Maximize Rewards Based on Where You Spend Most
When it comes to choosing the best credit card, one size doesn’t fit all. The smartest way to choose a card is to match it with your lifestyle. Whether you’re a frequent flyer, shopaholic, foodie, or a homebody who swipes mostly at grocery stores, there’s a perfect card for you.
Here’s a list of the best credit cards in India (2025) — categorized by usage. Each section includes two top-performing cards and why they deserve a place in your wallet.
1. Best Credit Cards for Travel
If you travel often — whether for business or leisure — these cards offer free lounge access, air miles, and hotel benefits.
HDFC Regalia Credit Card
- Complimentary airport lounge access (domestic + international)
- 4 Reward Points per ₹150
- Complimentary Zomato Pro & Dineout Passport
- Annual Fee: ₹2,500
- Apply Here – HDFC Regalia Credit Card
Axis Atlas Credit Card
- Edge Miles convertible to 15+ airline/hotel partners
- Travel insurance coverage & concierge services
- Up to 5X rewards on travel spends
- Annual Fee: ₹5,000
- Apply Here – Axis Atlas Credit Card
Ideal for: Frequent flyers, international travelers, digital nomads
2. Best Credit Cards for Groceries & Daily Essentials
These cards give great returns on supermarket and utility bill payments.
SBI SimplySAVE Credit Card
- 10X rewards on groceries, departmental stores, and movies
- Annual Fee: ₹499 (waived on ₹1L spend)
- 1% fuel surcharge waiver
- Apply Here – SBI SimplySAVE Credit Card
ICICI Amazon Pay Credit Card
- 5% cashback for Prime members on Amazon
- 1% cashback everywhere else (no cap!)
- Lifetime free card
- Apply Here – ICICI Amazon Pay Credit Card
Ideal for: Families, regular grocery shoppers, Amazon users
3. Best Cards for Shopping (Online & Offline)
Love shopping during sales or grabbing the latest gadgets? These are for you.
Flipkart Axis Bank Credit Card
- 5% cashback on Flipkart & Myntra
- 4% on preferred merchants (Swiggy, Uber, etc.)
- Annual Fee: ₹500 (easily waived)
- Apply Here – Flipkart Axis Bank Credit Card
Ideal for: Online shoppers, fashion & gadget lovers
Axis Bank ACE Credit Card
- 5% cashback on bill payments and recharges via Google Pay
- 4% cashback on Swiggy, Zomato, Ola
- 2% flat cashback on all other spends
- Annual Fee: ₹499 (waived on ₹2L annual spend)
- Apply Here – Axis Bank ACE Credit Card
4. Best Cards for Dining & Food Delivery
Love eating out or ordering in? Get maximum value for your food bills.
HDFC Millennia Credit Card
- 5% cashback on Swiggy, Zomato, BigBasket
- 1% cashback on offline spends
- Lounge access and EMI conversion available
Ideal for: Foodies, dine-out regulars, delivery app users
5. Best Cards for Fuel & Utility Payments
If your spends go into petrol pumps and monthly utilities, these cards are optimized for you.
Airtel Axis Bank Credit Card
- 10% cashback on utility bill payments (electricity, water, gas, etc.) via the Airtel Thanks app
- 10% cashback on OTT subscriptions like Netflix, Prime, and Hotstar
- 25% cashback on Airtel mobile, DTH, and broadband payments
- 1% cashback on all other spends
- Apply Here – Airtel Axis Bank Credit Card
Final Thoughts
There’s no “best” credit card overall — just the one that best matches your lifestyle. If you’re into travel, go for HDFC Regalia or Axis Atlas. For daily spenders, SBI SimplySAVE or Amazon Pay ICICI are top picks.
Before you apply, always consider:
- Annual fee vs reward potential
- Merchant restrictions (some cards are app or platform specific)
- Cashback caps and exclusions
Disclaimer
Some of the links in this post are affiliate links. This means if you click on them and apply for a credit card, I may earn a small commission — at no extra cost to you. This helps support the blog and allows me to keep creating free, helpful content.