Festive Season 2026 · Travel Edition
The festive season in India means one thing for travel every train is packed and every flight is expensive. The right credit card earns you rewards on both and makes at least some of those costs come back as cashback or free tickets. This guide covers the two best travel credit cards available on PickMyWork right now for the festive season: the RBL IRCTC Credit Card for train travel, and the IndiGo Axis Bank Credit Card for flights currently lifetime free on RuPay till October 30, 2026.
Why the Festive Season Is the Best Time to Get a Travel Credit Card
Diwali, Dussehra, and the surrounding travel weeks in October and November represent the highest train and flight booking period of the year in India. Every rupee you spend on travel during this window earns rewards but only if you have the right card. Applying now means your card arrives in time for Dussehra bookings, and every festive trip you take between now and January earns points or cashback that you did not have before.
Card 1 RBL IRCTC Credit Card: Best for Train Travel This Festive Season
Every family heading home for Diwali by train should be booking on IRCTC. The RBL IRCTC Credit Card rewards every IRCTC booking, waives the 1% payment gateway charge on train tickets, and covers 8 railway lounge visits per year 2 per quarter. At Rs. 500 joining and annual fee, it is the lowest-cost dedicated railway card you can carry.
| Feature | RBL IRCTC Credit Card |
|---|---|
| Annual Fee | Rs. 500 joining and annual |
| IRCTC Earn Rate | 5 reward points per Rs. 200 on IRCTC train bookings |
| FASTag and NCMC | 3 reward points per Rs. 200 only IRCTC card to reward FASTag reloads |
| Railway Lounge Access | 2 visits per quarter = 8 visits per year |
| PG Waiver | 1% payment gateway waiver on IRCTC train ticket bookings |
| Train Cancellation Cover | Insurance cover up to Rs. 5,000 on train cancellations |
| Network | RuPay |
Why it matters during the festive season: Train cancellations spike during Diwali and Dussehra because plans change. The Rs. 5,000 cancellation protection is a unique benefit no other IRCTC card provides. Railway lounge access at 8 visits per year covers a long-distance traveller comfortably through the festive quarter. The FASTag reward is the only such earn across all 5 IRCTC co-branded cards if your road and train trips are both happening this festive season, this card earns on both.
Card 2 IndiGo Axis Bank Credit Card: Best for Flights, Free Till October 30
The IndiGo Axis Bank Credit Card RuPay variant is lifetime free till October 30, 2026 zero joining fee, zero annual fee. After October 30, the standard fee of Rs. 799 applies. For anyone planning to fly IndiGo during the festive season, this is the most urgent window to apply. The card earns 3 IndiGo BluChips per Rs. 100 on all IndiGo channels app, website, and counter. BluChips redeem at 1 BluChip = Re. 1 against IndiGo bookings.
| Feature | IndiGo Axis Bank Credit Card |
|---|---|
| Annual Fee | Rs. 0 RuPay variant lifetime free till October 30, 2026 Standard fee Rs. 799 after offer ends |
| IndiGo Earn Rate | 3 BluChips per Rs. 100 on all IndiGo bookings |
| UPI Earn (RuPay) | 1 BluChip per Rs. 100 on eligible UPI transactions (cap 750 BluChips/month) |
| Domestic Lounge | 1 visit per quarter on Rs. 50,000 spend in preceding 3 months |
| Milestone | 1,200 BluChips at Rs. 1.5L spend + 1,200 BluChips at Rs. 3L spend |
| BluChip Value | 1 BluChip = Re. 1 on IndiGo redemption |
| Offer Deadline | October 30, 2026 LTF offer ends |
Why it matters during the festive season: IndiGo carries more domestic passengers than any other airline in India. Booking even two return tickets during Dussehra or Diwali earns BluChips worth hundreds of rupees toward your next flight. The October 30 deadline for the LTF offer is real urgency if you apply after that date, the Rs. 799 standard fee kicks in. Apply now, get the card before Dussehra, and use it for every IndiGo booking through the festive season and beyond.
RBL IRCTC vs IndiGo Axis Bank Which One Should You Get?
| If You… | Get This Card | Apply |
|---|---|---|
| Primarily travel by train and book on IRCTC | RBL IRCTC Credit Card | Apply |
| Fly IndiGo regularly and want a free card before Oct 30 | IndiGo Axis Bank (RuPay LTF) | Apply |
| Do both train and IndiGo flights during festive season | Get both different categories, no overlap | IRCTC + IndiGo |
Earn by Selling Travel Cards on PickMyWork This Festive Season
Travel card tasks are among the easiest to pitch during the festive season because the use case is obvious. Everyone is travelling. Everyone is booking tickets. The IndiGo Axis Bank card has a hard deadline October 30 for the LTF offer which gives you a natural, honest reason to follow up with every lead immediately. The RBL IRCTC card works year-round but festive bookings create high intent right now. Open the PickMyWork app and start both tasks this week.
Frequently Asked Questions
- Which is the best travel credit card for the festive season in India 2026?
For train travel: RBL IRCTC Credit Card at Rs. 500 fee with 8 railway lounge visits per year, FASTag rewards, and train cancellation insurance. For IndiGo flights: IndiGo Axis Bank Credit Card RuPay variant, currently lifetime free till October 30, earning 3 BluChips per Rs. 100 on IndiGo bookings. Both are available on PickMyWork. - Is the IndiGo Axis Bank credit card really free in 2026?
Yes. The RuPay variant of the IndiGo Axis Bank Credit Card is lifetime free with zero joining and annual fee as a limited-period offer valid till October 30, 2026. After that date, the standard Rs. 799 fee applies. Apply before the deadline to secure the card at zero cost. - Does the RBL IRCTC card give lounge access at railway stations?
Yes. The RBL IRCTC Credit Card provides 2 complimentary railway lounge visits per quarter, totalling 8 per year. This is among the highest lounge access count across all 5 IRCTC co-branded cards currently available. It also provides train cancellation protection of up to Rs. 5,000 backed by insurance. - Can I hold both the RBL IRCTC card and the IndiGo Axis Bank card?
Yes. They serve completely different travel categories train and flight with no overlap in benefits. Holding both gives you rewards on every mode of festive travel. The IndiGo Axis Bank RuPay variant has zero annual fee till October 30, and the RBL IRCTC card costs Rs. 500 annually, easily recovered from the PG waiver and lounge savings alone. - What happens to IndiGo BluChips earned during the festive season?
BluChips earned through eligible card spends have lifetime validity per the official Axis Bank product page. They can be redeemed against IndiGo flight bookings at 1 BluChip = Re. 1 in redemption value, subject to availability on IndiGo’s website or app. Redemption value may vary by route and booking date in practice.
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