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Best Premium Credit Cards in India for HNIs 2021

The list below shows the best premium credit cards in India from different banks.

Credit CardAnnual Fee (Excluding Taxes)Premium HighlightEligibility Criteria*
HDFC Bank Diners Club BlackRs. 10,000Annual Memberships (MMT DoubleBlack, Club Marriott, etc.)Minimum Income: 1.75 lakh per month
HDFC Bank InfiniaRs. 10,000Unlimited free golf games at select courses worldwide.By Invitation Only
SBI Card ELITERs. 4,999Free Memberships (Club Vistara, Priority Pass, etc.)Minimum Income: Rs. 60,000 per month
American Express Platinum ReserveRs. 10,000Hotel Privileges at Taj hotels and Preferred Hotels & ResortsMinimum Income: Rs. 6 lakh per annum
ICICI Bank EmeraldeRs. 12,000Unlimited Lounge Access

No over limit, cash withdrawal or late payment charges

Minimum Income: Rs. 3 lakh per month
or
ICICI Bank Global Private Client
Standard Chartered UltimateRs. 4,999Get access to select golf courses in India and 150 courses worldwideMinimum Income: Rs. 2 Lakh per month
YES First ExclusiveRs 9,999Unlimited Priority Pass accessMinimum Income: Rs. 4 lakh per month

*Minimum income shown is for salaried applicants only. Income and other eligibility criteria for self-employed applicants may be different.

Almost all major banks in India have at least one premium credit card in their list, targeted at the High Net-worth Individuals (HNIs). They reach out to their affluent clientele to offer these cards along with very high credit limit. Premium credit cards are packed with huge benefits across categories but they also charge high annual fee for it. So, before we go on and talk about the top premium credit cards in India, here are the 3 most important things to know about a premium credit card.

3 Most Important Facts about Premium Credit Cards

1. Not everyone will qualify for Premium Credit Cards
2. They usually carry a very high annual fee (Rs. 10,000 to Rs. 20,000), sometimes even beyond Rs. 50,000
3. Unlike regular cards, premium credit cards come with exclusive benefits

Read more about the 7 best premium credit cards in India below:

1. HDFC Bank Diners Club Black Credit Card
2. HDFC Bank Infinia Credit Card
3. SBI Card ELITE
4. American Express® Platinum Reserve Credit Card
5. ICICI Emeralde Credit Card
6. Standard Chartered Bank Ultimate Credit Card
7. YES First Exclusive Credit Card

1. HDFC Bank Diners Club Black Credit Card

BEST PICK FOR: Rewards and Air Miles

ANNUAL FEE: Rs. 10,000 + Taxes (Waived on spending Rs. 5 lakh or more)

MINIMUM INCOME REQUIREMENT: Rs. 1.75 lakh per month

HDFC Diners Club Black Credit Card is counted among the best premium credit cards in India with travel benefits. Key features of this card are:

  • Earn 5 Reward Points per Rs. 150 spent
  • Convert reward points into air miles in 1:1 ratio and use SmartBUY to book the tickets
  • Air miles can be transferred to these Frequent Flyer Programs: British Airways Executive Club (Avios), InterMiles, Singapore Airlines (KrisFlyer Miles) and Club Vistara
  • Complimentary annual membership to Amazon Prime, Zomato Gold, Club Marriott, MMT Double Black, Forbes and Times Prime
  • Low foreign currency markup fee of 1.99%
  • Lounge access to over 1,000 airport lounges
  • 6 complimentary golf games per quarter
  • Air Accident Cover of up to Rs. 2 crore
  • Lost card protection cover of 9 lakh
  • Overseas Medical Insurance Cover of Rs. 50 lakh

Interested? Find More Details here

Not eligible for HDFC Diners Club Black Card? Consider these two similar cards that are easier to qualify for.

Citi Premier Miles Credit Card

Citi Premier Miles Credit CardAnnual Fee: Rs. 2,999

RBL Bank World Safari Credit Card

RBL World Safari Credit CardAnnual Fee: Rs. 5,000

Minimum Income: Rs. 25,000 per month

Minimum Income: Rs. 25,000 per month

10 Miles per Rs. 100 spent on airline transactions
Redeem Miles against 14 Airline and Hotel Partners

5 Travel Points per Rs. 100 spent on travel-related expenses
Convert Travel Point into Air miles

Related Read: Best Credit Cards for Airport Lounge Access

2. HDFC Bank Infinia Credit Card

BEST PICK FOR: Rewards and Air Miles

ANNUAL FEE: Rs. 10,000 + Taxes (Waived on spending Rs. 8 lakh or more)

THIS CARD IS AVAILABLE BY INVITE ONLY

HDFC Bank Infinia is one of the best premium credit cards on the market. Its benefits are listed below:

  • Get free Priority Pass Membership and unlimited access to its lounges in India & abroad
  • Low Foreign Currency Mark-up fee of 2%
  • 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 stays at their hotels
  • Earn 5 reward points per Rs. 150 spent on retail, except fuel. 2X rewards are offered on dining spends and 10X on travel and shopping spends made via HDFC SmartBuy
  • Air accident death coverage of up to Rs. 3 crore
  • Medical Emergency Cover of Rs. 50 lakh
  • Credit Shield Cover of up to Rs. 9 lakh
  • Avail 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

Interested? Find More Details here

Read Review

Find HDFC Infinia Credit Card’s annual fee too high? Consider these 2 Similar Cards with Lower Fee and Relaxed Eligibility.

YES First Preferred Credit Card

Yes First Preferred Credit CardAnnual Fee: Rs. 2,499

RBL Bank World Safari Credit Card

RBL World Safari Credit CardAnnual Fee: Rs. 3,000

Minimum Income: Rs. 1.5 lakh per monthMinimum Income: Rs. 25,000 per month
16 Reward Points per Rs. 200 spent on Travel related expenses and Dining
Foreign Currency Conversion Fee – 1.75%		5 Travel Points per Rs. 100 spent on travel-related expenses
0% Foreign Currency Conversion Fee

*Terms and conditions apply

3. SBI Card ELITE

BEST PICK FOR: International Travel & Rewards

ANNUAL FEE: Rs. 4,999 (Waived off on spending Rs. 10 Lakh in a year)

MINIMUM INCOME REQUIREMENT: Rs. 60,000 per month

SBI Card ELITE is designed for frequent international travellers. It comes packed with premium features that make travel cheaper and luxurious. The features of the card are:

  • Priority Pass Membership along with 2 free visits at international lounges per calendar quarter
  • 2 free domestic airport lounge visits per calendar quarter
  • Club Vistara Silver membership which provides:
    • 1 free lounge access voucher
    • 1 flight ticket upgrade voucher
    • 9 Club Vistara Points for every Rs. 100 spent on Vistara Flight bookings
  • Trident Privilege Red Tier membership which provides:
    • 1,000 Welcome Points on registration
    • 1,500 Bonus Points on first stay and additional Rs. 1,000 hotel credit on an extended night stay
    • 10% instant savings on bookings made via hotel website
    • Earn 10 points for every Rs. 100 spent on partner hotels
  • Earn up to 50,000 Bonus Reward Points worth Rs. 12,500 per year as milestone benefit
  • Foreign Currency Mark-up Charge of 1.99%
  • Earn at least 2 Reward Points per Rs. 100 retail spends, excluding fuel expenses
  • 5X Reward Points on Dining, Departmental stores and Grocery Spends
  • Earn 2 Reward Points per Rs.100 spent on International transactions

Interested? Find More Details here

Read Review

Similar Credit Cards with Lower Annual Fee

Air India SBI Platinum Credit Card

SBI Elite Credit CardAnnual Fee: Rs. 1,499

Axis Bank Vistara Credit Card

Annual Fee: Rs. 1,500

Minimum Income: Rs. 40,000 per monthMinimum Income: Communicated at the time of application
Earn up to 15 Reward Points per Rs. 100 spent
1 Reward Point is worth 1 Air mile		Earn 2 Club Vistara Points for every Rs. 200 spent
Get up to 5 free Economy Class Tickets

4. American Express® Platinum Reserve Credit Card

BEST PICK FOR: Travel & Rewards

ANNUAL FEE: Rs. 10,000 + Taxes

MINIMUM INCOME REQUIREMENT: Rs. 6 Lakh per annum

American Express® Platinum ReserveSM Credit Card is a premium credit card best suited for people who travel & want to earn reward points. The various benefits provided are:

  • Welcome Gift of 11,000 Bonus Membership Points
  • Earn 1 Membership Rewards Point for every Rs. 50 spent. Reward points are not earned on Fuel, Insurance, Utilities, Cash Transactions and EMI conversion at Point of Sale
  • Movie/online shopping vouchers worth Rs. 6,000 per year
  • Get offers at Taj Hotels Palaces Resorts Safaris & Preferred Hotel Group
  • Access to American Express and other domestic lounges in India
  • Complimentary membership to Priority Pass program
  • Special benefits at Max Healthcare facilities
  • Free access to leading golf courses in India
  • Up to 20% off on dining expenses at select restaurants
  • If an item is stolen, damaged or breaks due to fire, earthquake, flood, storm, cyclone, etc. within 60 days of purchase, then customer can get a refund
  • Concierge service
  • Convenience fee waiver on HPCL fuel stations

Not eligible for this American Express Credit Card? Here are 2 similar cards which are easier to qualify for.

SBI Card Prime

SBI Card PrimeAnnual Fee: Rs. 2,999

American Express SmartEarn™ Credit Card

Amex SmartEarn Credit CardAnnual Fee: Rs. 495

Minimum Income: Rs. 32,000 per monthMinimum Income: Rs. 4.5 Lakh per annum
Earn up to 15 Reward Points per Rs. 100 spentEarn 1 Membership Reward point for every Rs. 50 spent across all categories except fuel, insurance, utilities and cash transactions

5. ICICI Emeralde Credit Card

BEST PICK FOR: Lifestyle Benefits

ANNUAL FEE: Rs. 12,000 + Taxes (Spend Rs. 15 lakh in a year to get the waiver) OR

MONTHLY FEE: Rs. 1,000 + Taxes (Spend Rs. 1 lakh in a month to get the waiver)

MINIMUM INCOME REQUIREMENT: Rs. 3 lakh per month or ICICI Bank Global Private Client Status

This is another premium credit card offered by ICICI Bank. Customers get a choice between two plans; one that charges Rs. 1,000 monthly fee or Rs. 12,000 annual fee. The card also comes in two variants namely Mastercard and American Express. Key highlights of this card are:

  • Avail up to Rs. 750 off under the ‘Buy One Get One’ offer on BookMyShow; this offer can be availed 4 times in a month
  • Earn up to 4 PAYBACK Points per Rs. 100 spent on retail expenses except fuel, utilities and insurance
  • 50% discount on Annual Membership fee of Gold’s Gym and a free diet consultation
  • 15% off on all services at O2 Spa and 20% off on gold making charges at Joyalukkas on the American Express variant of ICICI Emeralde
  • Get 1 complimentary golf round on spending Rs. 50,000; enjoy this benefit 4 times a month
  • Low foreign exchange markup fee of 1.5%
  • Foreign exchange mark-up fee is only 1.5%
  • Interest rate on cash withdrawals is 1.99% only
  • No over-limit fee, cash withdrawal fee or late payment charges
  • Unlimited free domestic airport spa access via Dreamfolks DragonPass program
  • Unlimited domestic and international airport lounge access via Dragon Pass Program and American Express Lounge Program / Mastercard Lounge Program
  • Concierge service is provided to make reservations, gift deliveries, avail medical services and more
  • Get waiver on the 1% Fuel Surcharge fee at any fuel station
  • 15% discount on dining bill via ICICI Bank Culinary Treats program
  • Personal Air Accident Insurance cover of up to Rs. 3 crore
  • Credit shield cover of up to Rs. 50,000
  • Baggage insurance cover of up to Rs. 25,000

Interested? Find More Details here

Not eligible for ICICI Emeralde Credit Card? Here are 2 Similar Cards with Easier Eligibility Terms.

ICICI Bank Rubyx Credit Card

Annual Fee: Rs. 2,000

ICICI Bank Sapphiro Credit Card

Annual Fee: Rs. 2,500

Minimum Income: Rs. 6 Lakh per annumMinimum Income: Rs. 9.60 Lakh per annum
Earn up to 6 PAYBACK Points per Rs. 100 spent
Get up to 2 free golf rounds for every Rs. 50,000 spent		Earn up to 6 PAYBACK Points per Rs. 100 spent
Get up to 4 free golf rounds for every Rs. 50,000 spent

6. Standard Chartered Bank Ultimate Credit Card

BEST PICK FOR : Cashback

ANNUAL FEE : Rs. 5,000 + Taxes

MINIMUM INCOME REQUIREMENT : Rs. 2 Lakh per month

Standard Chartered Ultimate Credit Card is among the few premium credit cards in India that are designed around cashback feature. Here are the details of this card:

  • Low foreign currency mark-up of 2% on international spends
  • 5% cashback on duty-free spends
  • Complimentary Priority Pass Membership giving access to 1,000+ lounges across the globe
  • Access to 20 premier golf courses in India and 150 golf courses worldwide
  • 24×7 ultimate concierge service
  • Discount on Airport Fast Track Immigration Service at more than 450 destinations across the globe with 25% discount
  • Up to 35% saving on international car rental with Avis and 25% with Hertz

Interested? Find More Details here

Similar Cards with Low Annual Fee and Relaxed Eligibility Terms

Amazon Pay ICICI Bank Credit Card

Amazon Pay ICICI Credit CardAnnual Fee: Nil

Standard Chartered Manhattan Platinum Card

Standard Chartered Manhattan PlatinumAnnual Fee: Rs. 999

Minimum Income: Communicated at the time of sourcingMinimum Income: Rs. 90,000 per month
5% cashback on Amazon for PRIME Users
Unlimited 1% cashback on other spends		5% cashback on Big Bazaar, Reliance Fresh and more
20% cashback on Uber rides

Also Read: Best Cashback Credit Cards in India

7. YES First Exclusive Credit Card

BEST PICK FOR: Travel & Rewards

ANNUAL FEE: Rs. 9,999 (Spend Rs. 6 lakh in a year to get a waiver)

MINIMUM INCOME REQUIREMENT: Rs. 4 Lakh per month

YES First Exclusive Credit Card offers lots of privileges to its user while offering waiver on the annual fee. The details of this card are:

  • Welcome Benefit of 40,000 Reward Points on the first transaction done within first 90 days of card issuance
  • Renewal Benefit of 30,000 Reward Points on payment of renewal fee
  • Earn 25,000 Bonus Reward Points on spending of Rs. 20 lakh or more in an anniversary year
  • Earn up to 24 reward points per Rs. 200 on making payment to tour and travel operators, domestic airlines or on dining
  • Get 1,000 Reward Points on each YES PayNow registration
  • 1 free Golf Lesson every month & 3 Green Fee waivers at select golf courses in India
  • Priority Pass Membership with unlimited free visits for Primary and Add-on Cardholders
  • Unlimited domestic lounge access for Primary as well as Add-on Card members via MasterCard
  • Life Insurance Cover of Rs. 3 crore in case of death due to Flight Accidents
  • Overseas Medical Insurance cover of Rs. 50 lakhs for emergency hospitalization
  • Credit Shield cover in case of accidental death of the primary cardholder
  • Interest Rate of 1.99% per month (23.88% annually) on Revolving Credit, Cash Advances and Overdue Amount
  • 25% discount on movie tickets via BookMyShow
  • 1% Fuel surcharge waiver at all fuel stations in India. Valid for transactions between Rs. 400 & Rs. 5,000

Interested? Find More Details here

Is the income requirement too high? Consider these cards with similar benefits and relaxed eligibility.

YES Prosperity Edge Credit Card

Annual Fee: Rs. 1,199

ICICI Bank Sapphiro Credit Card

Annual Fee: Rs. 3,500

Minimum Income: Rs. 60,000 per monthMinimum Income: Rs. 9.6 Lakh per annum
Earn up to 8 Reward Points per Rs. 200 spent on travel, groceries, etc.
1 free Golf Lesson every month & 3 Green Fee waivers at select golf courses in India		Earn up to 6 PAYBACK Points per Rs. 100 spent
Get up to 4 free golf rounds for every Rs. 50,000 spent

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) about Premium Credit Cards

What makes a credit card premium?
Are premium credit cards worth the high annual fee?
Who should get a premium credit card?
Do premium credit cards come with high credit limit?
What should be kept in mind before getting a premium credit card?
What makes a credit card premium?

By definition, a premium credit card would be one that charges a high annual fee and in lieu of that offers exclusive benefits across multiple categories. These benefits cannot be availed with a normal credit card. Some common benefits of premium credit cards include:

  • Membership to a premium lounge access program
  • Benefits on international travel
  • Access to premium golf courses in India and abroad
  • High-value insurance cover such as air accident cover, overseas hospitalization cover, etc.
  • Exclusive concierge service for air ticket booking, hotel booking, roadside assistance, flower and gift delivery, etc.
Are premium credit cards worth the high annual fee?

The cost of any credit card would be justified only if you make the most of its benefits. So, if you choose the card accordingly, the high annual fee should not be a problem.

Let us understand this with the help of an example.

The most important benefit of a premium credit card would be the membership of exclusive programs. If you enroll for these programs otherwise, then you may have to pay a really high amount. But the card offers you such subscription for free along with several other benefits. For example, a Priority Pass Membership costs $99 but with most of the premium credit cards, it comes complimentary.

Who should get a premium credit card?

A premium credit card would be well-suited for someone who:

  • Wishes to enjoy exclusive privileges on his credit card
  • Does not mind paying a high annual fee if the benefits make up to it
  • Travels a lot for business/leisure and would like to save on the expenses
  • Would like to save on the overall expenses of an international trip
  • Wants secure travel with complimentary insurance covers
  • Would prefer seats at exclusive shows or invitation only programs
Do premium credit cards come with high credit limit?

As mentioned above, premium credit cards are offered to people with high income. And the credit limit is directly related to the user’s income and the limits on his previous credit cards. Card issuers also check the repayment behavior of the user but the income would be the first thing that they consider. So, through this relation, we could say that the limit on premium credit cards would be higher than usual.

What should be kept in mind before getting a premium credit card?

From what it looks, premium credit cards are quite beneficial but you must keep a few things in mind before applying for a premium card-

  • The fees on premium credit card can be massive so you should be sure whether you are ready to pay that amount every year.
  • Being eligible for a card does not mean that you must get one. Having a premium credit card and not using it will be a bad deal as you would have to pay the annual fee but would not avail of any privileges.
  • Read about the benefits on your existing cards and compare those with the privileges that the premium card offers and then decide whether it is a good idea to get one.
  • Credit score is also a major consideration by the banks so you should work on improving the same before applying.

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