₹5000
Salaried: ₹12 lakhs per year || Self-employed: ₹15 lakhs per year
₹12500
By Invite
₹12499
Invite Only
₹30000
Maintenance of high-value 'Axis Burgundy Account Status'
₹20000
HSBC Premier relationship required to get card || No annual fee for HSBC Premier customers
₹10000
Salaried: ₹2.50 lakhs per month | Self-employed: ₹30 lakhs per year
₹4999
₹6 lakhs per year
₹0
Not specified
₹2500
Salaried: ₹1.5 lakh/month | Self-employed: ₹18 lakh/year | Government: ₹1 lakh/month
₹1000
Salaried : Net monthly income of ₹35,000 || Self-employed : Annual income of ₹6 lakh
₹5999
Not specified
₹20000
Salaried: ₹2 lakhs per month || Self-employed: ₹24 lakhs per year
₹50000
Invite Only
India's premier travel card delivering exceptional 33% rewards on hotels and 16.6% on flights through the Smartbuy platform, with unlimited domestic and international lounge access plus unlimited golf worldwide. Monthly accelerated rewards cap at 15,000 points. Perfect for high spenders seeking guaranteed INR-value redemptions, and premium lifestyle benefits without transfer program complexity.
Elite invite-only card offering 36% rewards on hotels and 18% on flights, complemented by unlimited lounge access, unlimited golf, monthly movie tickets (₹750 each), and EazyDiner Prime membership. Monthly caps at 18,000 points for accelerated categories. Ideal for affluent travelers wanting best-in-class rewards with guaranteed redemption value, lifestyle benefits, and premium entertainment benefits bundled together.
Super-premium card delivering 33% hotel rewards and 16.6% flight rewards through Smartbuy, quarterly golf worldwide, unlimited lounges, and exclusive Marriott/Swiggy memberships. Features quarterly milestone bonuses (10,000 points at ₹4 lakh spend). Suited for affluent travelers valuing guaranteed INR redemptions, entertainment partnerships, and quarterly bonus rewards. More accessible than the 'invite only' HDFC Infinia and ICICI Emeralde Private Metal, with only slightly lower rewards.
Super-premium lifestyle card offering 24% hotel and 12% flight rewards, unlimited lounges, 1.49% reduced forex fee, 2.5% international spending rewards, premium helicopter/sedan transfers (post ₹5 lakh spend), and Quorum Club access. Features extensive milestone structure up to ₹70,000 in annual rewards. Perfect for luxury travelers combining travel rewards with unique lifestyle experiences, concierge services, exclusive events, and premium transfers at ₹20,000 annual fee.
Ultra-premium card exclusively for Burgundy account holders offering up to 24% travel rewards (48% effective on select transfers like Accor) on monthly travel spends up to ₹2 lakhs, unlimited lounges, and airport meet & greet services four times yearly. Features tiered reward structure increasing above spending thresholds. Perfect for ultra-high-net-worth travelers who can maximize airline/hotel transfer programs and have very high spends.
Free for HSBC Premier banking customers, offering 36% rewards on hotels and 18% on flights with airline/hotel transfers, unlimited lounge access, 24 annual golf rounds, and ultra-low 0.99% forex markup. Monthly caps at 18,000 accelerated points. Ideal for HSBC Premier account holders seeking premium travel benefits without annual fees, with flexible transfer options and comprehensive golf privileges included.
Ultra-premium invite-only card delivering unmatched 40% hotel and 20% flight rewards, zero forex fees, unlimited domestic/international/railway lounges, unlimited golf in India, Club ITC Culinaire Select and Accor Explorer memberships. Features high 6.66% base rewards. Perfect for ultra-affluent travelers seeking absolute best rewards, premium memberships, comprehensive benefits at ₹50,000 annual fee.
A mid-premium travel card offering up to 10% rewards on monthly travel spending up to ₹2 lakh. Annual spend-based lounge access increasing from 4 to 18 annual visits based on spending, plus up to 4% rewards on general purchases which can make this an all-in-one credit card for most of your spends. Ideal for travelers who value airline miles and hotel points over guaranteed INR redemptions and can meet annual spending tiers.
Premium card offering 24% hotel rewards and 16% flight rewards through airline/hotel transfers, quarterly lounge access (6 domestic, 4 international), monthly movie tickets and dining discounts through Zomato, plus quarterly golf rounds. Annual milestone at ₹12 lakh adds 10,000 bonus points. Perfect for regular travelers wanting strong rewards with transfer flexibility, lifestyle benefits, and reasonable ₹4,999 annual fee with ₹8 lakh spending waiver.
PRO TIP - Strategic redemptions through select partners like Accor and other such sweetspots can double your effective rewards. Accor's redemption rates can effectively double the value of transferred points—meaning Atlas's 10% travel rewards become ~20% effective on Accor redemptions, while HSBC TravelOne's 24% hotel rewards can reach ~48% effective value. However, this applies specifically to select partners, not all redemptions
Premium travel card offering 20% hotel and 13.3% flight rewards, zero forex markup, quarterly lounge access (16 visits each across domestic/international/railway annually), 2 monthly movie tickets, and dual golf programs (spend-based plus Mastercard benefits). Requires ₹20,000 monthly spend for lounge access. Ideal for frequent travelers prioritizing zero forex fees, comprehensive lounge access, golf privileges, and CFAR insurance at ₹5,999 annual fee.
Entry-level lifetime-free travel card featuring 10% instant discounts on ixigo bookings (flights, hotels, buses with monthly caps), zero forex markup on international transactions, 16 domestic/railway lounge visits & 1 international lounge visit annually. Offers modest 1.25% rewards on online spends. Ideal for budget-conscious travelers, or international travelers prioritizing zero forex fees and basic lounge access without annual fee commitment.
Mid-premium card delivering up to 17.3% hotel rewards and 8.6% flight rewards through HDFC Smartbuy, 12 domestic and 6 international lounge visits annually, plus quarterly milestone vouchers (₹1,500 at ₹1.5 lakh quarterly spend, ₹10,000 at ₹7.5 lakh annual spend). Monthly accelerated rewards cap at 4,000 points. Suited for emerging affluent travelers seeking solid rewards, regular lounge access, and milestone benefits at an accessible ₹2,500 annual fee which is waived at ₹4 lakh annual spend.
Mid-level card offering 13.3% hotel rewards and 6.6% flight rewards through HDFC Smartbuy, quarterly lounge access (2 visits domestic and international), 2 weekend movie tickets monthly (₹250 each), and complimentary Swiggy One and Times Prime memberships. Monthly caps at 4,000 accelerated points. Perfect for consumers entering premium segment wanting accelerated travel rewards, and entertainment benefits. ₹1,000 annual fee, waived at ₹3 lakh annual spend.
1. Exceptional Rewards on Travel Spending
Travel credit cards offer significantly higher returns on travel purchases compared to regular cards. Premium cards like HDFC Infinia and ICICI Emeralde Private Metal deliver up to 36% rewards on hotel bookings and 18% on flights when redeemed through travel portals. Cards with airline/hotel transfer programs like Axis Magnus Burgundy and HSBC Premier can provide even higher effective returns—up to 48-72% on select redemption partners like Accor—making them ideal for maximizing travel value.
2. Comprehensive Airport Lounge Access
3. Zero or Low Forex Markup
International travelers save significantly on foreign transactions:
4. Premium Travel Perks and Lifestyle Benefits
Travel cards bundle valuable benefits beyond rewards:
5. Comprehensive Travel Insurance
Premium travel cards include robust insurance coverage:
6. Flexible Reward Redemption Options
Different redemption options suit various preferences:
1. High Annual Fees
Premium travel cards charge substantial annual fees:
2. Complex Reward Structures
Maximizing value requires understanding intricate systems:
3. Restrictive Eligibility Requirements
Access to best travel cards is limited:
4. Spending Requirements for Maximum Value
Benefits often come with conditions:
5. Limited Value for Non-Travelers
Travel cards may underperform for non-travel spending:
6. Reward Expiration and Limits
Some restrictions limit flexibility:
Finding the perfect travel credit card depends on your specific travel patterns and preferences. Here are the key factors to consider:
Super-premium/ultra-premium cards typically provide the highest rewards on travel spending, but also have the highest eligibility requirements and annual spending thresholds for fee waivers.
Reward redemption options:
Calculate whether the benefits justify the annual fee based on your typical travel spending:
Value = (Annual travel spend × Reward rate) + (Value of lounge visits) + (Other benefits) - Annual fee
Most travel credit cards also provide annual fee waivers based on a certain amount of annual card spending. Consider whether this aligns with your typical spending patterns.
Beyond core travel rewards, consider:
When evaluating these factors together, you'll be able to identify the travel credit card that best matches your spending habits, travel frequency, and reward preferences while providing genuine value for the annual fee.
Our expert team evaluates credit cards based on:
Cards are rated on a 5-point scale, with ratings updated quarterly based on the latest offers and benefits.
Best Travel Credit Cards - By Bank
Other Types of Credit Cards