Got an email for LTF upgrade to Avios. Help?

[repertoire]

I've had a Legend CC for years now and they've offered zero upgrades / limit enhancements in classic Indusind fashion. Even after I begged on my hands and knees for Pinnacle to their PNO. So this is a surprise, lol.

I figure anything is better than Legend. So I clicked on it and they said someone will reach out to me.

I travel internationally once or twice a year. Usually to SEA. I'm in the process of moving to the US though and I expect my air travel to pick up in the future. But I don't know the first thing about airline miles programs. Never used them before. So, should I pick BA or Qatar?

I'm inclined to pick Qatar just because I've seen their flights pop up in my searches more frequently and I think they're more budget-oriented than BA? But is there a deeper calculus here of miles program and transferring miles between airlines?

 

[Tensor]

I've had a Legend CC for years now and they've offered zero upgrades / limit enhancements in classic Indusind fashion. Even after I begged on my hands and knees for Pinnacle to their PNO. So this is a surprise, lol.

I figure anything is better than Legend. So I clicked on it and they said someone will reach out to me.

I travel internationally once or twice a year. Usually to SEA. I'm in the process of moving to the US though and I expect my air travel to pick up in the future. But I don't know the first thing about airline miles programs. Never used them before. So, should I pick BA or Qatar?

I'm inclined to pick Qatar just because I've seen their flights pop up in my searches more frequently and I think they're more budget-oriented than BA? But is there a deeper calculus here of miles program and transferring miles between airlines?

1. Get the card.
2. Pick BA (more rewarding).
3. Choose any part of the world as per your preference.

 

[repertoire]

1. Get the card.
2. Pick BA (more rewarding).
3. Choose any part of the world as per your preference.

Thanks. But why is BA considered more rewarding than Qatar?

 

[Tensor]

Thanks. But why is BA considered more rewarding than Qatar?

More rewarding in terms of joining and annual benefits. With BA you'll get 55k Avios as joining and 10k Avios as renewal benefit. If these are not applicable then go for any. Both BA and Qatar are oneworld alliance members so you won't face any issue with point transfer and flight booking between them.

 

[imdjay]

I have a suggestion for you... since you are anyways holding money for some tax reasons or something... next time you do it... make sure you cross 5L.

Visit branch and give account upgrade form for Grande, it will take a week max.
Then get your Grande RM to apply for Pinnacle CC using Grande account code. You get pinnacle at 5K+GST fees, no vouchers. But on spending 50k in first 90 days... you will get fee reversal.. effectively making it LTF.

You get to enjoy 0 MAB exclusive as side deal.

I had visted my nearest branch for the same. The banker had a word with the Credit card team. He told me that this Pinnacle 5K+GST and refund thing is only for NTB customers who do not hold any credit card with Indus. As I have a card already, they won't issue it to me.
He advised to open account on my family members name and get the card on their name with mine as an add-on.

If you are sure, can you share the contact of someone who can do this for me?

 

[kvndsz512]

More rewarding in terms of joining and annual benefits. With BA you'll get 55k Avios as joining and 10k Avios as renewal benefit. If these are not applicable then go for any. Both BA and Qatar are oneworld alliance members so you won't face any issue with point transfer and flight booking between them.

he has ltf offer so mostly nothing as joining or renewal benefits

 

[Rahul Gupta]

please share your upgrade link from email after clicking upgrade now

Nice idea. Its indusind so maybe other people could also benefit from this. @repertoire can you share the link with us once your card is successfully upgraded.

 

[vijay.vj]

I had visted my nearest branch for the same. The banker had a word with the Credit card team. He told me that this Pinnacle 5K+GST and refund thing is only for NTB customers who do not hold any credit card with Indus. As I have a card already, they won't issue it to me.
He advised to open account on my family members name and get the card on their name with mine as an add-on.

If you are sure, can you share the contact of someone who can do this for me?

Actually its the other way around. This offer is of Grande account, which they are also offering to NTB.

I'm sure there are people who got pinnacle via this route... lets see if we can find anyone.
@4uziaul should be able to guide.

 

[imdjay]

Actually its the other way around. This offer is of Grande account, which they are also offering to NTB.

I'm sure there are people who got pinnacle via this route... lets see if we can find anyone.
@4uziaul should be able to guide.

I already checked with @4uziaul . He asked to talk to you 😂. Can you check with your agent?

 

[vijay.vj]

I already checked with @4uziaul . He asked to talk to you 😂. Can you check with your agent?

Actually its the other way around. This offer is of Grande account, which they are also offering to NTB.

I'm sure there are people who got pinnacle via this route... lets see if we can find anyone.
@4uziaul should be able to guide.

I kinda have a feeling branch guys could be mis leading you to make you open a grande account for their targets. I also received numerous calls every week from bank branch people asking me to open Grande account for my family.

Once try sending your query over email & also send a tweet on X

 

[1pratham]

I figure anything is better than Legend. So I clicked on it and they said someone will reach out to me.

Did someone reach out to you? You got the card?
I also received the email and I clicked but no one has contacted me back

 

[Firewing224]

I've gotten the same offer. Upgrade from legend to Avios. 2.06L CL, absolutely no spends on it except some transactions on Singapore metro cuz DCB (this was 4 months back) wasn't accepted. Also wanted pinnacle but was denied. Now offered Avios LTF. Recvd the card.
There is NO JOINING BONUS / gold program on Qatar / 55K joining points for BA. Both variants are the same as there's no joining bonus. Got it primarily for airport m&g, since I already have infinia now.

 

[Rahul Gupta]

I've gotten the same offer. Upgrade from legend to Avios. 2.06L CL, absolutely no spends on it except some transactions on Singapore metro cuz DCB (this was 4 months back) wasn't accepted. Also wanted pinnacle but was denied. Now offered Avios LTF. Recvd the card.
There is NO JOINING BONUS / gold program on Qatar / 55K joining points for BA. Both variants are the same as there's no joining bonus. Got it primarily for airport m&g, since I already have infinia now.

As you already got the card. Can you share that link in DM?

 

[_amit_]

I have a suggestion for you... since you are anyways holding money for some tax reasons or something... next time you do it... make sure you cross 5L.

Visit branch and give account upgrade form for Grande, it will take a week max.
Then get your Grande RM to apply for Pinnacle CC using Grande account code. You get pinnacle at 5K+GST fees, no vouchers. But on spending 50k in first 90 days... you will get fee reversal.. effectively making it LTF.

You get to enjoy 0 MAB exclusive as side deal.

0 MAB for Grande? So once upgraded, the bank doesn't downgrade ever regardless of amount being 0?

 

[Firewing224]

As you already got the card. Can you share that link in DM?

I didn't get an email. It was a call actually. Pressed one and IVR said they'll call back. Got call back after 4-5 days. I was in a meeting and asked to call back later. They did call back later and took consent over phone. Infact I got 2 different calls from 2 different numbers.

My observation is that since it's a co-branded card, Avios has some X number of cards to give out and they must finish their quota. Since being given without joining bonuses.

 

[Rahul Gupta]

I didn't get an email. It was a call actually. Pressed one and IVR said they'll call back. Got call back after 4-5 days. I was in a meeting and asked to call back later. They did call back later and took consent over phone. Infact I got 2 different calls from 2 different numbers.

My observation is that since it's a co-branded card, Avios has some X number of cards to give out and they must finish their quota. Since being given without joining bonuses.

can you share those contact numbers?

 

[vijay.vj]

0 MAB for Grande? So once upgraded, the bank doesn't downgrade ever regardless of amount being 0?

Pinnacle gives 0 MAB exclusive. No such option to make Grande 0 MAB unless salary of 2.5L p/m

 

[_amit_]

Pinnacle gives 0 MAB exclusive. No such option to make Grande 0 MAB unless salary of 2.5L p/m

So as I understand, you meant, get Grande, get pinnacle with 5K + GST and reverse the fees with spend waiver and then downgrade to 0 MAB exclusive.
Thats neat.

 

[vijay.vj]

So as I understand, you meant, get Grande, get pinnacle with 5K + GST and reverse the fees with spend waiver and then downgrade to 0 MAB exclusive.
Thats neat.

Yep, all you loose is some interest for worst case, 3 months..

 

[_amit_]

Yep, all you loose is some interest for worst case, 3 months..

Sounds good. How about debit card charges?

Lets say if after working this out, one downgrades to exclusive within 3 months, do they charge for debit card issued with Grande?

Or is it similar to other banks as joining fees is NIL, blocking before a year won't incur annual AMC? and thus one can keep both debit cards (Grande and exclusive) for some time.

 

[repertoire]

Did someone reach out to you? You got the card?
I also received the email and I clicked but no one has contacted me back

No. I clicked on the email last Friday and so far no one has reached out to me. In the meantime I've sent two emails to priority.cares@indusind.com and one more today to premium.care@indusind.com. So far, no response. I called their customer care but they all pretend to never have heard of any LTF offer on Avios card.

I'm going to email their PNO next.