Travel Credit Cards:-Utilizing your credit card rewards to obtain award flights and upgrades using miles and points is simpler than you might think. According to a survey conducted in December 2022 by Forbes Advisor and OnePoll, only 13% of respondents would rather earn miles or points that can be used for travel than cash-back cards.
This may be due to the annual fees that travel rewards cards charge, with many charging $95 or more per year and others charging over $400. However, if you find the right travel rewards card for you and know how to get the most out of your rewards and card benefits, travel rewards cards can be much more rewarding than cash-back cards.
Travel Credit Cards
Credit cards for travel can help you pay for a trip, get points toward your next trip, or get a better seat on the plane. For travelers of all budgets, there is a wide range of features available. It is essential to ensure that you are able to take advantage of the perks that are provided because travel credit cards can cost hundreds of dollars or have no annual fee. Annual travel credits, welcome bonuses, flight upgrades, access to airport lounges, and other perks are examples of benefits. You won’t pay any additional fees to use them abroad because they all have no fees for foreign transactions.
Travel Credit Cards Details
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Benefits of Travel Credit Cards
Travel Visas offer a large number of advantages that can be profited by the credit cardholders while partaking in their vacation. Travel credit cards cater to the needs of frequent travelers by providing a wide range of features and benefits, including complimentary access to airport lounges, fee waivers, and welcome gifts. Let’s take a closer look at the most common perks offered by the majority of credit cards.
Welcome gift
As a sign-up bonus or reward, the majority of travel credit cards offer a large number of reward points or air miles. The points can be exchanged for air miles at domestic and international airlines. Additionally, some cards provide free tickets to certain airlines.
Complimentary airport lounge access
Some movement Visas offer free parlor visits at both homegrown and worldwide air terminals. During flight delays, cardholders can take advantage of the privileges offered by certain airport lounges for free and relax in them. Friends and family traveling with the cardholder are eligible for complimentary entry to some lounges.
Travel insurance
The comprehensive insurance coverage that some travel credit cards provide shields cardholders from unforeseen costs incurred as a result of, among other things, a plane crash, a medical emergency, the loss of baggage, a passport, or a ticket, etc.
Zero liability on lost card
If you lose your travel credit card in a foreign country, don’t worry. You will not be held responsible for any fraudulent transactions that are carried out after you report the loss as long as you do so immediately to the bank.
Annual fee waiver
The majority of you may be seeking travel credit cards with no annual fee or no annual fee at all.
However, it becomes difficult to locate a travel credit card without an annual fee due to the exclusive benefits they provide. However, the majority of travel credit cards offer a facility to waive the annual renewal fee for cardholders. Users can get the annual fee waived for the following year by spending a certain amount in a given year, as determined by the bank. Cardholders can take advantage of a credit card with no annual fee if they meet their annual spending goals.
Other benefits
In addition, some travel credit cards offer free movie tickets, discounted dining coupons, concierge services, and complimentary golf lessons.
Many Visa backers have joined forces with significant carrier organizations like Fly Aviation routes, Air India, Vistara Carriers, and so on., to give its customers exclusive advantages.
Some of the regular benefits offered by travel credit cards include –
- Bonus air miles
- Complimentary membership to airport programs and airline programs
- Free lounge access to both domestic and international airports
- Accelerated reward points on airline related spends
- Reward point redemption for air miles
- Discount offers on air ticket bookings
- Priority check-in at partner airlines
- Extra baggage allowance, etc.
A travel credit card is a must if you travel frequently. The most well-liked travel credit cards offered by Indian card issuers are listed below. Based on your travel patterns and the benefits covered, select the one.
Top Travel Credit Cards
Inter Miles HDFC Bank Diners Club Credit Card
Key Highlights- a co-branded credit card with exclusive benefits for booking flights with Jet Airways.
Joining fee- Rs. 10,000 (Waived in the event of opening a new savings or current account)
Renewal fee- Rs. 5,000 (up to the second year). Spend Rs. 8 lakh annually to waive the annual fee.
Joining bonus- Within the first 90 days of setting up the Intermale HDFC Bank Diners Club Credit Card, you can receive up to 50,000 bonus Intermale.
Features and benefits
- Earn 8 Intermale for every 150 rupees spent, and 16 Intermale for each 150 rupees spent on air tickets purchased through intermiles.com.
- At some Indian airports, you can get premium check-in and more space for your bags.
- Unlimited free access to the largest airport lounge program in the world.
- Worldwide, unlimited complimentary golf games and lessons.
- privileges for exclusive fine dining at prestigious restaurants.
- customized 24-hour concierge services for all of your reservations.
Rewards redemption option- Miles, which can be exchanged for reward points, can be used to purchase hotel and flight reservations.
Suitable for- people who travel frequently by air and prefer Etihad Airways.
Intermale HDFC Bank Platinum Credit Card
Key Highlights: A co-branded credit card that provides exclusive benefits on Jet Airways and Etihad Airways flight bookings.
Joining fee: Rs.1,000
Renewal fee: Rs.1,000
Joining bonus: Up to 6,000 bonus InterMiles within the first 90 days of InterMiles HDFC Bank Platinum Credit Card set up.
Features and benefits
- Earn 4 InterMiles for every 150 rupees spent, and 8 InterMiles for every 150 rupees spent on airfare and hotel reservations made through intermiles.com.
- At some Indian airports, you can get premium check-in and more space for your bags.
- Unlimited free access to the largest airport lounge program in the world.
- Worldwide, unlimited complimentary golf games and lessons.
- privileges for exclusive fine dining at prestigious restaurants.
- customized 24-hour concierge services for all of your reservations.
Rewards redemption option: Reward points can be exchanged for Miles which in turn can be redeemed for flight tickets and hotel bookings.
Suitable for: People who prefer Etihad Airways and are frequent air travellers.
AXIS Bank Miles & More World Credit Card
Key highlights: Earn never expiring miles every time you spend on the AXIS Bank Miles & More World Credit Card. Other travel benefits include free lounge visits to international and domestic airports.
Joining fee: Rs.3,500
Renewal fee: Rs.3,500
Features and benefits
- When you first join, you will receive 5,000 reward points.
- Welcome aboard with complimentary Priority Pass Membership and welcome award miles.
- Within India, there are two free visits to priority pass lounges per year and four free visits to MasterCard lounges per quarter.
- Concierge service available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week for things like booking flights, gifts, and events.
- Benefit from free insurance that covers baggage theft, card theft, and airborne accidents.
Reward redemption option: Redeem accrued miles for flight bookings on partner airlines, hotel bookings, shopping, or charity from the partner list.
Suitable for: Those who travel by air frequently.
Axis Bank Titanium Smart Traveller Credit Card
Key Highlights: Exciting eDGE Loyalty Rewards Program enrolment with the Axis Bank Titanium Smart Traveller Credit Card that allows you earn loyalty reward points on all spending.
Joining Fee: Rs.250 (no annual fee for first year)
Renewal Fee: Rs.100 from 2nd year onwards.
Features and benefits
- All credit card transactions of Rs. 2,500 or more should be converted into simple EMIs.
- On all fuel transactions, you can get a waiver of 1% of the fuel surcharge.
- For every Rs. 200 spent on the card, earn 2 eDGE Loyalty Reward Points.
- For every Rs. 200 spent on travel bookings (such as train, bus, airline, hotel, etc.), earn four eDGE Loyalty Reward Points. that are qualified on the card.
- When traveling abroad, earn 8 eDGE Loyalty Reward Points for every Rs. 200 spent on the card.
Rewards redemption option: You can redeem your eDGE reward points against a number of options offered on the Axis Bank card portal.
Suitable for: Those who travel frequently.
Air India SBI Signature Card
Key highlights: A partnership card with Air India, the Air India SBI Signature Card offers Priority Pass Program membership, accelerated reward points on Air India spends, reward point redemption for Air Miles, free airport lounge visits, etc.
Joining fee: Rs.4,999
Renewal fee: Rs.4,999 (2nd year onwards).
Joining bonus: 20,000 reward points on payment of joining fee.
Features and benefits
- 30 reward points for every Rs. 100 spent on Air India tickets.
- Each year, 5,000 reward points are added to the renewal bonus.
- Free participation to air terminal Need Pass Program.
- 8 free visits to India’s domestic Visa lounges in airports.
- Each year, up to 1 million bonus reward points.
- Rs. 1 lakh in liability insurance for lost cards.
Rewards redemption option: Convert reward points into Air India miles. (1RP = 1 Air Mile). Use the air miles for booking tickets at Air India website.
Suitable for: Air travellers who prefer to fly on Air India.
Yatra SBI Card
Key Highlights: Offered in partnership with Yatra.com, the Yatra SBI Card provides exclusive benefits on domestic and international travel bookings made on Yatra.com.
Joining Fee: Rs.499
Renewal Fee: Rs.499 (2nd year onwards). Waived if the total spends in the previous year exceed Rs.1 lakh.
Joining Bonus: Yatra.com gift voucher worth Rs.8,250 on payment of 1st year annual fee.
Features and benefits
- Up to Rs.1,000 discount on domestic flight bookings made through Yatra.com.
- Up to Rs.4,000 off on international flight bookings made through Yatra.com.
- 20% off on hotel bookings made within India on Yatra.com.
- 2 free airport lounge visits per quarter within India.
- Complimentary air accident cover worth Rs.50 lakh.
Rewards redemption option: Reward points can be redeemed for gift vouchers from Yatra. 1RP = Rs.0.25; Minimum redemption points – 1,000.
Suitable for: People who frequently travel by air within India.
IRCTC SBI Card Premier
Key Highlights: The SBI IRCTC Premier card offers various travel benefits and reward points on travel spends
Joining Fee: Rs.1,499
Renewal Fee: Rs.1,499 (2nd year onwards).
Joining Bonus: 1500 reward points as welcome gift
Features and benefits
- Complimentary air accident insurance cover worth Rs.50 lakh
- Complimentary rail accident insurance cover worth Rs.10 lakh
- Avail up to 8 railway lounge access annually
- Earn 5,000 reward points on reaching milestone of Rs.1 lakh on travel spends in a year
- Earn 2,500 reward points on reaching milestone of Rs.50,000 on travel spends in a year
Suitable for: People who frequently travel by rail within India.
Axis Bank Vistara Card Premier
Key Highlights: This Axis Bank Vistara Infinite card is best suited for people who frequently travel by air.
Joining Fee: Rs.3,000
Renewal Fee: Rs.3,000
Joining Bonus: Avail one complimentary premium economy ticket as welcome benefit
Features and benefits
- Get air accident cover of up to Rs.2.5 crore and can purchase protection cover of Rs.1 lakh
- Get lost card liability cover up to 100%
- 4 club Vistara points on every Rs.200 spent
Suitable for: People who frequently travel by air
HDFC Regalia Credit Card
Key Highlights: This HDFC Bank Regalia Credit Card offers various benefits on air travel and is best suited for frequent flyers
Joining Fee: Rs.2,500
Renewal Fee: Rs.2,500
Features and benefits
- Avail priority-pass membership for primary and add-on members
- Low forex markup fee of 2%
- Up to 6 complimentary international lounge access
- Up to 12 complimentary domestic lounge access
- Airmiles convert through net banking, for every 1 point you get 0.5 airmiles
Suitable for: People who frequently travel by air
SBI Card Elite
Key Highlights: This SBI Card Elite offers benefits for shopping, travelling and entertainment
Joining Fee: Rs.4,999
Renewal Fee: Rs.4,999
Joining Bonus: Welcome Yatra voucher worth Rs.5,000
Features and benefits
- Club Vistara Silver Membership with 1 complimentary upgrade voucher
- Low forex markup fee of 1.99%
- 9 Club Vistara points on every Rs.100 spent
- 1,000 welcome points on registration and complimentary Trident Privilege Red Tier membership
- 6 international lounge visits per calendar year and complimentary priority pass membership
- Up to 2 complimentary domestic lounges access every quarter
Suitable for: People who spend on travel, entertainment and shopping
Eligibility to Apply for Travel Credit Cards
The eligibility to apply for travel credit cards vary from one bank to another and from one card to other. Listed below is the minimum eligibility criteria set by many banks.
- Applicant should be an Indian citizen
- Should be either salaried or self-employed
- Should have a good credit record.
- Minimum age should be 21 years while the maximum should be 60/65 years
Documents Required to Apply for Travel Credit Cards
Again, different credit card issuers require different set of documents to process a travel credit card application. Sometimes, the required documents also vary based on the applicant type. Some of the common documents required for a travel credit card application are listed below.
- Copy of PAN card
- Copy of Aadhaar card
- 1 passport size photograph.
- Past 2 months salary slips or IT Returns
- Address proof document such as Aadhaar, Voter’s ID, driving license, passport, etc., whichever holds your current address.
How to Apply for Travel Credit Cards Online?
BankBazaar is an official partner of major credit card issuers and provides an online platform to apply for travel credit cards. You can check your eligibility for a specific card, apply for it, upload the document and enjoy a hassle-free application process.
To apply through BankBazaar, follow the steps mentioned below
- On the travel credit card page, choose your preferred card from the list of cards
- Click on ‘Check Eligibility’ option
- Submit the details as required and find your eligibility
- Once you’re eligible, you will be directed to online application page.
- Fill the form and submit the form
- Once your application is submitted, you will receive an ‘Application ID‘ which should be retained for future reference
The website also features a ‘Track Application’ option, using which you can track your application.