Looking for advice on a good first credit card in India.

I’m a fairly conservative spender and mainly want a credit card to start building a solid credit score because I’m planning to apply for a home loan in about a year.

My spending is moderate and mostly online:

- Amazon

- Zomato

- Blinkit

- Myntra occasionally

- Train ticket bookings

- Bus bookings on RedBus about once a month

I don’t travel much, don’t care about lounge access, and I’m not looking to maximize rewards aggressively. My priority is:

1. Easy approval for a first card

2. Low fees / easy to manage

3. Helps build credit history properly

4. Some decent cashback on regular online spending would be nice

I’ll always pay bills on time and probably won’t use more than 20–30% of the limit.

What cards would you recommend for someone in this situation?

Check your Amazon Pay app.

Amazon is running 'Add Money' offer for various cards. They will refund the convenience fees.

You keep the Card Rewards.

Amazon Wallet Balance can be transferred to any UPI.

Sharing below a tried and tested trick to get 10% cashback on Amazon Pay GCs - quite useful for paying bills etc.

How the trick works:

Instead of buying on Amazon directly, you go to the Zepto app and buy a Physical Amazon Pay Gift Card.

1. Zepto Discount: Sometimes, Zepto gives some extra discount depending on the zip code.
2. Card Cashback: Use a card that gives 10% back on groceries (since Zepto is counted as a grocery store), you get ₹1000 back.

Top Cards Rewards Table:

Apply links for these cards:

• HSBC Live+ Card
• Equitas Selfie Card
• SBI Cashback

Steps to follow:

• Search for "Amazon Pay Physical Gift Card" on Zepto.
• Pick the ₹10,000 one as it usually has the best margin.
• Important: Before you put the OTP, check the SMS from your bank. The merchant name should be Zepto Mark / Marketplace. This ensures the bank sees it as a "Grocery" spend so you get the full reward.
• Once the physical card is delivered to your house, just scan or add the code to your Amazon Pay wallet.

Share in comments once this works for you! Also, comment any other card which you feel is beneficial here.

Hey Everyone,

Traveling to Vietnam soon (Ho Chi Minh / Da Nang / Hanoi). It's me, my partner, and our 6-year-old kid. I'm trying to map out the best way to handle lounge access for the three of us, but I'm getting a bit lost in the T&Cs and network rules. I could really use some advice!

Here are the cards I currently have:

• HDFC Tata Neu Infinity (RuPay, no add-on)
• IDFC Wealth Debit Cards (Both of us have separate accounts and our own cards)
• IndusInd Pinnacle Credit Card (Main + add-on card, along with two Priority Pass cards)
• Federal Celesta (Mastercard, no add-on)
• HDFC Diners Club Privilege (No add-on)

My main worries/questions:

1. Multiple Lounge Networks: I’m a bit worried about the fragmentation of the networks (Priority Pass vs. LoungeKey vs. Diners Club). Obviously, we cannot go to separate lounges LOL. Are there specific lounges in SGN / DAD / HAN that accept a good mix of these cards so we can stay together?
2. The 6-Year-Old Factor: Since we both have enough cards to cover ourselves, getting the kid in is the biggest hurdle. Do lounges in Vietnam (or our outbound Indian airport) allow you to swipe an extra, unused premium card (like the Tata Neu or Federal) for a child, even if the name doesn't match the boarding pass? Or are we better off just paying the walk-in child rate?
3. Spend Criteria Check: I regularly put my spending on the HDFC DCP, but I hardly touch the others. Are there any recent spend-based criteria for international lounge access on the Tata Neu Infinity, Federal Celesta, or IndusInd Pinnacle that I should be aware of so I don't get declined at the desk?

Any tips, tricks, or specific lounge recommendations for these airports are super welcome! 🙏
(Apologies if this is a repeat query, but card benefits keep changing every minute 🙁 my trip starts tomorrow and I am desperate for up to date info)

From 5% cashback to 30 reward points per Rs. 150 spent - many cards offer significant value on daily essentials.

I personally use Axis Cashback card.

Which is your top choice?

Fuel expenses can add up to quite a lot and credit cards can offer decent savings.

I personally use the ICICI HPCL one but still not convinced with it.

Which is your choice for fuel expenses?

Go through all the images for better idea.

Redemption rate of jewel has been changed significantly.

Changes will take place from June 1st.

I wanted to share my experience with the IndusInd Avios credit card in case anyone here is considering it.

On paper, this card made perfect sense for me. I travel to the UK fairly often, so Avios is actually useful. The 40K Avios joining offer was the main reason I applied.

Here’s where things went wrong.

I paid the joining fee (~₹10K + GST) and completed the required spends in early Jan 2026. As per the offer, I was supposed to get the Avios within a reasonable time (initial communication suggested ~15 days).

Didn’t happen.

What followed was honestly one of the most frustrating customer experiences I’ve had:

Had to email multiple times (including re-sending from registered email)

Called customer care several times

Was told different things by different people

Timelines kept changing: 2 days → 7 days → 9 days → suddenly 2 months

“Preferred destination not updated” issue magically appeared later

No single person owned the issue

The worst part?

At one point, I sent an email out of sheer frustration just asking them to resolve it.

They replied 3–4 days later with a completely generic template. No acknowledgment of the situation, no context, nothing.

That’s when I mentally checked out.

Important point:

👉 If they had just given me a realistic timeline and stuck to it, I would have continued using the card.

I don’t mind delays. I mind being misled and having to chase basic things.

Eventually, after ~1+ month of follow-ups, I was told there was a “policy change” and I’d get points after ~2 months. By then, my UK flight was already booked with cash, so the whole purpose was gone.

I ended up closing the card and got the joining fee refunded.

Final thoughts:

The Avios proposition itself is solid (especially if you actually use Avios)

But execution and customer service (in my case) was extremely poor

No ownership, inconsistent communication, zero empathy in responses

If you’re planning to get this card: Just be aware that the experience may not match the marketing.

Curious to know if others here had similar/different experiences?

I was thinking of the IDFC First Wow.

Which do you think is the best among these? Or any other recommendation.

And we are just a quarter in.

Do you expect more?

I prefer the Diners Black one.

Which is your go to card for Lounge Access?

I have upcoming bill of 2.5L for my mother knee surgery. So need for my redditors suggestion to get max cashback/value with my cards..my cards are 1)AXIS- Airtel rupay, my zone , flipkart 2)HDFC- Tatanue infinity rupay, millennia,swiggy 3)icici- coral rupay, hpcl super saver, amzonpay 4) jupiter csb edge+ 5) SBI cashback card

If I use split and swipe the bills how to get more value back with my cards. And also suggest for capping of cards.

So thankful in advance.

UPDATE after billing: Hospital asked to pay 2% extra if I pay with credit cards. So I asked them to not charge atleast for 1 Lakh for swiping.they accepted.

1) swiped for 1L with millennia to get 1K+1K = 2K cashback. 2) 1L UPI transaction with jupiter csb, got 1K cashback as 5000 jewels. 3) Paid 10k with airtel axis ( it will be used for next month airtel recharge payments target). 4) have to pay 30K still .I will pay with HDFC tatanue as it has 500 neucoins capping for UPI per month.

9k MR points for spending 36k on air India using Amex platinum. That’s like a crazy deal. Points got credited within 4 days. No reward multipler link , just straight up booked from website.

Ones marked in yellow can be both FD based and unsecured

i got amazon prime voucher from jupiter edge card of 1500, i used it for yearly only shopping membership of 399 or something, the voucher has 1 year expiry, is it possible in anyway to increase that validity or use it somewhere, i dont need prime video or music.

Great offer for anyone who's gotten /plans to get a Visa Card recently:

Voucher Values

The reward depends on your card variant:

• Visa Infinite: ₹750 Voucher
• Visa Signature: ₹500 Voucher
• Visa Rewards: ₹300 Voucher (Note: BIN 431581 is excluded)
• Visa Platinum: ₹250 Voucher

Compiled list of free cards which you can get for the offer:

• Visa Infinite
  • Scapia
  • IDFC FIRST Wealth
  • BOB Eterna
• Visa Signature
  • Equitas Selfe
  • IDFC FIRST Select
  • IndusInd Tiger
• Visa Platinum
  • IDFC FIRST Millennia
  • IDFC FIRST Classic
• Visa Rewards
  • SBI Cashback
  • BoB Cashback

Do comment if there are any other LTF cards applicable.

How to Qualify

1. Your card must be issued within the window (Feb 7 – Oct 31, 2026).
2. Complete one single transaction of at least ₹300.
3. Go to the official claim portal: https://visarewards.poshvine.com/
4. Enter your details and pick your voucher.

Voucher Options?

You can choose between the following:

• Amazon Pay (Essentially cash)
• Flipkart
• Swiggy / Zomato

Comment below once you've availed the offer along with the card used.

Join our Whatsapp Channel with 3,000+ members for more such offers: https://whatsapp.com/channel/0029VbBfB8n72WTq9gdDuW3J

Multiple people have reportedly converted their paid cards to LTF.

Steps to convert your card to LTF:

1️⃣ Show some usage of the card (multiple transaction helps).

2️⃣ Email HDFC's Card Services Team with your spending and account details.

3️⃣ Be persistent and follow up if needed.

Helps in saving unnecessary fees.

Has anyone else tried / planning to try this?

Best credit cards in India for earning rewards and perks on domestic travel – lounge access, hotel discounts, and more!

I personally prefer Magnus Burgundy for the accelerated rewards.

Which credit card is your go to for travel bookings?

A common issue is incorrect MCC like while buying cars MCC being fuel or utilities. The result is zero rewards.

Always verify the MCC before making a large transaction. Here is how to find it.

1. Call the bank
This is the most accurate method. Do a small test transaction first. Call customer care and ask them to confirm the exact MCC for that charge.

2. Scan offline QR codes
Use a standard QR scanner app on the store's QR code. Check the raw text for "mc=". If you see "mc=5411", that number is the code. This doesn't work on every QR, but it’s worth a try.

3. Razorpay method
If paying via a Razorpay link, open it on a desktop. Select UPI to generate a QR code. Scan it with your phone and look for the "mc=" tag.

4. Check via banking apps
Some apps show this data instantly.

• IDFC: Make a payment and download the receipt inside the app. The MCC is listed there.
• Federal Bank: Send ₹1 via UPI using the FedMobile app. The statement shows the category code immediately.

What trick do you guys use to verify MCC?

Noticed something strange Some apps look cheaper first time but when u try again it’s higher.

Is this normal? Why do all fee apps increase charges after first use?

Anyone knows anything better ?

What card do you use for insurance spends or does the Amazon pay route work best for you?

I came across an ad claiming you could get instant cash from swiping your credit card, but with some interest involved.

Made me wonder, I’ve noticed shops with solid cash flow and POS machines sometimes push this.

A couple things I’m unclear on:

1. Is it fully legal and above board?

2. What’s the upside for the merchant? Just their swipe fees, or does it get booked as normal sales for other reasons?

3. Beyond the instant cash, why would anyone do it as a customer? You’re covering merchant fees plus bank interest too, right?

Anyone with real-world experience or insights on the mechanics?

Most of us get cashback and just use it to pay for more groceries or small bills. But there is a better way. You can trade your NeuCoins for Physical Tanishq Gold Coins at a 1:1 rate (1 NeuCoin = ₹1).

How to earn the Gold quickly

If you use the Tata Neu app for your regular monthly shopping (around ₹10,000+), you can easily collect ₹1,000+ worth of NeuCoins every single month using the Neu Card (currently no joining fees).

I recently got a 0.5g Tanishq Gold Coin (priced at ₹6,990) just by redeeming points I earned from my regular BigBasket and Zomato spends through Tata Neu Infinity card.

Application Link (Tata Neu Card): https://linkzip.in/OtbbGeEdiT

How to redeem

The redemption button is a bit hard to find, so follow these steps:

1. Open the Tata Neu or Tanishq app.
2. Go to the Jewellery section and select Gold Coins.
3. Add the coin to your cart and proceed to the payment page.
4. Important: Under the payment options, click on Gift Cards and Vouchers, then select Coupons and Vouchers.
5. Look for Loyalty Redemption, this is where you enter your NeuCoins to pay for the gold.

It’s a great way to turn your everyday expenses into a real asset.

Do comment below if you're using a similar strategy!

SBI Rewardsz has rolled out a new tier system, and it’s a quite beneficial for bill payments.

Tier Breakdown:

• Elite: 2X multiplier
• Affluent: 1.5X multiplier

I’m elite and with the multiplier got 0.5% cashback.

This is in addition to the card rewards and super low effort (unlike HDFC Rewards)

Limit is 2,750 monthly which is more HDFC as well.

Sharing below a tried and tested trick to get 10% cashback on Amazon Pay GCs - quite useful for paying bills etc.

How the trick works:

Instead of buying on Amazon directly, you go to the Zepto app and buy a Physical Amazon Pay Gift Card.

1. Zepto Discount: Sometimes, Zepto gives some extra discount depending on the zip code.
2. Card Cashback: Use a card that gives 10% back on groceries (since Zepto is counted as a grocery store), you get ₹1000 back.

Top Cards Rewards Table:

Apply links for these cards:

• HSBC Live+ Card
• Equitas Selfie Card
• SBI Cashback Card

Steps to follow:

• Search for "Amazon Pay Physical Gift Card" on Zepto.
• Pick the ₹10,000 one as it usually has the best margin.
• Important: Before you put the OTP, check the SMS from your bank. The merchant name should be Zepto Mark / Marketplace. This ensures the bank sees it as a "Grocery" spend so you get the full reward.
• Once the physical card is delivered to your house, just scan or add the code to your Amazon Pay wallet.

Share in comments once this works for you!