Which card is giving best returns on flights?

[hs23]

I just booked flights for my international trip and found it hard to get good deals on flights on aggregator sites (>10%) in spite of having many CC due to minimum booking amount req of 20k /15k for most CC. I need no minimum booking or min 10k.

Best deal I found:
1. 750 waiver on 5000 Rs flight via Cleartrip. Paid using SBI Vistara Prime for (~5% returns - CV+milestone)
2. GOAXIS (8%) on 12k Flight via Goibibo. Paid using Axis Atlas (4% returns)
3. Booked 1 ticket direct from airline international site. Paid using RBL World Safar (0 forex charges - 4.13% saved)

Please suggest me a card that gives a better reward on international flights for flights under 15K.

Cards I have:
One Card
Indus Aura Edge
ICICI Amazon
ICICI Coral HPCL
Axis Flipkart
Axis Atlas
SBI Vistara Prime
Niyo Global SBM
RBL World Safari

I am planning to close all of them soon except:
Axis Atlas
SBI Vistara Prime
RBL World Safari

I have applied for DCB, not sure yet I will get it.

 

[hs23]

@VISHESH_BANSAL @Abhishek012 Can you please tag experts on this forum. Thank you.

 

[drsel]

Try to compare the rates on Traveledge.
If they are the same, then you can use Magnus Burgundy for 24% return.

But you need to open a Burgundy savings account with Axis Bank, then deposit 30 lacs FD, wait 30 to 45 days and then apply for Magnus Burgundy card

 

[drsel]

It's a good choice to close down all the cards which you are not using, because it will improve your credit worthiness, even if it reduces your overall limit

 

[hs23]

It's a good choice to close down all the cards which you are not using, because it will improve your credit worthiness, even if it reduces your overall limit

Thanks for the tip on Burgundy account. Magnus Burgundy is LTF conditional on maintaining 10L AQB or 30L TRV. That's not possible at this time for me.

I plan to get SBI cashback and HDFC DCB in some time.

I found Atlas card very useful for guest lounge access and Flipkart BBD (Discount + cashback + Edge miles). But not sure I will renew it as my expected annual spends on this card are <2L due to limited category for 10% miles.

SBI card is superb for Amazon GIF (Discounts + CV + milestones), and all domestic spends (CV + milestones).

RBL World Safari is useful for all international spends (zero forex + milestone benefit).

Please advise if any of the below cards are worth keeping.

One Card LTF - 40k
Indus Aura Edge LTF - 30k
ICICI Amazon LTF - 50K
ICICI Coral HPCL LTF - 50K
Axis Flipkart (590 pa) - 110K
Axis Airtel FYF (590 pa) - 215k
Niyo Global SBM LTF - 5k

 

[drsel]

Thanks for the tip on Burgundy account. Magnus Burgundy is LTF conditional on maintaining 10L AQB or 30L TRV. That's not possible at this time for me.

I plan to get SBI cashback and HDFC DCB in some time.

I found Atlas card very useful for guest lounge access and Flipkart BBD (Discount + cashback + Edge miles). But not sure I will renew it as my expected annual spends on this card are <2L due to limited category for 10% miles.

SBI card is superb for Amazon GIF (Discounts + CV + milestones), and all domestic spends (CV + milestones).

RBL World Safari is useful for all international spends (zero forex + milestone benefit).

Please advise if any of the below cards are worth keeping.

One Card LTF - 40k
Indus Aura Edge LTF - 30k
ICICI Amazon LTF - 50K
ICICI Coral HPCL LTF - 50K
Axis Flipkart (590 pa) - 110K
Axis Airtel FYF (590 pa) - 215k
Niyo Global SBM LTF - 5k

I just closed my RBL World Safari card because the 10000 bonus points on 2 lacs spends are worth less than Rs.1200. (Always see Amazon pay voucher as the benchmark for valuing reward points)
So less than a pathetic 0.6% return.

Also you have to phone them to reverse the annual fees 3000 and taxes 540, but only 3000 will be reversed, not 540 GST

 

[Chaitanya-a]

I just closed my RBL World Safari card because the 10000 bonus points on 2 lacs spends are worth less than Rs.1200. (Always see Amazon pay voucher as the benchmark for valuing reward points)
So less than a pathetic 0.6% return.

Also you have to phone them to reverse the annual fees 3000 and taxes 540, but only 3000 will be reversed, not 540 GST

RBL is really pathetic. They had promised me to credit 3000 bonus reward points on August when I asked them to close my card but those points never came. Going to close it before renewal. Their cards are useless anyways.

 

[drsel]

RBL is really pathetic. They had promised me to credit 3000 bonus reward points on August when I asked them to close my card but those points never came. Going to close it before renewal. Their cards are useless anyways.

OMG exactly the same case with me!
They promised me also 3000 points to avoid closing the card, but the points never came.

Later they said it will come on the renewal date, but I don't think it will ever come. Only fake empty promises on the phone

Anyway 3000 points are worth less than 360 rupees.
you need 17000 points to get 2000 Amazon pay voucher, so 3000 points are useless

 

[drsel]

Now there are many cards for foreign spends where the returns (less the forex markup fee) are well over 2%.

But many years ago RBL world Safari was the only card with zero forex markup and 0.6% return

 

[Chaitanya-a]

OMG exactly the same case with me!
They promised me also 3000 points to avoid closing the card, but the points never came.

Later they said it will come on the renewal date, but I don't think it will ever come. Only fake empty promises on the phone

Anyway 3000 points are worth less than 360 rupees.
you need 17000 points to get 2000 Amazon pay voucher, so 3000 points are useless

They even raised service request for those points lol. This shows they don't have any shame and not even care about reputation.

 

[drsel]

And World Safari card is their best card.
Other RBL cards are not even worth mentioning

 

[hs23]

I just closed my RBL World Safari card because the 10000 bonus points on 2 lacs spends are worth less than Rs.1200. (Always see Amazon pay voucher as the benchmark for valuing reward points)
So less than a pathetic 0.6% return.

Also you have to phone them to reverse the annual fees 3000 and taxes 540, but only 3000 will be reversed, not 540 GST

It is not that bad if you book flights from the RBL rewards portal, you get 2500 worth value - I checked this. Flight prices didn't look inflated.

For 5L spends you get 25000 points which is worth 6250. Not great return but really value is 10k amazon voucher on 7.5L milestone. In any case the card is better any other other card I have for international spends. In my case, they removed joining fee and no gst was charged. Good to know annual fee waiver option is there also.

Which card do you suggest for international spends? DCB looks best for upto 1L spends with Global Value Program (1.97% return). After getting DCB, I may close RBL World Safari but my concern is that global acceptance can be an issue.

 

[drsel]

With Diners club black you will never be able to recover the 11800 joining fee
the vouchers given in lieu have no cash value and you can easily do without them

 

[drsel]

Infinia is the best card of HDFC which you should try to get.
Infinia costs 14750, but you get reward points worth 12500, so the cost is only 2250

 

[hs23]

With Diners club black you will never be able to recover the 11800 joining fee
the vouchers given in lieu have no cash value and you can easily do without them

The bank is offering me FYF on spends of 1.5L in 90 days. Annual fee waiver on 5L spends. This is manageable for me.

 

[hs23]

For International spends use Samsung infinite and burgundy Magnus.
Not DCB

Samsung infinite has 4.13% forex fee and 3% reward rate, overall net loss.
DCB has 1.36% forex fee with GVP and 3.33% reward rate, net reward rate 1.97%.
Magnus burgundy has 2.36% forex fee and 4.8% reward rate in terms of miles. If we value 1 mile at 0.8 Rs, then its 3.84%, net reward rate 1.48%.

For <1L/spends per month, DCB / Infinia does better.

 

[hs23]

Infinia is the best card of HDFC which you should try to get.
Infinia costs 14750, but you get reward points worth 12500, so the cost is only 2250

I know but I dont meet criteria. Max limit I have is 2.15L on Axis card. DCB I am trying on basis of salary slips and new banking relationship.

 

[drsel]

I know but I dont meet criteria. Max limit I have is 2.15L on Axis card. DCB I am trying on basis of salary slips and new banking relationship.

You can apply for Magnus based on your salary. it's better than DCB.
and then upgrade to Magnus burgundy.

Or directly open a Burgundy savings account, put 30 lacs fixed deposits, wait 45 days and get Magnus Burgundy lifetime free

 

[drsel]

Samsung infinite has 4.13% forex fee and 3% reward rate, overall net loss.
DCB has 1.36% forex fee with GVP and 3.33% reward rate, net reward rate 1.97%.
Magnus burgundy has 2.36% forex fee and 4.8% reward rate in terms of miles. If we value 1 mile at 0.8 Rs, then its 3.84%, net reward rate 1.48%.

For <1L/spends per month, DCB / Infinia does better.

Good analysis but value 1 mile at 1 rupee because of Accor.

 

[drsel]

Magnus Burgundy 4.80 - 2.36 equals 2.44 return