Verified 5 Aug
Deepak Ganai
Asked 10 Apr 2026
Forex markup comparison: Amex = 3.5%, HDFC Infinia/Diners Black = 2.0%, Axis Atlas = 3.5% but with milestone fee waivers, ICICI Emeralde = 3.5%, Standard Chartered = 3.5%. If you travel more than twice a year, the math favours Infinia or Diners Black.
Yes the rewards sound amazing in marketing, but the redemption catalogue is full of products at inflated MRP. The statement credit redemption is almost always the best value. Skip the merchandise, skip the flight bookings, take the cash.
I've owned 4 cards over the last 7 years. The biggest lesson: a card that fits your spend pattern beats the 'most rewarding' card on paper. A 5% cashback card you actually use daily will give you 10x more value than a 10% card you use once a month.
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