Best credit card for travel and flights in India

On ₹20,000 a month on travel and flights, plus ₹9,500 a month of other typical spending, the card that returns the most is Cashback SBI Card: about ₹14,220 a year after its fee, which is 4.02% of what you put on cards. BOBCARD Cashback Credit Card comes next at ₹13,841. The middle card out of the 173 we could score returns ₹1,686, so the choice matters.

How this was worked out: ₹20,000 a month on travel and flights, plus ₹9,500 a month of other typical spending. Points counted as cashback. Figures are what each card returns in a year after its annual fee, read from the banks' own pages, last on 2026-09-30.

The top 10

  1. Cashback SBI Card (SBI Card, ₹999 a year): ₹14,220 a year, 4.02% back. Earns most on travel & flights (₹12,000) and online shopping (₹1,200).
  2. BOBCARD Cashback Credit Card (BOBCARD, ₹499 a year): ₹13,841 a year, 3.91% back. Earns most on travel & flights (₹12,000) and online shopping (₹1,200).
  3. PhonePe SBI Card SELECT BLACK (SBI Card, ₹1,499 a year): ₹13,404 a year, 3.79% back. Earns most on travel & flights (₹10,435) and online shopping (₹1,043).
  4. HSBC Live+ Credit Card (HSBC, ₹999 a year): ₹11,580 a year, 3.27% back. Earns most on travel & flights (₹3,600) and online shopping (₹2,400).
  5. BOBCARD Eterna Credit Card (BOBCARD, ₹2,499 a year): ₹11,115 a year, 3.14% back. Earns most on travel & flights (₹9,000) and online shopping (₹900).
  6. BOBCARD Tiara Credit Card (BOBCARD, ₹2,499 a year): ₹10,035 a year, 2.83% back. Earns most on travel & flights (₹9,000) and dining out (₹450).
  7. HSBC Premier Credit Card (HSBC, No annual fee): ₹9,900 a year, 2.8% back. Earns most on travel & flights (₹7,200) and online shopping (₹720).
  8. PhonePe SBI Card PURPLE (SBI Card, ₹499 a year): ₹9,252 a year, 2.61% back. Earns most on travel & flights (₹4,800) and online shopping (₹480).
  9. IDFC FIRST Hello Cashback Credit Card (IDFC FIRST Bank, ₹1,000 a year): ₹8,940 a year, 2.53% back. Earns most on travel & flights (₹7,200) and online shopping (₹720).
  10. IRCTC HDFC Bank Credit Card (HDFC Bank, ₹500 a year): ₹8,100 a year, 2.29% back. Earns most on travel & flights (₹7,200) and online shopping (₹240).

Your spending is not this spending. Put in your own numbers and the ranking re-sorts for you, with the working shown for every card.

Common questions

What is the best credit card for travel and flights?

On ₹20,000 a month on travel and flights, plus ₹9,500 a month of other typical spending, SahiCard ranks Cashback SBI Card first, returning about ₹14,220 a year after fees. Your own spending split can change the order, so check it on your numbers.

How are these figures worked out?

SahiCard takes each card's reward rates, monthly caps, excluded categories, foreign currency markup and annual fee from the bank's own pages and terms, applies them to the spending above, and shows the rupees left in a year. Cards are read from the banks' pages, last on 2026-09-30.

Will my result be different?

Probably, a little. Caps and bonus rates depend on where you spend, not just how much. Put in your own monthly spend by category on SahiCard to see your ranking.

Does a bank pay to be ranked higher?

No. SahiCard is independent: no bank pays us, sponsors us or sees what you type. The ranking is only the arithmetic.

Is this financial advice?

No. It is information worked out from each bank's published terms. Eligibility, approval and offers are set by the bank, so check the bank's own page before you apply.

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