Best Credit Cards for Domestic Travel in India 2025

Whether you're flying Delhi-Mumbai monthly or taking occasional family trips, the right credit card can transform your domestic travel experience with lounge access, complimentary tickets, and hotel rewards.

Key Insight: For domestic travel, lounge access and airline transfer partners matter most. Forex rates and international lounges are less relevant.

Quick Recommendations by Budget

Monthly Spend	Best Card	Why
₹20-30k	SBI Prime	Railway lounges + fuel savings
₹30-50k	HDFC Regalia	Airport lounges + SmartBuy
₹50k-1L	Axis Atlas	Miles + Priority Pass
₹1L+	HDFC Infinia	Unlimited everything

Top 8 Cards for Domestic Travel

1. HDFC Regalia - Best Mid-Range All-Rounder

Annual Fee: ₹2,500 (waivable)

Feature	Details
Lounge Access	8 visits/quarter (domestic + international)
SmartBuy	5X on flights and hotels
Air Miles Transfer	Vistara, Air India (via partners)
Insurance	Travel delay, baggage loss

Why Choose: Best balance of fee and lounge access for monthly travelers.

Ideal For: Professionals flying 6-12 times/year domestically.

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2. SBI Prime - Best Budget Travel Card

Annual Fee: ₹2,999 (waivable on ₹3L spend)

Feature	Details
Railway Lounge	Unlimited access at major stations
Airport Lounge	4 visits/year
Fuel Surcharge	1% waiver
Milestone Rewards	Good value vouchers

Why Choose: Railway lounge is unique—great for train travelers + budget flyers.

Ideal For: Mixed rail/air travelers, families on budget vacations.

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3. Axis Atlas - Best for Miles Accumulation

Annual Fee: ₹5,000

Feature	Details
Earn Rate	5 Edge Miles per ₹200
Lounge	Priority Pass (limited visits)
Transfer Partners	Air France/KLM, Etihad, Vistara
Milestone Bonus	Up to 10,000 miles/quarter

Why Choose: Miles transfer to Air India via partners enables free domestic flights.

Ideal For: Frequent flyers who want to redeem for free tickets.

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4. HDFC Infinia - Best Premium (If You Can Get It)

Annual Fee: ₹12,500

Feature	Details
Lounge	Unlimited Priority Pass (cardholder + guest)
SmartBuy	10X on travel bookings
Transfer Partners	Singapore Airlines, Vistara (via Avios)
Insurance	Comprehensive travel protection

Why Choose: Unlimited lounges for you and a guest is unmatched.

Ideal For: Heavy travelers flying 2-3 times/month.

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5. Vistara Platinum - Best Airline Co-brand

Annual Fee: ₹2,999

Feature	Details
CV Points	9 points per ₹200 on Vistara
Status Match	Silver status on approval
Priority Check-in	At all Vistara counters
Free Ticket	Milestone-based complimentary flights

Why Choose: If Vistara is your primary airline, nothing beats direct CV points earning.

Ideal For: Vistara loyalists flying specific routes frequently.

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6. Air India SBI Platinum - Best for Air India Flyers

Annual Fee: ₹1,499

Feature	Details
Air India Miles	4 per ₹100 on Air India
Lounge	4 visits/year
Free Ticket	12,000 miles for domestic economy
Fuel Waiver	Yes

Why Choose: Direct Air India miles earning at excellent rate.

Ideal For: Air India loyalists, Maharaja Club members.

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7. ICICI Emeralde - Best for Taj Hotels

Annual Fee: ₹12,000

Feature	Details
Taj Epicure	Complimentary membership
Lounge	6 visits/quarter
Dining	25% off at select restaurants
Concierge	Premium service

Why Choose: If you stay at Taj properties regularly, the Epicure membership alone is worth it.

Ideal For: Luxury domestic travelers preferring Taj hotels.

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8. Axis Ace - Best Budget No-Fee Option

Annual Fee: ₹0 (lifetime free)

Feature	Details
Cashback	2% on utility bills, 5% on bill pay
Google Pay	5% cashback (limited)
Lounge	None
Travel Insurance	Basic

Why Choose: Zero cost, decent cashback means travel funds accumulate without annual fee eating into savings.

Ideal For: Budget travelers who prefer cashback over lounge access.

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Lounge Access Comparison

Card	Domestic Lounges/Year	International	Guest Access
SBI Prime	4 airport + unlimited railway	0	No
HDFC Regalia	32 (8/quarter)	Shared limit	₹1,500/guest
Axis Atlas	8 (via PP)	Shared limit	₹2,000/guest
HDFC Infinia	Unlimited	Unlimited	1 free guest
Vistara Platinum	4	0	No

Airline Miles Comparison

Best Cards for Air India Redemptions

Card	Miles Earned (₹1L spend)	Route to Air India
Air India SBI	4,000 direct	Direct
Axis Atlas	2,500 Edge Miles	Edge → Vistara → AI partnership
HDFC Infinia	3,333 RP	RP → Avios → AI partnership

Best Cards for Vistara Redemptions

Card	Points Earned (₹1L spend)	Route
Vistara Platinum	4,500 CV Points	Direct
HDFC Infinia	3,333 RP	RP → Vistara transfer
Axis Magnus	6,000 Edge Miles	Edge → CV Points

Hotel Rewards for Domestic Stays

ITC Hotels

• HDFC Diners Club Black: Complimentary ITC Culinaire membership
• ITC Co-brand cards: Direct points earning

Taj Hotels

• ICICI Emeralde: Taj Epicure membership
• Amex Platinum: Occasional Taj vouchers

Marriott (Courtyard, JW, Westin)

• HDFC Infinia: Transfer RP to Marriott Bonvoy
• Amex Platinum: Marriott Gold status

Decision Tree: Which Card for You?

If You...	Get This
Fly 1-2 times/year	Axis Ace (free) or SBI Prime
Fly 6-12 times/year	HDFC Regalia
Fly 12+ times/year	Axis Atlas or HDFC Regalia Gold
Fly 20+ times/year	HDFC Infinia
Fly mostly Vistara	Vistara Platinum + HDFC Regalia
Fly mostly Air India	Air India SBI + HDFC Regalia
Take trains frequently	SBI Prime (railway lounges)
Stay at Taj/ITC often	ICICI Emeralde

Stacking Strategy for Maximum Value

Budget Stack (₹3k annual fees)

1. SBI Prime - Railway + airport lounges
2. Axis Ace - Cashback on daily spends

Mid-Range Stack (₹8k annual fees)

1. HDFC Regalia - SmartBuy + lounges
2. Axis Atlas - Miles accumulation + backup

Premium Stack (₹25k annual fees)

1. HDFC Infinia - Unlimited lounges + SmartBuy
2. Axis Magnus - Milestone bonuses
3. Vistara Platinum - Airline-specific benefits

Common Mistakes to Avoid

1. Paying for lounge separately - Most travels can be covered by card benefits
2. Ignoring SmartBuy/Travel Edge - 5-10X multipliers are huge for flight bookings
3. Not checking which network lounges accept - Priority Pass ≠ all lounges
4. Overvaluing international benefits - Focus on domestic if that's your primary travel
5. Getting Vistara card if you fly Air India - Airline co-brands only make sense for loyalty

Next Steps

1. Calculate your annual flights - Helps determine lounge benefit value
2. Identify primary airline - Consider co-brand if you're loyal
3. Check lounge locations - Ensure your home airport has good options
4. Compare fee vs. benefit - ₹2,500 Regalia fee = 3-4 lounge visits worth ₹3,000+
5. Apply before trip - Cards take 2-3 weeks to arrive

Choose based on your actual travel pattern, not aspirational frequency. A card that matches 8 trips/year beats one designed for 24 trips you'll never take.