5 best travel credit cards for air travel in 2024; check here
Travel credit cards provide extensive benefits like free flights, air miles, discounts, lounge access, and insurance. Choosing wisely can enhance travel experiences and save money. Frequent travelers can maximize savings and enjoy luxurious perks.
If you’re a frequent traveller seeking to maximise savings on flights, hotel bookings, and other travel-related expenses, a travel credit card is the perfect fit for your lifestyle. These cards are tailored to provide significant benefits for travellers. In this article, we’ll explore some of the best travel credit cards for air travel that can enhance your experience!
1. Axis Bank Atlas Credit Card
Joining Fee / Annual Fee: Rs. 5,000
The Axis Bank Atlas Credit Card is a premium offering designed specifically for your travel needs. It features EDGE Miles, airport lounge access, air miles, tier-based upgrades, and more, allowing you to earn rewards on travel-related expenses while enjoying exclusive benefits.
Key Features:
- Earn 2,500 EDGE Miles on your first transaction within 37 days of card issuance.
- Earn 5 EDGE Miles per Rs. 100 on travel, airline, and hotel spending for monthly spends up to Rs. 2 lakh; 2 EDGE Miles for spending beyond that.
- Earn 2 EDGE Miles per Rs.100 on all other purchases.
- 1 EDGE Mile = 2 Partner Points (airlines/hotels) or 2 EDGE Miles = 1 Marriott Bonvoy Point; 1 EDGE Mile = Rs.1.
- Access up to 12 international and 18 domestic lounge visits annually.
- Upgrade tiers: Silver upon joining, Gold at Rs. 7.5 lakh spends, Platinum at Rs.15 lakh spends.
- Milestone benefits: Up to 10,000 bonus EDGE Miles annually, plus an additional 5,000 for annual fee payment based on your tier.
2. Intermiles HDFC Diners Club Credit Card
Joining Fee / Annual Fee: Rs. 5,000
The Intermiles HDFC Diners Club Credit Card, issued by HDFC Bank in collaboration with Intermiles, is perfect for those who regularly book tickets through Intermiles. This card allows you to earn bonus InterMiles, enjoy complimentary membership, and receive discount vouchers for flights and hotels.
Key Features:
- Complimentary InterMiles Gold Membership with up to 25,000 bonus InterMiles as welcome rewards.
- Receive flight discount vouchers worth Rs. 2,000 and hotel vouchers worth Rs.3,000 in the first year.
- Earn 16 InterMiles for every Rs. 150 spent on flight and hotel bookings through InterMiles.
- Enjoy 8 InterMiles per Rs. 150 on all other purchases.
- Up to 10% off on Etihad Airways bookings.
- Unlimited access to domestic airport lounges via the Diners Club Lounge Access Program.
- Enjoy unlimited complimentary golf games each year.
3. Club Vistara IDFC First Credit Card
Joining Fee / Annual Fee: Rs. 4,999
The Club Vistara IDFC First Credit Card, offered by IDFC Bank in association with Club Vistara, allows you to earn CV Points on purchases that can be redeemed for complimentary flight tickets at a 1:1 ratio. Additionally, it includes 6 complimentary Premium Economy tickets as welcome and milestone rewards, along with a low forex markup fee of just 2.99%.
Key Features:
- Receive 1 complimentary Premium Economy Ticket, a Class Upgrade Voucher, and Club Vistara Silver Membership as welcome benefits.
- Earn 6 CV Points per Rs. 200 on spends up to Rs. 1 lakh per statement cycle.
- Earn 4 CV Points per Rs. 200 on spends above Rs. 1 lakh per statement cycle.
- Earn 1 CV Point per Rs. 200 on fuel, insurance, utility payments, rent, and wallet loads.
- Enjoy up to 5 complimentary Premium Economy tickets annually as milestone rewards.
- Earn up to 6,000 bonus CV Points for reaching spending milestones.
- 2 complimentary domestic lounge or spa visits per quarter.
- 1 complimentary international lounge visit per quarter.
- Forex markup fee of just 2.99%.
4. Air India SBI Signature Credit Card
Joining Fee / Annual Fee: Rs. 4,999
The Air India SBI Signature Credit Card is designed for frequent flyers of Air India. This card allows you to earn up to 30 points per Rs.100 on Air India bookings, along with bonus points and complimentary lounge access.
Key Features:
- Enjoy 20,000 reward points and complimentary membership in the Air India Frequent Flyer program as welcome benefits.
- Earn up to 30 reward points for every Rs. 100 spent on Air India tickets booked through airindia.com or the mobile app.
- Receive 10 reward points for every Rs. 100 spent on Air India tickets booked through other channels.
- Earn 4 reward points for every Rs. 100 spent in other categories.
- Redeem your reward points at a value of 1 Reward Point = 1 Air India Air Mile.
- Get up to 1 lakh bonus reward points annually by meeting spending milestones.
- Enjoy up to 8 complimentary domestic lounge visits each year (maximum of 2 per quarter).
5. HDFC Diners Club Black Credit Card
Joining Fee / Annual Fee: Rs.10,000
The HDFC Diners Club Black Credit Card is among the most luxurious travel credit cards available. It offers an array of travel benefits, ensuring a premium travel experience without significant expenditure.
Key Features:
- Low forex markup fee of just 2%.
- Complimentary annual memberships for Club Marriott, Forbes, Amazon Prime, Swiggy One (for 3 months), and MMT BLACK with a Rs. 1.5 lakh spend within the first 90 days.
- Earn 2 monthly vouchers worth Rs. 500 each from cult.fit Live, BookMyShow, TataCLiQ, or Ola for spending Rs. 80,000 monthly.
- Get 5 reward points for every Rs. 150 spent.
- Enjoy 10X reward points on SmartBuy purchases.
- Earn 2X reward points on weekend dining.
- Access unlimited airport lounges worldwide for both primary and add-on users.
- Enjoy 6 complimentary golf games each quarter.
Conclusion
Travel credit cards offer a plethora of benefits, including free flight tickets, air miles, discounts with major travel brands, complimentary lounge access, and travel insurance. By choosing the right card and using it wisely, you can unlock exclusive perks, enjoy a luxurious travel experience, and avoid unnecessary debt. Plan your financial journey effectively, and these travel credit cards can significantly enhance your travel adventures!
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