Best Premium Credit Cards in India 2025

Premium credit cards feature a higher reward rate and premium benefits like access to the loyalty programs of premium hotel chains, unlimited lounge access, VIP services at airports, complimentary golf games, etc. These cards cater to high-income individuals and come with stringent eligibility criteria requiring a high monthly income, an excellent CIBIL score, a good relationship value with the issuer, etc.

Some super-premium credit cards can also be invite-only, offered to limited customers. The annual fee on these cards is also comparatively high, ranging from Rs. 10,000 to Rs. 20,000 and sometimes going up to Rs. 60,000. However, the benefits on these cards, when optimized, can surpass the high fee by a wide margin. We have curated a list of the best premium credit cards in India, along with their features and benefits and a card review to help you make the right choice.

Top Premium Credit Cards in India for May 2025

Video: Best Premium Credit Cards 2025

Note: Details mentioned in the video have been sourced from the issuer’s website as of October 2024. For updated information, refer to this page.

Best Premium Credit Cards in India 2025

Here are the top premium credit cards that offer luxury travel and lifestyle benefits along with decent value back for your expenses.

1. HDFC Infinia Credit Card

Best Pick For: All-round Benefits (Rewards, Air miles, Lounge and Golf)
Joining Fee: Rs. 12,500+ taxes
Annual Fee: Rs. 12,500+ taxes (Waived off on spending Rs. 10 Lakh or more in the preceding year)

Key Features:

• Free Priority Pass Membership and unlimited access to its lounges in India & abroad
• Low foreign currency mark-up fee of 2% (GST extra)
• Unlimited free golf games at select golf courses in India and overseas
• Welcome benefit of 1 year Club Marriott Membership (Membership offers 20% discount on dining and stay)
• 5 reward points per Rs. 150 spent on retail, except fuel
• 10X rewards on travel and shopping via HDFC SmartBuy
• Good Food Trail Dining program at premium restaurants across top cities
• 1% fuel surcharge waiver at all fuel stations in India. Valid on transactions between Rs. 400 and Rs. 1 lakh

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HDFC Infinia credit card is an invite only card that has ruled the charts for the best premium credit cards in India for a long time. If offered, two strong reasons to opt for this card are an excellent reward rate and travel-focused features like unlimited lounge access, a low forex mark-up fee, and 1:1 redemption against popular airlines. If you are a high spender and a frequent traveler, you can easily maximize the benefits of this card by earning the maximum rewards and redeeming them at an equivalent value for your travel bookings.

2. HDFC Diners Club Black Metal Credit Card

Best Pick For: Rewards and International Travel
Joining Fee: Rs. 10,000 + Taxes
Annual Fee: Rs. 10,000 + Taxes (Waived off on spending Rs. 5 Lakh or more in the preceding year)

Key Features:

• Annual memberships of Club Marriott, Forbes, Amazon Prime, MMT BLACK, and Swiggy One (3 month) on spending Rs 1.5 lakh in the first 90 days
• 5 reward points on spending Rs. 150 across all retail spends
• Up to 10X reward points on SmartBuy spends
• 2X reward points on weekend dining
• Unlimited lounge access to 1,000+ airport Lounges in India and across the world for primary and add-on card members
• 6 golf games per quarter across selected courses in the world
• Low foreign currency mark-up fee of 2%

With the same reward rate of 3.33%, unlimited lounge access, low forex mark-up fee and golf benefits, HDFC Diners Club Black Card offers identical benefits to HDFC Infinia at a slightly lower annual fee. In fact, the DC Black Card comes with some additional benefits such as Amazon Prime, MMT Black, Times Prime and Swiggy One memberships and a quarterly milestone benefit of 10,000 bonus reward points. Consumers who spend a significant amount across all categories and value travel benefits like air miles and lounge can maximize the benefits of this card.

3. Axis Bank Burgundy Private Credit Card

Best Pick For: Rewards & Lifestyle Benefits

Joining Fee: Rs. 50,000 + Taxes (Nil for Burgundy Private customers)
Annual Fee: Rs. 50,000 + Taxes (Nil for Burgundy Private customers)

Key Features:

• 15 EDGE REWARD points per Rs. 200 spent on the card
• Complimentary EazyDiner Prime Membership for savings of up to 25% at fine-dining restaurants
• Free 50 rounds of golf every calendar year
• Free tickets for 5 movies and 5 non-movie tickets per month booked through BookMyShow
• Unlimited lounge access at domestic as well as international lounges
• 12 free guest visits every calendar year
• Free hotel and dining memberships, including Club Marriott, Accor Plus, and Taj Epicure
• Up to 15% off on International & Domestic Oberoi and Trident Hotels
• Up to 20% off and other privileges at Postcard hotels
• 0% forex mark-up fee
• Concessions on health and wellness coaching at Weljii; diagnoses at leading medical institutions, etc.

Axis Burgundy Private Credit Card is designed for high income individuals who spend a substantial amount every month, as they can make the most of its reward rate. It offers some exceptionally good international and domestic travel benefits, like zero forex mark-up fee and unlimited lounge access. The free guest visits extended for the lounge access is also better than most other premium credit cards. Besides, it offers the flexibility to increase the credit limit during foreign travel. Cardholders also get benefits with leading hotel chains like Club Marriott, Accor Plus, Taj Epicure, and the Postcard Hotels.

4. Axis Bank Reserve Credit Card

Best Pick For: Travel and Rewards
Joining Fee: Rs. 50,000 + Taxes
Annual Fee: Rs. 50,000 + Taxes (Waived off on spending Rs. 35 Lakh or more in the preceding year)

Key Features:

• Priority Pass membership with free unlimited international lounge visits for both primary and add-on cardholders
• Free unlimited domestic lounge visits for both primary and add-on cardholders
• 12 free guest visits across international and domestic lounges
• 8 free VIP assistance services
• Hotel benefits with multiple memberships like ITC Culinaire, Accorplus, Club Marriott Asia Pacific, Oberoi Hotels & Resorts, Postcard Hotel
• 15,000 Edge rewards on card activation
• 15 Edge reward Points per Rs. 200 spent
• 30 Edge reward Points (2x) per Rs. 200 spent internationally
• Low forex mark-up fee of 1.5%
• 50 free golf rounds every year across select golf courses in India
• Up to 25% off across premium restaurants via EazyDiner Prime Membership
• B1G1 offer on the movie (up to Rs. 500 off on second ticket) and non-movie ticket (up to Rs. 1,000 off on second ticket), five times in a month each
• Health and wellness benefits via Weljii, referral-based services for second medical opinion

Axis Reserve Credit Card is one of the most popular super-premium credit cards in India, offering travel and reward focused benefits. Consumers can avail benefits with leading hotel chains, unlimited lounge access for both primary and add-on cardholders, and low forex mark-up fee of 1.5%. The card also holds good value for international travellers as they get 6% value-back on international spends in the form of reward points.

5. YES Private Credit Card

Best Pick For: Rewards and International Travel
Joining Fee: Rs. 50,000 + Taxes
Annual Fee: Rs. 10,000 + Taxes (Waived off on spending Rs. 25 Lakh in the preceding year)

Key Features:

• Unlimited complimentary domestic and international lounge access for primary and add-on cardholder, along with 12 additional guest visits
• Exclusive benefits at select hotels like Shangri-la Singapore, Mandarin Oriental Hong Kong, Intercontinental Chennai, etc.
• Complimentary VIP airport meet and greet and ‘Airport by Invitation’ service
• Up to $1000 USD saving on round-trip private air charter booking through Vitesse Worldwide
• Low forex mark-up fee of 0.5%
• Welcome benefit of 2 Lakh reward points and Oberoi Hotels 3-gift voucher worth Rs. 9,000
• Additional 50,000 reward points on spending Rs. 10 Lakh or more in the first 90 days of card issuance
• 20 reward points per Rs. 200 spent on domestic transactions
• 40 reward points per Rs. 200 spent on international transactions
• 12 rounds of complimentary green fee and 12 complimentary golf lessons in a year, along with 4 complimentary green fees for guests
• Buy One Get One offer on movie tickets giving up to 4 free tickets in a calendar month

YES Private Credit Card is an invite-only card largely catering to the needs of international travellers. The card features a low forex mark-up fee of 0.5% and offers higher reward earning on international spends, thus allowing travellers to get significant value-back. Discount on stay, complimentary room upgrade and hotel credits further add to its travel benefits. In addition to the benefits for primary users, complimentary lounge access and golf benefits are also extended to guests. Overall, this card could be a great option for high-spenders and travellers.

6. HSBC Taj Credit Card

Best Pick For: Premium Hotel Benefits
Joining Fee: Rs. 1,10,000 + Taxes
Annual Fee: Rs. 1,10,000 + Taxes

Key Features:

• Taj InnerCircle Platinum NeuPass membership covering benefits like priority/early check-ins, late check-outs, dedicated 24/7 Platinum concierge service, and more
• Free night stay (plus breakfast) at a Taj Palace hotel and 2 nights at any participating hotel
• Complimentary access to The Chambers Lounge and Taj Club Lounge
• 25% savings on room/suite stay at Taj Palaces, Safaris and other properties
• Unlimited airport lounge access in India and abroad
• 15% savings on duty-free with AdaniOne
• 4 chauffeur-driven limousine transfers a year offered via Blacklane
• 5 reward points per Rs. 100 spent at participating hotel chains
• Discount at Starbucks, Tira, PVR Cinemas, Zomato, Swiggy, Croma and more

A premium hotel co-branded credit card, HSBC Taj caters to the affluent travellers who value ultra-luxury experiences. Travel benefits range from complimentary memberships, savings on hotel stays to accelerated reward rates and unlimited lounge access. Access to elite clubs like the Chambers Lounge, Taj Club Lounge, and networking events featuring celebrated speakers, entertainment and masterclasses—features that align with the card’s high annual fee. In addition to its core focus on travel and hospitality, HSBC Taj Credit Card extends benefits across other premium categories, offering instant discounts with popular lifestyle brands, enhancing the overall value of the card.

7. IDFC FIRST Private Credit Card

Best Pick For: Rewards and Travel
Joining Fee: Rs. 50,000 + Taxes
Annual Fee: Rs. 50,000 + Taxes

Key Features:

• 1,00,000 reward points worth Rs. 25,000 and Complimentary Club ITC Culinaire Select & Accor Plus Explorer Memberships as welcome benefits
• Complimentary Taj Experiences Signature dining voucher on spending Rs. 15 Lakh in 6 months
• Unlimited complimentary lounge access worldwide
• Unlimited complimentary golf rounds & lessons
• Unlimited complimentary railway lounge access
• 0% interest on cash withdrawal
• 0% forex markup fee
• 15% off on a stay at Trident Hotel
• Complimentary night at ITC Hotels by paying for 2 consecutive nights
• Up to Rs. 1,500 off on ticket bookings through BookMyShow
• 3 reward points for every Rs. 100 spent on rent & education related payments
• 1 reward point for every Rs. 100 spent on insurance premium payments
• 10 reward points for every Rs. 100 spent

IDFC First Private Credit Card is an invite-only super premium credit card that offers benefits around rewards, travel, movies, and golf. The card offers memberships to premium hotel loyalty programs like Club ITC Culinaire Select and Accor Plus Explorer, along with the Taj Experience Signature Dining Voucher as milestone benefit. Cardholders can get a decent value back across all monthly spends, including categories like rent, education, and insurance premium payments, albeit at a lower rate. However, unlike most other premium cards, IDFC FIRST Private does not provide the option to transfer reward points into air miles.

8. Axis Bank Magnus Credit Card

Best Pick For: Travel & Rewards
Joining Fee: Rs. 12,500 + Taxes
Annual Fee: Rs. 12,500 + Taxes (Waived off on spending Rs. 25 Lakh in the preceding year)

Key Features:

• Luxe gift card/ The Postcard Hotels/ Yatra voucher worth Rs. 12,500 on making the first transaction within 30 days from card issuance
• 12 EDGE reward points per Rs. 200 spent on cumulative monthly spends of up to Rs. 1.5 Lakh
• 35 EDGE reward points per Rs. 200 spent above cumulative monthly spends of Rs. 1.5 Lakh
• 60 EDGE reward points per Rs. 200 spent on Travel EDGE portal up to cumulative monthly spends of Rs. 2 Lakh
• 35 EDGE reward points per Rs. 200 spent on Travel EDGE portal above monthly spends of Rs. 2 Lakh
• Unlimited complimentary international lounge visits with Priority Pass and 4 additional guest visits per year
• Unlimited visits to select domestic airport lounges for both primary and add-on cardholders (subject to spending Rs. 50,000 in the previous three months)

Two frequent rounds of devaluation left a significant impact on the savings potential offered by Axis Magnus. However, it can still be a good option for high-spenders, as the card offers accelerated earnings on monthly spends beyond Rs. 1.5 Lakh. The card comes with a decent reward redemption of 5:2 against travel partners that are divided into Group A and Group B, with varying redemption limits of 1 lakh and 4 lakh, respectively. Thus, users who prefer partners in Group B, such as ITC, SpiceJet, Vistara, Air India, etc., can best derive the benefits.

9. ICICI Emeralde Private Credit Card

Best Pick For: Rewards and Travel
Joining Fee: Rs. 12,499 + Taxes
Annual Fee: Rs. 12,499 + Taxes (Reversed on spending Rs. 10 Lakh in the preceding year)

Key Features:

• Taj Epicure membership and 12,500 bonus rewards as card activation benefits
• 6 ICICI reward points per Rs. 200 spent, including spends on grocery, education, utilities, and insurance payments
• Vouchers worth Rs. 6,000 as milestone benefits
• Unlimited domestic and international lounge access every year
• Unlimited golf lessons or rounds every month
• Complimentary EazyDiner Membership every year
• Buy 1 ticket and get up to Rs. 750 off on the 2nd ticket on BookMyShow bookings twice a month

Like most cards in this category, the ICICI Emeralde Private Credit Card appears as an all-round credit card, justifying the high fee. This card comes with a reward rate of 3%, which is good but slightly lower than the other two prominent cards in the list, Infinia and DC Black, which offer a rate of 3.33%. The milestone and welcome benefits on the card are travel-centric, as users get EaseMyTrip vouchers and Taj Epicure membership. Overall, the card emerges as a suitable option for high-spenders who prefer utilizing their reward points for travel as well as other categories.

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