Which is the best credit card in India for lounge access in 2026?

I have had a hard time getting this card approved twice. The third time I applied after a 10% salary hike and got instant approval. Banks re-check eligibility every time. If you got rejected, improve your income proof / CIBIL and reapply after 6 months.

On credit limit increase: most banks auto-review every 6 months. If you use 30-70% of the limit and pay in full, you'll get an automatic increase. Don't call and ask for it explicitly — banks take it as a sign of credit hunger and sometimes lower the limit instead.

Yes the rewards sound amazing in marketing, but the redemption catalogue is full of products at inflated MRP. The statement credit redemption is almost always the best value. Skip the merchandise, skip the flight bookings, take the cash.