Here’s a breakdown of the latest trends in travel credit cards, air fares and booking tips to help you plan smarter and save more in 2024.
Credit cards for travellers
If you’re looking to save on travel costs, using a travel-focused credit card can make a significant difference.
ixigo, in partnership with AU Small Finance Bank, has launched a co-branded travel credit card specifically designed for frequent travellers.
The card offers exclusive benefits, including discounts on flights, hotels, and bus bookings made through the ixigo platform, along with other travel-centric perks.
According to Aloke Bajpai, Group CEO of ixigo, “Our travel card offers up to 10% off on flight, bus, and hotel bookings through ixigo, plus access to over eight domestic airport lounges and international lounges.”
In addition to these savings, the card also provides zero payment gateway charges for train bookings twice a month.
One can earn 10 reward points on online UPI transactions and five points on offline UPI payments.
The card also offers a welcome bonus of 1,000 reward points and ixigo money worth ₹1,000 upon the first successful transaction.
“This makes it easier for travellers to not only save on flights and accommodations but also get additional benefits that enhance their travel experience,” adds Bajpai.
Here are some other travel credit cards for 2024:
The Axis Atlas Credit Card has a joining fee and annual fee of ₹5,000 each, while allowing you to earn 2.5x EDGE Miles on travel purchases. It also gives you access to up to 12 international lounges every year, making it a solid option for frequent travellers.
The American Express® Platinum Travel Credit Card charges a joining fee of ₹3,500 and an annual fee of ₹5,000, but rewards you with 10,000 points when you spend ₹15,000 in the first 90 days, and another 25,000 points worth ₹7,500 if you spend ₹4 lakh annually.
If you’re an Air India flyer, the Air India SBI Signature Credit Card might be worth considering, with a joining and annual fee of ₹4,999 each. It offers 20,000 welcome points, a complimentary Air India Frequent Flyer programme membership, and up to one lakh bonus points each year.
For those who prefer booking through Yatra, the Yatra SBI Card, with a modest ₹499 joining and annual fee, gives you vouchers worth ₹8,250 and up to ₹4,000 off on flight bookings.
The IndusInd Bank Avios Visa Infinite Credit Card, with a joining fee of ₹40,000 and an annual fee of ₹10,000, rewards you with 2x Avios on Qatar Airways and British Airways bookings and offers up to 50,000 bonus Avios as a milestone benefit.
Airfare trends
Notably, many popular routes are seeing air fare drops.
Rajnish Kumar, Group Co-CEO of ixigo, says, “We’ve seen airfares drop by 25-30% compared to the same time last year. Factors like increased airline capacity and reduced oil prices are contributing to the price drops.”
Key domestic routes are seeing significant fare reductions.
For example, one-way flights from Bengaluru to New Delhi have dropped by 15%, now costing ₹6,739 compared to ₹7,938 last year.
Similarly, a flight from New Delhi to Goa is now 22% cheaper, priced at ₹5,251 instead of ₹6,430, ixigo said.
International airfare
Popular routes such as New Delhi to Kuala Lumpur and Mumbai to destinations in Germany have experienced a decrease in airfares of 19% and 54%, respectively.
A one-way flight from New Delhi to Kuala Lumpur now costs ₹12,020, down from ₹14,958, and flights from Mumbai to German airports are down from ₹58,126 to ₹26,496.
Surge in travel bookings for the wedding season
According to ixigo, India is expected to host around 35 lakh weddings between November 23 and December 15, 2024, which is pushing up demand for travel, especially to popular wedding destinations.
Aloke Bajpai explains, “We’ve seen a 70-80% YoY increase in bookings to metro hubs like New Delhi, Mumbai, and Goa, as well as leisure spots like Srinagar and Jaipur.”
Bajpai also points out that tier-II and III cities are emerging as top travel destinations for weddings this year, with places like Varanasi and Gorakhpur seeing impressive growth.
“Bookings to Varanasi have jumped by 265% YoY, and Gorakhpur is up by 109%,” he adds.
Booking tips for winter travel
To make the most of this favourable airfare season, early booking is key.
With demand rising for both domestic and international routes, locking in flights early can help you secure the best deals.
Additionally, combining your travel credit card benefits with early bookings can maximise savings.
