How to Get The Most Out of Your Credit Card This Summer

Summer holidays are here and you must be longing for your dream vacation! But planning for travel in summer is no easy feat. Being the busiest time of the year, everything comes at a premium price, making it tough to make plans. What if you could make this entire experience a little more affordable and stress-free?

In this article, we’ll give you some practical tips on how credit cards can help you with this!

How To Make the Most of Credit Cards During Your Summer Holidays

1. Make use of the points you’ve collected

If you’ve been collecting points on your credit cards, this is the right time to redeem them for spending on something useful. You can save quite a significant amount on expensive items such as hotels and flights. In fact, there is also a term known as travel hacking, which means earning credit card rewards to use for free or discounted travel, stays, upgrades, etc.

2. Keep an eye out for offers and discounts

A lot of credit card companies partner with airlines or hotel chains, to offer exclusive discounts and cashback to their customers. These can include both EMI as well regular full swipe transactions. However, typically they have minimum transaction criteria. Also, the offers might be limited to only one translation per card during the offer period. Do read the terms and conditions before making the transaction to ensure you get the desired benefit.

3. Check for hotel tie-ups

Most credit card lenders have tie-ups with hotel chains, especially luxury chains which allows their customers to save on booking prices. The discounts are typically in the range of 10% to 25% which can save you a significant amount of money, especially for longer stays or multiple rooms.

4. Save on forex while making international transactions

Using a credit card for international transactions incurs an unavoidable forex fee. Most credit card companies charge around 3.5% forex markup which can be pretty huge if you are making a transaction for a large amount. Look for credit cards that charge lower forex rates or you can also go for specific travel cards that can help you save on the fees. For example, in OneCard, we charge 1% forex, which is among the lowest in the market.

5. Use credit cards wherever possible for a safer payment experience

Gone are the days when tourists had to convert cash and carry it with them throughout their travel. With credit cards, you won’t have to worry about your cash getting stolen. Most credit cards also offer fraud protection making them a safer option to use.

6. Use credit cards as a budgeting tool

Since all transactions are recorded on the credit card, you can do all the major transactions using your credit card to keep track of your budget. New-age credit cards like OneCard also go a step further to give a category-wise analysis of spending, making it easier for you to know where you are spending the most in a particular month.

7. Save on fuel costs with a surcharge waiver

A fuel surcharge is an extra amount that is levied by petroleum companies when you buy petrol or diesel at a petrol pump. Paying in can be painful especially if you are planning a long-distance road trip. Some credit card companies offer a waiver on these transactions.

ALSO READ:- Updated - Rent Fee, Wallet Loading Fee & Fuel Surcharge Waiver Cap

Complimentary Benefits for Added Convenience

1. Complimentary insurance and cover

Some credit card companies offer travel insurance and accidental cover as added benefits to their cardholders. They typically cover costs associated with medical expenses, booking cancellations, lost baggage, lost card liability, and other such unplanned expenses.

2. Complimentary air tickets

This is a benefit that is typically offered by co-branded cards, that is credit cards created especially for use with a particular partner like airlines. These kinds of credit cards offer complimentary economy class air tickets either on signing up or after reaching particular spending milestones.

3. Complimentary lounge visits

This benefit can be a boon to travelers, especially on long-distance trips. The number of visits is typically capped on a quarterly or annual basis and there is a limit to the value of your visit. For example, there may be a limit of INR 1000 per visit, exceeding which you will be required to pay. Lounge visits are typically for airport lounges, however, there are credit card options with access to some railway lounges as well.

4. Complimentary concierge and pickup services

Some premium credit cards also offer concierge and pickup services that provide added convenience to their customers. Concierge services may include assistance with a variety of tasks, such as making reservations, booking tickets, arranging transportation, or finding local services. Pick-up services provide a designated driver to pick you up to or fro from the airport.

Most of these services are provided in the case of premium credit cards or co-branded credit cards. While the services may seem attractive, there are usually some limitations and terms and conditions that come with them. Do make sure you go through them before signing up for the same.

ALSO READ : How to maximize your credit card rewards

Common Do’s and Don'ts of Using Credit Cards During Your Summer Vacation

Do’s

Make a budget to keep your expenses in check. Understand the fees and charges associated with transactions, especially if you are traveling abroad. Inform your credit card issuer about your travel to avoid potential blockage. Understand how you can contact the support of your credit card provider apart from calling them because you might not be able to dial their toll-free numbers.

Don'ts

Avoid withdrawing cash from international ATMs, as you might incur very high advance fees. Don’t let your card out of sight. Keep it in a safe place while carrying it around. Don't use credit cards to spend extravagantly if you cannot foresee yourself paying back in full and on time. Have a payment mode backup, especially in a foreign land, as some local vendors and shops might accept only cash.

Final Words

A credit card is a great tool to efficiently manage all your summer vacation expenses. Start by researching and finding out the credit card that best suits your travel needs. If you want to have a new-age credit card that is a boon for all your travel needs, check out OneCard Credit Card

🛍️ Offers on top brands including flights, buses, luggage, and more

🤩 ​​1% Forex which is among the lowest in the market

📱 Powerful mobile app to keep things in your control