Best credit card for free airport lounge access in India

I've held this card for 3 years. Quick reality check: the welcome benefit is good, the first-year fee waiver is easy, but from year 2 onwards you really have to work for the milestone benefits. Don't keep it if your monthly spend drops below the milestone threshold.

I had the same dilemma. The way I decided was: list down my top 3 monthly spend categories, calculate the rewards on each card, and pick whichever gives the highest cashback on MY pattern. Generic 'best card' lists are useless for personal decisions.

Forex markup comparison: Amex = 3.5%, HDFC Infinia/Diners Black = 2.0%, Axis Atlas = 3.5% but with milestone fee waivers, ICICI Emeralde = 3.5%, Standard Chartered = 3.5%. If you travel more than twice a year, the math favours Infinia or Diners Black.

Two cards from the same bank usually share credit limit, not stack it. So if bank gives you ₹2 lakh total, splitting between two cards doesn't increase your available credit. That's a common misconception people carry when applying for their second card.