Banks in India offer credit cards specifically designed keeping in mind the needs of a frequent traveller. These are generally the result of a partnership between a travel company and financial institution. These cards allow a person to travel freely across the world, saving a lot of money. From free access to airport lounges to low foreign currency markups, credit cards for international travel offer a wide variety of benefits. This guide will help you pick the best one based on your requirement.
See also: Best hotel credit cards to choose from
Seven best credit cards for international travel in India in 2023
SBI Elite Credit Card
Fee
Annual fee: Rs 4,999
Renewal fee: Rs 4,999
Features
- Foreign currency mark-up charge of 1.99% on international usage
- Two reward points on every Rs 100 spent on international transactions
- Complimentary membership of the Priority Pass Program worth $99
- Six complimentary airport lounge visits per calendar year outside India, maximum two visits per quarter
- Access over 1,000 airport lounges worldwide
- Two complimentary domestic airport lounge visits every quarter in India
- Complimentary Club Vistara Silver membership
- One complimentary upgrade voucher
- Nine Club Vistara points for every Rs 100 spent on Vistara flights
- Complimentary Trident Privilege Red Tier membership
- Exclusive 1,000 Welcome Points on registration
- 1,500 bonus points on your first stay and additional Rs 1,000 hotel credit on extended night stay
Yatra SBI Credit Card
Fee
Annual fee: Rs 499
Renewal fee: Rs 499
An annual fee is waived off if the total annual spends for the last year is over Rs 1 Lakh.
Features
- Welcome gift of Yatra.com vouchers worth Rs 8,250
- Rs 1,000 off on domestic flight bookings on minimum transaction of Rs 5,000
- Rs 4,000 off on international flight bookings on minimum transaction of Rs 40,000
- 20% off on domestic hotels on minimum transaction of Rs 3,000 and maximum discount of Rs 2,000
- Complimentary air accident cover of Rs 50 Lakh valid for primary cardholder when ticket is booked via Yatra.com using Yatra SBI Card
- 1% fuel surcharge waiver across all petrol pumps in India
- Maximum surcharge waiver of Rs 100 monthly
HDFC Bank Regalia Credit Card
Fee
Annual fee: Rs 2,500
Renewal fee: Rs 2,500
An annual fee is waived off if the total annual spends for the last year is over Rs 3 Lakh.
Features
- 12 complimentary airport lounge access within India and six outside India
- Bonus 10,000 reward points on Rs 5 Lakh spending and an additional 5,000 reward points on Rs 8 Lakh spending in an anniversary year
- Earn four reward points on every Rs 150 spent
- 1% fuel surcharge waiver at all fuel stations across India
- Get up to 20% savings on all your restaurant bill payments via Swiggy Dineout at over 20,000 restaurants
- Accidental air death covers worth Rs 1 Crore
- Emergency overseas hospitalization: Up to Rs 15 Lakh
- Lost Card Liability Cover of up to Rs 9 Lakh
RBL World Safari Credit Card
Fee
Joining fee: Rs 3,000
Annual fees: Rs 3,000
Features
- Zero percent foreign currency transactions markup
- Two travel points for every Rs 100 spent
- Five travel points for every Rs 100 spent on travel
- Gift voucher worth Rs 10,000 from brands like Taj, Amazon, Myntra, etc., every year on annual spending of Rs 7.5 Lakh
Standard Chartered EaseMyTrip Credit Card
Fee
Annual fee: Rs 350
Renewal fee: Rs 350
Features
- 10x rewards on every Rs 100 spent at standalone hotel and airline websites/apps/outlets
- 20% & 10% instant discount on hotel and flight bookings, respectively at EaseMyTrip website/app
- Free lounge access for one domestic per calendar quarter and two international per year
- Rs 125 off on bus ticket bookings (on minimum ticket booking of Rs 500)
- Annual fee of Rs 350 waived on spending of Rs 50,000 or more on Standard Chartered EaseMyTrip Credit Card in the previous year
Air India SBI Platinum
Fee
Annual fee: Rs 1,499
Renewal fee: Rs 1,499
Features
- Get 5,000 reward points as a welcome gift on the payment of joining fee
- Get complimentary membership to the Air India Frequent Flyer Program
- Get two reward points for every Rs 100 spent
- Get up to 15,000 bonus points annually
- Earn up to 15 points for every Rs 100 spent on Air India tickets booked through airindia.com, Air India mobile app.
- 15 points when booked for self and five points when booked for others.
- One percent fuel surcharge waiver across all petrol pumps
- Eight complimentary visits per year to domestic VISA lounges in India
HDFC Diners Club Privilege Credit Card
Fee
Annual fee: Rs 2,500
Renewal fee: Rs 2,500
Features
- Buy 1 get 1 free on movie/non-movie weekend tickets via BookMyShow
- 5X reward points on Swiggy and Zomato
- Complimentary annual membership of Swiggy One and Times Prime as welcome benefit
- Rs 1,500 worth Marriott, Decathlon, and more vouchers on quarterly spending of Rs 1.5 Lakh
- Two complimentary airport lounges access every calendar quarter worldwide
- Four points for every Rs 150 spend
- Up to 10X rewards on booking flight tickets and hotel stays across over 150 hotels, domestic and international at https://offers.smartbuy.hdfcbank.com/diners
- Two percent foreign currency markup on all foreign currency spending
- Avail Rs 1,500 worth vouchers of Marriott Experience, Decathlon, Barbeque Nation, O2 Spa, or Lakme Salon on spending of Rs 1.5 Lakh in a quarter
FAQs
What should I look for in a credit card meant for international travel?
Foreign transaction fees, travel rewards, travel insurance coverage, acceptance network, etc., must be considered while choosing a credit card for international travel.
What are travel rewards?
Travel rewards come in the form of points, miles, or cashbacks. You earn these for using credit cards on eligible purchases. These rewards can be redeemed for flights, hotel stays, rental cars, or other travel-related expenses.
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