Best India Travel Credit Cards 2026HDFC Infinia, Axis Magnus, Amex Platinum Charge compared
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Pick your annual card spend and travel frequency. We name the primary card and a secondary pick from the 10 India cards we track.
Annual card spend
Trips per year
Recommended for you
Primary pick
ICICI Emeralde Private Metal
ICICI Bank · Rs 12,499 + GST
Also consider
HDFC Infinia Metal
HDFC Bank · Rs 12,500 + GST
Rs 8 to 15 lakh puts you comfortably above the Rs 10L waiver on both Emeralde Private Metal and Infinia. Emeralde Private Metal is easier to get; Infinia offers stronger SmartBuy returns if you can secure the invite. Both give unlimited lounges plus 10x accelerated rewards on the issuer's shopping portal.
All 10 India travel cards
Fees and benefits verified 1 July 2026. Every card links to its issuer source.
Beginner / no fee
Scapia Federal
Federal Bank
- Fee
- Free (lifetime)
- Waiver
- N/A
- Lounges
- Unlimited domestic lounges when monthly spend clears Rs 20,000
- Rewards
- 10% Coins base, 20% on travel via Scapia app
- Partners
- Scapia Coins (in-app only)
- Best for
- First-time cardholder, Gen-Z traveller, zero-forex use
2026 change:Minimum spend raised to Rs 20,000/month (effective 27 Feb 2026) to unlock domestic lounges
Issuer sourceopen_in_newBeginner / no fee
IndusInd Tiger
IndusInd Bank
- Fee
- Free (lifetime)
- Waiver
- N/A
- Lounges
- 2 international PP + 2 domestic per quarter (8/year)
- Rewards
- Modest base rate; benefits-heavy card
- Partners
- IndusInd rewards portal
- Best for
- Backup card, no-fee international lounge access
2026 change:No major 2026 changes; benefits preserved through Dreamfolks transition
Issuer sourceopen_in_newMid tier
Axis Atlas
Axis Bank
- Fee
- Rs 5,000 + GST
- Waiver
- Rs 10L annual spend
- Lounges
- 18 domestic + 12 international PP visits/year
- Rewards
- 2 EDGE miles per Rs 100 base, 5x on travel
- Partners
- AirAsia, Marriott Bonvoy, Accor, more (2:1)
- Best for
- Frequent domestic flyer, 3 to 6 international trips/year
2026 change:Moved from Dreamfolks to LoungeOne aggregator; QR-based entry via Axis app
Issuer sourceopen_in_newPremium
HSBC Premier
HSBC
- Fee
- Rs 20,000
- Waiver
- HSBC Premier relationship (Rs 40L+ TRV)
- Lounges
- Unlimited PP + domestic, 8 international guest visits/year
- Rewards
- 3 points per Rs 100 base
- Partners
- British Airways, Singapore KrisFlyer, more (2:1)
- Best for
- HSBC Premier relationship customers
2026 change:Fee only waived on HSBC Premier relationship (Rs 40L+ Total Relationship Value)
Issuer sourceopen_in_newPremium
HDFC Diners Club Black Metal
HDFC Bank
- Fee
- Rs 10,000 + GST
- Waiver
- Rs 5L annual spend
- Lounges
- Unlimited Diners Club worldwide + Priority Pass
- Rewards
- 3.3% base, up to 33% on SmartBuy
- Partners
- 15+ airline/hotel via SmartBuy
- Best for
- Existing cardholders (closed to new applications)
2026 change:HDFC not accepting new applications; existing cardholders retain full benefits
Issuer sourceopen_in_newPremium
HDFC Infinia Metal
HDFC Bank
- Fee
- Rs 12,500 + GST
- Waiver
- Rs 10L annual spend
- Lounges
- Unlimited PP + domestic, 1 guest per visit
- Rewards
- 3.3% base, up to 33% on SmartBuy hotels/flights
- Partners
- 15+ airline and hotel via SmartBuy
- Best for
- Rs 10L+ annual card spend, SmartBuy hotel bookings
2026 change:Rs 18L annual spend OR Rs 50L bank relationship required to retain card from April 2026
Issuer sourceopen_in_newPremium
ICICI Emeralde Private Metal
ICICI Bank
- Fee
- Rs 12,499 + GST
- Waiver
- Rs 10L annual spend
- Lounges
- Unlimited PP + domestic for primary and add-on, 1 guest
- Rewards
- 6 points per Rs 200 base, Rs 6K milestone at Rs 8L spend
- Partners
- ICICI portal + limited transfers
- Best for
- Same-fee alternative to Infinia, easier to get
2026 change:Aggregator moved from Dreamfolks to direct partnerships late 2025; benefits preserved
Issuer sourceopen_in_newSuper premium
Times Black ICICI
ICICI Bank
- Fee
- Rs 20,000 + GST
- Waiver
- Rs 25L annual spend
- Lounges
- Unlimited domestic + PP for primary and Plus cardholder
- Rewards
- Front-loaded voucher stack (~Rs 50K welcome)
- Partners
- ICICI portal + Marriott Bonvoy 1:1
- Best for
- Lifestyle spender, Times Prime Black user, 25L+ spend
2026 change:Welcome benefits stack expanded (Taj CLiQ, Klook, Ayatana stay); Dreamfolks replaced with direct partnerships
Issuer sourceopen_in_newSuper premium
Axis Magnus for Burgundy
Axis Bank
- Fee
- Rs 30,000 + GST
- Waiver
- Rs 30L annual spend
- Lounges
- Unlimited PP + domestic, 4 guest visits/year cap
- Rewards
- 12 EDGE per Rs 200 base, 35 EDGE at Rs 1.5L+ monthly spend
- Partners
- Singapore KrisFlyer, Air France, Marriott (Burgundy 5:4)
- Best for
- Axis Burgundy customers spending Rs 1.5L+/month
2026 change:Monthly milestone (25K EDGE) removed June 2025; rolling Rs 50K three-month lounge gate remains
Issuer sourceopen_in_newUltra premium
Amex Platinum Charge (India)
American Express
- Fee
- Rs 66,000 + GST
- Waiver
- None (Rs 20L unlocks Rs 35K renewal voucher)
- Lounges
- Unlimited Centurion (DEL T3, BOM T2) + unlimited PP, 1 guest
- Rewards
- Modest base; hotel status matches (Bonvoy Gold, Hilton Gold, Taj IC Gold)
- Partners
- KrisFlyer, BA, Cathay, Emirates, Virgin, Qatar, Etihad (2:1)
- Best for
- Lounge-first travellers, 6+ paid hotel stays/year
2026 change:Welcome benefit bumped to Rs 45,000 in vouchers on Rs 50K spend within 60 days
Issuer sourceopen_in_newWhat the Dreamfolks collapse means for your lounges
Between September and November 2025, Dreamfolks - the aggregator that ran roughly 90% of India domestic lounge access - suspended its domestic services after Axis Bank, ICICI Bank, and major operators (Encalm, Semolina, Adani) cut ties. The Delhi High Court confirmed Dreamfolks had no exclusive contracts, which finished the aggregator model.
- Your card benefit is preserved. Banks moved to direct partnerships with lounge operators or built their own aggregation.
- The access flow changed. Some cards now use in-app QR codes (Axis Atlas via the Axis Mobile app) rather than a Dreamfolks portal.
- Priority Pass is unaffected. Priority Pass is a separate global network and continues to work at all international lounges.
- Check your card T&Cs. Guest fee structures shifted at select lounges; verify before your next visit.
Frequently asked questions
Which is the best India travel credit card in 2026?
There is no single best card. HDFC Infinia is the strongest all-round pick for cardholders spending Rs 10 lakh or more per year on the card. Amex Platinum Charge is the best lounge-first pick with unlimited Centurion Lounge access at Delhi T3 and Mumbai T2. Scapia Federal is the best zero-fee card for beginners and Gen-Z travellers. Match the card to your annual spend rather than picking the flashiest card in the market.
Is HDFC Infinia worth the Rs 12,500 annual fee in 2026?
Yes if you clear Rs 10 lakh in annual card spend, which reverses the fee entirely. From April 2026 you also need to meet either Rs 18 lakh annual spend or Rs 50 lakh in bank relationship value to retain the card into the next year. At 10x rewards on the SmartBuy portal, a single Rs 45,000 hotel booking returns Rs 15,000 in point value which more than covers a year's fee even without the waiver.
HDFC Infinia vs Axis Magnus for Burgundy - which one wins?
Infinia wins for most people. Magnus for Burgundy only makes sense if you already hold Axis Burgundy status (the 5:4 airline transfer ratio is Burgundy-exclusive) and consistently spend Rs 1.5 lakh a month to trigger the accelerated 35 EDGE per Rs 200 rate. Infinia's SmartBuy returns are higher on hotel and flight bookings at less than half the annual fee, and the Rs 10L waiver is a third of Magnus's Rs 30L threshold.
What replaced Dreamfolks for India lounge access in 2026?
Nothing consolidated. Different banks moved to different arrangements after Dreamfolks suspended domestic services in September 2025. Axis Bank switched to LoungeOne. ICICI Bank and HDFC Bank moved to direct partnerships with lounge operators like Encalm and DreamPass. Some cards now use in-app QR codes rather than routing through an aggregator. The underlying card benefit was preserved everywhere we tracked. Priority Pass (international lounges) is a separate global network and was not affected.
Is Amex Platinum Charge worth Rs 66,000 in India?
For lounge-heavy and hotel-heavy travellers, yes. The Rs 45,000 welcome voucher covers most of the year-one fee. Unlimited Centurion Lounge access at DEL T3 and BOM T2 is not available on any other India card, unlimited Priority Pass at 1,550+ lounges globally with one guest per visit, and four hotel status matches (Marriott Bonvoy Gold, Hilton Honors Gold, Radisson Rewards Premium, Taj InnerCircle Gold). For casual travellers under six trips a year, the fee is hard to recover.
Is Scapia Federal still lifetime free in 2026?
Yes. Scapia Federal remains a lifetime-free card with zero joining and zero annual fee. From 27 February 2026 the card requires Rs 20,000 in combined monthly spend across Visa and RuPay variants to unlock unlimited domestic lounge access for that statement cycle. Below the Rs 20,000 threshold you still hold the card and earn Scapia Coins, but domestic lounges are not included that month.
Which India card is best for international travel and forex spend?
Scapia Federal has zero forex mark-up and 20% Scapia Coins on travel booked through the app - unmatched at the zero-fee tier. For premium cards, ICICI Emeralde Private Metal has a 1.99% forex mark-up (lower than most peers), HDFC Infinia is 2%, and Amex Platinum Charge is 3.5% but includes Global Lounge Collection. Pair Scapia Federal with your premium card and use Scapia for all forex charges.
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