Travel Credit Card Comparison India — 5 Cards

TL;DR: HDFC Infinia (8.9/10) wins on raw power — unlimited lounges, best rewards, lowest forex in this set. IDFC FIRST Select (8.7/10) is the surprise value pick at zero annual fee with 1.99% forex. Axis Atlas (8.4/10) is the miles specialist. Choose based on what you actually spend and how often you fly.

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Five Cards, Five Different Bets

Not every travel card tries to do the same thing. These five cards represent five distinct strategies Indian banks are running in 2026:

• HDFC Infinia — the luxury all-rounder for high spenders
• IDFC FIRST Select — the zero-fee disruptor with genuine travel perks
• SBI Card ELITE — the mid-tier workhorse from India’s largest bank
• Axis Atlas — the dedicated miles-earning machine
• Amex Platinum Travel — the global brand with domestic focus

Let’s see how they actually compare when you put them side by side.

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At-a-Glance Comparison

Feature	HDFC Infinia	IDFC FIRST Select	SBI Card ELITE	Axis Atlas	Amex Platinum Travel
CardTrail Score	8.9/10	8.7/10	8.5/10	8.4/10	7.9/10
Annual Fee	₹12,500	₹0	₹4,999	₹5,000	₹5,000
Fee Waiver	₹10L spend/year	₹2L spend/year	₹10L spend/year	₹7.5L spend/year	None
Reward Rate	3.3 pts/₹100	0.75 pts/₹100	0.5 pts/₹100	2 miles/₹100	1 pt/₹100
Forex Markup	2%	1.99%	1.99%	3.5%	3.5%
Domestic Lounges	Unlimited	4/quarter	8/year	8/quarter	8/year
International Lounges	Unlimited	2/quarter	6/year	4/quarter	None
Network	Visa Infinite	Visa Signature	Visa Infinite	Visa Signature	Amex
Min. Income	₹30L	₹2.5L	₹8L	₹6L	₹5L

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Lounge Access — The Real Differentiator

For most Indian travelers, lounge access is the single most tangible benefit. Here’s how these five stack up:

Unlimited tier:

• HDFC Infinia — 99 domestic + 99 international visits (effectively unlimited). No spend gate. You and a guest walk in anywhere Priority Pass is accepted.

Quarterly access (best for frequent flyers):

• IDFC FIRST Select — 4 domestic + 2 international per quarter (16D + 8I per year). Remarkable for a zero-fee card.
• Axis Atlas — 8 domestic + 4 international per quarter (32D + 16I per year). The highest non-unlimited allocation in this comparison.

Annual caps:

• SBI Card ELITE — 8 domestic + 6 international per year. Decent for 2–3 trips annually, but runs out fast if you fly monthly.
• Amex Platinum Travel — 8 domestic only, zero international. If you fly abroad, this card doesn’t help at the lounge.

Bottom line: If lounge access matters, Atlas gives you the most visits before Infinia’s unlimited kicks in. IDFC FIRST Select punches way above its weight at zero cost.

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Forex Markup — Where You Save (or Lose) Real Money

On ₹3 lakh of international spend per year:

Card	Forex Markup	You Pay Extra
IDFC FIRST Select	1.99%	₹5,970
SBI Card ELITE	1.99%	₹5,970
HDFC Infinia	2.0%	₹6,000
Axis Atlas	3.5%	₹10,500
Amex Platinum Travel	3.5%	₹10,500

The gap between 1.99% and 3.5% is ₹4,530 on ₹3 lakh spend. That’s real money — enough for a domestic flight or two nights at a decent hotel.

If international spending is a big part of your usage, Axis Atlas and Amex Platinum Travel cost you significantly more on every swipe abroad. Atlas partially compensates with strong miles earning; Amex doesn’t.

For the lowest forex options across the market, cards like Scapia Federal Bank (0%) and IDFC FIRST Wealth (1.5%) go even lower.

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Reward Rates — Card by Card

HDFC Infinia — 3.3 pts/₹100 (up to 10X)

The highest base rate in this comparison. Earn 5 Reward Points per ₹150 on all spends, with 3X multiplier on HDFC SmartBuy bookings. Points redeemed for flights via SmartBuy give strong value at ₹0.50–1 per point. Complimentary golf rounds add lifestyle value.

Best for: High spenders who can hit the ₹10L waiver threshold and redeem through SmartBuy for travel.

Axis Atlas — 2 EDGE MILES/₹100 (up to 5X)

Atlas is built for miles enthusiasts. Base rate of 2 EDGE MILES per ₹100, jumping to 5X on travel categories. EDGE MILES transfer to Air India Flying Returns, InterMiles, and hotel partners. The welcome bonus of 5,000 EDGE MILES adds immediate value.

Best for: People who understand airline miles and will actually redeem them for flights, not merchandise.

Amex Platinum Travel — 1 pt/₹100 (up to 3X)

Earn 1 Membership Rewards Point per ₹100, with accelerated earn on select travel merchants. The 10,000 welcome bonus points (on ₹15K spend in 90 days) are generous for the fee level. However, Amex acceptance in India remains limited compared to Visa/Mastercard.

Best for: Those already in the Amex ecosystem who value Membership Rewards transferability.

IDFC FIRST Select — 0.75 pts/₹100 (up to 3X)

The base rate is modest, but 3X on dining and groceries helps. The real value here isn’t rewards — it’s the combination of zero fee, low forex, and solid lounge access. Think of the rewards as a bonus, not the reason to hold this card.

Best for: Anyone who wants genuine travel perks without paying for them.

SBI Card ELITE — 0.5 pts/₹100 (up to 5X)

Base rate is the weakest here, but 5X on dining, department stores, and movies makes it a solid lifestyle companion. The ₹5,000 welcome bonus partially offsets the first year’s fee. SBI’s massive branch and ATM network across India adds practical value that pure reward rates don’t capture.

Best for: SBI customers who want a single card for travel + lifestyle spending.

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Who Should Pick Which — Decision Framework

You earn ₹30L+ and spend ₹8–15L/year on cards → HDFC Infinia. Unlimited everything, best rewards, 2% forex. The benchmark.

You want travel perks but refuse to pay an annual fee → IDFC FIRST Select. 1.99% forex, quarterly lounge access, zero cost. The best free travel card in India.

You’re an SBI customer spending ₹3–8L/year → SBI Card ELITE. 1.99% forex, solid lounge allocation, trusted PSU bank. Practical and dependable.

You’re a miles nerd who redeems for flights, not cashback → Axis Atlas. 2 EDGE MILES per ₹100, strong transfer partners. But accept the 3.5% forex hit.

You’re deep in the Amex ecosystem globally → Amex Platinum Travel. Membership Rewards are valuable globally. But no international lounge access and 3.5% forex markup make this hard to justify as a primary travel card in India.

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The Honest Verdict

There’s no single “best” travel card here — but there are clear winners for specific profiles:

Best overall: HDFC Infinia. It scores highest (8.9) for a reason — unlimited lounges, low forex, top rewards. The catch: you need ₹30L income and ₹10L annual spend to make the fee worthwhile.

Best value: IDFC FIRST Select. Scoring 8.7 at zero annual fee is extraordinary. The lounge access and forex rate would be competitive on a ₹5,000/year card — getting them free is the best deal in Indian travel cards right now.

Most misunderstood: Axis Atlas. The 3.5% forex markup looks bad on paper, but if you’re earning 5X miles on travel and redeeming them wisely, the net value can exceed cards with lower forex rates. It depends entirely on whether you play the miles game.

Hardest to justify: Amex Platinum Travel at 7.9/10. The 3.5% forex markup and no international lounge access make it a poor primary travel card. It works as a secondary card for Amex-specific offers, but not as your main travel companion.

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Related Guides on CardTrail

• 7 Best Travel Credit Cards India 2026
• Airport Lounge Access — Which Cards Work Where
• Best Zero-Forex Credit Cards India 2026
• Priority Pass India — Complete Guide
• Forex Markup Charges Explained

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Frequently Asked Questions

Which travel credit card has the best CardTrail score?

HDFC Infinia leads this comparison with a CardTrail score of 8.9/10, followed by IDFC FIRST Select at 8.7/10. CardTrail scores weigh net value (35%), accessibility (25%), feature depth (25%), and bank trust (15%).

Which card has the lowest forex markup for international travel?

IDFC FIRST Select and SBI Card ELITE both charge 1.99% forex markup — the lowest in this comparison. HDFC Infinia follows closely at 2%. Axis Atlas and Amex Platinum Travel both charge the industry-standard 3.5%.

Can I get a travel credit card with no annual fee?

Yes. IDFC FIRST Select has zero annual fee and zero joining fee, with a fee waiver threshold of just ₹2L annual spend. It includes 4 domestic + 2 international lounge visits per quarter and 1.99% forex markup — genuine travel benefits at no cost.

Which card is best for airport lounge access in India?

HDFC Infinia offers unlimited domestic and international lounge access. Among fee-based cards, Axis Atlas provides the most visits: 8 domestic + 4 international per quarter. IDFC FIRST Select offers 4 domestic + 2 international per quarter — the best lounge access on any free card.

Is Amex Platinum Travel worth it for international travel?

For international travel specifically, it’s limited. The 3.5% forex markup matches the industry worst, and there’s no international lounge access. The card works better as a domestic travel companion for Amex ecosystem benefits. For international travel, HDFC Infinia, IDFC FIRST Select, or SBI ELITE are stronger choices.

Axis Atlas has 3.5% forex — is it still good for international travel?

It depends on your strategy. If you actively earn and redeem EDGE MILES for flights (5X on travel categories), the miles value can offset the higher forex cost. If you simply swipe for purchases abroad without playing the miles game, choose a lower-forex card instead.