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Need suggestion on credit card usage based on spending pattern

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ChurningNoob

ChurningNoob

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With my recent introduction to the world of credit cards and points - I have landed on a pile of confusion.

I don't know which card to usewhen to use which is the best. Please guide.

Goal - Collect enough points to travel and stay luxurious.

Cards we own, all are LTF.

1657018216366.png

Our average expense is around ₹60,000 per month and few biannual/yearly expense.

1657018244233.png

Goal - Collect points to travel and stay luxurious. I don't mind paying for a new card (with AmEx on verge of getting unbanned) if it will help in achieving or accelerating my goal.


@TechnoFino @Subhankar
 
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I would use Regalia/Wealth/Zenith

Other cards in your portfolio are not generalized cards, they are use case specific. If you are interested in flight tickets I think best would be getting into amex (Whenever it is available).

See credit cards in low and mid category are not really luxury and flightticket providing cards, they are good for cashback, generally value of reward points also decreases great deal if you try to go into flight tickets anyways. For that you need higher variant cards.

I prefer cashback cards. Less hassle you have is better.
 
ChurningNoob said:
With my recent introduction to the world of credit cards and points - I have landed on a pile of confusion.

I don't know which card to usewhen to use which is the best. Please guide.

Goal - Collect enough points to travel and stay luxurious.

Cards we own, all are LTF.

View attachment 2329

Our average expense is around ₹60,000 per month and few biannual/yearly expense.

View attachment 2330

Goal - Collect points to travel and stay luxurious. I don't mind paying for a new card (with AmEx on verge of getting unbanned) if it will help in achieving or accelerating my goal.


@TechnoFino @Subhankar
Click to expand...
I don't have idea of AU zenith card. I would spend mostly on Regalia that can set up for a future upgrade of DCB/Infinia. You can easily hit 5L milestone, which would get you ~2.33% reward rate, even without considering any smartbuy flight booking and assuming you are only going to redeeming points for flight and hotel bookings in smartbuy portal.

The main disadvantages of smartbuy portal are that 10% off discounts are not available compared to booking in Cleartrip, Yatra, EMT etc and add-ons like cancellations and date change won't be there(may be possible through Conceirge, I haven't tried it). I used to live in other city and many times used to fly solo to hometown and most of the times fare would be less to qualify for EMT, Cleartrip discounts, so smartbuy flights was no brainer for me. If you're are fine with disadvantages of this smartbuy redemption, you can use spend predominantly on Regalia till the 5L and later on move the spends to IDFC wealth(if you have lot of spends in one month > 60000).
if smartbuy redemption are not appealing, better to use IDFC wealth as you are primary card for online shopping(3x offline) and spend using other cards depending on the offer available.
 
anirbanm said:
Does Amex have any LTF cards?
Click to expand...
no, normally they don't.
but you can ask for companion card for free, for example-
I have MRCC (chargeable), so I can get a lower variant card (lower than MRCC) for free, I took Smartearn card, and it's LTF till I hold MRCC.
if you have Gold charge, you can get MRCC as a companion card for free.
if you have platinum charge, you can get platinum travel/gold charge/ MRCC as a companion card for free.
 
If you want to travel in luxury, you're looking at cards which can offer you airmiles transfer/hotel loyalty program transfers.

Firstly I'll add what @TechnoFino has said. From the card you do hold, try to get the upgrade of Regalia to infinia. It'll open door for airmile transfers.

You can check your eligibility with SCB Ultimate card. This will open the gate for you to redeem points for vouchers of Marriott, ITC, TAJ, Postcard Hotels. With 3.3% reward rate on EVERYTHING, it's a no brainer card. (I'll soon be posting about the redemption of mine through it)

What's the limit on Citi Rewards? 3L+? Upgrade it to Citi Prestige. Less than 3L? If between 1.8-2.2 L try applying a second Citi card, and high chance you'll get the 80k+ limit if approved, then merge and get Citi Prestige. If you qualify for income criteria, apply for it ASAP.

If you're unable to get hold of Citi Prestige, get Citi Premier Miles.

Another sweet card is there, which is Axis Atlas.

HSBC Platinum is there as LTF with airmile transfer partners as well.

And for AMEX, let's discuss after the ban gets lifted? As changes may come.

Also do note, most of the time you need to forget about lucrative cashback/discounts, as you're chasing miles and loyalty programs.
 
Subhankar said:
If you want to travel in luxury, you're looking at cards which can offer you airmiles transfer/hotel loyalty program transfers.

Firstly I'll add what @TechnoFino has said. From the card you do hold, try to get the upgrade of Regalia to infinia. It'll open door for airmile transfers.

You can check your eligibility with SCB Ultimate card. This will open the gate for you to redeem points for vouchers of Marriott, ITC, TAJ, Postcard Hotels. With 3.3% reward rate on EVERYTHING, it's a no brainer card. (I'll soon be posting about the redemption of mine through it)

What's the limit on Citi Rewards? 3L+? Upgrade it to Citi Prestige. Less than 3L? If between 1.8-2.2 L try applying a second Citi card, and high chance you'll get the 80k+ limit if approved, then merge and get Citi Prestige. If you qualify for income criteria, apply for it ASAP.

If you're unable to get hold of Citi Prestige, get Citi Premier Miles.

Another sweet card is there, which is Axis Atlas.

HSBC Platinum is there as LTF with airmile transfer partners as well.

And for AMEX, let's discuss after the ban gets lifted? As changes may come.

Also do note, most of the time you need to forget about lucrative cashback/discounts, as you're chasing miles and loyalty programs.
Click to expand...
Thanks you Subhankar, this is very helpful and most importantly - forget about cashback/discounts.

I think this some times make me switch between cards and not gain actually miles for loyalty programs.

Citi Rewards has 5.5L limit so should I apply for Prestige?

I do not want to hold multiple cards too as my expense is quite limited just 60-65k per month. So as @TechnoFino mentioned I will wait for Amex and I recently (1 month back) got regalia so upgrading to Infinia wont be possible now.

Now looking for different upgrade options.
 
I got confirmation from Citi that I am eligible for Prestige credit card but their annual fees is 20k which provides 10k worth ITC/Taj voucher and 2500 miles. Is it worth the 20k fee per annum? Considering my expense is around 60k per month

Also, I am eligible to get SC Ultimate and Citi PM which have fees of 6k and 3k respectively. What would you advice? 20k looks steep but if its worth it why not.

@Subhankar @TechnoFino
 
ChurningNoob said:
I got confirmation from Citi that I am eligible for Prestige credit card but their annual fees is 20k which provides 10k worth ITC/Taj voucher and 2500 miles. Is it worth the 20k fee per annum? Considering my expense is around 60k per month

Also, I am eligible to get SC Ultimate and Citi PM which have fees of 6k and 3k respectively. What would you advice? 20k looks steep but if its worth it why not.

@Subhankar @TechnoFino
Click to expand...
Citi prestige is an airmiles focused credit card, so go for prestige only if you want to earn airmiles, specially for international trips.
 
ChurningNoob said:
I got confirmation from Citi that I am eligible for Prestige credit card but their annual fees is 20k which provides 10k worth ITC/Taj voucher and 2500 miles. Is it worth the 20k fee per annum? Considering my expense is around 60k per month

Also, I am eligible to get SC Ultimate and Citi PM which have fees of 6k and 3k respectively. What would you advice? 20k looks steep but if its worth it why not.

@Subhankar @TechnoFino
Click to expand...
The lifetime citi has left, I won’t recommend as of now with that 60k spending a month. It’s better to get SCB Ultimate.
 
ChurningNoob said:
With my recent introduction to the world of credit cards and points - I have landed on a pile of confusion.

I don't know which card to usewhen to use which is the best. Please guide.

Goal - Collect enough points to travel and stay luxurious.

Cards we own, all are LTF.

View attachment 2329

Our average expense is around ₹60,000 per month and few biannual/yearly expense.

View attachment 2330

Goal - Collect points to travel and stay luxurious. I don't mind paying for a new card (with AmEx on verge of getting unbanned) if it will help in achieving or accelerating my goal.


@TechnoFino @Subhankar
Click to expand...
Then Apply For SBI Vistara Prime (If Can Spend 8L In A Year.... Will Get 5 Premium Economy Tickets + 10K Yatra Voucher) Or Axis Vistara Infinite (By Spending 12L/Annum Will Get 6 Biz Class Tickets)
 
Subhankar said:
And for AMEX, let's discuss after the ban gets lifted? As changes may come.
Click to expand...
I think its time now, my friend works with Amex she is considering my application.

Now I have taken SC Ultimate and with all my expense using CC it is touching around 70-80k per month, now which card would you recommend for collecting reward points to redeem for hotels and flights?

I am actually not looking for amazon/flipkart gift cards or vouchers
 
ChurningNoob said:
I think its time now, my friend works with Amex she is considering my application.

Now I have taken SC Ultimate and with all my expense using CC it is touching around 70-80k per month, now which card would you recommend for collecting reward points to redeem for hotels and flights?

I am actually not looking for amazon/flipkart gift cards or vouchers
Click to expand...
Axis Reserve if you're ok paying the fee as it'd over compensate.
 
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