There are various types of rewards credit cards and for choosing the one most suitable for you, take into account two factors, such as your spending habit and what kinds of rewards you are looking for. Some offer high rewards on purchases from certain categories like travel, dining, fuel etc. whereas the others allow you to earn flat rewards on all kinds of purchase that you can redeem for cash back, gift vouchers, travel or at fuel outlets and e-store partners.
Benefits of Rewards Credit Cards
Enjoy a host of benefits with the rewards credit cards like discounts on film tickets, shopping, dining, travel, fuel purchase etc.
- The rewards credit card holders enjoy exclusive discounts on shopping, travel, dining and movie tickets.
- The cardholders gain access to the eminent airport lounges across the globe.
- Some reward credit cards offer the “Pay Bill Facility” for providing the customers the privilege of paying the mobile and the utility bills conveniently.
- Some of the reward credit cards even offer complimentary golf rounds in prestigious golf clubs.
- Some rewards credit cards offer ‘Credit Shield Plus’, ‘Personal Accident Cover’ and ‘Lost Card Liability’ features.
- The rewards credit cardholders can redeem the reward points at the fuel outlets, e-store partners and as gift vouchers and cashback offers.
List of Popular Rewards Credit Cards from Banks in India
Citibank Rewards Credit Card: This credit card offers good deals to the customers for a fantastic shopping experience. With the help of this card the customers can earn and redeem the reward points quickly for enjoying alluring deals on shopping, travel etc. You can accumulate the reward points for redeeming as air miles, vacation trips, premium merchandise and as cash back offers. This card is eligible for the Indian residents who are above 18 years of age.
Features and Benefits:
- With this card, you can earn about 10 reward points by spending Rs125 at the ’50 plus’ partner stores who can pay you with ‘points.’ Customers can even earn points @ ‘1 reward’ point on every Rs.125 spent on any other purchase.
- The cardholders can earn 10 times the reward points on spending on department stores and apparels.
- Customers can redeem the reward points at the e-shopping partners and at more than 700 outlets.
- On activation of the card, you can earn 2500 points. On every extra card, you get additional 500 rewards points.
- If your expenditure exceeds Rs.1 lakh within 3 months, you are entitled to get a bonus of 1000 reward points. You can even get 500 bonus reward points on your birthday.
- The card offers dining benefits to the holders by means of which they can save about 20% on 1000 restaurants all over the country.
- On renewal of this card, you can earn 1000 reward bonus points.
- With the ‘Credit Shield Plus’ feature offered by this card, customers can avail the ‘personal accident cover’ worth Rs. 5 lakhs.
- The ‘Lost Card Liability’ feature provides extra security for the ‘Citibank Rewards Credit Card.’
- The cardholders can even borrow a loan with this card.
- Through the ‘Bill Pay’ feature of this card, customers can enjoy paying bills online conveniently.
- Citi Bank offers a waiver on Rs.30, 000 spent annually by the cardholders and charges those an annual fee of Rs.1000 whose annual expenditure is lower than Rs. 30,000.
- Cardholders can redeem the reward points at more than ‘800 Indian Oil’ outlets all over India for purchasing fuel, at the partner e-stores for online shopping, for purchasing gift vouchers and as cash back offers.
Citibank Rewards Domestic Credit Card: Cardholders can save 15% at the restaurants, in shopping and on instant loans and payment plans. The reward points are redeemable for purchasing premium merchandise, travel tickets, as air miles, cashback offers etc.
Features and Benefits:
- As a cardholder, you can earn 10 ‘reward points’ on an expenditure of Rs.125 on ‘Department and Apparel Stores.’
- You can redeem the points at the e-shopping partner stores and more than 700 outlets.
- You can enjoy alluring offers on shopping, dining, movies, travel or EMI with this card.
- As a cardholder earn 10 times the reward points on every purchase at the ‘Apparel & Department Stores’ for an amount of R. 125.
- Earn @ ‘1 reward point’ on an expenditure of Rs.125 on the card.
- Cardholders are entitled to 1000 bonus reward points on the first expenditure of Rs.1000 in 60 days of activation of the card.
- The cardholders can redeem the points straight away or accumulate them for a bigger purchase later, as the reward points do not expire.
- The card offers a flexible and lucrative ’Rewards Redemption Program’ by means of which the cardholders can redeem the points for purchasing premium merchandise and for expenditure on vacations.
- Citi Bank offers a waiver on Rs.30, 000 spent annually on the card and those with an expenditure of less than Rs.30, 000 are charged a fee of Rs.1000 annually.
SBI Simply Save Card: This is the best card for those who travel frequently with their families abroad. With this card you can access your money anywhere in the world, enjoy flexible EMI options and welcome gifts such as added cash points and much more. An earning individual aged between 21-60 years of age, is eligible for applying for this card.
Features and Benefits:
- Cardholders can earn 2000 added cash points with a minimum expenditure of Rs.2000 within the first 2 months.
- Enjoy a waiver of Rs.100 on your first withdrawal of money after activation of the card.
- With this card, you can control and track with the help of the e-mail, mini statement and SMS alerts, how much you have spent.
- With the ‘Pay Bill’ facility offered by this card, you can conveniently pay your utility bills without paying additional charges for the same.
- You can make use of the flexible ‘EMI options’ for making huge purchases with this card.
- You can redeem your points with the type of rewards you are interested in by choosing from the ‘Redemption Category’ such as dining out, shopping etc. For an expenditure of Rs.100, you can earn a ‘cash point.’
- You can also make use of the accrued points for paying the amount that is pending on the credit card.
- This card offers the privilege of applying for the ‘add-on’ cards for siblings, partner, parents or kids who are 18 years and more.
- You can avail a discount of 2.5% on the extra fuel charges on an expenditure of R.500. You cannot get a discount of more than Rs.100 per transaction.
- With an expenditure of Rs.75000 annually you can avoid paying the annual membership fees of R.499 for the forthcoming year.
SBI Platinum Card: Individuals with a steady income and aged between 21-60 years are eligible for applying for this card. This card offers enticing discounts, rewards and complimentary gifts to the customers.
Features and Benefits:
- As a joining benefit, cardholders receive a joining gift coupon worth Rs.3000.
- Cardholders can earn reward points for spending in overseas travel, supermarkets, and restaurants.
- As a cardholder, you can enjoy the complimentary gift of accessing about 200 golf courses around the world.
- With the Priority Pass Program, the cardholder can gain access to leading airport lounges for a nominal fee.
- You can monitor your card transactions through monthly statements, email and SMS alerts.
- With a purchase of over five lakhs annually you would be entitled to receive a one-way domestic free air ticket.
- By using the card for a year, you can begin the forthcoming year with Rs.3000 anniversary ‘gift coupon.’
- You can use the ‘SBI Card account’ through net banking.
- With this card enjoy mobile alerts to help you in paying the utility bills before the due date and this would help you in getting more reward points.
- The card even offers the ‘Easy Money Facility.’
- With the SBI Platinum Credit Card, you can earn 40,000 redeemable ‘reward points’ annually.
- This card offers the privilege of being tracked from anywhere and anytime with a mobile phone or through an online ‘bank account.’
- You can even access the e-transactions done with this card.
- This card can easily be replaced in case of loss or theft if it is reported to 24*7 helpline immediately.
SBI Signature Card: This card is high on rewards. With this credit card, you can enjoy free domestic air tickets, gift vouchers, reward points and offers on hotels, clubs, travel, shopping and much more.
Features and Benefits:
- With this card, you can earn 2 ‘reward points’ on an expenditure of Rs.100.
- Enjoy five times the reward points by spending on departmental stores, dining, international products, services, and grocery.
- This card offers a waiver of 2.5% on the fuel surcharge in petrol pumps all over India.
- You can get a waiver of a maximum surcharge of R.250 every month for a credit account.
- As a joining benefit get a one-way domestic air ticket from the Indigo Airlines or gift vouchers of Rs. 500 from a retail partner such as Raymond’s, Lifestyle, Shopper’s Stop and Louis Phillip.
- With the help of this SBI Signature Card get two complimentary film tickets by purchasing through ‘Book My Show’ every month.
- For being a holder of this card gain access to more than 600 luxury airport lounges in over 300 cities all over the world for a low fee by means of the complementary ‘Priority Pass.’
- You can redeem your reward points gained through this card on booking air tickets through MakeMyTrip or Kingfisher or purchasing products from Shopper’s Stop, Sony, Raymond’s, Lois Philip, Armani, Fossil, Lifestyle etc.
- Enjoy discounts of 75% at over 55,000 villas and hotels all over the world.
- With this card, enjoy offers in more than 900 lavish hotels worldwide.
- Enjoy savings of about 10% on the ‘Hertz Car Rental Program’ with this card.
- Avail 30% discounts on green fees at about 300 reputed golf clubs across the world and even enjoy concierge service all over the world 24/7.
- With this card, you can upgrade to the ‘Gold Tier Membership’ of the ‘King Club’ after 8 flights on Kingfisher’s First Class in a period of 6 months of activation of the ‘Signature Card.’ Along with the membership get 3 upgraded vouchers.
- You can earn ’25 King Miles’ by spending Rs. 100 on the Kingfisher Website.
- With this card get a 10% discount on the ‘Kingfisher Holidays,’ which is valid for the first year of membership.
- You can get a ‘Complimentary Credit Card Fraud’ worth Rs. 1,00,000 with a cover period loss when reported within 48 hours or after 7 days.
HDFC Bank Titanium Times Card: This card offers alluring discounts on dining, entertainment, and shopping while providing huge offers and a rewarding shopping experience to the customers.
Features and Benefits:
- Enjoy the welcome benefits for purchasing this credit card, like gift vouchers for shopping, dining etc.
- From the participating outlets, avail discounts of 25% on films and 15% on the restaurants.
- Earn 2 reward points on an expenditure of Rs. 150 and 5 reward points by spending Rs.50 on dining at restaurants on the weekends.
- You can get a waiver on fuel purchase of Rs. 250 all over India.
- Enjoy ‘interest-free credit period’ of about 50 days from the time of activation of the card.
- Cardholders should report by 24 hours in case of lost or stolen card and thereby enjoy a ‘zero liability’ on the fraudulent transactions.
- Enjoy timely bill payment with no extra charges by registering with the ‘HDFC Utility Bill Payment Service.’
- With a purchase of Rs 5000 on fuel save about Rs.1500 on ‘consolidated fuel prices.’
- By purchasing about 4 film tickets of Rs.150 each save Rs.1800 through discounts.
- Get annual discounts worth Rs.4500 by dining at restaurants, provided that you dine in the participating restaurants and your average bill amounts to Rs.2500 per month @ 15% discount.
HDFC Bank Platinum Edge: This is a cash back premium credit card that provides amazing offers and privileges to the customers who travel frequently and enjoy dining in restaurants. This card even contributes to greater savings with ‘cashback offers.’ Entrepreneurs aged between 21-65 years and salaried employees between 21-60 years are eligible to apply for this card.
Features and Benefits:
- Earn 2 ‘reward points’ on every expenditure of Rs.150.
- You can redeem your accumulated reward points for getting cashback offers or exciting products that feature on the ‘rewards catalog.’
- Enjoy more than 50% reward points with this card for dining at restaurants.
- You can enjoy a waiver on the fuel surcharge for transactions worth Rs.250 or more.
- You can avail a 10% on film tickets purchased through ‘BookMyShow.’
- The card offers ‘Revolving Credit Facility’ at a low rate of interest.
- With this card, you can enjoy an ‘interest-free period’ of 50 days.
- By spending Rs. 5 lakhs on this card get about Rs.2900 on the accumulated reward points.
- With an expenditure of Rs.6000, every month on fuel save around Rs.1800 annually.
- By spending Rs.10000 on the HDFC Bank Platinum Edge within 90 days of activation you are entitled to get the annual fee of the first year reversed.
- Enjoy ‘renewal fee reversal’ on an expenditure of Rs.50, 000 before the expiry date of validity of this card.
- You can withdraw cash from any HDFC Bank ATM or the partner ATMs. The cash withdrawal limit is 40% of your credit limit.
RBL Bank Platinum Maxima Credit Card: This is an ideal credit card for those who want to avail personalized services according to the requirement of their lifestyle. A resident of India with a superb credit history and aged 18 years and above is eligible to apply for this card.
Features and Benefits:
- With this card enjoy five times reward points on utility bills and fuel payments, dining and entertainment.
- Avail enticing discounts on shopping, traveling or dining in restaurants.
- Earn reward points quickly by using this card for international shopping.
- As a joining benefit earn ‘8000 reward points’ on the first transaction of 2 months of activation of the card.
- Earn 2400 ‘membership reward points’ by spending Rs.10, 000 every month with this card.
- This card allows free access to prestigious airport lounges twice every quarter.
- Earn 10000 reward points by spending an amount of Rs.2 lakhs and additional 10000 bonus points on a purchase of Rs. 3.5 lakhs.
Standard Chartered Platinum Rewards Card: This rewards credit card is for the salaried employees who are aged between 21 and 65 years.
Features and Benefits:
- With this card earn 5 reward points on an expenditure of Rs.150 on hotels, fuel, and dining at restaurants and 2 rewards points on the expenditure of Rs. 150 on other products and services.
- You can earn the reward points on hotels and dining outlets abroad as well as in India.
- You do not have to pay any joining fee for this card if applied online.