HSBC TravelOne Credit Card vs Air India SBI Signature Credit Card
HSBC Bank · SBI Card — side-by-side CardCheck comparison


HSBC TravelOne Credit Card leads overall with a CardCheck Score of 80/100 (+4 pts over Air India SBI Signature Credit Card).
4-Pillar Head-to-Head Breakdown
HSBC vs Air- CardCheck Score
- 80Best
- 76
- Rating Verdict
- Excellent
- Very Good
- Reward Power (35%)
- 34/35
- 35/35
- Fee Value & ROI (25%)
- 14/25
- 18/25
- Lounge & Travel (20%)
- 18/20
- 15/20
- Forex & Access (20%)
- 14/20
- 8/20
- Bank
- HSBC Bank
- SBI Card
- Network
- Visa
- Visa
- Card type
- Premium
- Co-branded
- Best for
- Frequent flyers — transfer air miles to 10+ airlines at 1:1 ratio
- Air India loyalists — earn Flying Returns miles on everyday spend
- Joining fee
- ₹4,999
- ₹4,999
- Annual fee
- ₹4,999
- ₹4,999
- Fee waiver
- ₹12,00,000
- ₹5,00,000Best
- Interest-free days
- 45
- 50Best
- APR (min)
- 42%
- 42%
- APR (max)
- 42%
- 42%
- Late payment fee
- ₹1,200Best
- ₹1,300
- Cash advance fee
- 2.5%
- 2.5%
- Reward type
- miles
- miles
- Min rate
- 1.5%Best
- 1%
- Max rate
- 6%
- 7.5%Best
- Domestic lounge / qtr
- 1
- 2Best
- Intl lounge / year
- 4Best
- 0
- Priority Pass
- DreamFolks
- Forex markup
- 1.5%Best
- 3.5%
- Fuel surcharge waiver
- Metal card
- Contactless
- UPI linked
- Min age
- 18
- 21
- Min income / month
- ₹1,00,000
- ₹75,000
- Min CIBIL
- 750
- 750
- Invite only
| Attribute ↓ | ★ Overall pick Column A ![]() | Column B ![]() |
|---|---|---|
01—CardCheck Score & Pillars Differences highlighted | ||
| CardCheck Score | 80Best | 76 |
| Rating Verdict | Excellent | Very Good |
| Reward Power (35%) | 34/35 | 35/35 |
| Fee Value & ROI (25%) | 14/25 | 18/25 |
| Lounge & Travel (20%) | 18/20 | 15/20 |
| Forex & Access (20%) | 14/20 | 8/20 |
02—Basic Info Differences highlighted | ||
| Bank | HSBC Bank | SBI Card |
| Network | Visa | Visa |
| Card type | Premium | Co-branded |
| Best for | Frequent flyers — transfer air miles to 10+ airlines at 1:1 ratio | Air India loyalists — earn Flying Returns miles on everyday spend |
03—Fees Differences highlighted | ||
| Joining fee | ₹4,999 | ₹4,999 |
| Annual fee | ₹4,999 | ₹4,999 |
| Fee waiver | ₹12,00,000 | ₹5,00,000Best |
| Interest-free days | 45 | 50Best |
04—Interest Differences highlighted | ||
| APR (min) | 42% | 42% |
| APR (max) | 42% | 42% |
| Late payment fee | ₹1,200Best | ₹1,300 |
| Cash advance fee | 2.5% | 2.5% |
05—Rewards Differences highlighted | ||
| Reward type | miles | miles |
| Min rate | 1.5%Best | 1% |
| Max rate | 6% | 7.5%Best |
06—Travel & Lounge Differences highlighted | ||
| Domestic lounge / qtr | 1 | 2Best |
| Intl lounge / year | 4Best | 0 |
| Priority Pass | ||
| DreamFolks | ||
07—Forex & Fuel Differences highlighted | ||
| Forex markup | 1.5%Best | 3.5% |
| Fuel surcharge waiver | ||
08—Features Differences highlighted | ||
| Metal card | ||
| Contactless | ||
| UPI linked | ||
09—Eligibility Differences highlighted | ||
| Min age | 18 | 21 |
| Min income / month | ₹1,00,000 | ₹75,000 |
| Min CIBIL | 750 | 750 |
| Invite only | ||
| Rows won | 05of 09 | 04of 09 |
| Key Specification | HSBC TravelOne Credit Card | Air India SBI Signature Credit Card |
|---|---|---|
| CardCheck Score | 80/100Excellent | 76/100Very Good |
| Annual Fee | ₹4,999 | ₹4,999 |
| Fee Waiver Spend | ₹12L/yr | ₹5L/yr |
| Max Reward Potential | 6% | 7.5% |
| Domestic Lounge Access | 1 / quarter | 2 / quarter |
| International Lounge | 4 / year | None |
| Forex Markup Fee | 1.5% | 3.5% |
Choose HSBC TravelOne Credit Card if:
Your spending centers around frequent flyers — transfer air miles to 10+ airlines at 1:1 ratio and you want direct partner rewards with HSBC Bank.
Choose Air India SBI Signature Credit Card if:
Your spending aligns with air india loyalists — earn flying returns miles on everyday spend and you prioritize SBI Card's redemption benefits.
Frequently asked questions: HSBC TravelOne Credit Card vs Air India SBI Signature Credit Card
- Which is better: HSBC TravelOne Credit Card or Air India SBI Signature Credit Card?
- HSBC TravelOne Credit Card holds a higher overall rating with a CardCheck Score of 80/100 (Excellent) compared to 76/100 (Very Good) for Air India SBI Signature Credit Card (a lead of +4 points). HSBC TravelOne Credit Card is classified in our Elite tier due to superior spend returns and comprehensive travel perks.
- How do annual fees and fee waiver spend rules compare?
- HSBC TravelOne Credit Card charges an annual fee of ₹4,999 with an annual spend threshold of ₹12 Lakh for renewal fee waiver. In comparison, Air India SBI Signature Credit Card charges an annual fee of ₹4,999 with an annual spend threshold of ₹5 Lakh.
- How do the reward rates and cashback compare between HSBC TravelOne Credit Card and Air India SBI Signature Credit Card?
- HSBC TravelOne Credit Card offers a base reward rate of 1.5% and up to 6% on accelerated partner categories. Meanwhile, Air India SBI Signature Credit Card offers a base rate of 1% and up to 7.5% on eligible spends. Compare net returns against your monthly spend in our Rewards Calculator.
- Which card has better airport lounge access: HSBC TravelOne Credit Card or Air India SBI Signature Credit Card?
- HSBC TravelOne Credit Card provides 1 domestic lounge visit(s) per quarter and 4 international lounge visit(s)/yr. On the other hand, Air India SBI Signature Credit Card provides 2 domestic lounge visit(s) per quarter. Note that most issuers now require meeting minimum quarterly spend criteria (typically ₹10,000 to ₹50,000 in the preceding quarter) to unlock lounge access.
- Which card is better for international foreign currency spends?
- HSBC TravelOne Credit Card levies a foreign currency markup fee of 1.5%, while Air India SBI Signature Credit Card charges 3.5%. Lower forex markup directly reduces costs when transacting overseas or on international e-commerce platforms.
- Is CardCheck's comparison data unbiased and verified against official bank MITC?
- Yes. All credit card fees, interest rates, lounge visit quotas, and reward calculations on CardCheck are 100% unsponsored and verified directly against each bank's official Most Important Terms & Conditions (MITC).