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2026 Airport Lounge Rulebook

Credit Card Airport Lounge Access Rules (2026)

Never get turned away at an airport lounge gate. Check the exact quarterly spend requirements, qualifying calendar windows, and visit caps across 16 verified Indian cards.

2026 Airport Lounge Access Eligibility Checker

Select your credit card and quarterly spend to check if your lounge visits are unlocked under latest bank rules.

45,000
HDFC BANK
VISA

MILLENNIA

•••• •••• •••• 2026

Mid-Tier
!

Lounge Access LOCKED

Previous calendar quarter spend >= ₹50,000

Complimentary Visits This Quarter
0 Domestic

You need to spend ₹5,000 more in the calendar quarter to unlock your 1 complimentary lounge visit(s).

1 complimentary domestic airport lounge access per calendar quarter upon spending ₹50,000 or more in the previous calendar quarter.

Bank-by-Bank Lounge Spend Threshold Comparison

Source-verified quarterly spend milestones and annual visit allocations.

Credit CardDomestic VisitsInternational VisitsQuarterly Spend RequiredQualifying Window
HDFC Bank Millennia Credit Card
HDFC Bank
1/quarterNone50,000Previous calendar quarter spend >= ₹50,000
HDFC Bank Regalia Gold Credit Card
HDFC Bank
4/quarter6/year1,00,000Previous calendar quarter spend >= ₹1,00,000 for domestic vouchers
Tata Neu Infinity HDFC Bank Credit Card
HDFC Bank
2/quarter4/year₹0 (Unconditional)Complimentary
Airtel Axis Bank Credit Card
Axis Bank
1/quarterNone50,000Previous 3 months spend >= ₹50,000
Axis Bank ACE Credit Card
Axis Bank
1/quarterNone50,000Previous 3 months spend >= ₹50,000
IDFC FIRST Mayura Metal Credit Card
IDFC FIRST Bank
4/quarter16/year₹0 (Unconditional)Unconditional Complimentary
RBL Bank World Safari Credit Card
RBL Bank
2/quarter2/year₹0 (Unconditional)Complimentary
Scapia Federal Bank Credit Card
Federal Bank
1/quarterNone15,000Spend ₹5,000/month or ₹15,000/quarter
ixigo AU Small Finance Bank Credit Card
AU Small Finance Bank
2/quarter1/year₹0 (Unconditional)Complimentary
IDFC FIRST Classic Credit Card
IDFC FIRST Bank
1/quarterNone20,000Monthly spend >= ₹20,000
SBI Card PRIME
State Bank of India
2/quarter4/year₹0 (Unconditional)Complimentary
ICICI Bank Coral RuPay Credit Card
ICICI Bank
1/quarterNone50,000Previous calendar quarter spend >= ₹50,000
Axis Bank Atlas Credit Card
Axis Bank
3/quarter4/year₹0 (Unconditional)Tier-Based (Silver: 8 domestic + 4 intl; Gold: 12 domestic + 6 intl)
Kotak League Platinum Credit Card
Kotak Mahindra Bank
1/quarterNone₹0 (Unconditional)Complimentary
ICICI Bank Rubyx Credit Card
ICICI Bank
2/quarterNone50,000Previous calendar quarter spend >= ₹50,000
HDFC Bank Infinia Metal Edition
HDFC Bank
99/quarter99/year₹0 (Unconditional)Unlimited Complimentary

Lounge Access Rules FAQ

Why did Indian banks introduce spend thresholds for lounge access?

Due to massive overcrowding at domestic airport lounges across Mumbai, Delhi, Bengaluru, and Hyderabad, Indian banks revised their partnership agreements with lounge operators like DreamFolks. To restrict footfall to active spenders, issuers now require ₹50,000 to ₹60,000 in spend during the previous calendar quarter before issuing complimentary lounge QR vouchers.

How is the 'previous calendar quarter' calculated for lounge eligibility?

Calendar quarters run as: Q1 (Jan–Mar), Q2 (Apr–Jun), Q3 (Jul–Sep), Q4 (Oct–Dec). For example, spending ₹50,000 between January 1 and March 31 unlocks your complimentary lounge visit for travel between April 1 and June 30.

Are any credit cards still offering unconditional free lounge access?

Yes. Cards whose canonical record shows no quarterly spend condition (Tata Neu Infinity HDFC Bank Credit Card, IDFC FIRST Mayura Metal Credit Card, RBL Bank World Safari Credit Card, ixigo AU Small Finance Bank Credit Card, SBI Card PRIME, Axis Bank Atlas Credit Card, Kotak League Platinum Credit Card, HDFC Bank Infinia Metal Edition) provide complimentary lounge visits without a spend threshold. Issuers revise these terms often, so check the card's current MITC before travelling.

Did RuPay Platinum debit cards cancel airport lounge access in 2026?

Yes. Effective April 1, 2026, NPCI revised RuPay debit lounge benefits, withdrawing complimentary lounge access on mass-market RuPay Platinum debit cards. RuPay Select cards now require spend-based qualification.