By IndiaHub 
In our story, we will compare a few major travel-focused credit cards such as Axis Atlas, HSBC TravelOne, HDFC Regalia Gold and HDFC Diners Club Black, based on data from credit card optimisation platform SaveSage, and also look at other premium and mid-tier options to understand which credit cards deliver the highest value for spends and suit different categories of travellers. We have categorised the credit cards based on the eligibility criteria for various income levels.
Premium Travel Credit Cards
Premium credit cards offer superior reward rates, milestone benefits, extensive lounge access and lifestyle privileges. These are aimed at high-income users and frequent travellers who can maximise value through partner redemptions and higher annual spends.
Let us discuss the offerings of some of these premium travel credit cards.
HDFC Regalia Gold
Eligibility & Fee: Rs 1 lakh monthly income, Rs 2,500 fee
Core Value: Balanced value for occasional travellers
Earnings
- 5X reward points (RPs) at Marks & Spencer, Myntra, Nykaa, Reliance Digital
- 4 reward points per Rs 150 spent on daily retail spends (like grocery, apparel, utility/bill payments, school fees etc)
Milestones
- 2,000 bonus RPs on insurance spends and 5,000 bonus RPs on select brands offering 5X rewards.
Redemption
- Rs 0.65 per point (Gold Catalogue)
- Rs 0.50 (flights/hotels) | Rs 0.20 cashback
- Monthly cap: 50,000 RPs
Travel Benefits
- 12 domestic lounges | Club Vistara Silver | MMT Black Elite
Best for: Occasional travellers who want perks without high spending
HDFC Diners Club Black Metal
Eligibility & Fee: Rs 2.5 lakh monthly income, Rs 10,000 fee
Core Value: Maximum returns for high-spenders
Earnings
- 5 RPs per Rs 150
- Up to 10X rewards via SmartBuy portal
Milestones
- Rs 80,000 monthly spends = vouchers
- Rs 4 lakh quarterly = 10,000 bonus RPs
- Fee waiver on annual spends of Rs 8 lakh
Redemption
- 1 RP = Rs 1 (SmartBuy) | Up to 1 airmile | Rs 0.50 vouchers | Rs 0.30 cashback
- Monthly cap: 50,000 RPs
Travel Benefits
- Annual memberships: Club Marriott, Times Prime, Amazon Prime, Swiggy One
Best for: Heavy travellers & premium lifestyle users
American Express Platinum Reserve Credit Card
Eligibility & Fee: Rs 10,000 joining & annual fee
Core Value: Premium lifestyle benefits and international lounge access
Earnings
- Reward Accelerator: 5X rewards on Air India and select premium brands like Tata Cliq Luxury & Darveys
- Membership Reward Points never expire
Milestones
- Rs 50,000 monthly spends = Rs 1,000 voucher + two complimentary golf rounds at 30+ courses in India
- Spend-linked fee waiver at Rs 10 lakh annual spends
Redemption
Transfer points to hotel partners like Marriott (100:100) and Hilton (100:90)
Travel & Lifestyle Benefits
- Accor+, Taj Epicure & EazyDiner Prime memberships
- Domestic & international lounge access
- Air accident insurance of Rs 1 crore and purchase protection of Rs 2 lakh
Best For: Travellers and premium lifestyle users seeking luxury memberships and lounge access
American Express Platinum Travel Credit Card
Eligibility & Fee: Rs 5,000 joining & renewal fee (+ taxes)
Core Value: High travel value unlocked through milestone bonuses and lounge access
Earnings
Earn Membership rewards points on eligible spends
Milestones
- Bonus Membership Rewards points on achieving annual spend threshold
- On Rs 4 lakh annual spends: Rs 10,000 Taj voucher + 2-3 complimentary Marriott nights (via 1:1 transfer of ~48,000 points)
- Value reduces if spends significantly exceed Rs 4 lakh annually
Redemption
Points redeemable for travel bookings and partner catalogues; higher value achievable via partner transfers and milestone-based redemptions
Travel Benefits
- 8 domestic lounge visits per year (max 2 per quarter)
- Complimentary Priority Pass membership (annual fee waived)
Best For: Moderate travellers who can maximise milestone rewards within Rs 4 lakh annual spends
Beyond the cards covered in this analysis, Ashish Lath, founder & CEO, SaveSage, a credit card optimisation platform, points to other premium options such as HDFC Infinia, ICICI Bank’s Emerald Private (EPM), Kotak Solitaire and HSBC Premia, which deliver substantial value through accelerated earning on travel spending. HDFC Infinia can yield around 16.5% value on flight bookings and 33% on hotel spends, while ICICI Emerald Private can offer up to 18% value on flights and 36% on hotels through the iShop portal, says Ashish. HSBC Premia can provide up to 72 hotel-related advantages, making it attractive for frequent travellers.
For individuals having a monthly income of over Rs 5 lakh, premium cards such as HDFC Infinia, ICICI Emerald Private, HSBC Premier / Premia and Axis Magnus Burgundy are good options, with the potential to earn up to 18% value back on travel.
Premium Travel Credit Cards – Detailed Comparison
| Card | Eligibility | Fees | Base earning rate | Accelerated earning |
| HDFC Regalia Gold | Salaried income > Rs 1 lakh/month | Rs 2,500 | 4 reward points per Rs 150 spent on daily retail spends (like grocery, apparel, utility/bill payments, school fees etc) | 5X RPs at Marks & Spencer, Myntra, Nykaa, Reliance Digital |
| HDFC Diners Club Black Metal | Salaried income > Rs 2.5 lakh/month | Rs 10,000 | 5 RPs / Rs 150 | Up to 10X via SmartBuy portal |
| American Express Platinum Reserve | Fee-based eligibility | Rs 10,000 | 1 Membership reward point per Rs 50 spent (except fuel, insurance, utilities, cash transaction) | 5X on Air India, Tata Cliq Luxury & Darveys |
| American Express Platinum Travel | Income-based eligibility | Rs 5,000 + taxes | 1 Membership reward point per Rs 50 spent (except fuel, insurance, utilities, cash transaction) | Milestone-based accelerated value |
Mid-tier Travel Credit Cards
Mid-tier credit cards provide strong travel-linked benefits and flexible reward earning at more accessible fee and eligibility levels, making them suitable for moderate spenders seeking balanced value without premium-level costs.
Ashish categorises Axis Atlas and HSBC TravelOne credit cards within the middle-tier segment travel credit cards, along with a few others.
Axis Bank Atlas Credit Card
Status: Not being issued currently (as per Ashish Lath)
Core Value: Strong accelerated miles & partner conversions
Earnings
- 2 EDGE Miles per Rs 100 (regular spends)
- 5 EDGE Miles per Rs 100 (direct airlines, hotels, Travel Edge portal)
Limits & Exclusions
- Accelerated earning capped at Rs 2 lakh per month
- Excluded: gold/jewellery, rent, insurance, government, utilities, telecom, fuel, wallet
Milestones
- Welcome 2,500 miles | Rs 3 lakh = 2,500 miles | Rs 7.5 lakh = +2,500 miles | Rs 15 lakh = +5,000 miles
Redemption
- 1 EDGE Mile = Rs 1 on direct travel redemption
- Highest value achieved via partner transfers such as Accor (1:2), where effective value can exceed 4x
- Annual transfer cap: 30,000 miles in Group A partners and 1,20,000 miles in Group B (check if Group A and Group B partner list is needed)
Travel Benefits
- 12 domestic & international lounge visits
Best For: Frequent international travellers using partner transfer value
Arnika Dixit, President & Head of Cards, Payments and Wealth Management at Axis Bank said, “The bank as part of its standard process reviews its product suite from time to time and focuses on ensuring a wider range of segment coverage through its propositions. Travel continues to remain a key segment for card issuances and the Bank will continue to promote its large portfolio of travel centric cards and benefits. Decision on new issuances of the Axis Bank Atlas Credit Card will be subject to subsequent periodic reviews.”
HSBC TravelOne Credit Card
Eligibility & Fee: Rs 6 lakh annual income, Rs 4,999 fee, availability limited across cities
Core Value: Easy partner transfers + flexible travel categories
Earnings
- 2 RPs per Rs 100
- 4 RPs per Rs 100 (flights, travel aggregators, forex)
- Up to 12X via HSBC portal | Monthly cap: 18,000 RPs
Milestones
- Rs 12 lakh spends = 10,000 RPs
Redemption
- 1:1 transfer ratio | No transfer cap
Travel Benefits
- 6 domestic + 4 international lounges | Golf | Duty-free offers | Purchase protection
Best For: Moderate travellers seeking versatility
Axis Bank Horizon Credit Card
Eligibility & Fee: Rs 3,000 annual fee + GST
Core Value: Strong earning rate on travel and airline spends with lounge access
Earnings
- 5 EDGE Miles per Rs 100 on Travel EDGE portal and direct airline bookings
- 2 EDGE Miles per Rs 100 on other spends
Milestones
Bonus EDGE Miles on card activation and renewal
Travel Benefits
Complimentary domestic and international lounge access
Lifestyle Benefits
Dining Delights programme with special dining offers
Best For: Travellers seeking strong travel earnings and lounge perks at a moderate fee
Axis Atlas previously led the mid-segment category with the strongest accelerated rewards and partner transfer value, but is currently not being issued, making HSBC TravelOne the second-best choice now, said Ashish Lath.
Mid-Tier Travel Credit Cards – Detailed Comparison Table
| Card | Eligibility | Fees | Base earning rate | Accelerated earning |
| Axis Atlas | Not currently issued | – | 2 EDGE Miles / Rs 100 | 5 EDGE Miles / Rs 100 on Travel (Airlines, Hotels, TravelEdge) |
| HSBC TravelOne | Rs 6 lakh annual income | Rs 4,999 | 2 RP / Rs 100 | 4 RP / Rs 100 on travel & forex, 12X on portal |
| Axis Bank Horizon | Income-based eligibility | Rs 3,000 + GST | 2 EDGE Miles / Rs 100 | 5 EDGE Miles / Rs 100 on airlines & TravelEdge |
How can users maximise the reward points from travel credit cards?
According to Ashish Lath, the benefits can vary for different segments of credit cards. Premium travel credit cards deliver the strongest value when users maximise flight and hotel bookings and transfer accumulated reward points to partner airline and hotel loyalty programmes rather than redeeming them for cashback. He said that travel cards provide the highest return when optimised through partner transfers, which can generate disproportionately higher value compared to face-value redemptions.
Which travel credit card is right for you?
Each of the cards evaluated offers distinct advantages across lounge access, reward earning rates, redemption flexibility and milestone structures. For frequent travellers who maximise travel and international spending benefits, premium cards may deliver superior value, while moderate spenders may find better optimisation through mid-segment alternatives. The ideal choice ultimately depends on how easily annual fees can be recovered, the ability to utilise accelerated rewards, and preferences between cashback and airline or hotel loyalty programmes.
Selecting the right travel credit card can meaningfully enhance returns on travel expenditure, ensuring higher value per rupee and a more seamless travel experience.
FAQs on travel credit cards
- Which cards can you use for travel rewards?
Cards with accelerated travel earnings and partner conversions like HDFC Diners Club Black, American Express Platinum Travel and HSBC TravelOne can offer several rewards on travel spendings.
- Which credit cards are suitable for international travel?
- Premium cards such as HDFC Infinia, ICICI Emerald Private, HSBC Premia and Axis Atlas are better suited for international travel due to high reward value, lounge access and partner transfers.
- Is it best to use a credit card for international travel?
Yes, travel credit cards can provide higher value when used for flight and hotel bookings, especially when rewards are redeemed via airline and hotel loyalty programmes.
- What is better for international travel: credit card or forex card?
Travel credit cards can offer higher overall value through rewards, partner transfers and milestone benefits compared to simple spend-only alternatives.