Best Lifetime Free Credit Cards with Travel Perks in India (2026)
Trendivation · Updated June 2026
Best Lifetime Free Credit Cards with Travel Perks in India (2026)
BOBCARD Eterna vs IndusInd Tiger vs Scapia vs IDFC FIRST — lounge access, forex savings, golf perks, and eligibility, compared.
A good travel credit card can cover lounge visits, golf games, and forex fees that would otherwise cost you thousands of rupees a year — without charging you a single rupee in joining or annual fees. The catch is that "lifetime free" doesn't mean identical: each of these cards trades off income eligibility, lounge limits, and reward structure differently.
In this guide, we compare four lifetime free credit cards with strong travel benefits available in India in 2026 — covering lounge access, forex markup, rewards, and who each card actually fits.
Quick Comparison
| Card | Headline Travel Perk | Joining/Annual Fee | Min. Income |
|---|---|---|---|
| BOBCARD Eterna | Unlimited domestic lounge + 15 RP/₹100 | Nil (limited-period offer) | ₹12,00,000/yr |
| IndusInd Tiger | 10 lounge visits/yr + 4 golf games | Nil | ₹20,000/mo |
| Scapia | 0% forex + 20 coins/₹100 on travel | Nil | ₹30,000/mo |
| IDFC FIRST | Railway lounge + never-expiring points | Nil | ₹25,000/mo |
1. BOBCARD Eterna Credit Card — Best for Unlimited Lounge Access
BOBCARD Eterna Credit Card
Bank of Baroda's premium travel-and-dining card
- ✓Up to 15 reward points per ₹100 spent on dining, travel, online shopping, and international spends — capped at 5,000 points per statement cycle (1 point = ₹0.25)
- ✓Unlimited complimentary domestic airport lounge access on meeting the spend criteria
- ✓Buy 1 Get 1 free movie ticket every month via the District app
- ✓Low 2% forex markup fee on international transactions
- ✓10,000 bonus points on spending ₹50,000 within the first 60 days; 20,000 bonus points on ₹5,00,000+ annual spend
- ✓Complimentary FitPass Pro membership worth ₹15,000 as a welcome gift
Best for: High-income professionals (₹12 lakh+ annual income) who want unlimited domestic lounge access, strong dining/travel rewards, and a free FitPass Pro membership. *Zero-fee status is currently a limited-period offer — confirm it's still active before applying.
- Click "Apply" below — you'll be redirected to the Bank of Baroda website
- Complete the application in the same session
2. IndusInd Tiger Credit Card — Best for Lounge + Golf on a Lower Income
IndusInd Tiger Credit Card
Travel rewards with golf and lounge perks, new-to-credit friendly
- ✓Up to 6X reward multipliers based on annual spend, worth up to ₹8,000/year; Reward Points convert 1:1 to Maharaja Points
- ✓10 complimentary lounge visits annually — 8 domestic (2 per quarter) plus 2 international via Priority Pass membership
- ✓2 complimentary movie tickets worth up to ₹500 on BookMyShow annually (once every 6 months)
- ✓4 complimentary golf games or golf lessons every year
- ✓1.5% forex markup fee on overseas transactions
Best for: Frequent flyers who want lounge access plus golf perks on a moderate income — new-to-credit applicants are accepted, provided there are no delayed payments in the last 12 months.
- Click "Apply" below — you'll be redirected to the IndusInd Bank Credit Cards page
- Complete the application in the same session
3. Scapia Co-Branded Credit Card — Best for Zero Forex Markup
Scapia Co-Branded Credit Card
Built around the Scapia travel-booking app
- ✓No additional foreign currency markup fee on international transactions
- ✓Unlimited domestic lounge access plus complimentary dining, shopping, or spa benefits by spending ₹20,000/month on the card
- ✓20 Scapia Coins per ₹100 on travel bookings (flights & hotels) via the Scapia app; 10 Scapia Coins per ₹100 on most other online & offline spends
- ✓Scapia Coins redeem for 100% of any travel booking value on the app (5 Scapia Coins = ₹1)
Best for: Travelers aged 23–40 who already book flights and hotels through the Scapia app and want zero forex markup on international spends. Note: new-to-credit applicants are not accepted, and the age window is narrower than the other cards here.
- Click "Apply" below — you'll be redirected to the Scapia Co-Branded Credit Card page
- Complete the application in the same session
4. IDFC FIRST Credit Card — Best for Railway Travelers
IDFC FIRST Credit Card
Lifetime free card with railway lounge access
- ✓Lifetime free card — no joining fee, no annual fee
- ✓Railway lounge facility for cardholders
- ✓Reward points that never expire
- ✓₹500 welcome voucher on spending ₹5,000+, plus 5% cashback (up to ₹1,000) on your first EMI transaction — both within the first 30 days of activation
- ✓Complimentary roadside assistance up to 4 times a year, valued at ₹1,399 annually
- ✓Domestic airport lounge access with the Select variant; both domestic and international lounge access with the Wealth variant
Best for: Regular train travelers who want railway lounge access plus everyday cashback and a rewards balance that never expires. New-to-credit applicants are not accepted.
- You'll be redirected to the bank's website
- Click "Apply Now" and complete OTP verification
- Approval is based on successful telephonic verification only, at the sole discretion of IDFC FIRST Bank
- Your application is submitted and a confirmation SMS is sent on approval
Which Card Should You Choose?
If you're unsure, the IndusInd Tiger Credit Card offers the best balance of broad eligibility, lounge access, and golf perks at zero cost. If most of your spending already happens through a travel-booking app, the Scapia card's 0% forex markup is hard to beat.
Frequently Asked Questions
Which lifetime free credit card offers unlimited airport lounge access?
The BOBCARD Eterna Credit Card offers unlimited complimentary domestic airport lounge visits once you meet the spend criteria — the only card on this list without a fixed annual visit cap.
Is there a credit card in India with zero forex markup fee?
The Scapia Co-Branded Credit Card charges no additional forex markup fee on international transactions, making it the strongest pick for overseas spending among these four cards.
Can a new-to-credit applicant get a free travel credit card?
Yes — the IndusInd Tiger Credit Card accepts new-to-credit applicants, provided there are no delayed payments in the last 12 months. Scapia and IDFC FIRST do not accept new-to-credit applicants.
Which credit card is best for train travelers?
The IDFC FIRST Credit Card includes a railway lounge facility along with never-expiring reward points, making it the most relevant option here for frequent train travel.
Do "lifetime free" credit cards ever start charging fees later?
It depends on the card. The IndusInd Tiger, Scapia, and IDFC FIRST cards are lifetime free with no annual fee structure at all. The BOBCARD Eterna's zero-fee status is currently offered for a limited period, so confirm the latest terms on the issuer's page before applying.
What credit score is needed for these travel credit cards?
Requirements range from 650+ for the BOBCARD Eterna up to 730+ for the Scapia card. IndusInd Tiger and IDFC FIRST sit in between, at 700+ and 710+ respectively.
Which card offers golf benefits along with travel perks?
The IndusInd Tiger Credit Card includes 4 complimentary golf games or lessons every year, in addition to its lounge access and movie ticket benefits.
How much income is required for the BOBCARD Eterna Credit Card?
The BOBCARD Eterna requires a minimum annual income of ₹12,00,000, considerably higher than the other three cards, which are based on monthly income of ₹20,000–₹30,000.
Disclosure: This post contains affiliate links. If you apply for a card through these links, Trendivation may earn a commission at no extra cost to you. All information is sourced from official bank/NBFC offer pages and is accurate as of the publish date — please verify current terms, especially limited-period fee waivers, on the issuer's website before applying.
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