Best Travel Credit Cards in India (2026)
Engineered for domestic & international flyers: 0% foreign currency markup, unconditional Priority Pass airport lounges, 1:1 airline miles, and free 5-star hotel stays.
Our Top 12 Picks at a Glance (2026)
Every winner below is hand-audited against official bank MITC documents. Click any card to jump to its mathematical breakdown.
Compare the 12 10 Best Travel Credit Cards in India (2026) Side-by-Side
Compare annual fees, fee waiver milestones, effective return rates, airport lounge quotas, foreign currency markups, and minimum income requirements.
| Rank & Card | Best For | Annual Fee | Return Rate | Airport Lounges | Forex Fee | Action |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
#1
Axis Atlas
Axis Bank · Visa
|
#1 Overall Frequent Flyer Card (Up to 10 Airline/Hotel Miles per ₹100) |
₹5,000
+ GST
|
2.00X Rewards
~2.00% Base/Peak
|
8 Dom + 4 Intl/yr | 3.50% | |
|
#2
HDFC Infinia Metal
HDFC Bank · visa
|
Best Super-Premium Travel Card (16.5% Flights & 33.3% Hotels via SmartBuy) |
₹12,500
Waivable
|
5.00X Rewards
~5.00% Base/Peak
|
Unlimited
Dom & Intl
|
2.00% | |
|
#3
American Express Platinum Travel
American Express · amex
|
Best ₹4L Milestone Travel Card (₹48,000+ Value in Points & Taj Stay) |
₹5,000
+ GST
|
2.00X Rewards
~1.20% Base/Peak
|
8 Dom/yr | 3.50% | |
|
#4
HDFC Regalia Gold
HDFC Bank · visa
|
Best Mid-Range Travel Card (12 Dom + 6 Intl Lounges with ₹0 Spend Rule) |
₹2,500
Waivable
|
4.00X Rewards
~2.00% Base/Peak
|
12 Dom + 6 Intl/yr | 2.00% | |
|
#5
HDFC Diners Club Black
HDFC Bank · diners
|
Best Unlimited Family Lounge & 1:1 Global Airmiles Card |
₹10,000
Waivable
|
5.00X Rewards
~5.00% Base/Peak
|
Unlimited
Dom & Intl
|
2.00% | |
|
#6
HSBC TravelOne
HSBC · Mastercard
|
Best Instant 1:1 Airline & Hotel Transfer Card (15+ Global Partners) |
₹4,999
Waivable
|
2.00X Rewards
~1.00% Base/Peak
|
6 Dom + 4 Intl/yr | 3.50% | |
|
#7
RBL World Safari
RBL Bank · Mastercard
|
Best Dedicated Zero-Forex International Card (0% Forex + Priority Pass) |
₹3,000
+ GST
|
2.00X Rewards
~0.50% Base/Peak
|
8 Dom + 2 Intl/yr | 0% Forex | |
|
#8
ixigo AU Credit Card
AU Small Finance Bank · RuPay
|
Best Lifetime Free Train & Flight Card (0% Forex + 16 Lounges + IRCTC) |
₹999
Waivable
|
5.00X Rewards
~2.50% Base/Peak
|
8 Dom + 1 Intl/yr | 0% Forex | |
|
#9
Federal Bank Scapia Credit Card
Federal Bank · Visa, RuPay
|
Best Lifetime Free Zero-Forex App Card (0% Forex + 10% Travel Rewards) |
₹0 (Free)
Lifetime Free
|
2.00X Rewards
~0.40% Base/Peak
|
Unlimited
Dom & Intl
|
0% Forex | |
|
#10
SBI Miles Elite
SBI Card · Mastercard, RuPay
|
Best Dedicated Airline Miles & Lounge Card from SBI (6 Credits/₹100) |
₹4,999
Waivable
|
2.00X Rewards
~2.00% Base/Peak
|
8 Dom + 6 Intl/yr | 1.99% | |
|
#11
HDFC Marriott Bonvoy
HDFC Bank · Diners Club
|
Best Hotel Free-Night & 24-Lounge Card (12 Dom + 12 Intl Unconditional) |
₹3,000
+ GST
|
2.00X Rewards
~1.60% Base/Peak
|
12 Dom + 12 Intl/yr | 3.50% | |
|
#12
IndusInd Avios
IndusInd Bank · Visa
|
Best Card for Qatar Airways & British Airways Flyers (Direct Avios) |
₹10,000
+ GST
|
3.00X Rewards
~3.00% Base/Peak
|
8 Dom + 8 Intl/yr | 1.50% |
Check Your Card's Exact Airport Lounge Eligibility Before You Fly
Use LoungePass to verify which domestic & international terminal lounges accept your card and whether a quarterly spend condition applies.
Axis Atlas
Issued by Axis Bank · Visa · super_premium · Min Income: ₹100,000/mo
The #1 pure frequent-flyer credit card in India. You earn 5 EDGE Miles per ₹100 on direct airline and hotel spends (and 2 EDGE Miles/₹100 on other spends), and every 1 EDGE Mile transfers to 2 Partner Miles across 15+ airlines and Accor Hotels — delivering an effective 10% to 18% travel return. Even better, its domestic (up to 18) and international (up to 12) lounge visits require ₹0 quarterly spend and cover accompanying guests.
- ✓ 5 EDGE Miles per ₹100 spent directly on airline and hotel bookings (up to ₹2 Lakh spend per month)
- ✓ 2 EDGE Miles per ₹100 on all other eligible retail spends
- ✓ 1:2 transfer ratio to airline & hotel partners (1 EDGE Mile = 2 Partner Points/Miles)
- × High 3.5% foreign currency transaction markup fee despite being positioned as a premium travel card
- × Steep joining and annual fee of ₹5,000 + GST with no spend-based annual fee waiver option
HDFC Infinia Metal
Issued by HDFC Bank · visa · Infinite · Min Income: ₹300,000/yr
India's undisputed credit card benchmark. Earns a flat 3.33% base return (5 RP per ₹150 where 1 RP = ₹1) and skyrockets to 16.5% on flights/instant vouchers and 33.3% on hotels via SmartBuy. Add unlimited domestic and international Priority Pass lounges for both primary and add-on family members, unlimited golf, and a 12,500-point renewal benefit that offsets the ₹12,500 fee, and nothing else comes close.
- ✓ 5X rewards on all spend (10X via SmartBuy)
- ✓ Unlimited domestic & international lounge access
- ✓ Transfer ratio is 2:1 (2 reward points = 1 mile) for most partners
- × By invitation only — cannot apply directly
- × High annual fee of ₹12,500 + GST
American Express Platinum Travel
Issued by American Express · amex · Platinum Travel · Min Income: ₹50,000/mo
India's undisputed ₹4 Lakh milestone champion. Spending ₹1.90 Lakhs and ₹4.00 Lakhs in a card year awards 40,000 bonus Membership Rewards points plus a complimentary ₹10,000 Taj Experiences stay voucher — delivering ₹38,000 to ₹48,000+ in net travel value (>10% return) even on non-portal spends.
- ✓ Complimentary flight voucher
- ✓ Unlimited domestic lounges
- ✓ Good rewards
- × Limited Amex acceptance
- × High forex markup
HDFC Regalia Gold
Issued by HDFC Bank · visa · Regalia Gold · Min Income: ₹100,000/mo
The sweet-spot ₹2,500 mid-premium card for upwardly mobile professionals. Earns 5X rewards (6.6%–8.6% value) at Myntra, Nykaa, Marks & Spencer, and Reliance Digital, unlocks ₹1,500 quarterly vouchers plus ₹10,000 annual flight vouchers on milestones, and grants 12 domestic + 6 international Priority Pass lounge visits with zero quarterly spend requirement.
- ✓ 12 domestic airport lounge visits per year (3 per quarter on ₹60k spend)
- ✓ 6 complimentary international lounge visits per calendar year via Priority Pass
- ✓ 5X Reward Points at Marks & Spencer, Myntra, Nykaa, and Reliance Digital
- × Domestic lounge access requires ₹60,000+ quarterly spend (vouchers via SmartBuy)
- × No complimentary golf privileges
HDFC Diners Club Black
Issued by HDFC Bank · diners · Black · Min Income: ₹175,000/mo
The closest alternative to invite-only Infinia that you can apply for directly. Delivers the exact same 3.33% base reward rate (1 RP = ₹1 on flights/hotels and 1:1 airmiles), up to 33.3% on SmartBuy, unlimited domestic & international lounge access for primary and add-on members with ₹0 spend condition, plus ₹10,000 bonus milestone vouchers every quarter you spend ₹4 Lakhs.
- ✓ 5 Reward Points per ₹150 on retail spends (3.33% reward rate)
- ✓ Up to 10X accelerated rewards via SmartBuy on flights, hotels, and partner vouchers
- ✓ Unlimited complimentary domestic and international airport lounge access worldwide
- × Annual fee of ₹10,000 + GST (waived on spending ₹8 Lakh annually)
- × Acceptance in offline Indian merchant outlets is lower compared to Visa/Mastercard
HSBC TravelOne
Issued by HSBC · Mastercard · world · Min Income: ₹50,000/mo
A modern travel powerhouse offering accelerated rewards on flights, hotels, and foreign currency transactions alongside India's fastest real-time 1:1 point transfer engine in the HSBC app to 15+ global airlines and hotel chains (including British Airways, Singapore Airlines, Qantas, and Accor), plus 6 domestic and 6 international lounge visits.
- ✓ 4 RP per Rs. 100 on flights & forex — excellent accelerated travel earn rate
- ✓ 2 RP per Rs. 100 on all other spends with no monthly cap
- ✓ Instant 1:1 Air Miles conversion directly in app
- × High joining/annual fee of Rs. 4,999 if spend threshold not met
- × High income requirement (Rs. 6L/year salaried, Rs. 12L/year self-employed)
RBL World Safari
Issued by RBL Bank · Mastercard · premium · Min Income: ₹25,000/mo
India's classic zero-forex international travel card. Completely eliminates the 3.5% + GST foreign currency markup on overseas transactions (saving ₹4,130 per ₹1 Lakh spent abroad), offsets its ₹3,000 joining fee with a ₹3,000 MakeMyTrip voucher, and includes 2 complimentary international Priority Pass visits plus domestic lounges.
- ✓ Zero forex markup - best for international use
- ✓ MakeMyTrip Rs.3,000 welcome voucher
- ✓ Priority Pass international lounge
- × Rs.3,000 fee with no waiver
- × Limited reward rate
ixigo AU Credit Card
Issued by AU Small Finance Bank · RuPay · Platinum · Min Income: ₹25,000/mo
A phenomenal budget travel companion (frequently offered Lifetime Free) that combines 0% foreign currency markup on international spends with 10% instant discounts on ixigo flights, hotels, and buses, zero payment gateway charges on IRCTC train bookings, and 16 annual airport + railway lounge visits.
- ✓ Lifetime free — zero joining and renewal fee
- ✓ Zero forex markup
- ✓ 10 RP/Rs. 200 on online and UPI spends
- × No airport lounge access
- × Rs. 99 + GST fee per reward redemption
Federal Bank Scapia Credit Card
Issued by Federal Bank · Visa, RuPay · Premium
A game-changing Lifetime Free travel credit card built for modern flyers. Charges 0% foreign currency markup on all international online and POS transactions, unlocks unlimited domestic airport lounge access (plus dining/shopping airport privileges) whenever you spend ₹10,000 in a billing cycle, and earns 10% Scapia Coins on travel.
- ✓ Zero foreign currency markup (0% forex) on all international transactions — best in India for overseas spends
- ✓ Lifetime Free — zero joining fee and zero annual fee with no minimum spend conditions
- ✓ Up to 4% effective reward rate (20% Scapia Coins) on flight and hotel bookings made via the Scapia app
- × Domestic lounge access requires minimum ₹10,000 to ₹20,000 spending in preceding billing cycle
- × No complimentary international airport lounge access included
SBI Miles Elite
Issued by SBI Card · Mastercard, RuPay · premium · Min Income: ₹50,000/mo
SBI Card's flagship dedicated aviation card. Awards 6 Travel Credits per ₹100 on travel bookings (transferable up to 1:1 to 20+ frequent flyer & hotel loyalty programs or redeemable straight against flight/hotel bookings at ₹0.50/credit), backed by 6 international Priority Pass visits, 8 domestic lounge visits, and a low 1.99% forex fee.
- ✓ High 6 TC per Rs.200 on travel
- ✓ Low 1.99% forex markup
- ✓ Priority Pass with 6 international visits
- × High Rs.4,999 annual fee
- × Rs.15L spend needed for fee reversal
HDFC Marriott Bonvoy
Issued by HDFC Bank · Diners Club · super_premium · Min Income: ₹100,000/mo
India's first co-branded hotel credit card on the Diners Club network — and a secret weapon for airport lounges. For a ₹3,000 + GST fee, you get 1 Free Night Award (worth up to 15,000 Marriott Bonvoy points = ₹10,000–₹18,000 hotel night), automatic Marriott Silver Elite status, and 12 domestic + 12 international lounge visits with ₹0 spend requirement.
- ✓ 1 Free Night Award (up to 15,000 Marriott Bonvoy Points) as Welcome & Renewal benefit
- ✓ Complimentary Marriott Bonvoy Silver Elite Status + 10 Elite Night Credits every year
- ✓ 8 Marriott Bonvoy Points per ₹150 on Marriott hotel spends
- × Annual fee of ₹3,000 + GST cannot be waived through spending milestones
- × Free Night Award capped at 15,000 Marriott Bonvoy points, restricting peak/luxury property redemptions
IndusInd Avios
Issued by IndusInd Bank · Visa · Infinite · Min Income: ₹20,000/mo
Co-branded directly with Qatar Airways Privilege Club and British Airways Executive Club, this card earns direct Avios on every swipe (up to 5 Avios per ₹200 on preferred international destinations), includes a 20,000+ Avios welcome/renewal benefit, and provides global Priority Pass lounge access.
- ✓ 20,000 welcome Avios
- ✓ Up to 36,000 milestone Avios annually
- ✓ 1.5% forex at preferred destinations
- × High ₹40,000 joining fee
- × ₹10,000 annual renewal fee without waiver condition
How to Choose the Best Travel Credit Cards in India
There is no single "one-size-fits-all" travel credit card in India because domestic flyers, international vacationers, and business-class mile collectors have completely different mathematical needs. The smartest Indian travelers pick their card across three distinct travel pillars: Airline/Hotel Miles, Zero Forex Markup, and Unconditional Lounge Access.
1. The 4.13% Forex Markup Trap (And How Zero-Forex Cards Save ₹20,650)
• Best Zero-Forex Cards (0% Markup): RBL World Safari (0% forex + Priority Pass), AU ixigo (0% forex + LTF + 16 airport/railway lounges), and Federal Bank Scapia (0% forex + LTF).
• Best Net-Positive International Cards: HDFC Infinia and Diners Club Black charge 2% + GST (2.36% total) but earn 3.33% base rewards (4.33% with HDFC Global Value Program), leaving you with a net positive +1% to +2% gain on overseas spends!
2. Direct Airline & Hotel Bookings vs. Aggregator Portals
• If you prefer booking via Portals: HDFC Infinia / Diners Black (via SmartBuy: 16.5% back on flights, 33.3% on hotels) and HSBC TravelOne (instant real-time point transfers) are unbeatable.
• If you spend ₹4 Lakhs/year across any category: Amex Platinum Travel unlocks 40,000 bonus MR points + a ₹10,000 Taj Stay voucher (total ~₹34,000–₹48,000 travel value).
3. Unconditional vs. Spend-Based Airport Lounge Access in 2026
Frequently Asked Questions about Travel Credit Cards
Our Independent Editorial & Mathematical Methodology
CardSahayak evaluates every credit card using real mathematical formulas based on verified Key Fact Statements (KFS) and Most Important Terms & Conditions (MITC) published directly by banks. Our category rankings are 100% driven by net consumer return, fees, and perks — never influenced by bank partnerships.
Official MITC Data
Sourced strictly from official bank terms & Key Fact Statements.
Math-Driven Scoring
Ranked by real net financial return, not sponsor commissions.
Continuous Auditing
Automated checks against live bank updates to ensure zero stale terms.