Airport lounges have become a necessity for frequent flyers. The fact that they offer free food, drinks, and entertainment makes them a must-visit place. But the problem is that these lounges are only accessible to those who have an airline status and their family members. However, there are some credit cards in India that allow you to access airport lounges without any charges. Here we list our top 10 best credit cards for free airport lounge access in India:
One of the most frustrating things about traveling is being stuck in a long queue at the airport, waiting to check-in or security. The worst part is that this is not your fault and you cannot do anything about it. Luckily, some credit cards give you access to airport lounges when you travel abroad. These lounges are usually very comfortable, have great food and drinks, and offer amenities like showers and massages so that you can relax before your flight.
1) JetPrivilege Platinum Card 2X Rewards:
This card offers 2X reward points on all spending and 1X reward points on all other spending. Additionally, it also has no annual fees, which makes it even more attractive. Plus you can get access to over 300+ airport lounges across the world.
2) American Express Platinum Credit Card
American Express Platinum Credit Card is one of the best credit cards for free airport lounge access in India. It offers unlimited access to the Priority Pass Select lounges which include over 600 lounges across the world. You can also enjoy complimentary access to a variety of airport lounges across the globe with this card.
3) SBI Titanium Credit Card
SBI Titanium Credit Card is another best credit cards for free airport lounge access in India. It offers unlimited access to Priority Pass Select lounges which include over 600 lounges across the world. You can enjoy complimentary access to a variety of airport lounges across the globe with this card.
4) HDFC Platinum Credit Card
HDFC Platinum Credit Card offers unlimited access to Priority Pass Select lounges which include over 600 lounges across the world. You can also enjoy complimentary access to a variety of airport lounges across the globe with this card.
5) SBI Signature Platinum Card
The SBI Signature Platinum Card is a relatively new credit card that offers an annual fee of Rs. 2,500 and an additional Rs. 2,000 for primary users of co-branded cards (up to 3). The card also offers free airport lounge access at six different airports across India: Delhi, Mumbai, Hyderabad, Bengaluru, Chennai, and Goa.
6) American Express Platinum Credit Card (Rs 49,500 annual fee)
The American Express Platinum Card is one of the most popular credit cards in India and offers its users a host of benefits such as cashback on spending and complimentary access to a wide range of lounges worldwide. The card also comes with complimentary access to the Priority Pass network of lounges across India. This means that you can use your American Express Platinum Card at any one of these lounges for free when traveling domestically or internationally.
7) Mastercard World Elite Credit Card:
The MasterCard World Elite Credit Card also offers free lounge access at domestic airports across India as well as international ones too! You can use this card at any airport in the world where MasterCard is accepted!
8) Citibank Plus Credit Card:
Get 3X Reward Points at restaurants and 2X Reward Points at supermarkets on all eligible net spends for up to ₹20,000 per month for 6 months from the date of launch (1 April 2019). For more details, check out our review of this card here.
9) Citibank Signature Credit Cards
Citibank Signature Credit Cards offer complimentary access to over 1,000 airport lounges across the globe. They also come with a Priority Pass membership that allows you to access more than 1,200 airport lounges worldwide. The Citibank Signature Visa Infinite Credit Card has an annual fee of Rs 19,999 while the Citibank Signature Visa Platinum Credit Card has an annual fee of Rs 9,999 only.
10) American Express Platinum Cashback Credit Card
The American Express Platinum Cashback Credit Card comes with a complimentary membership to The Lounge Club at Indira Gandhi International Airport (T3). This means you can enjoy unlimited visits to this lounge until March 31 2020 or when your card expires whichever is earlier!
11) Kotak Mahindra Bank Platinum Travel MasterCard Credit Card
The Kotak Mahindra Bank Platinum Travel MasterCard Credit Card comes with complimentary access to airport lounges across India and many other countries in the world such as the USA, UK, and UAE among others. It also provides complimentary upgrade options, travel insurance, and other benefits like concierge services at airports abroad and discounts on car rentals, hotels, and more!
12) The Hilton Honors American Express Ascend Card
This credit card comes with a hefty annual fee of Rs. 5,000 and offers complimentary access to 1 airport lounge per year for up to 2 guests on your itinerary. You’ll also get 1 free weekend night certificate every year after spending Rs. 50,000 on your card annually.
You should choose the right credit card by looking at the cost of purchase as well as the annual fee charged. We would tell you that, as far as airport lounges are concerned, these two aspects usually cancel each other out considering that airport lounge access is free and a lot of cards charge a fee equivalent to or lesser than that. Although there are certain aspects that you may want to consider, if you just want the best value for airport lounge access and not for anything else, the best option for you would be the American Express Platinum card.
