Fly two to four times a year? Pick a zero-fee, zero-forex card first. We score Scapia Axis, IDFC FIRST Millennia, WOW! and BOBCARD Etihad Guest and show what one trip abroad costs on each.
Quick Verdict
If you fly only a few times a year, your first travel credit card should be the Scapia card, now issued by Axis Bank and Federal Bank. It has no joining fee, no annual fee and no forex markup, and it earns travel coins on everyday spends. If you would rather have a bank card that is not tied to one travel app, choose the IDFC FIRST Millennia Credit Card: it is lifetime free with zero forex markup.
A first travel credit card for an occasional flyer should cost nothing to hold, save money on the one foreign trip you take, and not hide its best perks behind high spends. Premium airline and lounge cards rarely pass that test in year one.
Card | Annual fee (as of November 2026) | Forex markup | Best for | Score |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Scapia Axis Bank | Nil | Nil | Occasional flyers who book on the Scapia app | 78/100 |
IDFC FIRST Millennia | Lifetime free | Nil | Salaried beginners who want plain bank points | 77/100 |
IDFC FIRST WOW! | Lifetime free (FD-backed) | Nil | No income proof or credit history | 73/100 |
BOBCARD Etihad Guest | ₹2,500 + GST, waived at ₹3 lakh | 1% | People whose trips are mostly on Etihad | 71/100 |
Apply with Axis Bank: Check Axis Bank credit cards
Disclosure: this is an affiliate link. BenchmarkSutra may earn a commission if you apply through it, at no extra cost to you. It does not change our analysis.
Apply with Federal Bank (Scapia): Check Federal Bank (Scapia) credit cards
Disclosure: this is an affiliate link. BenchmarkSutra may earn a commission if you apply through it, at no extra cost to you. It does not change our analysis.
Apply with BOBCARD: Check the BOBCARD Etihad Guest credit card
Disclosure: this is an affiliate link. BenchmarkSutra may earn a commission if you apply through it, at no extra cost to you. It does not change our analysis.
What Should an Occasional Traveller Look For First?
An occasional flyer takes two to four flights a year and perhaps one trip abroad. Most of their spending is on the ground: groceries, bills, fuel and food. So we ranked cards on these tests, using official bank pages.
Test | Why it matters for an occasional flyer |
|---|---|
No or low annual fee | Two flights a year rarely earn back ₹2,500 or more |
Low forex markup | One foreign trip can cost thousands in markup plus 18% GST |
Rewards on everyday spend | Most of your points come from the ground, not the air |
Flexible redemption | Points locked to one airline are hard to use on two trips a year |
Lounge rules you can meet | Many lounge benefits now need a monthly or quarterly spend |
Lounge access is the perk people want most and the one most often gated. Check the exact spend condition before you pick a card for it.
The Best First Travel Credit Cards, Card by Card
1. Scapia Axis Bank Credit Card: best overall for occasional flyers
Scapia cards are issued by banks and run through the Scapia app. Scapia's site lists Federal Bank, Axis Bank and BOBCARD as issuing partners, and says "Zero joining fees | Zero annual fees | Zero forex fees". Axis launched its version in September 2026.
Rewards: 10 coins per ₹100 on most spends (2%) and 20 coins per ₹100 on travel booked through the Scapia app (4%). Five coins equal ₹1.
UPI: a RuPay card comes with it; UPI spends of ₹500 or more earn coins.
Lounges: unlimited domestic lounge visits once you spend ₹20,000 in a month across the cards.
Watch for: coins can only be used to book travel on the Scapia app. There is no statement cashback.
For an occasional flyer this is close to ideal: nothing to pay, nothing lost abroad, and coins that build up between trips. Our Scapia card review covers the Federal Bank version, which we also scored 78/100.
Benchmarksutra Score: 78/100 — B Tier
2. IDFC FIRST Millennia Credit Card: best bank-points option
Millennia is lifetime free with no spend condition. IDFC FIRST lists zero forex markup on the card.
Rewards: since 18 June 2026, 10 points per ₹200 (about 1.25%) on dining, travel and international spends, from the first transaction; 3 points per ₹200 (about 0.375%) on most other spends. A point is worth ₹0.25.
Travel extras: 4 railway lounge visits a quarter if you spend ₹20,000 in the previous month. No airport lounge access is listed.
Eligibility: annual income of ₹3 lakh or more.
Watch for: ₹99 + GST per redemption.
Pick Millennia if you want a card that works for travel and for daily life without tying you to one app.
Benchmarksutra Score: 77/100 — B Tier
3. IDFC FIRST WOW! Credit Card: best with no income proof
WOW! is issued against a fixed deposit of ₹20,000 or more, with no income proof or credit history needed. That suits students heading abroad, homemakers and first jobbers.
Rewards: 4 points per ₹200 (about 0.5%) on online, offline and international spends.
Forex: zero markup.
Limit: at least 100% of the FD, which keeps earning interest.
Watch for: no lounge access, and your FD is held as security.
Benchmarksutra Score: 73/100 — B Tier
4. BOBCARD Etihad Guest Credit Card: only if you fly Etihad
This is an airline co-brand, so it only makes sense if your foreign trips are on Etihad or its partners.
Fee: ₹2,500 + GST, waived if you spend ₹3 lakh a year.
Welcome: 7,500 Etihad Guest miles if you spend ₹50,000 within 60 days.
Earn: 1 mile per ₹100, 3 per ₹100 on Etihad.
Lounges: 8 domestic and 4 international visits a year.
Forex: 1%, low for a card at this price.
Eligibility: income of ₹6 lakh, age 21 to 60.
Miles can only be used with Etihad Guest. For an occasional flyer who does not fly Etihad, the fee is hard to recover.
Benchmarksutra Score: 71/100 — B Tier
What One Foreign Trip Costs on Each Card
Say you spend ₹1.2 lakh on a card during a week abroad: hotel, food, shopping and transport. Here is the markup you pay, including 18% GST.
Card | Forex markup | Markup + GST on ₹1.2 lakh |
|---|---|---|
Scapia Axis Bank | 0% | ₹0 |
IDFC FIRST Millennia | 0% | ₹0 |
IDFC FIRST WOW! | 0% | ₹0 |
BOBCARD Etihad Guest | 1% | ₹1,416 |
A typical card at 3.5% | 3.5% | ₹4,956 |
On a single trip, a zero-forex card saves close to ₹5,000 against a typical 3.5% card. For a light spender, that can be more than a year of reward points.
Which First Travel Card Fits You?
Your situation | Start with |
|---|---|
Fly 2–4 times a year, happy to book on an app | Scapia (Axis or Federal) |
Want bank points and no app lock-in | IDFC FIRST Millennia |
No payslip or credit score, trip abroad coming up | IDFC FIRST WOW! |
Fly Etihad to the Gulf or Europe and spend ₹3 lakh a year | BOBCARD Etihad Guest |
Want lounge access but spend under ₹20,000 a month | Do not choose a card for lounges yet |
New to cards altogether? Start with Credit Card 101 and Is a Credit Card Right for You?. For using points on flights, read Reward Points 101.
First Travel Credit Card Benchmarksutra Scores
We rate every card on the same fixed 100-point framework, using official bank data. See how the Benchmarksutra Credit Card Score works.
Card | Score | Tier | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|
Scapia Axis Bank | 78/100 | B Tier | Zero-fee, zero-forex travel for occasional flyers |
IDFC FIRST Millennia | 77/100 | B Tier | Lifetime-free bank card with zero forex |
IDFC FIRST WOW! | 73/100 | B Tier | No income proof, trip abroad |
BOBCARD Etihad Guest | 71/100 | B Tier | Etihad flyers |
Scores reflect official terms as of 5 November 2026. Banks can change fees, rewards and conditions, so check the latest terms before applying.
Checklist
Count your flights and foreign trips in the last two years.
Check the forex markup on the card's MITC, then add 18% GST.
Confirm the card's annual fee on the day you apply.
Read the lounge condition, such as ₹20,000 a month on Scapia.
Check where points can be used: app only, bank catalogue or airline only.
Keep your income proof ready, or plan an FD if you have none.
Turn on international use in the bank app before you fly.
Common Mistakes to Avoid
Buying a premium card for lounges you will use twice. Two visits do not justify a high fee.
Picking an airline card for an airline you rarely fly. Miles locked to one programme go unused.
Ignoring forex. 3.5% plus GST on one trip can wipe out a year of points.
Counting lounges you cannot unlock. Many need a monthly or quarterly spend first.
Expecting cashback from Scapia coins. They are for travel bookings on the Scapia app.
Paying in rupees abroad when asked. Dynamic currency conversion can add fees; pay in the local currency.
FAQs
Which credit card should an occasional traveller get first?
A zero-fee, zero-forex card such as the Scapia card from Axis Bank or Federal Bank. If you want bank points instead of app coins, choose IDFC FIRST Millennia.
Is a lounge card worth it for someone who flies twice a year?
Usually not. Lounge access often needs a monthly or quarterly spend, and two visits rarely cover a high annual fee.
Which first credit card has zero forex markup?
As of November 2026, Scapia, IDFC FIRST Millennia and IDFC FIRST WOW! all list zero forex markup.
Can I get a travel credit card without income proof?
Yes. IDFC FIRST WOW! is issued against an FD of ₹20,000 or more, with no income proof or credit history needed.
Are Scapia coins worth real money?
Five coins equal ₹1, but you can only use them to book travel on the Scapia app.
Should my first travel card be an airline card?
Only if you fly one airline most of the time. Otherwise a bank or travel-app card is easier to use on a few trips a year.
Official Sources and Editorial Note
Data checked as of: 5 November 2026
Scapia cards (issuers, fees, coins, lounge condition)
Official page
Scapia Axis Bank Credit Card
Official page
Terms (PDF)
IDFC FIRST Millennia Credit Card
Official page
May 2026 notice (PDF)
IDFC FIRST WOW! Credit Card
Official page
BOBCARD Etihad Guest Credit Card
Official page
MITC and KFS (PDF)
This article is written from official sources and does not rely on third-party wording.
Editorial note:
Fees, forex rates, lounge rules and earn rates change often. Check the issuer's current terms on the day you apply.
