Best Travel Credit Cards in India 2026

Quick Answer

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

9.6/10CalcHub 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
  • +Complimentary Club Marriott, ITC Club membership
  • +Low forex markup at 2%

Cons

  • −Invite-only for most applicants
  • −Annual fee Rs 12,500 + GST

Best for

HNI travellers spending Rs 3 lakh+ monthly

Check Infinia Eligibility
#2

Axis Bank Magnus Credit Card

9.3/10CalcHub Score
Annual Fee
Rs 12,500 + GST
Reward Rate
Up to 6% travel
Forex Markup
2%
Lounge Access
Unlimited international
Welcome Bonus
12,500 points

Pros

  • +25,000 EDGE points on Rs 1 lakh spend in a calendar month
  • +Transfer partners include Krisflyer, Marriott, Accor
  • +Unlimited international lounges for primary and add-on

Cons

  • −Insurance and fuel categories removed from rewards recently
  • −Annual fee Rs 12,500

Best for

Travellers optimising for Star Alliance and Marriott redemptions

Apply for Magnus
#3

American Express Platinum Travel

9.0/10CalcHub Score
Annual Fee
Rs 5,000 + GST
Reward Rate
Up to 4% travel
Forex Markup
3.5%
Lounge Access
8 domestic per year
Welcome Bonus
10,000 MR points

Pros

  • +Milestone bonuses worth Rs 25,000+ in vouchers
  • +Strong reward multipliers on Amex travel portal
  • +8 domestic lounge visits per year

Cons

  • −Amex acceptance weaker at smaller merchants
  • −Foreign transaction markup is 3.5%

Best for

Domestic travellers who also book via international OTAs

Visit Amex
#4

SBI Elite Credit Card

8.6/10CalcHub Score
Annual Fee
Rs 4,999 + GST
Reward Rate
Up to 2.5% travel
Forex Markup
1.99%
Lounge Access
Unlimited domestic + 6 international
Welcome Bonus
5,000 reward points

Pros

  • +Complimentary Club Vistara Silver and Trident Privilege Red membership
  • +6 international + unlimited domestic lounge visits
  • +Strong welcome benefits

Cons

  • −Reward rate trails private peers
  • −Fuel surcharge waiver capped low

Best for

Vistara loyalists and SBI customers wanting a premium card

Check SBI Elite
#5

Club Vistara IDFC FIRST Credit Card

8.4/10CalcHub Score
Annual Fee
Rs 2,999 + GST
Reward Rate
Up to 6 CV Points / Rs 200 on Vistara
Forex Markup
1.99%
Lounge Access
4 international + 8 domestic
Welcome Bonus
1 PE upgrade voucher

Pros

  • +Earn CV Points directly for Vistara flights
  • +Complimentary premium economy upgrade voucher on milestone
  • +Low forex markup 1.99%

Cons

  • −Ecosystem tied to Vistara/TATA SIA network
  • −Lower earn on non-travel categories

Best for

Frequent Vistara flyers

Apply Now

Frequently Asked Questions

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. CalcHub may earn a commission from some links at no cost to you.