Business Standard

Looking for complimentary air tickets? These are top 5 credit cards for it

.If free tickets are offered on reaching spending milestones, you must consider whether you would be able to meet the spend thresholds to avail the benefit.

credit card

Sunainaa Chadha NEW DELHI
Looking for complimentary airline tickets? These are the top credit cards for it

Complimentary air tickets or discount vouchers are  a valuable benefit for frequent travellers. Since this feature is usually available on airline co-branded credit cards in the form of welcome, renewal or milestone benefit, your brand loyalties  play a major role when selecting one of these cards. 

Airline co-branded cards: These cards are directly linked with a specific airline and offer benefits like bonus miles/points on flights with that particular airline, priority boarding, and lounge access. Some cards might even offer welcome bonuses that include free flight vouchers.If free tickets are offered on reaching spending milestones, you must consider whether you would be able to meet the spend thresholds to avail the benefit. For example, Axis Vistara Infinite Card offers up to five free business class tickets on annual spends of up to Rs 12 Lakh. Hence, users who can reach the highest milestone of Rs 12 Lakh in a year can make the most of this feature.
 

Travel-focused credit cards: These cards are not tied to a specific airline but offer travel benefits like reward points redeemable for flights across various airlines, lounge access programs, and travel insurance.

"Consumers who do not have any carrier preferences should consider applying for credit cards that extend general travel benefits across multiple brands. Benefits on such airline-agnostic cards are usually offered in the form of points, which can then be transferred to different airlines or hotel loyalty programmes," said Rohit Chhibbar, Head of Credit Card Business, Paisabazaar.

Here is a list of the top travel credit cards as per Paisabazaar that  offer complimentary air tickets as welcome and milestone benefits:

Credit Card
Club Vistara IDFC FIRST Credit Card
Annual fee Rs 4,999

Key benefits 
Free Air Tickets:
1 complimentary Premium Economy Ticket voucher & 1 Class Upgrade voucher as joining benefits
1 complimentary Premium Economy Ticket voucher each on achieving spending milestones of Rs. 1.5 Lakh, Rs. 3 Lakh, Rs. 4.5 Lakh, Rs. 9 Lakh and Rs. 12 Lakh in a year

Other Benefits:
3-month complimentary EazyDiner Prime membership & Complimentary Club Vistara Silver Membership as welcome benefits
Up to 6,000 bonus CV Points on spending at least Rs. 30,000 per month in the 2nd, 3rd & 4th billing cycle
6 CV Points on every Rs. 200 spent, up to Rs. 1 Lakh in each cycle
4 CV Points on every Rs. 200 spent, above Rs. 1 Lakh in each cycle
1 CV Point on every Rs. 200 spent on other categories
2 complimentary visits to domestic airport lounges and spas per quarter*
1 complimentary international airport lounge visit per quarter*

 
Axis Bank Vistara Infinite Credit Card
Annual fees : Rs. 10,000
Key benefits

Free Air Tickets:
Complimentary Business Class Ticket voucher on the payment of joining fee
1 Business Class Ticket voucher each on reaching spending milestone of Rs. 2.5 Lakh, Rs. 5 Lakh, Rs. 7.5 Lakh and Rs. 12 Lakh

Other Benefits:
Complimentary Club Vistara Gold Membership with privileges like priority check-in, additional baggage allowance, priority boarding, etc.
6 CV Points per Rs. 200 spent across all categories
2 complimentary visits to select domestic airport lounges per quarter on spending at least Rs. 50,000 in the previous 3 months
6 complimentary rounds of golf at select golf courses


SpiceJet Axis Bank Voyage Black Credit Card
Annual fees Rs 2,000

Free Air Tickets:
SpiceJet e-voucher worth Rs  4,000 on completing two transactions within 30 days of card approval

Other Benefits:
Complimentary SpiceJet add-on vouchers worth Rs. 7,500
Complimentary Spiceclub Gold membership on card approval
Up to 28 SpiceClub Points (16 points as SpiceClub Gold Member & 12 Points per Rs. 200 spent on SpiceJet mobile app & website)
12 SC Points per Rs. 200 spent on online food order, online bill payment & online entertainment
6 SC Points for every 200 spent on domestic retail & international spends
2,000 SC Points on card renewal
4,000 SC Points on spending Rs. 2 Lakh in a year
6,000 SC Points on spending Rs. 4 Lakh in a year
8 complimentary domestic lounge visits per year on spending Rs. 50,000 in the previous quarter


Kotak IndiGo Ka-ching 6E Rewards XL Credit Card
Annual fees Rs 2,500

Free Air Tickets:
• Free IndiGo Airline ticket worth Rs. 3,000 as a welcome benefit

Other Benefits:
6E Prime add-ons worth Rs. 1,099 for priority check-in, choice of seat, complimentary meal, etc.
6% rewards (6 Points per Rs. 100) on IndiGo spends
3% rewards (3 Points per Rs. 100) on merchant spends including dining, entertainment & grocery
2% rewards (2 Points per Rs. 100) on all other categories
8 complimentary domestic airport lounge access per year (Max. 2 per quarter)


Club Vistara SBI Card
Annual fees Rs 1,499

Free Air Tickets:
1 Economy Class Vistara flight ticket voucher on the payment of annual/renewal fee
1 Economy Class Ticket each on reaching spending thresholds of Rs. 1.25 Lakh, Rs. 2.5 Lakh & Rs. 5 Lakh

Other Benefits:
3 CV Points per Rs. 200 spent across all categories
1,000 CV Points on spending Rs. 50,000 within 90 days of card issuance
Hotel e-voucher worth Rs. 5,000 from Yatra.com on spending Rs. 5 Lakh in a year
4 complimentary domestic lounge visits every year (1 per quarter)
Complimentary Priority Pass Membership
*Achievable on monthly spends of Rs  20,000.

Factors to consider when choosing a credit card:

Your travel habits: If you fly frequently with a particular airline, an airline co-branded card might be the better choice. However, if you fly with different airlines, a travel-focused card might offer more flexibility.

Annual fees: Some cards with premium benefits have higher annual fees. Consider if the rewards outweigh the annual fee.

Spending habits: Choose a card that aligns with your spending patterns. Many cards offer bonus points/miles for specific categories like travel or dining.

Welcome bonus: Some cards offer attractive welcome bonuses like free flight vouchers. However, ensure you can meet the minimum spending requirement to qualify.

" Many air benefit credit cards offer complimentary or discounted access to exclusive airport lounges, providing a comfortable and quiet space to relax, work, or enjoy complimentary food and beverages before a flight. This perk enhances the overall travel experience, particularly during long layovers or delays. Travel insurance is another significant advantage. Many air benefit credit cards come with built-in travel insurance, covering trip cancellations, lost luggage, and medical emergencies abroad. This provides peace of mind and financial protection against unforeseen circumstances," said Adhil Shetty, CEO, Bankbazaar.com.

For instance, the Axis Vistara Credit Card offers a welcome aboard with complimentary Economy class ticket voucher and complimentary Club Vistara Membership. Users can enjoy privileges of complimentary Club Vistara Base Membership. 2 Complimentary lounge access at select airport within India subject to spends criteria. Avail 25% off up to Rs. 800 once per month at partner restaurants with Axis Bank EazyDiner. 




Don't miss the most important news and views of the day. Get them on our Telegram channel

First Published: May 27 2024 | 7:24 AM IST

Explore News