Request for Credit Card Suggestions

[phoenix1611]

Hello!

I'm a 31-year old lawyer, working in India, looking for credit card suggestions. I've been reading the threads on TF for some time now and found some pretty helpful information here, thanks to all the contributors!

Priorities & Requirements:
Looking for the right combination of credit cards that will give me the best rewards / points / value for use on travel-related expenses.
- tend to do both international and domestic travel (at least 2-3 international trips a year)
- will most likely use the points to book economy flights or to upgrade from economy to a higher class - by transferring to airline partners / buying vouchers / covering card charges / any other way you suggest
- need both int'l and domestic airport lounge access
- may occasionally use the points for a hotel booking
- may occasionally use the points to buy a luxury item
- travel benefits is the priority, all other benefits (movie tickets, memberships, vouchers, etc) are secondary though it would be nice to have and I do use them

Annual Spends: INR 17-18 Lakhs on average (this tends to be more than my annual income at the moment since in addition to my own expenses, I also occasionally use them for work-related expenses which are reimbursed and make travel bookings for the group when I travel with my friends).

I currently have the following:
1. SBI Elite Credit Card (my first credit card, been using it since November 2020)
2. Amex Platinum Reserve Credit Card (upgraded from the Platinum Travel last year when there was an offer, don't mind downgrading if necessary)

I am considering one or two of these at the moment:
1. HDFC Diners Club Black Metal Credit Card
2. HDFC Diners Club Privilege Credit Card (if it is difficult to get DC black immediately)
3. HDFC Regalia Gold Credit Card (if it is difficult to get DC black immediately)
4. SBI Aurum Credit Card (was invited to apply for this)
5. Amex Gold Charge Card (for the 5X reward multiplier - I've been using the Gyftr vouchers for MMT, Big Basket, Nykaa, Amazon, etc on my Amex)

A few other relevant points:
- Will definitely need either a Visa or Mastercard in addition to the Amex or DC, due to the acceptance rate.
- I don't think airline co-branded cards will help since the destinations and airlines I book are different each time. Please correct me if I am wrong.
- Is it worth considering the Amex trifecta?
- I spend 10k / month on fuel, not including road trips. Is it worth getting a card specifically for this?
- Been using SBI's banking services for a long time and have a good relationship with the bank, including family FDs, etc.
- Opened an HDFC account last year and got a Forex card. The manager seemed to be keen to assist with getting a credit card and I received offers by email. Could develop this further.
- I don't have accounts in any other bank but I'm open to it.

Would really appreciate your advice! 🙏

 

[VasukiVasuki is verified member.]

Hello!

I'm a 31-year old lawyer, working in India, looking for credit card suggestions. I've been reading the threads on TF for some time now and found some pretty helpful information here, thanks to all the contributors!

Priorities & Requirements:
Looking for the right combination of credit cards that will give me the best rewards / points / value for use on travel-related expenses.
- tend to do both international and domestic travel (at least 2-3 international trips a year)
- will most likely use the points to book economy flights or to upgrade from economy to a higher class - by transferring to airline partners / buying vouchers / covering card charges / any other way you suggest
- need both int'l and domestic airport lounge access
- may occasionally use the points for a hotel booking
- may occasionally use the points to buy a luxury item
- travel benefits is the priority, all other benefits (movie tickets, memberships, vouchers, etc) are secondary though it would be nice to have and I do use them

Annual Spends: INR 17-18 Lakhs on average (this tends to be more than my annual income at the moment since in addition to my own expenses, I also occasionally use them for work-related expenses which are reimbursed and make travel bookings for the group when I travel with my friends).

I currently have the following:
1. SBI Elite Credit Card (my first credit card, been using it since November 2020)
2. Amex Platinum Reserve Credit Card (upgraded from the Platinum Travel last year when there was an offer, don't mind downgrading if necessary)

I am considering one or two of these at the moment:
1. HDFC Diners Club Black Metal Credit Card
2. HDFC Diners Club Privilege Credit Card (if it is difficult to get DC black immediately)
3. HDFC Regalia Gold Credit Card (if it is difficult to get DC black immediately)
4. SBI Aurum Credit Card (was invited to apply for this)
5. Amex Gold Charge Card (for the 5X reward multiplier - I've been using the Gyftr vouchers for MMT, Big Basket, Nykaa, Amazon, etc on my Amex)

A few other relevant points:
- Will definitely need either a Visa or Mastercard in addition to the Amex or DC, due to the acceptance rate.
- I don't think airline co-branded cards will help since the destinations and airlines I book are different each time. Please correct me if I am wrong.
- Is it worth considering the Amex trifecta?
- I spend 10k / month on fuel, not including road trips. Is it worth getting a card specifically for this?
- Been using SBI's banking services for a long time and have a good relationship with the bank, including family FDs, etc.
- Opened an HDFC account last year and got a Forex card. The manager seemed to be keen to assist with getting a credit card and I received offers by email. Could develop this further.
- I don't have accounts in any other bank but I'm open to it.

Would really appreciate your advice!

What's ur salary /.itr

 

[Virtual King]

looking for credit card suggestions.

Check out these generic TF threads, inter alia, some of which you may have already browsed through....
Credit Card Exclusions & Surcharges: A Complete List for Popular Cards from All Major Issuers!
The Ultimate Credit Card Guide – One-Stop Solution for All Your Queries with RR Analysis!.
Best Credit Cards 2025 | Category-wise Credit Card Recommendation By TechnoFino
Guide to Choosing the Right Credit Card - Basic Requirements

Hope this helps. 🙂

 

[Virtual King]

travel benefits is the priority

In this case, you can check out Amex Platinum Travel (APT), as and when Amex starts issuing the credit cards once again after this hiatus. APT should cover your travel requirements adequately, up to Rs 4L for best returns. For more details on this, you can see here. Also, you can also contact @BestBanker here on TF for further guidance/assistance, as he works in Amex and has helped many people in getting Amex cards.

Annual Spends: INR 17-18 Lakhs on average

In this scenario, super-premium credit cards like Infinia and Emerald Private Metal (EPM) are good cards for your requirements. They have different ITR and salary requirements, which you can check and/or browse numerous threads here. One thread on Infinia, inter alia, is here and some recent threads on EPM are here and here. From these threads you can further expand your own research, as per your requirements.

Will definitely need either a Visa or Mastercard

Both Infinia and EPM come in these variants. Plus, if you also secure APT, then your requirement of all three variants can be met.

I spend 10k / month on fuel, not including road trips. Is it worth getting a card specifically for this?

My recommendation would be yes; you should go in for a fuel card. I have been using BPCL SBI Octane which gives 6.25% returns on fuel and 2.5% on grocery, dining, movies, etc. You can check out these threads here and here.

Hope this helps. 🙂