SC Ultimate (Standard Chartered Ultimate) Upgrade Suggestion

[anish1516]

Hello!!!

Recently I have been receiving calls to upgrade my Manhattan Card to Ultimate card. My Manhattan card is free and the Ultimate would cost Rs. 5000 plus taxes every year. Here they are offering 5000 reward points on every renewal without any conditions. So effectively the card costs me Rs. 900 approx. Now my query is should I go for it? Right now I have decent number of cards. Don't have too much utility expenses. Use my Infinia for offline shopping and SBI Cashback for Online. Please suggest if it's worth to pay fee for SC Ultimate?

 

[SSV]

@helloworld @S S V

Yes rewards are good

Some where i feel it's time for me to move out of HDFC

Yes DCB is very good but for me still am not able to redeem in flights or hotel for good returns

Mostly am redeeming for vouchers which gives max 1.75%

If i had a chance to redeems on flight i would have sticked to DCB

Only reason for infinia is atleast i can recover joining or annual fee

Even yes RewardZ also only for flights/ hotels redemption.. only Marquee allows you to get good value for zomato/ swiggy as well

 

[helloworld]

@helloworld @S S V

Yes rewards are good

Some where i feel it's time for me to move out of HDFC

Yes DCB is very good but for me still am not able to redeem in flights or hotel for good returns

Mostly am redeeming for vouchers which gives max 1.75%

If i had a chance to redeems on flight i would have sticked to DCB

Only reason for infinia is atleast i can recover joining or annual fee

Honestly, since you have DCB. Its time you move out of cashback redemption and aim for voucher or travel booking. Still if needed only cashback, you can close it. But, again if you need Infinia you're entering the same world which you thought not good and closed cards in that category.

 

[hs23new]

firstcry is gone now

Even Decathlon is gone. As a sports enthusiast, its a bummer.

 

[Bigde]

@S S V @Bigde

Need a help

Got a offer for SC ultimate i already hold DCB
and my max spends is on diffrent cards

Please suggest if i can go for ultimate

Received the same offer last week, in fact SC has been persistent on checking with me for Ultimate since last couple of months. I have turned them down as the card has devalued a lot and the abysmal reward catalog is the last nail in the coffin. Had there been Amazon/FK voucher or a simple statement credit like Eterna, I would have opted for the card hands down.

In fact I see more value with my SC Smart than SC Ultimate, told the same thing to SC executives too. It seems a lot of Ultimate users have cancelled their cards and SC is finding it difficult to push their so called premium cards to their customers.

 

[Bigde]

You may take it LTF for its non spend based benefits, if any are there..
not definitely for regular spends for RPs

LTF Ultimate never heard of it? Does LTF Ultimate really exist?

 

[SSV]

LTF Ultimate never heard of it? Does LTF Ultimate really exist?

Long time ago a I vaguely remember reading it here only…
Anyway even for LTF, it’s just a waste card..
Hopefully you told them the same very loud and clear…
It used to be a no nonsense card before devaluation

 

[Pavan]

Received the same offer last week, in fact SC has been persistent on checking with me for Ultimate since last couple of months. I have turned them down as the card has devalued a lot and the abysmal reward catalog is the last nail in the coffin. Had there been Amazon/FK voucher or a simple statement credit like Eterna, I would have opted for the card hands down.

In fact I see more value with my SC Smart than SC Ultimate, told the same thing to SC executives too. It seems a lot of Ultimate users have cancelled their cards and SC is finding it difficult to push their so called premium cards to their customers.

Thanks @Bigde @S S V

@Bigde if you remember once SC ultimate was ambition to have card..Things have changed drastically since one year

 

[Bigde]

Thanks @Bigde @S S V

@Bigde if you remember once SC ultimate was ambition to have card..Things have changed drastically since one year

In fact I recall one discussion we had previously where I mentioned that I am aiming for Ultimate, that time my SC Platinum limit was 4.8L and I was just 20K shy from becoming eligible for SC Ultimate, and couple of days later the devaluation happened. Thank goodness I was not eligible that time

 

[Bigde]

Long time ago a I vaguely remember reading it here only…
Anyway even for LTF, it’s just a waste card..
Hopefully you told them the same very loud and clear…
It used to be a no nonsense card before devaluation

Still a worthy card if one gets as LTF. We can still put ITC, First Cry and Uber Vouchers to good use.

 

[Animal]

Thanks @Bigde @S S V

@Bigde if you remember once SC ultimate was ambition to have card..Things have changed drastically since one year

Now it’s a must not have card.

Those who are holding, just waiting for points redemption to close the card.

 

[subham23]

another worst part is to receive 5000 reward points after 60 days of annual fees payment, but from last 3 years never received by default, had to raise multiple SRs and calls before they credit those.

 

[helloworld]

another worst part is to receive 5000 reward points after 60 days of annual fees payment, but from last 3 years never received by default, had to raise multiple SRs and calls before they credit those.

for me its always automatic. note: they charge renewal fee on 13th month, GST on 14th month, then you have to wait 60 days and get points by 17th month. SC rule of 60 days = half year.

Same for all SC cards.

 

[AlgoTrader]

Still a worthy card if one gets as LTF. We can still put ITC, First Cry and Uber Vouchers to good use.

No First Cry or Uber vouchers anymore, gone almost a month back

 

[SSV]

No First Cry or Uber vouchers anymore, gone almost a month back

Please don’t share your miserable ULTIMATE stories… even we, non holders feeling very sad and sorry about this!!!
May GOD give enough strength to you guys to come over this difficult times until the card closure!!!

 

[Pavan]

Now it’s a must not have card.

Those who are holding, just waiting for points redemption to close the card.

Levis option it's still there

 

[Tazact]

Hello!!!

Recently I have been receiving calls to upgrade my Manhattan Card to Ultimate card. My Manhattan card is free and the Ultimate would cost Rs. 5000 plus taxes every year. Here they are offering 5000 reward points on every renewal without any conditions. So effectively the card costs me Rs. 900 approx. Now my query is should I go for it? Right now I have decent number of cards. Don't have too much utility expenses. Use my Infinia for offline shopping and SBI Cashback for Online. Please suggest if it's worth to pay fee for SC Ultimate?

How did you manage Manhattan as free?

 

[Pavan]

How did you manage Manhattan as free?

not a big deal they are making free easily

 

[tchawla2]

I asked for Smart card as LTF but she said they have stopped issuing new smart cards.

Applied for Smart card yesterday and could see it my profile today.

 

[SSV]

Applied for Smart card yesterday and could see it my profile today.

this is a smart choice ..

 

[Animal]

Levis option it's still there

Levi’s is minimum 10K available.

I’ll wait for few more days for Uber/Firstcry vouchers otherwise will redeem for Urban Ladder and LP, and close the card.