Recently top banks of India such as HDFC Bank, Axis Bank and ICICI Bank have cut down on the rewards and lounge access program on their credit cards. A recent study carried out by Dreamfolks stated that in the July-September quarter of 2023, 2.73 million people used Lounge access compared to 2.63 million people in the April-June quarter. This shows a consistent increase in the number of users availing of lounge access.
This search in Lounge access users is putting banks under financial pressure. 2 years ago the average cost of a lounge visit per user was rupees 600 while currently, it is around 1000. Increasing financial burden many banks have decided to cut down the limit of lounge Access on their credit cards.
In this blog, we are going to talk about the best credit cards which provide the best Lounge access program currently.
Scapia Federal Bank Credit Card
Key Features:
- Annual Fee: ₹0
- Lifetime free
- Airport Lounge Access:
- Unlimited domestic lounge access on a minimum spend of ₹5,000
- Welcome Gift: NIL
- Rewards:
- 20% Scapia coins on travel bookings done on the Scapia App
- 10% Scapia coins on every eligible online and offline spends
- Zero forex markup on all international transactions
Also Read: Scapia Federal Bank Credit Card: A 2023 Guide
SBI Elite Credit Card
Key Features:
- Annual Fee: ₹4,999
- Airport Lounge Access:
- Six complimentary international visits per year
- Eight complimentary domestic lounge visits per year
- Welcome Gift: ₹5,000 voucher
- Rewards:
- 5x rewards on dining
- 5x rewards on grocery spends
- 5x rewards on department store spending
- Free Movie Tickets: ₹6,000 annually
Also Read: 6 Best Rupay Credit Cards for Fuel purchase
HDFC Diners Club Privilege Credit Card
Key Features:
- Annual Fee: ₹2,500 (waived off on spending ₹3 lakh in the previous year)
- Lounge Access:
- 12 complimentary lounge visits across airports in India and abroad
- Available for both primary and add-on card members
- Complimentary Memberships:
- Amazon Prime
- MMT BLACK
- Times Prime
- Dineout Passport
Also Read: HDFC Regalia Gold Credit Card Review
Axis Bank Select Credit Card
Key Features:
- Annual Fee: ₹3,000
- Lounge Access:
- Six complimentary international lounge visits annually
- Eight complimentary domestic lounge visits annually
- Bonuses:
- 20% discounts on BigBasket purchases
- 40% off on Swiggy
- Six complimentary rounds of golf yearly
SBI Prime Credit Card
Key Features:
- Annual Fee: ₹2,999 (waived off on spending ₹3 lakh in a year)
- Lounge Access:
- Four complimentary visits to international Priority Pass Lounges annually
- Eight domestic lounge visits annually
- Milestone Benefits:
- E-gift vouchers
- Bonus reward points
- Vouchers for achieving specific spending thresholds
YES FIRST Preferred Credit Card
Key Features:
- Annual Fee: ₹999 (waived off on spending ₹2.5 lakh in a year)
- Lounge Access:
- Four international lounge visits per year
- Eight domestic lounge visits per year
- Rewards:
- Eight points per ₹100 spent on most categories
- 2x rewards on travel and dining
- Additional Benefit:
- Four complimentary rounds of golf annually
Comparative Summary
Credit Card Comparison
| Credit Card | Annual Fee | Domestic Lounge Access | International Lounge Access |
|---|---|---|---|
| Scapia Federal Bank Credit Card | 0 | Unlimited | Nil |
| SBI Elite Credit Card | 5,000 | 8 per Year | 6 per Year |
| HDFC Diners Club Privilege Credit Card | 2,500 | 8 per Year | NIL |
| Axis Bank Select Credit Card | 3,000 | 8 per Year | 6 per Year |
| SBI Prime Credit Card | 2,999 | 8 per Year | 4 per Year |
| YES FIRST Preferred Credit Card | 999 | 8 per Year | 4 per Year |
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