Introduction
Travel credit cards do more than reward your spending—they elevate your travel experience with perks like lounge access, foreign exchange benefits, and rewards on flights and hotels. In this guide, we’ll explore the best travel credit cards for 2025, focusing on their travel perks and redemption values.
Top Travel Credit Cards for 2025
1. Axis Bank Magnus Credit Card
- Why It’s Great:
- Earn 12 EDGE Reward Points per ₹200 spent (~2% reward rate).
- Complimentary domestic business-class flight ticket every month on spends over ₹1,00,000.
- Unlimited global lounge access for primary and add-on cardholders.
- Additional Travel Perks:
- Waiver on foreign exchange markup fees (2%).
- High-value EDGE Rewards, redeemable for flights and hotels (~₹0.20–₹0.30 per point).
- Example: Spend ₹1,00,000/month and get a business-class ticket worth ₹10,000 along with ~₹1,200 in rewards (6,000 points/month).
- Annual Fee: ₹10,000 + 18% GST = ₹11,800.
- Best For: Premium frequent flyers who value business-class tickets and global lounges.
2. Axis Bank Atlas Credit Card
- Why It’s Great:
- Earn Axis Travel EDGE Miles, redeemable for flights, hotels, or transfers to partner air miles programs.
- 2x rewards on international spends and accelerated earnings on travel spends.
- Complimentary 4 global lounge visits per quarter.
- Redemption Value: 1 Travel EDGE Mile ≈ ₹0.20–₹0.30 for travel bookings or air miles.
- Example: Spend ₹50,000/month on international travel and earn ~₹1,200 in Travel EDGE Miles (~6,000 miles).
- Annual Fee: ₹5,000 + 18% GST = ₹5,900 (waived on ₹7,50,000 annual spends).
- Best For: Travelers who value flexibility in redeeming miles for flights and hotels.
3. Marriott Bonvoy HDFC Credit Card
- Why It’s Great:
- Earn 8 Marriott Bonvoy Points per $1 spent at Marriott Hotels (~₹6 per ₹100 spent).
- Get 15,000 points as a welcome bonus (~₹7,500 in redemption value) and a Free Night Award annually (worth up to ₹7,500).
- Complimentary Silver Elite Status in Marriott Bonvoy, with perks like late checkout and member discounts.
- Redemption Value: Marriott Bonvoy Points can be redeemed for free stays, with a typical value of ₹0.50 per point.
- Example: A ₹10,000 Marriott stay earns ₹375 in redemption value. Combine with your free night award for additional savings.
- Annual Fee: ₹3,000 + 18% GST = ₹3,540.
- Best For: Luxury travelers who frequently stay at Marriott hotels.
4. IDFC First Wealth Mayura Credit Card
- Why It’s Great:
- Earn 6x rewards on travel spends, redeemable for flights, hotels, and experiences.
- Unlimited domestic and international lounge access.
- 0% foreign exchange markup fee, making it ideal for international travelers.
- Redemption Value: Points typically worth ₹0.25–₹0.50 depending on redemption (travel redemptions give higher value).
- Example: Spend ₹50,000/month on travel (flights, hotels) to earn rewards worth ~₹1,500 annually.
- Annual Fee: ₹5,000 + 18% GST = ₹5,900.
- Best For: Travelers who prioritize forex savings and lounge access.
5. Flipkart Axis Bank Credit Card
- Why It’s Great for Travel:
- 5% cashback on Cleartrip bookings (flights and hotels) and Flipkart purchases.
- Unlimited cashback with no cap on travel spends.
- Comparison with Other Cards:
- While cards like Magnus offer premium perks, Flipkart Axis stands out as a no-frills travel card for frequent budget travelers due to its flat cashback.
- Example: Book ₹50,000 in flights via Cleartrip, and you’ll get ₹2,500 cashback directly—higher than the point redemptions of other cards in the same price range.
- Annual Fee: ₹500 + 18% GST = ₹590 (waived on ₹2,00,000 annual spends).
- Best For: Budget-conscious travelers looking for straightforward cashback.
6. HDFC Diners Club Black Credit Card
- Why It’s Great:
- Earn 10x reward points (~₹0.50/point) on partner travel platforms like Yatra and MakeMyTrip.
- Unlimited global lounge access for cardholders.
- Concierge services for booking flights and hotels.
- Redemption Value: Points are best redeemed for travel bookings (~₹0.50/point).
- Annual Fee: ₹10,000 + 18% GST = ₹11,800 (waived on ₹5,00,000 annual spends).
- Best For: High spenders seeking unlimited lounge access and luxury travel rewards.
Comparison Table
| Card Name | Annual Fee (+ GST) | Key Travel Perks | Redemption Value | Best For |
| Axis Bank Magnus | ₹11,800 | Business-class ticket, unlimited lounges | ₹0.20–₹0.30 per point | Premium frequent flyers |
| Axis Bank Atlas | ₹5,900 | Travel EDGE Miles, 4 global lounge visits | ₹0.20–₹0.30 per mile | Air mile enthusiasts |
| Marriott Bonvoy HDFC | ₹3,540 | Marriott Points, free night award | ₹0.50 per point | Luxury travelers and Marriott loyalists |
| IDFC First Mayura | ₹5,900 | 0% forex markup, unlimited lounge access | ₹0.25–₹0.50 per point | International frequent travelers |
| Flipkart Axis Bank | ₹590 | 5% cashback on Cleartrip bookings | ₹5 flat cashback per ₹100 | Budget-conscious travel spenders |
| HDFC Diners Club Black | ₹11,800 | Unlimited global lounge access, 10x rewards | ₹0.50 per point | High-spending luxury travelers |
Conclusion
- Premium Flyers: The Axis Magnus Credit Card dominates with its business-class ticket and global lounge access.
- Marriott Loyalists: The Marriott Bonvoy Card offers excellent redemption value for frequent Marriott stays.
- Budget Travelers: The Flipkart Axis Credit Card is perfect for cashback on Cleartrip bookings.
- Forex and Lounge Access: The IDFC Mayura combines 0% forex markup with unlimited lounges for international travelers.
