[turbospooler]

Hello friends, I need some advice on finding a replacement for my Amex Platinum Travel card.
I primarily love this card as I like to redeem the points for air tickets and hotel stays.
Also, it is the only card which gave me ~5-7% returns (20k worth air tickets and 10k worth Taj voucher on a spend of 4 Lakhs) which is astronomical.
Basically, I want to check if there is any good card which can give me this kind of return as well as the points are redeemable for either air travel or cash. I plan to spend around 4 Lakhs annually on this card.
I don't want any card from HDFC (or rather they don't want my business despite repeatedly applying and having a CIBIL over 800).
Your inputs are appreciated.

[drive2eternity]

Originally Posted by turbospooler

Hello friends, I need some advice on finding a replacement for my Amex Platinum Travel card.

I too have the same credit card and it is really good. The only issue I have faced is that at times acceptance becomes a challenge. For this, I have a backup Mastercard Regalia card from HDFC. I am planning to continue using the Amex and renew it once it expires as no other card is as beneficial (as correctly pointed out by you too).

Why don't you consider continuing with Amex Platinum Travel Card?

[turbospooler]

Originally Posted by drive2eternity

I too have the same credit card and it is really good. The only issue I have faced is that at times acceptance becomes a challenge. For this, I have a backup Mastercard Regalia card from HDFC. I am planning to continue using the Amex and renew it once it expires as no other card is as beneficial (as correctly pointed out by you too).

Hi drive2eternity, thanks for your reply.
I think you can try out another technique for avoiding the low acceptance. I generally load money on Paytm or any other decent mobile wallet and pay from there while earning points on Amex.

Why don't you consider continuing with Amex Platinum Travel Card?

I will be completing 1 year with this card and I had got a fee waiver for my first year. However, when I consider the card for the upcoming year, the fee stands at INR 5k+GST which is dropping its value for me to 4-6% which is also good.

I was trying to check if there is any other card in the market as good as this. If there is, I was planning to downgrade the Plat Travel to MRCC and earn 8% on 1.5L spend per annum (while getting fee waiver for the next year) and spend the rest of 4-5 Lakhs on the other card.

[drive2eternity]

Originally Posted by turbospooler

Hi drive2eternity, thanks for your reply.
I think you can try out another technique for avoiding the low acceptance. I generally load money on Paytm or any other decent mobile wallet and pay from there while earning points on Amex.

Yup I already do that. Great minds think alike.
I have been told by a number of people that if you pressure Amex and insist you will cancel their card, they usually waiver off the annual fee in the subsequent year(s). Try it.

[turbospooler]

Originally Posted by drive2eternity

Yup I already do that. Great minds think alike.
I have been told by a number of people that if you pressure Amex and insist you will cancel their card, they usually waiver off the annual fee in the subsequent year(s). Try it.

Thanks. Will try that.

[Aroy]

Originally Posted by turbospooler

Hello friends, I need some advice on finding a replacement for my Amex Platinum Travel card.
I primarily love this card as I like to redeem the points for air tickets and hotel stays.
Also, it is the only card which gave me ~5-7% returns (20k worth air tickets and 10k worth Taj voucher on a spend of 4 Lakhs) which is astronomical.
Basically, I want to check if there is any good card which can give me this kind of return as well as the points are redeemable for either air travel or cash. I plan to spend around 4 Lakhs annually on this card.
I don't want any card from HDFC (or rather they don't want my business despite repeatedly applying and having a CIBIL over 800).
Your inputs are appreciated.

The only comparable card is the AMEX Jet card, but that is useful only if you travel by Jet primarily. If you do, then you will get fast advancement in your Jet Privilege slabs. You also get exclusive lounge access with Jet partners
https://www.jetairways.com/en/in/jet...-partners.aspx

On the whole internationally AMEX is the most safe card with minimum frauds. Visa and Master cards are prone to immediate misuse if lost or stolen.

[turbospooler]

Originally Posted by drive2eternity

....as no other card is as beneficial (as correctly pointed out by you too).

So, I did some research and have found Citibank PremierMiles to be a good substitute for the Platinum Travel card. Before you can say , I will tell how it is comparable.
First of all, it removes the milestone based reward element and I can control my spends.
Second, based on experience in using Citibank IOC card for 5 months now and the massive value due to its amazing offers on MMT, I am hoping to reap value from them in the future.
Third, the ability to directly redeem the miles with a valuation of 1 mile = INR 0.45 on travel portals like GoIbibo, MMT etc., I am pegging the value it will generate for me is a minimum of 6%.

I also plan to get a MRCC along with Citi PremierMiles to give me ~8% return.

Originally Posted by Aroy

The only comparable card is the AMEX Jet card, but that is useful only if you travel by Jet primarily. If you do, then you will get fast advancement in your Jet Privilege slabs. You also get exclusive lounge access with Jet partners
https://www.jetairways.com/en/in/jet...-partners.aspx

On the whole internationally AMEX is the most safe card with minimum frauds. Visa and Master cards are prone to immediate misuse if lost or stolen.

I am having the JP ICICI Sapphiro card and am covered on the JPMiles front. However, I don't like to restrict myself to one airline and currently, Indigo is my favourite followed by Vistara. I have JP Platinum tier status but I will not be able to retain it this year so will not get this card for free. I value JPMiles very poorly (@ 1 JPMile = INR 0.4) as the only good value redemption is probably on Etihad First Class or Business Class, rest domestic tickets are not so costly leading to devaluation in my book.

Regarding safety, one of the Directors in my firm had his Amex account hacked so I believe it can happen to anyone.

[redcruiser]

How is the SBI FBB (future retail) credit card ?
The person at credit card rep in big bazar says one can get discount of 10% on shopping at future retail stores.

Want to know if anyone is already using it therefore soliciting feedback of pros and cons.

[Mr. Nobody]

Anyone else a user of Hdfc Bharat Cashback card? I primarily bought it to use for fuel payments as it gives 5% cashback on ALL fuel pumps along with cashback on bill payments. Works out to be very useful and has helped save money. Plus no annual fee on spends of over 40k.

Now any suggestions for another card to get for cashback etc on all other purchases?

[agambhandari]

Originally Posted by Mr. Nobody

Anyone else a user of Hdfc Bharat Cashback card? I primarily bought it to use for fuel payments as it gives 5% cashback on ALL fuel pumps along with cashback on bill payments. Works out to be very useful and has helped save money. Plus no annual fee on spends of over 40k.

Now any suggestions for another card to get for cashback etc on all other purchases?

Yes i have it but it has a limit of 150 per month. And the no surcharge thing is valid only on the pumps with hdfc terminals. I got the card against an FD, so it was free as is. It also gives irctc cashback but again limited to 150 a month. Its useful but have to keep the limit in mind.

[rkg]

Originally Posted by Mr. Nobody

Anyone else a user of Hdfc Bharat Cashback card? I primarily bought it to use for fuel payments as it gives 5% cashback on ALL fuel pumps along with cashback on bill payments. Works out to be very useful and has helped save money. Plus no annual fee on spends of over 40k.

Now any suggestions for another card to get for cashback etc on all other purchases?

Better opt for Stanchart Super value titanium card.
No restrictions of any specific fuel pump, or specific bank EDC machine etc
Cash back upto Rs 100 per transaction , max Rs 200 per month on Fuel
Rs 200 cash back on Telecom bills per month
Rs 100 cashback on electricity bills per month

Total RS 500 cashback per month.
Only restriction is minimum value of transaction should be Rs 750/-

Anuual fee gets waived if total spends in a year are above 60K

[Mr. Nobody]

Originally Posted by agambhandari

Yes i have it but it has a limit of 150 per month. And the no surcharge thing is valid only on the pumps with hdfc terminals. I got the card against an FD, so it was free as is. It also gives irctc cashback but again limited to 150 a month. Its useful but have to keep the limit in mind.

I am not sure there is a Rs 150 per month cap as i had accumulated 2600 points in around 14 months of usage while with a 150 point limit i would not have got more than 1800. Just last month i got 239 points in my statement for fuel spends of around 4100 and a sub Rs 400 phone bill.

[agambhandari]

Originally Posted by Mr. Nobody

I am not sure there is a Rs 150 per month cap as i had accumulated 2600 points in around 14 months of usage while with a 150 point limit i would not have got more than 1800. Just last month i got 239 points in my statement for fuel spends of around 4100 and a sub Rs 400 phone bill.

I believe those are reward points. The cashback is separate and capped at 150 as per the categories mentioned on their website.

EDIT: My bad, the points can be redeemed as cashback but they specify a limit of 150 a month for fuel and other spends. Do try redeeming your points and share your experience about that.

[Mr. Nobody]

Originally Posted by agambhandari

I believe those are reward points. The cashback is separate and capped at 150 as per the categories mentioned on their website.

EDIT: My bad, the points can be redeemed as cashback but they specify a limit of 150 a month for fuel and other spends. Do try redeeming your points and share your experience about that.

The cashback i get is the fuel surcharge which gets auto refunded. The points are the 5% from the fuel spends. I have redeemed 2500 odd points few months back and they got credited back in the statement. 1 point = Rs 1. I think there was a Rs 50 redemption charge though.

[agambhandari]

Originally Posted by Mr. Nobody

The cashback i get is the fuel surcharge which gets auto refunded. The points are the 5% from the fuel spends. I have redeemed 2500 odd points few months back and they got credited back in the statement. 1 point = Rs 1. I think there was a Rs 50 redemption charge though.

Thanks. I have only used the fueling stations with HDFC terminals , and i haven't seen any surcharge being charged on top. So i'm not sure how that would be applicable in my case. I'm sorry, what i meant was 150 per month per category. If they are not applying the limit, good for us.