Best Credit Card for Airline Miles in India (2026): Features & Charges

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Using a miles credit card is a smart way to pay securely while earning airline rewards and travel benefits. There’s not really one single best credit card for airline miles - the right one for you depends on your travel habits, spending style and personal preferences. Many Indian banks offer airline miles credit cards, which gives you a choice depending on the airlines you use frequently and how you tend to transact.

Let’s explore the best credit card for a frequent flyer to maximise miles and travel perks. We'll also introduce you to the Wise Travel card, which allows you to hold 40+ currencies in on card and spend without any forex markups or hidden fees.

What’s an airline miles credit card?

An airline miles credit card rewards you as you spend, either with airline miles directly, or with points you can then convert to miles.

Different cards have their own earning rates which can depend on the type of spending. You might get higher reward points when you spend in a foreign currency for example - but you’ll usually also pay a foreign transaction fee which may outweigh this particular perk.

Your rewards may be deposited to your linked frequent flyer plan directly as miles, or you might need to initiate the conversion from your points to miles on the bank’s website.

You can then choose how to use your credit card miles - often for flight tickets, upgrades and airport services. In some cases you can also choose to redeem your points for other perks like cash back or fee waivers, instead of miles, depending on the card you select.

Things to look out for in choosing a credit card for airline miles

There are many different options for a miles credit card - so you’ll need to weigh up the features and benefits of a few to help you decide. Here are a few things worth thinking about.

• Eligibility - All cards have some eligibility requirements which may be based on age, residency or income. Make sure you’re eligible to apply before you select any specific card.
• Miles reward rate - Miles rewards rates vary a lot and can be quite complicated. Look out for the rates on the types of transactions you make often - many cards have variable rates depending on the spend type.
• Miles redemption mechanic - If you’re confident you’ll want to use your miles for airline benefits, having a card which deposits your miles into your frequent flier account directly can save time and hassle versus needing to convert.
• Annual fees - All of the cards we’ve featured have annual fees, and you may also pay a joining fee. Some cards offer waivers based on meeting spending thresholds.
• Foreign transaction fees - Finally check the costs for using your card in a foreign country or currency. Foreign transaction fees can be as high as 3.5% and are added every time you travel or spend online with a foreign retailer.

If you want to avoid foreign transaction fees and forex markups on your international spending, consider the Wise Travel card—which is a debit card that also carries no annual fees. More on that later.

Compare best credit cards for airline miles in India

Here’s a side by side comparison of some great options if you’re looking for the best airline miles credit card in India.

*Details correct at time of research - 10th February 2026

Equitas PowerMiles Credit Card

Best for: 1 for 1 exchange with 10+ airline and hotel partners (from July 2026)

The Equitas PowerMiles Credit Card offers luxury travel benefits including lounge access, some air accident cover, membership of Club Marriott and high points earning on overseas spend. Once you have reward points you can redeem them for cashback or travel, with planned 1 for 1 exchange of points to miles with select partners due to roll out from the middle of 2026.

Main features and fees:

• 180,000 INR income required to apply
• Annual fee of 5,000 INR - waived for year 1 if you spend 120,000 INR in the first 90 days of card issuance
• Earn 3 reward points on every 100 INR international spend, with a 2% foreign transaction fee
• Rewards can be exchanged at 1 point = 0.5 for flights, or 1 for 1 on miles from July 2026
• Lounge access, luxury memberships, concierge service

Axis Bank Miles and More Credit Card

Best for: Great miles earning on local spending - miles are unlimited and do not expire

Your Axis Bank Miles and More Credit Card allows you to earn 4 - 6 miles per 200 INR spend, with no cap on the total you can accumulate. There are various different redemption routes allowing you to spend freely, and you’ll also get extra perks like lounge access and dining benefits. Foreign transaction fees are high at 3.5% making this best for INR spending.

Main features and fees:

• Welcome bonus of 5,000 to 15,000 miles available depending on card
• Available for applicants age 18 - 70, resident of India or NRI - other eligibility rules may also apply
• 3,500 INR annual fee
• Earn rate of 4 - 6 miles per 200 INR spend, which don’t expire
• Foreign transaction fee of 3.5%

SBI Miles Rupay Credit Card

Best for: Low annual fee card with 1 for 1 points to miles redemption

The SBI Miles Rupay Credit Card offers 2 Travel Credits per 200 INR spent on travel, and 1 on all other spend, with a generous welcome bonus to start your points accumulation. There are also milestone benefits including extra points when you hit certain spending thresholds. Convert your Travel Credits at a rate of 1 for 1 to miles.

Main features and fees:

• Welcome gift of 1,500 Travel Credits (can be redeemed 1 for 1 on miles)
• 1,499 INR annual fee to pay
• 2 Travel Credits per 200 INR spend on travel, 1 on all other spend
• 3% foreign transaction fee when overseas
• Domestic and international lounge access, milestone benefits, and 1% fuel surcharge waiver

IndusInd Bank Avios Visa Infinite

Best for: Loyal BA or Qatar Airways customers looking to maximise Avios earning

The IndusInd Bank Avios Visa Infinite card has specific Avios earning opportunities for redemption with Qatar Airways Privilege Club or British Airways Executive Club. The card has specific preferred destinations which offer higher reward earning as well as a lower foreign transaction fee, and also has extra perks like meet and greet services, and a complimentary concierge. Joining and annual fees are fairly high at 10,000 INR and 5,000 INR respectively.

Main features and fees:

• Redeem miles with Qatar Airways Privilege Club or British Airways Executive Club
• Welcome gift of 20,000 bonus Avios points
• Fairly high 10,000 INR joining fee, followed by a 5,000 INR annual fee
• Variable foreign transaction fee of 1.5% in preferred destinations, 3.5% elsewhere
• 6 Avios on 200 INR spend for POS in preferred destinations, 5 Avios for BA and Qatar Airways spending, 3 Avios for most other spend, 1 Avios on utilities, government, education and insurance

Summary: Best credit card for airline miles

There’s no single best credit card for airline miles—different cards offer unique features and benefits, so it is worth shopping around to find one that suits your specific spending patterns. For example, some cards carry high annual fees but offer excellent reward-earning rates, while others provide more modest rewards in exchange for lower fees and accessible income requirements.

When deciding on the right card for your needs, it is also worth considering a companion card to optimise your international costs. While credit cards are great for earning miles, they often charge foreign transaction fees that can eat into your rewards. To avoid this, you can bring along a Wise Travel card. It allows you to spend abroad at the interbank rate with no markups, effectively cutting the hidden costs of your international spending while you save your credit card for the high-value purchases that earn you those flights.

Meet the Wise Travel card: 40+ currencies in one card, with no forex markups or hidden fees

With no hidden markups, the Wise Travel card is a smart way to spend abroad. You'll always get the real interbank exchange rate for conversions across 40+ currencies. Wise's transparent, low pricing, plus no foreign transaction fees or forex markups, usually means you are getting the best value for your money.

The fully digital account opening and vKYC process allows you to sign up from the comfort of your home, and there are no annual or monthly fees either. Simply order your card, show proof of your travels, load your funds, and you're all set. Plus - card orders are currently free to Indian addresses (limited time launch offer, while stocks last)! A physical Wise card enables you to make secure chip and PIN payments and get some free ATM withdrawals while you're overseas. You can also instantly freeze or unfreeze your card in the app anytime for peace of mind.

Wherever your travels take you, the Wise Travel card is the only forex card you'll need to make spending internationally simpler and cheaper.

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