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Best Travel Credit Cards for Salaried Professionals (2026)

Best Travel Credit Cards for Salaried Professionals (2026)

May 19, 2025

Most travel credit cards target high-net-worth individuals and big spenders with fancy reward points and free lounge access — but a few genuinely good options exist for people earning ₹20,000-30,000 a month too. Here’s what’s actually available at entry-level income.

Earning more, or want the full range of premium options? See our complete travel credit cards guide. Traveling internationally and want to minimize forex fees specifically? See our zero-forex-markup travel cards guide.

Eligibility: What You Can Expect

CriteriaEntry-Level Travel Cards
Monthly Income Required₹15,000 – ₹25,000
Fees₹0 to ₹1,500/year
BenefitsAirport lounge access, travel discounts, reward points
ApprovalSalaried employees preferred

1. AU Bank LIT Credit Card – Customizable & Zero Annual Fee

Benefits:

  • You only pay for features you use
  • Add airport lounge access, travel insurance, fuel surcharge waiver
  • No annual fee by default
  • Excellent for credit card beginners

Monthly Income Required: ₹20,000
Annual Fee: ₹0 (modular pricing)
Best For: Full control over card features

Apply for AU Bank LIT Credit Card

2. ICICI Platinum Chip Credit Card (Visa) – Travel + Utility Combo

Benefits:

  • Reward points on all spends
  • No annual fee if you spend ₹50,000/year
  • Works well for travel bookings on MakeMyTrip/Yatra

Monthly Income Required: ₹18,000+
Annual Fee: ₹199 (waived with spend)
Best For: First-time salaried users

Apply for ICICI Platinum Credit Card

3. SBI SimplyCLICK Credit Card – For Online Travel Bookings

Benefits:

  • 10X reward points on travel sites like Cleartrip, IRCTC, etc.
  • Amazon & BookMyShow vouchers as joining bonuses
  • Good cashback system on online shopping too

Monthly Income Required: ₹20,000
Annual Fee: ₹499 (waived on ₹1L annual spend)
Best For: Digital-savvy salaried professionals

Apply for SBI SimplyCLICK

4. Axis Bank Neo Credit Card – For Budget Flyers & Movie Lovers

Benefits:

  • 4 complimentary domestic lounge visits/year
  • Discounts on BookMyShow and Myntra
  • Travel offers on Cleartrip and Yatra

Monthly Income Required: ₹15,000-20,000
Annual Fee: ₹250
Best For: Students, new job holders, freelancers

Apply for Axis Bank Neo Card

If You Have Lower or Irregular Income: FD-Based Cards

If your salary is below ₹15,000/month or irregular, secured travel credit cards backed by a fixed deposit are easier to get and offer similar benefits:

CardBankMinimum FD
SBI Unnati CardSBI₹25,000 FD
Axis Insta EasyAxis Bank₹20,000 FD
ICICI Coral SecuredICICI₹30,000 FD
Novio Secured Card (RuPay/UPI)SBM/Credilio₹2,000 FD

Apply for Novio Secured Card — the lowest FD requirement of this list.

Tips for Using Travel Cards on a Budget

  1. Use aggregator offers: Yatra, Cleartrip, and Ixigo often have tie-ups with SBI, Axis, and HDFC.
  2. Track your spending to ensure you meet waiver limits.
  3. Use reward points for travel vouchers, not just merchandise.
  4. Don’t miss lounge visits — you’re paying for them, use them.

You don’t need to be a high earner to enjoy travel perks with a credit card. These entry-level-friendly cards let you access lounges, save on bookings, build credit history, and get cashback or rewards on every trip. Choose a card that matches your monthly spend, not just the hype.

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