MRCC vs Gold Charge

[Rajat Nigam]

Which card is better between Amex MRCC and Gold Charge card (or any other Amex card) ?

The card which I mainly use are -
1. Axis Ace (for bill payments upto ₹10K and other offline uses)
2. SBI Cashback (strictly for online use)
3. SBI BPCL (for fuel)
4. RBL Valueplus supercard (for fuel upto ₹2500 p.m)

Major MONTHLY spends are -
1. Electricity bill payments of ~₹20000 per month (pm)
2. Offline spends of ₹25000 pm
3. Fuel spends of around ₹6000 pm
4. Online spends of around ₹7000 pm

I would prefer reward redemption in Amazon Pay vouchers rather than a luxurious hotel stay.

 

[Rajat Nigam]

Nice analysis, but it’s important to note that APay redemption at 38.8p is only available under Gold collection for Gold and MRCC, and not on the Plat Travel, which will probably give at best 25p per point.

Probably the MRCC suits me best then !

What about the Apay vouchers on reward multiplier platform? Are the always available?

 

[bonheur]

Probably the MRCC suits me best then !

What about the Apay vouchers on reward multiplier platform? Are the always available?

Not always, I’ve seen they usually go out of stock by the end of the month.

Yes, MRCC is the best starter card for most people.

 

[amitr29]

Which card is better between Amex MRCC and Gold Charge card (or any other Amex card) ?

The card which I mainly use are -
1. Axis Ace (for bill payments upto ₹10K and other offline uses)
2. SBI Cashback (strictly for online use)
3. SBI BPCL (for fuel)
4. RBL Valueplus supercard (for fuel upto ₹2500 p.m)

Major MONTHLY spends are -
1. Electricity bill payments of ~₹20000 per month (pm)
2. Offline spends of ₹25000 pm
3. Fuel spends of around ₹6000 pm
4. Online spends of around ₹7000 pm

I would prefer reward redemption in Amazon Pay vouchers rather than a luxurious hotel stay.

Why are you only interested in Amex card? There are other cards available with better rewards

 

[pprakash11]

Why are you only interested in Amex card? There are other cards available with better rewards

FOMO

 

[Rajat Nigam]

Why are you only interested in Amex card? There are other cards available with better rewards

Such as ?

 

[amitr29]

Y

Such as ?

You can start with HDFC Regalia Gold. It has good benefits

 

[Rajat Nigam]

Y
You can start with HDFC Regalia Gold. It has good benefits

Already have LTF DCP

Any other ?

 

[Akshays]

Y
You can start with HDFC Regalia Gold. It has good benefits

I don't think Regalia Gold is a good card overall as there are crippling caps on accelerated points per transaction and per month, Milestone benefits are poor. May be you can explain it's most optimum use case scenario where you'd beat AMEX return rates in OP's spend patterns, considering his biggest expense is electricity and his most other expenses are covered by other cards he has with him.

Also I am genuinely interested in knowing, in general, how Regalia gold can be best utilized. I am thinking of getting an HDFC card for my brother and will be willing to consider this if it really is good card.

 

[Rajat Nigam]

I don't think Regalia Gold is a good card overall as there are crippling caps on accelerated points per transaction and per month, Milestone benefits are poor if you are not interested into flight vouchers. May be you can explain in a simple to understand way it's most optimum use case scenario where you'd beat AMEX return rates in OP's spend patterns, considering his biggest expense is electricity buying Apay GV from HDFC Smartbuy will nullify any return rate advantage Regalia gold has as HDFC charges fees for Apay vouchers. So unless Regalia Gold can offer 8.5% plus return rate for redemption by using it in its most optimum way, I don't think that's gonna beat Amex cards in this case.

That's correct.
Can't agree more !

 

[Akshays]

Nice analysis, but it’s important to note that APay redemption at 38.8p is only available under Gold collection for Gold and MRCC, and not on the Plat Travel, which will probably give at best 25p per point.

Suppose I have Amex Trifecta , (MRCC , Gold and Plat Travel), will I be able to redeem MR points I get from Plat Travel against Gold Rewards catalogue and vice versa? I am curious to know. I already have MRCC and Gold, Got an upgrade offer for Plat Travel. To be honest, it doesn't look any different than applying it normally for Plat Travel but I am willing to consider Plat Travel over MRCC as I don't need to fuss over optimizing spends to get best return rate, if I simply am able to meet 4L a year threshold even with unoptimized spends. Of course I will try to optimize as much as I can but I would like to not worry every month, If i did 1500 x 4 or 1000 x6 or not.

 

[amitr29]

That's correct.
Can't agree more !

As quoted earlier, for you don't look beyond Gold Charge. You spend 31000 every month on Utility and Fuel. You get points on both only with Gold charge. You can maximize by taking Amazon vouchers of 20k under 5x multiplier.

Alternately, take MRCC and Gold charge:

Gold Charge - Amazon vouchers - 1000X6 and
8000.For Total 14,000 you get 1000 bonus and 1120 as 5x multiplier . Total 2240 points with 120 points on fuel. Joining bonus 4000. Annual points 30880 without referal and 32880 with referral.

MRCC - Amazon Vouchers - 1500x4. You get 1000 plus 240 for 3x multiplier. Total points 14880. Plus 4000 joining is 14880.

Use 20k Amazon vouchers to pay electricity bill

For other spends keep using DCP. You get miles and can cover your domestic travel

 

[helloworld]

Just a random note:

Those who willing to take or already applied 'Platinum travel', considering the annual fee negotiation etc. its best if you spend 4L in that year to avail maximum benefits offered by this card.

For some 4L is just 4 months worth of spends, but for other it might be year spends. Take your financial situation in consideration and opt accordingly.

Sometimes, you may only spend this card making other cards (if any) useless and to worst if any paid cards like fee waiver on spends of 2L cards, you might have to pay annual fee.

Consider platinum travel benefits with fee you'll pay (first year anyway free, consider renewal) along with annual fee of other cards because you might not complete and it needs to be paid or close.

Also, 4L mostly prefer online but if you're going to use offline, do note the availability in that case you might need another card for your offline spends and 4L needs some strech or more spends.

Not sure everyone but 4L itself is significant amount to spend annually which includes bill payments, shopping, online, insurance.

Same rule applies to DCB, Select etc. where you won't get renewal benefits but only waiver (which you must achieve to avoid paying high fee or better reward).

Note: It varies from P2P, only you know the spends you do in that year and other cards you have, paying annual fee.

+ didn't included money rotation spends.

 

[runzone]

Pro point: If you apply AMEX back to back, only one CIBIL hit would be there.

Back to back means, on same day or, after the approval of 1 amex?

 

[amitr29]

within 1 month like that, seen upto that period.

also, morethan 3 months need another KYC and sometimes no CIBIL hit (observed with my appln after 9 months).

There is a Cibil hit after 1 week but no VKYC for 3 months

 

[bonheur]

Suppose I have Amex Trifecta , (MRCC , Gold and Plat Travel), will I be able to redeem MR points I get from Plat Travel against Gold Rewards catalogue and vice versa? I am curious to know. I already have MRCC and Gold, Got an upgrade offer for Plat Travel. To be honest, it doesn't look any different than applying it normally for Plat Travel but I am willing to consider Plat Travel over MRCC as I don't need to fuss over optimizing spends to get best return rate, if I simply am able to meet 4L a year threshold even with unoptimized spends. Of course I will try to optimize as much as I can but I would like to not worry every month, If i did 1500 x 4 or 1000 x6 or not.

The Platinum Travel isn't eligible for Gold collection redemption is what I was saying earlier. Since OP is only looking for APay redemption, the reward rate for APay is going to dip substantially with Plat Travel, as you can only use it for APay voucher redemption from the general rewards pool which only gives ₹0.25 per 1 MR (I think). But if you're not looking for APay exclusively, you can pool up points for all 3 cards in the trifecta for miles redemptions at the same rates.

But I agree that Plat Travel is otherwise a no-nonsense card, and if you're not worried about the hassle of counting monthly milestones and are looking for travel/point redemptions, then it works out a lot better and is also richly rewarding (up to 8.5%).

 

[runzone]

There is a Cibil hit after 1 week but no VKYC for 3 months

So basically for every application there will be a cibil hit, because I dont think anyone will apply 2 AMEX cards in 1 week time

 

[amitr29]

So basically for every application there will be a cibil hit, because I dont think anyone will apply 2 AMEX cards in 1 week time

I did and received 3 cards

 

[runzone]

I did and received 3 cards

Applied 3 cards in a week? 1 CIBIL hit?

 

[amitr29]

Applied 3 cards in a week? 1 CIBIL hit?

Yes

 

[pprakash11]

I did and received 3 cards

Which are those ?