As households gear up for festive expenses, a range of new credit cards are emerging with specialised cashback and reward programmes tailored to shopping, dining, travel, and utility bills, offering consumers more strategic spending options this season.
With the monsoon giving way to the festive season, household budgets can quickly come under pressure from shopping, dining out, travel and routine bills. For card users, the right plastic can soften that blow by turning everyday spending into cashback, vouchers or travel perks. A handful of cards now stand out for specific habits, whether that is booking flights, ordering food, paying utility bills or shopping online.
For people who spend heavily on travel and dining, the YES BANK Paisabazaar PaisaSave Credit Card has been positioned as a strong option. Business Standard reported that the co-branded RuPay card offers 6% cashback on dining and travel spends, with 1% on other eligible purchases, while Paisabazaar says there is no joining fee and instant virtual activation. The card is also designed for UPI-linked credit payments, which may appeal to users who want card benefits without relying on a physical swipe at the point of sale.
Online shoppers may find the Axis Bank Cashback Credit Card more useful. According to CardExpert, the card uses a tiered structure that offers up to 7% cashback on eligible online spends, with lower slabs for smaller monthly outlays. The bank also waives the annual fee if spending crosses a stated threshold, which means the card can suit people whose monthly online bills are already substantial.
The HDFC Bank Millennia Credit Card is aimed at a broader digital lifestyle. In the lead article, the card is presented as rewarding spending on major online and food-delivery platforms such as Amazon, Flipkart, Myntra, Swiggy, Zomato, Uber and BookMyShow. The article also notes a quarterly spending milestone that can unlock either a voucher or domestic airport lounge access, adding a small travel perk to an otherwise cashback-led product.
For utility bills and everyday essentials, the ICICI Bank Ace Credit Card is marketed as a practical option. The lead article says it offers cashback on selected bill payments and recharges made through Google Pay, along with higher returns on services such as food delivery, ride-hailing and other eligible purchases. It also carries a relatively low fee and includes domestic lounge visits, which broadens its appeal beyond pure utility spending.
Travellers, meanwhile, may prefer a card built around trip bookings rather than general purchases. The MakeMyTrip ICICI Bank Credit Card is described in the lead article as giving up to 6% MyCash on MakeMyTrip bookings and 1% on other retail spending. It comes with an annual fee, but that charge can be waived if yearly spending crosses the prescribed level, making it more attractive to users who book flights and hotels often enough to justify the cost.
Disclaimer: This article is intended to inform and educate, not to recommend or endorse any financial product, investment or strategy. Please consider your own financial circumstances and seek professional advice where appropriate before making financial decisions.
