Synopsis: This article compares the top credit cards, HSBC Travel One, Axis Atlas, HDFC Infinia, ICICI Emeralde Private Metal, and HSBC Premier based on their reward point earnings on every card spend. Find out which card leads the race in offering the highest reward points.
If we were to name the absolute best card without debate, it would have to be the HDFC Infinia, with every other premium card trying to take its place. The other cards are its competitors showcasing how HDFC Infinia is the best.
1. HSBC TravelOne credit card
- Joining Fees: Rs. 4,999
- Annual Fees: Rs. 4,999 or free if you spend more than Rs. 8,00,000 a year
- Valueback/Rewards
- Welcome Rewards
- ₹1,000 cashback + ₹3,000 PostCard voucher on first ₹10,000 spend in 30 days
- 3 month EazyDiner Prime access free
- 3,000 bonus points on spending ₹1,00,000 in first 90 days
- Reward earnings
- 4 Reward Points(RPs) per ₹100 on flights, travel portals & foreign currency spends
- 2 RP per ₹100 on all other spends, no cap
- 10,000 bonus points on yearly spends above ₹12 lakh
- 1:1 instant conversion to major airline & hotel partners(Air Miles)
- Travel Discounts
- 15% off on domestic and international holiday bookings on Yatra, Cleartrip, Paytm Travel and EaseMyTrip
- 20% off duty-free shopping (Adani One & partner stores)
- 11% off StayVista stays
- Lifestyle + Style Perks
- 4 free golf rounds + 12 lessons per year (1/month cap)
- Up to 50% off dining by District App by Zomato
- Exclusive privileges at Bicester Village luxury outlets
- Welcome Rewards
Think of this as the “smart traveller’s upgrade.” It quietly delivers a lot of value without you having to go through hoops, nice partner discounts, easy miles conversion, and perks that feel like you can really use them and not just for showing off. Perfect if you want to save real money on travel without being a mileage nerd. Besides, you can also avail of some free airport lounge visits, holiday, car hire and lifestyle discounts, etc.
2. Axis Bank Atlas Credit Card
- Joining Fees: Rs. 5,000
- Annual Fees: Rs. 5,000
- Valueback/ Rewards:
- Welcome Rewards
- 2,500 EDGE Miles on first transaction within 37 days
- Reward Earnings
- Base Earn: 2 EDGE Miles / ₹100 on most spends
- Accelerated Earn: 5 EDGE Miles / ₹100 on travel spends (direct airline, hotel, and via Travel EDGE portal) up to ₹2,00,000/month, after which accelerated rate drops.
- Milestone benefit: Depending on your tier, 2,500 to 5,000 EDGE Miles credited when you pay annual fee
- Lounge access
- Air Miles
- EDGE Miles are transferable to loyalty partners.
- Specific conversion: 1 EDGE Mile = 2 Flying Returns points (Axis-Air India partnership).
- Welcome Rewards
This is quite a travel-friendly card that rewards you more when you spend on flights and hotels, provides good lounge access, and allows you to convert Miles into several airline programs, but it’s best for people who can reach the spend requirement to unlock Silver/Gold/Platinum tiers.
3. HDFC Infinia Credit Card
- Joining Fees: Rs. 12,500 + Applicable Taxes
- Annual Fees: Rs. 12,500 + Applicable Taxes
- Valueback/ Rewards:
- Welcome Rewards
- 12,500 Reward Points upon fee realization and activation for the Metal Edition
- Reward Earning
- 5 RPs for every ₹150 spent on all retail spends
- Up to 10× RPs on travel and shopping when used via HDFC SmartBuy
- Redeem RPs for flights & hotels on SmartBuy: 1 RP = ₹1
- Convert RPs to air miles: 1 RP = 1 airline mile on 14+ airlines via NetBanking
- Redeem for Apple products / Tanishq: 1 RP = ₹1 on SmartBuy
- Cashback redemption: 1 RP = ₹0.30
- Travel discounts/ Flight hotel Perks
- Get 3 nights for the price of 2 at participating ITC Hotels.
- Enjoy a Buy-1-Get-1 weekend buffet at select ITC Hotels.
- Complimentary Club Marriott membership for first year (Asia-Pacific region)
- Lounge Access
- Unlimited airport lounge access globally (1,000+ lounges) via Priority Pass for both Primary and Add-on cardholders
- Air miles
- Your RPs can be converted to airline miles 1:1 for 14+ partner airlines via HDFC SmartBuy or NetBanking
- Lifestyle Perks
- 24×7 Global Personal Concierge: travel planning, airport VIP, dining, events, gift services
- Unlimited golf games + coaching (select courses in India + abroad) + 100% green-fee waiver at many courses
- Accidental air death cover: up to ₹3 crore
- Emergency overseas hospitalization cover: up to ₹50 lakh
- Credit Shield Cover: up to ₹9 lakh
- Welcome Rewards
This is the ultimate high-spend, premium travel-lifestyle card: unlimited lounges, 10× rewards via SmartBuy, huge insurance cover, global concierge , perfect for someone who doesn’t mind the high fee and still wants to extract the maximum luxury and utility.
4. ICICI Emeralde Private Metal
- Joining Fees: Rs. 12,499+ GST
- Annual Fees: Rs. 12,499 + GST( waived if you spend Rs. 10L in the card anniversary year)
- Valueback/Rewards:
- Welcome Rewards
- 12,500 ICICI Reward Points when you pay the joining (or renewal) fee
- Rewards Earning
- Earn 6 ICICI Reward Points for every ₹200 on most retail transactions (excluding some categories).
- Accelerated Rewards via iShop portal: up to 6X on flights/vouchers and up to 12X on hotels.
- Milestone Benefit: ₹3,000 EaseMyTrip voucher when you spend ₹4 lakh + another ₹3,000 when you spend ₹8 lakh in a year.
- Travel Discounts/ Flight- Hotel Perks
- Unlimited complimentary lounge access: domestic + international Priority Pass (1,400+ lounges globally)
- Travel cancellation cover: up to ₹12,000 refund (max 2 bookings per year) on flight or hotel cancellations made with the card.
- Lounge Access
- Unlimited, for both primary and add-on cards.
- Air miles
- Reward points generally redeemable at ₹1 per point for flights, hotels, and selected brand vouchers.
- Lifestyle perks
- Welcome Rewards
This is a luxurious, high-spend travel-lifestyle card, large joining fee, but you get top-tier lounges, Taj + dining membership, golf, strong iShop multipliers, and concierge support; it would be right choice if you were able to leverage its lifestyle & travel ecosystem to the fullest.
Also Read: How to Earn Upto 15.7% Rewards with HDFC Regalia Gold Credit Card – Here are the Full Details
5. HSBC Premier Credit Card
- Joining Fees: Rs. 12,000
- Annual Fees: Rs. 20,000
- Valueback/ Rewards:
- Welcome Rewards
- Earn 20,000 reward points on first use of card
- Rewards Earning
- 3 reward points for every ₹100 you spend
- Earn up to 12× points on hotels, flights and car rentals via “Travel with Points”
- Reward points never expire
- 1 RP = ₹1 on Apple products (via Apple / Imagine voucher)
- 1:1 instant conversion of reward points to airline miles + hotel loyalty points via HSBC India app
- Travel Discounts/ Flight-Hotel Perks
- Up to 20% off on hotel bookings when you book via Agoda
- 1 free night at eligible hotels via Mastercard program
- Lounge Access
- Unlimited domestic + international lounge access for the primary cardholder
- 8 international guest visits per year
- Via LoungeKey (terms apply) for some international lounges.
- Air miles
- Reward points convert 1:1 to air miles for 20+ airlines via the HSBC app.
- Lifestyle Perks
- BookMyShow: Buy-one-get-one movie tickets
- 30% off dining via EazyDiner (up to ₹1,500)
- VIP shopping perks at Bicester Village: private sale events, reserved parking, etc.
- 1 complimentary main course when dining at selected restaurants (Asia Pacific) via Mastercard privileges.
- Welcome Rewards
A premium, globally-savvy lifestyle + travel card, it gives extremely low forex rates, unlimited lounge access, solid rewards conversion, and luxury lifestyle perks. So, it’s best if you already bank with (or plan to) HSBC Premier.
Conclusion
Without thinking, Infinia is the best option as no other card gives you more actual value back without the trouble. Axis Atlas would be the best backup if you love miles, HSBC TravelOne is the easiest all- rounder card on the market and ICICI Emeralde is only worth it if you really take advantage of the multipliers. But yes, Infinia is still that one card you can get to maximize your rewards, travel value and bragging rights.
Written by Aditee Das
