My HDFC credit card journey and the way forward

[cardio_guycardio_guy is verified member.]

I am someone who spoiled many good chances of getting better cards early on. But HDFC has been overall good to me, and nothing went wrose.
When I started my credit card journey, I was not aware about core/cobranded problems of HDFC.
I have posted in different threads about these milestones but I thought a dedicated post will help to document everything in one place.
Here's a rough timeline of my journey with HDFC so far:

• April 2023: Applied and got Tata Neu Plus FYF (Limit 86k)
• July 2023: Closed Neu Plus permanently (Because I wanted Infinity)
• November 2023: Applied and got Swiggy (Paid 500 JF + 500 AF, Limit: 1.25L)
• September 2024: Credit limit of Swiggy card increased to 1.52L
• October 2024: Applied and got Neu Infinity. (FYF, same limit, 1.52L)
• November 2024: Got both Neu and Swiggy converted to LTF
• December 2024: Opened HDFC salary account (Preferred variant)
• January 2025 onwards: Salary started crediting in HDFC account (net monthly: 2L)
• March 2025: Limits of Neu Infinity and Swiggy enhanced to 7.63L (used these cards extensively in the last 2 months)
• May-end 2025: Waited for 2-3 months but no preapproved offers have come yet.
• May 26-29. 2025: Applied for Freedom card via Paytm, got it approved & received the physical card. Same limit as other existing cards.
• June 1 2025: Applied for Mariott Bonvoy card. got rejected. (will have to wait for cooling period to apply for a new card)
• June 2 2025: Wrote mail to greivence redressal and PNO to upgrade Freedom card. Waiting for their response.
• June 10, 2025: Mariott card approved. (VKYC, address verification etc completed last week)

As of now I am standing with 4 cards - HDFC Swiggy, Tata Neu Infinity, Mariott Bonvoy, and Freedom.
My future plan is to upgrade Freedom to a better core card - RG/DCB/Infinia and also to get the MB card.
I will also have to change/alter my spend patterns to align with the best case usage of these cards.
There is a long way to go in front of me. I will update my future journey here as and when it happens.

 

[HumorSimpson]

Don't downgrade freedom to RG, go for Millenia

 

[msd07]

Don't downgrade freedom to RG, go for Millenia

freedom to RG is a downgrade ? pls explain?

 

[BeingIncogBeingIncog is verified member.]

freedom to RG is a downgrade ? pls explain?

Sarcasm
.
.

 

[msd07]

Sarcasm
.
.

ya looks like simpson definitely got lot of humor...

 

[HumorSimpson]

freedom to RG is a downgrade ? pls explain?

What are the benefits of RG?

 

[msd07]

What are the benefits of RG?

comeon bro... ..

 

[cardio_guycardio_guy is verified member.]

Humor bhai, you have discussed in other threads also, Millennia better than RG. I agree. Let's stop it here pls.

 

[zoro]

My journey is somewhat similar,
Jan 2023 - LTF Diners Privilege(my salary was not enough to get DCB via alumni offer)
Feb 2023 - LTF Neu Infinity
had credit limit increase from 4.48 to 5.9
Aug 2024 - FYF upgrade from privilege to DCB Metal
Sept 2024 - Applied for pixel, but it did not go through cz of cooling period
Mar 2024 - Visa and rupay variants of Pixel is automatically issued
May 2025 - Got offer LTF swiggy, I just went and tried and to my luck it got issued with shared limit between DCB and Neu Infinity.

I have used my DCB quite well and even got the 10k bonus points this month for quarterly milestone, I am waiting to see if I get an option to upgrade to Infinia.

Please let me know if anyone has any tips on how to proceed...