If you travel frequently for work or leisure, the right credit card can be a game-changer. Travel credit cards offer excellent benefits like air miles, airport lounge access, flight discounts, and even premium services that enhance your travel experience. Here’s a look at some of the best credit cards tailored for air travel enthusiasts.
1. Axis Bank Atlas Credit Card
Annual Fee: ₹5,000
The Axis Bank Atlas Credit Card offers comprehensive travel rewards right from the first transaction. Perfect for those who spend often on travel and hotel bookings, this card helps you earn and redeem miles on purchases and unlock lounge access benefits.
Key Benefits:
- Welcome bonus of 2,500 EDGE Miles on the first transaction within 37 days of card issuance.
- Earn 5 EDGE Miles for every ₹100 spent on travel, airlines, and hotels (up to ₹2 lakh monthly). For other expenses, earn 2 EDGE Miles per ₹100.
- Complimentary access to 12 international and 18 domestic lounges annually.
- Tier upgrades based on spending: Silver on joining, Gold at ₹7.5 lakh, and Platinum at ₹15 lakh in annual spending.
2. InterMiles HDFC Diners Club Credit Card
Annual Fee: ₹5,000
This card is packed with travel benefits for those who frequently book flights and hotels. The InterMiles HDFC Diners Club card not only gives air miles on spends but also opens doors to premium services at airports and golf courses.
Key Benefits:
- 25,000 bonus InterMiles as a welcome gift, plus InterMiles Gold Membership.
- Earn 16 InterMiles for every ₹150 spent on flights and hotel bookings, and 8 InterMiles for other purchases.
- Vouchers worth ₹5,000 in the first year: ₹2,000 for flights and ₹3,000 for hotels.
- Up to 10% discount on Etihad Airways bookings.
- Unlimited access to domestic lounges under Diners Club Lounge Access Program and free golf games annually.
3. Club Vistara IDFC First Credit Card
Annual Fee: ₹5,000
A fantastic option for Vistara frequent flyers, the Club Vistara IDFC First card offers exclusive benefits with Vistara Airlines, including lounge access and flight upgrades.
Key Benefits:
- 1 complimentary premium economy ticket, class upgrade voucher, and Vistara Silver membership on joining.
- Earn 6 CV Points per ₹200 on spends up to ₹1 lakh in each statement cycle, 4 CV Points on amounts above ₹1 lakh.
- Up to 5 free Premium Economy tickets annually as milestone rewards.
- Up to 6,000 bonus CV Points for reaching spend milestones.
- Complimentary lounge visits: 2 domestic or spa visits per quarter and 1 international lounge visit quarterly.
4. Air India SBI Signature Credit Card
Annual Fee: ₹5,000
Ideal for Air India passengers, the Air India SBI Signature card combines substantial reward points with Air India’s frequent flyer program, perfect for travelers looking to accumulate air miles with ease.
Key Benefits:
- 20,000 reward points and complimentary Air India Frequent Flyer Program membership as a joining bonus.
- Earn 30 reward points per ₹100 on Air India ticket purchases via their official site or app.
- Earn 10 reward points per ₹100 on Air India bookings through other channels, and 4 reward points on all other spends.
- Redeemable points at 1 reward point = 1 Air India Air Mile.
- 8 complimentary lounge visits annually (up to 2 per quarter).
5. HDFC Diners Club Black Credit Card
Annual Fee: ₹5,000
The HDFC Diners Club Black card is ideal for those seeking elite privileges like lounge access, exclusive memberships, and high reward points on both travel and lifestyle purchases.
Key Benefits:
- Forex markup fee of 2%, making it ideal for international travel.
- Complimentary memberships for Club Marriott, Forbes, Amazon Prime, and others with spends of ₹1.5 lakh in the first 90 days.
- Monthly reward options worth ₹1,000 for spends over ₹80,000.
- 5 reward points per ₹150 spent, with 10X rewards on SmartBuy and 2X on weekend dining.
- Unlimited airport lounge access worldwide for primary and add-on cardholders, plus 6 complimentary golf games per quarter.
Each of these credit cards provides extensive benefits for air travelers. Whether it’s lounge access, rewards on flights, or exclusive discounts, these travel credit cards can enhance your travel experiences while offering significant savings.
