply a card of your choice simply click on the View All Cards option and select one. All the information for that particular card is readily available on the website.
Regular Reward Accrual
Spends Area
Reward Rate
All Spends*
1 MR Points/ ₹50 spent
*Spends exclude fuel, insurance, and utility Transactions.
Reward points never expire.
You get to earn MR points even on wallet loads.
As you can see base reward rate is really poor and the maximum that you can yield out of it will be less than 1% whether you go for their Gold Collection voucher redemption or transfer them to Marriot Bonvoy/Taj Hotels.
Bonus Reward Accrual
The major value of AMEX cards lies in completing their monthly or yearly targets. MRCC even though devalued recently in 2021 is still the most popular card among AMEX enthusiasts because of the value that it offers in the form of bonus points. I will discuss the effective value of these bonus points later on in our most sought TechnoFino Maximum section.
Target 1: Spend ₹1500 four times a month and get 1000 Bonus MR Points every month.
Repeat every month to get up to 12,000 MR Points every year.
Target 2: Spend ₹20,000 or above and get 1000 MR Points over and above the points earned by completing the 1st target, every month. For this offer, you have to enrol yourself here.
AMEX Reward Multiplier
AMEX has a Rewards Multiplier portal just like HDFC SmartBuy from where you can purchase gift vouchers or do affiliate shopping and get 2X the normal reward points.
There are the following redemption options for MRCC.
Statement Credit/ Pay with Points
AMEX allows you to take a statement credit on eligible transactions or pay with points on select merchants while entering OTP for your transaction at a value of 25p/point. Most of the new AMEX cardholders use this redemption method but trust me there can’t be a method worst than this to use your MR Points. They are much more valuable than this so kindly ignore these two options.
Travel With Points
Another method to redeem your MR points. With this, you can purchase flights, prepaid hotels, car rentals, and more on AmexTravel. Again this gives you a value of 25p/MR point and is highly not recommended.
Insta Vouchers & Gold Collection
AMEX further offers you a huge variety of instant vouchers against your MR points which have different values for different brands. In this section, there are certain brand vouchers like Amazon, TAJ, BigBasket, Croma, Flipkart etc. which give better value over others and are called Gold Collection vouchers from AMEX. To redeem the gold collection you need to redeem vouchers in multiple of 18,000 or 24,000 MR points.
Just for an idea, I have presented some values for the Gold Collection as Amazon and Taj give the highest and lowest monetary value per point. Also, keep in mind that AMEX vouchers can only be used to book Taj Properties at non-discounted rates. Amazon voucher option is good for cashback lovers while Taj or Vistara vouchers are good for those who are into travelling.
Sometimes AMEX brings up Hot Rewards on particular brand voucher redemption which may give a very tempting value. You just need to keep an eye on them.
Transfer Points
Now, this is the hottest redemption option for MR points and if you can play well with this you can yield values of even greater than a rupee per point.
Airlines Transfers
AMEX allows you to transfer points to 8 different airline partners and some of them are so unique that none of the Indian credit cards allows you to transfer points to them like Asia Miles. We have a curated list of all AMEX airline transfer partners here. For booking award tickets using points, you can refer to this post on the TechnoFino Community.
Hotel Transfers
Now, this is the most sought redemption option since anyone with a Platinum or Gold status with Marriott Bonvoy can just extract a value of more than 1Re/MR point by transferring a 1:1 ratio with suite upgrades, breakfast and lounge access with complimentary drinks are an added plus. Since AMEX is the sole transfer partner to Marriott Bonvoy so many points minter use MR points only for transfer to Marriott. What remains to be seen is what value it will offer once Marriott Bonvoy goes full dynamic since January 2023.
Other than this you can transfer to Hilton Honors also but the value is not that great as compared to Marriott. We have curated a complete list of AMEX hotel transfer partners here.
It takes about 3-5 days to transfer Amex MR Points to various loyalty programs so transfer them well in advance to use them.
TechnoFino Maximum
Case 1: If you spend ₹1,500*4 (₹6,000) transactions per month then you get to earn 13440 MR points in a year and get a reward rate of 7.1% even if you redeem for Amazon Vouchers. But remember that you need to pay annual fees of ₹1,500 (discounted annual fees only on referral) in this case and reward rates decrease to 4.63%.
Case 2: If you spend ₹20,000 per month and also complete target 1 simultaneously whether by doing (₹1.5K X 4 times + 14K cumulatively or ₹5K X 4 times). Then you get to earn 28800 MR points in a year and get a reward rate of 4.60% even if you redeem for Amazon Vouchers. No renewal fee is applicable in this case.
So anyway you get to earn a good reward rate of a minimum of 4.63% which is huge for an entry-level credit card. Since AMEX charges zero fuel surcharge on HPCL pumps so you can fill fuel of 6K every month to complete your monthly milestone bonus points. Though you won’t get Regular MR points on this.
Case 3: The real earning potential of AMEX lies in its Rewards Multiplier where you get 2X reward points on MRCC and the reward rate increases by almost 60bps.
TechnoFino Tip: Always try to split your transactions in multiples of ₹1500 to reach your milestone faster.
Fuel Surcharge Waiver
0% for HPCL transactions less than ₹5,000,1% fee per transaction is applicable for all HPCL transactions on and above ₹5,000.
1% of the transaction value subject to a minimum of ₹10 + applicable taxes, will be charged as a convenience fee at fuel stations operated by the Public Sector Oil Marketing Companies BPCL and IOCL.
2.5% of the transaction value subject to a minimum of ₹10 + applicable taxes, will be charged as a convenience fee at fuel stations of all other Oil Marketing Companies (except HPCL, BPCL and IOCL).
Forex Markup Charges
Forex Markup charges are standard 3.50% + GST
Eligibility Criteria
For MRCC income proof of a minimum gross ₹6LPA is required whether you are salaried or self-employed. AMEX doesn’t process applications on a Card-to-Card basis.
Your CIBIL score should be a minimum of 750.
You must have an address proof of any serviceable area.
***Apply now for any AMEX Card by clicking on the banner above and get all the referral benefits***
On applying for an MRCC card via the link above you get this card First Year Free and a 67% discount on next year’s renewal fees as well. Further, you are set to earn 2000 Membership Reward Points on spending ₹5,000 within 90 days!
TechnoFino Recommends
AMEX is one of those cards in which one redemption option can’t fit everyone. Some find solace in gold collection vouchers and others in Marriott Bonvoy transfer. Miles enthusiasts can extract value from airline transfers too. So there is something for every AMEX card holder. While redemption opportunities are a lot I wish AMEX would bring 3X and 5X offers from time to time just like in 2020 so that everyone can rack up some points fast!
Are you planning to get the American Express MRCC? Feel free to share your thoughts in the comments below.
Editor’s note: This is a recurring post, regularly updated with new information and offers. Last Updated 27th May 2023.
Many people still exclaim after hearing that I do my rental payment using credit cards and earn handsome rewards by doing so. Well, earlier no one would have thought that this would be possible someday. But RedGirrafe made it possible for the very first time in India in 2017 and is still the popular choice of many users owing to its one of the lowest convenience fees.
Nowadays other than rent you can pay school fees, maintenance charges and even brokerage from such applications. Club the best portals with the Best Credit Cards For Rental Payments.
Well, before figuring out all the available portals and what they charge first let’s look into the pros and cons of rental payment using credit cards.
It provides an interest-free credit period of up to 45 days and thus helps you with liquidity at times.
It helps you achieve milestones and other rewards offered by your credit card issuer.
Users can also set standing instructions and not miss the due date besides getting digital rent receipts.
With the increased usage of your credit limit, you get to improve your credit history if you pay bills on time.
And since you spend more on your card you may get a spends-based annual fee waiver or an upgrade to your dream card.
Disadvantages
A high credit utilization ratio can negatively impact your credit score especially if you have a low credit limit.
Since rent is a significant expense, you may not be able to pay the complete bill on time, and the issuer will charge you heavy penalties and interest which will hamper your credit score like anything.
Credit card issuers can apply extra charges as ICICI Bank and SBI Cards have recently started levying charges on rent payments.
As you can see that the number of disadvantages is very few as compared to the advantages. Hence, it makes a lot of sense to put this expense on your credit card especially if you are financially disciplined.
Rent Payment Platforms
Platform
Net Charges*
Rent Agreement Required
Card Acceptance
RedGiraffe
0.46%
Yes
All, except AMEX
MagicBricks
0% to 1.76%
Yes for 0% fees
All, except AMEX
99Acres
1.17%
No
All, except Diners
NoBroker
1.3%
Optional
All, except AMEX
Freecharge
1.47%
Optional
All, except AMEX
Housing
1.61%
No
All, except AMEX
CRED
1.8%
No
All, except AMEX
PhonePe
2%
No
All
PayTM
2.2%
No
All, except AMEX
Mobikwik
2.36%
No
All, except AMEX
PayMatrix
2.36%
No
All, except AMEX
*Service charges keep on varying but the best platform remains constant and that is undoubtedly RedGiraffe with the lowest fee structure since inception.
Credit Rotation and Implications
During the lockdown, since many people were finding it hard to make spending on their cards they resorted to making fake rent payments to their family and friends to earn reward points and achieve milestones without knowing its consequences. Since all the rent payment transactions are captured by AIS nowadays as everything is linked to PAN. So,
If you are paying rent greater than ₹50,000 in any month, you have to compulsorily deduct 5% TDS and pay the net amount after tax deduction to your landlord else no deduction is required under section 194IB. Else you can be made an assessee and penalized.
The person receiving such amounts is liable to show it as income from House Property and pay applicable taxes on it after necessary deductions as per their tax slab. Failure to do all this may lead to interest, fines and penalties.
Even if the landlord is earning more than ₹2.5LPA but less than ₹5LPA then he is liable to file ITR.
The total cashback earned on the credit card is also taxable if the amount on all your cards is equal to or greater than ₹50K as per Section 56(2)(x) of the Income-tax Act. You need to report it under the head ‘Income from Other Sources’ or ‘Profits and Gains from Business or Profession’, as the case may be.
And if the recipient is not owning any property then it is nothing but a case of misrepresentation and financial fraud.
So beware of all this before doing any such transactions. Nowadays banks have also started levying charges on rent payments and some have capped or altogether removed reward point earnings on such transactions.
Consolidated List of Surcharges By Different Card Issuers
Card Issuer
Rental Payment Surcharges
Reward Accrual
Eligible for Milestone Benefits
AU Bank
No charges for 1st transaction in a month, and 1%+GST is applicable from 2nd transaction.
1.25% for Zenith and 1 Reward Point for other variants.
Yes
Axis Bank
1%+GST on all transactions.
Only for Magnus, Reserve, Burgundy Private, and Atlas.
No milestone benefits.
Bank Of Baroda
1%+GST on all transactions.
Reduced rewards as per variant since rent comes under restricted MCC.
Yes
Citibank
NIL
Regular rewards as per variant.
Yes
HDFC Bank
No charges for 1st transaction in a month, and 1%+GST is applicable from 2nd transaction.
N/A.
Yes
HSBC
1%+GST on all transactions.
Regular rewards as per variant.
Yes
ICICI Bank
1%+GST on all transactions.
Regular rewards as per variant.
Yes
IDFC First Bank
1%+GST on all transactions.
Reduced rewards at 3X reward rate.
Yes
IndusInd Bank
1%+GST on all transactions.
Reduced rewards at 0.7%.
Yes
Kotak Bank
1%+GST on all transactions.
Regular rewards as per variant.
Yes
RBL Bank
1%+GST with a monthly cap of 1 transaction allowed that too up to 50% of the credit limit.
Regular rewards as per variant.
Yes
SBI Card
₹199+GST on all transactions.
Regular rewards as per variant except for 1X on SimplyClick and no reward on Cashback Card.
Yes
Standard Chartered Bank
1%+GST on all transactions.
2% for Ultimate and regular rewards for other variants.
Yes
Yes Bank
0.50%+GST with a monthly cap of 3 transactions.
Regular rewards as per variant.
Yes
Bottomline
Rental payment using credit cards is the best way to earn reward points and earn that next business-class ticket. There is absolutely no risk attached if you are financially disciplined and following all the IT Act regulations on rent payments. Since this is a significant monthly expense for anyone who has a rental property, I would suggest everyone should explore the Best Credit Cards for Rental Payments and earn the best rewards possible.
Do you pay rent using your credit cards then which portal and credit card combination is your favourite? Tell us in the comments below!
Editor’s note: This is a recurring post, regularly updated with new information and offers. Last updated 2nd May 2023.
Everyone is looking for the best credit cards list so this is a complete article on the best credit cards for Rent Payments. Only a handful of such cards exist nowadays since most banks are tightening their noose on rental payments and wallet loads using credit cards.
This list along with our Rent Payment Guide will help you get the best rewards and practices around it.
Reward rate on Rent Payments: Base: 1.2% (Amazon Vouchers) to approx 4.8% (Airmiles/Hotel Loyalty Points)
Capping on Rent Payments: Points accrued only up to ₹50K per transaction, no limitation on multiple transactions though.
Rent Payment Surcharge: 1%+GST on all transactions maximum up to ₹1500 and not included in monthly milestone.
Joining Fee: ₹10000+GST
Annual Fee: ₹10000+GST (Waived off on annual spending of ₹15L but rental payments not counted).
AU Zenith
AU Zenith Credit Card
Reward rate on Rent Payments: 1.25% (Reward Rate) to ~1.75%(Milestone)
Capping on Rent Payments: None.
Applicable Charges on Rent Payments: No Charges for 1st transaction every month.
Joining Fee: ₹7999+GST
Annual Fee: ₹7999+GST
Milestone Benefits: Rs 1000 gift vouchers on ₹2 Lakhs of retail spends per calendar quarter Complimentary Epicure Membership on ₹8 Lakhs retail spends in a card anniversary year.
SBI Vistara Prime
SBI Club Vistara Prime Credit Card: Uber cool design in shades of blue.
Reward rate on Rent Payments: 2% (CV Points) to ~8.5% (₹8L Milestone)
Capping on Rent Payments: None.
Applicable Charges on Rent Payments: 199+GST per transaction.
Joining Fee: ₹2999+GST
Annual Fee: ₹2999+GST (1 Premium Economy ticket as an E-Gift Voucher on payment of the renewal fee)
Milestone Benefits:
Spending Amount
Milestone Reward
₹1.5L
1 Premium Economy Domestic Ticket
₹3L
1 Premium Economy Domestic Ticket
₹4.5L
1 Premium Economy Domestic Ticket
₹8L
1 Premium Economy Domestic Ticket & 1 Hotel E-Voucher from Yatra worth ₹10,000
Quite a lucrative card that rewards fuel, rent and wallet spending and if you can reach all those milestones then you get to earn a whopping 8.5% Reward Rate! But remember you will be charged ₹99 + GST for rent payments on this card hence use it only if your rent payment amount is significant. Click on the banner below to apply for this card and get a voucher worth ₹500 on making your first transaction of ₹500 and above.
Rent Payment Surcharge: 1%+GST on all transactions.
Joining Fee: ₹5000+GST
Annual Fee: ₹5000+GST (5000 Reward Points on renewal fee payment)
Milestone Benefits: None
The ultimate winner for all your rental payments and wallet loads!
Yes Private
Reward rate on Rent Payments: 2%Cashback
Capping on Rent Payments: None.
Rent Payment Surcharge: 0.5%+GST on all transactions.
Joining Fee: ₹50,000+GST
Annual Fee: ₹10,000+GST (Waived off on annual spending of ₹25L)
Milestone Benefits: None
Rewards Summary
Since the reward rate is highly dependent on the type of redemption a user is seeking so I am prioritizing this list basis the highest core reward rate of the cards irrespective of the redemption mode used.
We have excluded cards which are giving less than 2% reward rates since the majority of rental payment portals usually charge more than 1.5% as charges.
TechnoFino Recommends
I have made a very specific list especially as the noose around the rental payments is getting tighter and tighter by the banks every month. Since rental payment is a significant expense for every household I recommend everyone to get a card from this list if they have a rental property, school fees, or maintenance charges to be paid every month.
So if you are into international travel then Axis Magnus looks best since then you will be able to complete the 1L monthly milestone by paying your monthly rent. Magnus works even if you want vouchers from your card or If you like direct statement credits then Standard Chartered Smart is the best option. For domestic travel Axis Vistara Infinite or SBI Vistara Prime would be an ideal choice if you can complete those milestones.
With many people using it as a tool for credit rotation by doing fake rent payments, I can’t blame the banks for such moves. But instead of excluding rent payments completely from the reward structure the banks should partner with payment portals and allow genuine users to keep on earning rewards which can be a win-win situation for the banks too. I have prepared a Rent Payment Guidehere which answers most of the related questions.
Which card do you use for rental payments? Share your strategy in the comments below.For more such insightful content follow me on Twitter.
Editor’s note: This is a recurring post, regularly updated with new information and offers. Last Updated 7th May 2023.
The most uncomplicated cashback card for beginners is the ICICI Amazon Pay Credit Card. This card is so simple to understand that you really don’t need to think about anything while using it. Launched in 2018 but still is quite popular and literally, there has been no devaluation on the same to date.
So let’s have a quick look at what this card offers!
So you actually get paid on applying for an LTF credit card here!
Reward Accrual
Category
PrimeAccount
Non-PrimeAccount
Shopping on Amazon India* (Physical Goods)
5%
3%
Shopping on Amazon India (Physical books, Kindle e-books and Audible audiobooks), bill payments, mobile/DTH recharges, air ticket bookings, movie or bus tickets, and loading balance to Amazon Pay Wallet & Physical Gift Vouchers
2%
2%
Offline and Online Transactions
1%
1%
International Transactions including foreign Amazon Retail Stores
The Prime status of only the original account to which the card is linked will be considered for rewards on physical goods. You may use the card on any Amazon account without any restrictions.
Reward points never expire.
1 Reward Point = ₹1 Amazon Pay Balance.
Rewards will be accrued and will get automatically credited as Amazon Gift Cards into the Amazon Pay balance of the card linked account at the end of the monthly billing cycle without any redemption fees.
Though there is no limit on the reward earned, I have seen ICICI closing down card accounts for excessive usage or business spending, so make sure you control your spending on it, especially on Amazon.
Rent Payment Surcharge – 1% + GST.
Technofino Tip: Don’t forget to use affiliate websites along with this card to jack up the reward rates.
Fuel Surcharge Waiver
1% fuel surcharge waiver without any limitations.
Forex Markup
3.5% + GST forex markup charges applicable.
How to Apply?
Check for an invite here by logging into your Amazon India account. Having an ICICI relationship does help and may help you generate your card instantly. The application process is very smooth and the card is generally delivered to you within 2-3 days with a shared limit if you have an existing ICICI Bank credit card that too without any CIBIL enquiry.
But if you are not having an ICICI relationship then they may ask you for income documents with an ITR of at least ₹4.8LPA and a video KYC will be done. Also, the rejection rate is also quite good so make sure you give all the documents in one go.
TechnoFino Recommends
I would certainly recommend this to everyone, especially after the recent devaluation of HDFC 5X Smartbuy on Amazon. So if you don’t a premium card from HDFC then this card is ideal for all the Amazon spends. This card won’t work on ICICI sales on other websites. Hence it’s better to get another card like the ICICI MakeMyTrip Signature from ICICI through the expressions card route. Since ICICI Bank allows you to hold its complete portfolio of cards so it won’t be a problem to get as many cards as you want.
Even for premium cardholders, this can be a good addition to their plastic collection!
Are you using an Amazon Pay ICICI card? Please share in the comments below how you make the most of it!
Editor’s note: This is a recurring post, regularly updated with new information and offers. Last Updated 7th May 2023.
Standard Chartered DigiSmart is a very interesting and unique card especially if you have high spending on its partner merchants. Since this card offers no reward whatsoever for spending done on any other merchant. It’s made for the millennials who love to shop, roam around and hang out on weekends at the nearest multiplex.
So let’s have a quick look at what this card offers!
Spend ₹5K on your card in the consecutive month for reversal of the fees of the current month.
Add-on Card Charges
₹49 + GST Monthly
This card offers a monthly fee structure which is different from the usual annual fee structure. You get your fee reversed after 90 days of it being levied if you spend ₹5000 in the next month. Like if monthly fees have been charged in your January statement then you need to spend ₹5000 in February to get the same reversed in the month of April. Since it’s very complicated and the amount is meagre so you may lose interest in tracking the reversals. I do see some reversals sometimes and don’t bother about it more than this.
Rent Payment Surcharge – 1% + GST.
From a fee point of view, Standard Chartered treats DigiSmart add-ons like a separate card though certain cashbacks have a common capping.
Also, I have seen some lucky people getting it converted to LTF pricing basis of their Standard Chartered Ultimate card relationship.
Features and Benefits
Myntra
Get a 20% instant discount max up to ₹700 on the Myntra App/Website with your Standard Chartered DigiSmart credit card.
It’s valid once per month and no promo code is required as the discount gets automatically applied on the payment page.
No minimum transaction size.
This is the most sought benefit of this card. Since this offer is not capped at card level so you can apply for supplementary cards and enjoy that huge no-condition attached discount multiple times a month. 😉
TechnoFino Tip – Since you can use this card only once per month and fashion is that category in which there are frequent returns and replacements required so it’s better to load ₹3,500 every month to your Myntra wallet and use it as you wish.
Yatra
For travel benefits, the partner merchant is Yatra and benefits on Domestic flights and hotels are quite lucrative.
Category
Discount
Min Transaction Amount
Maximum Discount
Discount Code
Transaction Restriction
Domestic Flight Bookings
20% Instant discount
No Min Transaction
₹750
DIGISMART
1 transaction/ quarter
International Flight Bookings
10% Instant discount
INR 20,000
₹10,000
DIGISMART
1 transaction/ quarter
Domestic Hotel Bookings
25% Instant discount
No Min Transaction
₹4,000
DIGISMART
1 transaction/ quarter
Earlier I used to use the domestic flight offer quite a lot when ticket prices were low to get the maximum 20% benefit under that capping but now it’s not possible anymore. Good card if you fly on shorter routes which have low airfare.
Ola
Get 15% cashback by making payments for cab rides on the Ola App maximum of up to ₹600/month which is jointly applicable to primary and supplementary cardholders.
Cashback is applicable only on cab rides, excluding bikes, auto and shared rides.
Cashback is not applicable on loading or recharging the Ola Money Wallet.
Cashback would be credited after 60 days and no promo code is required for this offer.
I don’t think any card gives such a good reward rate on Ola Cabs. So if you take cabs once in a while then this can give you some really good value on that airport or railway station transfers.
Blinkit
10% discount on Blinkit (Erstwhile Grofers), subject to a maximum amount of ₹1000/month.
There is no limit on the minimum purchase amount.
The offer is applicable on 5 transactions per calendar month.
Use promo code “DIGISMART” to avail of the offer.
It’s a very good offer if you regularly make those small-small grocery orders multiple times a month. Don’t forget to apply the promo code since the same is mostly not listed on the app.
Zomato
10% discount on Zomato subject to a maximum amount of ₹150/transaction.
The offer is applicable on 5 transactions per calendar month.
Use promo code “DIGISMART” to avail of the offer.
There is no limit on the minimum purchase amount.
Needless to say, apply this only when you don’t have any other offer at your disposal as the reward rate is too low for Zomato.
INOX Cinemas
BUY 1 GET 1 movie ticket on weekend shows at INOX Cinemas twice a month.
This benefit is available twice in a calendar month.
The cardholder will be eligible for 2 transactions per card every calendar month, subject to a maximum discount of ₹200 on each transaction.
It’s a good offer if you are living in a lower-tier city since the movie tickets there are around that amount only.
Eligibility Criteria
Only Salaried person with a stable income.
Age 21- 65 years of age.
If you are holding another card from StanC then you need to call customer care to apply for it.
Standard Chartered is not offering its card to Self Employed persons as they compulsorily ask for official mail-id and PF deduction proofs but you can apply offline using the card-to-card basis if you are holding an SC priority account(NRV~30L) or with a 36L ITR. So whether you apply for its Ultimate card or DigiSmart, ITR requirements remain the same.
TechnoFino Recommends
This card is tailor-made for millennials who have considerable spending on its online partner merchants especially if you have just started earning your salary then this card is just for you. It gives you a good reward rate of up to 25% on many merchants which you can’t get without holding a premium card. Even if you pay the full fee every month still you can get much more than the fee paid just by using the Myntra offer every month. And the rest of the benefits become a bonus.
And definitely, this is not meant for the people who are more into travel or are holding much more premium cards. But even for them, this can sometimes give more value.
Are you using a DigiSmart card? Share in the comments below how you make the most of it!
Editor’s note: This is a recurring post, regularly updated with new information and offers. Last Updated 15th May 2023.
Everyone is looking for the best credit cards list so is a complete article on the best credit cards for digital wallet loads. Only a handful of such cards exist nowadays since most banks are tightening their noose on rental payments and wallet loads using credit cards.
This well-researched article is dedicated to all the members of the TechnoFino Community now since we completed 5,000 members last week and this was the most requested article by users. If you have not joined this community then you are missing a lot since many of the sections are private and only available to selected active members.
I have tried my best to collect all the relevant information but if there are any additions or discrepancies then your valuable suggestions are most welcome as always.
Annual Fee: ₹4,500+GST (Generally waived off on request as per spending done)
Milestone Benefits: None
AMEX gives huge rewards for completing its monthly targets and redeeming then on Gold Collection. This card can be on your wishlist as on completing its monthly target you get to earn reward rates equal to approx 10%.
Annual Fee: ₹2999+GST (1 Premium Economy ticket as an E-Gift Voucher on payment of the renewal fee)
Milestone Benefits:
Spending Amount
Milestone Reward
₹1.5L
1 Premium Economy Domestic Ticket
₹3L
1 Premium Economy Domestic Ticket
₹4.5L
1 Premium Economy Domestic Ticket
₹8L
1 Premium Economy Domestic Ticket & 1 Hotel E-Voucher from Yatra worth ₹10,000
Quite a lucrative card that rewards fuel and wallet spends and if you can reach all those milestones then you get to earn a whopping 8.5% Reward Rate! Click on the banner below to apply for this card and get a voucher worth ₹500 on making your first transaction of ₹500 and above.
Annual Fee: ₹499+GST (Waived off on annual spending of ₹1.2L)
Milestone Benefits: None
Another straightforward credit card from Standard Chartered offers a flat cashback on online spending including digital wallet loads.
TechnoFino Tip – Apply for supplementary cards if you are regularly crossing the monthly cashback threshold.
IndusInd Iconia AMEX
Reward rate on Wallet Loads: 1.5% on Weekends
Joining Fee: ₹5,000+GST
Annual Fee: LTF
Milestone Benefits: None
I am holding this card for a long and it has always been my go-to card for wallet loads before the devaluation happened. Generally, rewards on wallet loads for IndusInd Cards are a hit or miss since sometimes they get captured under reduced reward rate categories but with the Iconia AMEX version, I have never faced this issue.
If you have a wealth card then the base reward rate can get you 1.5% but if you cross the monthly threshold then it can go up to 2.5%. Apply for an LTF IDFC Wealth by clicking on the banner below.
AU Zenith
Reward rate on Wallet Loads: 1.25%
Joining Fee: ₹7999+GST
Annual Fee: ₹7999+GST (Waived off on annual spending of ₹5L).
Milestone Benefits: 1) Shopping vouchers worth Rs. 1,000 from top brands on retail spends of Rs. 2 lacs quarterly. 2) Complimentary Taj Epicure membership on retail spends of Rs. 8 lacs in a year.
A decent reward rate for wallet loads but the card comes with a hefty annual fee. You can get it LTF basis your workplace. This information is exclusively available in TechnoFino Community. Not providing the link since the hunt is worth the reward. 😉
IndusInd Pinnacle/Legend
Reward rate on Wallet Loads: 0.52% to 2.5% (Pinnacle)/ 0.52% to 1.5% (Legend)
The reward rates using these cards are a hit or miss since IndusInd Bank has put categories like rental payments. utility bill payments and Insurance out of the standard reward rates. Sometimes the wallet loads get counted in the categories mentioned and you don’t get what you are aiming at.
Other than the above cards other cards worth exploring are IDFC Select, HDFC Millennia, and ICICI Amazon Pay.
TechnoFino Recommends
With such a diverse list of the best credit cards for digital wallet loads and limited avenues to do so, one thing is for sure, it doesn’t make any sense to get a card primarily for this purpose. So if you already have a card from the above list then reap its benefits to the core. If you don’t need a card for any specific purpose but only wallet spends then getting a Standard Chartered Smart makes a lot of sense with such a low annual fee and easy to achieve spends based waiver.
Else if you are already planning to get a premium card like BOB Eterna or Standard Chartered Ultimate then you can use them without any fuss even on rental payments and don’t need to bother getting any card listed down that list. If you are one of those who are eagerly waiting for AMEX onboarding to start then look nowhere since they will give you the best bang for your money. Also since AMEX has an offline acceptance issue so it would be better to use them aggressively on wallet loads.
Which card do you use to load your digital payments wallets? Share your strategy in the comments below.For more such insightful content follow me on Twitter.
Editor’s note: This is a recurring post, regularly updated with new information and offers. Last Updated 26th March 2024.
SBI Cashback – an insanely rewarding and unbelievably simple no-nonsense credit card that has taken all credit card users by storm. After Axis, it seems like SBI Cards has taken the lead to bring good days for all the plastic money enthusiasts. No one would have ever believed that one day some bank would offer products better than HDFC Bank in the market. From here the competition is only going to get fiercer for the banks and better for consumers.
So let’s have a quick look at what this card offers!
Spend ₹2L on your card in a year for an annual fee waiver.
Add-on Card Charges
NIL (2 Add-ons Allowed)
Currently, this card is being offered at absolutely zero joining fees with no welcome benefits. The annual fee waiver condition is also not too high keeping in mind that the full threshold of ₹2L will give you accelerated rewards when spending is done online. This card is so simple to understand and use that you simply don’t need to remember anything while using it.
Reward Rate
Spends Area
Cashback
Online Spends*
5%
Offline Spending* and Utility Bill Payments
1%
*Cashback is not applicable on Education, Fuel, Jewelry, Insurance, Rent, Utilities, Wallets, Merchant EMIs, Cash Advances, Balance Transfer, Encash & Flexipay.
Cashback is not applicable on any spending done below ₹100.
Cashback will always be rounded down to the nearest integer on every transaction.
Maximum Cashback in a month is restricted to a total of ₹5,000 per month.
Card Cashback will be auto-credited to your SBI Card account within two days of your next statement generation.
Surprised? So am I! Straightforward 5% cashback credited to your statement without any redemption charges with an insanely high monthly capping. What more do you expect from a card? Let’s see how long can SBI sustain it.
So make hay till the sun shines!
Click on the banner below to apply for this card and get a voucher worth ₹500 on making your first transaction of ₹500 and above.
TechnoFino Maximum
Spend ₹1L per month online to reach the huge threshold of ₹5,000 per billing cycle! As simple as that but won’t be easy to touch month on month.
Other Benefits
Lounge Access
Domestic Airport Lounge Access: 1 Complimentary Visit/Quarter using the Visa Lounge Access Program.
Fuel Surcharge Waiver
1% Fuel Surcharge Waiver across all petrol pumps on transactions of ₹500 – ₹3,000, exclusive of GST with a maximum surcharge waiver of ₹100 per statement cycle per credit card account.
TechnoFino Recommends
This card is a delight for cashback lovers and I highly recommend it! All those who are worried about its fee should think that to break even you need to spend just ₹23,600 in a year and above that, all the cashback is nothing but your net gain if you don’t cross the ₹2L mark!
This card also gives a serious run for money to BOB Eterna which is offered for a hefty fee of ₹2500 + GST but be mindful that Eterna rewards wallet loads. So I would not recommend weeding out all the winning cards from your portfolio in haste since the reward rate of this card is not sustainable in the long run so replace only what you are confident of getting back in case a devaluation happens.
Initially, this card was grabbed by everyone with a lot of enthusiasm which has now fizzed out since SBI has announced that this card will not work in online sales where SBI cards are already running an instant discount offer. So keep this in mind before replacing this with the above cards from your portfolio.
Though this card doesn’t give accelerated rewards on Utility Bill Payments like Axis Ace but then you always have the option of routing those spend through any online platform which can help you mask the merchant. 😉
Click on the banner below to apply for this card and get a voucher worth ₹500 on making your first transaction of ₹500 and above.
Apply now to get a ₹500 worth of Gift Voucher.
Are you also planning to grab an SBI Cashback card ASAP? Share your thoughts below!
Axis Bank recently launched its first worthy miles-based card called AXIS ATLAS CREDIT CARD and is giving some serious run for the money to the biggest lender in India, the HDFC Bank. This card has been packed with a lot to offer but to enjoy the perks you have to earn your perks
Some find this card super-worthy and others complicated. Read on to know all about this card and let all your doubts fade away!
Welcome benefits will be credited within 60 days from the date of completing the 3rd transaction within 60 days of card setup.
Reward Accrual
Since Axis Bank is new to the miles game so they have started rewards in a different manner on this card. So instead of the usual EDGE rewards, you are entitled to EDGE Miles on this card.
*Excluding spending on Airlines, Axis Bank Travel EDGE Portal, Insurance (amount > INR 5000), and wallet recharge.
For now, Axis has kept rent payments included in the rewards system on this card.
Tier Benefits
Axis has shown some great innovation in the reward system of this card by introducing what they call a “Tier” system. In this the more you spend the more rewarding this card becomes.
Initially, everyone who gets this card gets an exclusive Silver Tier Membership which comes with a host of benefits given below.
Now as you spend more in your anniversary year you get an upgrade to Gold and Platinum Tiers.
In an anniversary year, when you hit ₹7.5L of spending, you get upgraded to the Gold Tier, and when you spend beyond ₹15L, you get upgraded to the Platinum Tier.
With Gold, you unlock 2 airport meet and greet visits and with Platinum, you unlock 2 more of them in addition to 2 Luxury Airport Transfer Services.
With Platinum, you also get to unlock 2X EDGE Miles on Forex Transactions.
AXIS ATLAS Tier Benefits.
Tier Change
Atlas credit cardholders’ tier will be evaluated at the beginning of each anniversary year on the basis of the previous year’s card spending. But tier upgrades are being provided basis the spending in the middle of the year.
For example, if you get your card on 1st April 2022 and start with a Silver Tier and you spend ₹15L within let’s say 3 months then you get upgraded to Platinum Tier from that very same time and continue to enjoy it next year also. But if you fail to make the necessary spending in the year 2023-24 then you will be downgraded to Silver or Gold depending upon the spending you have achieved.
Overall the reward rates on this card are a bit low when redeemed for flights and hotels via the AXIS Travel EDGE portal since if we consider milestone benefits the overall reward rate comes out to be around 2% only.
However the real value of this card can only be utilized when it is used to transfer air miles to partner airlines. Since the partner airlines keep on changing so I am attaching the link where we listed all the transfer partners on the TechnoFino Community. The best value which can be obtained is by transferring it to the newly added KrisFlyer which can be used on any Star Alliance Partners else United Airlines can also give you amazing value since they both have one of the lowest taxes and surcharges among the options available. I would advise you to avoid Vistara since the transfer rate is very poor.
For hotel transfer partners we will not recommend Marriot Bonvoy since the obtained value will be quite low.
TechnoFino Tip – Even if you still wish to do it then first transfer it to Club ITC and then transfer it to Bonvoy to get a 1 Edge Miles is to 3 Marriot Bonvoy points value with a maximum transfer capping of 60K points per year which I guess is more than enough.
Renewal Benefits
There is no fee waiver condition on this card so it tries to compensate it with milestone and annual benefits.
Tier
Silver
Gold
Platinum
Renewal Benefits
2500 EDGE Miles
5000 EDGE Miles
10,000 EDGE Miles
Above mentioned EDGE Mileswill be credited to cardholders’ EDGE Miles accounts upon successful payment of the card renewal fees as per the tier achieved on the anniversary date.
Milestone Benefits
Further, this card offers another set of benefits depending upon the yearly spending you make. This feels like a bonus on a bonus!
Spends
₹3L
₹7.5L
₹15L
Milestone Benefits
Total 2500 EDGE Miles
+2500 EDGE Miles = Total 5000 EDGE Miles
+5,000 EDGE Miles = Total 10,000 EDGE Miles
Travel Benefits
What is a travel card without travel benefits?! Axis ATLAS has got loads of it!
Benefit\Tier
Silver
Gold
Platinum
Complimentary Airport Lounge Access – Domestic
8
12
18
Complimentary Airport Lounge Access – International
The lounge access limits are fully sharable across guests is another great feature of ATLAS.
International lounge access on Axis Atlas credit card is provided via Dreamfolks.
Forex Markup Charges
Forex Markup charges are standard 3.50% + GST
TechnoFino Recommends
Atlas is overall a very good product if you like playing with the miles since direct redemption won’t give you much value and features like Meet and Greet and Luxury Airport transfers are unheard of in this fee range. So if you don’t want to pay a hefty charge to hold an Axis Reserve but still want those luxury rides then this card is just for you. Do read the article on Luxury Airport Transfer Services offered in India if you are new to this.
As mentioned in the beginning this card may prove to be complicated for someone who tries to chase the rewards by doing a back calculation before spending. That said, this card belongs to someone who has regular spending of at least ₹7.5LPA as then the cardholder gets to earn 17,500 EDGE Miles and if you are able to spend ₹15LPA then you get to earn 30,000 EDGE Miles! Below these two thresholds, the reward rate is quite average. Further, consider this only if you are a lot into travelling.
With Magnus and Atlas, Axis has really upped the ante and with the recent addition of KrisFlyer, it now has all the travel transfer partners that soon-to-be-exiting CitiBank is providing in India. With similar reward rates but better perks than Premier Miles, I would like to place this card above it but lower than the Citi Prestige. With the way things are going forward, I think Axis Bank will super soon launch a super premium travel credit card to retain the customers of Citi Prestige. So I recommend this card to everyone who for now is looking for its replacement.
What are your thoughts on the new Axis Atlas credit card? Feel free to share them below.If you would like to read more such articles then connect with us on Twitter.
Editor’s note: This is a recurring post, regularly updated with new information and offers. Last Updated 15th May 2023.
ICICI MakeMyTrip Signature credit card is the superior of the two co-branded cards that the bank offers in collaboration with MMT. This card has recently undergone many changes in the welcome benefits that it offers.
So, Read on to find out whether you should apply for this card or not!
> Get ₹1,500 My Cash > MakeMyTrip holiday voucher worth ₹2,500 > Complimentary MMT BLACK Exclusive membership
Renewal Fees
NIL
Renewal Benefits
None
Supplementary Card Charges
₹250 + GST
Supplementary Card Renewal Charges
NIL
MakeMyTrip cash is 100% usable and will be credited to the Cardholder’s designated MakeMyTrip My Wallet within 45 business days post payment of the Joining Fee.
My Cash cannot be used for rail, offline holiday bookings, and ‘Pay at Hotel’ bookings.
MMT Holiday voucher can be used for booking domestic or international holiday packages and is a part of its welcome kit and is valid for 12 months.
The T&Cs attached with the holiday voucher are very vast and I am not including them all here so better to read them in detail before applying from ICICI Bank’s website. From a value point of view, the holiday voucher will give you almost no value if you are a completely do-it-yourself traveller. The welcome benefits I would say are very poor since generally, all banks give rewards equivalent to that of the joining fees paid.
Reward Accrual
Spends Area
Earning Rate
Reward Rate
Domestic spends outside MakeMyTrip*
1.25 My Cash/₹200
0.625%
International spends outside MakeMyTrip*
1.5 My Cash/₹200
0.75%
Spends on flight bookings on MakeMyTrip
2 My Cash/₹200
1%
Spends on hotel/holiday bookings on MakeMyTrip
4 My Cash/₹200
2%
*No reward points on fuel transactions.
1 My Cash in MMT my wallet = 1 INR and is 100% usable when used to make travel bookings or to purchase partner vouchers through MakeMyTrip.
My Cash earned will be added to the Primary Cardholder’s MakeMyTrip account within 45 Business Days of the monthly credit card statement generation
The reward structure is very dull and in line with the other lacklustre ICICI Bank credit cards. Since it’s LTF so why bother spending on this card?
Milestone Benefits
Spend Rs 2.5 Lakh using the MakeMyTrip ICICI Bank Signature Credit Card and earn 1,100 My Cash each anniversary year.
Spend Rs 5 Lakh using the MakeMyTrip ICICI Bank Signature Credit Card and earn 4,000 My Cash each anniversary year.
These milestone benefits add a good value to the existing reward structure that inflates the reward rate by 1% but I wonder why will anyone spend this much on this card.
MMT Black Membership
Currently, you get an annual MMT Black Exclusive Membership for the first year which gives you the following key benefits:
10% or 15% additional discount on select participating hotels, applicable over & above other discounts.
MMTBLACK Hotel Privileges such as free room upgrades, early check-ins, and hotel-specific discounts on food, beverages, spas, and other offerings(subject to availability).
My Cash is worth Re 0.75 for every Rs 100 spent on flight bookings and My Cash is worth Rs 1.5 for every Rs 100 spent on all other bookings (Rail, Metro, and Visa not included).
Exclusive Care—a premium Customer Care helpline.
Year-round benefits from MakeMyTrip Partners.
Access to the MMT BLACK Fest.
MMTBLACK Flight Privileges such as free Meals@Airports (at select restaurants), discounted airport transfers, and free seat selection.
For continuing this benefit membership you need to spend more than Rs 2L on MMT in the next 12 months else your membership will be degraded to either MMT Black Preferred or Elite. For upgrades, the spending is counted after every travel booking irrespective of the tier enrolment date whereas for a downgrade it is counted only after 12 months of the last upgrade or downgrade.
If your spending in the last 12 months is less than Rs 30,000, you will no longer remain a member of the MMT BLACK Programme. Post this, if you complete the travel for a booking made through the MakeMyTrip platform, which is greater than or equal to Rs 30,000, then you will be re-instated to the Preferred Tier or higher Tier, the basis spends done at MakeMyTrip.
Earlier they used to offer free cancellation of flight bookings under the MMT Double Black program which was a very lucrative offer but sadly has been discontinued.
Airport Lounge Access
International Airport Lounge Access: The card member will also get 1 complimentary visit and 1 domestic airport spa access per year with Dreamfolks Card, which is available upon request. Only one Dreamfolks card will be provided with this card.
In a spa, you can either get foot reflexology, a head or shoulder massage, or an upper back massage for 30 mins.
Domestic Airport Lounge Access: The Card Member will get 2 complimentary access per quarter by spending Rs 5,000 in the previous calendar quarter.
The domestic lounge access with that condition attached is not appealing enough but what makes this card work is the Dreamfolks Card and the international lounge and spa benefits that come with it considering the LTF pricing of this card.
Railway Lounge Access: The Card Member will get 2 complimentary railway lounge access/quarter at the participating lounges in India. This benefit is limited only to the primary cardholder. Intrigued enough to know about what is a railway lounge? Get to know everything about themhere.
Airtel International Roaming Pack
You are eligible to get a 10-day complimentary international roaming pack worth up to ₹3999 on booking an international flight/hotel on MakeMyTrip using the MakeMyTrip ICICI Bank Signature Credit Card. The Offer shall be available only to Airtel Post-paid Mobile subscribers.
. This offer can give you a good amount of savings on your next international trip.
MMT Cabs
Looks like another good offer but since I haven’t used this service so can’t really comment on the service part.
BookMyShow and INOX offer
You get a 25% discount, a maximum of up to Rs 150 on the purchase of a minimum of two tickets per transaction. The maximum discount amount will be INR. 200/- per transaction. You can avail of this benefit two times a month on BookMyShow and Inox individually.
But you can pass this offer if you have better cards with you since the Buy1Get1 offer is standard on many cards.
Fuel Surcharge Waiver
A 1% fuel surcharge will not be applicable on fuel transactions of up to Rs. 4,000 at HPCL pumps if the Card is swiped on ICICI Merchant Services swipe machines.
TechnoFino Recommends
Since I also wanted to get an ICICI card as my ICICI Amazon Pay was excluded from most of the online sale offers so I went ahead with this one since it was offering complimentary railway lounge access and a Dreamfolks pass which was a unique addition to my cards portfolio at that time. When I got this card they offered me an MMT Double Black membership which came with free ticket cancellation, luckily I was able to use it that year and my whole fee was almost utilized. Further, they offered a Lemon Tree Hotel Voucher worth ₹2,500.
Most of the ICICI bank credit cards are poorly rewarding and it makes sense to get only an LTF Card from its stable. So most people either try to get their premium cards LTF using their relationship with the bank or simply get their humble Platinum card. So if you are planning to get hold of an ICICI card then I would suggest you go for this card instead of an ICICI Coral or an ICICI Platinum till you get hold of any of their premium cards. And since ICICI allows you to hold their complete portfolio of cards at once there is no problem in retaining this for life and getting another card anytime later.
Are you having this LTF credit card from ICICI Bank? How has been your experience related to the unique services it offers?
Editor’s note: This is a recurring post, regularly updated with new information and offers. Last Updated 27th May 2023.
Ever needed a jumpstart or help with an empty fuel tank? When you are stuck it’s easy to panic and forget about the options you have at hand when you need them the most. Further, you may have a credit card in your wallet which offers complimentary Road Side Assistance.
Roadside assistance is generally sold or bundled with car insurance by car dealers in tie-up with partners like Allianz/ Europ Assistance but recently many credit cards are offering it for free. Let’s quickly check out the cards offering the same!
Roadside Assistance acts as your most trusted ally when the vehicle breaks down. In other words, Roadside Assistance Coverage means a professional technician comes to your rescue when your car breaks down in the middle of the journey leaving you stranded. Broadly it helps you in the following situations all over India.
Towing Service
Accidental Towing
Battery Jumpstart
Flat Tyre
Lost or Locked keys
Fuel Problems
Some of the RSAs will also provide you with a hotel stay or a complimentary taxi service to a limited area.
Cost Analysis
Though even paid plans don’t cost a bomb still many Indians tend to ignore it just like they ignore insurance and realize its value only when they are immobilized and are asked for hefty towing charges by local crane operators. A single instance of car towing from a remote location can cost easily something between ₹20,000 -₹30,000 easily. Whereas the cost of 1 year paid RSA plan when bought from your car manufacturer is anywhere near ₹2000 and a 5-year plan costs around ₹6500. So even a single RSA service can help you get back a multiple of the money paid.
RSA can also be bought for a low price when taken as an add-on with your vehicle insurance so do remember to ask for it from the provider when your next renewal is due. Else just get one of the cards given below!
Many new car owners live with the impression that they wouldn’t need this service but a car is a machine and can go faulty just when you need it the most. I have had multiple instances with my vehicle where I needed it and it proved to be a lifesaver. And now you don’t even have to pay for with since this is being offered complimentary with credit cards in India.
How to avail?
Pick your phone and call on the respective number and register your service request. There is no need for any prior signup.
The customer support executive just confirms your last 4 digits of the card and registered contact number.
Then a WhatsApp message is shared with you where you have share your current location and the drop location which is generally your preferred service centre.
Whether a technician is required or just a crane is needed is decided by the on-call assistant on the basis of your statement about what’s wrong with your vehicle.
On a best-effort basis, assistance will be provided to you, and the time would depend on the location of the vehicle. However, normally it would take about 30 to 45 minutes to reach you within city limits and about one to one and half hours to reach you if you are outside city limits. Sometimes even the live technician location is shared with you via a link.
If minor repairs are needed, the technician will repair your car on the spot. If it needs to be moved to a garage, they’ll tow it to a nearby network garage.
Charges depend on your card as per detailed comparison given below.
Mumbai, Delhi, Bangalore, Pune, Chennai, and Kolkata
Unlimited#
1860 267 7777
Currently, all the IDFC credit cards like WOW!, Millennia/Classic, Select, Wealth and Private are offering this service. And clearly, IDFC First Bank is way ahead of the competition since the service area of IndusInd Bank is limited only to metro cities and ICICI is offering the services on its paid card whereas IDFC First cards are lifetime-free.
IndusInd Bank is offering this service on its multiple credit cards namely Crest, Pinnacle, Legend, Iconia, and even their base variant Platinum.
#But the main catch with IndusInd cards is that all expenses including labour charges or any repair charges need to be paid. So looks like all they are providing is a mere concierge service.
Debit Cards
Debit Card
Service Availability
Complimentary Limit
Toll-Free Number
1)
ICICI Sapphiro Debit Card
PAN India
4 Services/ Year
1800 572 3860
2)
IDFC Private Debit Card
PAN India
4 Services/ Year
1800 572 3860
3)
IDFC Wealth Debit Card
PAN India
4 Services/ Year
1800 572 3860
4)
IDFC Select Debit Card
PAN India
4 Services/ Year
1800 572 3860
The only ICICI debit card in India currently offering this service bundled with its complimentary Card Protection Plan (CPP) is ICICI Sapphiro but comes at a hefty cost of ₹1500 + GST per annum.
Other than the above IDFC First Bank is offering this facility on their selected top three debit card variants which you can get if you maintain a certain NRV with the bank.
Bottomline
You always hope never to need roadside assistance just like insurance and people tend to forget about it. So I would recommend you apply for an IDFC First Credit Card if you are already not using the ICICI twins mentioned above. IndusInd cards for this very specific purpose are not recommended since their coverage is very limited and emergencies can come anywhere.
Also getting a premium debit card for this purpose by keeping a good amount in banks is not at all recommended in this high-inflation era.
Apply now for an IDFC First Credit Card.
This article will come in handy when you are in need and it’s always good to know whom to call when you are stuck!
Have you availed of the Roadside Assistance services in India? How has been your experience? Share your experience in the comments below.
Editor’s note: This is a recurring post, regularly updated with new information and offers. Last Updated 27th May 2023.
Bank Of Baroda Eterna Credit Card is the flagship offering from their credit card division known as BOB Financial. This card costs in line with other premium cards available in the market but gives a super premium card reward rate. This card comes on Visa Infinite and MasterCard World platforms.
I was holding a BOB Eazy Credit Card for the last 3 years and was a very early customer for them. I recently got my card upgraded to Eterna since I was using BOB cards a lot recently due to their mouthwatering online offers so that I could further sweeten the deal on all my online spending. Here’s a detailed review of this card.
Spend ₹25,000 on your card within the first 60 days of the card setup date for first-year fee reversal*.
Welcome Benefits
6 Months FitPass Pro
Annual Fee
₹2499+GST
Annual Fee Waiver
Spend ₹2.5L on your card in a year for an annual fee waiver.
Add-on Card Charges
NIL
*Fee reversal will reflect in the 4th bill statement from the card issuance month.
Currently, BOB is running a limited-period offer and offering unconditional LTF (except Bank Of Baroda Eterna) offers on many of their cards. We are also sharing with you an exclusive referral link for all TechnoFino readers. If you think I have been able to add some value to your spending then as a token of gratitude you can go ahead by applying from our link. So what is stopping you from grabbing a BOB card?
Reward Points Accrual
Spends Area
Reward Rate
Capping
Online Spends / Travel / Dining / International
15RP/ ₹100 (4X + 1X)
5000 RP/ Month(4X)
Selected MCCs
1.5RP/ ₹100
None
All Retail Spends
3RP/ ₹100 (1X)
None
*Reward program not applicable on Fuel, EMI transactions & Cash withdrawals.
Online Spends include wallet loads.
The capping of 5000 Reward Points exists on the 4X part of the total 5X reward points.
Further spending on categories mentioned in the 1st column will earn you Reward Points at the regular earn rate of 1X.
Reward Points Redemption
Spends Area
Reward Rate
Online / Travel / Dining / International
3.75%
Selected MCCs
0.375%
All Other Retail Spends
0.75%
Fuel
0%
For special MCCs, we get lesser reward points including some high-spending categories like Rent, Insurance, Utilities, and Government Transactions. Earlier these transactions were yielding rewards at 3.75% but not from now onwards.
Special MCCs List
1 Reward Point = 25p when redeemed for statement cash.
Reward redemption charges are absolutely zero.
The card is great for online spending, travel, and dining spending. The reward rate in other categories is poor. The USP is that reward points can simply be redeemed as a statement credit for 25p per point that too without any redemption charges which is a great feature as most banks are nowadays charging for direct cash redemptions. And that 5000 Reward Point capping on the accelerated category is also very decent as compared to other BOB Cards.
Milestone Benefits
10,000 Reward Points on spending ₹50,000 within the first 60 days.
20,000 Reward Points on spending ₹5,00,000 in a year.
Bonus Reward points for Milestone Rewards will be posted to eligible cardholders’ credit card accounts within 30 days of the promotion end date.
TechnoFino Maximum
If you spend ₹41,700 (Online / Travel / Dining / International) per month then you will cross the threshold of a maximum of 5000 of 4X reward points and get additional 1250 points at the rate of 1X and the total becomes 6250 Reward Points. With this, you will be able to achieve the yearly milestone of 5L spending and get another 20,000 Reward Points every year. So now you have earned 95K reward points worth ₹23750 on spending just ₹5L which makes the equivalent reward rate of a huge 4.75%CASHBACK.
With the above, you also get to waive your renewal fee for the next year. I have not added the first-year milestone benefit in the above calculations.
Other Benefits
Lounge Access
Domestic – Unlimited access for both primary & add-on cardholders)
Cardholders can get up to 3-lifetime free add-on cards for their spouse, parents, siblings, or kids. It’s disappointing to see no international access on this card but with the price point at which it comes and the kind of rewards, it gives I don’t have any complaints.
PayTM Movies Offer
Buy One Get One free movie ticket at Paytm movies up to ₹250/Month.
Golf Benefits
4 complimentary rounds of green fees per calendar year (not more than 1 round in a single calendar month).
12 complimentary golf lessons per calendar year (1 lesson per calendar month).
Discounted golf services at 50% of the green fee beyond complimentary sessions.
To Book Call- 1800-102-6263
Fuel Surcharge Waiver
1% fuel surcharge waiver at all fuel stations across India on transactions between ₹400 and ₹5,000
Max. surcharge waiver ₹250 per statement cycle.
No Reward Points are earned on fuel transactions.
Discounted Forex Markup
This card offers a discounted forex markup of 2% + GST applicable.
Insurance
Personal Accidental Death Cover:- Air: ₹1Cr; Non-Air: ₹10L.
Zero liability on lost card: Report the loss of the card immediately to ensure zero liability on any fraudulent transactions.
Eligibility
Indian resident.
Age 21 to 65 years.
Annual income required ₹12L.
For a paid variant above criteria are followed internally by the bank and if you want it LTF then the bank is giving it on an approval basis for ITR having income above ₹30LPA. Unofficially existing card holders can upgrade to a paid Bank Of Baroda Eterna if they have a limit of ₹2L on their current BOB Card.
Customer Care Details
For feedback/suggestions/complaints/requests the customer can contact BOB Financial @ 1800-103-1006 / 1800-225-100 or write to crm@bobfinancial.com from your registered mail-id.
TechnoFino Recommends
BOB is very aggressive with its offers like 12-15% on flights/hotels via EaseMyTrip, Yatra.com, or even 5% cashback on bill payments via Amazon Pay. BOB is running a 5% cashback offer on utility bill payments for the last 2 years continuously on Amazon through which we can even book a gas cylinder at 5% off!! Even though it is a lending arm of a PSU Bank but is phenomenally aggressive when it comes to tie-ups with merchants.
Since the team involved is quite small so you may need a great amount of patience in dealing with their slow-to-respond customer care team.
And still, if you are not comfortable with the idea of keeping a premium paid card in your portfolio then I would suggest you go for any of its LTF cards like BOB Premier or BOB Select so that you can enjoy BOB’s online offers carefree.
So what is stopping you from applying for a BOB credit card with so many benefits?
How has your experience been with BOB Credit Cards? Share your thoughts below!
Editor’s note: This is a recurring post, regularly updated with new information and offers.
EazyDiner is a dine-out application just like Dineout or Zomato backed by Vir Sanghvi and other top hoteliers. It’s primarily related to India and now expanding its footprint in Dubai as well. With this, you can book tables at your nearby restaurants, and even buy prepaid QSR deals for that on-the-go snacking. It has all the answers for the most enjoyable, authentic, and friction-free table booking experience. EazyDiner Prime is their membership program which gives ultimate dining benefits.
You can book over 10,000 restaurants in Delhi NCR, Mumbai, Bengaluru, Pune, Chennai, Kolkata, Goa, and over 150 cities in India & Dubai. They have an app as well as a website for bookings. For bookings in India, they also provide a 24×7 complimentary concierge service.
EazyDiner Prime is their paid-only membership program which promises exclusive access to the 2000+ hottest bars and restaurants. It also guarantees you a minimum of 25% off and up to 50% off at top restaurants in India & Dubai. Currently, they are offering the annual membership at a discounted price of ₹2495/year.
By using EazyDiner Prime membership benefits you get the following benefits extra.
Save up to ₹3,000 every time you eat out with a guaranteed 25% to 50% discount at bars and restaurants.
Enjoy a complimentary cake or dessert at select restaurants on your birthday and anniversary.
Enjoy 50% OFF when you take away a birthday or anniversary cake, anytime during the month.
Earn 2x EazyPoints and redeem them for free meals faster.
Joining Bonus of 2000 EazyPoints.
Now, PayEazy is a payment channel provider that helps you pay the restaurant bill. This helps you make a transaction with any debit or credit card to enjoy offers and discounts from their payment partners. You have to keep in mind that not all restaurants available on EazyDiner give Prime benefits and also not all the Prime restaurants are PayEazy enabled. For a maximum savings combination, a restaurant should be a PayEazy-enabled Prime restaurant.
So if you are using EazyDiner Prime then you are entitled to a 25% to 50% flat discount at the restaurant level and then additional benefits up to 40% depending upon the card you are using to pay the bill via PayEazy.
A bill of ₹4,000 in a restaurant gets an EazyDiner discount of let’s say, 25% and becomes ₹3,000 and then becomes ₹2250 instantly with this card!
How it works?
Here’s how you can avail maximum discount when you dine in with EazyDiner.
Go to EazyDiner App/Website
Select a deal at your choice of Prime restaurant and confirm the booking.
After you reach the restaurant and grab your table do inform the server that you have booked a table using EazyDiner.
Enjoy your meal, and open up the application.
To make a payment towards the bill, open the EazyDiner App and select PayEazy and pay with the best card offer you can see.
If the restaurant is not PayEazy enabled then you can pay the discounted bill in cash but you get to lose all the online payment offers.
New to EazyDiner?Download the application and use the referral code: BHAVY9104 to get a ₹500 worth voucher.
Cards Offers
EazyDiner has partnered with quite a lot of banks to offer you quite lucrative offers which they keep on changing. Here is a list of all the ongoing offers.
Currently, their best offer is a 40% discount on min. bill of ₹2500 up to ₹1000 on Super Premium cards. Like Axis BankMagnus, Vistara Infinite, Burgundy, and Reserve which is usable once in 15 days.
They have also recently launched an IndusInd EazyDiner Credit Card which offers 25% OFF up to ₹1000. Also, there are no minimum billing amount requirements, This offer can be used unlimited times in a month along with a complimentary premium alcoholic beverage for the whole table!
My Experience
My personal experience with EazyDiner has been quite smooth as compared to its major competitor Dineout as I have never been refused a table or denied the listed perks whenever booked. I happened to land on this application after getting a voucher for the fee paid for getting my Indusind Iconia Amex card. I used it for a family buffet at a five-star hotel in Gurugram back in 2018.
The good thing is that many in-house restaurants of five-star properties are included in their network too. This makes my life easier when I am residing in them. Their mobile application is also very smooth and swanky with a clean user interface.
I got my last membership by redeeming Flipkart Supercoins and it came damn cheap. For people living in tier 1 cities and eating out regularly, this application is the way to dine out. During a recent visit to Delhi, I happened to visit the Soda Bottle Opener Wala outlet in DLF Mall of Noida and my experience with EazyDiner and PayEazy was seamless. I used my Axis Vistara Infinite Credit card to bust my bill worth around ₹4000 and paid just ₹1750. I have shared all the details in this tweet.
Have you used Eazydiner Prime and how’s been your experience? Feel free to share your thoughts in the comments below.
Editor’s note: This is a recurring post, regularly updated with new information and offers. Last Updated 24th May 2023.
IndusInd Bank recently launched a co-branded credit card in collaboration with EazyDiner. It’s a surprising new addition since EazyDiner already has a slew of banking partners for various offers on their application and hence exclusivity cannot be maintained. The card has been creating a lot of hype. This keen interest is due to the devaluation of the evergreen favourites of IndusInd Bank like Iconia, Legend, and Pinnacle.
EazyDiner is a dine-out application primarily related to India and now expanding its footprint in Dubai as well. With this, you can book tables at your nearby restaurants and even buy prepaid QSR deals for that on-the-go snacking.
Let’s check out all that this card brings on to the table and whether it makes sense to switch to it or not!
I know you are thinking that the joining fee has been over-compensated with the welcome benefits worth double the fee paid. But keep in mind that Postcard Hotels is a luxury hotel chain and their most basic room starts from 16000 onwards per day with the priciest one costing nearly 2L per day! So to use that voucher you have to pay a good difference using your Indusind EazyDiner card. This more or less looks like a promotional voucher from Postcard Hotel. But if luxury is your way to go then this voucher will give you a wonderful new experience of a postcard-perfect hotel. Postcard Hotel voucher is transferable but payment at the hotel needs to be done using IndusInd EazyDiner card only.
You also get an EazyDiner Prime Membership along with this card which costs more than the annual fee paid itself. Plus you also get 2000 EazyPoints every year on renewal.
Reward Accrual
Spends Area
Earn Rate
Reward Rate
Dining, Shopping, and Entertainment.
10 Reward Points/₹100
2%
All other retail spends*.
4 Reward Points/₹100
0.80%
EazyDiner Table Bookings
3X EazyPoints
NA
*Retail spending excludes fuel spending.
1 Reward Point = 20p
Accumulated reward points will expire at the completion of every anniversary year.
EazyPoints expire if you don’t do a transaction for more than 6 months on the EazyDiner platform.
EazyPoints are earned differently than the Reward Points on the EazyDiner application. Following are the ways in which you can earn EazyPoints.
Out of all the above ways, you will get 3X EazyPoints on the Book a Table Feature only, and the rest of earning rate will be as usual. If you are a non-prime member you are entitled to 25 EazyPoints per diner (50 EP if you are a Prime) on booking a table so with this card you will receive 75 EazyPoints per diner.
Reward Redemption
You can earn rewards in two different forms that are Reward Points and EazyPoints but the currency is a single entity called EazyPoints. Now the interesting part is that the redemption process for both of them is different. As both points will be visible separately in your application once you have the card linked to your application. I would say that this is a poor execution of the product since it makes it complex to understand for a novice card user.
For redemption, you have the following options.
Reward Points
Reward Points earned on spending are instantly redeemable against your food bills at 20p per point. You cannot redeem them in cash.
Reward Points are instantly redeemable against food bills on the EazyDiner app.
EazyPoints Redemption
You can redeem EazyPoints against Meal Vouchers, Restaurant events or free Hotel Stays as and when they are unlocked for you.
EazyPoints when redeemed for a meal voucher gives you a value of 20p each and have a minimum spending condition. A 200 voucher comes with a 1000 minimum billing condition. So redemptions for meal vouchers are pointless since you won’t be able to 20%-40% club card discounts with them and points would simply go to waste.
You can also redeem EazyPoints for a night’s stay in select juSTa Resorts in Dharamshala and Shimla. A night at juSTa Birding Dharamshala starts from 11K a night whereas juSTa Cliffend Resort & Spa Mashobra Shimla costs around 25K a night with the same redemption requirements.
Further if luxury is your cup of tea then Postcard Hotel (Goa/ Sri Lanka/ Bhutan) redemption option is also there for 30K EazyDiner points. But there is a condition of paying the full amount for the first night and then the second night becomes complimentary.
For getting the maximum out of EazyDiner points I recommend you accumulate them and use them for hotel redemptions. But yes these points will only be worthy of a meaningful redemption if you are a regular EazyDiner user.
TechnoFino Tip: You can easily get ₹6/EazyPoint if you redeem them for the Postcard Hotel voucher and book their topmost Dewa Suite in Thimpu, Bhutan, or ₹2.5/EazyPoint if used for a night’s stay at juSTa Cliffend Resort & Spa Mashobra Shimla, India.
EazyDiner Prime Membership
This card offers you an annual EazyDiner Prime Membership on payment of your renewal fees every year which currently they are offering at a discounted price of ₹2495/year.
EazyDiner Dining Benefits
Discount on your food bill
Avail an extra 25% OFF up to ₹1000 every time you eat out & pay on the app via PayEazy over and above the Prime Discount. This offer is valid on takeaway as well.
Exclusive extra 25% OFF up to 1000 is applicable through IndusInd EazyDiner Credit Card only on paying on the EazyDiner App online via PayEazy.
You can avail of this discount multiple times in a day but will not be applicable if consecutive transactions are made at the same restaurant within a gap of 120 minutes or less. So clearly you can’t split the payment and enjoy the double dip.
The most highlighted feature of this card is that there are no minimum billing amount requirements and can be used unlimited times in a month unlike other card offers available on PayEazy.
Now, PayEazy is a payment channel provider that helps you pay the restaurant bill. This helps you make a transaction with any debit or credit card and other popular payment gateways and enjoy offers and discounts from their payment partners. You have to keep in mind that not all restaurants available on EazyDiner give Prime benefits and also not all the Prime restaurants are PayEazy enabled. So for a maximum savings combination, a restaurant should be a PayEazy-enabled Prime restaurant.
So a bill of ₹4,000 in a restaurant gets an EazyDiner discount of let’s say, 25% and becomes 3,000 and then becomes 2250 instantly on paying via EazyPay with this card!
Complimentary Premium Alcoholic Beverages
This is another unique feature of this card is that at over 200 amazing bars and restaurants, you get to enjoy a complimentary pour of Singleton Single malt Whisky or Black Dog or a glass of Fratelli Wine or a pour of Hapusa Gin per diner in addition to the above savings! Yes, it’s unreal!
Every diner gets a complimentary premium alcoholic beverage at over 200 select restaurants.
Complimentary premium alcoholic beverage is available for each diner at select restaurants only.
You can view these select restaurants using the ‘Free Drinks’ filter on the restaurant listing page.
The offer is applicable if the restaurant booking is done using the EazyDiner App.
The details of the brand and serving size will be at the discretion of the restaurant.
Here’s how you can avail of maximum discount when you dine in with your IndusInd EazyDiner Credit Card
Go to EazyDiner App/Website
Select a deal at your choice of Prime restaurant and confirm the booking.
After you reach the restaurant and grab your table do inform the server that you have booked a table using EazyDiner.
Enjoy your meal, and open up the application.
To make a payment towards the bill, open the EazyDiner App and select PayEazy and pay with the best card offer you can see.
New to EazyDiner? Download the application and use the referral code: BHAVY9104 to get a ₹500 worth voucher.
Other Benefits
Lounge Access
Domestic: 2 Complimentary Visits/Quarter using Visa Lounge Access Program.
BookMyShow Offer
You can get two free Movie Tickets of ₹200 each every month on bookings made via BookMyShow.
The quota of free tickets is applicable to a Card account (which is inclusive of Add-on Cards).
Now, this is quite a tempting offer since this card is offering absolutely no conditions attached to free movie tickets instead of the usual BOGO offer. All you have to pay is the difference in the ticket price and internet handling fees of BMS. This offer is similar to what I have been using for years on my Yes First Debit Card.
So if you are living in a tier 2 city where tickets are usually around ₹200 per person then two of you are covered for a free movie every month!
Forex Markup Charges
All overseas transactions are levied with a 3.5% +GST as transaction fee.
Fuel Surcharge Waiver
Enjoy a 1% fuel surcharge waiver across all fuel stations in India. This waiver is applicable for all fuel transactions between ₹400 to ₹4000 only. Since no capping has been mentioned by the bank on this card I think it’s an unlimited fuel surcharge waiver.
TechnoFino Recommends
Since most of the listings on EazyDiner are limited to bigger cities, I would highly recommend the IndusInd Eazydiner card to you if you are living in tier-1/2 cities and regularly eat out. Even if you have better rewarding PayEazy partnered cards with you, this card makes a lot of sense since you can avail of discounts unlimited times.
The reward rates on this card are not that exciting. But for me, this card is about new experiences like Postcard hotel stays and complimentary alcoholic beverages.
I saw so much noise regarding the high fee for this card. But I feel the fee being asked for is a fraction of the cost of the benefits involved since even on using BookMyShow benefits on this card you will be able to ₹4800 every year. With annual Prime membership, lounge access, and a good reward rate the fee is very much justified.
Are you planning to get hold of the IndusInd EazyDiner Credit Card? Feel free to share your thoughts about this card in the comments below.
Editor’s note: This card has been discontinued w.e.f. 15th May 2023.
RBL Bank has started issuing Zomato Edition Black again after the embargo was lifted from the MasterCard network. Currently, you can get an upgrade to this card only if you are holding a Zomato Edition Classic, and is not an easy task.
Read on to find out whether you should apply for this card after the recent devaluations!
Annual fee waived off on spending ₹2,50,000 ₹4,00,000 in the preceding year.
Clearly, this card is too bad when it comes to renewal and welcome benefits, absolutely no value is given back in the form of Edition Cash. Even RBL Bank is offering better joining benefits on Zomato Edition Classic. With an increased annual fee waiver condition this card has lost its charm.
Reward Accrual
Spends Area
Reward Rate
Capping
Dining/ Delivery (Zomato) & Blinkit
10 Edition Cash/₹100
1000 Edition Cash/Day
All other Spends*
1 Edition Cash/ ₹100
None
Offline Dining (Anywhere)
10 Edition Cash/₹100
Unlimited
Birthday Spends
10 Edition Cash/₹100
Unlimited
Online Spends/Online food orders from other platforms
2 Edition Cash/₹100
Unlimited
Offline Spends (including fuel)
1 Edition Cash/₹100
Unlimited
*Edition Cash accrual is not applicable on spending done on wallet load & rent payments.
1 Edition Cash = 1 Zomato Credit = 1 INR worth of food on Zomato.
Edition Cash will be credited to your account within 3 working days of making a purchase or crossing a spending milestone.
On the Zomato app, your Edition Cash works just like real money. Use it to order food online or to pay at restaurants, using your Zomato app.
After this recent mindless devaluation, I am surprised to see that they have left not much difference between Classic and Black cards. With no 2% cashback on offline spending and 10% on offline dining, this card is certainly not worth the fee being asked for. But even after the recent devaluation, the reward structure is still very aggressive for a bank like RBL. With 1% Edition Cash on online spending, it is still better than most of the cards of RBL Bank.
A 10% reward rate on offline dining spending is also quite lucrative.But the real reason why this card is the most sought one currently is its birthday offer, a flat 10% reward on all the spending is just too good to be true. Let’s see till when this offer will sustain till then carpe diem! All gone now!
Reward Redemption
Edition cash can be converted to Zomato credits in a click and can be used instantly for ordering food and can be combined with available discount coupons, which makes it even more rewarding.
This is a great product from RBL Bank and they can capture a good market with this card. But they need to make the upgrades and application process smoother and more transparent and also sort out the cashback issues at the earliest.
Milestone Benefit
Get 2000 Edition Cash on spending ₹5,00,000 every year.
This benefit is another nominal addition to the existing reward structure that jacks up the reward rate by 0.4%. Not surprised to see this at all as here also the Zomato Edition Classic gives better milestone benefits than this card!
Zomato Pro Plus Membership
Currently, you get an annual Zomato Pro Plusmembership which gets renewed annually as long as you hold this card which gives you unlimited free deliveries. But since Zomato has stopped giving Pro Plus memberships to customers anymore it has been excluded from the card offering in the future and will last till your current membership is active. Nevertheless, the benefits of this membership (except free delivery) are for namesake these days as Zomato is out of competition as compared to mouth-watering offers available on Dineout and EazyDiner Prime.
Lounge Access
Domestic Airport Lounge Access: The Card Member will get 2 complimentary visits/quarter in a tie-up with the Mastercard network.
International Airport Lounge Access: The Cardmember will also get 2 complimentary visits/year, with Priority Pass, which is available upon request.
BookMyShow BOGO Offer
The cardmember will get 1 movie ticket free on purchase of 1 movie ticket at BookMyShow, once a month. The maximum discount amount will be INR. 200/- per transaction.
Forex Markup Charges
The Card Member will be eligible for a low forex markup of 1.50% on all international transactions which is quite competitive.
How to apply?
Check out the money tab on your Zomato application and apply for Edition Classic Card first. Zomato has already given invites to the masses but if you are still to get an invite you can refer to the steps given on the TechnoFino Communityhere for an invite. Now you can try and ask RBL for an upgrade to Zomato Edition Black. We have compiled all the required steps here for the upgrade.
The upgrade has not been smooth for many people as per the general feedback that I have received. Though the upgrade has been easier for people having a good relationship with RBL Bank.
TechnoFino Recommends
RBL Bank has recently devalued this card so much that there is not a single reason I can suggest you for holding this card. If you are having an LTF version of this card which is very rare to be seen then continue to use it on merchant offers till you find a more suitable RBL credit card for your spending needs. And it simply makes no sense to get a paid version of this card now.
Instead, you can explore Axis Airtel, IndusInd Eazy Diner and AU Bank Zenith which are currently giving the best rewards on food delivery and dining. And if you are holding other premium cards then don’t bother about this card.
Are you holding RBL Zomato Edition Black? Feel free to share your thoughts about the recent devaluations in the comments below.
Editor’s note: This is a recurring post, regularly updated with new information and offers. Last Updated 24th May 2023.
Standard Chartered Ultimate credit card as the name goes by is the topmost card offering from the SCB and offers an exceptional reward rate on all your spending. The point of difference between this card as compared to other Super-Premium cards is that this card rewards you on spend categories without any exclusions.
SC is currently offering this card on Visa Infinite and MC World platforms and both have their own perks. You can go for the MasterCard World for its extensive lounge network or else you can ask for the Visa Infinite to reap the benefits of the BookMyShow BOGO offer.
Let’s check out all that this card brings to the table!
The 6,000 reward points will be credited within 60 days after the realization of the joining fees by the bank.
Overall you get to lose ₹900 worth of GSTevery renewal as the renewal benefits don’t match the fees paid for renewal.
Reward Accrual
Spends Area
Reward Rate
All retail spends*
5 Reward points/₹150 ~ 3.33%
Utilities, Supermarkets, Insurance, Property management/Rent Pay, Schools & Government payments
3 Reward points/₹150 ~ 2%
1 Reward Point = ₹1.
*Retail spending excludes fuel.
Rewards points have an expiry of 3 years from the date of accrual.
Reward Redemption
The best value of its redemption lies in its Gift Vouchers since the rest of the products are mostly available on MRP and you get to lose the discounts that online stores offer. Standard Chartered Ultimate reward points can be converted to brand vouchers in a 1:1 ratio from a vast catalogue. Popular options include
I know you were looking for a cash equivalent Amazon voucher in this list 😉 but to your disappointment Amazon and even Flipkart are not among the available redemption options. The most popular redemption usually is Croma due to the value it delivers as they do a price match with Amazon.
If you are not interested in buying electronics then you can simply redeem for Bluestone vouchers and use them to buy gold coins.
Also, you can use Marriott Bonvoy vouchers and redeem them for your hotel stays and earn membership points along with all the complimentary privileges assigned to you as per your loyalty status level. Nykaa is another good option that can give you good value since it hardly runs any bank offers.
TechnoFino Tip: Since this card carries a redemption fee of ₹99 + GST so it is smarter to redeem points in bulk for a bouquet of required brand vouchers as per your need in a single redemption order.
Lounge Access
Domestic: 4 Complimentary Visits/Quarter.
International: Primary and Supplementary card holders are eligible for 1 complimentary international lounge access per month via Priority Pass but it is conditional.
To qualify for complimentary PP visits you have to spend more than ₹20,000 in the previous month on the card which is a downer for a card of this stature.
Golf Access
1 complimentary Golf game per month, per valid cardholder, and this benefit is non-transferable.
1 complimentary coaching session per month for the cardholder.
Duty-Free Cashback
This is a unique offering on Standard Chartered Ultimate which offers 5% cash back on duty-free transactions at various airports with a maximum limit of ₹1000 per month.
Forex Markup Charges
All overseas transactions are levied with a 3.5% transaction fee. Cardholders are eligible for a cashback of 1.5% of the transaction fee amount on overseas transactions. The cashback amount effectively reduces the forex markup to 2% + GST.
Cashback will be credited within 60 days from the date of the transaction.
Fuel Surcharge Waiver
A fuel surcharge waiver of 1% is applicable max of up to ₹1000 per month.
How to apply?
The eligibility criteria for this card:
₹24L Per Annum ITR
Existing credit card with a limit of ₹4L for a card-to-card basis application.
The smoothest way to get hands-on with this card is if you are an existing SC credit card holder with a ₹4L limit then you can apply directly online without any documentation and get the card delivered to you within a week or two. And if you applying basis on another bank’s card then better proceed with a call to the bank as online applications are being rejected by quite a number.
Standard Chartered Bank is highly inclined towards listed employers, so getting a card for a self-employed person is difficult. So remember this before applying for a card and later repenting for your CIBIL getting that hit.
TechnoFino Recommends
Standard Chartered Ultimate card gives direct competition to HDFC Infinia and HDFC Diners Club Black since the base reward rate is the same.
The main difference lies in the redemption since with the above HDFC twins you will get the face value of the points only if redeemed for hotel/flight bookings that too for 70% of the amount or more than that if you prefer miles. But if you go for voucher redemptions this value gets reduced to 50p a point whereas with Ultimate you get to redeem at a rupee per point and with so many travel redemption options available it’s even harder to take the call.
Do you already hold the SC Ultimate card or planning to get it? Feel free to share your experiences in the comments below.
Axis Vistara Signature credit card is the middle variant among the three credit cards that Axis is having in partnership with Vistara. Vistara for the first time in India had coined a new configuration that is Premium Economy. In this you get a Business class like experience on an economy-sized seat at almost 1.5-2X the economy prices.
This card gives you milestone benefits in the form of Premium Economy tickets. Read on to know the benefits, how you can maximize them, and also whether there are better alternatives available or not!
Get 1 Premium Economy ticket complimentary on payment of the annual fee.
Renewal Fees
₹3,000 + GST
Renewal Benefits
Get 1 Premium Economy ticket complimentary on payment of the renewal fee every year.
Renewal Fee Waiver
NA
The e-Gift voucher will be sent via e-mail within 15 working days post payment of the Annual Fee.
You will have to claim the voucher within six months of issuance post which they will be auto-credited to your account.
After claiming the voucher you get another 3 months to use them after which they will get expired.
This premium economy ticket voucher covers 2X-3X of the joining fees and even the renewal fees payment so I can clearly say that this card is better than an LTF credit card. Since even if you are flying economy the average ticket price is above 5K if booked a month ago but this card gives you a PEY ticket in just ₹3,000 + GST.
Menu card for Premium Economy fliers.
Reward Accrual
Spends Area
Reward Rate
All Spends
4 CV Points/ ₹200
Spends include all retail spend categories excluding wallet loads, rent payments and fuel spending.
This card has decent CV points earning rates among all the Vistara Cobrand credit cards on generic spending. Axis has excluded fuel spending from the reward structure but SBI Vistara Prime offers CV points even on fuel spending which makes it a lucrative fuel card also.
Milestone Benefit
Just like all other Vistara co-branded cards, the real value of this card lies in its milestone benefits.
Spending Amount
Milestone Reward
₹75,000 within 90 days of card issuance.
3,000 CV Points
₹1.5L
1 Premium Economy Domestic Ticket
₹3L
1 Premium Economy Domestic Ticket
₹4.5L
1 Premium Economy Domestic Ticket
₹9L
1 Premium Economy Domestic Ticket
Voucher usage conditions remain the same as that of the welcome voucher as I have mentioned above. I have done a value analysis of these vouchers later on in this article.
Veg Meal @ Vistara Premium Economy
TechnoFino Maximum
Clearly going for the ₹9L milestone makes no sense so better aim for that ₹4.5L milestone to maximize your benefits. So if you hit that ₹4.5L milestone then you will get
12,000 CV points.
3 Premium Economy tickets.
1 one-class upgrade vouchers.
With 12K CV points, you can get an economy Delhi-Mumbai return flight worth ₹12K. The 3 premium economy flight vouchers are worth a minimum of ₹8K each even if we are taking a conservative value like for the Delhi-Bengaluru flight. One one-class upgrade voucher has a value of 5-10K depending which upgrade you take. Even if we factor in the taxes the equivalent reward comes out to be around ₹35K for ₹4.5L of spends and the equivalent reward rate is a good 7.5%!
The value gets enhanced more since you can also use these vouchers and points for your family and friends by adding them as a nominee in your Club Vistara Account. Also, you don’t pay any convenience fee for the booking from their official site.
But if you believe in traveling economy and getting the cheapest fare then you will value it very differently.
Vistara CV Silver Membership
One gets a complimentary Vistara CV Silver membership till you hold an active card which offers you a host of benefits like priority boarding, priority check-in, 5Kg extra baggage allowance, and likes.
It also gives you 9 Club Vistara Points/Tier Points for every ₹100 that you spend on Vistara flights.
Lounge Access
2 Complimentary Visits/Quarter to Domestic Airport lounges via Visa Lounge Access Program.
No shared access for add-on cardholders.
Golf Access
Axis Bank Vistara Signature Credit Cardholders enjoy 3 complimentary rounds of golf per year using Axis Bank Extraordinary Weekends.
Air Accident & Fraud Liability Cover
Get a complimentary Air Accident Liability Cover of ₹2.5 Cr.
Purchase Protection Cover of ₹1 lakh in case of fire or burglary.
Cover of 300$ for the following.
Loss of check-in baggage.
Delay of check-in baggage.
Loss of travel documents.
Fuel Surcharges
1% surcharge applicable on fuel spends with no-waiver.
Forex Markup Charges
Forex Markup charges are standard 3.50% + GST
TechnoFino Recommends
If you regularly travel via flights then you can consider shifting your loyalty to Vistara if your city is serviced by them. This switch will be very easy if you are living in Delhi and Mumbai or even Bengaluru since they are the hub of Vistara.
Now talking about this card, if you are looking for a Premium Economy experience then I would prefer SBI Vistara Prime since it gives a better value than this card as it gives you Yatra Voucher worth ₹10K and a Premium Economy voucher extra on crossing ₹8L milestone. If we compare only the ₹4.5L milestone still SBI variant is better since it rewards fuel transactions also. From the Axis stable, the only Vistara card I like is Axis Vistara Infinite for its unique feature of Business Class Vouchers as milestone benefits.
Do you hold this card and enjoy business class-like luxury? Feel free to share your experiences in the comments below. If you would like to read more such articles then connect with us on Twitter.
Axis Vistara Infinite credit card is the most elite credit card out of all the three credit cards that Axis is having in partnership with Vistara. This card for sure has the power to spoil you with all the luxury of travelling business class in India. Read on to know the benefits, how you can maximize them and also whether this card is meant for you or not!
Get 1 Business Class ticket complimentary on payment of the annual fee.
Renewal Fees
₹10,000+ GST
Renewal Benefits
Get 1 Business Class ticket complimentary on payment of the renewal fee every year.
Renewal Fee Waiver
NA
The e-Gift voucher will be sent via e-mail within 15 working days post payment of the Annual Fee.
You will have to claim the voucher within six months of issuance post which they will be auto-credited to your account.
After claiming the voucher you get another 3 months to use them after which they will get expired.
With a business class ticket voucher being given on every renewal I would say this card is absolutely free even if you don’t use it since you will be getting a renewal benefit which is at least 2X-3X of the fee that you are paying.
Menu card for Business Class fliers.
Recently Axis was running a mouth-watering First-Year-Free offer on this card and I got tempted to cross the fence. As I was already having 3 Axis Cards I had to swap my Axis MyZone with this one and I am so glad I did it. I simply got a business class ticket voucher for the fee paid and then the fee also got reversed!
As per my knowledge Axis only allows you to upgrade your basic cards with this one only if you have a certain threshold limit on your card. But since I am holding an Axis card for 5 years now with a decent 3.5L plus limit, it went smooth for me.
Reward Accrual
Spends Area
Reward Rate
All Spends
6 CV Points/ ₹200
Spends include all retail spend categories excluding wallet loads and fuel spending.
This card has one of the highest CV points earning rates among all the Vistara Cobrand credit cards on generic spending. Axis has excluded fuel spending from the reward structure but SBI Vistara Prime offers CV points even on fuel spending which makes it a lucrative fuel card also.
Veg Meal @ Vistara Business Class
Milestone Benefit
Just like other Vistara co-branded cards, the real value of this card lies in its milestone benefits.
Spending Amount
Milestone Reward
₹1,00,000 within 90 days of card issuance.
10,000 CV Points
₹2.5L
1 Business Class Domestic Ticket
₹5L
1 Business Class Domestic Ticket
₹7.5L
1 Business Class Domestic Ticket
₹12L
1 Business Class Domestic Ticket
Voucher usage conditions remain the same as that of the welcome voucher as I have mentioned above. The value this card gives in the form of business-class tickets is just surreal but it depends from person to person on what exactly a person values it for.
Non-Veg Meal @ Vistara Business Class
TechnoFino Maximum
I will suggest that you better leave the ₹12L milestone and aim for that ₹7.5L milestone to maximize your benefits. The last milestone simply doesn’t justify the value propositions that it brings. So if you hit that ₹7.5L milestone then you will get
32,500 CV points.
4 Business Class tickets.
3 one-class upgrade vouchers.
With 32K CV points, you can get a return economy ticket from Delhi to Male or Mumbai to Dubai which approximately costs ₹26,000 for a revenue ticket. And if you are flying domestic then a Delhi-Bengaluru return flight will set you apart with 15K CV points. The 4 business class domestic flight vouchers are worth a minimum of ₹25-30K each even if we are taking a conservative value like for the Delhi-Bengaluru flight. With three one-class upgrade vouchers, the total benefits are worth ₹1.5L and the equivalent reward rate come out to be a whopping 15%! even if you factor in the taxes you will be paying for booking these redemption tickets.
Fruit Platter @ Vistara Business Class
But as I said earlier if you are not a regular business class traveller then you will probably value it very differently.
I hope now you can imagine the value that it gives to you. And you can also use these vouchers and points for your family and friends by adding them as a nominee in your Club Vistara Account. Also, you don’t pay any convenience fee for the booking from their official site.
Desserts @ Vistara Business Class
Vistara CV Gold Membership
One gets a complimentary Vistara CV Gold membership till you hold an active card which offers you a host of benefits like priority boarding, priority check-in, 10Kg extra baggage allowance, and likes.
It also gives you 10 Club Vistara Points for every ₹100 that you spend on Vistara flights. As a Gold member, you are also entitled to Vistara Priority Connect.
Lounge Access
4 Complimentary Visits/Quarter to Domestic Airport lounges via Visa and also via Vistara CV Gold Membership.
No shared access for add-on cardholders.
Golf Access
Axis Bank Vistara Infinite Credit Cardholders enjoy 6 complimentary rounds of golf per year using Axis Bank Extraordinary Weekends.
Air Accident & Fraud Liability Cover
Get a complimentary Air Accident Liability Cover of ₹2.5 Cr.
Purchase protection cover of ₹1 lakh in case of fire or burglary.
Cover of 300$ for the following.
Loss of check-in baggage.
Delay of check-in baggage.
Loss of travel documents.
Fuel Surcharge Waiver
1% surcharge waiver for a single transaction spends between ₹400 and ₹4,000.
Maximum surcharge waiver of ₹400 per statement cycle per credit card.
Forex Markup Charges
Forex Markup charges are standard 3.50% + GST
TechnoFino Recommends
If you are a regular business-class traveller on any airline then you can consider shifting your loyalty to Vistara if your city is serviced by them. The value that this card offers in the form of flight redemptions is just too good and makes this card a no-brainer.
Since there are direct flights to most of the cities from Delhi and Mumbai so they can be called as the hub for Vistara. So people living in these cities must hold a Vistara CoBranded card for the value it offers. For other cities you have to do your own calculations about the route on which you travel regularly.
But to extract that value you will have to spend 7.5L plus the joining fees and the taxes for the four business class redemption flights taken. So for people who travel economy, it’s important to evaluate it yourself since the value perception differs for everyone. And if it is not making much sense to you then you can explore Axis Vistara Platinum or Signature cards.
A hot cup of Starbucks coffee at 35,000ft! #DiningOnVistara
But if you are willing to live these kinds of new experiences in life then you can consider holding one. And if you are travelling business class using these redemptions then you also get eligible for exclusive business class lounges at certain airports.
How has been your experience with Vistara Business Class? Feel free to share your experiences in the comments below. If you would like to read more such articles then connect with us on Twitter.
How about a luxury chauffeured car standing right outside your home ready to take you to the airport for your next flight that too for free? Welcome to the world of Luxury Airport Transfer services which costs a bomb if availed directly but are complimentary (though not really!) if you have the right card in your portfolio.
Currently, this service in India is provided complimentary from Axis Bank on their premium travel cardAxis Atlas(Platinum Tier 15L Spending) and the ultra-luxury credit card Axis Reserve. Other than this DBS Bank offers it on their Treasures Infinite Debit Card which has a minimum TRV requirement of ₹30L.
Before looking into the details of my experience, booking process, and other T&Cs, let’s have a look into what this service actually offers.
There are usually two options available for airport transfer.
a) Luxury Airport Transfers are usually done in Merc E Class/ BMW 5 Series /Audi A-Series/ Jaguar X Series. b) Sedan Airport Transfers are given in Maruti Suzuki Swift Dzire/ Renault Logan/ Toyota Etios.
Spick N’ Span Cars and Chauffers
Luxury Airport Transfer – Interiors of Jaguar XF.
The drivers that come up are always in uniform, courteous and well-behaved. The cars are also clean inside and out but sometimes not the latest of the model. They also inform you after reaching the pickup location which is generally ~30 mins earlier than the scheduled time. They courteously wait if you are still inside the airport collecting your baggage or at home finalizing things before availing of the service.
My Experience with Axis Reserve
Complimentary Access
Axis Reserve Credit Card
For availing this service complimentary I used Axis Reserve which I have got FYF from Axis Bank. It’s one of the costliest and ultra-luxury cards from Axis Bank having whopping fees of ₹59K per year which gives 4 transfer benefits per year. Axis Bank is giving this facility in tie-up with DreamFolks Services. In my opinion, the number of transfers is quite low if compared to the fee paid for this card.
On signing in, please enter the first 8 digits of your credit card.
Please enter the travel details including your time of travel, departure/arrival location, an airport where you want to avail the services, details of guests you are traveling with, and any other special requirements.
There will be an option to choose the car type as per your location.
After entering all the required fields, proceed to make a Re.1 transaction using the Axis Bank Reserve Credit Card to authenticate the booking.
Once the Re.1 transaction is successful, the request will be submitted for processing at the bank’s end.
After this, the bank official will call you for confirming all the details and also ask you the preference of the car model.
You will get the final confirmation via mail and SMS generally a day before the transfer.
Features & Facilities
There are certain things to be kept in mind that I am sharing as per my experience which can help you ensure that your transfer goes smooth and you fully enjoy the experience.
You have to complete the booking process at least 48 hours in advance of taking the transfer.
The primary cardholder can book for up to 2 Guests per booking and can even pick up them en route if the pickup point is within city limits.
In a single car, the baggage which can be accommodated is up to 3 nos. weighing max 20-25 kg each.
There is no hard and fast distance and timing limit for the transfer since the driver is not pre-informed about the destination and route. The only condition is that your pickup or drop should be within the city limits.
The driver will wait for the customer on the travel date not more than 15 minutes from his pick-up time. In case the customer does not inform the driver of the delay. After 15 minutes the booking will be considered as a case of no show and the benefit of 1 complimentary transfer will be considered as availed.
Customers can cancel the booking at least 24 hours before service time by visiting the ‘Manage Booking’ section on the extraordinary weekend’s page.
Serviceable Airports & Car Options
Following is the list of cities with the type of car which is available in them.
a) Luxury Airport Transfers (Merc E Class/ BMW 5 Series /Audi A-Series/ Jaguar X Series): Valid across Delhi, NCR, Mumbai, Bangalore, Hyderabad, Chennai, and Kolkata.
As you can see almost all airports are covered all over India. But you will get the real value if you are availing the luxury car option which is available only in metro cities.
The Journey
My first experience of luxury airport transfer was in a Mercedes E Class to Netaji Subash Chandra Bose Aiport, Kolkata and it was indeed quite exhilarating. The driver was well before time. Plus they drop/pick you off from the VIP lane at the airports which is just next to the entry gates.
Luxury Aiport Transfer – Merc E Class
The drivers are not pre-informed about the destination as you can also pick up the accompanying guests en route to the airport. And as I was not traveling alone, so I even picked up some guests on the way to the airport. You can even take a detour to pick up guests as there are no strict distance or time restrictions as long as they live within city limits and either one of your boarding or deboarding point has to be an airport.
Luxury Airport Transfer – Jaguar XF.
While coming back from the airport I again availed the service and this time there was a slight error on the part of Axis Bank Concierge. I had informed them about my arrival time at the airport but they re-aligned it as per the Vistara timetable for the same flight number and somehow timing was different. I got a message showing that my car will be available by 8 PM whereas my arrival was at 2 in the afternoon. So I immediately called the concierge before boarding and they handled it really very well which didn’t cause me any inconvenience so full marks to them for this. Rearranging a luxury car on such short notice of 1-2 hrs is no joke.
Now the question arises is it worth it to pay/spend or mantain such high relationship for a card with this feature?
To answer this question I would say that it depends on how you value luxury and unique experiences in your life. It definitely gives you a royal feeling of traveling in these lean and clean luxury machines.
The real value per transfer is about 5K-6K but if you are someone who is content with sedan transfers using OLA and Uber then you will value it for no more than ₹1000. So the value proportion is a matter of perception. But if you love playing golf and like to travel luxuriously then why not live all these experiences at least once and then decide on continuing for next year. The only hazard I can see is if you get spoilt then you may not want to look back for good!
For sure, these cards are not meant for the masses since either the credit cards come with insane spends-based conditions and hard to get even FYF or the TRV requirements for the debit card is so high that its simply out of reach. And if you already holding these cards then now you have all the information at your disposal to use this luxury facility to its fullest.
Have you tried the airport transfer services? Feel free to share your experiences in the comments below.
Bank Of Baroda has today launched HPCL Energie Credit Card in collaboration with Hindustan Petroleum. This card is offered on RuPay platform by the issuer and with that comes the additional benefits of the RuPay platforms like lounge access and other online promotional offers. Here are all the details about this card.
Spend ₹50,000 on your card in a year for an annual fee waiver.
The joining fee on this card is well compensated with an equal value reward points though there are no renewal benefits given if you pay the fees for the next year. I don’t think that should be a reason to worry before taking this card since the annual spending required to make it free year by year is very less and can be achieved by spending on fuel alone. You can apply for this card using 100% digital application process from the link below as a token of support to TechnoFino.
Reward Points Accrual
Spends Area
Reward Rate
Capping
HPCL Spends (Fuel, LPG Purchases)
24 Reward Points/ ₹150†
1000 Reward Points*
Grocery, Departmental Spends & Utility Bills
10 Reward Points/ ₹150
1000 Reward Points*
All Retail Spends
2 Reward Points/ ₹150
None
† This card also rewards you additional 6 Payback Points on loading HP Pay Wallet using this card which jacks the reward rate by 1.5% additionally. HP Pay charges a 1% surcharge on wallet loads which will be reversed.
*After crossing the threshold all spending in the accelerated category will yield rewards at the normal reward rate of 2 Reward Points/ ₹150.
You are also eligible for a fuel surcharge waiver of ₹100/month but since I don’t consider it as a reward hence excluding it.
Reward Points Redemption
Spends Area
Reward Rate
Reward Eligible Spends Limit
HPCL Spends (Fuel, LPG Purchases)
4%
₹6250
Grocery, Departmental Spends & Utility Bills
1.66%
₹15,000
All Retail Spends
0.33%
None
1 Reward Point = ₹0.25p
Reward redemption charges are absolutely zero.
The card is great only for fuel spending at HPCL Pumps. The reward rate in other categories is very poor. The USP is that reward points can simply be redeemed as a statement credit for 25p per point that too without any redemption charges which is a great feature as most of the banks are nowadays charging for direct cash redemptions.
TechnoFino Maximum
Maximizing rewards on this simple card is a no-brainer since all you have to do is use it only for fuel spends at HPCL pumps up to a maximum of ₹6250 per month and yield the maximum benefits. You can also enroll in the loyalty program of HPCL called HP Pay and yield another 1.5% benefit. For more information on this, you can go through the Fuel Loyalty Programs in India blogpost.
I would also recommend you to book LPG cylinders using HP Pay if you are a user of HP or else you can also check for ongoing offers on LPG booking on Amazon where BOB is regularly running 5% off offers. You can also avail the unbeatable offer of 10% off on utility bills on BOB cards which is available on Amazon. And if your discom allows partial payments then using you can pay the whole bill at 10% off using multiple Amazon accounts with your add-on cards.
Lounge Access
1 Complimentary Visit/Quarter at partner domestic lounges only for the primary cardholder.
PayTM Movies
This card offers you 25% off up to ₹100 on the purchase of a minimum of 2 tickets per transaction on PayTM. This benefit can be availed twice a month. This offer is good but not that great. Good only because PayTM won’t give you those quota exhaust errors while booking like BookMyShow and not that great because of the reward rate which is generally 50% off on most of the cards.
Fuel Surcharge Waiver
1% fuel surcharge waiver maximum ₹100 per statement cycle on all HPCL fuel purchases including the spending done at the HP Pay application.
Forex Markup
Standard forex charges of 3.5% + GST applicable.
Eligibility
Indian resident
Age 21 to 65 years
Monthly Income 30,000
Generally, they are not very strict with these criteria.
Customer Care Details
For feedback/suggestions/complaints/requests the customer can contact BOB Financial @ 1800-103-1006 / 1800-225-100 or write at crm@bobfinancial.com from your resgistered mail-id.
TechnoFino Recommends
I am highly recommending this card to all the users who are using ICICI HPCL Supersaver, Uni Carbon or even the Standard Chartered Super Value Titanium as the reward rate is equivalent or even greater but without any absurd conditions and better capping.
Bank Of Baroda though needs to work on their customer care services if they really want to attract better customers towards their products. My experience with their customer service has neither been bad nor been good. Every time I have complained they have resolved my query to satisfaction but the turnaround time has been huge most of the time.
Plus even though it is a lending arm of a PSU Bank but is phenomenally aggressive when it comes to tie-ups with merchants. Whether it’s the 20% cashback on CRED club, 12-15% on flights/hotels via EaseMyTrip, Yatra.com, or even 5-10% cashback on bill payments/LPG Bookings via Amazon Pay. BOB is running a 5% cashback offer on utility bill payments for the last 2 years continuously on Amazon through which we can even book a gas cylinder at 5% off!!
So everyone should have a BOB in their wallet. I have already reviewed BOB Select and BOB Premier earlier. You can also apply for any variant of your choice using the below link.
Are you planning to apply for this BOB Credit Card? Share your thoughts below!
SBI BPCL Octane Credit Card is one of the best rewarding fuel credit cards available in India from SBI Cards. I am reviewing all the details about the same and also some negatives of the card which need to be looked into by everyone who is willing to get hold of it.
Get 6000 bonus reward points* equivalent to INR 1500 on payment of annual fees.
Renewal Fees
₹1499 + GST
Renewal Benefits
None
Renewal Fee Waiver
Spend Based fee reversal benefit – Next year Fee waiver on annual spending of ₹2L.
*Reward Points will be credited to the cardholder’s account within 30 days of the annual fee payment.
I feel the 6000 bonus points which gives you 1500 worth of fuel compensate the joining fees very well. With no renewal benefits and a ₹2L spends-based fee waiver on this card, it will only suit those with high fuel spending.
Reward Accrual
Spends Area
Reward Rate
Capping
BPCL Fuel & Lubricants (at Pumps)
25 Reward Points/ ₹100
2500 Reward Points per billing cycle
Bharat Gas spends (Website and app only)
25 Reward Points/ ₹100
500 Reward Points per billing cycle
Dining, Departmental Stores, Grocery & Movies
10 Reward Points/ ₹100
7500 Reward Points per billing cycle
*Other Retail Purchases
1 Reward Point/ ₹100
NA
*Except for Mobile wallet upload & Non-BPCL fuel spending.
So this card gives you a 6.25% reward rate on fuel spending plus a 1% fuel surcharge waiver excluding the GST on every transaction at BPCL Fuel outlets for a maximum transaction up to ₹4000. The maximum fuel surcharge waiver applicable is ₹100 per statement cycle per credit card account, which is equivalent to an Annual Savings of ₹1200.
Reward Redemption
Spends Area
Reward Rate
Rewarding Spend Limit
BPCL Fuel & Lubricants(at Pumps)
6.25%
₹10,000
Bharat Gas spends (Website and app only)
6.25%
₹2000
Dining, Departmental Stores, Grocery & Movies
2.5%
₹75000
*Other Retail Purchases
0.25%
NA
The value of 4 points is equivalent to ₹1 if redeemed for fuel. The redemption can be done instantly at select BPCL petrol pumps or can be converted into BPCL vouchers using Shop & Smile Rewards Catalog given in the SBI Cards application.
Remember that these vouchers also can also be redeemed at select BPCL fuel pumps. The list of such pumps though available on the SBI Cards website is highly unreliable. The only problem with this card is redemption for which I am sharing a tip in the last section of the article through which I have made redemption smoother for myself also for this card.
If you would convert the points into vouchers for other brands like Amazon, then the effective value will get reduced as you will get quite a skewed value.
Value with Amazon vouchers is quite skewed.
Milestone Benefit
Get e Gift Vouchers worth ₹2,000 from Aditya Birla Fashion Or Yatra Or Bata/Hush Puppies on annual spending of ₹3L which boosts your reward rate by another 0.6%. You will receive an SMS to choose from e-voucher options within 20 days of eligible spending and it will be sent to your registered mobile number/ e-mail-ID within 5 working days of choosing the option.
TechnoFino Maximum
For maximizing rewards on SBI Octane use it for fuel or cylinder refills of a maximum of ₹10,000 per billing cycle will give you ₹7500 worth of fuel every year. But the problem lies in the further difference of ₹80K required to achieve the fee waiver for next year because if you use it only for fuel and factor in the annual fees for next year then reward rates drop to 4.77%.
So for the waiver, I would recommend you to either cross the threshold via dining and grocery spending in which reward rates are better than average, or use it extensively in online SBI Cards promotional offers which SBI Cards is very aggressive with.
I would highly not recommend you to hit the ₹3L spending milestone if you have better cards since the milestone voucher value does not justify the spending requirements.
Lounge Access
1 Complimentary Visit/Quarter to Domestic VISA tie-up Airport lounges.
No shared access for add-on cardholders.
Fraud Liability Cover
Get complimentary Fraud Liability cover of ₹1 Lakh.
TechnoFino Recommends
I have been using SBI Octane for the last two years now and getting quite a good reward on it as my monthly fuel consumption is quite close to the maximum rewarding limit of this card. Initially, I was only accumulating points on this thinking that would do redemption in bulk but then I heard about many people facing redemption issues for this card.
So I started going into the details of the redemption process and found that fuel pumps listed on the website are quite far away from my home and when I called some of the pumps they said they don’t redeem the points. Finally one day I got hold of an SBI card agent at a BPCL petrol pump and, he gave the information about the nearest pump which can instantly redeem them for fuel, Now the whole process is smooth since the bunk is located at less than a km away.
I highly recommend this card to everyone having fuel spends to the tune of ₹10,000 per month to get some respite from skyrocketing fuel prices in India.
Are you using an SBI BPCL Octane Credit Card? Feel free to share your experience in the comments below.
Editor’s note: This is a recurring post, regularly updated with new information and offers. Last Updated 18th November 2023.
The Axis Bank is out again with all guns blazing. It has recently launched two co-branded credit cards surprisingly in collaboration with SpiceJet namely SpiceJet Voyage and SpiceJet Voyage Black. Axis Bank and SpiceJet are a deadly combination as the customer service of both of them is poor.
The general buzz about this card is not that great due to another Axis Bank debacle of crediting lower cashback with their recently launched Axis Airtel Credit Card. Here is a detailed overview of both the cards with my recommendation at the end of the article.
Voyage Black is the premium version of the twin SpiceJet cards.
Joining Fees
₹2000 + GST
Welcome Benefits
₹4000 worth of SpiceJet flight voucher.
Renewal Fees
₹2000 + GST
Renewal Benefits
2000 SpiceClub Points ~ ₹1000
Cardholders shall have to complete 2 transactions within 30 days of card approval to be eligible for the aforementioned e-voucher.
Cardholders will receive the voucher within 7 working days of meeting the eligibility criteria and will have a 1-year expiry.
The joining fee is well compensated with the welcome voucher but annual fees are not being justified by giving half the value worth of SpiceClub points.
Reward Points Accrual/Redemption
Spends Area
Earning Rate
Reward Rate
SpiceJet Mobile Application & Website
28 SpiceClub Points/₹200 Spends
7%
Online utility payments, Online food delivery, and Online entertainment
12 SpiceClub Points/₹200 Spends
3%
All other spends*
6 SpiceClub Points/₹200 Spends
1.5%
*Except fuel, wallet and EMI spending.
1 SpiceClub Point = 50p for redemption.
SC Points earned for the purchases during the current billing cycle will be credited to the member’s SpiceClub account within 3 working days post the statement generation date.
There is a ₹1Lakh capping on spending done on SpiceJet portals to be eligible for points but I wonder who would be able to reach this threshold, especially for an airline like SpiceJet.
Reward rates are really very poor for general spending if you think from the view that they can only be redeemed for travel. Even if you are a frequent flier then booking a SpiceJet flight from an OTA will give you better rewards.
Milestone Benefits
Spending Amount
Milestone Reward
₹2 Lakh
4000 SpiceClub Points
₹4 Lakh
6000 SpiceClub Points
The milestone benefit does jack up the rate nearly by 1% but even after that reward rate is too poor.
Other Benefits
Complimentary SpiceClub Golden Tier Membership
Cardholder gets a complimentary SpiceClub Golden Tier Membership with a host of benefits.
YOU 1st priority check-in
20% discount on meals & upgrades
Free Seat Selection
2 SpiceMax Upgrade Vouchers
2 Complimentary Meal Vouchers
1 Free Change/Cancellation Voucher
Lounge Access
2 Complimentary Visits/Quarter to Domestic Airport lounges.
No shared access for add-on cardholders.
Fuel Surcharge Waiver
A 1% fuel surcharge waiver of up to ₹400 per statement cycle, across all fuel stations in India. GST on fuel surcharge will be non-refundable.
Eligibility
For Salaried Indian National Age: Min 18 years & Max 70 Years, No mention of income criteria on the Axis Bank website for this card.
Axis Bank SpiceJet VoyageCredit Card
Joining Fees
₹750 + GST
Welcome Benefits
₹1500 worth of SpiceJet flight voucher.
Renewal Fees
₹750 + GST
Renewal Benefits
1000 SpiceClub Points ~ ₹500
Cardholders shall have to complete 2 transactions within 30 days of card approval to be eligible for the aforementioned e-voucher.
Cardholders will receive the voucher within 7 working days of meeting the eligibility criteria and will have a 1-year expiry.
Again for this card joining fee is well compensated but paying the annual fee makes no sense.
Reward Points Accrual/Redemption
Spends Area
Earning Rate
Reward Rate
SpiceJet Mobile Application & Website
18 SpiceClub Points/₹200 Spends
4.5%
Online utility payments, Online food delivery, and Online entertainment
6 SpiceClub Points/₹200 Spends
1.5%
All other spends*
3 SpiceClub Points/₹200 Spends
0.75%
*Except fuel, wallet and EMI spending.
1 SpiceClub Point = 50p for redemption.
SC Points earned for the purchases during the current billing cycle will be credited to the member’s SpiceClub account within 3 working days post the statement generation date.
There is a ₹1Lakh capping on spending done on SpiceJet portals to be eligible for points for this card also.
Again a dismal reward rate across the spending areas and milestone benefits also make no sense.
Milestone Benefits
Spending Amount
Milestone Reward
₹1 Lakh
2000 SpiceClub Points
₹2 Lakh
3000 SpiceClub Points
Even if you will be able to hit the milestone then also reward rate remains poor.
Other Benefits
Complimentary SpiceClub Silver Tier Membership
YOU 1st priority check-in.
20% discount on meals & upgrades.
Lounge Access
1 Complimentary Visit/Quarter to Domestic Airport lounges.
No shared access for add-on cardholders.
Fuel Surcharge Waiver
1% fuel surcharge waiver of up to ₹400 per statement cycle, across all fuel stations in India. GST on fuel surcharge will be non-refundable.
Eligibility
For Salaried Indian National Age: Min 18 years & Max 70 Years, No mention of income criteria on the Axis Bank website for this card.
TechnoFino Recommends
The reward rates on both cards are too poor for any recommendations. Even for spending on SpiceJet, the reward rate is extremely poor. For online bill payments, food delivery, online entertainment and everything else I therefore recommend using a cashback card like Axis Ace or Axis Flipkart and using the cashback earned to book tickets using OTAs which will give you added flexibility.
Every card issuer must apply a basic sense that you just can’t give a reward rate which is lower than cashback cards when redemption is limited only to flights. I mean it makes much more sense to get a flat cashback card than to get a lower reward rate and go for a fixed travel redemption. Vistara has done it much better with Axis Vistara Infinite and SBI Vistara Prime.
The second main factor in avoiding this card is the brand SpiceJet. The SpiceClub membership is not that value-driven as compared to Club Vistara Plus since there are no business class seats in SpiceJet hence you can’t get an upgrade and fly business. So all in all it’s not the card for anyone who flies business class domestically.
Plus the SpiceMax program is not up to the mark for the cost they ask for it. All you get is better legroom and first-row seats in the aircraft plus the discipline related to priority check-in and boarding is hardly observed by ground staff for SpiceMax customers. Indigo is much better when it comes to services, VFM and customer care. So these SpiceJet cards are a big no from my side.
Are you still planning to take these Axis Bank Credit Cards? Feel free to share your thoughts in the comments below.
SBI Club Vistara Prime Credit Card : Uber cool design in shades of blue.
SBI Club Vistara Prime is a premium travel credit card from SBI but earlier this was available only on the MasterCard platform and due to the ban SBI wasn’t able to issue this card. But now since it’s available on the VISA Signature platform this card is becoming popular again among Vistara loyalists. Read on to know the benefits and how to maximize them.
Get 1 Premium Economy ticket as an E-Gift Voucher on payment of the annual fee.
Renewal Fees
₹2999 + GST
Renewal Benefits
Get 1 Premium Economy ticket as an E-Gift Voucher on payment of the renewal fee.
Renewal Fee Waiver
NA
The e-Gift voucher will be sent via e-mail within 15 working days post payment of the Annual Fee.
You will have to claim the voucher within six months of issuance post which they will be auto-credited to your account.
After claiming the voucher you get another 3 months to use them after which they will get expired.
With a premium economy ticket voucher being given on every renewal I would say this card is absolutely free even if you don’t use it since you will be getting a renewal benefit which is at least 2X-3X of the fee that you are paying. The perks offered on this card are too good at the given fee range.
Reward Accrual
Spends Area
Reward Rate
All Spends
4 CV Points/ ₹200
Spends include all retail spend categories including fuel.
Milestone Benefit
I guess the above table must have not given you that excitement. But the real value of this card lies in its milestone benefits.
Spending Amount
Milestone Reward
₹75,000 within 90 days of card issuance.
3000 CV Points
₹1.5L
1 Premium Economy Domestic Ticket
₹3L
1 Premium Economy Domestic Ticket
₹4.5L
1 Premium Economy Domestic Ticket
₹8L
1 Premium Economy Domestic Ticket & 1 Hotel E-Voucher from Yatra worth ₹10,000
Menu card for Premium Economy fliers.
TechnoFino Maximum
So if you hit that ₹8L milestone then you will get
19,000 CV points
4 Premium Economy tickets
Hotel voucher worth 10K from Yatra
1 One-Class Upgrade Voucher
With 16K CV points, you can fly from Delhi to Male or Mumbai to Dubai which approximately costs ₹13,000 for a revenue ticket, and with the remaining 3K CV points, you can get a short route domestic ticket worth approx ₹2-3K. The 4 domestic flight vouchers are worth ₹10K each even if we are taken a conservative value like for the Delhi-Bengaluru flight.
With the ₹10K Yatra voucher and One-class upgrade voucher the total benefits are worth around ₹70K and the equivalent reward rate come out to be a whopping 8.5%! even if you factor in the taxes you will be paying for booking redemption tickets.
Veg Meal @ Vistara Premium Economy
I hope now you can imagine the value that it gives to you. And you can also use these vouchers and points for your family and friends by adding them as a nominee in your Club Vistara Account. Also, you don’t pay any convenience fee for the booking from their official site.
Vistara CV Silver Membership
One gets a complimentary Vistara CV Silver membership till you hold an active card which offers you a host of benefits like priority boarding, priority check-in, 5Kg extra baggage allowance, and likes. It also gives you 9 Club Vistara Points for every ₹200 that you spend on Vistara flights.
Lounge Access
2 Complimentary Visits/Quarter to Domestic Airport lounges.
No shared access for add-on cardholders.
Priority Pass
Enjoy complimentary priority pass membership worth USD 99 for the entire duration of the product & 2 complimentary visits/quarter(4 complimentary visits/year).
Priority Pass can be applied by calling SBI Customer Care.
Priority Pass Standard Membership is valid for lifetime but after 2 years the complimentary benefit will be discontinued even if you continue holding this card.
Usage of USD 27 plus applicable taxes will be charged on your credit card for all visits post the complimentary visits.
So better close the card and reapply after 2 years 😉
Air Accident & Fraud Liability Cover
It’s the only travel credit card in India that gives you cancellation insurance in which you can cancel 6 Vistara flight tickets per year each limited to ₹3500 for free. This concept is very interesting.
Get a complimentary Air Accident Liability Cover of ₹1 Cr.
Get complimentary credit card Fraud Liability Cover of ₹1 lakh.
Flight Cancellation Insurance: Up to 6 cancellations per year, each limited to ₹3,500.
Loss of check-in baggage up to ₹72,000
Delay of check-in baggage ₹7,500
Loss of travel documents up to ₹12,500
Baggage Damage- Cover up to ₹5000
Fuel Surcharge Waiver
1% surcharge waiver for a single transaction spends between ₹500 and ₹4,000.
Maximum surcharge waiver of ₹250 per statement cycle per credit card.
Forex Markup Charges
Forex Markup charges are standard 3.50% + GST
TechnoFino Recommends
Since India has limited full-service carriers, I highly recommend this card to anyone who is living in a city serviced by Vistara and is a frequent flier. An 8.5% reward rate is exceptionally good and other perks of holding a Vistara Silver Tier membership are extra. I rate this card a notch above Axis Vistara Signature due to the last milestone which requires 1 lakh lesser as compared to Axis and you get a Yatra voucher extra. The interesting part is, that you get points even on fuel spending.
SBI generally does not have cards catering to HNIs but after the launch of SBI Aurum, I guess they can launch a card that gives business class vouchers just like Axis Vistara Infinite.
I am holding this card in my family but also planning to close my SBI Octane (since I already have another Octane in my family) and apply for this card. But since the process is not direct and I would have to go for a new application, so I haven’t taken the move yet. So if you are already holding three SBI cards like me then the process is a bit difficult to acquire this card but if your count is two then simply go ahead and apply for this card directly.
What are your thoughts on the SBI Vistara credit cards? Feel free to share your comments below. If you would like to read more such articles then connect with us on Twitter.
BNPL or Buy Now Pay Later services are snowballing in India due to their aggressive marketing, hassle-free onboarding, and jaw-dropping discount offers. They are also servicing customers who otherwise are not eligible for traditional credit cards as that is their usual target audience as the risk involved is more so is the reward for the companies. But is the picture really that rosy as portrayed by the BNPL players that you should take the plunge? Read on to know and decide for yourself!
Most of the BNPL companies market their product like a credit card whereas it is nothing but a short ticket loan or a credit line given to you by the lender and reflects the same in your CIBIL report. Such loans are generally given by NBFCs while the interface is managed by a fintech like Slice, Lazypay, Uni, and likes. As I had already mentioned in a previous article that a consumer or a personal loan active in your credit history is viewed as negative by lenders.
And with this comes all the associated problems attached to a loan account like your whole limit is reported in your report irrespective of your usage. Plus banks will not readily give you loans for anything after seeing so many borrowings already being reported in your CIBIL.
2) Lack Of Regulations
As this is not a credit card hence RBI guidelines pertaining to credit cards are not applicable to them and thus it makes them reinless. And due to the lack of guidelines and a regulator, your complaints may be disposed of by the BNPL companies without any proper redressal,
3) Multiple NBFC Partners
These BNPL companies cannot give you a loan as they are not registered with RBI as a bank or NBFC hence they do tie-ups with multiple Banks and NBFCs. To increase their profit margins of lending they keep on changing their partners which ultimately will reflect in your CIBIL.
Hence even with a single BNPL product that you hold there could be multiple loan entries existing in your CIBIL and getting them removed with almost non-existent customer service will be quite a headache.
4) Fine Print & Hidden T&Cs
Since most of their customers are in the range of 18-24 and not much financially aware they tend to take advantage of this. Their fine print and terms and conditions are so dreadful that you will never even think of getting their card ever in your life. I have gone through the T&Cs of some of the BNPL players like Slice, UNI Pay & PostPe and compiled a list of many such conditions which I think everyone should be aware of before applying for them. And yes you can’t revoke the required permissions ever in order to use their services!
Some fintechs may ask you to link your Facebook and LinkedIn profiles.
These apps will ask you for your friend’s or a reference’s phone number which will obviously be used to threaten them in case your miss paying your bills.
Also if you will give your referral code to your friend or family then they may associate your name with that person and their account usage!!
They also will ask for SMS, Location, Contacts, Transaction Data, and also installed applications on your phone.
Some applications also ask you for an E-NACH mandate based on your profile so that they can deduct the outstanding with penalty charges.
With this near lack of privacy, you can yourself think that in which ways all this data can be used to harass you.
5) Worthless Grievance Redressal System
These companies do have a grievance redressal system as without it they can’t operate but that is useless as they hardly resolve the complaints and the usual customer experience with them is really bad. Also, there is no facility for chargeback or fraud protection which is vital when dealing with credit.
In the case of BNPL cards, one has to deal with both the fintech company and NBFC also for any query. While in the case of banks there is only a single entity involved and hence a single point of contact for all your queries.
6) Card Closure
Even if you decide to close this card then these fintech companies in the first instance show reluctance in closing the card. On further persuasion, they just deactivate your account but the loan account still remains active. Also for complete closure of card you may have to even approach RBI Ombudsman as I have seen in many cases in the recent past.
7) Short Credit Periods
Most of the BNPL cards have a very short period of 3-10 days to pay your bills after bill generation and due to this the probability of missing out on payments is very high. With this comes exorbitant late payment fees and interest charges just like credit cards. But credit cards give you a period of at least 18-20 days for payment of your bill.
Since their disadvantages are way more than the benefits they provide I haven’t taken any such BNPL cards till date and remain committed to this stance till there are stringent regulations on them. Further, I have also closed all my such credit lines even from reputed players like Amazon, Flipkart and Lazypay also to reduce the overall loan exposure from my CIBIL.
So how has been your experience with BNPL cards? And, if you have any other reason that you think should be included in this list then do let us know in the comments below!
Editor’s note: This card has been discontinued w.e.f. 15th May 2023.
RBL Bank had launched Zomato Edition Classic & Zomato Edition Black co-branded cards during the pandemic in 2020 and was an invite-only card then. Also, the invitation was rolled out on the Zomato application for very selected users. Since this card was being rolled out to the masses, it was creating a huge buzz everywhere until its recent devaluation. Readout to find out whether you should apply for this card or better give it a pass!
Edition Cash will be credited to your account within 3 working days of making a purchase or crossing a spending milestone.
On the Zomato app, your Edition Cash works just like real money. Use it to order food online or to pay at restaurants, using your Zomato app.
Even after the recent devaluation, the reward structure is still very aggressive for a bank like RBL. With 1% Edition Cash on online spending, it is still better than most of the cards of RBL Bank.
A 5% reward rate on offline dining spending is also quite lucrative. But the real reason why this card is the most sought one currently is its birthday offer, a flat 10% reward on all the spending is just too good to be true. Let’s see till when this offer will sustain till then carpe diem! All gone now!
The app gives a real-time reward rate and the cashback value of the transactions done which is similar to what OneCard offers in its app but for the first time for a bank.
Reward Redemption
Edition cash can be converted to Zomato credits in a click and can be used instantly for ordering food and can be combined with available discount coupons, which makes it even more rewarding.
Milestone Benefit
Get 2000 Edition Cash on spending Rs. 2,00,000 every year.
A sweet addition to the existing reward structure which jacks up the reward rate by 1%. If you hit this milestone then you will easily beat ICICI Amazon Pay and even Axis Flipkart. But keep in mind that real cashback from Axis Cards >> Edition Cash. Surprisingly this card offers a better milestone benefit than its so-called better version Zomato Edition Black.
Zomato Pro Membership
Zomato has recently announced that they are discontinuing their Pro and Pro Plus memberships hence this benefit now ceases to exist on this card for new takers.
If you are already holding this card then your Pro membership will keep on working till 2028. Also, Zomato is doing a complete overhaul of their membership plans so I think they might convert the existing users to their new offering. Nevertheless, the benefits of Pro membership are for namesake these days as Zomato is out of competition as compared to mouth-watering offers available on Dineout and EazyDiner Prime.
How to apply?
Check out the money tab on your Zomato application. Zomato has already given invites to the masses but if you are still to get an invite you can refer to the steps given on the TechnoFino Community here for an invite. Since RBL allows only one card normally hence if you are already holding an RBL card your application will most probably be declined and you will have to talk to the bank for an upgrade over your existing card. The process for the same has not been smooth for the cardholders as per various feedbacks I have received.
The onboarding process is very smooth and takes only 5-10 mins in all including the V-KYC. RBL has really upped its game with such smooth & clean onboarding but only for its new customers, I hope they soon roll out upgrades to the currently discontinued Edition Black card as well.
TechnoFino Recommends
Since this is still the best rewarding credit card from RBL Bank and can be used for various merchant offers. So if you are holding this card on an LTF pricing then I would recommend you to continue with it till you get a better card offering from RBL else better surrender this card. And if you are someone who wishes to get this card now then take it only if being offered LTF else can be given a pass!
Instead, you can explore Axis Airtel, IndusInd Eazy Diner, and AU Bank Zenith which are currently giving the best rewards on food delivery and dining. Even Axis Ace gives a 4% cashback on Zomato transactions plus the spending will help you get to complete its waiver condition also.
Do you hold the RBL Zomato Edition Classic? Feel free to share your further strategy in the comments below.
A Credit Card application can get rejected if you apply for a card without any deliberation. I am discussing here some of the significant reasons and solutions for some of them so that you become eligible for the card again.
You would not have any credit history if you have never applied for any loan or credit card and hence no credit score can be assigned to you. In the absence of any credit history, banks may hesitate to give you a credit card. Some banks, however, provide credit cards to those who are new to credit.
If you are not having any credit score then you can start with any secured credit card against an FD and gradually build your score. Don’t even think of going for a menial amount FD for getting a namesake card as the lender will allow around 80% of the FD amount as your credit limit. So a small FD will restrict your chances of getting a better card from other banks due to a low credit limit.
2) Low CIBIL Score
A CIBIL score of less than 750 may ruin your chances of getting your dream credit card. It can be low due to a variety of reasons like high credit limit utilization ratio, back-to-back multiple applications, poor repayment history, and many other factors. I have already created a post on 7 Ways to Improve Your CIBIL score which will help you with all the factors in detail.
A low credit utilization ratio (<30%) will help you dramatically in securing your new card, especially on a card-to-card application where the bank asks for your recent statement on behalf of which you are applying for the card. Also, a behavior that is seen in a bad light by the bank is multiple applications in a short span of time which shows the credit hungriness of the applicant. So better avoid this at all costs especially when your credit age is low.
Another thing that can inflate the chances of getting approval is the matching of your address with the address mentioned in the CIBIL report which also decreases the chances of physical verification.
3) Eligibility
All the banks follow certain eligibility criteria for each of their products. Though most of them are not very strict about it still you have to qualify it either on the basis of income documents or having a minimum credit limit on the other bank’s card to be sure that you are not rejected on the basis of the same.
4) Multi-Carding
Some banks allow you to hold multiple credit cards at the same time. So it’s better to know about the number each bank allows before going ahead with that application for a second card with your favorite lender to avoid getting rejected. We have compiled a list of all the banks and the number of cards they allow per customer on the TechnoFino Community which can be accessed from here.
5) Too many credit cards
There are certain banks like HSBC, ICICI, Axis, and CITI which doesn’t prefer new applicants already having huge credit limit from other banks to their names as compared to their income. Hence it is always recommended to get their cards at the start of your credit journey.
6) Non-Serviceable Area
For you to be eligible for a card you need to be located in a serviceable area of the bank. Banks will straightaway reject your application if you are located in a non-serviceable Pincode.
7) Work Profile
Your occupation plays a major role in making you eligible for a credit card. Many banks especially foreign banks prefer to give their credit cards to only salaried persons. And for self-employed or professionals working from home, the process is unfavorable due to internal policies of various banks where they sometimes reject the application due to the same address as that of home or lack of office setup.
Whereas for a salaried person a salary slip and official mail-id works wonders but if a salaried person is working in a blacklisted company then he won’t get a card from that bank. Banks can blacklist a certain company due to payment indiscipline or default by other employees of the company.
Further, certain banks have internal policies and don’t give their cards to persons having certain professions and you can hardly do anything about it.
8) Physical Verification
Some of the banks do a physical verification of both the addresses – residential and official. Hence it is important that when the representatives of the company visit the location to verify your home and office address nothing goes wrong. It is very important that the address you have specified in the credit card application is accurate.
9) Relationship with Bank
A bank cannot deny you a credit card if you don’t have a banking relationship with them but having one certainly keeps you in an advantageous situation. Having a great NRV with a bank can make things go in your favour fast.
Always remember that the credit is always at the sole discretion of the bank so all you can do is give an honest try for each application and let the bank do its own thing.
If you have any other reason that you think should be included in this list then do let us know in the comments below!
Bank Of Baroda Select Credit Card is one of the premium card offerings from the bank. This card is offered on the Visa Platinum platform by the issuer. This card is too good for online spending, bill payments, and dining. I have recently reviewed the Bank Of Baroda Premier Credit Card also which is good for travel and dining categories.
Spend ₹7,500 on your card within the first 60 days of the card setup date for first-year fee reversal*.
Annual Fee
₹750+GST = ₹885
Annual Fee Waiver
Spend ₹70,000 on your card in a year for an annual fee waiver*.
Fee reversal will reflect in the 4th bill statement from the card issuance month.
It is being offered as unconditional LTF for a limited period of time so grab now!
*Currently, BOB is running a limited period offer and offering unconditional LTF offers on many of their cards. We are also sharing with you an exclusive referral link for all the TechnoFino readers with a commitment that we will be helping you in the application process if you apply using our referral link. For any queries related to the application, you can raise them here on the TechnoFino Community. So what is stopping you from grabbing a BOB card?
Reward Points Accrual
Spends Area
Reward Rate
Capping
Dining, Utility bills, Online spends
5RP/ ₹100
1000RP/Month
All other Spends*
1RP/ ₹100
None
*Reward program not applicable on Fuel, EMI transactions & Cash withdrawals.
Reward Points Redemption
Spends Area
Reward Rate
Dining, Utility bills, Online spends
1.25%
All other Spends
0.25%
1 Reward Point = ₹0.25p
Reward redemption charges are absolutely zero.
The card is great for Dining, Utility bills, and Online spending. The reward rate in other categories is very poor. The USP is that reward points can simply be redeemed as a statement credit for 25p per point that too without any redemption charges which is a great feature as most banks are nowadays charging for direct cash redemptions.
TechnoFino Maximum
For the Dining, Utility bills, and Online spending, a spend of ₹20,000 per month will give you a cashback of ₹250.
Fuel Surcharge Waiver
1% fuel surcharge waiver at all fuel stations across India on transactions between ₹400 and ₹5,000
Max. surcharge waiver ₹250 per statement cycle.
No Reward Points are earned on fuel transactions.
Forex Markup
Standard forex charges of 3.5% + GST applicable.
Eligibility
Indian resident
Age 21 to 65 years
Monthly Income 40,000.
Generally, they are not very strict with these criteria.
Customer Care Details
For feedback/suggestions/complaints/requests the customer can contact BOB Financial @ 1800-103-1006 / 1800-225-100 or write at crm@bobfinancial.com from your resgistered mail-id.
TechnoFino Recommends
Discount on cylinder booking via Amazon Pay.
The joy of holding a BOB card lies in its offers whether it’s the 20% cashback on CRED club, 12-15% on flights/hotels via EaseMyTrip, Yatra.com, or even 5% cashback on bill payments via Amazon Pay. BOB is running a 5% cashback offer on utility bill payments for the last 2 years continuously on Amazon through which we can even book a gas cylinder at 5% off!! Even though it is a lending arm of a PSU Bank but is phenomenally aggressive when it comes to tie-ups with merchants.
You must have heard bad things about their service but honestly, my experience has been just okayish with them. The only funda I use in dealing with them is that I simply send all the complaint details in the first mail itself so that even if they take the time they have all the details to get it resolved ASAP. They do take good time sometimes but they resolve it satisfactorily.
So what is stopping you from applying for an LTF credit card with so many benefits?
How has been your experience with BOB Credit Cards? Share your thoughts below!
HDFC Bank, the no. 1 player in the credit card segment has partnered with the retail giant Shoppers Stop, one of the leading departmental stores in India. Only recently RBI gave permission to HDFC Bank for new launches and as hinted earlier by them about a variety of partnerships in the pipeline, these cards are amongst the first ones to be announced. With Citibank exiting Indian market which was having a card in partnership with Shoppers Stop there may be some takers for this card.
There are two variants of these HDFC Bank Shoppers Stop co-branded credit cards: one is the entry-level Shoppers Stop Credit Card and the other is the premium version called Shoppers Stop Black. Here’s everything you need to know about them.
₹500 worth of Shoppers Stop voucher, redeemable on minimum shopping of ₹5,000 on Private Label brands
Renewal Fees
Lifetime Free
It’s an unconditional LTF card from HDFC Bank. The welcome voucher is equivalent to a 10% discount on shopping and is really very abysmal.
Reward Points Accrual/Redemption
Spends Area
Earning Rate
Reward Rate
Capping
Shoppers Stop private label brands
6 First Citizen Points/₹150 Spends
2.4%
500 First Citizen Points/Month
Shoppers Stop Brands & other retail spends*
2 First Citizen Points/₹150 Spends
0.8%
None
*Except fuel and wallet loads.
1 First Citizen Point = ₹0.6 for redemption.
Accrued points will reflect in Shoppers Stop membership account and can only be redeemed on Shoppers Stop platform/outlets.
First Citizen Points have a validity of 1 year.
Shoppers Stop points accrued on all eligible transactions posted within the calendar month will be added up and credited on the 1st of the next calendar month.
With this card, you get one of the Shoppers Stop loyalty membership out of the five plans that they have except the Shoppers Stop Black. Though nothing clearly is mentioned in the T&C which membership will be provided to the cardholder. There is a provision for earning additional First Citizen Points as per the membership tier you hold with Shoppers Stop.
Milestone Benefits
Earn 2000 First Citizen Points on spending ₹2 Lakhs annually.
Fuel Surcharge Waiver
1% fuel surcharge waiver of up to ₹250 per statement cycle, across all fuel stations in India.
Eligibility
For Salaried Indian National Age: Min 21 years & Max 60 Years, Net Monthly Income> Rs 20,000
For Self Employed Indian national Age: Min 21 yrs & Max 65 Yrs Income: ITR > ₹6 Lakhs per annum
HDFC Bank Shoppers Stop BlackCredit Card
Joining Fees
₹5000 + GST = ₹5900
Welcome Benefits
₹500 worth 3 of Shoppers Stop vouchers, each redeemable on minimum shopping of ₹5,000 on Private Label brands.
Renewal Fees
₹5000 + GST = ₹5900
The joining fee is too high for the benefits provided on this card. The vouchers provided are a big joke as compared to the huge fees charged. Plus there is no mention of any renewal benefits or even milestone benefits which is a huge disappointment. They could have done a lot better as the wow factor is missing.
Reward Points Accrual/Redemption
Spends Area
Earning Rate
Reward Rate
Capping
Shoppers Stop private label brands
20 First Citizen Points/₹150 Spends
8%
2000 First Citizen Points/Month
Shoppers Stop Brands
15 First Citizen Points/₹150 Spends
6%
2000 First Citizen Points/Month
Other retail spends*
5 First Citizen Points/₹150 Spends
2%
None
*Except fuel and wallet loads.
1 First Citizen Point = ₹0.6 for redemption.
Accrued points will reflect in the Shoppers Stop membership account and can only be redeemed on the Shoppers Stop platform/outlets.
First Citizen Points have a validity of 1 year.
Shoppers Stop points accrued on all eligible transactions posted within the calendar month will be added up and credited on the 1st of the next calendar month.
With this card, you get it’s one of the highest tier memberships known as First Citizen Black which bumps up your reward rate by another 6% on spends done on all the brands on Shoppers Stop. It gives 20 additional First Citizen Reward Points per ₹200 spends on Shoppers Stop.
Airport Lounge Access
Complimentary Domestic Limit – 16 Visits/Year within India (4 Visits/Qtr.). Complimentary International Limit – 8 Visits/Year within India (2 Visits/Qtr.).
Fuel Surcharge Waiver
1% fuel surcharge waiver of up to ₹500 per statement cycle, across all fuel stations in India.
Additional Benefits
Accidental air death cover worth ₹3 Crores.
Emergency overseas hospitalization of up to ₹50 lakhs, in case of emergency.
Credit liability cover of up to ₹9 Lakhs.
Eligibility
For salaried Indian national Age: Min 21 years & Max 60 Years, Net Monthly Income> ₹2,00,000
For self-employed Indian national Age: Min 21 yrs & Max 65 Yrs Income: ITR > ₹8 Lakhs per annum
TechnoFino Recommends
First of all opting for a co-brand card makes no sense if you are not a heavy shopper of that particular brand so go for these cards only if you do lakhs worth of shopping from Shoppers Stop every year. Further, since HDFC Bank doesn’t allow multi-carding so if you are an existing HDFC Credit card holder then you will have to give up the card for getting this card. I am unable to understand why brands are doing partnerships with HDFC Bank since hardly anyone would anyone give up their current card for a co-branded card. This is similar to the Ka-ching credit card story in which Indigo finally had to partner with Kotak Bank.
Their basic card makes no sense if you have any other HDFC credit card since you will be able to buy vouchers at a better reward rate from HDFC SmartBuy. For the black card, I would suggest you do the maths of the benefits that you won’t be getting on the HDFC card you will be surrendering and the benefits you will be getting on this card.
Are you planning to take this HDFC Credit Card? Share your thoughts in the comments below.
Editor’s note: This is a recurring post, regularly updated with new information and offers. Last Updated 06th September 2023.
Since a steep hike in the fuel price is looking imminent due to various global factors making news and a previously shown hesitancy by the government in providing tax relief on petroleum products. I am here to bring all the information about fuel loyalty programs running in India by the various OMCs which might be helpful for some people who have substantial fuel spending every month.
Previously I had shared a detailed article on Best Credit Cards for Fuel Spends in India which can help you choose the best fuel credit card and I recommend that you read the article before this one for a better understanding. In this article, we will suggest to you the best ways to pump up the reward rate by a tiny margin in combination with the fuel cards recommended in the above-mentioned article. So let’s check out all the details!
Indian Oil offers a loyalty program for its individual and corporate(SmartFleet) customers. Its SmartFleet card is not recommended for individual users due to its 80,000 minimum points redemption condition though its reward rate is comparatively higher than XtraRewards Card.
I am highlighting features of its individual program called XtraRewards in which I am also enrolled and was earning good rewards before I switched to SBI BPCL Octane Credit Card. With this card, all you have to do is to swipe the physical card if you have or quote the registered mobile number with IOCL to the attendant so that he punches in the EDC to get the XtraReward Points. Don’t forget to ask for a slip for the points punched!
Enrolment charges are ₹60 if enrolled physically at the pump and its free for digital enrolment at https://www.xtrarewards.com/.
1 XTRAREWARD Point of filling fuel worth ₹75.
1 XTRAREWARD Point = 30p worth of fuel.
100 Bonus XTRAREWARD Points if you fill up in your birthday week.
Loyalty Program Reward Rate – 0.4%
TechnoFino Maximum
XtraRewards card when swiped in combination with co-brand cards like HDFC IOCL & AXIS IOCL cards can further pump up the reward rate and give you 5.2% and 4.4% respectively.
HP Pay Loyalty Program
HP Pay previously known as HP Refuel is a loyalty and payments program from HPCL. This program can be used from a unified mobile application that can be used to utilize all the services related to automotive fuel, LPG refills, and lubes. This mobile app accepts payment via almost all payment methods. You can either load the inbuilt wallet or pay directly and as per my personal experience, the process is seamless.
HP Pay rewards you a total of 4/6 PAYBACK points on refueling worth ₹100 depending on the card variant. (3 Points on recharge, 1 point on usage, and an additional 2 points if you have certain cards).
1 PAYBACK point = 25p worth of fuel.
PAYBACK points can be converted to wallet amount in just a click.
Loyalty Program Reward Rate – 1% – 1.5%
Before you start doing your calculations let me tell you the dealbreaker in this. HPCL charges wallet loading charges with credit cards. I am also mentioning the charges underneath which simply negates the reward that you will earn via PAYBACK. Another point worth mentioning here is that ICICI HPCL Co-brand credit cards won’t give you any surcharge waiver benefit due to the physical ICICI POS condition attached to them. So there is no question of using credit cards on the HP Pay app due to loading charges and lack of surcharge reversal except for the ones listed below.
TechnoFino Maximum
There are certain cards that offer 6 Payback points on loading an inbuilt wallet in the HPCL Pay app. BOB HPCL Energie, HPCL Supersaver credit card, and Uni Bank Carbon credit card are the best use cases possible in the case of HPCL as they both offer a net 5.5% reward rate when routed through the HP Pay app. Additionally, the fuel surcharge waiver will equalize the wallet loading charges. Further, you can swipe your Payback card additionally and get a Payback point per ₹100 spent.
Hello BPCL
Hello BPCL is the loyalty program of Bharat Petroleum in India also known as SmartDrive earlier. BPCL awards Petrolmiles on loading the integrated wallet.
PetroMiles can be earned by paying for the fuel via the built-in wallet in the Hello BPCL app which has no enrolment charges.
PetroMiles can also be earned by applying for a physical PetroBonus Card for a one-time fee of ₹250.
BPCL rewards you with 10 Miles for every ₹100 worth of fuel spent.
1 PetroMile = 1.5p worth of voucher.
Credit Cards have loading charges of 0.05% + GST.
Loyalty Program Reward Rate – 0.15% worth of PetroMiles
TechnoFino Maximum
Earlier BPCL was giving points on loading this wallet with SBI cobranded cards but that has stopped now so no such combination exists for this loyalty program. The only combination I can think of is Standard Chartered Super Value Titanium but the hassle is not worth the reward.
This is a unique article built on whatever information I could gather from various sources and since the information on OMC’s website is very limited so feedback and corrections are duly welcome. We at TechnoFino will continue to strive to provide you with the best information and for the same to reach you we welcome you to subscribe to our mailer list so that you get the information of the new articles as soon as they go live.
Are you already into any of the loyalty programs? Do share your experiences or tips & tricks that you use to maximize your reward rate on fuel.
Bank Of Baroda Premier Credit Card is one of the premium card offerings from the bank. This card is offered on Visa Signature and RuPay platform by the issuer and with that comes the additional benefits of the Signature and RuPay platforms like lounge access.
I am holding a BOB Eazy Credit Card for the last 3 years and was a very early customer for them. I was offered the card basis my savings account relationship with them. So the application process was very smooth. I will be giving more input about my experience with the card in the recommendation part but before that let’s go ahead with the details of the Premier version.
Spend ₹10,000 on your card within the first 60 days of the card setup date for first-year fee reversal*.
Annual Fee
₹1000+GST = ₹1180
Annual Fee Waiver
Spend ₹1,20,000 on your card in a year for an annual fee waiver.
*Fee reversal will reflect in the 4th bill statement from the card issuance month.
Currently, BOB is running a limited period offer and offering unconditional LTF offers on many of their cards. We are also sharing with you an exclusive referral link for all the TechnoFino readers with a commitment that we will be helping you in the application process if you apply using our referral link. For any queries related to the application, you can raise them here on the TechnoFino Community. So what is stopping you from grabbing a BOB card?
Reward Points Accrual
Spends Area
Reward Rate
Capping
All Retail Spends
2RP/ ₹100
None
Travel, Dining, and International Transactions
10RP/ ₹100
2000RP/Month
*Reward program not applicable on Fuel, EMI transactions & Cash withdrawals.
Reward Points Redemption
Spends Area
Reward Rate
All Retail Spends
0.5%
Travel, Dining, and International Transactions
2.5%
1 Reward Point = ₹0.25p
Reward redemption charges are absolutely zero.
The card is great for travel and dining spending. The reward rate in other categories is very poor. The USP is that reward points can simply be redeemed as a statement credit for 25p per point that too without any redemption charges which is a great feature as most of the banks are nowadays charging for direct cash redemptions.
TechnoFino Maximum
For the travel and dining category, a spend of ₹20,00 per month will give you a cashback of ₹500.
Lounge Access
This card offers one complimentary domestic airport lounge access per calendar quarter.
Fuel Surcharge Waiver
1% fuel surcharge waiver at all fuel stations across India on transactions between ₹400 and ₹5,000
Max. surcharge waiver ₹250 per statement cycle.
No Reward Points are earned on fuel transactions.
Forex Markup
Standard forex charges of 3.5% + GST applicable.
Eligibility
Indian resident
Age 21 to 65 years
Monthly Income 60,000
Generally, they are not very strict with these criteria.
Customer Care Details
For feedback/suggestions/complaints/requests the customer can contact BOB Financial @ 1800-103-1006 / 1800-225-100 or write at crm@bobfinancial.com from your resgistered mail-id.
TechnoFino Recommends
Discount on cylinder booking via Amazon Pay.
The joy of holding a BOB card lies in its offers whether it’s the 20% cashback on CRED club, 12-15% on flights/hotels via EaseMyTrip, Yatra.com, or even 5% cashback on bill payments via Amazon Pay. BOB is running a 5% cashback offer on utility bill payments for the last 2 years continuously on Amazon through which we can even book a gas cylinder at 5% off!! Even though it is a lending arm of a PSU Bank but is phenomenally aggressive when it comes to tie-ups with merchants.
You must have heard bad things about their service but honestly, my experience has been quite fine with them. The only funda I use in dealing with them is that I simply send all the complaint details in the first mail itself so that even if they take the time they have all the details to get it resolved ASAP. They do take good time sometimes but they resolve it satisfactorily.
I got my BOB Easy credit card done only because of the constant persuasion from the branch and since it was FYF I didn’t use and even lost it somewhere in my home. Initially, I had the plan of canceling it before the start of next year but seeing its aggressiveness with the offers I was compelled to order a replacement of the same. And for the same reason, I highly recommend a BOB card in everyone’s wallet and now since it is being offered LTF it becomes a must have from my side!
So what is stopping you from applying for an LTF credit card with so many benefits?
How has been your experience with BOB Credit Cards? Share your thoughts below!
Axis Bank Airtel Credit Card is the latest offering of Axis Bank in collaboration with Airtel. On one hand, HDFC Bank is going for serial devaluations on their credit cards, and on the other Axis Bank is going all guns blazing with back-to-back new and decent product launches. Axis is already creating some noise among credit cardholders. And this aggressive stance by Axis is good news for all the cardholders as the competition is only going to further increase from here. Let’s check out this card quickly in detail.
*Make the first transaction within the first 30 days of card issuance to be eligible for the voucher.
The joining fee is well compensated by a cash equivalent Amazon voucher. What needs to be seen is that will you be able to extract good value for next year out of it?
Reward Accrual
**Currently preferred merchants are Swiggy, Zomato and BigBasket. Preferred merchants may change at anytime without any intimation from bank.
Cashback shall not be eligible for fuel, jewelry spends, EMI,wallet loads and rental payments.
Reward Redemption
Just like other Axis cashback credit cards, the cashback will be given as statement credit 3 days prior to the next statement generation date without any request. Like if the statement date is 12th March, the cashback earned in the Feb month cycle (13th Jan-12th Feb) will be credited on 9th March.
TechnoFino Maximum
For maximizing benefits on this card you will have to spend ₹1,200 per month on Airtel services like Mobile recharges, broadband, and DTH services to get ₹300 worth of cashback. Paying utility bills worth ₹3000 will get you another ₹300 cashback. Another spend of ₹5,000 per month on preferred merchants like Swiggy, Zomato, and BigBasket will yield ₹500 worth of cashback every month. The 1% standard reward rate for all other spending is also an added benefit but lesser as compared to better cash back cards available.
Being a starter card it may allow you access to selected lounges only so don’t make it your primary lounge card.
Fuel Surcharge Waiver
1% fuel surcharge waiver at all fuel stations across India. (On minimum transaction of ₹400 & maximum transaction of ₹4,000. Maximum waiver of ₹500 per statement cycle). GST charged on surcharge will not be reversed.
Axis Dining Delights
Indulge in delectable cuisines and enjoy up to 20% off at 4000+ partner restaurants in India. You can check the complete list here. But as compared to Zomato Pro and Dineout Passport, this offer stands nowhere.
Eligibility
This is the eligibility criteria as shown on the Axis Bank website for this card.
Age 18-65 years of age.
Stable Monthly Income
Salaried/ Self Employed persons both can apply basis income documents.
Applications for this card are currently being accepted via the Airtel Thanks app also if you already have an Axis Bank credit card then you can simply call the customer care and ask for a swap.
Customer Care Details
Axis customer care representative can be reached at 18604195555 / 18605005555.
TechnoFino Recommends
In my honest opinion, this card is having an exceptionally good reward rate of 10% with a comfortable capping for an average consumer. Still, I am leaving the recommendation part for this card at an open end and at the discretion of the user as the card is only for a very specific set of users.
This card is a no-brainer for anyone with high exposure to Airtel products due to whopping 25% reward rate even on prepaid recharges. And with exceptional 10% reward rates on Swiggy, Zomato, and even Bigbasket this card can prove to be a great family card too. This card is also giving good competition to cards like RBL Zomato Classic and Kotak Essentia which rewards equivalently on grocery and dining spending but not limited to specific merchants.
Before taking the plunge also factor in the annual fees as if you will be spending only on the top three categories then you will not be able to get a waiver and if you put your general spending from other highly rewarding cards on this card then it will prove to be counter-productive. So do your maths properly!
Are youplanning to get your hands on this card soon? If you already have a strategy in mind for this card then share in the comments below.
Editor’s note: This is a recurring post, regularly updated with new information and offers. Last Updated 18th November 2023.
Standard Chartered Bank Smart Credit Card, is a new decent entry-level cashback card with attractive interest rates on EMI conversion. The credit card portfolio of Standard Chartered was lacking a punch for a long now due to its lackluster offerings. But with this new launch looks like things are changing for good for users and becoming competitive for the bank.
Let’s check out what this card offers and where it stands out as compared to its peers!
*Standard Chartered is offering an extended interest-free period for the first 90 days post credit card issuance by paying only the minimum amount due as a welcome benefit.
This benefit of an extended interest-free period is available on both the primary as well as a supplementary card(s).
The cardholder will not be able to change the statement date during this period of 90 days.
Illustration for first 90 days interest-free period benefit.
Reward Points Accrual
Spends Area
Cashback
Cashback Capping
AllOffline Spends*
1 Point/₹100
500 Points
All Online Spends
2 Points/₹100
1000 Points
*Except for Fuel spending and cash withdrawals.
Wallet loading will give you reward points.
No minimum transaction value for getting the cashback.
All cashback is capped at the card level i.e. the primary and supplementary cardholders are eligible to receive the maximum cashback amount individually.
Reward Points Redemption
Unlike Axis Ace in this card, the cashback redemption is not automated and needs to be done from the R360 Rewards Portal of the bank.
Modes of Redemption
Value Per Point
Reward Rate
Cashback
₹1
1% on Offline Spends 2% on Online Spends
No reward redemption charges.
The minimum cashback amount for the first redemption is ₹1000 and subsequent redemptions can be done in multiples of ₹500.
TechnoFino Maximum
To maximisebenefits on this card you will have to spend ₹50,000 per month online for a maximum of 1000 worth of cashback and ₹50,000 per month offline for a maximum of ₹500 worth of cashback. This card is good for wallet loads as Axis Ace is not giving any reward points on the same. So if you will load your wallets with ₹10,000 every month then you will be able to make it free from annual fees also.
Other Benefits
Kuch-Bhi on-EMI (KBE)
The bank is offering attractive interest rates on EMI conversion on this card.
Convert your eligible transactions of as low as ₹2000 into 3-month EMI.
The interest rate is only 0.99% per month that too with zero processing fees which is quite attractive.
Eligibility
These are the eligibility criteria as shown on the Standard Chartered website for this card.
Age 18-65 years of age.
Stable Monthly Income
Salaried/Self-employed persons both can apply for basis the income documents.
You can apply for this card via both offline and online channels. But if you are an existing StanC cardholder then your card is simply a call away and it will be generated instantaneously.
StanC has made a good start but it is nowhere near the current hot card that is Axis Ace. With no lounge access, fuel surcharge waiver, and no welcome benefits in lieu of the joining fees paid this card stands a bit below the competition. The only factor which gives it a punch is that it rewards you on wallet loading.
For someone who is regularly loading wallets using credit cards then you can go for Indusind cards by paying one-time joining fees which can give the same reward rate of 2% on weekends without any fuss of annual fees. With the restrictions getting tight on wallet loads I don’t think you will be able to manage ₹10K wallet loading every month to make it free for next year so having a no-frills credit card makes a lot of sense.
So if you are already holding Indusind Iconia Amex or Indusind Legend then you can conveniently ignore this card or you can apply for them instead of this card. Even if you have IDFC First Credit Cards with you then also you are doing good without it.
Further, if you are already holding Axis Ace then this card should not be on your wishlist due to comparatively lower offline cashback rates. I would recommend this card to all those who are not able to get their hands on Axis Ace. Also, StanC is not a pioneer when it comes to online sales and other promotional offers and you won’t be able to extract much value out of it on other online spending. For a detailed comparison with Axis Ace, you can watch our video here.
Are youplanning to get your hands on this card soon? Share your thoughts with us in the comments.
RBL Bank Paisa On Demand Credit Card is another credit line card from RBL Bank’s stable in association with PaisaBazaar. The bank is very aggressively launching such credit line cards in recent times to increase their loan books. Though this card is a paid card as per RBL Bank’s website but is being issued as Life Time Free via Paisabazaar website. Due to the same, there is a lot of noise over all our communication channels about this card. So on everyone’s request, I am bringing this review for you. So let’s check out what’s in the store.
1000 Reward Points on first online purchase 1000 Reward Points on first purchase at merchant outlet 500 Reward Points on the first loan through Paisa On Demand
Renewal Fees
₹500 + GST = ₹590 (LTF Via PaisaBazaar)
Renewal Benefits
None
Annual Fee Waiver
Spend ₹1L or more in a year.
Welcome benefits only applicable only upon paying the joining fees.
First online and offline transactions to be made within 30 days of card receipt and after payment of annual fee.
First loan must be availed within 60 days of card receipt and after payment of annual fee.
Welcome benefit to be credited within 60 days of card receipt.
Reward Points Accrual
Spends Area
Reward Rate
AllOffline Spends*
1 Reward Point per ₹100 spent
All Online Spends
2 Reward Points per ₹100 spent
*Except Fuel spends.
Reward Points Redemption
RBL Bank reward points can be redeemed on their dedicated portal RBL Rewards Portal but they have the worst reward rates in the credit card industry. They give the most value on travel redemptions but with such poor accrual rates. I hardly doubt that anyone will be able to redeem something meaningful out of the reward points.
Modes of Redemption
Value Per Point
Reward Rate
Travel Redemptions
~25p/Point
0.25% on Offline Spends 0.5% on Online Spends
Voucher Redemptions
~16p to 23p/Point
0.16% to 0.23% on Offline Spends 0.32% to 0.46% on Online Spends
No reward redemption charges.
Milestone Benefits
Milestone benefits of this card are not up to the mark but as per RBL Bank’s standard still on a better side. I don’t think anyone will be able to hit the milestone spends on this card as RBL tie-ups in sales and promotional offers are very rarely seen.
Annual Fee for the next year is reversed on spends of ₹1L in a year.
Get additional 2000 Bonus Points on spends of every ₹1L up to 10 times a year.
Additional bonus reward points will be credited in the Cardmember’s Account within 30 days of crossing the spend threshold.
The qualifying purchase value for bonus reward points will exclude all EMI transactions, cash withdrawals, charges and Goods and Services Tax.
TechnoFino Maximum
Even in your dreams if you hit the milestone then also the effective reward rate would be 1% that too if the points are used for travel redemptions. Are you kidding me? Keep it inside a drawer. I hope you have better cards with yourself at your disposal.
Paisa On Demand Benefits
This card is a dual credit card that comes with a credit line in collaboration with PaisaBazaar. You can use this card in both ways that is like a credit card or as a credit line. They offer you an instant fund transfer facility with the following features.
24*7 access to money as low as 3000 or high as your credit limit with transfer facility directly into your bank account.
Loan can be paid back with convenient EMI options.
Repayment is flexible with tenures ranging from days to months with ZERO pre-closure charges.
Interest ranges from 13%-18% P.A. decided basis your profile and is to be paid only on the amount you borrow.
Processing charges up to ₹10,000 are ₹250+GST whereas above that amount they charge 2.5% of loan amount+GST.
BookMyShow Movie Benefit
Get 1+1 free movie tickets (Up to ₹200/-) on BookMyShow once a month for Weekend shows. This is mostly a standard offering on most of the RBL Cards but mostly I find that the tickets quota is full.
Fuel Surcharge Waiver
Waiver of fuel surcharge up to ₹100/month for fuel transactions between ₹500 and ₹4000.
Eligibility
These are a few criteria decided for this card by RBL Bank.
Age 23-60 years of age.
Monthly Income : Greater than ₹25,000/Month.
Only Salaried Professionals.
Customer Care Details
The Customer Services team is available seven days a week, 24 hours a day. The customer care experience of RBL Bank is not up to the mark and the bank doesn’t even seem to care about it.
Such LTF cards are beneficial when it comes to festive sales and other promotional offers from time to time. So if you are an LTF card collector then I see no harm in going for this card. Except for this, I can’t even think of suggesting to you a single reason to get hold of it as the reward rates are so pathetic.
If you are really keen to hold an RBL card then I would suggest RBL Zomato or even the RBL ETMoney LoanPass over this card. I see no point in going for an LTF card if there are better benefits cards available from the same bank. In this way, you will at least reap some monthly benefits and have an RBL card in your kitty.
Are you having any RBL credit card in your wallet or are you maintaining a good distance from this bank?Share your thoughts with us in the comments.
RBL Bank ETMoney Credit Card is for all those people who identify themselves as card collector. Such users generally hunt for an LTF card or for a card that comes at a low annual fee majorly for use in sales and other promotional offers. And this strategy makes sense for RBL Bank since its cards are majorly not very rewarding and even its promotional offers are very restricted, unlike other major players. But what if I tell you that there is a card which you not only add to your collection and even earn rewards on for your usual spending! Let’s check this card out.
This card comes with no benefits whatsoever for renewal or even on paying the joining fees. But still, I don’t have any complaints with the product as its USP is in its monthly benefits which I will be discussing later on in the article.
Reward Points Accrual
Spends Area
Reward Rate
All* Spends on Weekdays
1 Reward Point per ₹100 spent
All* Spends on Weekends
2 Reward Points per ₹100 spent
*Except Fuel spends.
Reward Points Redemption
RBL Bank reward points can be redeemed on their dedicated portal RBL Rewards Portal but they have the worst reward rates in the credit card industry. They give the most value on travel redemptions but with such poor accrual rates. I hardly doubt that anyone will be able to redeem something meaningful out of the reward points.
Modes of Redemption
Value Per Point
Reward Rate
Travel Redemptions
~25p/Point
0.25% on Weekday Spends 0.5% on Weekend Spends
Voucher Redemptions
~16p to 23p/Point
0.16% to 0.23% on Weekday Spends 0.32% to 0.46% on Weekend Spends
No reward redemption charges.
Milestone Benefits
Milestone benefits of this card are again a bummer.
Annual Fee for the next year is reversed on spends of 1st ₹1L in a year.
Get additional 1000 Bonus Points on spends of next ₹1L (post annual fee reversal) up to 10 times a year.
Additional bonus reward points will be credited in the Cardmember’s Account within 30 days of crossing the spend threshold.
The qualifying purchase value for bonus reward points will exclude all EMI transactions, cash withdrawals, charges and Goods and Services Tax.
Monthly Benefits
10% cashback on spends at Amazon, Grofers, Uber and Zomato. Monthly cashback is limited ₹250 only and will be credited within 30 days of making the transactions.
TechnoFino Maximum
By now you must have figured out what you ought to do with this card but if you still haven’t then let me break it down for you. This monthly benefit is the only USP of this card that makes it worth holding. Even if you factor in the ₹590 annual fees and spend 2500 per month for loading Amazon wallet and using it for your daily spending then you get ₹2410 worth of cashback on ₹30,000 worth of annual spending. The effective reward rate for this comes out to be a whopping 8.03%. And whatever you save in different festive sales or promo offers is an extra on this.
LoanPass Benefits
This card is a dual credit card that comes with a credit line in collaboration with ETMoney which is a reputed brand. If you wish to only use it as a credit card then you can simply not bother to add your account details in the ETMoney application like I have been doing with this card. They offer you instant overdraft loans with the following features.
24*7 access to money transfer facility directly into your bank account.
Loan can be paid back with convenient EMI options.
Repayment is flexible with tenures ranging from days to months with ZERO pre-closure charges.
Interest ranges from 13%-18% P.A. decided basis your profile and is to be paid only on the amount you borrow.
Processing charges up to ₹10,000 are ₹250+GST whereas above that amount they charge 2.5% of loan amount+GST.
BookMyShow Movie Benefit
Get 1+1 free movie tickets (Up to ₹200/-) on BookMyShow once a month for Weekend shows. This is mostly a standard offering on most of the RBL Cards but mostly I find that the tickets quota is full.
Fuel Surcharge Waiver
Waiver of fuel surcharge up to ₹100/month for fuel transactions between ₹500 and ₹4000.
Eligibility
These are a few criteria decided for this card by RBL Bank but generally, they are not that strict and offer this card to even self-employed persons. This card can be applied via the ETMoney app as well as the RBL Bank website.
Age 23-60 years of age.
Monthly Income : Greater than ₹25,000/Month.
Only Salaried Professionals.
As you can see eligibility conditions are very relaxed hence this card is targeted to low-income groups or cashback freaks as mostly HNIs will not like to go for a card with a monthly benefit of ₹250.
Customer Care Details
The Customer Services team is available seven days a week, 24 hours a day. But the general opinion about RBL customer services is that they are the worst of the lot and can be a frustrating experience for users. Even I faced the same earlier when cashback on this card wasn’t automated and they were not crediting the same to ETMoney application. But since the changes from July 2021 things have been really smooth.
I am holding this card since August 2020 and reaping its monthly benefits by loading my Amazon wallet. I also use this card for festive sales and other promotional offers mainly on Amazon Pantry, Cred Store, and even JioMart from time to time. I would like to recommend this card to everyone for simply loading Amazon wallets at an amazing 8% reward rate.
Earlier the experience was not that great as RBL used to skip credit of cashback for months and then I had to escalate for the same. But now things are very smooth as the cashback has been automated and thus it gets our approval. I mean why will you hunt for an LTF card if you have a card out of which you can extract some guaranteed value. Obviously, the hero products of RBL Bank are their Zomato cards but since RBL allows multi-carding, so RBL ETMoney LoanPass is also a card for keeps.
So which card do you hold from RBL Bank? Do you find this card worth it? Tell us in the comments below.
The Credit Information Bureau (India) Limited or CIBIL is one of the four credit bureaus in India that generates reports based on your credit score. Its aim is to help its members such as lenders and credit card providers take better lending and approval decisions. In other words, it helps its members give loans and credit cards to people with decent CIBIL score and are offering risk-based pricing on certain loans. The lower the risk, the lower the rate of interest and vice versa.
CIBIL score is a three-digit number ranging between 300 and 900. When you apply for a loan or credit card, the provider will do a CIBIL score check before approving or rejecting your application.
Anything above 750 is considered a good score. But what if your credit score is less than 750 or what if you want to take it 800+? Are there any ways to improve your CIBIL score? Yes, there are a few effective ways that can help you improve your CIBIL score in the order of their importance.
This is the most obvious of all as nothing damages your credit score more than delayed payments of your outstanding and EMI. Be it your credit card bills or other loan payments, ensure that you pay them in full and well in time. Apart from sharply hitting your credit score, late payments also attract hefty charges that banks may not reverse even if you request.
Set reminders if you need to in order to never miss the due date and if you hold multiple credit cards like me then I highly recommend you to start using the Cred application. It will not only remind you about all the due dates and also detect hidden charges if any in your statement which may get overlooked by you.
So borrow only what you can repay in time else get it converted into an EMI amount you are comfortable with but never ever think of settlement or ignore the payments.
2. Credit Utilization Ratio
It is highly recommended that you don’t cross more than 30% of your credit limit on any of the credit cards as the credit utilization ratio is a major factor that determines your CIBIL score. While crossing this threshold and even touching the maximum limit once in a while is fine and recommended also so that the bank’s algorithm can detect that you are a potential spender but constantly using more than 30% of your limit may restrict your score from reaching that 800 mark.
So if you are a high spender then it is highly recommended that you accept the Limit Enhancement (LE) offers from your lenders regularly. If you are not getting any offers then you may request the bank for the same basis your income documents. And if you have no option but to use your card for more than 30% of the limit regularly then you can pay some part of the outstanding before the bill generation or before the date your lender reports to CIBIL to keep it in check. Else you can also apply for another card to keep CUR in check.
3. Apply Smartly
When applying for a new loan or credit card make sure that you first check the eligibility requirements of the provider to avoid rejection and apply to banks where chances of approval are higher. Be patient if your application is rejected and avoid multiple applications within a short span of time. Multiple applications within a short span of time demonstrate credit-hungry behavior and can affect your creditworthiness.
This factor may not pull the score down for users who have a long credit history or have multiple cards but for people who are new to the credit card world, I would caution them to go slow.
4. Mix of Good and Bad Credit
Credit Cards and Personal Loans are considered as bad credit in the eyes of lender as they are unsecured in nature. Whereas a home loan, or even a vehicle loan is considered as good debt by the lenders as it is secured. Hence having such a loan will contribute positively to your CIBIL score.
I would strongly advise you to avoid all kinds of BNPL accounts due to no proper regulation on them. There have been many horror stories about them reporting about late payments even when payment has been made in time further they have been instances that many lenders are showing multiple unsecured loans to CIBIL for a single credit line. We at TechnoFino won’t recommend any BNPL credit line even if they want to collaborate with us as we are dedicated to our subscribers and their financial wellbeing.
5. Age of Credit History
CIBIL score is also dependent on the age of your oldest loan or credit card whether active or inactive. So taking a credit line earlier in life does help your score tremendously. It’s a myth that you need to keep your oldest loan account active to keep this history as I confirm this from my own experience. My oldest loan account consists of a car loan that has been successfully paid and closed and it is still defining the age of my credit history. This step can help in improving your chances of availing of higher loan amounts and at a competitive rate of interest.
6. Doing Token Transactions
Always do token transactions of very small amounts to keep maximum of your cards active. After bill generation you can clear the dues in time. This increases the total instances of your on-time payments and you get to have a solid repayment history without overspending. You can also automate monthly digital subscriptions on various cards which you are using rarely for same reasons. For more information on this watch the video here.
7. Getting Secured Credit Cards
This method is for all those whose CIBIL score has taken a beating during the COVID pandemic due to stressed finances and have settled their outstandings. You can make a fresh start with a secured credit card and build your score back with patience and persistence. Remember it could be quite frustrating for you if you are addicted to credit cards rewards as most of the secured cards are not that rewarding so always follow point number 1 that is borrow only what you can repay in time.
In the end, I would say that a credit score doesn’t improve overnight and it requires persistent effort to improve the credit report and your creditworthiness. Therefore, you need to be patient and monitor your report regularly, spending pattern and ensure timely payment of your debt. It definitely is an uphill task but not an impossible one to achieve if you have the discipline and planning. We have a full 11 video series on all the aspects related to CIBIL which you can watch here.
What’s your CIBIL score and what helped you get there? Share your views in comments below.
Editor’s note: This is a recurring post, regularly updated with new information and offers. Last Updated 18th November 2023.
IDFC First Bank is the new entrant into the credit card industry and has created a buzz with the LTF credit card lineup and dynamic interest rates on revolving balances starting from as low as 9% P.A. All of the cards in the IDFC First Bank Credit Card lineup are totally LTF from their base variant of Millennia to top end Wealth Credit Card.
I am doing a detailed review of all the variants, their differences, eligibility criteria, and also the best way to apply for them.
Welcome voucher worth ₹ 500 on spending ₹15,000 or more within 90 days of card issuance
Annual Fee
LTF
Yes, all of their variants are unconditionally lifetime-free!! The only thing surprising to me is that even their premium variants are LTF and give the same joining benefits which are also a first by any bank in India. I wish they could have given different spending targets and joining bonuses for different cards.
Reward Points Accrual
Spends Area
Multiplier
Millennia/Classic
Select
Wealth
1) All Offline* Spends 2) Rental Payments
3X
3RP/ ₹150 ~ 0.5%
3RP/ ₹125 ~ 0.6%
3RP/ ₹100 ~ 0.75%
All Online* Spends
6X
6RP/ ₹150 ~ 1%
6RP/ ₹125 ~ 1.2%
6RP/ ₹100 ~ 1.5%
Birthday Spends
10X
10RP/ ₹150 ~ 1.66%
10RP/ ₹125 ~ 2.0%
10RP/ ₹100 ~ 2.5%
*Reward program not applicable on Fuel, Insurance, EMI transactions or cash withdrawals.
Reward points have lifetime validity.
A reward redemption fee of ₹99 + GST is applicable from 1st October 2022.
After the recent devaluations, IDFC has created a hierarchy in the reward system which was very necessary since earlier there was no difference in whichever card you were holding except for the perks that I have explained below. Also with such a high fee as the redemption charge, the wow factor of zero redemption fee is also gone now. So better encash all your rewards before 1st October 2022.
10X Rewards Program
IDFC Bank also offers a unique 10X reward rate on all incremental spends whether they are done online or offline. For example, if you hold a wealth card and you have spent 40K in a billing cycle then for spending up to 30K you will receive normal reward rates of 3X and 6X which I have mentioned above, and 10X flat on the rest of the 10K amount irrespective of the category where you spend.
Card Variant
10X Threshold
Reward Rate
Millennia/Classic
₹20,000
10RP/ ₹150 ~ 1.66%
Select
₹25,000
10RP/ ₹125 ~ 2%
Wealth
₹30,000
10RP/ ₹100 ~ 2.5%
Also, keep in mind that Rental and Property management transactions will not be a part of the 10X reward program and 10X threshold calculations. However, such transactions will earn 3X reward points.
Reward Points Redemption
1 Reward Point = ₹0.25p
Reward redemption charges are absolutely zero.
Rewards can be redeemed for brand vouchers and memberships via the Poshvine portal. All-in-demand vouchers like Amazon & Flipkart are readily available and give cash equivalent value back. Gift vouchers can be redeemed for the exact amount of your choice at the above conversion rate and should not compulsorily be in multiples of ₹50 or ₹100.
Or you can directly get statement credit and this is the best way to redeem your points. We highly recommend this to all users of these cards. Since redemption is free it’s simply smart to redeem them each time you are doing any online payment by just choosing the checkbox named ‘Pay by Reward Points’ while filing the OTP. The transaction amount would not change but you will get the equivalent cash credit in the statement in just 2 days.
TechnoFino Maximum
These cards reward you only 0.75% maximum for spending offline below the 10X threshold hence offline usage of the IDFC First card is not at all recommended. For maximizing rewards on IDFC First cards we recommend you to use it online that too if there is only some offer running on online merchants since after the recent devaluation they hardly make any sense.
Here are the travel perks which differ between all the variants of the card except Millennia and Classic which are considered at par by the bank. You get Complimentary railway lounge access across the lineup and it can’t be better than this from an LTF card. Domestic airport lounge access starts from the Select variant.
Accessing IRCTC Travellers Executive Lounge at New Delhi using IDFC First Bank Select Credit Card
Complimentary spa sessions and international lounge access are given to Wealth cardholders via DreamFolks Dragonpass. For queries on services related to DreamFolks Dragonpass, you can contact – DreamFolks @ 18001234109 or write at helpdesk@dreamfolks.in
Golf Benefits
2 complimentary golf rounds per month are only given on Wealth Card.
Road Side Assistance
Complimentary Road Side Assistance (RSA) all over India, up to 4 times in a year worth ₹1399 on all the variants through Global Assure without any spending condition unlike that on ICICI Credit cards. This feature is very unique and this card is good for utilizing this service for free.
I am providing the number to avail of the facility in case of an emergency.
Toll-free Number 18005723860
Paytm Movie Offer
The following benefits can be availed for booking movie tickets on the PayTM app. This is definitely a good offer considering the usual quota is full error we receive on BookMyShow these days while booking discounted tickets.
Millennia/ Classic
Select
Wealth
25% discount on movie tickets up to ₹100 (valid once per month)
‘Buy one, get one’ offer on movie tickets up to ₹ 250 (valid twice per month)
‘Buy one, get one’ offer on movie tickets up to ₹ 500 (valid twice per month)
Fuel Surcharge Waiver
Millennia/ Classic
Select
Wealth
Fuel surcharge waiver of 1%, at all fuel stations across India, up to ₹200/month
Fuel surcharge waiver of 1%, at all fuel stations across India, up to ₹300/month
Fuel surcharge waiver of 1%, at all fuel stations across India, up to ₹400/month
Forex Markup
Millennia/ Classic
Select
Wealth
3.5% for all international transactions
1.99% for all international transactions
1.5% for all international transactions
These cards are not too attractive for international spending as you won’t even break even except Wealth card and that too if you spend only online internationally.
Insurance Benefits*
Millennia/ Classic
Select
Wealth
Personal Accident Cover
₹2,00,000
₹5,00,000
₹10,00,000
Lost Card Liability
₹25,000
₹50,000
₹50,000
Air Accident Cover
N/A
₹1Cr
₹1Cr
Travel Insurance Cover
N/A
₹22,500
₹22,500
*Valid only on doing at least one transaction in the last 30 days on your card.
I would suggest you not rely on this accidental insurance if you are really serious about keeping your family financially protected in case of any mishap as these insurances are generally not very comprehensive and may leave your family unprotected if you haven’t used your card in the last 30 days. So taking Personal Accidental insurance makes more sense.
Interest-Free Cash Withdrawals
Now, this is a first again and a market-disrupting feature with unbelievable T&C. IDFC FIRST Bank Credit Cards offer ATM cash withdrawals at 0% interest until the due date.
Usually, other credit cards charge interest from the date of withdrawal with interest rates as high as 3.5% per month along with a withdrawal fee of ₹500.
Whereas, with IDFC FIRST Bank Credit Cards you pay zero interest until the payment due date and a flat transaction fee of ₹ 250/- only.
Eligibility
Millennia/ Classic
Select
Wealth
You must have an Annual Income of ₹3-12 lacs Or Credit Limit up to ₹ 1.5 lacs
You must have an Annual Income of ₹12-36 lacs Or Credit Limit of ₹1.5-5 lacs
You must have an Annual Income of ₹36 lacs or more Or Credit Limit of ₹5 lacs or more
If your ITR is not up to the mark then taking the card-to-card route makes much more sense as the eligibility for the same is much less demanding. And if you are an existing cardholder then you can push the bank for a card upgrade if you fulfil the above criteria as many eligible people recently have been able to get an upgrade successfully.
Customer Care Details
For feedback/suggestions/complaints/requests the customer can contact IDFC FIRST Bank @ 18605001111 or write to creditcard@idfcfirstbank.com
TechnoFino Recommends
It has been a very good experience for me to date with the IDFC First credit card. I simply adore their customer service, both at the branch and online, for their promptness and proficiency in resolving any query that arises. It will be too early to say about the future as the bank is currently in expansion mode.
I would like to recommend everyone to have these unconditionally LTF cards in their wallet for the countless benefits mentioned above and their unique benefit of railway lounge access. And since the bank is currently in aggressive onboarding mode we can see some mind-blowing offers in 2022 on their credit cards just like they send on their debit cards.
How has your journey been with IDFC First Credit Cards? Share your thoughts below!
Are you looking for the best credit cards which suit your spending pattern and in turn reward you with cashback, lounge access, free luxury hotel stays and business class travel? Here I am presenting an exhaustive list of my favourite cards for 2022 which covers almost every kind of spender.
I have compiled a list of 25+ credit cards and I am currently holding 20+ credit cards in my wallet and I am an active user of most of the cards for whom I am eligible, as these are my favourite cards too. I have segregated the list into the following categories,
Entry Level Credit Cards
Mid Range Credit Cards
Premium Credit Cards
Travel Credit Cards in
Luxury Credit Cards
So let’s enter into the mad-mad world of credit cards without further delay.
Entry-level credit cards are best suited for youngsters who have recently started earning or for beginners who are taking the plunge for the first time into the credit card world. I have selected a few credit cards with good reward rates at an unbelievably low fee range.
If most of your spending is at Amazon then this LTF card with Amazon Prime Membership is a no-brainer for every beginner.
SBI Simply Click
Ideal Usage: 10x partners like Amazon/Cleartrip and more.
Reward Rate: 0.25% – 2.5%
The cherry on top is the ₹2000 Cleartrip voucher it offers as a milestone benefit for every 1 lac of spends limited to the first two lacs every year.
SBI is running an exciting welcome offer for credit card applications via referral. You will get an e-voucher worth ₹500 on spending min ₹500 within 30 days of card issuance. APPLY NOW!
Axis Ace
Ideal Usage: All regular spends and bill payments via Google Pay.
Reward Rate: 2% – 5%
It continues to be a flagship killer since its launch in 2020 and it beats many premium cards and comes in such a low fee range. The thing I love about this card is the transparency with which transaction-wise cashback is shown.
Axis Flipkart
Ideal Usage: All regular spends and Flipkart shopping.
Reward Rate: 1.5% – 5%
If most of your spending is at Flipkart then this card is currently being offered as an LTF card and with this offer, this is again a no-brainer for every beginner.
Axis Freecharge Plus
Ideal Usage: Unlimited cashback on bill payment/recharge via Freecharge app.
Reward Rate: 1% – 5%
A cheaper fee alternative for bill payment compared to Axis Ace and becomes free at just ₹50K spends per year.
IDFC is offering all the cards currently at LTF pricing and reward rates are the same for all the cards. If you are an LTF cards collector then simply go for it as the IDFC Bank is currently in an evolving state so I am expecting loads of offers this year. But remember you will be able to exceed the 2% reward rate of Axis Ace only if you cross spends of ₹40K.
IDFC First is currently running an exciting welcome offer for credit card applications via referral. You will get 2000 Reward points worth ₹500 on spending min ₹ 500 within 30 days of card issuance. So what is stopping you from applying for an LTF credit card with so many benefits? APPLY NOW!
How about getting loads of free food from Zomato? Then simply go for this card and enjoy its lucrative 10% rewards on birthday spending. Currently, the card is being rolled out for selected Zomato users that too on a totally unknown algorithm. Expecting it to be available to all soon.
Mid-Range Credit Cards
Mid-Range credit cards are best suited for spenders who are willing to divide their spends into multiple cards to accelerate their overall reward rates. I have selected a few cards in this category which justify the fee paid for having them.
One of the hottest cards from the HDFC stable currently for all the millennials and it justifies that name correctly. It covers almost all of your spends area with a very good reward rate. Grab it if you are eligible for it without a second thought.
SBI Octane is ideal for users having fuel spends in the range of ₹8K- ₹10K per month and gives an unbelievable 6.25% reward rate on fuel. It can also be swiped for dining and grocery spends for a decent 2.5% reward rate.
SBI is running an exciting welcome offer for credit card applications via referral. You will get an e-voucher worth ₹500 on spending min ₹500 within 30 days of card issuance. APPLY NOW!
Another LTF card from IDFC with added benefits of domestic airport lounge access, and railway lounge access. Makes sense only for spends above ₹40K per month as then only you will be able to exceed the 2% reward rate of the likes of Axis Ace/Indusind Cards.
IDFC First is currently running an exciting welcome offer for credit card applications via referral. You will get 2000 Reward points worth ₹500 on spending min ₹ 500 within 30 days of card issuance. So what is stopping you from applying for an LTF credit card with so many benefits? APPLY NOW!
Premium Credit Cards
Premium credit cards are best suited for spenders who want a good reward rate with an iota of luxury into their lives. Such cards often give you travel benefits, golf sessions, or shared complimentary access to International lounges. I have selected a few cards in this category also for decent spenders.
A wonderful offering from BOB for all those who spends online in that range. Its reward rate is one of the highest ever. The only drawback is the so-called premium but poor customer support that comes with it.
HDFC Regalia
HDFC Regalia Credit Card.
Ideal Usage: HDFC Smartbuy & Priority Pass for the family.
For HDFC Regalia keep your spends via HDFC Smartbuy for maximum benefits. The uniqueness of this card lies in the shared complimentary domestic as well as international lounge access across its add-on members via credit card and Priority Pass respectively.
Indusind Legend
Ideal Usage: All general spends.
Reward Rate: 1% – 2%
A great card from Indusind which offers a standard reward rate of 2% on all spends on weekends and is LTF after paying the joining fee.
HDFC Diners Club Privilege
Ideal Usage: HDFC Smartbuy & shared lounge access for the family.
Base Reward Rate: 1.3%
You can reap maximum benefits from Diners Privilege if you route your spends via HDFC Smartbuy. The uniqueness of this card lies in the shared complimentary domestic as well as international lounge access across its add-on members via credit card itself.
Another LTF card from IDFC with added benefits of international and domestic airport lounge access, railway lounge access, and complimentary spa. Makes sense only for spends above ₹40K per month as then only you will be able to exceed the 2% reward rate of the likes of Axis Ace/Indusind Cards.
IDFC First is currently running an exciting welcome offer for credit card applications via referral. You will get 2000 Reward points worth ₹500 on spending min ₹ 500 within 30 days of card issuance. So what is stopping you from applying for an LTF credit card with so many benefits? APPLY NOW!
Indusind Pinnacle
Ideal Usage: Online shopping.
Reward Rate: 0.7%-2.5%
Another great card from Indusind and offers a standard reward rate of 2.5% on online shopping and is LTF after paying the joining fee.
Indusind Iconia Amex
Ideal Usage: All general spends and wallet loads.
Reward Rate: 1.5%-2%
Another wonderful card from Indusind and offers a decent reward rate on weekends and even on wallet loads. It is also an LTF with a one-time joining fee payment.
Ideal Usage: Booking flight and train tickets via IRCTC and railway lounge access.
Reward Rate: Upto 10%
It is one of the best cards for people who frequently travel by Indian Railways and it offers a pretty good reward rate for booking train tickets via IRCTC plus added benefits of railway lounge. Consider this card if you do a roundtrip more than twice a month at least.
SBI is running an exciting welcome offer for credit card applications via referral. You will get an e-voucher worth ₹500 on spending min ₹500 within 30 days of card issuance. APPLY NOW!
Axis Vistara Infinite is only for people who travel business class and are living in a city with the Vistara network. It gives exceptional value when redeemed for flight tickets but if you are an economy person then the whole perspective changes for you and I would suggest you to look for SBI Vistara Prime then.
Currently, there is an amazing offer running on this card in which you get fee reversal for doing spends. Kindly ignore the date in the offer link as the data on the website is outdated and the same offer has been extended till the 15th of January,2022.
Kotak Indigo 6E Rewards XL
Ideal Usage: Flying Indigo 6E.
Reward Rate: 2% – 6%
A new offering from Kotak with a very poor reward rate. Only good at its current introductory price with the welcome voucher of double the joining fee so it makes no sense for next year’s renewal until they provide any good milestone benefits like Vistara.
SBI Vistara Prime is a very good credit card for Vistara flyers which offers premium economy ticket vouchers and CV points for the spends done. Currently, this card comes only on the MasterCard platform and hence onboarding is closed. I am also eyeing this card once the ban lifts up.
SBI is running an exciting welcome offer for credit card applications via referral. You will get an e-voucher worth ₹500 on spending min ₹500 within 30 days of card issuance. APPLY NOW!
Amex Platinum Travel
Ideal Usage: Accumulating travel vouchers.
Reward Rate: ~7%
One of the best travel credit cards in India which gives you complimentary Taj Vouchers every year as you hit the milestone so that you can holiday in style once every year on this card.
SBI Air India Signature
Ideal Usage: Flying Air India Domestic/International.
Reward Rate: ~5%
This is a unique offering from SBI and the only one of the two cards available for Air India and offers a good value if the sector you fly offers Air India flights. After the takeover by TATA, I am expecting better redemption options and some good additions to this card to make it more lucrative to hold.
SBI is running an exciting welcome offer for credit card applications via referral. You will get an e-voucher worth ₹500 on spending min ₹500 within 30 days of card issuance. APPLY NOW!
Luxury Credit Cards
Luxury credit cards help you supplement your luxury lifestyle by giving you unlimited lounge access, partner memberships, unlimited golf sessions and a higher reward rate which when converted into travel benefits gives you exceptional value. Such cards only make sense for you if you value business class travel, and other hotel loyalty benefits and believe in the power of paid credit cards.
The dream credit card for every card enthusiast in India due to its lucrative 10X benefits. What to say about this card! This card has everything in it!
HDFC Diners Club Black
Ideal Usage: Online shopping via HDFC Smartbuy & Insta Vouchers.
Base Reward Rate: 3.3%
This twin brother of HDFC Infinia can be your best friend till the bank is not offering you Infinia. Some people find this card more rewarding for their spending with milestone vouchers and the Diners 10x program but be ready for lower acceptance than Visa/MasterCard.
Amex Platinum Charge
Ideal Usage: Hotel Memberships, AMEX cashback, and targeted offers.
Reward Rate: 1.25%-2.5%
This card is purely a lifestyle card backed with outstanding AMEX support. This card offers you hotel memberships, concierge services, and other luxury services. It has been a roller coaster year for all of those who are having this card due to mind-blowing AMEX cashback offers on this card as travel had come to a halt due to COVID.
Technofino Recommends
When it comes to credit cards there is a simple rule that what is the best card for me wouldn’t be the best card for you! So that’s why I have recommended some of the cards which I hold and I think could be of use to all of the readers here. You have to think about your spending patterns and for which redemption you will be able to get the maximum return from the same. Plus also keep in mind the welcome benefits, merchant offers, lounge access, and other linked benefits to your card to find your best match!
I also recommend you review your cards and update your portfolio after every 6 months after carefully comparing the new entrants in the market. For updates on new cards and offers subscribe to our mailing list to get timely updates.
What all cards are you holding or planning to get from the above? Share your thoughts with us in the comments below!
Here’s an in-depth comparison of HDFC Regalia Credit Card and HDFC Millennia Credit Card. I have already posted their detailed individual reviews on TechnoFino and you can go through them for detailed information. I am today going to compare both the cards side-by-side for you.
₹1500 Cashback/month X 12 = ₹18,000 per year & 800 Regular points/month X 12 = 9,600 Points per year
All other spending – ₹12000/month (Bills, Normal Online/Offline)
320 Points/month X 12 = 3840 Points
Now if we spend ₹42,000 per month that means ₹504000/Year, Then, We will be eligible for 10,000 Bonus Points (10K points for spending 5L in a year).
So total points we’ll earn in a year – 9,600 + 3,840 Normal Points + 10,000 Bonus Points = 23,440 Reward Points.
So if we redeem for cash, Then we’ll get ₹4,688 value from 23,440 Points. Total Value Back: (18,000+4,688) = ₹22,688 ; Reward Rate: 4.50%
And If we redeem for travel, Then we’ll get ₹11,720 value from 23440 points. Total value back: (18,000+11,720) = ₹29,720 Reward Rate: 5.90%
Redemption Calculations for HDFC Millennia Credit Card
Category
HDFC Millennia Credit Card
SmartBuy spending –(Flight- 10K, GV – 10K)
₹1000 Cashback (Smartbuy CB)/month X 12 = ₹12,000 per year & ₹200 CashPoints (Regular 1% Category)/month X 12 = 2400 CashPoints Total – ₹12000 CashBack and 2400 CashPoints per year
Amazon/Flipkart (Direct 5% Category) – 10K/month
₹500 CashPoints/month X 12 = 6000 CashPoints per year.
All other spending – ₹12000/month (Bills, Normal Online/Offline)
₹120 CashPoints/month X 12 = 1440 CashPoints per year.
Now if we spend ₹42,000/Month that means ₹1,26,000/Quarter. Then, we will be eligible for a ₹1,000 gift voucher every quarter (Quarterly Milestone Benefits). So total value back we’ll earn in a year –
So if we redeem for cash then Quarterly Bonus – {(₹1000 X 4) = ₹4000} + Regular Cashback {(14,400 + 6,000 + 1,440) = ₹21,840} Total Value Back – 25,840 Reward Rate – 5.13%
And if we redeem for flight then Quarterly Bonus – {(₹1000 X 4) = ₹4000} + SmartBuy Cashback {(₹1000 X 12) = ₹12000} + Travel Redemption Value {(2,400 + 6,000 + 1,440) x ₹0.30p = ₹2952} Total Value Back – ₹18952 Reward Rate – 3.76%
HDFC Regalia clearly gives the most value when redemption is done for flights and hotel bookings and not for cashback whereas the opposite is true in the case of HDFC Millennia. This one reason can be a deciding factor for your choice among the two cards.
Lounge Access
Category
HDFC Regalia Credit Card
HDFC Millennia Credit Card
Domestic Airport Lounge Access
12 Visits/year (No Quarterly Capping) Shared with Add-on members
8 Visits/year (Maximum 2 Visits/quarter) Not available for Add-on members
International Airport Lounge Access
6 Visits/year using PriorityPass (No Quarterly Capping) Benefits shared with Add-on members
N/A
Foreign Currency Markup Charges
2% + GST(Can be reduced to 1% using the Global Value Program.)
3.5% + GST
Priority Pass provided with HDFC Regalia Credit Card.
The shared domestic and international lounge access is unique to a mid-range category card like HDFC Regalia.
Which one is your favourite card out of the two? Share your thoughts below.
Editor’s note: This is a recurring post, regularly updated with new information and offers. Last Updated 5th Dec 2023.
Do you use your personal vehicle to commute and rising fuel prices are burning a hole in your pocket? I am here to help you take that extra mile by getting you some rewards and benefits on your existing fuel spending. This article will help you choose the best credit cards for fuel spending.
The reward rate on fuel is a minimum of 6.66%(Amazon Vouchers) and approximately 10%(Travel Redemptions) if you can do 4 transactions of ₹1500 each or 4 or more transactions greater than ₹1500 each totalling ₹20,000.
Joining Fee: ₹1000+GST
Annual Fee: ₹4500+GST (Waived off on annual spends of ₹1.5L).
Surcharge Waiver: Full waiver at HPCL bunks on transactions max up to ₹5000.
The reward rate on fuel is 6.25% value back on a maximum of up to ₹4000/transaction and ₹10,000/month.
Joining Fee: ₹1499+GST
Annual Fee: ₹1499+GST (Waived off on annual spending of ₹2L).
Surcharge Waiver: 1% up to ₹100/Month on a transaction max up to ₹4000.
Milestone Benefits: E-Gift Voucher worth ₹2000 on 3L spends.
SBI is running an exciting welcome offer for credit card applications via referral. You will get an e-voucher worth ₹500 on spending min ₹500 within 30 days of card issuance. APPLY NOW!
IDFC First Power Plus
Variant: Rupay
The reward rate on fuel spends is 4% cashback up to ₹400/month when swiped on any bank POS or HP Pay Application.
Joining Fee: ₹499+GST
Annual Fee: ₹499+GST (Waived off on annual spends of ₹1.5L).
The reward rate on fuel spends is 4% cashback up to ₹250/month when swiped on any bank POS or HP Pay Application.
Joining Fee: ₹500+GST
Annual Fee: ₹500+GST (Waived off on annual spends of ₹50K).
ICICI HPCL Super Saver
Variant: Visa Platinum
The reward rate on fuel spends is 4% cashback up to ₹200/month when swiped on any bank POS or HP Pay Application.
Joining Fee: ₹500+GST
Annual Fee: ₹500+GST (Waived off on annual spending of ₹1.5L).
Union Bank Uni Carbon
Variant: Rupay Platinum
The reward rate on fuel spends is 4% cashback up to ₹150/month when swiped on any bank POS or HP Pay Application.
Joining Fee: ₹499+GST
Annual Fee: ₹499+GST (Waived off on annual spending of ₹1.5L).
Surcharge Waiver: 1% fuel surcharge waiver up to ₹100/month on a minimum of ₹200 per transaction.
ICICI HPCL Coral AMEX
ICICI Bank HPCL Coral AMEX Credit Card
Variant: AMEX
The reward rate on fuel is 2.5% cashback up to ₹100 and 6 PAYBACK points (~net 4%) only when swiped on ICICI EDC Machines for a minimum of ₹500/transaction.
Joining Fee: ₹199+GST
Annual Fee: ₹199+GST (Waived off on annual spends of ₹50K).
Surcharge Waiver: 1% up to ₹100/Month on a transaction of max up to ₹4000.
Kotak IndianOil
Variant: VISA Signature/RuPay
The reward rate on fuel is 4% cashback up to ₹300 per month.
Joining Fee: ₹449+GST
Annual Fee: ₹449+GST (Waived off on annual spends of ₹50K).
Surcharge Waiver: 1% on spending between ₹200 to ₹5000 per month.
Axis Bank IOCL Credit Card
Variant: VISA Signature/RuPay
The reward rate on fuel is 4% cashback up to ₹200 per month.
Joining Fee: ₹500+GST
Annual Fee: ₹500+GST (Waived off on annual spends of ₹50K).
Surcharge Waiver: 1% on spending between ₹200 to ₹5000 per month.
Standard Chartered Super Value Titanium
Standard Chartered Super Value Titanium Credit Card rewards at all OMCs but a meagre cashback limit.
Variant: MasterCard
The reward rate on fuel is 4% cashback up to ₹160/month on a maximum of ₹2000/transaction at any fuel pump in India. The unique thing about this card is that it works even online on fuel wallets and even if you scan PayTM QR at fuel bunks and punch in the card digits.
Joining Fee: ₹750+GST
Annual Fee: ₹750+GST (Waived off on annual spends of ₹90K).
Surcharge Waiver: 1% up to ₹20 cashback per transaction of the maximum value of ₹2000 at any fuel pump in India.
TechnoFino Maximum
Fuel Surcharge Waiver Condition
There is a peculiar condition attached to fuel surcharges and their waiver every time you fill your vehicle. For every swipe equal to or less than ₹1000 a 1% surcharge is applicable subject to a minimum value of ₹10 per transaction but reversal is done only for the actual amount of fuel that you have purchased. So this isn’t a big deal for four-wheelers but for two-wheelers where the tank full value is usually below that number, it’s a bit disadvantageous. So keep this in mind while you are fuelling next time. I will also be recommending cards based on this in the recommendation section
Fuel Loyalty Programs
Enroll in Fuel Loyalty Programs in India offered by various Oil Manufacturing Companies to earn rewards in addition to the above credit card rewards. It’s another unique article on TechnoFino that you would not be able to find anywhere. For more such quality content subscribe to our mailer list and be the first one to know about it.
Rewards Summary
Credit Card
Annual Fees
Reward Rate On Fuel Spends*
Smart Transaction Range^
Maximum Value Back Per Cycle
Ideal For Maximum Monthly Spends
Spends Required For Fee Waiver
AMEX Gold Charge
₹4999+GST
Minimum 6.33%
0/5,000
Minimum ₹380
₹4000
₹50K
AMEX Membership Rewards
₹4500+GST
Minimum 6.33%
0/5,000
Minimum ₹380
₹2500
₹50K
SBI BPCL Octane
₹1499+GST
6.25%
0/4000
₹625
₹10,000
₹2L
IDFC First Power+
₹499+GST
4%
1000/5000
₹400
₹10,000
₹1.5L
BOB HPCL Energie
₹499+GST
4%
0/6250
₹250
₹6250
₹50K
ICICI HPCL Super Saver
₹500+GST
4%
0/5000
₹275
₹5000
₹1.5L
Union Bank Uni Carbon
₹499+GST
4%
200/3750
₹206.25p
₹3750
₹1L
ICICI HPCL Coral AMEX
₹199+GST
4%
1000/4000
₹160
₹4000
₹50K
Kotak IndianOil
₹449+GST
4%
1000/5000
₹300
₹7500
₹50K
Axis Bank IOCL
₹500+GST
4%
1000/5000
₹200
₹5000
₹50K
Standard Chartered Super Value Titanium
₹750+GST
4%
1000/2000
₹160
₹4000
₹90K
Now, this can be your ready reckoner every time you feed your car.
*Reward rate is exclusive of fuel surcharge waiver.
^We are giving a smart range for all the cards so that a user gets the dual benefits of a complete fuel surcharge waiver and reward points.
For cards like SBI BPCL co-branded cards, BOB HPCL Energie, ICICI Supersaver, and Uni Carbon, we can avoid fuel surcharges even for transactions less than ₹1000 by using wallets of the various loyalty programs.
TechnoFino Recommends
If you are still confused about which one is the best for you. We will try to help you out but we can only broadly recommend some credit cards as the usage of every person is unique for fuel spending.
If you are holding an AMEX credit card then you purchase fuel using AMEX MRCC/ AMEX Gold Charge and get benefits up to 5%-8% by redeeming them for 24K gold collection.
If you commute on a two-wheeler then mostly for a tank full the amount ₹400-₹500 and monthly spends are usually between ₹2000-₹3000 for an average user. So for such users, I highly recommend BOB HPCL Energie or Kotak IndianOil. The fee waiver condition on this card will also be easy to meet if used only for fuel.
For car owners with a very low consumption limited to ₹3000 a month, BOB HPCL Energie or Kotak IndianOil makes a lot of sense due to its low annual fee waiver condition.
For consumers in the range of ₹3K- ₹6K a month I would again recommend BOB HPCL Energie. Also, Standard Chartered Super Value Titanium can be considered in this range which will give you the option to fuel at any OMC.
If your consumption is nearly ₹10K a month then SBI Octane is a no-brainer for you. And if you are crossing even that limit then you can club the spending with the recommendations given above with the SBI Octane Credit Card. With SBI’s generous sales offer and 2.5% reward rate on grocery and dining, you will easily cross the fee waiver threshold.
Which one is your favourite fuel card? Share your experiences and issues faced while redemption in the comments below.
HDFC Regalia must be the most common card among HDFC credit cardholders and is offered as a super-premium offering from HDFC Bank positioned just below the HDFC luxury twins HDFC Infinia Credit Card and HDFC Diners Club Black Credit Card. Though I would like to rate it as a mid-range premium card. Here’s everything you wish to know about the card.
Charges and Welcome Benefits
Joining Fees
₹2500 + GST = ₹2950 (Generally FYF)
Welcome Benefits
2500 Reward Points (Applicable only on payment of fees)
Renewal Fees
₹2500 + GST = ₹2950
Renewal Benefits
2500 Reward Points (Applicable only on payment of fees)
Renewal Fee Waiver
Spend ₹3L or more in a year.
Currently, all the HDFC Credit Cards except HDFC Infinia Credit Card, HDFC Diners Club Black Credit Card, and HDFC Diners Club Intermiles Credit Card are being offered under a special lifetime free pricing by doing a minimum threshold retail spending in the first 90 days of card issuance and for Regalia this amount is ₹1,00,000. Such offers can change anytime so check with the bank before applying for the same.
Reward Points/Cashback Accrual
Spends Area
Reward Rate
Maximum Capping per Calendar Month
All retail* spends
4 Reward Points per ₹150 spent
No capping
*Except Fuel, Wallet loads, and Easy EMI transactions.
Reward points are valid only for 2 years from the date of accumulation.
Reward points accrued for Insurance transactions will have a maximum cap of 2,000 per day.
HDFC Bank has a dedicated portal named SmartBuy with which we get some extra rewards and cashback. The strategy for maximizing gains via SmartBuy has been shared later in the article.
HDFC Regalia gives a value of 35p per point for voucher redemption.
HDFC Regalia clearly gives the most value when redemption is done for flights and hotel bookings and not for cashback. We would highly recommend you to go for travel redemptions instead of cash. And if your points are near expiry and you don’t have a travel plan in near future then redeem them for Amazon vouchers which is equivalent to cash instead of going for a statement credit.
HDFC Regalia gives a value of 50p per point for flight tickets and hotel bookings.
Customers can redeem upto maximum of 70% on the travel bookings (Flights, hotels and experiences) using Reward Points. The balance amount will need to be paid via credit card.
Milestone Benefits
Regalia rewards highly only to high spenders who can reach at least ₹5L spend milestone. Below that threshold reward rate is really poor. I wish they had given a standard reward rate of 2% on all spends for a card of this category.
Earn Bonus 10,000 Reward Points when you spend ₹5L in the anniversary year. (Additional ~0.4% to ~1%)
Earn additional 5,000 Reward Points when you spend ₹8L in the anniversary year. (Additional ~0.33% to ~0.83%)
Anniversary year is defined as a 12 months period from card setup or last upgrade/downgrade date.
Bonus Reward points will be posted within 2 days of the milestone achievement by the customer.
Calculation of equivalent reward rate with milestone benefits.
TechnoFino Maximum
For Amazon shopping we recommend you to take the SmartBuy route or buy Amazon vouchers from SmartBuy to jack up the above reward rates by 5%. The net reward rate on Amazon becomes 7.33% if you cross the 5L spend milestone and beats ICICI Bank Amazon Pay credit card handsomely.
Since Smartbuy gives a meager 1% additional on the Flipkart store so we recommend you to buy Flipkart vouchers from SmartBuy at 7.33% effectively and then use them for shopping. Here also Regalia beats Axis Bank Flipkart Credit Card by a 50% margin. For travel booking, you can use MMT Hotels via Smartbuy and book them at 10% cashback~ 12.33% effectively and train tickets at a net 7.33% reward rate.
So for maximizing returns I recommend everyone to use SmartBuy extensively till ₹40,000 per calendar month by keeping an eye and grabbing some essential vouchers like Swiggy, OLA, Uber, BigBasket, and others whenever they are available.
TechnoFino Tip
Align your billing cycle of the HDFC Credit Cards as much as possible with the calendar month by asking the bank to shift your billing cycle date to the 2nd of every month to minimize the calculations related to capping of CashPoints and SmartBuy cashback. HDFC doesn’t allow the first and last two days of the month as your billing cycle date.
Other Benefits
Airport Lounge Access
Access Via – Credit Card Complimentary Domestic Limit – 12 Visits/ Calendar year within India (Shared between Primary & maximum 3 Add-on cardholders but both cards cannot be used for the same lounge, same day). Network – Visa Signature/ MasterCard World
Access Via – Priority Pass Complimentary International Limit – 6 Visits/ Calendar year (Shared between Primary & Add-on cards)
Priority Pass Issued with HDFC Regalia Credit Card.
You can apply for Priority Pass for self and 3 add on members once you complete minimum 4 retail transactions on your HDFC Bank Regalia Credit Card.
If you exceed the 6 Complimentary visits, you will be charged at US $27 + GST per visit.
DineOut Passport Membership
The cardholder is eligible for exclusive complimentary DineOut Passport Membership for 3 months if he/she achieves spend ₹75,000 and more every calendar quarter using a Regalia credit card.
Fuel Surcharge
1% fuel surcharge waiver at all fuel stations across India. (On minimum transaction of ₹400 & maximum transaction of ₹5,000. Maximum waiver of ₹500 per statement cycle).
Insurance Coverage
Accidental air death cover worth Rs. 1 Crore
Emergency overseas hospitalization: up to Rs. 15 lakhs
Lost Card Liability Cover : Upto Rs 9 lakhs
24×7 Concierge
Enjoy the exclusive 24/7 Concierge Services on your HDFC Bank Regalia Credit Card. Simply call the bank toll-free on 1860 425 1188 (India) / Email ID: regalia.support@smartbuyoffers.co
International Spends
FCY Markup Fee: 2%+GST
Reward Rate: 1.3%
Net: –1% (loss)
But with the Global Value Program of HDFC Bank which is offered on Regalia, you can get 1% cashback on all international spends and thus you spend at no loss no gain. I will be covering this later in detail in an article.
Eligibility
Officially the bank has the following criteria but can vary as per your relationship with the bank.
For Salaried Indian national
Age: Min 21 years & Max 60 Years
Net Monthly Income > Rs 1 Lakh
For Self Employed Indian national
Age: Min 21 years & Max 65 Years
ITR > Rs 12 Lakhs per annum.
Unofficially, If you are an existing HDFC Credit Cardholder then you can ask for an upgrade if there is a 3L limit on your existing card.
TechnoFino Recommends
HDFC Regalia Credit Card is definitely a highly rewarding and lifestyle credit card and is also the gateway to the HDFC twins. Though some people find this card a tad bit expensive but the value it offers, over its younger avatar called HDFC Millennia Credit Card, justifies the fee as the ceiling of the SmartBuy cashback gets higher plus the reward points become uncapped. But the card’s real worth can only be realized if you can go for travel redemptions. Although racking up reward points is a bit difficult now compared to the olden days since its devaluation twice but still, its charm is not all lost.
Also the shared domestic and international lounge access is unique to a card of this price range and will make your international travels comfortable plus save you a lot of money on the expensive meals you may have with your family while hopping airports. So this card is a big thumbs up from our end if you are eligible for it and if you’re not you know which bank you have to build a relationship with and start your rewarding journey.
What has been your strategy for minting points on this card? Feel free to share in the comments below.
HDFC Bank recently re-launched its millennial offering in September 2021. Though the card was a good rewarding card earlier also but now this refresh makes it a very simple-to-understand card. If you are an existing cardholder then these upgrades are applicable for you as well from 1st November 2021. Here’s everything you wish to know about the card.
1000 Cash Points (Applicable only on payment of fees)
Renewal Fee
₹1000 + GST = ₹1180
Renewal Benefits
None
Renewal Fee Waiver
Spend ₹1L or more in a year.
Currently, all the HDFC Credit Cards except the HDFC Infinia Credit Card, HDFC Diners Club Black Credit Card, and HDFC Diners Club Intermiles Credit Card are being offered under a special lifetime free pricing by doing a minimum threshold retail spending in the first 90 days of card issuance and for Millennia this amount is ₹50,000. Such offers can change anytime so check with the bank before applying for the same.
Keeping that aside, the joining/renewal fee waiver conditions are pretty good for a card of this range and have amazing benefits.
Reward Points/Cashback Accrual
No minimum transaction amount is required for points accrual.
Only HDFC card which gives points on wallet loads.
Points will be credited in the first week of the month for spending done in the last month.
HDFC Bank has a dedicated portal named SmartBuy with which we get some extra rewards and cashbacks. The strategy for maximizing gains via SmartBuy has been shared later in the article.
SmartBuy Benefits
Total Cashback
Maximum Cashback per Calendar Month
*SmartBuy Cashback
Upto 10% Cashback
₹1000
SmartBuy Cashback will be credited within 90 days from the end of the month in which spending were done.
HDFC SmartBuy supports merchants like Amazon, Flipkart, MakeMy Trip, Apple Tresor, and likes. It also supports multiple partners for travel bookings.
Reward Points Redemption
Modes of Redemption
Value per Point
Redemption Charges
Cashback (Statement Credit)
₹1
None
Flights & Hotels Booking via Smartbuy
₹0.30
₹99 + GST
Rewards Catalogue at the SmartBuy Rewards Portal
₹0.30
₹99 + GST
As this is a cashback credit card as per HDFC Bank, the table above clearly shows the intention of HDFC Bank here is to make conditions favourable for a statement credit. It’s a win-win for users and why not! After all, hard cash is better than all other redemptions if you are not getting better value than cash.
Hassle-free cashback redemption using HDFC My Rewards Portal.
The minimum CashPoint balance required for redemption against the statement balance is 500 CashPoints.
CashPoints are valid for 2 years from the date of accumulation.
For Flights and Hotels redemption, you can redeem up to a maximum of 50% of the booking value through Reward Points.
Milestone Benefits
₹1000 worth of gift vouchers on spends of ₹1,00,000 and above in each calendar quarter.
Quite a list of brands available for milestone vouchers.
TechnoFino Maximum
In this section, we will be simplifying the rules of the game and giving you the crux of information on how to maximize the reward rate on this card.
If you want to shop on Amazon then shop directly and this card will give you a flat 5% cashback in the form of CashPoints but we recommend you to shop on Amazon via the SmartBuy portal which is offering 5% SmartBuy cashback plus you get 1 CashPoint per ₹100 spent extra under all other spends category subject to a maximum of 1000 CashPoints. So all in all the reward rate jumps to 6%. After the SmartBuy quota of ₹1000 is over we recommend you to shop directly on Amazon to consume the select 10 merchants quota of 1000 CashPoints.
So for Amazon, you can earn 1200 CashPoints and ₹1000 Smartbuy on shopping of ₹40,000 on Amazon which translates to 5.5% cashback and easily beats ICICI Amazon Pay Credit Card!
For Flipkart, the SmartBuy route makes no sense as you will get a 1% Smartbuy benefit and an additional 1% return in the form of CashPoints whereas if you shop directly then you get a 5% reward in the form of Cashpoints. So this card competes head-on with Axis Bank Flipkart Credit Card if you are shopping under ₹20,000. The cherry on the top is the milestone benefits which jack up the reward rate by a further 1%.
For Amazon and Flipkart you can also take the Smartbuy voucher route by buying 5000 worth of vouchers for each of the portals. This will give you 5% Smartbuy Cashback on vouchers and 1% equivalent cash points which translates to 6%.
This card also very smartly beats the reward rate of Axis Ace Credit Card and Axis Flipkart Credit Card of 4% that they offer on their partner merchants like Swiggy, Zomato, and Uber.
TechnoFino Tip
Align your billing cycle of the HDFC Credit Cards as much as possible with the calendar month by asking the bank to shift your billing cycle date to the 2nd of every month to minimize the calculations related to the capping of CashPoints and SmartBuy cashback. HDFC doesn’t allow the first and last two days of the month as your billing cycle date.
Other Benefits
Airport Lounge Access
Access Via – Credit Card Complimentary Domestic Limit – 2 Visits/Quarter (Total 8 Domestic Lounge access in a year) Network – Visa Signature/MasterCard/Diners Club/Rupay
Being a starter card it may allow you access to selected lounges only. So it’s highly recommended for you to check which network is preferred by the lounge frequented by you.
DineOut Membership
The cardholder is eligible for an exclusive complimentary DineOut Passport Membership for 3 months if he/she achieves spends ₹50,000 and more every calendar quarter using a Millennia credit card.
Fuel SurchargeWaiver
1% fuel surcharge waiver at all fuel stations across India. (On minimum transaction of ₹400 & maximum transaction of ₹5,000. Maximum waiver of ₹250 per statement cycle).
Insurance Coverage
Zero lost card liability: In the unfortunate event of losing your HDFC Bank Millennia Credit Card, on reporting it immediately to the 24-hour call centre, you have zero liability on any fraudulent transactions made on your Credit Card.
HDFC Bank Customer Care Number 1860 267 6161
Eligibility
The eligibility conditions are not that high and the bank is also a bit flexible on them. So if you have a good relationship with HDFC Bank and are a bit underqualified for the criteria still we would recommend you to ask for a Millennia Credit Card and the bank may approve it.
The neat and clean minimalistic design of the HDFC Millennia Credit Card.
For Salaried Indian National Age: Min 21 yrs & Max 40 Yrs, Income: Gross Monthly Income> ₹35,000
For Self Employed Indian National Age: Min 21 yrs & Max 40 Yrs, Income: ITR > ₹6.0 Lakhs per annum
Unofficially if you have an existing credit card with HDFC Bank having a 1L limit then you can ask for an upgrade.
TechnoFino Recommends
Anyone who has been tracking this card can easily judge that the card has been quite simplified now. With the minimum transaction amount limit removed and points validity extended by a year, this card has become highly rewarding even for a normal user who doesn’t understand the complexities of the T&C and is not a high spender.
But the card has been silently devalued for high spenders by HDFC Bank as this card was earlier beating even HDFC Regalia Credit Card by providing double-dip opportunities on Amazon shopping and Instant Vouchers via SmartBuy which used to translate to 10%. I had myself garnered around 15000 CashPoints and around ₹12,000 SmartBuy Cashback in a year by using it for my house rental payments via Payzapp on the NoBroker platform and Amazon shopping.
We highly recommend this card to every millennial out there looking to get a hand on a reward-worthy credit card but are not able to decide which card to choose from due to a plethora of options out there. This one card can meet your every need from shopping, dining, commuting, apparel, and all those other things. We also recommend everyone maintain and build a long relationship with HDFC Bank as it is one of the most rewarding banks in the Indian banking space.
Are you planning to take the plunge into the world of HDFC Millennia? Feel free to ask your questions in the comments below.
Newly opened IRCTC Executive Lounge at Varanasi Railway Station (Image Source Ministry Of Tourism/Twitter)
If you’re a frequent traveller by Indian Railways and fed up with the poor quality food and unhealthy snacking options available both on stations and while aboard then this article will change your lack of enthusiasm into excitement for rail travel. What if I tell you that you can get unlimited food, comfortable seating in a relaxed environment, and premium Wi-Fi for free at railway stations? Excited?! Well, That’s what you get in a Railway Lounge.
IRCTC has launched several executive lounges on select railway stations and is expanding the service rapidly into smaller cities. And to access these lounges complimentary you need the right set of cards in your wallet.
Facilities offered under Complimentary Railway Lounge Access
Following are the facilities mentioned on the IRCTC website which must be given for complimentary access. Generally, these lounges have been outsourced to private catering companies or hotels and the quality of facilities may vary.
Two hours of lounge stay in normal seating
Breakfast/Lunch or Dinner as per the time of visit and as per the offering by the lounge operator at that particular time of visit
Unlimited tea & coffee with cookies
Free Wi-Fi
Newspaper & magazine
Lunch Menu at IRCTC Executive Lounge at Jaipur Railway Station
Any additional service such as recliners or more shall be chargeable separately as per the operator price for that service.
Recliners in the IRCTC Executive Lounge at Jaipur Railway Station are available for ₹349 for 2 hours.
List of Lounges at Railway Stations
Lounge
Railway Station
Location
Executive Lounge
New Delhi
First Floor, Platform No 1
Travellers Executive Lounge
New Delhi
Platform No 16
Executive Lounge
Madurai Jn
Platform No 1
Executive Lounge
Jaipur
Platform No 1
Executive Lounge
Agra
Platform No 1
Executive Lounge
Ahmedabad
Platform No 1
Executive Lounge
Varanasi
Platform No 1
Executive Lounge
Sealdah
First Floor, Platform No 1
The list is dynamically changing and will be updated from time to time. Also, keep in mind that lounges that have recently opened may not offer complimentary access due to tie-up issues as faced recently in October 2021 by one of our readers at the Executive Lounge at New Delhi Railway Station located at Platform No 1 and the lounge located at Sealdah Railway Station. I hope IRCTC will resolve this issue soon. Till then we urge our readers to escalate this issue with IRCTC through various channels.
How to Avail Complimentary Railway Lounge Access
Cardholders are to present their valid/active credit card and valid train travel ticket at the entrance of the participating lounge to avail of the benefit
A transaction of ₹2 would be done by the lounge operator as a non-refundable card validation charge
Cardholders would be given access to the Railway Lounge.
Any guests without an eligible card would be charged as per the prevailing lounge access rate.
Lounge Area at Jaipur Railway Station
The cardholder is entitled to a visit before the journey that is at the onboarding station only. Though it is mentioned on the IRCTC website that a valid ticket is necessary but general feedback on this has been that they are hardly checking the train tickets to maybe increase the footfall and thus revenue of the operator. So you can try accessing the lounge at the station at which you are de-boarding.
Eligible Cards
Let’s have a look at all the cards which currently offer Railway Lounge access in India. Currently, no debit card in India is giving complimentary access to railway lounges. So only credit cards make up the list. Further, the list is very comprehensive and also provides an idea about the fees of the card.
1. ICICI Bank Coral*
ICICI Coral Mastercard Credit Card
Variant: VISA/MasterCard Limits: One complimentary access per quarter Joining Fee: ₹500 + GST Annual Fee: ₹500 + GST (Waived off on annual spends of 1.5L) *Co-branded ICICI Coral credit cards are excluded.
2. ICICI Bank MakeMyTrip Platinum
Variant: Visa Platinum Limits: One complimentary access per quarter Joining Fee: ₹500 + GST Annual Fee: NIL
3. ICICI Bank MakeMyTrip Signature
ICICI MakeMy Trip Signature Credit Card
Full Review Variant: Visa Signature Limits: One complimentary access per quarter Joining Fee: ₹2500 + GST Annual Fee: NIL
4. ICICI Bank Rubyx
ICICI Rubyx AMEX Credit Card
Variant: VISA/MasterCard Limits: Two Visits/ Quarter Joining Fee: ₹3000 + GST Annual Fee: ₹2000 + GST (Waived off on annual spends of 3 Lacs)
5. SBI IRCTC Premier
Variant: VISA Signature Limits: 8 Visits/Year (Maximum 2 Visits/Quarter) Joining Fee: ₹1500 + GST Annual Fee: ₹1500 + GST (Waived off on annual spends of 2 Lacs)
Variant: Visa Infinite Limits: 2 Visits/Quarter Joining Fee: ₹7999 + GST Annual Fee: ₹7999 + GST (Waived off on annual spends of 5 Lacs)
9. AU Bank Vetta
Variant: Visa Signature Limits: 2 Visits/Quarter Joining Fee: ₹3000 + GST Annual Fee: ₹3000 + GST (Waived off on annual spends of 1.5 Lacs)
10. AU Bank Altura Plus
Variant: Visa Platinum Limits: 2 Visits/Quarter Joining Fee: ₹499 + GST Annual Fee: ₹499 + GST (Waived off on annual spends of 80K)
11. AU Bank Altura
Variant: Visa Platinum Limits: 2 Visits/Quarter Joining Fee: ₹199 + GST Annual Fee: ₹199 + GST (Waived off on annual spends of 40K)
AU Small Finance Bank Altura Card of one of our readers.
*Add-on cardholders can also avail complimentary access to all AU Bank Credit cards within the quota of primary cardholders whereas the same is not allowed and categorically mentioned on the websites of ICICI Bank, IDFC First Bank and SBI Cards. So a new entrant like AU Bank is taking an edge for giving the complimentary access but we would not recommend their cards seeing its poor reward rate across the line-up and unjustified annual fees for their Zenith Variant. AU Bank is offering its whole card lineup LTF to employees of select corporates also.
We understand the list is quite exhaustive and certainly, your go-to card for all the spending could be missing from this list. So, First of all, before taking the leap for the card you need to evaluate yourself “How many times I am going to use Indian Railways for my travel needs”? “Will my destination or origin be the same as mentioned in the list”?
So if you are going to travel around even twice a quarter and your route matches the above list then having one or a couple of eligible cards makes a lot of sense and entitles you to a new experience every time you travel. If you want to have a card specifically for this purpose then TechnoFino recommends going for LTF IDFC Credit Cards or the ICICI Bank MakeMyTrip Signature it’s also LTF and sorts out the scene of accessing the Railway Lounges without shifting your spending from your most rewarding cards to waive off the annual fees.
For frequent rail travellers that too who prefer to travel by A/C only we recommend the SBI Premier IRCTC Credit Card to them. Consider it only if you are doing at least a couple of round trips every month.
What has been your experience regarding Railway Lounges? Feel free to share your thoughts in the comments below.
HDFC Bank, the OG of the credit card industry, is back in its original avatar after lifting of RBI embargo and now looking quite aggressive with their lineup topped with their aggressive onboarding stance to regain their lost market share. Recently they relaunched their Infinia credit card which is the dream credit card for every credit card enthusiast in India and literally gives infinite of everything be it rewards, luxury hotel stays, lounge and golf course access and all the rest. This time the card is in a metal form factor which had created an initial buzz but the design has been a big disappointment for the majority of users over what it was earlier.
Here’s a detailed review on the same with the unboxing of the HDFC Infinia Credit Card.
Watch HDFC Infinia Credit Card Metal Edition Unboxing & Review Video – On Our YouTube Channel.
1) 12500 Reward Points which offsets the fee-only part of the joining charges. 2) Complimentary Club Marriott membership for a year that offers up to 20% discounts for Dining and Stays across Asia-Pacific region.
Renewal Charges
₹12500 + GST = ₹14750
Renewal Benefits
12,500 Reward Points
Fee Waiver
Spend ₹10L or more in a year
Markup Charges
2%
Add on Card Fees
None
Card Limit
HDFC Infinia Credit Card is offered with VISA Infinite/MasterCard World variants and is generally offered with minimum of 8 lakhs of credit limit.
Since the card is offered only to UHNIs and spending requirements can be much higher than that yet there is nothing to worry about when you have an Infinia in your pocket as it offers you a unique NPSL* (No Pre-set Spending Limit) feature, which means they may “temporarily” increase the limit if you inform the “Infinia Support Team” prior to the swipe. Even if you exceed your credit limit by chance then there won’t be overlimit charges upto a certain extent usually around 10% of the credit limit. This feature is unique to Infinia and is not applicable to any other HDFC credit card. As I said earlier it gives truly infinite possibilities!
Reward Points Accrual
Spends Area
Reward Rate
All Retail* Spends (including Insurance, Utilities, Education and Rent Pay)
You get 5 reward points for every ₹150 spent anywhere. This gives you an equivalent amount of ₹3.30 for every ₹100 spent, meaning you can easily save ₹3,300 for every ₹1 Lakh you spend on the Infinia card.
*No reward points for fuel, wallet loading and EMI.
Reward points are valid only for 3 years from the date of accumulation.
If the credit card is not used for more than 365 days, Reward points accrued will be nullified.
2X reward points on dining at standalone restaurants is not applicable on metal edition card. Same will be discontinued for Non-Metal cards effective 1st Dec’21.
Maximum Capping (For Smartbuy Transactions) – 15,000 Reward Points Per Month
Reward Points Redemption
You can redeem your Reward Points on Smartbuy or Net Banking and various redemption options are as follows
The whopping 33.33% reward rate on flight and hotel bookings and 16.67% on Trains, Amazon shopping and Insta Vouchers is what makes this card drool-worthy.
Main Benefits
Unlimited Airport Lounge Access
Access Via: Visa Infinite
Domestic Limits: 4/Quarter
Access Via: Priority Pass
Unlimited domestic and international lounge visits *Benefit also extended for upto 3 add-on card and Priority Pass holders.
Priority Pass for complimentary international lounge access.
In short this card is the pass to all lounges offering complimentary food, beverages, Wi-Fi and comfy sofas even if you are on a round the globe trip with your whole family.
Unmatched Golf Benefits
If you are a golf lover then it offers:
Unlimited complimentary golf games at leading courses across India and select courses across the world.
Unlimited complimentary golf coaching at select golf courses across India.
Stay 3 Pay 2 Offers on ITC Hotels
This is a newly launched offer for Infinia Metal Edition card that is book stay for 3-nights and pay for two at participating ITC Hotels. As per the fine print :
Offer is only applicable on advance booking done via 24×7 Infinia Concierge.
A 24 hours gap is required between two bookings placed under the program.
This offer will not be eligible on blackout dates.
Premium Dining Experience
Another new offer to sparkle up the metal is that if you book 1 then you get 1 complimentary weekend buffet at participating ITC Hotels.
Offer is only applicable on advance booking done via 24×7 INFINIA Concierge.
Only one booking is allowed per month.
Offer is applicable only for weekend buffet i.e. Saturday & Sunday.
Good Food Trail Membership
You also get complimentary DineOut passport membership for a year. Under the Good Food Trail Membership, you will get a 25% discount on your dining bill, exclusive deals on buffets, foods, and drinks at some of the selected restaurants. Also if you use the Dineout Pay app, you will get an additional 15% discount on your dining bills.
Freedom from Fuel Surcharges
Not a noteworthy benefit though as many credit and debit cards nowadays provide fuel surcharge waiver. Infinia could have packed a solid punch if they would have rewarded fuel spends also so that there would not have been any need for a dedicated fuel card for Infinia holders. With Infinia you get :
1% fuel surcharge waiver at all fuel stations in India. Minimum transaction value – ₹400 Maximum transaction value – ₹1,00,000 Maximum surcharge waiver per statement cycle – ₹1000
Global Personal Concierge
Infinia and DCB Credit Cards have a faster and dedicated support line that really gets your work done or fetches you the specific information about anything you want. Like Golf Booking, Itinerary planning and reservation assistance, Private dining assistance, International gift delivery, Event planning and referrals, Airport VIP service (meet-and-greet) and much more.
Though the markup charges of 2%+GST are a bit on a higher side as compared to some better offerings available now in the market.
Worthy Insurance Coverage
Zero Lost card liability
Credit shield – The outstanding amount on the Infinia credit card is covered to an extent of ₹ 9 lakh in case of accidental death and permanent disability.
Accidental death: In case of death in an air accident, the nominated next of kin will receive a compensation of ₹3 crore.
Medical emergency cover: The card holder is covered up to ₹50 lakh against medical emergencies during travel abroad.
Hence there is freedom from buying all those travel insurances that we buy before going on an international holiday and we also get a cash withdrawal limit of 40% of the total which can act as a backup in extreme emergency situations. Though there are no charges attached with withdrawal but be aware that interest will kick in from the date of withdrawal.
Eligibility
Officially, HDFC Bank Infinia Credit Card is an Invite Only card but unofficially you can request it if you meet any of the following conditions
Indian Resident with
₹45L ITR (Salaried/Self Employed)
Existing HDFC credit card with a minimum of ₹8L limit or very high spends.
High NRV with HDFC Bank (>₹30 Lakh)
Having exposure to other HDFC products.
Other bank credit card with a minimum of ₹10L limit.
Shocked? Yes HDFC Bank is a bit strict in issuing Infinia Credit cards until it sees any value in the relationship with you.
Bottomline is that either you must be a very high networth individual so that the bank looks at you as a potential customer in the near future or you have already given the bank enough business to absorb the price of all the promised luxuries because ultimately you will be one paying indirectly for all the benefits and bank earns via profits made on interests, loans and policies sold to you.
Conclusion
As said before, this is the best super premium credit card in India. No matter what your needs are, this card has the potential to fulfil almost all of them. With unlimited free lounge access, exclusive deals on dining and hotel booking, fuel surcharge waiver, this HDFC Infinia credit card can easily justify the high annual fee. So if you believe in the concept of paid cards and have the eligibility criteria fulfilled then this card can be the gateway for you to enter the world of INFINITE POSSIBILITIES.
Today we will talk about how to cancel your credit card it’s negative effect on Cibil score and how you can minimize it. Before going into cancellation part, first we will discuss about negative effect on Cibil score on Credit card cancellation.
Negative Effect on Cibil Score:
Number of credit account decreases
Your one credit account will be closed and that is very important parameter of Cibil score. Your Credit cards and loan accounts are your credit account. Total number of credit account is very important for your credit score. Once you close your credit card, one credit account you will loose and your Cibil score comes down.
Overall Credit limit decreases
Your overall credit limit decreases as you are closing one credit account. Suppose you have two credit card one has credit limit of 1Lakh and another one has 2 Lakh so overall credit limit is 3 Lakh, once you close one credit card then your credit limit comes down. The more you have credit limit, more beneficial for your Cibil score.
Average age of credit account comes down
Another important factor is age of your credit account. Suppose you have two credit cards one is 3 years old and another one is 1 year old then average age of your credit account is (3+1)/2=2 years. If you choose to close 3 years old credit card then your average age of credit account comes down to 1 year. This will impact your credit score.
What you should do if you have old credits cards and paying yearly charges?
In that case I will suggest you to contact with your bank and ask them to downgrade your card to a free credit card as every bank has one base free credit card.
If you are giving high annual charges then ask bank to downgrade your card, if they agree then it is good for you as everything will be continued but if they do not agee then you can close your card which is better than paying high maintenance charge, impact on CIBIL score will be temporary, with time it will be improved again.
How to Close your Credit Card:
Now we will talk about how to close your credit card and this process is same for all banks credit card.
First of all clear all your dues which includes both your billed and unbilled amount.
If you have any EMI on your credit card then close it by giving foreclose charges else it will not allow you.
Redeem all your reward points either in cash or they way your credit card allows you.
Once you completes all three steps then you can call to customer care and place a request of credit card cancellation. The agent will raise a ticket against that and it may take three working days to complete the process.
Another way you can do that, just visit the branch and fill the Credit card cancellation form and it takes three days to complete the process. Also keep in mind once you place credit card cancellation request after that do you use your credit card for any purchase or transaction else your credit card cancellation request will not be processed further.
Hope it clarifies all your doubts, still if you have any doubts then use comment section. We are very responsive indeed.
Both ICICI Insta Save Savings account and Insta save FD account are entry level savings account. You can open your ICICI Insta save account from ICICI official website with your Pan card and AADHAR Card within five minutes.
You have to maintain a minimum balance of 10,000 in your ICICI nsta Save Savings account, else you will be charged account non-maintenance charge.
In your ICICI insta save FD account, there is no minimum maintenance charges but you have to open one fixed Deposit for at least 1 year of amount 10,000 within 3 months of your account opening else they have full rights to close your account.
In two accounts you will have same benefits as 2 Lakhs rupees monthly transaction limit or 4 transaction free in home branch.
If you transact 2 Lakhs in single transaction then from next transactions you will be charged.
After 4th transaction you will be charged whether you finish your limit or not.
Non home branch withdrawal limit is 25,000.
With account opening you get A/c number instantly, also Internet banking username and Password, You can use iMobile/internet banking for UPI/NEFT/RTGS, but for IMPS you will be charged.
Yearly you will get 20 Cheques free, for extra cheques you have to pay and request for new Cheque.
ICICI Insta FD:
You can access Credit card against your FD, they will approve it instantly.
You will get ICICI platinum credit card at free of cost.
You can get Coral Credit card but you have to pay charges and 90% of your FD will be your credit limit.
If you want a credit card then make a higher amount FD, so you get better limit and you can maintain a good credit score later you can apply for a new card.
You will also get ICICI Platinum visa debit card but it is not free, you will be charged 150+ GST /Year.
ATM withdrawal limit is 50,000/day and spending limit 1 Lakh/day.
5 ATM transaction free then charges applicable.
Except ATM transaction you will earn 2 payback points for every 100 rupees spent.(1 Payback point=25 Paisa)
You will get 50,000 rupees purchase protection insurance.
Eligibility:
Age: 18+
Residents: Indian
Documents: AADHAR & Pan
Phone number must be linked with AADHAR.
Review:
First of all this is entry level product from ICICI and low maintenance charges compared to other private banks. If you are looking for services then opt for different higher variant account else services will be like normal savings account in Gov. banks. But normal SBI savings account is zero maintenance account, no charges on online transactions(IMPS,NEFT,RTGS etc), no sms charges and ATM charge is only 99+GST/Year. Still ICICI banks services are swift.
If you want credit card against ICICI insta FD a/c then better go with normal ICICI bank saving account FD where maintenance charges are different at different places( URBAN:10000, SEMI Urban:5000, Rural:2500 Gramin:1000) whereas Insta Savings and FD account have maintenance charges same everywhere. ICICI normal savings a/c and Insta Savings account have same benefits. ATM charge is 99+GST in gramin area whereas in Insta savings a/c it is 150+GST across everywhere.
Still If you have anything to ask feel free to use comment box, we are very active team.
