Whether for business or as a leisure activity, travel has become popular among the masses. Owing to this popularity, several airlines have also partnered with leading credit card providers to offer co-branded air travel credit cards to the customers. These airline credit cards come with several travel discounts, vouchers, frequent flyer privileges, lounge access and other related perks offered by the partner airline to make air travel more affordable and comfortable for the cardholders. Here’s a list of some of the top airline credit cards in India with their benefits and features:
Top 5 Airline Credit Cards in India 2024
IndusInd Bank Avios Visa Infinite Credit Card
Joining fee: ₹40000
Annual/Renewal Fee: ₹10000
2X Avios on bookings at Qatar Airways & British Airways
Up to 50,000 bonus Avios as milestone benefit
Product Details
- 20,000 Avios and Gold Tier Membership as welcome benefits on choosing Qatar Airways as preferred partner
- Bonus 55,000 Avios as welcome benefit on choosing British Airways as preferred partner
- 5 Avios per Rs. 200 spent at select preferred international destinations for PoS transactions
- 2 international lounge visits per quarter with complimentary Priority Pass Membership
- 2 complimentary meet-and-greet services every year
6E Rewards XL Indigo HDFC Credit Card
Joining fee: ₹2500
Annual/Renewal Fee: ₹2500
Welcome benefits from Accor Hotels & free Indigo 6E Prime Add-on
5% value-back as rewards on IndiGo website and mobile app
Product Details
- 5% 6E Rewards per Rs. 100 spent on IndiGo website or mobile app
- 3% 6E Rewards per Rs. 100 spent on dining, grocery, and entertainment spends
- 2% 6E Rewards per Rs. 100 for all other retail spends
- 1 complimentary 6E Prime Add-On and Accor Hotel stay voucher as welcome benefit
- 8 complimentary domestic lounge visits in a year
Emirates Skywards ICICI Bank Sapphiro Credit Card
Joining fee: ₹5000
Annual/Renewal Fee: ₹5000
5,000 Skywards Miles on spending Rs. 1 lakh in a year & on joining
Up to 8 complimentary domestic airport lounge visits per year
Product Details
- 2 Skywards Miles per Rs. 100 spent; 1 Skyward Mile per Rs. 100 spent on insurance and utility
- Complimentary Emirates Silver Tier membership and 5,000 Skywards Miles on joining fee payment
- Emirates Silver Tier membership renewal on Rs. 5 lakh annual spends
- Buy 1 get 1 free ticket of up to Rs. 500 on BookMyShow, twice a month
- 2 complimentary international lounge visits with 2 spa sessions at select airports in India per year via Dreamfolks Pass
Etihad Guest SBI Card
Joining fee: ₹1499
Annual/Renewal Fee: ₹1499
Complimentary Etihad Guest Silver Tier Status
3X Etihad Guest Miles on spends at Etihad.com
Product Details
- 3 Etihad Guest Miles for every Rs. 100 spent on Etihad
- 2 Etihad Guest Miles for every Rs. 100 spent internationally
- Up to 10% discount on select Etihad Airways booking
- Free companion voucher on spending Rs. 10 Lakh
SpiceJet Axis Bank Voyage Black Credit Card
Joining fee: ₹2000
Annual/Renewal Fee: ₹2000
Up to 28 SpiceClub Points per Rs. 200 spent on SpiceJet app/website
12 SpiceClub Points per Rs. 200 spent online on bills, food order and entertainment
Product Details
- 6 SpiceClub Points per Rs. 200 spent on domestic retail & international spends
- Complimentary SpiceJet Gold membership with SpiceJet add-on vouchers worth Rs. 7,500
- SpiceJet voucher worth Rs. 4,000 as joining bonus and 2,000 SpiceClub Points on card renewal
- 4,000 SpiceClub Points on Rs. 2 lakh annual spends and 6,000 SpiceClub Points on Rs. 4 lakh annual spends
- 8 complimentary domestic airport lounge visits per year on reaching Rs. 50,000 spends in the previous quarter
5 Best Airline Credit Cards in India for 2024
Below mentioned are the top 5 co-branded airline credit cards to help you save on travel expenses:
1. IndusInd Bank Avios Visa Infinite Credit Card
Joining Fee: Rs. 40,000
Annual Fee: Rs. 10,000
Key Features & Benefits:
- 5 Avios for every Rs. 200 spent at select preferred international destinations for PoS transactions
- 2 Avios for every Rs. 200 spent on Qatar Airways & British Airways website and app
- 1 Avios per Rs. 200 spent on online spends on select preferred international destinations, domestic & other international destinations and other categories
- 10% discount on flight bookings through Qatar Airways, on choosing Qatar Airways Privilege Club as the preferred airline loyalty programme
- 10% additional discount for Privilege Club members on all flights originating from India, if booked via Qatar Airways platform
- Low forex markup fee of 1.5%
- 2 international lounge visits in a quarter with complimentary Priority Pass membership
- 2 complimentary domestic airport lounge visits in a quarter
IndusInd Bank Avios Visa Infinite Credit Card is a premium card designed for frequent air travellers. What makes this card stand out is its exclusive partnership with Qatar Airways and British Airways, offering greater flexibility compared to general co-branded airline cards. Cardholders can earn accelerated rewards and benefits on their preferred airline and travel destinations, making it an excellent choice for international travellers. This credit card offers value back in the form of Avios Points, which are redeemable against flight bookings and travel-related expenses.
2. 6E Rewards XL IndiGo HDFC Credit Card
Joining Fee: Rs. 2,500
Annual Fee: Rs. 2,500
Key Features and Benefits:
- Complimentary IndiGo air ticket worth Rs. 3,000 as a welcome benefit
- 6 points on every Rs. 100 spent on IndiGo airlines
- 3 points on every Rs. 100 spent on partner merchants (Dining, Grocery, Entertainment, etc.)
- 2 points on every Rs. 100 spent on other categories
- Complimentary Prime add-ons worth Rs. 899, including priority check-in, choice of seat, complimentary meal and quicker baggage assistance
- 8 complimentary domestic lounge access every year
Kotak IndiGo Ka-ching 6E Rewards XL Credit Card is an upgraded variant of Kotak IndiGo Ka-ching 6E Rewards Credit Card. This credit card offers value back on your spends in the form of 6E rewards. Cardholders can earn accelerated reward points on IndiGo as well as other day-to-day spends such as dining, entertainment, and groceries. The accumulated reward points can be redeemed on booking tickets via IndiGo. Overall, this credit card offers decent value for frequent travellers through a 6% reward rate on IndiGo spends, complimentary lounge access, and a free IndiGo airline ticket worth Rs. 3,000.
3. Emirates Skywards ICICI Bank Sapphiro Credit Card
Joining Fee: Rs. 5,000
Annual Fee: Rs. 5,000
Key Features & Benefits:
- Complimentary Emirates Silver Tier Membership
- 5,000 Skywards Miles on the payment of joining fee
- Renewal of Silver Tier Membership on spending Rs. 5 Lakh in a year
- 5,000 Skywards Miles on spending Rs. 1 Lakh in a year
- 2 Skywards Miles on every Rs. 100 spent
- 1 Skywards Mile on every Rs. 100 spent on insurance & utility
- 2 complimentary domestic lounge visits every quarter
- 2 complimentary international airport lounge visits and 2 spa sessions at select airports in India every year via Dreamfolks Pass
Emirates Skywards ICICI Bank Sapphiro Credit Card is tailored for frequent Emirates flyers, offering an array of travel-focused benefits. Cardholders can earn up to 2 Skywards Miles on every transaction, which can be redeemed for flight bookings or upgrades with Emirates. The card also offers complimentary domestic and international airport lounge visits, as well as complimentary spa sessions, making it an excellent choice for those who often fly internationally with Emirates. However, if you do not want to pay a high annual fee of Rs. 5,000, you can opt for the lower fee variant- Emirates Skywards ICICI Bank Rubyx Credit Card.
4. Etihad Guest SBI Card
Joining Fee: Rs. 1,499
Annual Fee: Rs. 1,499
Key Features & Benefits:
- 1 wifi voucher on first booking, 2,500 Etihad Guest Miles & Etihad Guest Silver tier status as welcome benefit
- Up to 3 Etihad Guest Miles per Rs. 100 spent
- Up to 10% off on select Business Class & Economy Class flight bookings
- 1 companion voucher on spending Rs. 10 Lakh
- 5,000 Etihad Guest Miles on annual spends of Rs. 5 Lakh
- 8 complimentary domestic lounge visits every year
Etihad Guest SBI Card offers exclusive travel benefits on Etihad airlines through which you can save up to 10% on your bookings and also earn Etihad Guest Miles on every spend. The earned Guest Miles can be redeemed against flight bookings as well as hotel stays across the world. The annual fee can also be reversed on annual sends of just Rs. 3 lakh which is quite easy to achieve for an average spender. Bonus miles as welcome and milestone benefits also increase your travel savings. These features make this card suitable for those searching for a travel credit card for their international travels that comes at an affordable card fee.
5. SpiceJet Axis Bank Voyage Black Credit Card
Joining Fee: Rs. 2,000
Annual Fee: Rs. 2,000
Key Features & Benefits:
- Rs. 4,000 SpiceJet e-voucher on making 2 transactions within the first 30 days
- Complimentary SpiceClub Gold Membership
- Up to 28 SpiceClub Ppoints per Rs. 200 spent on SpiceJet platforms
- 12 SpiceClub Points per Rs. 200 spent on online food order, bill payment & entertainment
- 6 SpiceClub Points per Rs. 200 spent on other categories
- 6,000 SpiceClub Points on annual spends of Rs. 4 Lakh & 4,000 SpiceClub Points on annual spends of Rs. 2 Lakh
- 8 domestic airport lounge visits per year on spending Rs. 50,000 in the previous 3 months
SpiceJet Axis Bank Voyage Black Credit Card lets you earn SpiceClub points on almost every spend. These SpiceClub points are directly added to your SpiceClub account and can be redeemed against various travel-related spends made on the SpiceJet platforms. This feature allows the users to maximise their savings on travel but also limits the redemption options available to them. So, this card is beneficial for those who prefer this airline for their air travels and are looking for a travel card with co-branded benefits.
