Best Travel Credit Cards in India 2026: Miles, Perks & Smart Tips

It is on the rise and growing in popularity throughout the country, as more people are travelling to cities beyond their immediate vicinity and gaining greater access to international destinations. Peak-season travel continues to grow, with increasing numbers of travellers taking to the air. This trend has driven higher demand for economical airline travel options from Indian carriers such as IndiGo and Air India, while also increasing the adoption of travel-focused credit cards that offer flight rewards, fare savings, and travel-related benefits to support cost-efficient travel in 2019 and beyond.

The best travel credit card can also make your travel experience better than ever before by providing you with the ability to accrue miles towards free flights, access to complimentary lounges, and lower fees on international purchases.

The Travel Credit Card Guide has been created for the Indian audience; this guide contains the various travel credit cards currently available in India, specific benefits associated with each travel credit card type, practical use cases of each travel credit card type, and an overview of the type of choices to make to ensure you maximize the value of your purchases and minimize your overall cost. There are many different travel credit cards available, so whether you are a salaried employee planning a family vacation or a freelance worker seeking some adventure, you will find helpful information and recommendations for selecting the most rewarding travel credit card options for your next holiday.

Why Choose a Travel Credit Card in India?

Imagine booking a Delhi to Goa flight where your card earns enough points for a return trip, or enjoying a relaxing spa lounge in Dubai while your forex charges stay low. Travel credit cards are designed precisely for this—they reward spending on flights, hotels, and international transactions with air miles, hotel vouchers, and elite memberships that everyday cashback cards simply can’t match. In India, where domestic air travel has grown by over 20% year-on-year and international trips surged post-2025 visa relaxations, these cards deliver 2-5% effective returns on travel spends compared to 1% on basic cards.

Low Foreign Exchange Margin – Typical mark up 0.5% to 2% compared to Standard 3.5%; Saved approximately ₹3,000 to ₹5,000 on a ₹1 lakh overseas trip due to lower markup costs. Free insurance coverage for trip delays and lost baggage (up to ₹50,000,000). Access to over 100 domestic airport lounges (free buffet at the Mumbai or Hyderabad airport) and partnerships with airlines (Vistara and IndiGo) for easier access to the lounge during layover times. Minimum requirements to qualify for these banks (HDFC, Axis, and SBI) are CIBIL scores over 750, annual income between ₹5,000,000 and 15,000,000 rupees, and basic KYC (Aadhaar and PAN). This allows many IT professionals, entrepreneurs and NRIs with NRE accounts to qualify for these cards. Premium credit card products have no Joining fees (up to ₹10,000+) when a cardholder spends a certain amount after getting the card registered.

But not all cards suit everyone. Frequent flyers (4+ trips/year) thrive on mile-heavy options, while occasional travellers prefer low-fee entry points. The secret? Align the card with your habits—Air India loyalists pick co-branded, luxury seekers go premium—and redeem points wisely for 1.5-2 paise per point value.</p>

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<h2>Top Premium Travel Credit Cards: For the Jet-Set Elite

If your annual travel budget exceeds ₹5 lakhs, premium cards like the HDFC Diners Club Black Metal Edition are game-changers. This metal beauty charges a ₹10,000 annual fee (waived on ₹8 lakh spends), but rewards with 5 Membership Rewards (MR) points per ₹150 on all spends, transferring 1:1 to 12 airlines, including Air India, Vistara, and British Airways. Picture redeeming 50,000 points for a Delhi-London economy one-way or upgrading to business class. Unlimited Priority Pass access to 1,300+ global lounges (with guest visits) means seamless layovers in Doha or Singapore, while the Good Food Trail program offers 20% off at 6,000+ restaurants nationwide—perfect for that pre-flight feast at Bengaluru’s airport.

Axis Bank Reserve Credit Card, at a ₹50,000 joining fee (offset by perks), stands out with a mere 1.5% forex markup and 15 EDGE miles per ₹100 on travel portals like Cleartrip, escalating to 30 miles on quarterly milestones. It includes unlimited Dreamfolks lounges (domestic/international, 12 guest passes), Taj Epicure Plus membership for two complimentary nights at Taj hotels (worth ₹20,000+), and EazyDiner Prime for 50% off dining at Marriott properties across India and Dubai. A Delhi businessman shared how it funded his family’s Udaipur stay, saving ₹15,000 while earning miles for Dubai.

ICICI Bank Emerald Private Metal Edition offers Taj InnerCircle Gold status (free nights up to ₹10,000 value, 25% off Oberoi dining) and unlimited Dreamfolks access, including international spas. With 6 points per ₹200 on travel and 1% forex, it’s ideal for luxury lovers. YES Bank Private Credit Card undercuts rivals with 0.5% forex—the lowest in India—plus 2 lakh welcome points (enough for two international economy flights) and 12 guest lounge visits, suiting group family trips to Bali. American Express Platinum Charge (invite-only, ₹60,000 fee) grants Marriott Bonvoy Gold Elite (room upgrades, late checkouts) and 40,000 bonus MR points on ₹4 lakh spends, though higher forex limits it to domestic-heavy users.

These cards shine for high spenders: A ₹10 lakh annual outlay on HDFC Black yields ₹30,000+ in lounge value alone, plus miles worth ₹50,000.

Best Mid-Range Travel Cards: Balanced Rewards for Regular Wanderers

For 2-3 trips a year and spending of ₹2-5 lakhs, mid-range cards offer premium perks without the price tag. Axis Bank Atlas Credit Card, with a ₹5,000 fee (waived on ₹15 lakh spends), earns 5 EDGE miles per ₹100 on travel (up to 10 at Platinum tier after ₹15 lakh quarterly), transferable 1:1 to IndiGo, Air India, and more. It provides 8-18 domestic lounges and 4-12 international via Visa, plus 25% EazyDiner cashback. A Mumbai IT professional hit Platinum status with portal bookings, redeeming for Singapore flights and saving ₹12,000 on lounges.

HDFC Regalia Gold, at just ₹2,500 (waived on ₹4 lakh), delivers 20 points per ₹150 on SmartBuy travel (4% value), Club Vistara Silver (extra baggage, priority boarding), MMT Black Elite (10% hotel discounts), and 2% forex—beating most rivals for Europe jaunts. Quarterly perks include ₹1,500 Swiggy One/Uber vouchers and 12 domestic lounges. Pune couples often redeem 25,000 points for international taxes after family spends.

SBI Card Air India Signature (₹4,999 fee) accelerates to 30 points per ₹100 on Air India tickets (20 on others), with 20,000 welcome miles, 1.99% forex, and 8 international lounges—perfect for Delhi-Dubai at 20,000 miles round-trip. Kotak IndiGo 6E Rewards XL (₹2,500) refunds 8% on IndiGo via vouchers, includes free 6E Prime membership (₹2,299 value: seats, baggage), and 8 lounges for budget domestic hops.

Airline-Specific Cards: Maximise Loyalty with Co-Branded Power

Love a particular airline? Co-branded cards supercharge miles. SBI Air India Signature’s 40 points per ₹100 on international Air India spends unlock Star Alliance redemptions like Delhi-Frankfurt (35,000 miles). Welcome bonuses cover the Delhi-Bangkok economy.

Axis Bank Vistara Infinite (₹10,000, invite-only) earns 5 Club Vistara points per ₹200, with milestone lounges for Delhi-Singapore upgrades. Kotak IndiGo 6E Rewards XL dominates low-cost with fare vouchers up to ₹2,000/ticket.

Emirates Skywards ICICI Rubyx (₹3,000) gives 6 Avios per ₹200 and a 20,000 join bonus for Mumbai-Dubai (15,000 miles one-way). British Airways IndusInd Avios Visa Infinite hits Gulf routes with 36,000 milestone Avios. IRCTC SBI Premier (₹1,499) returns 10% on train AC tickets for rail-air pilgrims to Varanasi.

Hotel and Lounge Perks: Elevate Your Stays and Waits

Hotel elites transform trips: ICICI Emerald’s Taj Epicure includes quarterly dining vouchers and complimentary nights at Taj Exotica (₹15,000+). Axis Reserve’s Club Marriott provides 50% off food at over 100 hotels and includes two additional stays when you renew.

HDFC Marriott Bonvoy provides an annual 15,000-point free night (JW Marriott Mumbai) and Gold status. Accor ALL ICICI delivers Platinum for Leela perks on ₹2 lakh spends.

Lounges are the unsung hero: HDFC Black’s Priority Pass accesses Qatar’s Al Safwa luxury; ICICI/SBI Dreamfolks covers 1,200 spots, including Chennai spas. Axis Atlas tiers from 8 domestic (Silver) to 18 total (Platinum). HSBC TravelOne adds railway lounges for train flyers.

Entry-Level and Low-Fee Options: Start Small, Dream Big

If you’re new to rewards, the EaseMyTrip SBI Card (₹999 variant) gives you 20% discounts every quarter, up to a maximum of ₹1,000, access to 16 domestic lounges, and no forex charges on the platform—saving you ₹2,000 on a Thailand trip. The MakeMyTrip ICICI Signature (₹1,500) comes with MMT Black vouchers and access to 2 lounges.

Scapia Federal (no fee, UPI-linked) gives 10% travel coins with zero forex. HSBC TravelOne (₹999 first year) yields 12% Yatra discounts and 10 lounges. IDFC First RuPay (lifetime free) boosts 10X birthday rewards plus insurance.

Advanced Strategies to Maximise Every Point

Pre-load spends: Book annual travel on portals for milestones—Axis Atlas Platinum at ₹7.5 lakh quarterly unlocks max perks. Use add-on cards (free for 4 family members on HDFC) to pool bonuses.

Sweet-spot redemptions: Air India Delhi-Goa (4,000 miles) vs. vouchers (0.5p/point). Time transfers before 24-month expiry. Manufacture spends via SmartBuy rent/insurance for 5-10X without cash advances.

Forex hacks: Pair YES Private (0.5%) with RuPay UPI abroad. Insurance: ₹1-5 crore coverage, ₹10,000 delay payouts. Math example: Regalia Gold on ₹3 lakh travel-heavy spends = 24,000 points (₹12,000 miles) + ₹3,600 vouchers > fee.

Step-by-Step: Choosing and Applying for Your Card

1. Assess profile: Frequent? Premiums. Occasional? Mid-range.
2. Match ecosystem: Air India? SBI Signature. IndiGo? Kotak.
3. Calculate ROI: Miles (₹1.5 each) + lounges (₹800/visit) vs. fee.
4. Apply via bank apps (90% instant pre-approvals), track on Cred/OneCard.

Pitfalls to Dodge and Fixes

Devaluations (e.g., Air India 20% cut in 2024)—redeem early. Milestone overspend—stick to bills. Guest fees (Axis ₹750 post-12)—plan ahead. TDS 20% on >₹50,000 rewards—claim ITR. Lost abroad? 24/7 hotlines + insurance.

Real-Life Case Studies

Priya (Mumbai IT): Atlas + Regalia = 1.5 lakh miles/year for Singapore, ₹1 lakh saved. Ramesh (Delhi biz): Diners Black funds Europe business. Sneha (Bengaluru freelancer): IndiGo XL covers 10 hops + baggage.

2026 Trends: What’s Next for Travel Cards

UPI global expansion pairs with zero-forex like Niyo. Green miles for eco-hotels. Fintechs (PhonePe/Axe) offer 5% UPI rewards. RuPay international grows, lounge caps ease.

Wrapping Up Your Travel Rewards Journey

From Axis Atlas’s versatile miles to HDFC Regalia Gold’s balanced perks and premiums like Diners Black for luxury, the best card fits your spends—aim for 2X+ returns. Start with one, upgrade wisely, track via apps, and let rewards fuel adventures from Kerala backwaters to New York skylines. Apply today and elevate your travels!