Beyond Miles: Lesser-Known Travel Benefits on Your Credit Card

Most people are familiar with the common travel benefits that are offered with credit cards. These generally include reward points or miles on every card spend which can be redeemed for travel bookings, complimentary airport lounge access, discounts on flights, hotels, bus and holiday packages, and even bonus flight ticket vouchers. These benefits not only let you earn value-back on your spends, but also let you save on future travel expenses.

However, beyond the above-mentioned features, there are some lesser-known travel benefits that often stay under the radar. So, to help you optimise your travel experience and maximise your savings, here are some of the hidden ways credit cards can contribute towards making your travel smoother, comfortable and cost-effective:

Low Forex Mark-up

A foreign exchange mark-up fee is charged every time you make any international transaction. Generally this fee goes up to 3.5% of the transaction amount, however you can save on this cost by getting a credit card that has low or no forex mark-up charges. This would help you save on the extra conversion cost incurred on foreign currency spends.

For instance, zero forex credit cards like Federal Scapia, AU ixigo and IDFC FIRST Mayura do not charge any forex fee on international purchases. On the other hand, if you make a purchase worth Rs. 10,000 equivalent in USD using a card with 1% forex markup, you would be paying a fee of Rs. 100. This fee would go up to Rs. 350 for a card with 3.5% forex markup. This may appear to be quite a small fee to some, but these charges can accumulate to become a considerable amount and affect your travel budget, if left unchecked.

Suggested Read: Best Credit Cards for International Travel 

Hotel Membership

Some travel-centric or premium credit cards partner with major hotel chains, offering the cardholders with complimentary or discounted hotel loyalty memberships with enhanced benefits on their stay. These hotel credit card’s benefits can include room upgrades, free breakfast, early check-in and late check-out, bonus loyalty points and complimentary nights, elevating your hotel stay. 

To avail hotel benefits, frequent travellers can either choose co-branded credit cards like Marriott Bonvoy HDFC and HSBC Taj credit cards, or general premium ones like HDFC Infinia, Axis Reserve or ICICI Emeralde Private Metal which offer complimentary hotel memberships among other general benefits. You may also opt for cards which allow you to convert your earned reward points into hotel loyalty points at a good conversion ratio.

Airport Assistance & Concierge

Airports, though a necessary gateway for your travels, can often be quite tiresome with waiting in long queues and dealing with crowds with often confusing layouts. Though there are many credit cards that offer lounge access, you can improve your airport experience even more with airport assistance. Some credit cards offer airport concierge services like express check-in, assisted airport transfers, fast-track immigration and security clearance and airport meet and greet. These services save significant time and transform the overall airport experience and the journey much more relaxed.

Click here for the list of top credit cards with airport concierge services.

Car Rentals

For many travel itineraries, the freedom of having your own transportation is essential. But car rental services, though convenient, often come with considerable costs. Certain credit cards come with discount offers on car rentals in partnership with some popular agencies like Europcar, Avis, Zoomcar and Hertz. These benefits are often offered by the associated card networks like Visa and Mastercard, and help the cardholders save on potential rental charges. For instance, IDFC FIRST Power+ credit card offers discounts on Zoomcar as well as Europcar as part of its welcome bonus. You can avail such offers by simply using your card to make the bookings and applying any available coupon codes.

Trip Cancellation Refund

Despite careful planning, some unforeseen circumstances, like medical emergencies, natural disasters or even flight cancellation by the airline, can interrupt, postpone or cancel your travel plans altogether. Such cases can lead to significant financial losses, especially with non-refundable flight and accommodation bookings. 

Credit cards like IDFC FIRST Mayura offer trip cancellation cover which can provide a much needed financial safety net. Through this facility, you can get your booking costs reimbursed up to a certain extent, thus minimising or even eliminating any unnecessary costs you may have otherwise incurred. This not only brings peace of mind, but also provides flexibility to your travel planning.

Travel Insurance

Travel, though an enjoyable experience, can be quite unpredictable too. So, to protect you from any loss due to such variables, many travel and premium credit cards come with additional insurance coverage for a variety of travel-related mishaps. These can include cover for:

• Loss or delay of check-in baggage
• Loss of travel documents
• Flight delays
• Overseas medical emergencies, etc.

This insurance coverage acts as a crucial layer of security while you are travelling to any destination. But the cardholders must check all the related terms and conditions to know about the coverage limits, exclusions and claim procedures, to minimise any last minute setbacks.

Click here for the list of the best credit cards with travel insurance benefits.

These credit card travel benefits, in addition to the standard travel features, can prove to be quite useful. Hence it is important for cardholders to be aware of their card’s capabilities that extend far beyond miles and lounge access. By understanding and strategically utilising these lesser-known features – from the cost-saving power of low forex mark-ups and the VIP treatment of hotel memberships to the convenience of airport assistance and the security of travel insurance – you can transform your travel experiences.