I think you're confused - you either have DCB plastic LTF or DCB Metal FYF.
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Which other credit card is better apart from DCB Metal and Infinia?
- Thread starter Gaurav289018
- Start date
This is the knowledge I have too. I have DCB LTF but plastic.
Gaurav289018
TF Buzz
I used to have plastic DCB LTF.
I got upgraded to DCB Metal like 7-8 months back when they introduced the card.
It is maybe FYF but the card still comes with IIM embossed on it along with my name. And since my spends are >8L/year, I never really checked if it's LTF as the annual fee is getting waived anyway.
But apologies in case it's a FYF + waiver at the moment. Maybe I got confused.
Your IIM embossing will stay even if you get upgraded to Infinia.
Gaurav289018
TF Buzz
Had no clue about this.
Your spends on it are 8L+ / yr.
DCB isn't widely accepted internationally. So I'm guessing all this is within India spends or flight / hotel . Can you give an estimated breakup for your spends? Are you utilising smartbuy's caps 10k monthly -100%?
Gaurav289018
TF Buzz
My spends are easily above 10-12L/yr on DCB Metal.
Hard to give an exact breakup but a lot of it are on:
Flights (both domestic and international), Hotels, Amazon, Groceries, Food etc.
When traveling overseas, I prefer DCB Bank's NEO forex card. Hence, those spends don't go on credit cards.
Unable to utilize 100% of Smartbuy caps on a monthly basis. Because the I tend to also use the reward points that get accumulated eventually.
Hard to give an exact breakup but a lot of it are on:
Flights (both domestic and international), Hotels, Amazon, Groceries, Food etc.
When traveling overseas, I prefer DCB Bank's NEO forex card. Hence, those spends don't go on credit cards.
Unable to utilize 100% of Smartbuy caps on a monthly basis. Because the I tend to also use the reward points that get accumulated eventually.
sidp
TF Ace
You need to look at yes marquee. For your usage pattern amex would be a good addition. @SSV @anirban.choudhury @coolguy1 Can guide you better which amex would suit you best.
Next infinnia upgrade comes into question.
Pro
1- itc + club Marriott offer
2- Tanishq 1:1 as redemption option
3- Lesser exclusions like fuel.
4- better acceptability
5- rp against fee
Cons
- doesn't have quarterly milestone.
- need to carry priority pass
Finally it would come down to how many times you reach quarterly milestone in dcb. If it is at least twice, then keeping dcb would be better.
But if you are planning to optimize reward rate by adding new cards yes marquee/amex, then upgrading to infinnia when you can is better option. If your spends get divided into more no of cards, you might not achieve quarterly milestone or even fee reversal. Unlike infinnia, dcb doesn't offer rp against fee payment.
So, If you book hotel on smartbuy, you can maxout 10k RPs on booking hotel for 33k only. Which is immense value. You use these points for flight bookings.
If you can't maxout still, then buy Amazon shopping / gpay vouchers for 9.9% / 7% RP back and use those. Same for swiggy. 9.9% back on swiggy money vouchers.
Only go for infinia if these caps are insufficient per month. You get 10k smartbuy caps per month (regular 3.3% is excluded from this cap. Only accelerated 9x/4x has capping of 10k)
In infinia you get 15k monthly caps. Meaning, 5k extra points / month vs 10k / 3month milestones.
So if your usage is there, infinia can give you extra 15k points (5k / month) vs 10k given by DCB metal. ONLY if you can max it out. Otherwise DCB is better I guess.
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Gaurav289018
TF Buzz
Agreed. The calculation is accurate.
Just to add, DCB Metal offers 10K extra reward points for crossing 4L spends quarterly which I have been trying to maximise on.
Choosing to stay with DCB Metal for the time being.
dexter_greycells
TF Premier
In the perennial DCB v/s Infinia battle, there are 5 keypoints to consider -
Pros of Infinia -
1. Higher daily and monthly SmartBuy limit of 15k RPs v/s 10k on DCB Metal
2. 5x RPs on Gyftr (via SmartBuy) v/s 3x on DCB Metal
3. Card acceptance (I have experienced DCB acceptance issues only online - as recently as last night while doing a prepaid recharge on Flipkart and in the past on La Pino's Pizza, Tata Play and recharges via PayTM)
Pros of DCB Metal -
1. 2x RPs on weekend dining v/s 1x on Infinia
2. 10k RPs on 4L spends in a calendar quarter (Jan-Mar, Apr-Jun etc)
I am sure there are plenty of people for whom DCB delivers more value than Infinia despite the latter being marketed as the topmost card. One needs to look at one's annual spends and statements to decide which is more suitable.
Pros of Infinia -
1. Higher daily and monthly SmartBuy limit of 15k RPs v/s 10k on DCB Metal
2. 5x RPs on Gyftr (via SmartBuy) v/s 3x on DCB Metal
3. Card acceptance (I have experienced DCB acceptance issues only online - as recently as last night while doing a prepaid recharge on Flipkart and in the past on La Pino's Pizza, Tata Play and recharges via PayTM)
Pros of DCB Metal -
1. 2x RPs on weekend dining v/s 1x on Infinia
2. 10k RPs on 4L spends in a calendar quarter (Jan-Mar, Apr-Jun etc)
I am sure there are plenty of people for whom DCB delivers more value than Infinia despite the latter being marketed as the topmost card. One needs to look at one's annual spends and statements to decide which is more suitable.
Imadumbass
TF Buzz
Hello ! Did you face any acceptance issue with DCB since you have had it for 4 years already. Covering domestic and international acceptance.
If your max spends are in forex DCB metal would have an edge over Infinia as metal gets quarterly milestone.
If you are into airmiles then you can get yourself an Atlas and Amex plat travel.
If you are more into cashback and vouchers you can check Yes Marquee or if you can get yourself Yes private then that would be better than marquee for forex with a return of 4.61%.
Infinia over a DCB metal LTF won't make much sense as it would only give increased cap of 15k instead of 10k with Vouchers at 5x instead of 3x but you would miss out on quarterly milestone.
Atlas still is a pretty decent card with 10% return on travel category and 4% base.
Gaurav289018
TF Buzz
Honestly, I have hardly faced the issue. Majority of the 5 star hotels either accept Diners Club cards or they do have an HDFC POS Machine. So acceptance goes up. Majority of the online e-commerce sites also accept Diners Club. I wouldn't deny that there were no instances where diners club was not accepted but those were inconsequential, to be honest.
Gaurav289018
TF Buzz
Will definitely check out Yes Marquee. Have my reservations for Axis Bank Cards, especially post all the random devaluations (have been on the receiving end as i have Magnus). Also, I do have Amex Plat.Travel. I usually redeem the MR points for taj.
If honestly u can hit 4L / 3 months spends but can't hit max cap on DCB of 10k points, even though you are staying in 5 star hotels, you aren't using DCB right.
Gaurav289018
TF Buzz
I don't stay in a 5 star every month. I don't travel overseas every month (if I did, I would have probably become a NRI by now).
there are periods where travel and stays increases and then there are periods followed by dull and non travel.
Besides, I have Amex Plat.Travel that funds my Taj stays (2 MR = INR 1 for Taj). I also have to utilise IDFC Vistara, Axis Magnus, Kotak White. Hence, the issue.
Because who would not want to maximise their rewards? esp 3x,5x and 10x when 1x=3.3% ?
Imadumbass
TF Buzz
Thank you ! I’m planning to get a DCB along with my Amex cards but I’m worried if I’ll need a visa/mc as well 😅 so many decisions .
You definitely need a visa / mc.
Agreed, I have faced some (although rare) acceptability issues with Diners and Amex.
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