For international travel, the forex markup is often the biggest hidden cost. The best international travel cards keep markup low (under 2%) and offer complimentary lounge access worldwide.
Our top pick for cards for international travel is the AU ixigo from AU (no annual fee, airport lounge access). Best lifetime-free option: HSBC Visa Platinum (HSBC). Best premium pick: Times Black (ICICI, ₹20,000 fee). Ranked from 156 Indian credit cards Vyaya tracks, with fees and earn rates re-verified against issuer terms (October 2026).
AU · No annual fee · 0.5% rewards
HSBC · No annual fee · 0.33% rewards
ICICI · ₹20,000 annual fee · 0.8% rewards
AU · ₹4,999 annual fee · 1% rewards
ICICI · ₹12,000 annual fee · 0.25% rewards
ICICI · ₹12,499 annual fee · 1.2% rewards
HDFC · ₹10,000 annual fee · 1% rewards
HDFC · ₹12,500 annual fee · 1% rewards
Axis · ₹12,500 annual fee · 1.2% rewards
IDFC First · ₹5,999 annual fee · 0.83% rewards
HSBC · ₹20,000 annual fee · 3% rewards
IDFC First · No annual fee · 0.38% rewards
HSBC · No annual fee · 0.33% rewards
IDFC First · ₹1,000 annual fee · 1% rewards
IDFC First · No annual fee · 0.38% rewards