Best Airlines Credit Card in India

Frequent flyers such as business executives would love to have a Credit Card that provides them with benefits like discounts on air tickets and hotel bookings. Banks and airlines companies recognise the need to offer such perks to attract such frequent fliers. The Airlines Credit Card aims to address such issues by presenting a fantastic option for such business executives.

Top-ranking corporate employees and business executives frequently travel abroad to meet their business commitments. They use their Credit Cards for booking their flight tickets. Hence, it provides banks and airlines companies to tap into this resource and provide the best possible facilities to this business segment. Banks and airline companies collaborate to issue specific Airlines Credit Cards that come with various attractive facilities. These include air miles points, hotel booking discounts, car renting facilities, airport lounge access, and gift vouchers for shopping.

• Targets the creamy layer of society that flies abroad frequently
• Attractive discounts on booking international and domestic flights through Airlines Credit Card
• Earn air miles points that cardholders can redeem for discounts on air tickets
• Bonus rewards points available in the form of accelerated air miles
• Free lounge access to various international and domestic airports
• Discounts on hotel booking at overseas locations
• Fuel surcharge waiver
• Global acceptance at Visa and MasterCard outlets
• Facility to withdraw cash at ATMs in India and abroad
• Add-on card facility available

Various banks issue Airlines Credit Cards in association with the top airline companies.

Air India SBI Platinum Card

• Welcome gift: 5,000 Reward Points (RP)
• Anniversary gift offer: 2,000 Reward Points on renewal of the card
• Annual fee: 1,499
• Renewal fee: 1,499
• Up to 15 RP on every 100 spend on the Air India SBI Platinum Card (10 RP for every 100 spent for purchasing air tickets on Air India for self and 5 RP for every 100 spent for buying tickets for others).
• Two RP for every 100 on other regular spending
• 15,000 Bonus Rewards Points annually (Annual spending 2 Lakhs will get you 5,000 RP, as you increase spending to 3 Lakhs, and addition 10,000 RP).
• 1% Fuel Surcharge waiver valid across all petrol pumps
• Complimentary Visa Lounge access at selected domestic airports (2 visits per quarter)
• Lost Card liability benefit is available up to 1 Lakh
• Convert big purchases into easy EMIs
• Book railway tickets online
• The variant Air India SBI Signature Card offers better benefits such as 20,000 RP as Welcome Bonus, 30RP for every 100 spent on the card, and up to 100,000 Bonus Rewards Points on annual spends of 5 Lakhs and above.

Etihad Guest SBI Premier Card

• Welcome gift: 5,000 Etihad Guest Miles
• Complimentary Etihad Guest Gold Tier Status after completing the first Credit Card transaction
• Six Etihad Guest Miles for every 100 spent on Etihad.com
• On other international spends: 4 Etihad Miles for every 100 spent
• Other spends excluding fuel: 2 Etihad Miles for every 100
• Up to 10% instant discount of Etihad Airways booking (3% on Economy class and 10% on business class).
• Up to 10% discount on the redemption of travel rewards miles
• Spend 1,50,000 in three months to earn 1,500 Etihad Guest Miles
• Spend 8,00,000 annually to get a 1-companion voucher
• Spend 5,00,000 annually to get waiver of an annual membership renewal fee
• Air Accident insurance cover is available to the prime card member for 50 Lakhs
• Credit shield 1 Lakh
• Lost baggage allowance: USD 1,000
• Complimentary Priority Pass membership for primary card member that includes 4 complimentary airport lounge access per year at international airports.
• Eight complimentary domestic airport lounge access every year
• Fuel surcharge waiver
• Annual fee: 4,999
• Renewal fee: 4,999
• Visa Privileges like discounts on car rentals, hotel bookings, and so on
• Flexi Pay and Balance transfer on EMI facility available
• A variant of this card, the Etihad Guest SBI Card is available with lesser benefits

American Express Platinum Travel Credit Card

• Membership fee: 3,500 for the first year
• Annual renewal fee: 5,000
• Welcome gift: 5,000 Milestone Bonus Membership Rewards Points
• Redeem these bonus points for travel vouchers with 4,000
• Every 50 you spend on the card gets you 1 membership RP (Not eligible of spending on fuel, utilities, cash withdrawals, and insurance).
• Spending 1.90 Lakhs in an anniversary year gets you Travel vouchers worth more than 7,700 (7,500 Spend Milestone Bonus plus 3,400 regular Membership reward points).
• Travel vouchers worth more than 11,800 on spending 4 Lakhs a year (10,000 Spend Milestone Bonus Points plus 3,600 regular Membership RP).
• Four complimentary airport lounge visits a year across domestic airports
• Taj E-Gift Card worth 10,000 from Taj Hotels
• Priority Pass membership
• Fuel Convenience fee exemption
• 20% on dining at select restaurants
• Facility to split the payments into EMIs

Note: Enjoy Special Offers on Flights Across the World only with American Express Platinum Travel Card.

Citi Premier Miles Card

• Welcome miles worth 4,500 in the first year
• Air miles worth 3,200 on airline spending
• Additional miles worth 11,600 on travel and other spending
• No expiry date for Air Miles earned on this Credit Card
• Annual fee: 3,000
• Spend up to 30,000 in the year and get waiver of an annual renewal fee of 1,000
• Complimentary access to domestic airport lounges
• Instantly pay with earned rewards points at select partners

HDFC Airline Cards

Regalia

• A dedicated travel and entertainment portal for redeeming rewards points earned through this programme.
• Redemption points against 20+ international airlines through KrisFlyer-Singapore Airlines FF Programme (Frequent Flyer).
• Complimentary Priority Pass for access to international airport lounges worldwide
• Air accident Insurance worth 1 Crore
• Emergency hospitalisation insurance: Up to 12 Lakhs
• Membership fee: 9,999
• Renewal fee: 5,000

Superia

• Welcome benefit: 1,000 RP
• Reward points against more than 20 international airlines under the KrisFlyer-Singapore Airlines FF Programme.
• Spend on dining at select restaurants to get 50% more rewards points
• Annual and Renewal fee: 999
• Get waivers depending on your spending patterns

Titanium Edge

• Get cashback against your outstanding amount by redeeming your reward points
• 2 RP for every 150 spent on the card
• 50% additional rewards points on dining at specific restaurants
• Annual fee: 599
• Renewal fee: 599

ICICI Bank Airline Credit Card

Jet Airways ICICI Bank Coral Credit Cards

• Membership fee: 1,250
• Welcome bonus offer: 2,500 JP Miles
• Renewal benefit offer: 1,250 JP Miles

Jet Airways ICICI Bank Rubyx Credit Cards

• Membership fee: 2,500
• Welcome bonus offer: 5,000 JP Miles plus Complimentary Jet Airways Ticket Code
• Renewal benefit: 2,500 JP Miles + Complimentary Jet Airways Ticket Code

Jet Airways ICICI Bank Sapphiro Credit Cards

• Membership fee: 5,000
• Welcome bonus offer: 10,000 JP Miles plus Complimentary Jet Airways Ticket Code
• Renewal benefit: 5,000 JP Miles plus Complimentary Jet Airways Ticket Code

Axis Bank Miles & More Credit Card

• Earn up to 55,000 miles in the first year and redeem the RP for exciting rewards
• Miles earned under this card do not expire, provided you satisfy the following conditions
• Hold this Credit Card for a minimum of three months
• Make at least one miles-related transaction every month
• Redeem your air miles to get upgrades with all Star Alliance partners
• Redemption is also permissible at hotel and resort bookings, shopping, and car rentals
• Get Priority Pass membership and two complimentary accesses at international airports
• Get air accident insurance coverage up to 4.50 Crores on Miles & More Select Card and up to 2.50 Crores on Miles & More Credit Card.
• The corresponding credit shield amounts are 5 Lakhs and 1 Lakh respectively
• Get other benefits such as discounts on dining expenses at select restaurants, fuel surcharge waiver, and facility to convert purchases to EMI.
• Joining fee: Select Card - 10,000 and Credit Card - 3,500
• Annual renewal fee: Select Card - 4,500 and Credit Card - 3,500

Similarly, many banks have their Airlines Credit Cards to cater to this specific segment of frequent flyers.