For Indian travellers, Axis Magnus, HDFC Infinia, and American Express Platinum deliver the highest value on international flights and hotels. Expect 3-6% return on travel spend plus unlimited lounge access across the top three picks.
Last updated: 2026-04-06 · 5 picks · Category: Cards
How We Ranked
Travel cards were scored on air-mile transfer ratios to Krisflyer/Marriott/Accor (30%), lounge access (20%), forex markup (15%), welcome benefits and milestone bonuses (15%), travel insurance cover (10%), and concierge services (10%).
#1
HDFC Infinia Credit Card
9.6/10CalcCrack Score
Annual Fee
Rs 12,500 + GST
Reward Rate
Up to 3.3% on partners
Forex Markup
2%
Lounge Access
Unlimited international + domestic
Welcome Bonus
12,500 reward points
Pros
+5 reward points per Rs 150 with redemption value up to Rs 1 per point on flights/hotels
+Unlimited international lounge access via Priority Pass
Which travel credit card has the lowest forex markup in India?+
IDFC FIRST Wealth and SBI Elite cards have the lowest forex markup at 1.99%. Most premium travel cards charge around 2.0-2.5%, while standard cards go up to 3.5%. For frequent international spend, forex markup can be more impactful than reward rate.
Is HDFC Infinia worth the annual fee?+
For users spending above Rs 3 lakh per month and travelling 6+ times a year, Infinia easily returns 4-5x the annual fee via flight/hotel redemptions. Below that spend level, HDFC Regalia Gold or Axis Magnus deliver better net value.
Can I get lounge access on a free credit card in India?+
Yes - HDFC Millennia, ICICI Amazon Pay (with Amazon Prime), and some IDFC FIRST cards offer limited complimentary lounge visits at no annual fee. Unlimited lounge access is typically reserved for premium cards with Rs 5,000+ annual fees.
Disclosure: Rankings based on publicly available data as of April 2026. Rates and terms change; verify with the provider. CalcCrack may earn a commission from some links at no cost to you.