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12 Best Premium Credit Cards In India 2022
In the Indian banking context, every bank is offering their credit cards claiming various exclusive features and rewards. But as a consumer it is very difficult to find the best premium credit card suited for their needs; one that is rewarding and comes with affordable joining fees and feasible eligibility criteria.
Some cards provide accelerated rewards for shopping and dining, whereas some others are focussed on travel and lifestyle. We have created a list of premium credit cards in India which will help you choose the best according to your needs with ease.
List of 11 Best Premium Credit Cards For 2022
1. American Express Platinum Credit Card
- The super premium credit card in India with no preset limit; also called a charge card.
- Unlimited international and domestic lounge access to AMEX, Delta, and Priority Pass lounges.
- Complimentary elite tier benefits like Marriot Bonvoy, Taj Innercircle, Shangri-La Golden Circle, and Hilton Honours.
- Exclusive access to Amex events and parties.
- 3X rewards on every spend while you are abroad.
- Earned rewards never expire.
- Complimentary access to 32 Golf courses in India.
- Dedicated Lifestyle Concierge
- Has an internal or shadow limit
- Joining Fees: Rs. 60000 + Applicable Taxes!
Why We Picked This Card?
Arguably the best super premium card in India. It can get you access to events and rewards like none other card from any other bank. Also, one of the best credit cards for airport lounge access.
2. HDFC Infinia Credit Card
- A super premium credit card that caters to all aspects of a power packed lifestyle.
- The Infinia comes with a best in class reward system where your reward points can be exchanged into vouchers of Tanishq and Apple of equivalent value.
- You also get up to 10X reward points on online purchases and travel bookings.
- Complimentary Club Marriott membership and access to select ITC hotels for buffet and dining.
- Unlimited domestic and international airport lounge access across 1000+ partners across the globe.
- Comes with Accidental Air Insurance worth 3 Crores
- 10X reward points earned on travel and shopping via Smartbuy.
- This card is solely an invite only card. No eligibility mentioned
- Card is not lifetime free anymore.
Why We Picked This Card?
Although it’s a tough card to score, it offers the highest return on your travel and online shopping spends.
3. HDFC Bank Diners Black Credit Card
- A lifestyle oriented travel credit card powered by the Diners Card network.
- The lucrative HDFC Bank Diners Black offers joining benefits like complimentary annual memberships of Club Marriott, Forbes, Amazon Prime, Zomato Pro, MMT BLACK, and Times Prime.
- Up to 10X rewards on online travel bookings and up to 3X rewards on Amazon, Flipkart
- 6 Complimentary golf games per quarter.
- 10X reward points on partner brands and 2X on weekend dining.
- Offers Accidental Air insurance worth 2 Crores and emergency hospitalisation worth Rs 50 Lakhs.
- Earned reward points can be redeemed for flight and hotel bookings using Smartbuy.
- Accelerated reward accrual monthly limits
- Not accepted everywhere due to limited card networks.
Why We Picked This Card?
If you can’t get the Infinia or your spends aren’t as high, this is the next best thing for the highest returns possible. Corporate credit cards from HDFC Bank are also great options to consider.
4. ICICI Bank Emeralde Credit Card
- The Emeralde is a super premium credit card with a host of travel and lifestyle benefits for the enthusiast in you.
- Available in two variants, AMEX and Mastercard, it is considered the best card for international travel with a markup fee of just 1.5%.
- No cash withdrawal fees when abroad.
- 4 Complimentary Golf rounds every month
- Discounts up to Rs 9000 on movies and entertainment
- Unlimited Domestic & International lounge and Spa access
- 50% off on premium memberships for Gold Gym and Talwalkars
- Zero cancellation charges on hotels and booking upto two times a year.
- Protects you with a complimentary air insurance of Rs. 3 Crores.
- ICICI bank’s reward system is not that great.
- Conversion of rewards is not effective.
Why We Picked This Card?
ICICI Bank’s best card, the Emeralde can unlock a world of premium and luxury benefits to pamper you to the limit.
5. SBI Aurum Credit Card
- This premium credit card is offered by State Bank of India and is also known as the gold card.
- It is a metallic card and comes with gold stripes.
- Offers complimentary memberships to Zomato Pro, Amazon Prime, Discovery Plus, Lenskart Gold, and BigBasket Star.
- Offers flight cancellation protection
- 4.7% reward rate if used effectively
- Dedicated services like concierge and secretarial access
- Also offers milestone based rewards - spending Rs 1 Lakh a month will fetch you a TataCliq voucher worth Rs 500.
- Based on the bank’s terms and conditions this card is solely an invite only card.
- Reward conversion is not the best.
Why We Picked This Card?
SBI Card is a big player in India’s credit card market and with the Aurum it shows that it means business. Offers super premium features and is a metallic card. Applying for a credit card is a seamless process; you can read more about it here.
6. SBI Elite Credit Card
- A cashback and rewards centric credit card that offers rewards on all categories - dining, entertainment, shopping, travel, and lifestyle.
- Rewards rate is as high as 2.5% on various transactions.
- Welcome gift vouchers worth Rs 5000 from lifestyle brands like Yatra, Hush Puppies, Pantaloons, Aditya Birla Fashion, and Shoppers Stop.
- Complimentary Club Vistara and Priority Pass membership.
- Offers milestone based rewards like 10000 points for spending Rs 3 Lakhs in a year, 15000 points for spending 5 lakhs and so on.
- Lowest currency markup fee of 1.99% for international transactions.
- Only 2 complimentary International and Domestic Airport lounge visits are provided per quarter.
Why We Picked This Card?
The next best SBI card after Aurum is the Elite. If you spend generously, you can obtain a lot of value across categories. Explore the latest credit cards in India.
7. Axis Magnus Credit Card
- Axis Magnus is the only super premium credit card from Axis Bank.
- This credit card gets you 2X reward points when making bookings on MakemyTrip, Goibibo.
- 24/7 concierge available for flight bookings, hotel bookings, and other reservations.
- 8 complimentary International lounge visits using Priority Pass
- Offers 8 complimentary VIP concierge services at the airport.
- 1 assured complimentary domestic flight ticket.
- Rewards and facilities are less as compared to other credit cards in this category.
- High joining/renewal fees of Rs 10,000 is not worth it as compared to the reward rate and complimentary services.
Why We Picked This Card?
Recent updates have made this card all the more attractive, offering a whopping Rs 5,000 TataCLIQ voucher to those who spend more than a lakh a month.
8. Citibank Prestige Credit Card
- Citibank Prestige is a travel credit card that comes with a lot of features and facilities for travel oriented customers.
- Offers fast track immigration at various airports in the world at discounted retail rates.
- Reward points can be converted into frequent flyer miles of various airlines and even hotel reward points.
- 4 complimentary golf rounds in 15 Indian golf clubs.
- Air accident insurance of Rs 5 crores and lost card liability of upto Rs 10 lakhs
- Unlimited International Priority Pass and Domestic lounge access
- Assured 1 Night complimentary hotel room on minimum booking of 4 days in select hotels globally.
- Complimentary medical insurance of USD 50000 is given whenever you travel abroad.
- No annual fee reversal facility available.
- Annual fee of Rs. 20000 + GST is high as compared to other travel cards.
Why We Picked This Card?
Citi’s concierge is unparalleled and is always a delight to access. This is one of the most premium options on the list.
9. Standard Chartered Visa Infinite Credit Card
- The SC Infinite is the most value for money credit card if you are an existing Standard Chartered Priority Banking client as it is lifetime free.
- It also offers a complimentary Priority Pass membership and medical insurance worth USD 25000 for international travel.
- 4 Complimentary Airport Lounge access every quarter
- International Air Accident coverage of Rs 1.2 Crores
- 5X rewards on international spends
- Comes with a dedicated Standard Chartered 360° reward program.
- Allows conversion of entire balance amount into EMI (upto Rs 5 Lakhs)
- Not for everyone as it is focused only towards the priority customers.
- Hefty annual and joining fees if not a priority client.
Why We Picked This Card?
This makes complete sense for Priority customers given it’s lifetime free and highly rewarding.
10. IndusInd Legend Credit Card
- A credit card that caters to the all around needs of a customer be it fine dining, entertainment, travel, or luxury.
- Comes with dedicated auto assist services that can be used in emergency situations of theft, lost key etc.
- Unlimited International & Domestic Lounge access across the globe.
- 24/7 concierge service for all your reservations.
- Complimentary Golf games across the Indian subcontinent.
- Personal air insurance of Rs 25 Lakhs
- Offers a flexible reward system where earned points can be converted into cash credit in the ratio of 1:1.
- Weekend spending is highly restrictive
Why We Picked This Card?
If you can use it judiciously, this card can offer you superb value given you don’t need to pay any renewal fees ever.
11. RBL Insignia Credit Card
- A premium credit card offered by RBL Bank that has handpicked privileges of travel, golf, and concierge services.
- Comes with lost card liability and fraud protection so you can travel without hassle.
- A great mix of travel as well as lifestyle related services.
- A dedicated relationship manager for all your needs.
- 2 Complimentary Golf rounds per year along with 50% discount on green fees in subsequent games.
- Unlimited Golf lessons in a year.
- 6 Free International Lounge access in a calendar year.
- 24/7 concierge services for all your booking needs.
- Assured complimentary late checkouts and breakfast at leading hotel partners.
- Shortfall in rewards on entertainment and fuel.
Why We Picked This Card?
RBL Premium customers get this card free of cost. It can be a superb option for golf lovers.
Compare Best Premium Credit Cards
| Credit Cards | Joining Fees | Annual Fee Waiver |
|---|---|---|
| American Express Platinum | Rs 60,000 | N/A |
| HDFC Bank Infinia | Rs 12,500 | Rs 10 lakhs |
| HDFC Bank Diners Black | Rs 10,000 | Rs 5 lakhs |
| ICICI Bank Emeralde | Rs 12,000 | Rs 15 lakhs |
| SBI Aurum | Rs 10,000 | Rs 12 lakhs |
| SBI Elite | Rs 4,999 | Rs 10 lakhs |
| Axis Bank Magnus | Rs 10,000 | Rs 15 lakhs |
| Citi Prestige | Rs 20,000 | N/A |
| Standard Chartered Visa Infinite | 0 | N/A |
| IndusInd Legend | Rs 10,000 | N/A |
| RBL Insignia | 0 | N/A |
What to look for in a good premium credit card?
1.Benefits
Benefits are the most important thing to consider when picking a premium card. Assuming you have a high income threshold or a high account balance, you should be looking for the highest returns on your spends in terms of cashback, points, lounge access, golf lessons, and more. Before getting a premium card, make sure you check out all benefits and their terms and conditions.
2.Spend categories
Most premium credit cards come with certain spend categories that give you accelerated reward points. Ensure these match with the categories you spend on the most, so you can get the highest bang for your buck.
3.Reward redemption
Apart from garnering points on spend categories, redeeming them should also be an important aspect of your decision. Generally, getting good value on statement credit redemption is the best option, but you can also go for cards that let you book flights and hotels at 1:1 rate or slightly less than that.
Super Premium Credit cards can be very helpful in complementing your lifestyle. This category of cards does come with a hefty annual and renewal fees but always rewards you with equivalent privileges from leading travel and dining partners. You should always keep in mind, selecting a card with a low annual/joining fees is an integral process for the customer, but premium credit cards in India also offer an experience that goes beyond monetary rewards.
FAQs
1. Which are the premium credit cards in India?
The list actively shows the top premium credit cards in India. Top cards include American Express Platinum, HDFC Infinia Credit Card, HDFC Diners Black Credit Card, ICICI Bank Emerald Credit Card, Standard Chartered Visa Infinite among others.
2. What is a premium credit card?
A premium credit card offers the customer a host of privileges like shopping, dining, travel, golf, concierge etc. These cards also have a strong reward system that can be converted into intermiles and hotel points for the convenience of the client.
3. Which is the most prestigious credit card in India?
The most prestigious credit card in India is the American Express’ Centurion Card aka the Black card.
4. Who has a black card in India?
It is estimated that 200 of the wealthiest people in India hold a black card. As per reports, notable actor Amitabh Bachchan also holds one.