Hidden reward categories most people miss

by vikram.iyer 22 Dec 2025, 06:55 am 812 views 20 replies
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vikram.iyer OP
22 Dec 2025, 06:55 am

After 4 years of obsessive credit card optimization, I've discovered several merchant categories that give surprising rewards or are excluded when you'd expect them to qualify.

Unexpected Winners (Get Rewards Where You Wouldn't Expect)

1. Insurance Premium Payments

  • [YES] SmartBuy: Buying insurance via Amazon SmartBuy gets 10X on HDFC cards
  • [YES] Direct payment: Most insurers code as regular purchase, not excluded
  • [TIP] Hack: Pay annual premium in one shot vs monthly to max rewards
  • Real example: ₹50K health insurance via SmartBuy = 5,000 Infinia points (₹8,250 value)

    • 2. Government Payments (MCC 9399)

  • [YES] Works on: Axis Magnus, HDFC Diners
  • [NO] Excluded on: Most Visa/Mastercard products
  • [TIP] Platforms: Income tax on PayTM/MobiKwik using eligible cards
  • Real example: ₹2L tax advance payment = 20,000 Edge Rewards on Magnus

    • 3. Educational Institutions

  • [YES] Most cards don't exclude this despite being "service"
  • [YES] Amazon edu vouchers on SmartBuy get 10X
  • [TIP] Includes: Coursera, Udemy, university fees, coaching classes
  • Real example: ₹40K Udemy for Business via SmartBuy = 4,000 points

    • 4. Subscription Services

  • [YES] Netflix, Spotify, YouTube Premium all code as regular purchase
  • [YES] Often qualify for bonus categories on rotating cards
  • [TIP] Buy gift cards in bulk during reward events
  • Real example: ₹10K Netflix GV during sale = 10X + sale discount

    • 5. Property Management/Apartment Maintenance

  • [YES] Most housing society payments code as regular purchase
  • [YES] Platforms like MyGate, NoBroker allow CC payments
  • [TIP] Often large amounts = easy milestone hitting
  • Real example: ₹50K annual maintenance = useful for meeting fee waiver spend

    • Unexpected Losers (Excluded When You'd Think They'd Work)

    1. Wallet Loads

  • [NO] PayTM, PhonePe, Amazon Pay wallet = excluded everywhere now
  • [NOTE] You might get points but they'll be clawed back
  • Exception: Amazon Pay GV purchase (not wallet load) works

    • 2. Fuel Purchases at Pumps

  • [NO] Excluded from bonus categories on most cards
  • [YES] BUT: Fuel surcharge waiver usually still applies
  • [TIP] Use fuel-specific cards (BPCL SBI, HP ICICI) for actual rewards

    • 3. Jewelry (MCC 5944)

  • [NO] Excluded on most premium cards for rewards
  • [NOTE] Check T&C carefully - Magnus, Infinia both exclude
  • [TIP] Workaround: Buy Tanishq vouchers on SmartBuy instead

    • 4. Property Rental (On Some Platforms)

  • [NO] CRED now excludes rewards for most users
  • [NOTE] Some cards code it as cash advance (Vistara, Atlas)
  • [YES] NoBroker and MagicBricks still work for most cards

    • The Real Hidden Gems

      Category nobody talks about: Wholesale clubs and B2B payments
    • If you run a business, Metro Cash & Carry and similar wholesalers code as regular shopping
    • Can process lakhs monthly = massive rewards with right card

    MCC 5999 (Miscellaneous Retail): This catches everything from car washes to locksmiths. Always qualifies for base rewards, sometimes gets bonus categories too.

    How to Check MCC for Your Transactions

  • Check statement descriptor
  • Use Google to search "[merchant name] MCC code"
  • Call bank and ask explicitly
  • Or just make a small transaction and see if rewards post

    • Anyone else discovered hidden categories?

    3

    19 Comments

    A
    ananya.reddy · 27 Dec 2025, 06:59 am

    The Netflix subscription tip is great but be careful - if you use NetFlix card share groups, those code as international transactions sometimes.

    1
    H
    harsh.agarwal · 28 Dec 2025, 09:54 pm

    Jewelry exclusion is frustrating. I specifically got Magnus for my sister's wedding shopping. Later found out ₹8L in purchases = 0 extra rewards. T&C buried in page 17.

    0
    R
    rahul.joshi · 27 Dec 2025, 10:40 am

    Fuel purchases are the biggest scam. All cards advertise 'fuel rewards' but it's just surcharge waiver which everyone gets anyway. No actual bonus points.

    4
    A
    aditya.singh · 30 Dec 2025, 12:14 pm

    MCC 5999 is a goldmine if you know where to look. I get car servicing done at a local mechanic who codes as 5999. Full rewards vs authorized service centers (MCC 7538 often excluded).

    1
    A
    aditya.singh · 31 Dec 2025, 03:37 pm

    Adding to the list: Utility bill payments via PayTM/MobiKwik usually qualify if done via credit card (not wallet). I get 1% on AU Vetta for electricity bills.

    2
    A
    ananya.reddy · 1 Jan 2026, 09:28 am

    The edu platform discovery is brilliant. I've been paying for my MBA program fees directly (₹2.5L per semester) and never thought to check if it qualifies. It does!

    0
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    varun.malhotra · 3 Jan 2026, 12:19 am

    Subscription services: Disney+ Hotstar often codes as international transaction (billed from Singapore). Lost rewards there until I switched to annual plan via gift card route.

    2
    S
    sneha.nair · 2 Jan 2026, 11:07 pm

    Be careful with insurance claims. If you pay premium via CC and claim later, some insurers ask questions. Had issues with motor claim once.

    2
    A
    ananya.reddy · 4 Jan 2026, 08:48 am

    The wholesale club tip is next level. My friend runs a small restaurant and pays Metro via Infinia. 3-4L monthly spend = massive rewards. Business secret sauce!

    4
    P
    priya.sharma · 9 Jan 2026, 03:05 pm

    The wallet load exclusion is strictly enforced now but I found a loophole: Load wallets via rent payment platforms that then refund to wallet. Gray area though.

    1
    I
    ishita.sen · 5 Jan 2026, 01:43 am

    Property rental on NoBroker still working for you? Mine started coding as 'rental' specific category and SBI stopped giving 5%. Now only 1%.

    0
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    rajesh.nambiar · 7 Jan 2026, 03:41 pm

    I've been paying my CA firm fees via CC (professional services) and it qualifies as regular purchase. ₹50K in GST return fees = easy rewards.

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