Which Are the Best Business Credit Cards For Travel in India

Frequent business travel, whether for client meetings, market analysis, or exploring new opportunities, demands financial flexibility and convenience. The best business credit cards for travel are designed to make international transactions seamless, offering perks like reward points, airline miles, and exclusive travel benefits. 

Since 2023, the popularity of travel-focused credit cards has surged, growing at an annual rate of 27%. Leading banks such as SBI, Axis, and HDFC provide tailored credit cards that combine financial independence with valuable travel rewards. 

Read on to discover the top business credit cards that elevate your travel experience in India.

Best Business Credit Cards for Travel in India

Best Credit Cards for Small and Medium-sized Businesses

1. HDFC Biz Power Credit Card

The HDFC Biz Power Credit Card is one of the best business credit cards for travel for medium and small-sized business owners. This credit card focuses on offering complementary travel benefits and entertainment offers.

As per the features of this card, you can earn 5x more reward points if you spend it on paying income tax, bookings on MMT, Google Ads, Reliance Digital, Meta, and digital tools like Tally and Office 365, among others. However, you will get these points only if you have spent at least ₹25,000 in a statement cycle.

Joining Fees/Annual Fees: ₹ 2,500; however, your annual fees will be waived if you spend ₹4 lakh per annum on your card.

Key Features:

• Up to 55 days of interest-free period on credits.
• Earn 4 reward points every time you spend ₹150.
• 5x reward points on bill payments via Pay Zap, Smart Pay, income Tax, GST & vendor payments via Swifti & SmartHub, etc.
• You can get up to 16 domestic and 6 international airport lounge accesses in a year.
• Get an extra 2 complimentary lounge accesses on spending ₹75,000 in the previous quarter.
• Eligible cardholders will get 2 extra complimentary lounge visits from the 5th of each calendar quarter.​​​​​​​ 
• Complimentary Amazon Prime Annual Membership.
• Complimentary 6 months subscription for BizPrime on completing 1 online transaction within 30 days as a welcome benefit.
• Make my trip or reliance digital gift vouchers worth ₹2,500 on spending ₹2.5 lakhs per quarter as milestone rewards.
• You can earn a maximum of 5000 reward points per statement cycle.
• Avail up to 40% savings on travel-related business purchases and software purchases on HDFC SmartBuy.

2. Axis Bank Business Supreme Master Credit Card

The Axis Bank Business Supreme Master Credit Card is designed for small businesses to enhance their travel experience and offer convenient financial independence while travelling.

Since this is for a small business, its features help to maintain expense management while offering substantial lifestyle privileges as rewards for necessary business expenses.

Joining Fees/ Annual Fees: ₹1500

Key Features:

• Avail 4 complementary airport lounge access per quarter (ie- 3 months).
• Earn 4 reward points per ₹200 spent on domestic expenses.
• Earn 6 reward points for spending on direct business marketing and advertising services.
• Get 8 reward points every time there is a multiple of ₹200 spent on international expenses.
• You can earn 10,000 reward points by having credit card transactions over ₹5 lakhs in the anniversary year as a milestone bonus. You can also earn an extra 5000 reward points by having credit card transactions over ₹8 lakhs in an anniversary year.

3. Kotak Biz Business Credit Card

The Kotak Biz Business Credit Card is one of the best business credit cards for travel when it comes to affordability. It offers reward points based on the type of product or service you are purchasing. It can be a suitable choice for new business owners who need to travel to grow their market reach.

Joining Fees/ Annual Fees:: ₹299 and ₹499 respectively

Key Features:

• Kotak Bank offers up to 48 days of a credit-free period on its Kotak Biz Business Credit Card.
• You can earn 1 reward point for every ₹100 spent on your credit card.
• Earn 4 reward points for every ₹100 spent on selective items, including travel, marketing, supermarket, and lodging expenses.
• Avail 1 complementary airport lounge access per quarter at select airports.
• Kotak offers a travel insurance program with this credit card, providing protection against lost baggage, document cover, missed connecting flights, and more.
• 1% waiver on fuel surcharge for transactions with amounts between ₹500 and ₹3000. However, the maximum discount can be up to ₹2500 in a single calendar year.
• You can save 1.8% on the railway surcharge for transactions made on the railway official website. The rate of discount on railway surcharge is 2.5% if you make bookings at the counters of Indian Railways.

4. YES First Business Credit Card

The YES First Business Credit Card is a steal deal for small to medium-sized business owners in India. It is designed to offer premium benefits at an affordable price to small business owners. Moreover, an attractively low, 1.75% foreign currency markup fee makes it the go-to choice for small businesses having frequent overseas transactions.

Joining Fees: ₹999 + Taxes - However, YES Bank will waive these fees if you make retail spends of ₹20000/- or more within one month of card issuance.

Annual Fees: ₹999 + Taxes. This price will also be waived if you make retail spends of ₹3,00,000 or more within 12 months before the card renewal date.

Key Features:

• You get 4 reward points on every ₹200 spent on select category items.
• The bank also has offers of 8 or 16 reward points as additional reward points on select expenses, as per their terms and conditions.
• You will get 6 complimentary international airport lounge access annually if your card is a MasterCard or VISA.
• Avail 2 complementary lounge accesses per quarter (8 annually), which is available in over 30 lounges in India.
• You can get a credit shield cover of INR 8 Lakhs on the accidental death of the cardholder.
• It offers a complementary golf program, where they offer 1 golf lesson every calendar month. You can also avail 4 additional sessions with a green fee waiver at selective golf courses.
• You can get 1% fuel surcharge waiver if you spend between ₹400 and ₹5000 at fuel stations all over India.

5. ICICI Bank Business Advantage Black Card

This is another one of the best business credit cards for travel for small to medium-sized businesses that want a cashback credit card to boost their savings while having travel-focused benefits. This credit card focuses on people who wish to enjoy the perks of a credit card while travelling, but not spending an excessive amount of money.

Joining Fees:  ₹1,500 + GST (Annually)

Annual Fees: ₹1,000 + GST (Annually)

Key Features:

• This card offers up to 48 days of interest-free credit period on business expenses.
• You will get up to 1% cashback every month with a maximum limit of ₹2000. However, this offer is available on select eligible spends only.
• ICICI offers a minimum of 15% discount on your dining bills at over 2500+ selective restaurants in their ICICI Bank Culinary Treats Programme.
• You can make fast and secure payments in style with the Visa Pay Wave contactless technology at retail outlets.
• You will get 24/7 concierge service on this card to fulfil your requirements.
• Get a 1% waiver on fuel surcharge on HPCL petrol pumps. However, this offer is limited to providing the benefit up to ₹500 per month.

Best Credit Cards for Large and Growing Businesses

6. HDFC Biz Black Metal Edition Credit Card

This is one of the best business credit cards for travel when it comes to catering to the travel requirements of growing or large business owners. Numerous features in this card focus on providing a premium experience to their customers by offering high reward points and lifestyle benefits such as golf privileges, Taj stay, flight vouchers and travel insurance.

Joining Fees / Annual Fees: ₹10,000 + taxes - However, you can get these fees waived off for next year if you spend ₹7.5 Lakhs in the current anniversary year.

Key Features:

• Get an interest-free credit period of up to 55 days.
• Earn 5 reward points for every ₹150 spent on business needs.
• Earn 5x reward points on selective items, such as Bill Payment via Payzapp & SmartPay, Income tax and GST payment, bookings on MMT, digital tools (Tally, Office 365, etc)
• You only get 5x rewards if you have spent at least ₹50000 in one statement cycle.
• Offers up to 40% off on Business travel and software purchases made on HDFC SmartBuy.
• Unlimited domestic and international lounge visits with a network of over 1000 lounges globally.
• 6 complementary golf games per quarter across the finest courses.
• Get a Club Marriott annual membership as a welcome bonus. You can also get a Taj stay voucher on spending ₹1.5 lakhs within the first 90 days.
• Get up to 20% discounts on dining, stay & spa service with your Club Marriott membership.
• You can earn vouchers worth ₹20,000 once a year for spending ₹20 lakhs in that year.

7. American Express® Gold Corporate Card

This business card targets high-earning corporate employees or large business owners who are looking for a universally accepted credit card at global locations and offers premium rewards to its customers. It is suitable for frequent travellers who are looking to make their business trips more premium.

Joining Fees / Annual Fees: Not Disclosed

Key Features:

• 2 complementary VIP airport lounge access annually with Priority Pass, available at over 1200 lounges across the world.
• You can also use your lounge access for accompanying travellers.
• Discounts on domestic lounge access. This offer is available at over 25 domestic airport lounges across India.
• American Express rewards its new customers as per its Membership Rewards Program.
• You will receive complimentary, well-covered business travel insurance.

3 Types of Business Travel Credit Cards

Each of the travel credit cards discussed below is primarily designed for individuals to earn rewards tailored to their spending.

1. General Travel Credit Cards

This credit card focuses on the overall perks a person may require while travelling. This includes lounge access, trip bookings, online purchases, and gift cards.

However, the overall perks and rewards vary from issuer to issuer. In some cases, you can also transfer your rewards to airlines or hotel loyalty programs.

2. Airline Credit Cards

Airlines' credit cards are specifically for people who want rewards, particularly concerning flight bookings and airport luxuries.

This credit card is suitable for frequent flyers who want to have an economical and comfortable travel experience. Rewards here include travel insurance, airport lounge access, etc.

3. Hotel Credit Cards

Hotel credit cards are meant for people who specifically want rewards regarding travel accommodations at global locations. This credit card is best for people who prefer to be loyal guests of a specific hotel group while visiting for business purposes.

You can regularly stay at a hotel to earn reward points and earn free stays at network hotels.

7 Things To Consider While Choosing a Business Credit Card for Travel

1. Annual Fees: Review the joining fees or annual renewal fees to determine if they are within your budget.
2. Foreign Transaction Fees: When you make a purchase from a foreign website, an additional foreign currency markup fee is charged, which varies depending on the card issuer. Check the interest rate of your credit card before making a purchase.
3. Eligibility Criteria: Check the eligibility criteria, including credit score, on the bank’s website to determine if you meet them. 
4. Rewards Programs: Compare the rewards offered in various credit cards and choose the one that suits your lifestyle.
5. Welcome Bonuses: Most credit cards offer welcome gifts to their new customers. You can enjoy introductory benefits and compare products simply by being a cardholder.
6. Network and Acceptance: Benefits such as airport lounge access are only available in select lounges, as determined by your card issuer’s network. Buy a card with a good network in places where you visit frequently.
7. Travel Insurance: Many card issuers offer complimentary travel insurance. This is a great benefit for frequent travellers.

Do’s and Don’ts of Using Business Credit Cards for Travel

Do's

1. Memorise and know the travel benefits your business card provides.
2. Get the most out of air miles earnings by purchasing items that offer more points than usual.
3. You can get a new card before a travel plan. You can use your expenses to earn initial milestone bonuses available on various cards.
4. Redeem your reward points before they expire.

Don'ts

1. Do not use the business card to withdraw liquid money, especially in a foreign country. This would incur an additional finance charge and a forex markup fee if it is in a foreign land.
2. Pay your dues within the free credit period, as paying dues with huge interest rates can be loss-making in the long run.
3. Keep track of your expenses and your payback capacity once in a while.
4. Do not buy a business card that has low flexibility in redeeming reward points. Often this leads to wastage of reward points.

4 Benefits of Using the Best Business Credit Cards for Travel 

1. Cashback and Rewards on Transactions: various cards offer reward points or direct cashback on making transactions through the credit card. Using your card reasonably can prove economical.
2. Flexibility of Global Payment: carrying cash in foreign countries is a big hassle, and it is impossible to purchase foreign goods online. Using a credit card, you can pay for items in multiple currencies.
3. Easy Expense Tracking: Your transactions are live recorded in your credit card issuing bank’s website. Moreover, your credit limit also updates every time you make a transaction, facilitating ease in keeping financial records.
4. Financial Security: Carrying cash everywhere poses a risk of theft and burglary. A credit card offers financial safety and flexibility in the amount you spend, so that you don't have to do hardcore budgeting while travelling.

Can I Use a Travel Credit Card for Daily Expenses?

Having the best business credit card for travel does not mean you can only make travel-related expenses on it. It just means that the card offers rewards that can be beneficial while travelling.

You can use them for daily expenses, even to purchase everyday goods like groceries. Moreover, it is beneficial as it can help accumulate more miles or reward points that you can spend to earn rewards.

💡Get the best out of your travel credit cards by using the PICE App for easy and secure bill payments.

Conclusion

All business credit cards have differential features that help to cater to a certain type of audience. To choose the best business credit cards for travel that match your type, you must check various items such as joining fee, rewards, credit period, interest and other terms and conditions of the card issuer.

Having a credit card can be beneficial and convenient if you can use it responsibly. Credit cards generally have a high credit limit, and uncalculated and unnecessary spending to reach a milestone benefit or other rewards can leave you in a financial crisis.

FAQs