Looking for the best credit card in India for 2025 that matches your needs? You’re in the right place. Whether you’re after cashback, lounge access, complimentary hotel stays, or even business/first class tickets, this list has got you covered.
I’ve reviewed over 200 credit cards from various banks in India and curated a list of the best options for 2025, tailored to different user segments.
With over 10 active credit cards in my wallet, this compilation includes the cards I personally use, along with many others that could suit your needs.
Entry-Level Credit Cards
Recommended income: ₹5 Lakhs+
Recommended spend: ₹1 Lakhs+
Entry-level credit cards, also known as credit cards for beginners, are designed for first-time users. These cards are ideal for individuals who are just starting to build their credit history.
SBI Cashback Card
- Best for: Upto 5% Cashback on Online spends
- Read Review & Apply: SBI Cashback Credit Card
SBI Cashback Credit Card is the HOT pick of the year for entry-level cardholders as 5% Cashback on online spends is lucrative even after the recent devaluation. With a pretty good max cap of 5,000 INR a month, it equates to 1L monthly spends.
Amex MRCC
- Best for: Gold Collection & Points Transfers
- Read Review & Apply: American Express MRCC Review
American Express Membership Rewards Credit Card (MRCC) is the best way to get into the world of Amex. If you use this card just to get the 2000 MR bonus points monthly (20K spend), you can easily get a return of 6% on spends.
Apart from that, you will also get access to the amazing Amex Offers (merchant offers & spend linked offers) which are quite good most of the time.
ICICI Amazon Pay
- Best for: 5% return on Amazon spends
- Apply from Amazon App
If you shop frequently on Amazon and if you’re an Amazon Prime customer, you cannot afford to miss this wonderful card as it’s anyway a lifetime free credit card.
Premium Credit Cards
- Suggested income range: 12 Lakhs+
- Suggested spend range: 6 Lakhs+
Premium credit cards comes into picture when your lifestyle has pinch of luxury factor to it. It comes with more travel benefits like domestic and international lounge access, better reward rate, etc.
HDFC Regalia Gold
- Best for: Airport Lounge access & Milestone Benefits
- Read Review & Apply: HDFC Regalia Gold Credit Card
The most important benefit of this card apart from rewards & merchant offers is the ability to get add-on cards with Priority Pass for all family members, which shares the generous complimentary lounge access limit with the primary card.
For those who can’t get HDFC Super Premium credit cards, this is a wonderful alternative, especially for lounge access.
Amex Gold Charge
- Best for: Higher Credit Limit & Gold Collection rewards
- Read Review & Apply: American Express Gold Charge Card Review
If you’re looking for a higher credit limit but unable to get it via any other credit card, this is the one for you.
On top of that, You also get rewards on fuel/utility spends unlike most other credit cards in the segment. This is best used along with Amex MRCC to speed up the 24K gold redemption.
Yes First Reserv
- Best for: Online / Travel spends with 3X/5X subscription
- Read Review: Yes First Reserv Credit Card
Yesbank’s rebranded Reserv Credit Card (previously called as Yes First Exclusive) is a pretty good product when it’s coupled with the subscription plan that gives 3X/5X rewards on select categories depending.
HDFC Tata Neu Infinity Rupay
- Best for: UPI Spends & utility payments
- Apply Now (Review coming soon)
If you’re looking for a single UPI Credit Card, HDFC Bank Tata Neu Infinity Rupay Credit Card is the one that you need.
It not only gives decent rewards on UPI spends, but also offers lucrative 5% return on utility bills. On top of that, you also get targeted offers from Tata Neu, like the recent promo where a good discount was offered on booking your car with Tata Motors.
Amex Platinum Reserve
- Best for: Accor Plus Membership, monthly milestone.
- Read Review & Apply: Amex Platinum Reserve Credit Card
This is the first time Amex Reserve has made it to the list, thanks to the latest refresh on the credit card benefits, out of which Accor Plus benefit is a noteworthy one that gives up-to 50% off on dining.
Travel Credit Cards
When your life has good amount of travel, that’s when you need to have these exclusive Travel credit cards.
Travel & airline credit cards are designed in such a way that you get travel vouchers/points/miles instead of cashback.
Axis Atlas
- Best for: Accor, ITC & other airline transfers partners
- Read Review & Apply: Axis Atlas Credit Card Review
Axis Bank Atlas Credit Card comes with an amazing reward rate on regular spends and much more on select categories like direct hotels/airlines. It’s a hot pick for 2024 and stands good even after it’s recent devaluation.
Amex Platinum Travel
- Best for: Taj Vouchers & access to premium airport lounges
- Read Review & Apply: Amex Platinum Travel Review
American Express Platinum Travel card is the best travel credit card in the country, hands down! It retains it’s name and fame for alomost a decade now.
I personally enjoy using this card as it helps me to stay at one unique Taj property every year by using the complimentary Taj Vouchers that comes with it.
HDFC Marriott Bonvoy
- Best for: for its lucrative joining/renewal benefits
- Review: HDFC Marriott Bonvoy Credit Card
While HDFC Bank’s Marriott Bonvoy Credit Card has poor reward rate on ongoing spends, it stands good for its incredible welcome and renewal benefits which can easily fetch twice or thrice the value of the joining fee.
RBL World Safari
- Best for: 1 Yr Worldwide travel insurance, 0% Forex markup Fee
- Review: RBL World Safari Credit Card
RBL World Safari Credit Card is a hidden gem for frequent travellers as it not only offers the compete 1 Year international travel insurance but also comes with a 0% markup fee on international spends.
This solves the need for most international travellers without needing to get super premium credit cards or other forex cards for international travel.
Airline Credit Cards
If you’re a frequent traveller, you might also need to get one or more of the best Airline Credit cards. Airmiles/Airlines credit cards makes sense if you fly frequently with the specific airline. Here are some of the best:
Vistara Infinite
- Best for: Flying Vistara Business Class
- Read Review & Apply: Axis Bank Vistara Infinite Review
This best airline credit card in the country continues to give wonderful returns even after many years of it’s existence.
It’s a must have credit card for those who frequently fly Vistara because of it’s gold tier benefits (1st year only) and for those who love business class experience, as it gives 1 complimentary business class ticket on every ~2.5L spends.
IDFC Vistara
- Best for: Flying Vistara Premium Economy
- Apply Now (Review coming soon)
If you don’t fancy a Business Class flight or don’t find sufficient availability, then IDFC Vistara Credit Card may help you with complimentary Premium Economy Tickets on credit card spends.
If you’re okay with not-so-great customer support, you may as well go with the SBI Vistara Prime Credit Card that has similar features and benefits.
SBI Air India Signature
- Best for: Flying Air India & select star alliance partners
- Read Review & Apply: SBI Air India Signature Credit Card
If your travel involves flying Air India for whatever reason, you shouldn’t be skipping this credit card. It demands high spends, but rewards very well on most type of spends.
Also, with the change in ownership and merging of airlines I’m hoping things with Air India to get better in 2024 and beyond.
IndusInd Tiger Card
- Best for: transferring points to Vistara
- Read Review & Apply: IndusInd Tiger Credit Card
While it’s technically not an airline credit card, the earn rate of CV points on the card is much higher than any other airline cards in the country, thanks to the accelerated earn rate on crossing >5L spend in a year.
Super Premium Credit Cards
- Suggested income range: 20 Lakhs+
- Suggested spend range: 10 Lakhs+
Super premium credit cards are those that comes with higher reward rate, higher credit limit, unlimited lounge access, better card linked benefits & many more perks that you would need to enjoy a luxury lifestyle.
Axis Magnus for Burgundy
- Best for: Airport meet & greet services, miles transfer
- Read Review & Apply: Axis Magnus Review
Axis Magnus for Burgundy is the upgraded version of the previous “Magnus” with the ability to transfer points at 5:4 to the airline/hotel partners.
It also gives you new airport experiences with their complimentary airpot meet & greet service, which is useful for many.
If your spends are over 2 or 3 Lakhs a month even for few months in a year, this is perhaps the ONLY card you would ever need.
HDFC Infinia
- Best for: 5X Rewards with decent reward rate on regular spends
- Read Review & Apply: HDFC Infinia Review
Infinia is everyone’s dream for ages without an exception. If you are looking for a single credit card for all your spends beyond Axis Magnus, then Infinia will serve the need.
If you couldn’t get Infinia, Diners Black (pvc) is equally good with same reward rate, only the capping on accelerated rewards is lower.
HDFC Diners Black Metal
- Best for: 5X Rewards with quarterly milestone benefit
- Review coming soon
The primary difference from the old Diners Black (pvc) is the metal form factor along with higher smartbuy capping and the additional quarterly milestone benefit which is useful for regular high spenders.
If you’re into business, you should instead go for the HDFC Diners BizBlack Credit Card to earn lucrative rewards on tax and bill payments.
Only downside though is the lower acceptance of Diners cards in India compared to Visa/MasterCard, which means you have to keep a backup card handy.
ICICI Emeralde Private
- Best for: Welcome benefit & decent ongoing rewards
- Read Review: ICICI Emeralde Private metal Credit Card
ICICI Bank’s Emeralde Private Credit Card, an invite only card at the moment, is perhaps the first ever credit card in the history of ICICI Bank credit cards to carry a good reward rate of 3% on regular spends.
Yes Bank Marquee
- Best for: rewards as shopping vouchers
- Read Review: Yes Bank Marquee Credit Card Review
Yesbank’s newly launched Marquee Credit Card is a pretty good Super Premium Credit Card especially if your spends are largely focused online, as it gives you amazing 4.5% reward rate on online spends.
Ultra Premium / UHNI Cards
The ultra premium credit cards are generally different from other type of cards because these cards not only gives rewards but also intend to give you returns via card benefits.
Some of the benefits include: hotel privileges, concierge, meet & greet, airport transfer, first class upgrades, premium support, etc.
Amex Platinum
- Best for: hotel benefits & concierge
- Read Review & Apply: Amex Platinum Charge Card Review
Most of the Amex Plat cardholders that I know have it for the Marriott Bonvoy Gold membership benefit which is quite useful in India.
Other than the tangible benefits, their “Do Anything” platinum concierge is worth it for those who have the lifestyle to make use of it.
The expensive metal card makes sense if you know how to get equivalent value out of the joining fee. The newly introduced luxury redemption options are quite useful as well.
Axis Burgundy Private
- Best for: Very high spends, miles transfer
- Review coming soon
If your spends are very high for Magnus and can hold a relationship of 5Cr with Axis Bank, then Axis Burgundy Private is the option.
While it requires high NRV with bank, the rewards and benefits that comes with it for very high spenders are phenomenal.
HSBC Premier
- Best for: Rewards on all kinds of spends
- Read Review: HSBC Premier Credit Card Review
HSBC Premier Credit Card with it’s upgraded features and benefits is certainly useful for those who prefer to enjoy rewards on all kinds of spends.
While it’s primarily a good card for existing HSBC Premier customers with medium spends, one should consider Magnus for Burgundy if the spends are high.
Choosing the Right Card
Selecting the best credit card in 2024 is much easier now, thanks to the wide variety of attractive offers available.
#1 If you’re new to credit cards and have relatively low annual spending (<₹5L) with significant online purchases, the SBI Cashback Credit Card is an excellent choice to start with.
#2 If your annual spending exceeds ₹15L, consider getting the Axis Atlas Credit Card, along with one or two other cards that complement your lifestyle.
#3 For those who spend over ₹30L annually, you’ll likely benefit from premium cards like Axis Magnus or Burgundy, along with HDFC Infinia and other high-end cards.
Conclusion
After few years of making short lists, now the list has got bigger just as it used to be before, thanks to the devaluation of Magnus.
The list will be updated from time to time to keep it relevant. So feel free to bookmark the page for quicker access.
What’s your thoughts about the above list of best credit cards for 2025? Feel free to share your opinion in the comments below. We shall amend the list if required.
