As 2019 is at its midway, who doesn’t want to see the world and explore? Almost all the people you know must be busy making ambitious travel plans? You need to estimate all in advance be it the flight costs or the right hotel of your budget. These days you can find a lot of attractive travel packages if you use your credit card to book these travel packs and enjoy all the offers and benefits. To make it more rewarding, banks recommend travel credit cards for frequent travelers to avail of such offers like bonus miles, lounge access, travel membership, and a lot of other privileges. It makes traveling more convenient and a lot more enjoyable as you spend a significantly less amount than what you would have paid not using your credit card. Also, credit cards make a scope of substantial savings as swiping your card would get you quite a good number of discounts and redeemable points.
10 Best Credit Cards for Travel in India 2023
The travel credit cards are a boon for all travelers, which helps them transact without carrying any foreign currency. If you frequently travel, whether it is for work or pleasure, you must know the benefits of a travel credit card. Let’s look at the various benefits of using a Travel Credit Card.
Earn reward or payback points every time you use the card: Generally, the travel credit cards offer reward or payback points in two ways – first, when you get the substantial sign up bonus and second, whenever you use your card for making a transaction whether online or physically. Zero foreign transaction fees: Almost all credit and debit cards charge a specific transaction fee whenever you make a payment in foreign currency, or you use it in a foreign country. Generally, the fee is around 2.5% to 3% of the transaction amount, which can be a burden on your monthly credit card bills and become a financial threat in your life, this is where travel credit card comes in as the best travel credit card in India comes with zero foreign transaction fee. Insurance against accident/mishap: The best travel credit card provides travel insurance or travel accident cover, which helps you in claiming a reimbursement if any mishap happens to you or your family members during your trip.
There are many more benefits to taking the best travel credit card, and to help you select the best credit card for travel, we have some suggestions that can help you stand out and help you save a huge amount of money:
1.Axis Bank Privilege Credit Card
This credit card requires you to spend 2.5 Lakh and doing so will later make you eligible to get INR 7500 value back as reward points & travel vouchers from Yatra. Every traveler would prefer owning this credit card because its greatest feature is 100 percent acceptance, so you need not worry about the time and place you are using it. The special thing about vouchers is that it can be used for domestic/international flights, hotels, and holiday bookings as an additional perk. Eligibility:
Primary cardholders should be between 18 to 70 years of age. He/She must be a resident Indian or an NRI. Having an active credit history. Able to submit relevant documents.
Benefits:
It is mandatory to use your credit card at least three times in 2 months. You can redeem 12,500 Reward points. You can use a single voucher at a time. Also, for a single booking, you can’t combine two vouchers. It is valid for 4 months. Cardholders get 2 complimentary lounge access to domestic airport lounges per quarter.
Axis Bank Privilege Credit Card Reward points
It has a reward rate of 1% which means 10 Points on every INR 200 spend. As you spend INR 2,50,000, you can get Yatra vouchers worth INR 5,000. That a reward rate of 2%.
Keeping in mind the perks received from both reward points and travel vouchers, it makes up to a total of a 3% reward rate that is almost near to rewarding rates on super-premium credit cards. Thus to enjoy this credit card to its credit advantage, you need to spend a minimum of INR 2,50,000. Fees and Charges:
2.HDFC Diners Black Credit Card
This credit card is a must-own for air travelers. The HDFC’s Diners Club Black super premium credit card gives you unlimited access to airport lounges with no extra cost. The credit card allows you to enjoy 700+ lounges in India and worldwide with no specific requirement of having a priority pass. In addition to it, the credit card allows you 5 reward points worth INR 5 on swiping of INR 150. Thus you can save 3.3% directly using this credit card in your travel as well as day to life. Annual Charge and Perks Its annual fees depend on two patterns that are the first year and then from the second year onwards. For the first year, it is INR 10,000. You need to spend INR 5 lakh to get next year’s fee waived. From the second year onwards the fees that you need to pay annually are INR 5,000. If you have a close look at the welcome gifts are equal to the annual fee. Thus you can avail of all the benefits with no pressure on your pocket. Also, there is a necessary condition with this credit card that you should have a minimum annual income of INR 21 Lakhs to own this credit card. Benefits:
You will get INR 2 Crores of Air accident cover, INR 50 Lakhs cover for Emergency medical expenditures, INR 9 Lakhs cover for Credit card liability and INR 55,000 Travel insurance cover on baggage delay as well. You should have this credit card to get the free lounge access and enjoy the luxury. Earn 5 reward points for every Rs.150 spent on the card except on fuel transactions. Welcome Gift and the renewal bonus points. For the First-year you are entitled to a welcome gift of 10000 points. And when you renew your credit card, it offers you 5000 rewards points. Enjoy exclusive discounts at leading spas, salons, and gyms.
Eligibility: Fees and Charges:
3.ICICI Sapphiro Credit Card
There are two types of ICICI Sapphiro Credit Cards To add on you would get complimentary 2 international and 16 domestic airport lounge visits every year with both the options of credit cards available to you. Annual charges For the first year, the annual charges are INR 6500, and after that, the renewal fee that you need to pay is INR 3500 which can be waived off in case your spending makes up to INR 6,00,000. The ICICI Sapphiro credit card offers you plenty of welcome benefits of worth INR 10,000. The details of the vouchers include Shoppers Stop Voucher worth INR 3000, 4 EaseMyTrip Vouchers worth INR 1000 each, 4 Ola vouchers worth INR 250 each, 2 Zomato vouchers worth INR 500 each, Croma Voucher worth INR 1000. 4000 Payback points on spending INR 4 Lakhs and an additional 2000 payback points each time you cross INR 1 Lakh in the years to come are also offered. Eligibility:
Only Indian Citizens can apply for this credit card. He/she must be over 21 years but below 65 years of age. The applicant must have a regular source of income. The customer must have all the necessary documents.
Benefits:
Renewal Fee Waiver – The renewal fee is waived off if the user spends Rs. 5.00 lakh in the previous year. Movie Offers – Customers get a free movie ticket, worth up to Rs.500, on every movie ticket they purchase. Milestone Benefits – 1.) 4,000 points on spending Rs. 4.00 lakh 2.) Additional 2,000 points on crossing Rs. 1.00 lakh 3.) Maximum 20,000 points can be earned in a year
Several other benefits of the credit card are offered to you if you go for this travel credit card like 1 payback points on INR 100 spent on fuel, utilities, and insurance, get up to INR 500 off on the second ticket you buy, 15% savings on eating out, 4 complimentary rounds of golf each month at the golf course,1% fuel surcharge waiver and 2 complimentary domestic airport spa visits in a year. Fees and Charges:
4.Kotak Royale Signature Credit Card
Royal signature credit card is the most appropriate for the out of box travelers who like spending on travel agencies, tour operators. Eligibility:
Age limit between 21 to 65 years. He/she should have an annual income above Rs.24 Lakhs. He/she should be a Resident of India.
Benefits:
The Kotak Royale Credit Card gives 4X bonus points per INR 150 spend on Air ticket bookings, hotels, restaurants, travel agencies & tour operators and package tour operators spend. It allows you 8 complimentary domestic lounge access every year. The annual charges are the most reasonable here INR 999 and a waiver on the spend of INR 1,00,000. Also, the welcome gift for cinema lovers is a Bookmyshow voucher. Spend of INR 4,00,000, you get 10,000 reward points, and with the spending of INR 8,00,000, you get 30,000 reward points. Enjoy 1% fuel surcharge waiver, while booking train ticket INR 500 of railway surcharge waiver on www.irctc.co.in. It also provides a recovery INR 2.5 Lakhs of in case the is a Credit Card stolen.
Fees and Charges:
5.American Express Platinum Travel (Amex)
What makes Amex Platinum Travel credit card the best credit card for travel in India is that the credit card allows you free lounge access and a great deal of travel gift vouchers. It gives you the benefit of having access to 4 complimentary lounges visit in a year. It provides you worth INR 17, 000 one of the best deals for a travel voucher, also if you spend more than INR 4 Lakhs in a year, you can have the benefit of having Taj Hotel Gift Vouchers at your ease. Annual Charges and Perks The annual charges for the First-year are INR 3500 and INR 5000 from the second year onwards. The other such perks you get for owning this travel credit card are that it gives you a travel voucher on spending more than INR 1.9 Lakh in a year worth INR 6,000. Beyond the spend of INR 4,00,000, you get 10000 milestone reward points. As you hit the 4 Lakh milestone on your credit card, you get the premium Taj Hotel gift voucher worth INR 10,000. Its additional advantages include it offers you 1 reward point per INR 50 spent, the value of each reward point is min 40 paise, it makes to a suitable travel credit card as it gives you several offers on MakeMyTrip, it gives you a lot more redemption options, and it has a zero lost card liability. Fees and Charges:
6.Yes Preferred Credit card
Yes, Preferred Credit Card is one of the best travel credit cards that offer complimentary 4 international and 12 domestic lounge visits each year. Benefits:
Spend Rs. 7.5 lakh in a year and earn 20,000 bonus reward points. Make the first transaction within 90 days of card issuance and get 15,000 bonus reward points. Get 10,000 extra reward points on each renewal. Yes Preferred Credit card user can easily convert reward points into JPMiles (4 Points = 1 JPMile) Complimentary Priority Pass Membership giving 4 complimentary visits to the primary cardholder in a calendar year. You can get up to 36000 bonus points in the very first year. You get 15000 points as a welcome gift, 20,000 milestone points on spending INR 7.5 Lakhs. You earn 1000 points on every YES PayNow registration. These reward points can be redeemed for hotel and flight bookings. Enjoy fuel surcharge waiver across all fuel stations in India for transactions between Rs. 400 and Rs. 5,000.
Annual Charges and Perks Yearly Fees & Renewal Fees of INR 2500. Apart from this, you get 15000 points in the first year and 10000 points on each renewal of your credit card. The other significant benefits of owning this credit card include 8 reward points on travel agencies & tour operators, Indian airlines and eating out, 4 reward points on all types of spending, Preferential foreign currency markup of 1.75%. You get a Life Insurance Cover of INR 1.5 crore for flight accidents, medical insurance coverage of INR 2.5 Crore when traveling overseas and credit card cover if accidental death of primary cardholder takes place. You can own a Yes Preferred credit card if your monthly income is INR 2 Lakhs or above or you can get the card by making a fixed deposit of INR 3 Lakhs and above. Also Read: 8 Best Credit Cards For Online Shopping in India Eligibility:
He/She be a minimum of 21 years. He/She is not over 60 years. Your minimum net monthly salary should be Rs.2 lakh. If you are self-employed, your Income Tax Return should be Rs.24 lakh or more. Or, you should have a fixed deposit with YES Bank of Rs.3 lakh or above.
Fees and Charges:
7.Citi Premier Miles Credit Card
Booking your tickets with any airlines using the Citi PremierMiles credit card and doing so will fetch you 10 miles for every INR 100 spent. You are also entitled to 8 complimentary domestic lounge access per quarter on Visa Signature card and can enjoy 6 domestic lounge visits access MasterCard World card every quarter. The important thing here to take note of is that there is no complimentary access to lounges internationally with the Citi Premier Miles Credit Card. Annual Charges and Perks Annual charges of the credit card are INR 3000. Also in case you are a premium customer, you get waived from the charges for the first year. The other such benefits include 4 Miles for every INR 100 spent; it also provides cover INR 2 Lakhs in case the credit card is lost. Up to 15% discount on dining at certain specific restaurants. Eligibility:
He/She must be at least 21 years of age. He/She must be within 65 years of age. The income criteria differ from time to time and will be communicated when you apply for the card. You should be a resident of India or a Non-resident of India.
Fees and Charges:
8.SBI Elite Credit Card
With 8 domestic and 6 international lounge access in a year SBI Elite Credit Card makes it the best travel credit card. To add on, it offers 10 points per INR 100 spent on dining, departmental stores, grocery & international spends. Annual Charges and Perks Annual charges for the credit card are INR 4999, and you will get a welcome gift worth INR 4999, which automatically brings this card to you at no extra cost. You can get your annual charge waived if you spend INR 10,00,000 using your credit card. The additional benefits include 10,000 bonus reward points on achieving annual spending of INR 3 lakhs and INR 4 lakhs and 15,000 bonus reward points on achieving annual spending of INR 5 lakhs and INR 8 lakhs. These reward points can be used for travel booking. You would be surprised to know that you save 1.5% only through reward points itself. Some other benefits that the credit card offers are 10 points per INR 100 spent on dining, departmental stores, grocery & international spends, 2 points per on all other spends, 9 Vistara points for every INR 100 spent on Vistara flight bookings., Free 2 movie tickets worth INR 500 every month, 1% fuel surcharge waiver, 1.99% foreign currency mark-up. Eligibility:
He/She must be in the ages of 18-70 years. The add-on cardholder must be above the age of 15 years. The applicant must be a citizen of India. A credit score of 750 or above is essential to be eligible for the card.
Fees and Charges:
9.SBI Air India Signature
SBI Air India Signature suits your need the best if you travel via Air India Flights. With this credit card when you use it to travel will fetch you 30 reward points per INR 100 spent on AirIndia tickets. Note that you get 30 points when you book it for yourself and 10 when you book it on behalf of someone else. It also gives you 8 complimentary lounge access in domestic airports. In the case of an International airport lounge, you have to pay $27 per visit through the Priority Pass Program. Annual Charges and Perks An annual charge of bringing this credit card to use is INR 4999 The welcome gift and reward you get on joining it are 20,000 reward points and later in the Second-year 5000 reward points. Also, you might get cumulative reward points of 1,00,000 as you cross the milestone. The other benefits include 4 Reward points for every INR 100 spent and 10 Reward Points spent on SuperSaver booklet being bought. Eligibility:
You must be an Indian citizen. The age of the primary credit cardholder must be above 18 years of age. The applicant must have a high credit score.
Fees and Charges:
10.SBI IRCTC Credit Card
It makes the best travel credit card for the railway traveler, designed explicitly for them. SBI IRCTC credit card is the only credit as such. It allows you a 10% discount and in case you prefer traveling in AC classes, the credit card provides you with plenty of reward points for booking in AC coaches. You save 11.8% on all train travel spends, what else do you need. Also, it does not charge the transaction fees while you use the SBI IRCTC Credit Card. Note that you can redeem points only on the IRCTC website to be specific. Annual Charges and Perks Annual charges of the credit card as minimal as INR 500 for the first year and after that renewal fees of INR 300 is charged from the next year onwards. You are also given 350 bonus points as a welcome gift. The additional benefits of having the SBI IRCTC Credit Card are:
It allows you 1 reward point on the spending of every INR 125 (except for fuel expenses). For the fuel, you get a 1% fuel surcharge across all petrol pumps. Using your credit card in the first 30 days allows you a cashback of INR 100 on its first swipe.
Eligibility:
He/she should be a Resident Indian. He/she should have a good credit history. He/she must be above 18 years and below 65 years of age.
Fees and Charges: Travel credit cards offer a comprehensive range of benefits that can be availed by the credit cardholders while relishing their holiday. From offering welcome gifts to providing complimentary airport lounge access and fee waivers, travel credit cards offer a wide variance of highlights and bonuses catering to the needs of frequent travelers. Thus get the travel card to make the greatest of our trip and have fun overseas without wasting much.
