Best Airline Credit Cards in India
Mr. Sharma is enjoying free airport lounge access with his Credit Card. What about you? Get A Card
If you love travelling and go on trips regularly, then you should apply for an airline credit card. These cards offer various benefits such as air miles, discounts on hotel and air tickets, discounts on car rentals, shopping discounts, bonus points, access to airport lounges, etc. There are many banks in India that offer Airline credit cards.
Benefits Of Airline Credit Cards
For frequent travellers, having an airline credit card is like having a special privilege that provides various complimentary benefits throughout their trip. Exclusively designed for air travellers, airline credit cards come with many useful features and benefits including complimentary air miles, discounts at hotels, dining and others, free airport lounge visits, etc.
Let’s have a look at the common benefits offered by airline credit cards.
- Earn air miles: All the airline related transactions done using an airline credit card will earn air miles which can be redeemed for purchasing tickets on both domestic and international airlines. Â
- Bonus miles: It could be as a welcome gift or a renewal gift, credit card issuers typically offer bonus miles within a few days of card issuance. The miles can be encashed in the form of airline tickets during your next travel.
- Accelerated miles: What’s more fun than earning more reward points. With the accelerated miles programme, some credit cards offer accelerated miles on certain transactions. Make sure you’re aware of the transactions eligible for accelerated rewards to make the most of the programme.
- Airport lounge access: Sit back and relax in the airport lounges in times of delayed flights with the complimentary lounge visits offered by airline credit cards. The access is limited to select airports in India and in abroad. Cardholders need to display their credit cards at the eligible airport lounges and can enjoy the refreshments, internet facility and amenities offered by the lounges.
- Fuel surcharge waiver: Of the other benefits offered by airline credit cards, fuel surcharge waiver is something useful even for less frequent travellers. Every time, you purchase fuel using an airline credit card, the fuel surcharge, which is typically charged on all card transactions at fuel stations, will be waived. Cardholders can thus enjoy fuel savings using an airline credit card.
Best Airline Credit Cards in India
Some of the best Airline Credit Cards in India are listed below and their features and charges are explained according to the cards.
- Jet Airways American Express Platinum Credit Card
- Citi Premier Miles Credit Card
- SBI Air India Signature Credit Card
- SBI Air India Platinum Credit Card
- Axis Bank MY Wings Credit Card
- IndusInd Bank Jet Airways Voyage American Express Credit Card
- IndusInd Bank Jet Airways Voyage Visa Credit Card
- Standard Chartered Emirates World Credit Card
Jet Airways American Express Platinum Credit Card
Jet Airways American Express Platinum Credit Card makes travelling a unique experience for customers. It offers 16 JPMiles for every Rs.150 that cardholders spend on booking tickets using it on the Jet Airways website and 8 JPMiles for every Rs.150 that cardholders spend using it on other transactions.
Fee Charges of Jet Airways American Express Platinum Credit Card :
- First year Charge – Rs.5,000 (excluding taxes)
- Charge from Second year – Rs.10,000 (excluding taxes)
Features and Benefits of Jet Airways American Express Platinum Credit Card
- Avail 10,000 Bonus JPMiles as welcome gift and 1 way free Jet Airways domestic ticket (base fare waived) when you use the card to make a payment for the first time
- Avail 5,000 Bonus JPMiles and 1 way free Jet Airways domestic ticket (base fare waived) as renewal gift
- 15 free visits to domestic airport lounges in 12 Indian cities
- 3% cashback at selected fuel stations in India
- Free night stay at participating Oberoi Hotels & Resorts
- Free or Prefer Elite Tier Membership from Preferred Hotels and Resorts
- 24x7 Platinum Concierge Service
Citi PremierMiles Credit Card
This card is one of the most popular airline credit cards because it offers complimentary air travel. Citi PremierMiles Credit Card offers air miles, which cardholders can redeem for hotel bookings, car rentals and flight bookings. It also provides them with free access to selected airport lounges.
Fee Charges of Citi PremierMiles Credit Card:
- Annual Fee – Rs.3,000. This fee is waived off for Citi Priority customers
- Interest Rate – Between 37.2% p.a. and 42% p.a.
Features and Benefits of Citi PremierMiles Credit Card:
- Cardholders will receive 10,000 Miles on their first spend. To earn these miles they have to spend a minimum of Rs.1,000 within 60 days from the date of issue of the airline credit card
- Cardholders will receive 3,000 Miles on renewal
- The card offers 10 Miles for every Rs.100 cardholders spend on any airline transactions and on spends made at any of the bank’s online merchant partners. It offers 10 Miles for every Rs.100 that cardholders spend on the website of Premier Miles. The card offers 4 Miles for every Rs.100 they spend on other transactions. The Miles will never expire
- Cardholders can redeem miles to book tickets of more than 100 airlines (domestic and international)
- Cardholders can transfer their miles to the bank’s airline and hotel partners. They will receive 1 Frequent Flyer Mile for every 2 Miles transferred to Delta Airlines, Cathay Pacific, British Airways, Malaysia Airline, Thai Airways, Singapore Airlines, Etihad Airways, Air India and Qatar Airways
- Customers can apply for this airline credit card online
- When Frequent Flyer Program (FFP) members of any airline book a ticket using this card, they will earn FFP Miles plus 10 Miles for every Rs.100 they spend on purchasing it
SBI Air India Signature Credit Card
This airline credit card is known for offering attractive benefits and features. Features and benefits of SBI Air India Signature Credit Card includes Reward Points, complimentary Priority Pass Program membership, lost card liability, balance transfer on EMI facility, Easy Bill Pay facility, etc.
Fee & Charges of SBI Air India Signature Credit Card
- Annual Fee – Rs.4,999
- Renewal Fee – Rs.4,999
Features and Benefits of SBI Air India Signature Credit Card:
- Avail 20,000 reward points as welcome gift and 5,000 reward points as renewal gift.
- Receive complimentary Air India Frequent Flyer Program membership
- Earn 20 Reward Points on every Rs.100 that you spend on booking Air India flight tickets and 4 Reward Points on every Rs.100 that you spend using the card
- Earn up to 1,00,000 bonus Reward Points in a year. 1 Reward Point is equal to 1 Air India air mile
- Get Rs.1 Lakhs worth complimentary lost card liability cover
- Enjoy fuel surcharge waiver of 2.5%
- Get add-on cards for family members.
- Convert transactions worth Rs.2,500 and above into EMI using Flexipay feature
SBI Air India Platinum Credit Card
This airline credit card upgrades your travel experience to a new level. It has multiple features and benefits to offer like reward points, lost card liability, cash anywhere at any time, add-on cards, Easy Bill Pay facility, etc.
Fee & Charges of SBI Air India Platinum Credit Card
- Annual Fee – Rs.1,499
- Renewal Fee – Rs.1,499
Features and Benefits of SBI Air India Platinum Credit Card
- Avail 5,000 reward points as welcome gift and 2,000 reward points as renewal gift
- Receive complimentary Air India Frequent Flyer Program membership
- Earn 10 Reward Points on every Rs.100 that you spend on booking Air India flight tickets and 2 Reward Points on every Rs.100 that you spend using the card. 1 Reward Point is equal to 1 Air India air mile
- Enjoy fuel surcharge waiver of 2.5%
- Get Rs.1 Lakhs worth complimentary lost card liability cover
- Convert transactions worth Rs.2,500 and above into EMI using Flexi-pay feature
- This card offers Balance Transfer facility on EMI
Axis Bank MY Wings Credit Card
The airline credit card offered by Axis Bank allows people to plan their travel smartly. Axis Bank MY Wings Credit Card is an EMV chip card that has special airline, road and railway offers for customers.
Fee & Charges of Axis Bank MY Wings Credit Card:
- Joining Fee – Rs.1,200
- Annual Fee for 1st year – Nil
- Annual Fee from 2nd year – Rs.500
Features and Benefits of Axis Bank MY Wings Credit Card:
- Avail 2 base fare free flights tickets and holiday and hotel vouchers worth Rs.10,000
- It offers 4 points on every Rs.200 that cardholders spend using it. It offers 100 points on the first transaction
- Cardholders can enjoy complimentary access at selected airport lounges
- The airline credit card offers cashback on domestic flight ticket bookings, bus ticket bookings, car rentals and railway ticket bookings
- Cardholders can convert transactions worth Rs.2,500 and above into EMI
- Avail fuel surcharge waiver when you use this card at any fuel station in India
IndusInd Bank Jet Airways Voyage American Express Credit Card
IndusInd Bank and Jet Airways have partnered to make travel an amazing experience for the customers. Through IndusInd Bank Jet Airways Voyage American Express Credit Card, they provide attractive benefits and features to the customers when they use it to make purchases.
Features and Benefits of IndusInd Bank Jet Airways Voyage American Express Card
- Earn 6 JPMiles on every Rs.100 that you spend on the Jet Airways website on weekdays and earn 8 JPMiles on weekends
- Earn 3 JPMiles on every Rs.100 that you spend on other spends on weekdays and earn 4 JPMiles on weekends
- Enjoy special entertainment offers such as free movie tickets
- Enjoy special benefits from American Express such as American Express Connect, American Express ezeClick and American Express EPAY
- Enjoy complimentary access to airport lounges
IndusInd Bank Jet Airways Voyage Visa Credit Card
IndusInd Bank and Jet Airways have partnered to make travel an amazing experience for the customers. Through IndusInd Bank Jet Airways Voyage Visa Credit Card, they provide attractive benefits and features to the customers when they use it to make purchases.
Features and Benefits:
- Earn 4 JPMiles on every Rs.100 that you spend on the Jet Airways website on weekdays and earn 6 JPMiles on weekends
- Earn 2 JPMiles on every Rs.100 that you spend on other spends on weekdays and earn 3 JPMiles on weekends
- Enjoy special entertainment offers such as free movie tickets.
- Enjoy special benefits from Visa
Standard Chartered Emirates World Credit Card
Standard Chartered Bank and Emirates have partnered to offer this airline credit card. Standard Chartered Emirates World Credit Card is popular for the multiple rewards it offers and cardholders can avail benefits on not just Emirates, but all its partner airlines as well.
Fee & Charges of Standard Chartered Emirates World Credit Card
Annual Fee – Rs.3,000
Features and Benefits of Standard Chartered Emirates World Credit Card
- Avail 4,000 Skywards Miles when you enrol for this card and earn 4,000 Skywards miles when you pay the annual fee every year
- Enjoy complimentary access to over 30 domestic airport lounges
- Earn 4 Skywards Miles on every Rs.150 you spend within India and earn 6 Skywards Miles on every Rs.150 that you spend abroad
- Avail 5% cashback on purchases that you make in duty free stores
- Enjoy golf benefits such as complimentary access to courses and Starwood Gold membership
- Avail 20% cashback (Maximum – Rs.600) every month on Uber rides
- Avail up to Rs.10 Million worth air accident insurance coverage
How To Apply For Airline Credit Cards Online?
Two channels through which one can apply for airline credit cards online include applying through bank’s website and through authoritative third party platforms such as BankBazaar. Below instructions will help you know the online application process for airline credit cards.
Apply through bank’s website: Many banks accept online application for airline credit cards. You can visit the bank’s website and check for the availability of the feature. If you find ‘Apply’ button on the airline credit card page, you can follow the steps mentioned below to apply for the credit card.
- Steps to apply for airline credit cards online
- Visit the official website of the bank
- Choose an airline credit card that matches your requirement
- Click on ‘Apply’ button to visit the online application page
- On the application page, enter all the required information in the designated fields
- Double check the entered information before submitting the application.
On successful submission of the application, the system will generate an application reference number, which should be recorded for all future references.
Once the bank receives the application, it reviews the same and if your profile becomes eligible for the applied card, you will receive a call in 3-4 working days. The further application process will be informed to you over a phone call or through an e-mail.
Banks typically take 7-10 days to process a credit card application. If you have any queries meanwhile, you can use the application reference number to track your credit card application status online.
Apply through BankBazaar website: BankBazaar is an authorised third party financial service provider. By partnering with more than 50 banks, the company offers a comprehensive platform to shop, compare and apply for financial products including credit cards, all under one umbrella. If you’re confused about choosing a credit card, you can visit the website, go through the various credit cards listed on the site, choose the one that suits your needs and apply for it on the same platform. Mentioned below is the process to apply for an airline credit card through BankBazaar.
- Steps to apply for an airline credit card through BankBazaar
- Go to www.bankbazaar.com
- From the main menu, select ‘Credit Cards’
- The credit card page will display list of airline credit cards. You can choose one based on your travel needs
- Beside the shortlisted card, you can find ‘Check Eligibility’ option. Click on the same and check your eligibility by providing the required details
- If your profile is eligible for the chosen card, you will be taken to online application page, where you need to fill all the required details and click on ‘Submit’
- On successful submission of the application, the screen will display an ‘Application ID’, which should be retained for all future queries
BankBazaar also offers ‘Track Application’ feature through which you can check your credit card application status online.
Eligibility For Airline Credit Cards
Each credit card issuer sets a different eligibility criteria based on the card and applicant type. Mentioned below is the basic eligibility required to apply for an airline credit card.
- Applicant should be an Indian citizen
- Salaried or self-employed professional or self-employed business-holder
- Should have a decent credit history (Not applicable for first time borrowers)
- Minimum age of the applicant should be 21 years and maximum age is 60 years
Documents Required To Apply For Airline Credit Cards
The required documents to apply for an airline credit card varies from one bank to another. Some basic documents required by many banks are mentioned below.
- Copy of identity proof such as Aadhaar card, passport, etc.
- Copy of PAN card
- Two months salary slips or IT Returns
- Copy of address proof document such as Voter’s ID, Aadhaar, driving licence, electricity bill, passport, etc., whichever holds your current address
- 1 passport size photograph
- Duly signed in application
What Kind Of Rewards Points Can Be Earned On Airline Credit Cards?
Airline credit cards are much helpful for those who travel often and are globetrotters. These cards besides providing regular credit card benefits provide exclusive features related to air travel. Complimentary lounge access to both domestic and international airports, priority check-in, extra baggage allowance and lot more.
Another interesting feature offered by airline credit cards is the reward points programme. Unlike the reward points programme on regular credit card, the reward points offered on airline credit cards will be accrued in the form of air miles. Each airline offer different air miles. For Instance, Jet Airways offers JPMiles, SpiceJet offers AirMiles, etc. The accrued air miles can be redeemed for flight bookings, to transfer seats from economy class to business class, and lot more.
Earning more air miles is also easy on airline credit cards as the card issuer offers accelerated rewards on specific spends that could help the cardholder to earn more air miles in less time.
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Using credit cards to make your air travel economical
Many people dream of traveling by air but the high cost of flight tickets prevents them from fulfilling it.
To all such people credit cards can be a saviour. We are not saying using them would cut your flight expenses by half, but using them wisely would definitely reduce your expenses making your air travel economical.
Let us look at various ways to use your credit card to cut down your air travel expenses.
Choose right credit card: There are a variety of credit cards available in the market that would serve your specific needs. One such card is the Airline credit card which comes with a lot of benefits for those who fly often.
Credit card issuers compete hard to attract customers and to earn business by offering various sign-up bonuses. Choosing an Airline credit card that comes up with good sign-up bonuses would reward the customer with free air miles, discounted flight tickets and many more.
Accumulate more air miles: Just like how regular credit cards help you gain reward points every time you shop using a credit card, the Airline credit card offers the same benefit, but the reward points accumulated here are termed as air miles. The more you spend on your Airline credit card, the more air miles you accumulate.
Once you’ve gained enough miles, you can redeem them while booking your flight tickets or hotel rooms.
Sign up for frequent flyer memberships: Most airlines offer frequent flyer memberships, which would help the members to earn more air miles every time they fly. You can sign up for one or more airlines’ frequent flyer membership programme, as it is completely free of cost, to avail the benefits. Some memberships allow you to earn miles on one airline and redeem them on any other airline. Hence, signing up for more than one membership will help you earn more air miles every time you fly.
Make use of airline promotions: Promotional offers by airlines are again a way to attract customers and to earn business in the most competitive airline space. You can take advantage of such promotional offers to make your air travel cheaper.
Some promotional programmes which offer air miles at affordable rates are the ones to grab as buying air miles at the original price is often expensive. Keep an eye on various promotional programmes offered by the airlines to make most out of it.
Earn from the airline partners: Airlines partner with other retailers such as food and beverage companies, apparels, hotels and many more. Knowing your airline partners and shopping from them will also bring you reward points. However, you need to be a member of the airline’s frequent flyer programme to earn the rewards from its partners.
Now that you know how to make most of your credit card, get ready to fulfil your dream of flying high within your budget.
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