Which Travel Credit Card is Ideal Among ICICI, HDFC, SBI, AU, Scapia, Union, BoB, and Kotak?
In the realm of budget travel, finding the right credit card can significantly enhance your journey. Here's a rundown of some popular options and insights for budget-conscious travelers in India in 2025.
Key Factors for Budget Travel Cards
When considering a budget travel card, look for low or reasonable annual fees, complimentary or free airport lounge access (especially domestic lounges), low foreign currency markup fees (ideally around 2%), reward points redeemable for travel expenses like flights and hotels, and travel insurance benefits and emergency assistance.
Popular Budget-Friendly Travel Credit Cards in India (2025)
Some budget-friendly credit cards offering good travel perks include the IndusInd Tiger Card, HSBC RuPay Cashback Card, ICICI Adani One Platinum Card, and ICICI MakeMyTrip Platinum Card. These cards provide a balance of cost, lounge access, and travel rewards.
Mid-range Options with More Perks
For those seeking more travel benefits, the HDFC Regalia Gold Credit Card and HDFC Diners Club Privilege are worth considering. The HDFC Regalia Gold offers 12 domestic and 6 international lounge visits, low forex fee at 2%, and strong rewards for travel spends. The HDFC Diners Club Privilege, on the other hand, is suitable for travelers not requiring international lounge access.
Cards Mentioned in Your Query
While the ixigo AU credit card, Scapia Federal Credit Card, Union Bank Divaa Credit Card, and BOBCARD Tiara did not appear among the top or noteworthy credit cards for budget travelers in reputable 2025 sources, they may cater to specific niches or offer unique benefits.
The IRCTC SBI Card Premier, for instance, is ideal for budget-conscious frequent train travelers, offering railway ticket booking benefits and bonus reward points on IRCTC spends. However, it may lack strong international travel benefits or lounge access.
Additional Notes
Premium cards like HDFC Infinia, Axis Bank Reserve, or ICICI Emeralde Private Metal offer excellent travel benefits but come with high annual fees, making them less suitable for budget travelers. Flight and hotel booking platforms’ co-branded cards (like MakeMyTrip or IRCTC SBI) often give specific partner-based advantages but may have limited broader travel travel perks compared to versatile cards like Regalia Gold.
Other Options
The Kotak's IndiGo base variant offers slightly lower rewards but can be compelling for loyal IndiGo flyers, providing Prime Video, Gaana+, and Swiggy One subscriptions. The Kotak's IndiGo card premium variant offers lounge access, dining rewards, and recurring benefits like 6E Eats vouchers.
The Air India SBI Signature Card, with an annual fee of ₹4,999, offers 10 points per ₹100 on Air India bookings via official channels, lounge access both domestically (Visa) and internationally (Priority Pass), and up to 16 complimentary domestic airport lounge visits per year.
The Union Bank Divaa Credit Card, made for women, offers eight domestic and two international lounge accesses annually with concierge services, and up to 10% rewards on AC train bookings via IRCTC.
The BOBCARD Tiara, another women-focussed card, offers complimentary domestic lounge access, a health package, and quarterly vouchers.
Lastly, the Scapia Federal Credit Card is a zero-forex, lifetime-free credit card tailored for budget-conscious travelers, while the ixigo AU credit card is a lifetime-free credit card designed for budget travelers who use flights, trains, and buses.
In summary, for budget travelers in India in 2025, cards like HDFC Regalia Gold, IndusInd Tiger, HSBC RuPay Cashback, and ICICI MakeMyTrip Platinum provide a good balance of cost, lounge access, and travel rewards. The cards you listed may be more specialized or newer but do not currently top mainstream recommendations for budget travel credit cards in India in 2025.
- The ixigo AU credit card, Scapia Federal Credit Card, Union Bank Divaa Credit Card, and BOBCARD Tiara are cards that may cater to specific niches or offer unique benefits for budget-conscious travelers in India in 2025, although they did not appear among the top or noteworthy credit cards in reputable 2025 sources.
- The IRCTC SBI Card Premier is a card that caters to budget-conscious frequent train travelers, offering railway ticket booking benefits and bonus reward points on IRCTC spends, but it may lack strong international travel benefits or lounge access.
- The Kotak's IndiGo base variant offers Prime Video, Gaana+, and Swiggy One subscriptions to loyal IndiGo flyers, while the Kotak's IndiGo card premium variant offers lounge access and dining rewards for a higher fee.
- Premium cards like HDFC Infinia, Axis Bank Reserve, or ICICI Emeralde Private Metal offer excellent travel benefits but come with high annual fees, making them less suitable for budget travelers.
- The Air India SBI Signature Card offers up to 10 points per ₹100 on Air India bookings, lounge access both domestically and internationally, and up to 16 complimentary domestic airport lounge visits per year, but it comes with a higher annual fee of ₹4,999.
- The Union Bank Divaa Credit Card, made for women, offers eight domestic and two international lounge accesses annually with concierge services, and up to 10% rewards on AC train bookings via IRCTC, making it a card worth considering for budget-conscious female travelers.
