The right travel credit card in India pays for itself within two return trips. Airport lounges alone are worth ₹1,500+ per visit; a card offering 4–8 complimentary visits a year covers its annual fee, and everything else — air miles, zero-forex markup, hotel discounts — is pure upside. Below are the four travel cards we trust in 2026.
1. HDFC Regalia Gold — best value travel card under ₹3,000
The HDFC Regalia Gold sits at a ₹2,500 joining fee and rewards travel aggressively: 4 reward points per ₹150 (translates to ~1.3% effective), 6 complimentary domestic lounge visits per year, 12 complimentary international lounges via Priority Pass. On HDFC SmartBuy you can redeem points at up to 1 point = ₹0.50 for flight / hotel bookings — the best redemption rate in this tier.
2. Axis Atlas — best for air-miles enthusiasts
The Axis Atlas (₹5,000 fee) earns EDGE Miles redeemable 1:1 with 22+ airline and hotel partners — Vistara, Singapore Airlines KrisFlyer, Marriott, and Accor among them. 5 EDGE Miles per ₹100 on travel spends, 2 per ₹100 elsewhere. 8 domestic + 4 international lounge visits annually.
3. HDFC Infinia — the premium travel flagship
The HDFC Infinia (₹12,500 fee, by invite) delivers 5 reward points per ₹150 (~3.3% effective), unlimited Priority Pass lounge visits globally, and the same SmartBuy catalogue where ₹0.50/point redemption makes its effective travel return ~10%. Club Marriott, EazyDiner Prime, golf access, and 24×7 concierge round out the proposition. This is the travel card to hold if you can get approved.
4. SBI Card ELITE — best traditional travel card
The SBI Card ELITE (₹4,999 fee) offers 10x points on travel, 2 complimentary international lounges per quarter via Priority Pass, 8 domestic lounge visits per year, ₹1,000 welcome voucher from Yatra, and Club Vistara Silver enrolment. Benefits lean Indian-travel; international depth is narrower than Regalia Gold Priority Pass.
Feature comparison
| Card | Fee | Domestic lounge | Intl lounge | Forex markup |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| HDFC Regalia Gold | ₹2,500 | 6 / yr | 12 / yr PP | 2% |
| Axis Atlas | ₹5,000 | 8 / yr | 4 / yr | 3.5% |
| HDFC Infinia | ₹12,500 | Unlimited | Unlimited PP | 2% |
| SBI Card ELITE | ₹4,999 | 8 / yr | 8 / yr PP | 3.5% |
How to pick your travel card
- Under 4 flights a year: skip premium. IDFC FIRST Classic gives 4 complimentary lounges for ₹0 annual fee.
- 4–10 flights a year, mostly domestic: HDFC Regalia Gold is the sweet spot — fee recovers after 2 lounges.
- Airline loyalty matters to you: Axis Atlas. EDGE Miles convert 1:1 to KrisFlyer, Vistara Club, Marriott Bonvoy.
- 10+ international flights a year: HDFC Infinia is worth the fee purely for SmartBuy redemption + unlimited lounges.
Don't forget complementary cards — a flat-cashback card for everyday spending makes more sense than forcing every purchase through a travel card.
Lounge access is the single most valuable travel-card benefit for most Indian flyers. For a lounge-first comparison across all tiers, see our dedicated best credit cards for lounge access guide.
For readers who fly internationally, forex markup usually dwarfs everything else — see our best credit cards for international travel (low forex) guide, including the 0%-forex Scapia Federal.
Lounge access is the single most valuable travel-card benefit for most Indian flyers. For a lounge-first comparison across all tiers, see our dedicated best credit cards for lounge access guide.
For readers who fly internationally, forex markup usually dwarfs everything else — see our best credit cards for international travel (low forex) guide, including the 0%-forex Scapia Federal.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the best travel credit card in India for 2026?
HDFC Regalia Gold offers the best value under ₹3,000 fee. HDFC Infinia is the premium flagship if you can get invited. Axis Atlas wins for air-miles transfer flexibility.
Which card has zero forex markup?
No mainstream Indian issuer ships a 0% forex card today. The lowest is ~2% (HDFC Infinia, Regalia Gold, Scapia Federal). Compare this with 3.5% on most mid-tier cards.
Does lounge access expire at year-end or annually from issuance?
Usually by calendar or statement year. Check your card's T&C; on most cards, unused lounges do not carry forward.
Can I get travel insurance with my credit card?
Most ₹2,500+ travel cards include air accident and lost-baggage insurance. Coverage tops out at ₹1 crore for air accident on premium cards. Keep the card's insurance certificate handy while travelling.
Credit Cards Editor, OnePaisa Editorial
Sandhya writes on credit cards for OnePaisa — reward programmes, fees and charges, lounge and travel benefits, and head-to-head card comparisons. Every fee, earn rate and benefit in her guides is checked against the issuer's MITC document and official product page, and against OnePaisa's verified product data, before it is published. Where an issuer does not disclose a number, the guide says so instead of estimating it.
Work published under this byline follows OnePaisa’s editorial standards — how our guides are researched, fact-checked against primary sources, and corrected.