Best Travel Credit Cards in India

The Club Vistara IDFC FIRST Credit Card is a great choice if you spend a lot and love flying with Vistara Airlines. You earn CV Points on all your purchases, and there are bonus points if you spend a certain amount in the first 3 months. If you spend Rs. 12 Lakh in a year, you can get up to 5 free Premium Economy Vistara tickets. Besides, you get a free Club Vistara Silver membership, a 3-month EazyDiner membership, and a BQ Prime subscription.

If you spend Rs. 1 Lakh in a month, you can enjoy the high earning rate of 6 CV Points for every Rs. 200 spent. And, if you reach a spending milestone of Rs. 12 Lakh or more in a year, you can get 5 free flight tickets. All these perks not only cover the card fee but also help you save a significant amount on your travel expenses.

The Axis Atlas credit card is a great choice for people who spend a lot, especially on travel and other expenses. You can earn 5% back on travel expenses and 2% back on other categories in the form of EDGE Miles. These EDGE Miles can be transferred to Axis Bank's domestic and international loyalty program partners, including airlines and hotels. The unique part is that you get a 1:2 conversion rate, meaning you get 2 partner miles for each EDGE Mile.

The card has a tiered-benefit program, starting with Silver tier and upgrading to Gold Tier and Platinum Tier when you reach annual spends of Rs. 7.5 Lakh and Rs. 15 Lakh, respectively. As you move up the tiers, you receive bonus EDGE Miles and additional complimentary lounge visits. This makes the Axis Atlas card ideal for frequent travelers and high spenders. Despite the 3.5% forex mark-up fee, the card offers a dynamic currency conversion facility, allowing international transactions in Indian currency at just a 1% mark-up fee, making it a good option for those who travel abroad.

The Axis Bank Vistara Signature Credit Card is a great fit for frequent travelers who prefer flying with Vistara Airlines. This card offers up to 2% Club Vistara (CV) Points on your spending, which can be used for flight upgrades and even free flights. The more you use the card, the more travel benefits you can unlock, thanks to the excellent milestone benefits. Reaching spending milestones can earn you up to 4 premium economy tickets in a year.

It's worth noting that you'll earn more rewards on long-distance flights compared to short-distance ones, as the total amount paid for long-distance flights is higher. Additionally, the card provides extra perks like Club Vistara Silver membership, travel insurance protection, and discounted access to golf facilities. In the realm of rewards, the Vistara Signature Card surpasses its counterpart, the Axis Vistara Platinum Credit Card. If you frequently choose Vistara for your travels, this card is a solid choice.

The SBI Air India Signature Credit Card stands out as one of the top Travel credit cards in India, particularly for individuals loyal to Air India. It offers a solid basic reward earning rate of 4%, and the reward points are equivalent to Air India Miles at a 1:1 ratio. If you can achieve an annual spend of Rs. 20 lakh, you can earn up to 1 lakh reward points, translating to 1 lakh Air India Miles. This substantial number of miles can cover more than 5 business class tickets with Air India.

However, it's important to note that as a co-branded card, all the perks are specific to Air India. If you're uncertain about sticking to Air India for most of your travels, you might want to explore other travel credit cards that offer general travel benefits or those co-branded with popular travel portals. The card's advantages, such as Priority Pass Membership and complimentary domestic and international lounge access, contribute to its overall appeal for travelers.

For those who prefer a lower annual fee, the Air India SBI Platinum Credit Card, a variant of this card, provides similar benefits at a comparatively reduced fee of Rs. 4,999.

The InterMiles HDFC Signature Credit Card is an excellent choice for frequent air travelers. This card allows you to redeem InterMiles for booking flights and hotels through the InterMiles website. For those who travel within India, the card offers access to domestic airport lounges, with a maximum of 4 visits per quarter. Additionally, the complimentary Priority Pass membership provides access to international lounges up to 5 times a year.

With a high reward rate applicable not only to travel expenses but also across all spending categories, this card is particularly advantageous for individuals who regularly use their credit cards for various purchases. This extensive rewards program allows users to maximize their benefits.

Moreover, cardholders can enjoy discounts of up to 10% on business class flight tickets and up to 5% on economy class tickets when booking with Etihad Airways. A significant advantage of earning InterMiles is the flexibility to use these points for booking flight tickets across various airlines and hotels worldwide.

True to its name, The Kotak IndiGo Ka-ching 6E Rewards XL Credit Card is designed for those who frequently choose IndiGo for their travels. This card offers elevated rewards specifically for IndiGo expenses, providing benefits like higher rewards on IndiGo spends, priority meals, baggage assistance, and priority check-in. These perks, including complimentary services and free lounge access, can lead to significant savings for travelers.

Beyond travel benefits, the card extends its advantages to various spending categories, offering 3% rewards on merchant spends across dining, entertainment, and groceries, and 2% rewards on all other expenses. However, it's important to note that the points earned are redeemable exclusively with IndiGo airlines. This makes the card an ideal choice for individuals who regularly use credit cards for their expenses, accumulate points, and redeem them to book tickets with IndiGo.

While the card justifies its annual fee by providing valuable travel benefits with IndiGo, it might be limiting for those who prefer flexibility across multiple airlines. Another variant, The Kotak IndiGo Ka-ching 6E Rewards Credit Card, with a lower annual fee and similar benefits, offers an alternative for those seeking a more budget-friendly option.

This co-branded credit card is specifically designed for maximum benefits when booking through EaseMyTrip. Enjoy direct discounts on both domestic and international flights and hotels. The card comes with a modest annual fee of Rs. 350, which can be waived by spending Rs. 50,000 in a year. What's convenient is that there's no minimum transaction limit required to avail discounts on your bookings. Plus, you can save significantly by utilizing the discount in each category once per month.

Beyond the booking perks, you'll earn reward points on every transaction and bonus points on your travel bookings. Additionally, the card provides domestic and international lounge access each year. If you're looking for a credit card that offers fundamental travel benefits without a high annual fee, this could be an ideal choice for you.

The Yatra SBI Credit Card stands out from typical travel credit cards by forming a collaboration with the travel portal Yatra.com. Priced at an annual fee of Rs. 499, this card provides welcome benefits totaling up to Rs. 8,250 in the form of Yatra Vouchers. Cardholders can enjoy direct discounts on their flight and hotel bookings made through the Yatra website.

Additionally, the card offers a substantial 6 reward points for every Rs. 100 spent on categories such as grocery, dining, movies, entertainment, and departmental stores. A unique feature of this card, especially considering its low annual fee, is the complimentary air accident cover provided to the primary cardholder, offering coverage up to Rs. 50 Lakh. This makes The Yatra SBI Credit Card a compelling option in its fee range, offering a blend of travel benefits and everyday rewards.

The MMT ICICI Bank Signature Credit Card is the ideal choice for frequent travelers who prioritize luxury in their journeys. Tailored exclusively for MakeMyTrip users, this card offers a welcome voucher and an impressive reward structure. All earned rewards are seamlessly transferred to the MMT account as My Cash, where every 1 My Cash earned on the card is equivalent to Rs. 1. These rewards can be efficiently utilized for various travel expenditures such as hotel bookings, flight tickets, or cab services through MakeMyTrip.

In summary, the ICICI MMT Signature Credit Card proves to be a valuable option for travel enthusiasts seeking to maximize savings on their travel expenses. It's worth noting that the card's benefits are primarily oriented towards MakeMyTrip, making it an excellent choice for individuals who exclusively rely on MMT for planning their vacations.

The IRCTC SBI Card Premier stands out as a unique credit card that caters specifically to the needs of frequent train travelers. With a focus on railway ticket bookings and exclusive benefits, this card offers significant savings and rewards for those who frequently travel by train.

Key features include a generous 10% value back as reward points on air-conditioned ticket bookings (AC1, AC2, AC3, and AC CC). Additionally, cardholders can enjoy a 5% value back on all air ticket and e-catering purchases made through the IRCTC website or app. The card also provides a 1% transaction charge waiver on railway ticket bookings and a 1.8% waiver on air ticket bookings through the IRCTC website.

Notably, the IRCTC SBI Card Premier goes beyond just transaction benefits, offering access to railway lounges up to 8 times a year, with a limit of two times in a quarter. For individuals who frequently book train tickets, this card provides an opportunity to save money and earn rewards simultaneously, which can be utilized for discounted future bookings.