No nonsense card for international travel?

[theglobalinvestor]

What is a good no nonsense card for international travel with decent rewards and low/no forex markups?

I'm fed up with Axis and can't keep up with their ridiculousness.

Should also be available in small towns and not restricted to few major metros like hsbc,etc.

Approx 20L+ spends per year on international travel.

Thanks in advance.

 

[bing1309]

Grass is greener on every cards, as of now you have options for fintech cards, india has lot of restrictions on other surcharges like rent etc despite being 0 forex you will be charged rent surcharge and some banks has good rewards but end up with 0 points due to forex charges. Only option is for fintech cards. Non of the banks are so flexible in surcharges or 0 rewards. In foreign countries it doesn't matter on what mcc code forgin people wipe, for Indian people with indian cards its a disaster and in foreign countries they don't have restrictions or such surcharges named or they dont get points for exclusions etc like india and they use any mcc they wanted for business and when you swipe in there countries either you end up in lucky draw schemes like you get rewards or forex charges or surcharges.

Better to go for fintech cards which has no such nonsense categorization specifically for foreign countries.

 

[prasenjitp04]

What is a good no nonsense card for international travel with decent rewards and low/no forex markups?

I'm fed up with Axis and can't keep up with their ridiculousness.

Should also be available in small towns and not restricted to few major metros like hsbc,etc.

Approx 20L+ spends per year on international travel.

Thanks in advance.

IDFC Mayura if spends are 15 Lacs+ more rewarding because of there no-nonsense & easy redemption process. Wherever you redeem, be it cashback or voucher, 1RP is always 25p.

 

[Bionick]

What is a good no nonsense card for international travel with decent rewards and low/no forex markups?

I'm fed up with Axis and can't keep up with their ridiculousness.

Should also be available in small towns and not restricted to few major metros like hsbc,etc.

Approx 20L+ spends per year on international travel.

Thanks in advance.

Indusind Pioneer Heritage
Axis Olympus
HDFC Infinia
ICICI Emeralde Private

 

[coolguy1]

Axis Olympus (erstwhile Citi Prestige) is good with 8 points/100 INR rewards on international spending.

Being on Visa platform acceptability is fantastic. Many countries like Singapore also let you use Visa cards for public transport.

Did they start the applications yet?

 

[Bionick]

Did they start the applications yet?

No.. Not yet.

 

[theboogeyman]

From a pure return perspective on forex spends, (any type of spends online or offline)

M4B above 1.5L (11.64%) > Reserve with m4B (10.23%) > Burgundy Private (6%) > Axis Olympus (5.88%) > Yes Private (4.41%) > Reserve without m4B (4.23%) > M4B below 1.5L (2.44%) > Infinia DCB with GVP (1.97%) > Rest

Add samsung infinite too, without M4B its 6-7% with M4B its quite high

 

[theboogeyman]

Axis Samsung Infinite CC

On international spends samsung infinite gives a accelerated reward . Lets consider for accor with 1 point = 1.8INR and a transfer ratio of base 5:2 non m4b
So we earn 15 points per 100 rs in infinite


For a spend of ₹1,00,000 with a 4.13% forex charge:

• Points Earned: 15,000 points. (15 per 100INR)
• Miles Earned: 6,000 miles (at 5:2 conversion).
• Equivalent INR Value: ₹10,800. (1 Miles/Accor = 1.8INR)
• Forex Charge: ₹4,130. (4.13% of 1 Lakh)
• Net Benefit: ₹6,670.
• Net Reward Rate: 6.67%.

 

[sourpai]

Add samsung infinite too, without M4B its 6-7% with M4B its quite high

I have not calculated anything with 1.8 multiplier. That is incorrect way to calculate returns. All calculations are for % airmiles, hotel point returns only and not INR value

Also are you sure about 5:2 for non M4B? I read somewhere that 1 ER = 0.2 Airmiles for non Magnus accounts (with this, net forex returns are negative)

With M4B at 5:4 however, returns are 7.87% (= 15/5*4-4.13)

 

[theboogeyman]

I have not calculated anything with 1.8 multiplier. That is incorrect way to calculate returns. All calculations are for % airmiles, hotel point returns only and not INR value

Also are you sure about 5:2 for non M4B? I read somewhere that 1 ER = 0.2 Airmiles for non Magnus accounts (with this, net forex returns are negative)

With M4B at 5:4 however, returns are 7.87% (= 15/5*4-4.13)

You cannot calculate return in airmiles %. Every loyalty program is not same. 1 United point is not same as club itc or Accor or avios. Each have their own INR equivalent. For Accor it's around 1.8inr and for avios it's around 1-1.4inr for economy and 1.9-3 INR for buisness/first class.

This is the correct way to calculate. Idk how u are doing.

And about 5:2 yes that's the base conversion for edge reward points to airmiles without m4b, with m4b double the reward rate and miles.
I am not even considering m4b and still Samsung infinite is way higher.

And 1 er is 0.4 airmiles at 5:2 and 0.8 at 5:4. Your calculations are wrong. It's not net negative for forex. See the calculation properly.

 

[theboogeyman]

And I transact a lot with Samsung infinite internationally and yes I do transfer at 5:2 ratio

 

[sourpai]

You cannot calculate return in airmiles %. Every loyalty program is not same. 1 United point is not same as club itc or Accor or avios. Each have their own INR equivalent. For Accor it's around 1.8inr and for avios it's around 1-1.4inr for economy and 1.9-3 INR for buisness/first class.

This is the correct way to calculate. Idk how u are doing.

And about 5:2 yes that's the base conversion for edge reward points to airmiles without m4b, with m4b double the reward rate and miles.
I am not even considering m4b and still Samsung infinite is way higher.

And 1 er is 0.4 airmiles at 5:2 and 0.8 at 5:4. Your calculations are wrong. It's not net negative for forex. See the calculation properly.

For me, common multiplier is 1. If you want to apply Accor multiplier of 1.8, do it for all the cards in my post and then compare with Samsung Infinite. For example, M4B returns with 1.8 multiplier will be 11.64*1.8 = 21% for spends beyond AEP

Samsung infinite even with 5:2 is at 1.87% with multiplier of 1, which is less than all cards mentioned

 

[sourpai]

And 1 er is 0.4 airmiles at 5:2 and 0.8 at 5:4. Your calculations are wrong. It's not net negative for forex. See the calculation properly.

I think you should read my post little carefully and then respond. I said net negative for 1:0.2. If it is 5:2 then it will be 1.87%

 

[Quiksilver27]

And I transact a lot with Samsung infinite internationally and yes I do transfer at 5:2 ratio

which other axis cards do you have? i did not know only samsung infinite gives 5:2 ratio.. if u have/had vanilla magnus or reserve then still makes sense..