Top 5 best credit cards in India that offer access to airport lounges

The best Credit cards offer various benefits like cashback, miles, coupons, discounts, free priority membership, etc. to attract customers. One of their notable offers is airport lounge access at selected airports in the country and abroad. Access to airport lounges is available not only via travel credit cards but also via some other major cards issued by banks.

The average cost of banks per customer lounge visit at airports was Rs 600 in 2022, and has now crossed Rs 1,000 in 2024, making cards with free lounge access more beneficial for travellers, industry experts said.

The best feature these cards offer is free lounge access, allowing travelers to spend time in a comfortable environment in crowded airports. At select airports, they can enjoy complimentary snacks and drinks in these lounges.

1.The HDFC Diners Club Black Metal Edition Credit Card

The HDFC Diners Club Black Metal Edition Credit Card is considered one of the best credit cards for high net worth individuals who travel frequently and seek luxury experiences. If you're in search of a premium credit card that provides an extensive array of features and benefits, this card is definitely worth considering.

Joining Fee: Rs 10,000

Annual Fee: Rs 10,000

benifits: You get unlimited access to more than 1,300 airport lounges around the world, including Priority Pass and Diners Club lounges, you get free annual memberships at Club Marriott, Amazon Prime and Swiggy One, and you also get access to 24-hour global emergency assistance In the seventh week. days a week in case of accident or illness.

2. SBI Elite Credit Card

SBI Elite Credit Card is one of the best credit cards that offers free airport lounge access. The card also offers many other benefits across multiple categories. This card gives you a high rewards rate and a low foreign exchange margin fee of 1.99%.

joining fee- Rs 4999

annual fee- Rs 4999

benifits- You get a free Priority Pass membership worth $99, plus six free visits to international lounges, up to a maximum of two per quarter. You also get two free visits to your local lounge every three months.

3. SBI Prime Credit Card

SBI Prime Credit Card is one of the best credit cards for airport lounge access in India. The card provides access to international and local lounges.

 joining fee- Rs 2999

annual fee- Same amount as the annual fee. Annual fees are waived if spending exceeds 3k in the previous year

benifits- With this card, you get four free visits to priority international lounges outside India (maximum two visits per quarter), and eight free visits to domestic lounges annually (two visits per quarter).

4. HDFC Bank Diners Club Black Credit Card

The HDFC Diners Club Privilege Credit Card provides its customers with free lounge access. If you are looking to earn high rewards and multiple benefits at a reasonable annual fee, then you can choose this card. There are many other benefits like shopping, travel, rewards and more on this card.

joining fee- Rs 2500

annual fee- Its annual fee is also the same, Rs 2,500, but the bank waives this fee if your spending on the card is more than Rs 3 lakh in the previous year.

benifits- You can enjoy access to more than 1,000 airport lounges globally with this HDFC Bank card and get 12 free airport lounge visits per year, for both domestic and international travel. Complimentary lounge access is also provided for supplementary card members.

5. HDFC Regalia Gold Credit Card

The HDFC Regalia Gold Credit Card is also considered as best credit card which provides lounge access to primary and supplementary cardholders. The card also comes with other benefits for travel, shopping and dining. You can also use reward points against the exclusive Gold Catalog for travel bookings and even convert them into Air Miles.

joining fee- Rs 2500

annual fee- The annual fee is the same. Customers are charged an annual fee of Rs 2,500, which is waived on spending Rs 4 lakh in a year.

benifits- You can enjoy six free airport lounge visits per year outside India via Priority Pass for both primary and supplementary card members upon completion of at least four card transactions. The card also provides 12 free airport lounge visits per year within India

FAQ's

Q. Are there advantages to using a credit card instead of cash?

Q.Should I cancel credit cards I no longer use?

A.Probably not, especially if you’re trying to boost your credit score. Credit history factors into your score, so an account you’ve had for a while is valuable in that it shows you have a credit history.

Q.What happens if I can’t pay my bill?

A.Since a credit card lends money, you don’t have to pay off the entire balance all at once. But keeping a balance on your card means you're being charged interest, which we all know adds up quickly.

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