Super premium and premium credit cards offer unlimited lounge access to international and domestic airport lounges. Regular credit cards provide free lounge access only from 2 to 8 times per year.
You can access the international airport lounges with the priority pass for most of the credit cards.
Some credit cards offer lounge access through Diners Club and Dreamfolks memberships.
You will know about the annual fee and features of the top credit cards for airport lounge access in this article.
Credit Cards Free International Lounge Access with Priority Pass
#1. Axis Reserve Credit Card
Unlimited international lounge access
Axis Reserve is a super premium credit card that provides lifestyle benefits like free airport lounge access, airport concierge services, and complimentary luxury airport pick-ups/drops services.
Primary and add-on cardholders get unlimited domestic and international airport lounge access along with 12 complimentary guest visits in a year.
#2. HDFC Bank INFINIA Credit Card
Unlimited lounge access
HDFC bank Infinia credit card provides unlimited free lounge access to international airports to both primary and add-on cardholders. You can apply for up to 5 add-on credit cards with an Infinia credit card.
You can get a reward value of up to 3.3% on regular spending and 33% on spend through smartbuy.
#3. Axis Magnus Credit Card
Unlimited lounge access
Magnus was the most rewarding credit card till its devaluation in July 2023. Even after devaluation, Magnus gives better benefits as compared to some other credit cards in the market. You can still get a reward value of 2.4% on monthly spending upto Rs. 1.5 lakh and 7% above the 1.5 lakh spending.
You get unlimited domestic and international airport lounge access and 8 additional guest visits in a year.
#4. Kotak White Reserve Credit Card
Unlimited Lounge Access
You and add-on cardholders can access unlimited domestic and international airport lounges with the Kotak White Reserve credit card.
You only get reward points on hitting the spending milestones with a white reserve credit card. You get 5k reward points on spending 3 lakh and an additional 15k points on hitting the 10L milestone. Reward value can vary from 1.67% to 2.50% depending on your total spending.
#5. SBI ELITE Credit Card
Mutli level milestone bonus points
SBI Elite is a travel credit card that gives you 6 free international airport lounge access along with 8 domestic access every year.
You can get the best value only with the milestone benefits on spending 5 and 8 lakh in a year because the reward value on regular spending is just 0.50%.
#6. Standard Chartered Ultimate Credit Card
Upto 3.3% saving
SC Ultimate credit card provides a condition-based limited lounge access credit card. You can get 1 domestic and international airport lounge access every month on spending 20k in the previous month.
You get a reward value of up to 3.3% on your spending, equivalence to the HDFC Infinia credit card that comes with a higher annual fee.
#7. IDFC First Wealth Credit Card
Lifetime free credit card
IDFC First Wealth Credit card is the only zero annual fee credit card in the list that provides free international airport lounge access.
You can get a combined 4 Domestic & International lounges and spa visits per quarter on a monthly spend of Rs 5000. You can spend Rs 5000 in any month to access the lounge in the next month.
You get a minimum reward value of 1% on online and 0.50% on offline purchases.
#8. HDFC Bank Regalia Credit Card
Lounge access with small annual fee
HDFC Regalia credit card is a good option for occasional travelers who are looking for free international airport lounges. You get 12 domestic and 6 international complimentary lounge access in a year.
You can get a reward value of 1.33% on all your spending with a Regalia credit card.
Credit Cards Free International Lounge Access with Diners Club
#9. HDFC Diners Black Credit Card
Unlimited lounge access
HDFC Diners credit card provides a more or less similar benefit as the HDFC Infinia credit card, but the biggest drawback is that the Diners credit card is not accepted at all places.
You get unlimited access to international and domestic airport lounges for both primary and add-on members with the HDFC Diners black credit card.
Credit Cards Free International Lounge Access with Dreamfolks membership
#10. ICICI Bank Emeralde Credit Card
Unlimited lounge access
ICICI Emeralde Credit Card offers unlimited free domestic and international lounge and unlimited Spa access through Dreamfolks membership.
You get lifestyle benefits like complimentary concierge services, free hotel and flight cancellation, and golf lessons.
Credit Card Comparison for Airport Lounge Access
Final Words
You need a good CIBIL score and annual ITR to get a premium or super-premium credit card. Go ahead and apply for one of these credit cards if you have the required CIBIL score.
| Card | Annual Fee | International Lounge Access | Domestic lounge access |
| American Express Platinum Credit Card | Rs. 60,000 | Unlimited | Unlimited |
| Axis Reserve Credit Card | Rs 50,000 | Unlimited | Unlimited |
| YES Private Credit Card | Rs 50,000 | Unlimited | Unlimited |
| Citi Prestige Credit Card | Rs. 20,000 | Unlimited | Unlimited |
| Axis Bank Magnus Credit Card | Rs. 12,500 | Unlimited | Unlimited |
| ICICI Bank Emeralde Credit Card | Rs 12000 | Unlimited | Unlimited |
| HDFC Bank Infinia Credit Card | Rs. 10,000 | Unlimited | Unlimited |
| Axis Bank Miles & More Credit Card | Rs. 10,000 (for select variant)Rs. 3,000 (for World variant) | 4 per year (with Select Variant)2 per year (with World variant) | 8 per quarter (with Select variant)4 per quarter (with World variant) |
| HDFC Bank Diners Club Black Credit Card | Rs. 10,000 | Unlimited | Unlimited |
| YES First Exclusive Credit Card | Rs. 9,999 | Unlimited | 3 per quarter |
| InterMiles HDFC Bank Diners Club Credit Card | Rs. 5,000 | Unlimited | Unlimited |
| Intermiles ICICI Bank Sapphiro Credit Card | Rs. 5,000 | 2 per year | 4 per year |
| Axis Bank Select Credit Card | Rs. 3,000 | 6 per year | 8 per year |
| ICICI Bank Sapphiro Credit Card | Rs 3500 | 2 per year | 2 per year |
| Club Vistara SBI Card Prime | Rs. 2,999 | 4 per year | 8 per year |
| Standard Chartered Emirates World Credit Card | Rs. 3,000 | 2 per month (on spending over Rs. 10,000 in the previous month) | 2 per month (on spending over Rs. 10,000 in the previous month) |
| RBL Bank Insignia Preferred Banking World Card | Nil | 6 per year | 8 per year |
| Kotak Privy League Signature Credit Card | Rs. 2,500 (for paid variant)Nil (for free variant) | 4 per year | Complimentary domestic lounge access under Visa lounge program |
| HDFC Regalia Credit Card | Rs. 2,500 | 6 per year | 12 per year |
| HDFC Bank Diners Club Privilege Credit Card | Rs. 2,500 | Up to 12 per year | Up to 12 per year |
| HDFC Bank Diners Club Miles Credit Card | Rs. 1,000 | Up to 6 per year | Up to 6 per year |
| Indusind Bank Crest Credit Card | Nil (with a joining fee of Rs. 2 lakhs)Rs. 10,000 (with a joining fee of Rs. 1 lakh) | 2 per quarter | Complimentary domestic lounge access through the Mastercard lounge program. |
| HSBC Premier Mastercard Credit Card | Nil | 2 per year | 6 per year |
| IDFC FIRST Wealth Credit Card | Nil | 4 per quarter | 4 per quarter |
| PNB RuPay Select Credit Card | Rs. 500 | 2 per annum | 2 per quarter |
| Union Select RuPay Credit Card | Rs. 499 | 2 per annum | 2 per quarter |
| Federal Bank RuPay Signet Credit Card | Rs. 750 | 2 per annum | 2 per quarter |
If you are applying for your first credit card, you can check the list of best lifetime free credit cards in India. These are entry-level cards with a high approval rate.
