ICICI Bank long lacked a standout offering in the super-premium credit card segment. Their gemstone lineup offered premium positioning but weak rewards and benefits. The ICICI Emeralde Credit Card addresses those benefit gaps with a strong set of perks, especially for frequent travelers, though its standard rewards rate remains modest. To improve the rewards side, … Read more

HDFC Bank has introduced a new line of business credit cards: BizFirst, BizGrow, BizPower, and BizBlack, aimed at small and medium-sized enterprises. BizPower is positioned as the premium option, while BizBlack is the super-premium offering with generous rewards targeted at business expenses. These are business credit cards, not corporate cards. They are issued on personal … Read more

Citibank PremierMiles credit card was a popular choice for many cardholders until a significant devaluation last year reduced some of its appeal. Issued as a premium Visa Signature product by Citi, the card once stood out for its flexible rewards and transfer partnerships. As with many widely held rewards cards, broad adoption led to changes … Read more

On 22 June 2024, the Government of India launched the Fast Track Immigration – Trusted Traveller Program (FTI-TTP) to speed up immigration for pre-verified Indian nationals and Overseas Citizens of India (OCI). Participants can now use dedicated e-gates to enter and exit the country, avoiding routine interaction with an immigration officer. The change reduces waiting … Read more

I’ve flown over 200 times in the last three years, but nothing matched this ultra-short hop: Tallinn (Estonia) to Helsinki (Finland) with Finnair. Airtime? Just 15 minutes. It wasn’t the most practical route to visit Finland, but it formed part of a connecting itinerary to London and, best of all, this leg was free using … Read more

With products like Insta Loan, HDFC has made taking a quick loan on your HDFC credit card very simple. If you receive a pre-qualified offer, the approved amount can be disbursed to your account in seconds via net banking, often with no additional documentation. There are several credit-card-backed loan options. Below I explain each variant … Read more

The wallet market in India is fiercely competitive, but a notable new development is PayPal’s expanded presence. Although PayPal has long been available for cross-border purchases from international merchants, it is now also enabling Indian merchants to accept PayPal Checkout. This means Indian customers can pay with their cards through PayPal without exposing their card … Read more

The Amex Diwali offer is one of the most anticipated promotions in the credit card space because it typically delivers strong value to cardmembers. This year the offer is live for many eligible cardmembers and appears more attractive than last year thanks to vouchers from retailers like Flipkart and Amazon—options that are especially useful during … Read more

Marriott Bonvoy is once again offering a curated collection of Diwali sweets in collaboration with renowned fashion designers. Last year Marriott partnered with designer Manish Malhotra to present exclusive festive treats, and this year continues the association under the banner “Manish Malhotra Diwali with Marriott Bonvoy.” Participating Marriott hotels across India repeat this seasonal offering … Read more

Coimbatore airport lounge was originally known as Avaachi Lounge and has recently been rebranded as Blackberry Restaurant and Bar. Since the rebrand, many travelers have reported issues with card acceptance and inconsistent service. I kept seeing negative comments every month, so I decided to visit and see for myself. Below is my experience from a … Read more