#1
American Express
American Express Platinum Card
★★★★★ 4.9
Annual fee
₹60,000
Joining fee
₹60,000
Reward
3%
Min income
₹5.0L/yr
No paid rankings
Methodology disclosed
SEBI-compliant
228+ researched articles
Best for · Travel
Best Travel Credit Cards in India (2026)
Domestic + international frequent travellers — HDFC Diners Club Black, Axis Atlas, Amex Platinum Travel, SBI Card Miles Elite, Standard Chartered Ultimate.
For 4+ flights/year: lounge access alone (₹2,500-5,000/visit equivalent value) justifies premium card fees. Add Marriott/Hilton hotel status, complimentary travel insurance, and zero-forex markup — the math compounds quickly. Atlas leads on Air-India-network credit-builder; Diners Black on SmartBuy redemption; Amex Platinum on global hotel status.
What to look for
- Domestic + international lounge access (Priority Pass / DragonPass / Diners)
- Zero or low forex markup on international transactions
- Hotel partner status (Marriott Gold, Hilton Gold, IHG Platinum)
- Airline points/miles earn rate vs travel-spend mix
- Complimentary travel insurance limits ≥ ₹1 crore
Top 8 cards for travel
Ranked by InvestingPro rating × eligibility fit for this persona. See our rating methodology.
#2
HDFC Bank
HDFC Infinia Credit Card
★★★★★ 4.9
Annual fee
₹12,500
Joining fee
₹12,500
Reward
5%
Min income
₹3.0L/yr
#3
Axis Bank
Axis Bank Magnus Credit Card
★★★★★ 4.8
Annual fee
₹12,500
Joining fee
₹12,500
Reward
5%
Min income
₹3.0L/yr
#4
ICICI Bank
ICICI Emeralde Credit Card
★★★★★ 4.8
Annual fee
₹12,000
Joining fee
₹12,000
Reward
4%
Min income
₹3.0L/yr
#5
HDFC Bank
HDFC Diners Club Black Credit Card
★★★★★ 4.8
Annual fee
₹10,000
Joining fee
₹10,000
Reward
5%
Min income
₹1.5L/yr
#6
Axis Bank
Axis Bank Atlas Credit Card
★★★★★ 4.7
Annual fee
₹5,000
Joining fee
₹5,000
Reward
5%
Min income
₹1.5L/yr
#7
#8
HDFC Bank
HDFC Regalia Gold Credit Card
★★★★★ 4.7
Annual fee
₹2,500
Joining fee
₹2,500
Reward
4%
Min income
₹1.2L/yr