7 Best Credit Cards for Airport Lounge Access in India

 

Introduction

Have you ever been in an airport lounge? If yes, then you might have found that access to airport lounges is usually restricted to first-class or business-class passengers. However, some of the best credit cards offering complimentary airport lounge access can get you inside the lounge even if you are flying in economy class.

The article covers the benefits of credit cards with access to an airport lounge available in India. It underlines that the credit cards with lounge access accord much comfort and convenience to the frequent traveller. Besides that, the best credit card providers in the country have introduced some attractive features due to growing demand in such travel luxuries.

The article discusses seven credit cards that offer airport lounge access and discusses the benefits that make the said card the perfect traveling companion. Complimentary access to airport lounges is a common feature in travel credit cards, but the number of free lounge visits in a year differs from card to card.

The Top 7 Best Credit Cards Airport Lounge Access:

Serial no.	Credit Card Name	Annual Fees	Lounge Benefits
1	HDFC Infinia Credit Card (Metal Edition)	Rs 12,500 every year	Unlimited complimentary domestic lounge access
2	HDFC Bank Regalia Gold Credit Card	Rs 2,500 + Taxes (every year)	12 Complimentary domestic and international airports lounge access
3	HDFC Bank Diners Club Black Credit Card	Rs 10,000 (every year)	2 complimentary airports lounge every quarter (worldwide)
4	SBI Advantage Platinum Credit Card	Rs 2,999 (every year)	8 complimentary lounge access for domestic travels
5	SBI Elite Credit Card	Rs 4,999+Taxes (one time)	2 complimentary domestic airports lounge every quarter in India
6	Flipkart Axis Bank Credit Card	Rs 500, 2nd year onwards	4 complimentary domestic airports lounge every year in India
7	ICICI Coral RuPay Credit Card	Rs 500 plus taxes	Complimentary domestic lounges on a minimum spend of Rs 35,000 (per quarter)

Let’s Discuss Above Top 7 Credit Cards With Lounge Benefits In Detail.

1) HDFC Infinia Credit Card (Metal Edition)

The yearly charges for the card are Rs. 12,500. Given below are the privileges of the card issued.

a) Refreshment and business centre facility in the Priority Pass lounge would be provided to both primary card-holders and add-on cardholders.

b) Further, all the airport lounges of Priority Pass in India and abroad would be complimentary in nature for all primary and add-on Priority Pass holders by adding greater value to their card membership.

c) Cardholder needs to show their card at the airport for availing lounge access for the Priority Pass Lounges.

d) Guest using priority pass will be charged USD 27 + GST per entry per guest

e) Infinia Primary cardholders shall be entitled to unlimited complimentary Lounge access in India through the Infinia Credit Card Lounge Access Program

f) A nominal charge of Rs. 2 as transaction charges will be levied on a Visa Card holder for each visit in lieu of availing free access.

2) HDFC Bank Regalia Gold Credit Card

Annual charges are INR 2,500 plus taxes every year. The lounge benefit accrued from this card is as under,

a) By using HDFC Bank Regalia Gold Credit Card at airports in India, both domestic and international terminals, avails 12 free visits.

b) In case you exceed the free visits or visit lounges that are not part of the program, the lounge authorities may permit you, at their discretion, and charge the same. c) With Priority Pass, you and your supplementary cardholder may get a total of 6 complimentary lounge visits per calendar year outside India.

d) The Priority Pass shall be issued to you and your supplementary card members after completion of a minimum four retail transactions on your HDFC Bank Regalia Gold Credit Card. Apply here.

e) If you exceed the 6 free visits, a charge of USD 27 + GST per visit will be levied. Availing your Priority Pass to access lounges within India will also lead to a per-visit charge of USD 27 + GST.

f) Guests accompanying primary cardholders must have an Add-on credit card with Priority Pass on their name. Using your Priority Pass within India will lead to charges being levied on your credit card.

3) HDFC Bank Diners Club Black Credit Card

The charge levied as the annual fee for the card is Rs 10,000 per year. The main privileges of this card are as under.

a) More than 1,000 airport lounges of the world are accessible free to the primary and supplementary cardholder.

b) The card also provides unlimited access to airport lounges worldwide for the primary and add-on cardholders. Further, added to this is the low forex markup fee of just 2%.

c) For regular international travellers, Airport Lounge Access and Low Forex Markup are the big draws, especially with savings running into thousands.

d) Note, however, that the card doesn’t provide other travel privileges like bonus points for booking your travels and free membership to select frequent flier programs.

e) If it had included these, too, then the potential for travellers in savings maximization would have been further enhanced.

4) SBI Advantage Platinum Credit Card

The annual fee levied on this card is Rs 2,999. The privileges coded on this card are as under.

Lounge Privileges:

As a Priority Pass member, you have access to executive lounges in more than 300 cities worldwide, irrespective of your class of travel or airlines. The lounges offer snacks, newspapers, television, and internet access.

Additional privileges:

a) Avail a 50-day grace period with interest-free credit and extended credit facility at nominal monthly interest rate of 2.25%

b) Free Visa/ Mastercard ATM cash withdrawals without any withdrawal limit worldwide.

c) Avail the facility of Net Banking and get a waiver of 2.5% fuel surcharge on cash transactions done between Rs 500 to Rs 4,000 at all the fuel stations in India.

5) SBI Elite Credit Card

The Annual fee of Rs 4,999 plus Taxes (one time) is levied to this card. The lounge benefits which are provided by the card are as follows.

You will get USD 99 worth membership to the Priority Pass Program, which gives 6 free visits to international airport lounges per year, i.e., 2 visits per quarter. You will get 2 free visits to domestic airport lounges per quarter.

6) Flipkart Axis Bank Credit Card

The annual fee levied is Rs 500 from the second year onwards. The domestic lounge and rest of the benefits are as below.

Domestic Lounge benefits:

a) Free access to lounges at four domestic airports in a calendar year with a minimum eligible spend of Rs 50,000 in the last 3 months.

b) Additionally, enjoy a 20% discount on dining experiences on select restaurants.

Add-on benefits:

a) Flipkart Axis Bank Credit Card provides different benefits on popular and frequently-used apps such as Uber, PVR, Swiggy, Curefit, Myntra, and Tata Play.

b) For all the spends carried out on these apps using this credit card, you get a flat 4% cash back, by which you can save money every time you make a purchase. Benefits: These are available with respect to your lifestyle and dining transactions.

7) ICICI Coral RuPay Credit Card

The card has an annual fee of Rs. 500 plus taxes per year. The benefits attached to the credit card are as under.

Benefits of Lounge Access:

You can get free access to airport and railway lounges if you spend at least Rs 35,000 in the last three months.

Other Benefits:

Under the ICICI Bank Milestone Rewards program, if your transactions add up to Rs 2,00,000 annually, you will get 2,000 payback points. Once you achieve this milestone, you will also get 1,000 points for every transaction over Rs 1,00,000 during an anniversary year. The maximum limit for PAYBACK Points is Rs 10,000 per annum.

There are special movie ticket offers as well.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

Which is the best credit card for airport lounge access in India?

By accessibility and number of usages, the best credit card with lounge access is the HDFC Infinia Credit Card – Metal Edition because it gives unlimited access at all domestic and international airports.

What are the benefits of an airport lounge, once you get its access?

The food and drinks are available free of cost in an Airport lounge. Adding to that, you can access wi-fi services for free. They act as a refreshment and a rest-room for the time being passengers are at the airport.

Do you get access to airport lounges from other cards, apart from credit cards?

Yes, some of the Debit cards can provide access to Airport lounges in India.

How could you access the airport lounges?

There are two ways to access the participating airport lounges. You can either swipe your qualifying credit card and inform the airport staff about the LoungeKey, or you can present a digital lounge access code after creating an online account on the website or app.

Can anyone else use your credit card to get into the airport lounge in India?

No, the only person allowed to enter the lounge is the one whose name is on the eligible Mastercard payment card.

Can you access workstations while you are in an airport lounge?

Yes, you can access the workstation and get your work done comfortably. Usually, lounges provide free wi-fi, charging stations, other business equipment, etc., while you are there in an airport lounge.

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