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Credit Card Recommendation Based on Use Case Scenarios

ashwinsid

TF Premier
VIP Lounge
Thought of starting this thread where one can post their use case/requirements/eligibility and the expert members can recommend which card would be suitable. Admins may please edit/merge the thread as required.

I'll start:

  • Current Cards Held (& Credit Limit)
    • HDFC Diners Club Black (auto upgraded from Regalia 1 day ago). Credit Limit Rs.9,68,000
    • ICICI Amazon Pay (held since 3 years. Credit Limit: Rs.5,00,000
  • My CIBIL SCORE
    • 830
  • Use Case: Average monthly billing on HDFC card is Rs.50,000 and on ICICI Amazon Pay is Rs.40,000
    • Monthly Utility payments: Rs.10,000
    • Fuel: Rs.4,000
    • Dining Out: Rs.5,000
    • Ola: Rs.4,000
    • Online Shopping: Rs.20,000
  • Main Requirement: (I travel across South Asia frequently, with atleast 10 to 14 flights a month booked my company. Clients are 5 start hotels so hospitality (stay & food) is complementary. I have to take regular MS Teams call during travel and need relatively silent/less crowded spaces. Typical lounges are choc a bloc due to free lounge access to folks everyone (including me!)
    • I need unlimited access to Domestic lounges, ideally ALL or atleast most of the premium lounges like the 080 Lounge in BLR.
    • I am not concerned about the food or beverages at the lounge.
  • Card Rewards
    • Honestly not concerned and was ignorant but catching up with this thread. Maybe transfer of points to Vistara would be ideal.
  • Card Fees
    • Am willing to pay the required joining fees/annual fees (upto Rs.20,000)
    • AMEX Platinum charge card with Rs.60,000++ fees is a bit high considering the rewards do not appeal to me much as of now.
  • CATCH: Has to be C2C based on existing cards
    • I am a consultant with no salary slip or fixed income. It fluctuates to mid six figures for few months and just barely six figures few other months.
    • Bank statement (SBI savings) will have atleast Rs.20 lakhs credit transactions per year.
    • IT returns will reflect a different picture thanks to my CA. Going by IT returns I wont be eligible for entry level cards too !!
Of all the cards available, I feel HDFC Infinia is the best match for me (unlimited Priority pass access across the world). Tried convincing HDFC to offer me that card instead of DCB but they dont seem to care for my 15 year loyalty.

Applied for BOB Eterna just for the sake of it and the application process itself is botched and dragging across. Have mailed them/Tweeted to them to cancel my application.

Axis Vistara Infinite is appealing for the Vistara Gold status etc but their lounge access is disappointing (I am at airports at least 10 to 14 times average per month).

Any other cards out there that provides access to the more premier lounges, which I can apply based on Rs.9.6 Lakhs + Rs.5 lakhs worth credit limit on existing cards?
 
Thought of starting this thread where one can post their use case/requirements/eligibility and the expert members can recommend which card would be suitable. Admins may please edit/merge the thread as required.

I'll start:

  • Current Cards Held (& Credit Limit)
    • HDFC Diners Club Black (auto upgraded from Regalia 1 day ago). Credit Limit Rs.9,68,000
    • ICICI Amazon Pay (held since 3 years. Credit Limit: Rs.5,00,000
  • My CIBIL SCORE
    • 830
  • Use Case: Average monthly billing on HDFC card is Rs.50,000 and on ICICI Amazon Pay is Rs.40,000
    • Monthly Utility payments: Rs.10,000
    • Fuel: Rs.4,000
    • Dining Out: Rs.5,000
    • Ola: Rs.4,000
    • Online Shopping: Rs.20,000
  • Main Requirement: (I travel across South Asia frequently, with atleast 10 to 14 flights a month booked my company. Clients are 5 start hotels so hospitality (stay & food) is complementary. I have to take regular MS Teams call during travel and need relatively silent/less crowded spaces. Typical lounges are choc a bloc due to free lounge access to folks everyone (including me!)
    • I need unlimited access to Domestic lounges, ideally ALL or atleast most of the premium lounges like the 080 Lounge in BLR.
    • I am not concerned about the food or beverages at the lounge.
  • Card Rewards
    • Honestly not concerned and was ignorant but catching up with this thread. Maybe transfer of points to Vistara would be ideal.
  • Card Fees
    • Am willing to pay the required joining fees/annual fees (upto Rs.20,000)
    • AMEX Platinum charge card with Rs.60,000++ fees is a bit high considering the rewards do not appeal to me much as of now.
  • CATCH: Has to be C2C based on existing cards
    • I am a consultant with no salary slip or fixed income. It fluctuates to mid six figures for few months and just barely six figures few other months.
    • Bank statement (SBI savings) will have atleast Rs.20 lakhs credit transactions per year.
    • IT returns will reflect a different picture thanks to my CA. Going by IT returns I wont be eligible for entry level cards too !!
Of all the cards available, I feel HDFC Infinia is the best match for me (unlimited Priority pass access across the world). Tried convincing HDFC to offer me that card instead of DCB but they dont seem to care for my 15 year loyalty.

Applied for BOB Eterna just for the sake of it and the application process itself is botched and dragging across. Have mailed them/Tweeted to them to cancel my application.

Axis Vistara Infinite is appealing for the Vistara Gold status etc but their lounge access is disappointing (I am at airports at least 10 to 14 times average per month).

Any other cards out there that provides access to the more premier lounges, which I can apply based on Rs.9.6 Lakhs + Rs.5 lakhs worth credit limit on existing cards?
See I'm no expert but no one has replied so I'm telling this; i can help u take a card according to your spends. If you need unlimited or high lounges, then sadly you need to have a very good relationship with the bank, possibly call RM and ask. As application for high level cards are like teachers grading grade 12 papers..

Monthly Utility payments: Rs.10,000 -- SBI CashBack
Fuel: Rs.4,000 -- Idk which pump u fill, but universally u can get SC Ultimate or RBL Shoprite
Dining Out: Rs.5,000 -- Easydiner IndusInd
Ola: Rs.4,000 -- SBI Ola / SBI CashBack
Online Shopping: Rs.20,000 -- SBI CashBack

For Lounge, HDFC Infinia, ICICI Emeralde, and many other cards are there.. so u can upgrade or apply, but they'll ask for ITR/salary slip... Good luck 🤞
 
Is DCB not fulfilling this?
  • I need unlimited access to Domestic lounges, ideally ALL or atleast most of the premium lounges like the 080 Lounge in BLR.
DCB is not accepted in 080 lounge and few other less crowded lounges. Also, the card issued to me shows only domestic lounges and none of the international lounges.

1663476317062.jpeg

More than that, tried paying with DCB at two locations and both refused. Including razorpay for an online transaction:
1663476468177.jpeg
 
Thought of starting this thread where one can post their use case/requirements/eligibility and the expert members can recommend which card would be suitable. Admins may please edit/merge the thread as required.

I'll start:

  • Current Cards Held (& Credit Limit)
    • HDFC Diners Club Black (auto upgraded from Regalia 1 day ago). Credit Limit Rs.9,68,000
    • ICICI Amazon Pay (held since 3 years. Credit Limit: Rs.5,00,000
  • My CIBIL SCORE
    • 830
  • Use Case: Average monthly billing on HDFC card is Rs.50,000 and on ICICI Amazon Pay is Rs.40,000
    • Monthly Utility payments: Rs.10,000
    • Fuel: Rs.4,000
    • Dining Out: Rs.5,000
    • Ola: Rs.4,000
    • Online Shopping: Rs.20,000
  • Main Requirement: (I travel across South Asia frequently, with atleast 10 to 14 flights a month booked my company. Clients are 5 start hotels so hospitality (stay & food) is complementary. I have to take regular MS Teams call during travel and need relatively silent/less crowded spaces. Typical lounges are choc a bloc due to free lounge access to folks everyone (including me!)
    • I need unlimited access to Domestic lounges, ideally ALL or atleast most of the premium lounges like the 080 Lounge in BLR.
    • I am not concerned about the food or beverages at the lounge.
  • Card Rewards
    • Honestly not concerned and was ignorant but catching up with this thread. Maybe transfer of points to Vistara would be ideal.
  • Card Fees
    • Am willing to pay the required joining fees/annual fees (upto Rs.20,000)
    • AMEX Platinum charge card with Rs.60,000++ fees is a bit high considering the rewards do not appeal to me much as of now.
  • CATCH: Has to be C2C based on existing cards
    • I am a consultant with no salary slip or fixed income. It fluctuates to mid six figures for few months and just barely six figures few other months.
    • Bank statement (SBI savings) will have atleast Rs.20 lakhs credit transactions per year.
    • IT returns will reflect a different picture thanks to my CA. Going by IT returns I wont be eligible for entry level cards too !!
Of all the cards available, I feel HDFC Infinia is the best match for me (unlimited Priority pass access across the world). Tried convincing HDFC to offer me that card instead of DCB but they dont seem to care for my 15 year loyalty.

Applied for BOB Eterna just for the sake of it and the application process itself is botched and dragging across. Have mailed them/Tweeted to them to cancel my application.

Axis Vistara Infinite is appealing for the Vistara Gold status etc but their lounge access is disappointing (I am at airports at least 10 to 14 times average per month).

Any other cards out there that provides access to the more premier lounges, which I can apply based on Rs.9.6 Lakhs + Rs.5 lakhs worth credit limit on existing cards?
I may be wrong, but I have a question here. If you get a Vistara Infinite, you would be getting the CV Gold status. With CV Gold status, don't you have access to lounges if you fly Vistara? (https://www.airvistara.com/de/en/vistara-experience/on-ground/lounge). Doesn't make sense if you are flying other airlines.
 
I may be wrong, but I have a question here. If you get a Vistara Infinite, you would be getting the CV Gold status. With CV Gold status, don't you have access to lounges if you fly Vistara? (https://www.airvistara.com/de/en/vistara-experience/on-ground/lounge). Doesn't make sense if you are flying other airlines.
Most of my domestic flights are Indigo, unless the time slot offered by Vistara is better (all booked by clients). But yeah, CV Gold lounge access will be only for Vistara boarding pass as far as i know. Anyway, all this is too much arduous. Probably better to look for a decent card that offers paid access.
 
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