Trick
Claim Airport Lounge Access Before It Expires
Reviewed by Rahul Dabhi Last reviewed 5 September 2026 Data verified 5 September 2026
Many premium credit cards offer complimentary domestic and international lounge visits. But the resets aren’t always on the calendar year — they often reset on your card anniversary date.
The trick: Track your card anniversary and plan lounge-heavy travel (long weekends, family trips) in the months when your allowance resets.
How it works:
- HDFC Infinia: Unlimited domestic and international visits — no reset needed, but Priority Pass membership renews annually.
- Axis Magnus: 8 domestic + 4 international visits per year, resetting on card issuance date.
- SBI Card Aurum: 4 domestic visits per quarter, resetting every 3 months.
- ICICI Emeralde: 2 domestic visits per quarter via Dreamfolks.
Step-by-step:
- Check your card’s lounge benefit reset date (usually on the statement or net banking portal).
- Mark the reset month in your calendar.
- Plan airport lounge visits around that reset window to avoid running out before year-end.
- Carry your physical card — some lounges reject virtual card numbers.
Pro tip: Cards with quarterly resets (SBI Aurum, Amex Platinum) give you 8–12 visits per year, but only if you plan around the quarterly cycle.
Sources
- HDFC credit cards — product page (verified 5 September 2026).
- ICICI credit cards — product page (verified 5 September 2026).
- SBI credit cards — product page (verified 5 September 2026).
- Axis credit cards — product page (verified 5 September 2026).
- Amex network — India portal (verified 5 September 2026).
- Reserve Bank of India — Master Direction on Credit Card and Debit Card Issuance (verified 5 September 2026).
Related reading
- Airport lounge access in India — networks, benefits, cards — Priority Pass, Visa Infinite, Mastercard World, and Amex Centurion coverage at Indian airports
- Credit card fees and charges — MITC explained — every line in your MITC decoded, including GST on fees
- Credit card fee reversal — how to ask, what to expect — the goodwill waiver script that often gets the fee reversed
- Airline co-brand credit cards in India — which Air India, Singapore, and Emirates co-brand cards still earn their keep