Synopsis: Zero forex credit cards offer an advantage when it comes to spending abroad, only if there are no foreign currency conversion charges and extra benefits available at airports and during travel. The cards provide their best value to international travellers who need to control their overseas spending while maintaining their travel flexibility.
With the ever-increasing level of international travel and spending on cross-border products, zero-forex credit cards are able to save their users money by eliminating the forex markup fees, as well as providing lifestyle benefits to customers, including airport lounge access, travel discounts, and reward programs. The selection of the appropriate card is based on the frequency of access to the lounge, annual charges, and the general advantages of travelling.
- Joining Fee: ₹0 (No joining fee)
- Annual Fee: Lifetime free
- UPI Compatibility: Supports UPI payments via the Scapia app
- Benefits:
- 0% forex markup on international spends
- Earn 10% rewards on all eligible merchant spends across India.
- Earn 20% rewards on all travel bookings made via the Scapia app.
- UPI spends: Earn 5% rewards on UPI transactions of ₹500 or more.
- Coins are credited on the statement date and redeemable via the Scapia app.
- Use Scapia Coins to book flights, hotels, buses, trains, stays, and more. Access 5 lakh+ stays and global airline options
- Redeem without caps: pay 100% of your travel booking with Scapia coins.
- Unlimited domestic lounge access (with monthly spend criteria of ₹20,000 across Visa + RuPay).
- Airport perks of free dining, shopping, or spa services at 100+ domestic airports, with up to ₹1,000 rewards back with a monthly spend of ₹20,000 across Visa + RuPay
- International airport perks: Earn up to ₹2,000 back on duty-free dining/shopping with a ₹50,000+ international flight booking via the Scapia app.
- To apply for the card, please visit the Official Website
2. Ixigo AU Credit Card
- Joining Fee: ₹0
- Annual Fee: ₹0
- Benefits:
- Zero forex markup on international transactions.
- ₹1,000 ixigo vouchers on card activation within 30 days
- ₹1,000 ixigo discount voucher on milestone spend within 30 days
- 10% discount on flight bookings up to ₹1,000 via the ixigo platform.
- 10% discount on hotel bookings up to ₹1,000 via the ixigo platform.
- 10% discount on bus bookings up to ₹300 via the ixigo platform.
- No payment gateway charges on train bookings via ixigo.
- Up to 10 Reward Points for every ₹200 spent on eligible transactions.
- Reward points are redeemable on travel bookings and partner platforms.
- 16 domestic airport lounge visits per year (subject to usage/network conditions).
- 1 international airport lounge visit per year.
- Credit shield insurance coverage up to ₹1.5 lakh.
- EMI conversion available on eligible transactions above ₹2,000.
3. HSBC RuPay Cashback Credit Card
- Joining Fee: ₹499
- Annual Fee: ₹499
- Annual fee waiver: (spend more than ₹200,000 per year)
- Benefits:
- 0% forex markup on international spends (valid until 30 June 2026)
- ₹500 cashback on first spend of ₹10,000 via HSBC Mobile Banking within 30 days
- ₹250 Amazon e-gift voucher on card issuance via online application (T&Cs apply)
- Discounts on flights & hotels via Cleartrip up to ₹6,000 (with codes)
- Earn 10% cashback on dining, grocery, and food delivery spends
- Earn 1% cashback on other eligible spends
- Maximum Cashback is capped monthly (₹400/month)
- ₹250 cashback on first 2 UPI transactions (₹250+ each)
- 12% discount on Myntra (Sundays, min spend ₹4,000)
- Paytm bill payment discount (5% off on transactions above ₹299, subject to a maximum discount of up to ₹150).
- 10 complimentary airport lounge visits (8 domestic + 2 international) per year
- Annual Fee: ₹3000 + GST
- Benefits:
- 0% Forex markup on international transactions
- 2 Reward Points for every ₹100 spent on eligible domestic retail transactions.
- 5 Reward Points for every ₹100 spent on eligible travel purchases.
- No Reward Points on international purchases.
- 10,000 bonus Reward Points on annual spends of ₹2.5 lakh.
- 15,000 bonus Reward Points on annual spends of ₹5 lakh
- A voucher worth ₹10,000 from brands such as Taj Experiences, Amazon, Croma, Myntra & MakeMyTrip on an annual spending of ₹7.5 lakh.
- Complimentary Priority Pass membership with 2 international lounge visits per year.
- 8 domestic lounge visits/year (2 per quarter with ₹35,000 quarterly spend)
- ₹3,000 MakeMyTrip welcome voucher
- Complimentary travel insurance
- To apply for the card, please visit the Official Website
Also Read: Top 5 Credit Cards with High Cashback and Free Lounge Access in 2026 – See Which Suits You Best
Comparison Table
| Feature | Scapia Federal | Ixigo AU | HSBC RuPay Cashback | RBL World Safari |
| Joining Fee | ₹0 | ₹0 | ₹499 | ₹3,000 + GST |
| Forex Markup | 0% | 0% | 0% (till June 2026) | 0% |
| Domestic Lounge Access | Unlimited (with spend condition) | 16 per year | 8 per year | 8 per year |
| International Lounge Access | Limited / app-based perks | 1 per year | 2 per year | 2 per year (Priority Pass) |
Conclusion
Zero forex credit cards provide travellers with international savings benefits that they can use while travelling abroad. The Scapia Federal Credit Card enables customers to access domestic lounges without any limitations while providing a lifetime-free membership. The Ixigo AU Credit Card offers customers a no-cost solution that provides excellent lounge access benefits.
The HSBC RuPay Cashback Credit Card provides cashback rewards together with limited lounge access benefits, while users who want Priority Pass access and premium travel benefits should choose the RBL World Safari Credit Card. Your travel frequency and lounge access requirements determine which option you should select.
Written by Ameet S
