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Amex MR Points and IDFC Redemptions: Hotels, Flights, or Vouchers?

I have 1,04,000 MR points on my Amex cards and will hit the 25,000 MR milestone for ₹4L spend within a day or two (short of ₹6K right now). I’ve accumulated these points using the Amex trifecta, and my dad also has 67,000 MR and 36,000 MR points on his cards.

On the IDFC debit card, I have 85,000 points (₹0.25 per point = ₹20,000 voucher) and can redeem for Croma or Reliance Digital, though Croma seems more viable as Reliance isn't available on Mayura or Ashva cards.

For Infinia, with the 1 INR = 2.5 points conversion, I’m thinking of redeeming for Croma as well. Altogether, I can redeem approximately ₹1,10,000 INR worth of vouchers for Croma.

Redeeming for Croma vs Other Options​

Initially, I thought about using these points toward a MacBook, but I don’t really need one since I’ll be replacing my personal laptop with a work device. Another option is to buy something for someone else and take cash from them. I also considered buying a new smartphone, possibly the iPhone 16 Pro 256GB, but I’d miss out on the GST credit, which I usually claim for such purchases if bought directly.

My dad already redeemed Croma vouchers for an S24 Ultra purchase. Considering Croma and Reliance Digital offer the same value, I’m leaning toward Croma for its flexibility. However, I feel like I’m just hoarding points at this stage and wonder if it’s worth waiting for a better opportunity.

Redeeming for Hotels or Flights​

I haven’t paid much attention to redeeming MR points for hotels or flights yet. From what I’ve seen in numerous threads, Marriott Bonvoy isn’t the best in terms of value for MR redemptions, and Accor Hotels seems to provide better returns. If anyone has had experience with this, is it really true?

For flights, I don’t have any travel plans for the next 6-12 months, so transferring points to airlines may not be the best use right now. However, I’m open to hearing if others have found a way to make flight redemptions worthwhile in the long term.

GST Credit and Redemption Strategy​

Since I generally prefer claiming GST credit for major purchases, I’m hesitant to redeem for electronics like a smartphone via vouchers as that route doesn’t allow for GST benefits. However, I’d like input on whether waiting for more GST-applicable expenses to use these vouchers makes sense.


Here’s my dilemma:

  • Should I redeem MR points now for Croma vouchers, or is there a better option?
  • Is there any advantage to redeeming for hotels or flights, given my lack of immediate travel plans?
  • For IDFC, would Reliance Digital ever make sense if available?
Also, I’m considering canceling Amex Platinum Travel when it’s up for renewal. Initially, I was aiming to hit the ₹1.9L milestone, but I’d need to use wallet reloads for rent in early April to achieve that. However, I’m unsure if I’ll be moving to a different workplace, so this decision is still up in the air.

Would it make sense to go for the iPhone 16 Pro 256GB, or is there a better way to use these points?

Any advice or similar experiences would be greatly appreciated! Would love to hear how others manage their redemptions.
 
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