When it comes to credit cards, I try to keep the right ones in my wallet to earn the maximum number of points (to use them later, of course). Here is a quick look at my cards and whether I’m walking the talk. Sharing this also adds a bit to the transparency of my credit card strategy, as I extensively cover credit card rewards.

The cards I hold are divided into three groups. On a daily basis, I carry an Apple Wallet stuck to the back of my phone, which contains the cards I use most frequently. I also have a bunch of cards with me in a wallet, and then many cards just sit in a drawer at home, waiting to be used when needed.

The 3 Cards that are always on my person

• Axis Bank Atlas Credit Card: With no monthly spending limits, this card is a joy to use up to INR 15 Lakh annually. With all my travel, this card is handy in booking tickets directly with the airlines (usually my preferred mode) and paying at checkout at hotels with the 5 EDGEMiles (10 airmiles)/INR 100 on each swipe. Even for usual spending, I earn 2 EDGE Miles (4 airmiles)/INR 100 on each swipe. The card has put some restrictions on transfers and taken away some of the perks, and I might reconsider it next year. For now, it stays.
• Axis Olympus Credit Card: Old is gold, they say. This card had been left largely untouched over a decade, and I hope it stays under the radar in the years ahead. It has been transitioned to the Axis Bank stable, formally now. There are no category bonuses, no Gyftr tie-ups, and no kickers. Just a good old 1 Point (4 airmiles)/INR 100 spent domestically and 2 Points (8 airmiles)/INR 100 internationally. Also, it’s my oldest credit line, so I have no reason to consider shutting it down so far. Axis Bank added some sweetners such as Airport Transfers and Concierge Services to the product.
• HDFC Bank Infinia: The zenith of invite-only in India (not really, but you get where I am coming from). While there have been changes to the card proposition over the years, this card continues to offer 5 Reward Points/INR 150 spent, which can be used at INR 1 value for buying air tickets at Smartbuy or transferable into miles. With frequent offers, HDFC Bank Credit Cards are also useful for online spending. I hold the PVC version so far, and this card gives 16.6% points for booking travel (via Smartbuy) and grants points for insurance payments.

The card is always on my phone.

• HDFC Bank TATA Neu Infinity Credit Card: With UPI on Rupay Credit Cards enabled, I’ve signed up for a couple of cards in the segment. But the Tata Neu Infinity CC is my first and only credit card with UPI. Even for non-Tata brands, one gets 1.5% rewards if one uses the TATA Neu App; for Tata brands spent via Neu, one gets up to 10%. Each Neu coin is worth INR 1 and can be utilised across the Tata Neu universe. It is the default option on my UPI payment scanner of choice now. You can use referral code AJAY499 if you’d like to apply using the Tata Neu app or apply here.

The Cards in my wallet

• American Express Platinum Card: I use the American Express Platinum Card (Metal) for my high-end spending. If I return to India and something goes wrong, Amex will fix it in a jiffy! They can also get stuff done internationally while I’m on the road for business or pleasure. The 3X points help as well.
• HDFC Bank Biz Black: This card is great for business expenses, and the bank doesn’t ask why I pay taxes with a card or spend on something else. Getting 5X points for taxes (that can be used on SmartBuy or transferred to SQ) is also a great incentive to keep the card.

The Cards in my Drawer

• American Express Gold Card: The Amex Gold Charge Card was the first card I signed up for with Amex, so it still stays in my pocket. The 1000 bonus MR for six swipes a month helps keep the card, and I also spend on it regularly. Using this link, you can try it out, for just INR 1000 annual fee in the first year.
• American Express Membership Rewards Credit Card: The American Express MRCC is one of the credit cards from Amex I have held for a long time. It offers a 1,000 bonus MR for four swipes a month worth at least INR 1,500, which I earn. It also provides another 1000 bonus MR for spending at least INR 20,000 monthly, which I sometimes utilise and mostly do not. You can get the card free, here.
• American Express Platinum Travel Credit Card: While the card does not offer special travel perks, it cumulatively offers 40,000 bonus MR points (convertible to vouchers or Amex Travel vouchers) at the milestones of INR 1.9 Lakhs and INR 4.00 Lakhs. Also, an additional INR 10,000 Taj voucher at the achievement of INR 400,000 spending is a sweet bonus. I use the card only for a few big swipes in a year. The card was offered lifetime free to me as a replacement for the Jet Airways Amex Card. You can get the card for free here.
• Marriott HDFC Bank Diners Club: The card was launched just last year. For a small sum of INR 3,000 per annum, I get a free night up to 15,000 points (plus ten elite nights credit) on this card. It’s a good enough reason to keep it in my wallet when I am checking out of a Marriott Hotel.
• Axis Magnus: I spent enough money on the Axis Magnus Credit Card by August 2023 to receive a waiver for the fees for the second year. So, I have the card at the moment. The intention is to upgrade the card to the Magnus for Burgundy variant, but Axis Bank is yet to find the last 25,000 Magnus ER points (due to me for August 2023). That causes me to wait for an upgrade to the “for Burgundy” Variant. Then, they announced these cutbacks to the MAAS services and a lot of other perks. The card is good for big spending in a month, but without renewal benefits, I wonder if I will keep it or not later in the year. I have 45 days to decide, give or take.
• Axis Vistara Infinite Credit Card: I recently switched to this card, giving up my Axis Bank Miles and More Credit Card, as my travel on Vistara picked up again after a long dry spell. I feel this is still a great card to get a one-year status on Vistara (Gold Tier), which will eventually translate into Air India Gold Tier as well (I already am an Air India Gold Tier member, so it is not useful for me).
• RBL Bank World Safari Card: I received this card from RBL Bank as a replacement for the Zomato co-brand card. It is a great card to keep on you when travelling abroad with zero foreign exchange fees. That makes it better than debit cards, which I’d have to carry otherwise for zero forex. I use this one for all the consumables abroad, such as delis, cabs and low-ticket items. The minute a big bank can copy the feature, I’ll move this spending to that.
• Axis Horizon: I flipped to the Citi PremierMiles a few months ago, which transitioned to the Axis Horizon a few weeks ago. With some significant travel expenses coming up, it’d be good to keep it in the pocket if needed (gets 5 EDGE Miles/INR 100 spent on air travel and 2 EDGE Miles/INR 100 on other spends). The EDGE Miles earned on this card is transferable 1:1, unlike the Atlas 1:2 ratio.
• IDFC First Select: One of IDFC First’s mid-tier cards, which is helpful because IDFC First participates in all sorts of sales and promotions with big websites such as Amazon many times. Also, the few times I travel by train, it helps to have access to Railway lounges.
• Yes First Exclusive (Reserv): I’ve held this credit card for a long time, as it is a lifetime free credit card. However, I hardly ever use it, given I have better cards in my wallet. However, with the new subscription plans launched by Yes Bank, I might flip it back into the wallet sometime soon. I’m confused about whether I want 3X points on everything or 5X on travel and dining though, for now.
• EazyDiner IndusInd Bank: The best card to go dining out at the moment with all the discounts it showers on the dinner table, with up to 25% off (INR 1,000) every time you pay via EazyDiner’s PayEazy feature. Since the card is tokenised and saved on my EazyDiner app, there is no need to carry the card all over the place.

Some other cards I have been lying there unused, mainly including the Kotak 6E Rewards Credit Card, the IndusInd InterMiles Credit Card and the ICICI Bank Sapphiro Credit Card. IndusInd made a royal mess when delivering the replacement credit cards (IndusInd Legend Credit Card).

As you can note, I prefer cards that generate transferable reward points over co-brand credit cards. The rewards need to be travel rewards, not retail rewards.

What do you think of my portfolio, and where do you think I can optimise it? I’m open to answering any thoughts or questions in the comments section. Also, share yours if you can in the comments. 

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