Table of Contents

1. Key Takeaways
2. How to Choose a Travel Credit Card in 2026
3. The 10 Best Travel Credit Cards in India 2026
4. Quick Comparison: Which Travel Card for Which Traveller?
5. Frequently Asked Questions

10 Best Travel Credit Cards in India 2026: Lounge Access, Miles & Zero Forex

Key Takeaways

Scapia Federal Bank is the best free travel card in 2026 - zero annual fee, zero forex markup, unlimited domestic lounge access (on Rs.10,000/month spend).

HDFC Infinia remains the gold standard for high spenders - unlimited lounge access globally, 3.33% base reward rate, 1:1 miles transfer to 14+ airlines.

Axis Atlas is the best mid-tier miles card - 10% value-back on travel spends via 15+ airline and hotel transfer partners.

BOBCARD Etihad Guest Premium is the only BOBCARD with international lounge access (8 visits/year) and zero forex markup.

After devaluations in 2024–26 on Magnus, Regalia Gold, and SBI Elite, the value hierarchy has shifted - mid-tier cards like HSBC Travel One now offer better value than several premium cards.

For pure international travel savings, zero forex markup is more important than rewards - Scapia, RBL World Safari, and IDFC FIRST WOW! lead here.

How to Choose a Travel Credit Card in 2026

Travel credit cards in India fall into three tiers in 2026, and the right choice depends on how often you fly, whether you travel domestically or internationally, and how much you spend monthly. Before comparing specific cards, answer three questions:

How often do you travel? 1–2 trips/year (occasional), 3–6/year (regular), or 6+/year (frequent flyer)
Domestic or international? Domestic travel rewards and lounge access are available from the Rs.500 annual fee tier. International forex markup (typically 3.5%) and international Priority Pass access require mid-tier or premium cards.
What is your monthly card spend? Below Rs.50,000/month: mid-tier cards. Above Rs.1.5 lakh/month: premium cards start making sense.

The lounge access landscape changed significantly in 2026 - HDFC Regalia Gold now requires Rs.60,000/quarter spend for 3 lounge visits, SBI Elite removed air accident insurance, and Magnus was devalued twice. Newer options and some BOBCARD variants now compete effectively with traditionally dominant travel cards.

Choose the right BOBCARD that fits your lifestyle

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The 10 Best Travel Credit Cards in India 2026

1. Scapia Federal Bank Credit Card - Best Free Travel Card

Feature	Detail
Annual Fee	Lifetime Free
Forex Markup	Zero on all international transactions (Visa variant)
Reward Rate	10% back in Scapia Coins on eligible spends (Visa); 5% on RuPay
Reward Value	5 Scapia Coins = Rs.1; redeemable for travel (flights, hotels, buses) via Scapia app only
Domestic Lounge	Unlimited - on spending Rs.10,000/month (Visa) or Rs.15,000/month (RuPay)
International Lounge	None
Income Eligibility	Accessible - lower bar than most travel cards
Best For	Occasional international travellers wanting zero forex + free domestic lounge at no annual fee

Scapia's zero forex markup is genuinely zero - not 0.99% or 'low fee'. Verified across multiple international transactions by users in Turkey, Thailand, Singapore, and Dubai. The unlimited domestic lounge access (subject to meeting the monthly spend threshold) is the strongest lounge offer available on a lifetime-free card in India. The limitation: Scapia Coins can only be redeemed for travel bookings via the Scapia app - not for cashback or statement credit.

2. HDFC Infinia Metal - Best Super-Premium Travel Card

Feature	Detail
Annual Fee	Rs.12,500 + GST (waived on Rs.10 lakh annual spend)
Availability	Invite-only - via HDFC banking relationship
Base Reward Rate	5 RP per Rs.150 = 3.33% effective rate
SmartBuy Accelerated	Up to 10X on SmartBuy - effective 33% on some travel redemptions
Lounge Access	Unlimited domestic + unlimited international (Priority Pass)
Miles Transfer	1:1 to 14+ airlines including Air India, Singapore Airlines, Emirates
Forex Markup	2% + GST
Finance Charge	3.50%/month (42% p.a.)
Best For	High spenders (Rs.20L+/year) who want the best reward rate and unlimited global lounge access

Infinia's 1:1 miles transfer to 14+ airlines at full point value is the key differentiator from all other Indian travel cards. Where most cards convert at 2:1 or 4:1 (losing value), Infinia converts at par. HDFC now requires Rs.18 lakh minimum annual spend to retain the card - applicants below this threshold risk cancellation.

3. Axis Atlas Credit Card - Best Mid-Tier Miles Card

Feature	Detail
Annual Fee	Rs.5,000 + GST (waived on spend - tier-based)
Travel Earn Rate	5 EDGE Miles per Rs.100 on Axis Travel Edge; 2 EDGE Miles on other spends
Miles Value	2 EDGE Miles = 1 partner mile across 15+ airlines and hotels
Lounge Access	Up to 8–18 domestic visits/year (tier-based, quarterly spend required); up to 4–12 international visits/year
Forex Markup	3.5% + GST (not a zero-forex card)
Tiers	Silver, Gold, Platinum - higher spend unlocks more visits and benefits
Best For	Regular travellers (3–6 trips/year) who want flexible airline miles and generous lounge access

Axis Atlas is the best mid-tier miles card after the Atlas revamp. Its 15+ travel transfer partners give more flexibility than most Indian travel cards. Note: the 3.5% forex markup makes it expensive for international spending - pair it with Scapia for international transactions if zero forex is a priority.

4. HSBC Travel One - Best Easy-Access Premium Travel Card

Feature	Detail
Annual Fee	Rs.4,999 + GST (waived on Rs.8 lakh annual spend)
Reward Rate	Accelerated on travel; strong points transfer programme
Miles Transfer	Multiple airline partners including Accor (which Axis Atlas dropped in 2026)
Lounge Access	Domestic and international via Priority Pass
Forex Markup	Low (verify current rate with HSBC)
Best For	Mid-tier spenders who want Priority Pass international access + Accor hotel miles

HSBC Travel One gained prominence in 2026 when Axis Atlas dropped Accor as a transfer partner. If you value Accor hotel points for Le Club AccorHotels redemptions, HSBC Travel One is now the best route to those redemptions in India.

5. BOBCARD Etihad Guest Premium - Only BOBCARD with International Lounge

Feature	Detail
Annual Fee	Rs.5,000 + GST
Forex Markup	Zero - 0% on international transactions
Domestic Lounge	12 visits/year (3/quarter)
International Lounge	8 visits/year (2/quarter)
Miles Earn	Etihad Guest Miles on all spends
Best For	BOBCARD users or Etihad frequent flyers who need both domestic and international lounge access + zero forex

Earn 6 Miles per ₹100 on Etihad Airways with Etihad Guest Premium

0% Forex Mark-up

2X Welcome Miles*

24,000 Annual Miles

Earn 6 Miles per ₹100 on Etihad Airways with Etihad Guest Premium

Transform every spend into travel rewards with bonus miles, upgrade to Gold Tier after your first transaction on etihad.com

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For readers who primarily hold BOBCARD cards, the Etihad Guest Premium is the only BOBCARD variant with international lounge access. Most standard BOBCARDs - including the Eterna and Tiara - offer domestic lounge access only. Zero forex markup makes this card particularly useful when travelling internationally.

6. HDFC Diners Club Black Metal - Best for Travel + Lifestyle Balance

Feature	Detail
Annual Fee	Rs.10,000 + GST
Base Reward Rate	3.33% (5 RP per Rs.150) - same as Infinia
Lounge Access	Unlimited domestic + international via Priority Pass and Diners Club network
Memberships	Amazon Prime, MMT Black, Times Prime, Swiggy One on meeting milestone spend
Milestone	10,000 bonus RP quarterly on qualifying spend
Forex Markup	2% + GST
Best For	Frequent travellers who want Infinia-level rewards at a slightly lower fee with lifestyle memberships

7. RBL World Safari Credit Card - Best Zero Forex Mid-Tier Card

Feature	Detail
Annual Fee	Rs.3,000 + GST
Forex Markup	Zero on international transactions
Reward Rate	Accelerated on travel and international spends
Lounge Access	Domestic and limited international
Best For	Regular international travellers who want zero forex + better rewards than Scapia without going full premium

8. ICICI Emeralde Private Metal - Best for Luxury Travel

Feature	Detail
Annual Fee	Rs.12,499 + GST (waived on Rs.10L spend)
Base Reward Rate	3% (6 RP per Rs.200)
iShop Accelerated	Up to 12X on hotel bookings, 6X on flights via iShop portal
Lounge Access	Unlimited via DragonPass + Diners Club
Milestone	Rs.3,000 EaseMyTrip voucher at Rs.4L; another Rs.3,000 at Rs.8L annual spend
Forex Markup	2% + GST
Best For	Luxury travellers who book hotels frequently and want Taj Epicure membership benefits

9. Kotak IndiGo Ka-ching 6E Rewards XL - Best Airline Co-Brand

Feature	Detail
Annual Fee	Rs.2,500 + GST
IndiGo Earn Rate	6 points per Rs.100 on IndiGo flights
Partner Earn Rate	3 points per Rs.100 on dining, grocery, entertainment
Welcome Benefit	Complimentary IndiGo air ticket worth Rs.3,000 + 6E Prime add-on (priority check-in, seat choice, meal)
Domestic Lounge	Available - quarterly spend triggered
Best For	IndiGo loyalists who fly domestically 6+ times per year

10. IDFC FIRST Mayura - Best Zero Forex Premium Card

Feature	Detail
Annual Fee	Check with IDFC FIRST Bank - premium tier
Forex Markup	Zero on international transactions
Lounge Access	4 domestic visits/quarter (with 1 guest); 4 international visits/quarter
Finance Charge	Up to 47.88% p.a. - one of the highest; always pay full dues
Best For	Frequent international travellers wanting zero forex + generous quarterly international lounge visits

Quick Comparison: Which Travel Card for Which Traveller?

Traveller Profile	Best Card	Key Reason
Occasional traveller (1–2 trips/year)	Scapia Federal Bank	Zero fee, zero forex, unlimited domestic lounge
Regular domestic flyer (4–8 trips/year)	BOBCARD Eterna or HDFC Regalia Gold	Unlimited domestic lounge; solid rewards
Regular international flyer	IDFC FIRST Mayura or RBL World Safari	Zero forex + international lounge
Miles collector - flexible airlines	Axis Atlas	15+ transfer partners; tier-based lounge
Miles collector - IndiGo loyalist	Kotak IndiGo 6E XL	Best IndiGo redemption rates
High spender (Rs.20L+/year)	HDFC Infinia	Unlimited global lounge + 1:1 miles transfer
BOB card user wanting international	BOBCARD Etihad Guest Premium	Only BOBCARD with intl lounge + 0% forex
Luxury travel + hotel bookings	ICICI Emeralde Private Metal	12X on hotel bookings; Taj Epicure membership

Zero forex and unlimited lounge access are the two most valuable travel card features in 2026. The best entry point is Scapia Federal Bank - zero cost, zero forex, unlimited domestic lounge. The best mid-tier is Axis Atlas for miles collectors or HSBC Travel One for Accor users. The best premium card for serious travellers spending above Rs.20 lakh annually remains HDFC Infinia - its 1:1 miles transfer at full value is a genuine differentiator that no other Indian credit card matches.

For BOBCARD users specifically, the Eterna covers domestic travel well with unlimited lounge access. For international travel needs within the BOBCARD ecosystem, the Etihad Guest Premium is the only option with both international lounge access and zero forex markup.

Frequently Asked Questions

Which travel credit card has zero forex markup in India?

Scapia Federal Bank (lifetime free), BOBCARD Etihad Guest Premium (Rs.5,000 fee), RBL World Safari (Rs.3,000 fee), and IDFC FIRST WOW\! (FD-backed, lifetime free) all offer zero or negligible forex markup. For premium cards, HDFC Infinia and ICICI Emeralde charge 2%+ GST- the lowest among super-premium cards.

Which credit card gives the most lounge visits in India?

HDFC Infinia, Axis Reserve, and ICICI Emeralde offer unlimited domestic and international lounge access. Among mid-tier cards, Axis Atlas offers up to 18 domestic and 12 international visits/year based on spend tier. Among BOBCARDs, the Eterna offers unlimited domestic lounge access subject to a Rs.40,000/quarter spend condition.

Is BOBCARD Eterna good for travel?

Yes, for domestic travel. BOBCARD Eterna earns 15 RP/Rs.100 (3.75%) on travel bookings (including on the BOBCARD SmartDeal portal where extra rewards apply), and offers unlimited domestic lounge access at 65+ airports. It does not offer international lounge access or zero forex markup. Read our full BOB Credit Card Lounge Access guide for the complete list of eligible airports.

Disclaimer: This article is for general informational purposes only and does not constitute financial advice. All card features, fees, and benefits are subject to change. Readers must refer to the respective MITC on official bank websites before applying. Any bank information is not claimed and check official sites for the same. BOBCARD cards are issued by BOBCARD Limited (formerly BOB Financial Solutions Limited), a 100% subsidiary of Bank of Baroda, an RBI-regulated entity. Data last verified: May 2026.