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Best Airline Credit Cards in India 2026

Best Credit Cards for Airline Credit Cards

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Benefits on Qatar & British Airways's IconBenefits on Qatar & British Airways

Up to 6 reward points on every Rs. 200's IconUp to 6 reward points on every Rs. 200

Up to 8 complimentary visits every year's IconUp to 8 complimentary visits every year

Joining Fee IconJoining Fee: 10,000+ Taxes

Joining Fee Icon

Renewal Fee IconAnnual/Renewal Fee: 5,000+ Taxes

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Travel

Up to 21 BluChips per Rs. 100 on IndiGo spends's IconUp to 21 BluChips per Rs. 100 on IndiGo spends

BluChip vouchers worth up to Rs. 16,000 every year's IconBluChip vouchers worth up to Rs. 16,000 every year

Up to 8 domestic lounge visits per year's IconUp to 8 domestic lounge visits per year

Joining Fee IconJoining Fee: 3,000+ Taxes

Joining Fee Icon

Renewal Fee IconAnnual/Renewal Fee: 3,000+ Taxes

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Travel

Rewards

Emirates Silver Tier Membership's IconEmirates Silver Tier Membership

2 international lounge visits yearly's Icon2 international lounge visits yearly

1.5 reward point on all spends's Icon1.5 reward point on all spends

Joining Fee IconJoining Fee: 5,000+ Taxes

Joining Fee Icon

Renewal Fee IconAnnual/Renewal Fee: 5,000+ Taxes

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Travel

Rewards

Low foreign exchange markup fee of 1%'s IconLow foreign exchange markup fee of 1%

3 Miles per Rs. 100 spent on Etihad Airways's Icon3 Miles per Rs. 100 spent on Etihad Airways

8 domestic lounge visits per year's Icon8 domestic lounge visits per year

Joining Fee IconJoining Fee: 2,500+ Taxes

Joining Fee Icon

Renewal Fee IconAnnual/Renewal Fee: 2,500+ Taxes

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IndiGo SBI Card ELITE

IndiGo SBI Card ELITE

Travel

Lounge Access

Up to 7 IndiGo BluChips per Rs. 100 spent's IconUp to 7 IndiGo BluChips per Rs. 100 spent

Free access to airport lounges worldwide's IconFree access to airport lounges worldwide

Up to 29,000 bonus IndiGo BluChips per year's IconUp to 29,000 bonus IndiGo BluChips per year

Joining Fee IconJoining Fee: 4,999+ Taxes

Joining Fee Icon

Renewal Fee IconAnnual/Renewal Fee: 4,999+ Taxes

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Top Airline Credit Cards in India for 2026

Below mentioned are the top 5 co-branded airline credit cards to help you save on travel expenses:

1. IndusInd Bank Avios Visa Infinite Credit Card

IndusInd Bank Avios Visa Infinite Credit Card

Joining Fee: Rs. 10,000 + Applicable Taxes
Annual Fee: Rs. 5,000 + Applicable Taxes

Key Features & Benefits:

  • 6 Avios for every Rs. 200 spent at select preferred international destinations for PoS transactions
  • 5 Avios for every Rs. 200 spent on Qatar Airways & British Airways website and app
  • 3 Avios per Rs. 200 spent on online spends on select preferred international destinations, domestic & other international destinations and other categories
  • 1 Avios point per Rs. 200 on spends across utilities, insurance, govt. services and education
  • Low forex markup fee of 1.5% at preferred locations
  • 2 international lounge visits in a quarter with complimentary Priority Pass membership
  • 2 complimentary domestic airport lounge visits in a quarter

IndusInd Bank Avios Visa Infinite Credit Card is a premium card designed for frequent air travellers. What makes this card stand out is its exclusive partnership with Qatar Airways and British Airways, offering greater flexibility compared to general co-branded airline cards. Cardholders can earn accelerated rewards and benefits on their preferred airline and travel destinations, making it an excellent choice for international travellers. This credit card offers value-back in the form of Avios Points, which are redeemable against flight bookings and travel-related expenses.

2. IndiGo Kotak XL Credit Card


Joining Fee:
Rs. 3,000 + Applicable Taxes
Annual Fee: Rs. 3,000 + Applicable Taxes

Key Features and Benefits:

  • Up to 21 IndiGo BluChips per Rs. 100 spent on IndiGo flights
  • 3 IndiGo BluChips per Rs. 100 spent on dining & entertainment
  • 2 IndiGo BluChips per Rs. 100 on other spends
  • 4,000 IndiGo BluChips voucher & 1 6E Eats voucher on fee payment
  • 8 complimentary domestic lounge visits per year
  • 4,000 BluChips voucher each on Rs. 1.5 lakh, Rs. 4 lakh, Rs. 7.5 lakh and Rs. 12 lakh annual spends

IndiGo IndiGo XL Credit Card is an upgraded variant of IndiGo Kotak Credit Card. This credit card offers value-back on your spends in the form of IndiGo BluChips. Cardholders can earn accelerated reward points on IndiGo as well as other lifestyle spends, such as dining and entertainment. The rewards on IndiGo flights can be maximised by booking them via IndiGo website or app as BluChip member. The accumulated reward points can be redeemed for booking tickets via IndiGo website or app. Overall, this credit card offers decent value for frequent travellers through high reward rate on your IndiGo flight bookings, complimentary lounge access, and additional BluChips vouchers as milestone bonus.

3. Emirates Skywards ICICI Bank Sapphiro Credit Card

Emirates Skywards ICICI Bank Emeralde Credit Card

Joining Fee: Rs. 5,000 + Applicable Taxes
Annual Fee: Rs. 5,000 + Applicable Taxes

Key Features & Benefits:

  • Complimentary Emirates Silver Tier membership
  • 5,000 Skywards Miles on the payment of joining fee
  • Renewal of Silver Tier Membership and 5,000 Skywards Miles on spending Rs. 5 Lakh in a year and annual fee payment
  • 1.5 Skywards Miles on every Rs. 100 spent
  • 2 complimentary domestic lounge visits every quarter on Rs. 75,000 quarterly spends
  • 2 international lounge access per year

Emirates Skywards ICICI Bank Sapphiro Credit Card is tailored for frequent Emirates flyers, offering an array of travel-focused benefits. Cardholders can earn 1.5 Skywards Miles on every transaction, which can be redeemed for flight bookings or upgrades with Emirates. The card also offers complimentary domestic and international airport lounge visits, making it an good choice for those who often fly internationally with Emirates. However, if you do not want to pay a high annual fee of Rs. 5,000, you can opt for the lower fee variant- Emirates Skywards ICICI Bank Rubyx Credit Card.

4. Etihad Guest BOBCARD 


Joining Fee:
Rs. 2,500 + Applicable Taxes
Annual Fee: Rs. 2,500 + Applicable Taxes

Key Features & Benefits:

  • 3 Etihad Guest Miles per Rs. 100 spent on Etihad Airways
  • 1 Etihad Guest Mile per Rs. 100 spent on other categories
  • Etihad Guest Silver Tier membership on the 1st spend on Etihad.com made within 6 months
  • 1% forex mark-up fee
  • 250 bonus Miles if sum of any 4 spends is Rs. 25,000, once per month
  • 2,000 bonus Miles on Rs. 2 lakh quarterly spends
  • 12,000 bonus Miles on Rs. 7.5 lakh annual spends
  • 500 bonus Miles on taking 2 Etihad flights in a year 
  • Up to 8 domestic and 4 international lounge visits per year

Etihad Guest BOBCARD offers exclusive travel benefits on Etihad airlines through which you can earn Etihad Guest Miles on every spend. The earned Guest Miles can be redeemed against flight bookings as well as hotel stays across the world. The annual fee can also be reversed on annual sends of just Rs. 3 lakh which is quite easy to achieve for an average spender. A low forex mark-up and up to 23,500 bonus miles as milestone benefits every year also increase overall travel savings. These features make this card suitable for those searching for a travel credit card for their international travels. For higher savings on Etihad Airways spends, you can also opt for this card’s premium variant BOBCARD Etihad Guest Premium.

5. IndiGo SBI Card ELITE


Joining Fee:
Rs. 4,999 + Applicable Taxes
Annual Fee: Rs. 4,999 + Applicable Taxes

Key Features & Benefits:

  • 7 IndiGo BluChips per Rs. 100 spent on IndiGo app/website
  • 3 IndiGo BluChips per Rs. 100 spent on hotels/lodging and travel MCCs
  • 2 IndiGo BluChip per Rs. 100 spent on other categories
  • 5,000 IndiGo BluChips voucher & 1 6E Eats voucher on joining & renewal fee payment
  • 4 6E Prime passes on spending Rs. 1 lakh in the 1st 90 days 
  • 6,000 BluChips voucher each on reaching Rs. 3 lakh, Rs. 6 lakh, Rs. 9 lakh & Rs. 12 lakh annual spends
  • 4 flight cancellations covers of up to Rs. 3,000 each per year 
  • Up to 8 domestic (2 per quarter on Rs. 1 lakh quarterly spends) and 6 international lounge visits per year

IndiGo SBI Card ELITE offers up to 7% rewards on co-branded spends and accelerated value-back on other travel-related spends. Cardholders get these rewards in the form of IndiGo loyalty points that can be redeemed for booking tickets on IndiGo website or app. This travel credit card also offers additional rewards in considerable numbers as spend-based milestone bonus. Beyond these IndiGo BluChips, the card enhances its overall value for frequent travellers with benefits like flight cancellation cover of up to Rs. 12,000 in a year and complimentary lounge access across the world.

Top Co-branded Airlines Credit Cards in India

Given below is a detailed list of all the major credit cards in India that are co-branded with airlines, along with their travel benefits:

Explore top Co-branded Travel Credit Cards

Travel

Travel

Rewards

Rewards

  • Up to 6% savings on MakeMyTrip spends
  • Rs. 1,000 MMT voucher every year
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Travel

Travel

Lounge Access

Lounge Access

Lifetime Free

Lifetime Free

  • Up to 20% Scapia coins on your spends
  • Zero forex mark-up fee with unlimited access to domestic airport lounges
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BOBCARD Etihad Guest PremiumBrush

BOBCARD Etihad Guest Premium

Joining Fee: 5000

Travel

Travel

Rewards

Rewards

  • 6% back on spends made on Etihad Airways
  • Zero forex mark-up and 20 free airport lounge visits per year
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Travel

Travel

  • 20% discount on domestic & international hotel bookings via EaseMyTrip
  • 10% discount on domestic & international flight bookings via EaseMyTrip
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Ixigo AU Credit Card Brush

Ixigo AU Credit Card

Joining Fee: 0

Travel

Travel

Lifetime Free

Lifetime Free

  • 10% discount on travel bookings at Ixigo
  • Zero foreign exchange markup fee
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BOBCARD ScapiaBrush

BOBCARD Scapia

Joining Fee: 0

Travel

Travel

Lounge Access

Lounge Access

  • Zero forex markup fee
  • 20% rewards on travel spends made on Scapia app
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Other Credit Cards with Zero Forex Markup Fee

Travel

Travel

Lounge Access

Lounge Access

Lifetime Free

Lifetime Free

  • Up to 20% Scapia coins on your spends
  • Zero forex mark-up fee with unlimited access to domestic airport lounges
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Ixigo AU Credit Card Brush

Ixigo AU Credit Card

Joining Fee: 0

Travel

Travel

Lifetime Free

Lifetime Free

  • 10% discount on travel bookings at Ixigo
  • Zero foreign exchange markup fee
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BOBCARD Etihad Guest PremiumBrush

BOBCARD Etihad Guest Premium

Joining Fee: 5000

Travel

Travel

Rewards

Rewards

  • 6% back on spends made on Etihad Airways
  • Zero forex mark-up and 20 free airport lounge visits per year
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BOBCARD ScapiaBrush

BOBCARD Scapia

Joining Fee: 0

Travel

Travel

Lounge Access

Lounge Access

  • Zero forex markup fee
  • 20% rewards on travel spends made on Scapia app
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Travel

Travel

Fd-backed

Fd-backed

Rewards

Rewards

  • Zero foreign exchange markup fee
  • Up to 50X bonus reward points on travel bookings
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RBL World Safari Credit CardBrush

RBL World Safari Credit Card

Joining Fee: 3000

Travel

Travel

Rewards

Rewards

  • Zero forex markup fee
  • 5 reward points per Rs. 100 on domestic & international travel spends
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Top Travel Credit Cards

Axis Atlas Credit CardBrush

Axis Atlas Credit Card

Joining Fee: 5000

Travel

Travel

Lounge Access

Lounge Access

Rewards

Rewards

  • 2.5X EDGE Miles on Travel spends
  • Up to 12 international and 18 domestic lounge access every year
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HSBC TravelOne Credit CardBrush

HSBC TravelOne Credit Card

Joining Fee: 4999

Travel

Travel

Rewards

Rewards

  • Up to 12% savings on travel bookings via HSBC Rewards Marketplace
  • Up to 20% off on Zomato, Yatra, EaseMyTrip, etc.
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Travel

Travel

Premium

Premium

Rewards

Rewards

  • Unlimited complimentary domestic & international lounge visits
  • Up to 24% value back on travel spends
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Travel

Travel

Premium

Premium

Rewards

Rewards

  • Unlimited airport lounge access for primary and add-on members
  • High base rewards rate of 3.33% with 5 reward points per Rs. 150 spent
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BOBCARD Etihad Guest PremiumBrush

BOBCARD Etihad Guest Premium

Joining Fee: 5000

Travel

Travel

Rewards

Rewards

  • 6% back on spends made on Etihad Airways
  • Zero forex mark-up and 20 free airport lounge visits per year
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Travel

Travel

  • Up to 6 Avios on every Rs. 200 spent
  • Up to 36,000 bonus Avios as milestone benefit
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Travel

Travel

Lounge Access

Lounge Access

  • Marriott Bonvoy Silver Elite status with 4x MB Points on partner hotel spends
  • 12 airport lounge access each within and outside India per year
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KrisFlyer SBI Card ApexBrush

KrisFlyer SBI Card Apex

Joining Fee: 9999

Travel

Travel

Premium

Premium

  • Up to 10 KrisFlyer miles per Rs. 200 spent
  • 10,000 KrisFlyer miles on Rs. 5 lakh annual spends
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Why Choose Co-branded Travel Credit Cards with Airline Benefits

Frequent flyers often try to to find ways to maximise the value of every travel spend. While general travel credit cards offer flexibility across various platforms, co-branded airline credit cards are specifically designed for those who prefer a particular carrier. These cards offer a higher value-back through targeted rewards and exclusive privileges that can make air travel via the partner airline significantly more affordable and comfortable. So, if you are a loyalist to any specific airlines, here is why you should consider a co-branded travel card:

1. Accelerated Value-back on Partner Spends

The biggest advantage of a co-branded airline credit card is the facility to earn accelerated reward points or air miles on direct bookings with the partner airline. While a general card might offer a standard reward rate, a co-branded variant often provides 2X to 5X rewards on the airline's website or app.

2. Exclusive In-flight and Airport Privileges

Co-branded travel credit cards go beyond just rewards to enhance your overall travel experience. They often come with supplementary benefits that are usually unavailable on brand-agnostic cards, such as:

  • Priority Check-in and Boarding: They offer the option to skip the long queues and save time at the airport.
  • Complimentary Meals and Seat Selection: Many cards offer add-ons like free in-flight meal vouchers or similar meal-and-seat combos. For instance, some of the IndiGo co-branded credit cards offer 6E Eats voucher and 6E Prime pass.
  • Additional Baggage Allowance: Getting a airline co-branded card can also come with loyalty program perks like extra weight capacity, which can be a significant cost-saver for international or family travelers.

3. Milestone Benefits and Renewal Vouchers

Most co-branded airline cards justify their annual fee through generous milestone rewards. Upon reaching a specific spend threshold in a calendar year, you might receive complimentary flight tickets, business class upgrade vouchers, or bonus air miles. Additionally, many cards offer a "Renewal Benefit" where you receive loyalty points vouchers equal to or higher than the annual fee, effectively making the card "free" for active users.

4. Direct Entry into Loyalty Programs

One of the most valuable features is the complimentary membership to the airline’s Frequent Flyer Program. Usually, reaching a "Silver" or "Gold" tier requires a significant number of flights a year. However, co-branded credit cards often fast-track you to these elite loyalty program tiers, unlocking benefits like higher reward earn rates and priority baggage handling.

Pro Tip: Before applying, analyse your travel frequency. If you are "brand-loyal" and fly with one airline at least 3-4 times a year, a co-branded credit card will almost always offer better value than a general travel card. However, if you always pick the cheapest available flight regardless of the carrier, a brand-agnostic travel credit card like Axis Atlas might be a more practical fit for your needs. 

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Compare Popular Credit Cards for Airline

icon image of IndiGo SBI Card ELITEBrush

Joining Fee: 4999 onwards

bulletTravel
bulletLounge Access
Vs
icon image of IndusInd Bank Avios Visa Infinite Credit CardBrush

Joining Fee: 10000 onwards

bulletTravel
icon image of BOBCARD Etihad GuestBrush

Joining Fee: 2500 onwards

bulletTravel
bulletRewards
Vs
icon image of IDFC FIRST WOW! Black Credit CardBrush

Joining Fee: 750 onwards

bulletTravel
bulletFd-backed
bulletRewards
icon image of Emirates Skywards ICICI Bank Sapphiro Credit CardBrush

Joining Fee: 5000 onwards

bulletTravel
bulletRewards
Vs
icon image of Marriott Bonvoy HDFC Credit CardBrush

Joining Fee: 3000 onwards

bulletTravel
bulletLounge Access
icon image of Standard Chartered EaseMyTrip Credit CardBrush

Joining Fee: 350 onwards

bulletTravel
Vs
icon image of Ixigo AU Credit CardBrush

Joining Fee: 0 onwards

bulletTravel
bulletLifetime Free
icon image of KrisFlyer SBI Card ApexBrush

Joining Fee: 9999 onwards

bulletTravel
bulletPremium
Vs
icon image of HDFC Diners Club Black Metal Edition Credit CardBrush

Joining Fee: 10000 onwards

bulletTravel
bulletPremium
bulletRewards

FAQs

What are co-branded airline credit cards?

Co-branded airline credit cards are partnerships between banks and airlines that reward your spending with airline-specific miles or points instead of generic reward points. These rewards can be redeemed for flight bookings and seat upgrades within the partner airline's ecosystem.

Is a co-branded card better than a general travel credit card?

A co-branded credit card is better if you are loyal to one carrier, as it offers higher value-back and exclusive perks like priority boarding. General travel cards are more suitable for those who prefer flexibility across multiple airlines and booking platforms.

How do I redeem the reward points earned on co-branded airline credit cards?

Rewards are typically credited directly to your linked Frequent Flyer Program account of that airline, such as IndiGo’s BluChip and Etihad’s Etihad Guest. You can use these points on the airline’s website or app to pay for tickets, meals, or extra baggage.

4. Do airline credit cards offer complimentary lounge access?

Yes, most co-branded airline cards provide complimentary domestic and sometimes international airport lounge access as a key benefit. This allows travellers to enjoy premium amenities, meals, and rest areas before their flight.

What are milestone benefits on airline credit cards?

Milestone benefits are extra rewards, like bonus miles or free flight meal vouchers, awarded once you reach a specific annual spending target. These perks significantly increase the overall value-back for frequent flyers.

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