My Card Hidden Places for My Latest International Travel
Recently, I flew about 40,000 miles in July for work, which is quite a lot. I’ve got several credit cards in my wallet (you might have seen my July update), and I thought I’d share the ones that have been my go-tos on these travels.
As you might know, I usually keep three cards tucked behind my phone since, well, there’s no Apple Pay in India yet. But for international trips, that can change a bit. Here are three cards I’ve leaned on during my recent ventures abroad.
- Axis Olympus: This card is like that old, reliable friend. It’s been around for over ten years and somehow remains under the radar. Recently, they switched to a metal design, which is pretty neat. There aren’t any fancy category bonuses or collaborations with merchants. The reward structure is simple: earn 1 point per 100 INR domestically and 2 points per 100 INR overseas. When traveling, it’s easy to rack up those points with a 1.8% forex markup.
Meanwhile, I’ve added the Scapia credit card to my collection for some specific perks. It’s got something called airport privileges—basically allowing you to buy gifts or snacks at the airport without needing lounge access. You scan your boarding pass to activate these benefits, and those small purchases earn Scapia money that you can use later for flights or hotels. What’s nice is that there’s no forex markup, which is a bonus since I often spend little things without being too worried about points.
- Scapia credit card: This card brings some unique airport perks, allowing you to pick up gifts or even eat without needing to go through a lounge. You can access an airport store or meal spots listed on their app after activating your privileges. You earn Scapia money, but it’s not a refund–it goes into a coin account that can be redeemed later. It’s pretty handy for all those small expenses and keeps you away from using very high-value spending cards.
I’ve also got a debit card that I use occasionally for international travel. It’s from Indusind Bank, which I opened a savings account with earlier this year. This card can be quite useful when you need cash abroad; I had to withdraw around USD 120 last week for groceries, and thankfully, there were no withdrawal fees from foreign ATMs.
Here’s a snapshot of that bank statement.
And this is what should have been deducted from my account.
Additionally, I keep a couple of backup cards, though I don’t use them often. One is the HSBC Premier card, which does charge some forex markup, and there’s also the HDFC Infinia, which has attractive global benefits but still takes some markup. Finally, I have the IDFC First Bank card which does not charge for Forex expenses.
Overall, I think I’ve optimized my cards for international spending. Sure, I’m not sweating the small points, but it’s all about finding the right balance for your travel needs.
Bottom Line
In these past few weeks, I’ve used a mix of the Indusind Bank Signature Debit card and a few credit cards—Axis Olympus, Scapia, and Indusind Bank—as my main players. The HSBC Premier, HDFC Infinia, and IDFC First Mayura are the backups.
Do you think there’s a card I should add or remove from my stack to help with my international spending?
