Synopsis: Ticket prices for the Indian Premier League aka IPL 2026 have reached its peak. The surge of demand makes credit card discounts important in reducing the cost and increasing fun. However, not all cards currently deliver discounts. This article brings you the select credit cards that effectively reduce IPL ticket costs along with additional benefits as overall.
IPL is not just a mere cricket tournament but an enormous celebration for the entire country. Now stadium attendance has become quite competitive with ticket prices fluctuating sharply based on teams and venue. A weekend clash or a marquee rivalry can push even mid-tier seats into the ₹4,000 to ₹6,000 range and the premium sections may even cross a whopping sum of ₹10,000. This means that the card you use would direct how much you pay. However, not all cards are built for IPL usage.
Winning the Race for the Best Seats
The energy across the 12 host venues right now is nothing short of a cricket carnival. It starts from the sea of yellow at Chepauk to the wall of blue at the Wankhede. Fans across the nation and more are turning up in record numbers. However, with demand at an all-time high, ticket pricing has become also aggressively varied.
You can still find student gallery spots for around ₹499 but the mid-tier stands where you actually get a decent view of the boundary are sitting firmly between ₹4,500 and ₹8,000. If you’re eyeing the premium hospitality boxes at the M. Chinnaswamy then be prepared to see tags crossing the ₹65,000 mark.
In this economy, your credit card is your best friend for reducing the cost to increase the fun. To help you stay in the stands without draining your savings, we’ve identified the best cards that offer the best routes to secure those elusive discounts.
Top Credit Cards for IPL 2026 Ticket Savings
1. Axis Bank Indigo Credit Card
- Joining Fee: ₹799+ taxes
- Annual Fee: ₹799+ taxes
- The Axis Bank IndiGo Credit Card is primarily a travel reward card but it periodically participates in BookMyShow promotions which may extend to IPL tickets.
- IPL Ticket Benefits:
- Buy-One-Get-One (B1G1) offer through BookMyShow
- This means you pay for one ticket and you get additional free.
- Limited applicability though due to availability constraints
- Offer is valid till midnight March 31st, 2027
- Capping is set at ₹250 maximum discount
- Minimum two tickets need to be purchased to avail the offer
- Other Benefits:
- Welcome benefit of ₹1,200 IndiGo BluChips upon payment of joining fee
- Annual renewal benefit of ₹1,200 IndiGo BluChips on fee payment
- Milestone rewards of ₹1,200 BluChips on annual spends of ₹1.5 lakh and ₹3 lakh
- Accelerated earning of 3 BluChips per ₹100 spent on IndiGo bookings
- Base earning of 1 BluChip per ₹100 spent on other categories
- 1 complimentary domestic airport lounge access per quarter (subject to ₹50,000 spend in previous 3 months)
- Transactions above ₹1,500 are eligible to be converted into EMIs
- Access to “Wednesday Delight” offers for mid-week deals and promotions
To apply for the card, please visit the Official Website
2. RBL Bank Play Credit Card
- Joining Fee: ₹500 + taxes
- Annual Fee: ₹500 + taxes (Annual fee waived on 1.5 lakh spends annually)
- The RBL Bank BookMyShow Play Credit Card is an entertainment card thus making it one of the more directly aligned options for IPL ticket purchases.
- IPL Ticket Benefits:
- First offer is as discount of ₹500 on tickets booked on BookMyShow
- Second offer is as monthly benefit of 2 free tickets of up to ₹500 free which is triggered upon spending of ₹5000 in a billing cycle
- The offer is valid till midnight of March 31st 2026
- Other Benefits:
- Welcome benefit of ₹500 discount on BookMyShow within 30 days of card issuance
- Monthly BookMyShow benefit of ₹500 on spending ₹5,000 per billing cycle
- Plus ₹100 discount on food and beverages via BookMyShow
- Fuel surcharge waiver of up to ₹100 per month on transactions between ₹500–₹4,000
To apply for the card, please visit the Official Website
Also read: Top 5 Credit Cards with High Cashback and Free Lounge Access in 2026 – See Which Suits You Best
3. Kotak Cashback+ Credit Card
- Joining & Annual Fee: ₹750 + taxes
- The Kotak Cashback plus Credit Card is an overall credit card which focuses on earning you cashbacks on daily spends.
- IPL Ticket Benefits
- 20% discount up to ₹150 on IPL ticket bookings
- Minimum transaction value should be ₹299
- Offer is valid till midnight 30 June 2026
- Offer valid on all of the weekdays
- Other Benefits
- 5% on online grocery & food delivery (acc rewards)
- 5% on online entertainment (acc rewards)
- 3% on fuel spends across fuel stations + 1% fuel surcharge waiver (acc rewards)
- 0.5% unlimited return as cashback on other eligible purchases
To apply for the card, please visit the Official Website
4. IndusInd Bank Tiger Credit Card
- Joining & Annual Fee: Nil Lifetime free
- The IndusInd Bank Tiger Credit Card occasionally runs promotions along with tier based rewards that are directly related to the entertainment domain . Thus, this card shouldn’t be missed when it’s about booking tickets on platforms like BookMyShow.
- IPL Ticket Benefits
- Upon booking IPL ticket with this card user get one complimentary BookMyShow movie ticket worth up to ₹500 or free
- Other Benefits
- One complimentary movie ticket up to ₹500 on BookMyShow every 6 months in a calendar year
- 2 domestic airport lounge access in each quarter
- 2 international airport lounge access each year through Priority Pass
- 1 Complimentary Golf Game or Lesson per Quarter
- 6 Accelerated Reward Points on every ₹100
- 1.50% Forex Mark-up Fee
To apply for the card, please visit the Official Website
Tips to Save More
- Stack multiple cards and use one card for free ticket credits and another for cashback on entertainment spends.
- Check booking platform rules. Some offers are only visible on BookMyShow after entering your eligible card number at checkout.
- Plan around spend triggers. Cards like RBL Play require monthly spending thresholds to unlock benefits.
- Factor in processing fees & caps. Discounts typically cap per ticket and may not apply on ancillary charges.
Conclusion
Your credit card portfolio can really play a big role in how much you pay for IPL tickets this season. If we look into direct ticket price savings then co‑branded offers give the most value. The cards that offer overall cashback for entertainment can soften costs indirectly but would still rely on spending categories and platform eligibility. That is why read the latest offer details before booking because promotions often update changes.
Written by Kenbi Riba
