Best Credit Cards for a Singapore Trip from India (2026)

For a Singapore trip, the card that saves you the most is usually a zero or low forex markup card, because almost everything you spend there (hotels, food, Sentosa tickets, shopping) is billed in Singapore dollars. A frequent Singapore Airlines flyer can also earn KrisFlyer miles on the right card, and lounge access at Changi or at home makes the journey easier. Below are six cards from BestCard's data that fit different budgets.

What matters for a Singapore trip

1. Forex markup. A 3.5% markup plus 18% GST on it adds about 4.1% to every SGD spend. On a ₹1.5 lakh trip, that's over ₹6,000 lost.
2. Card network. Visa and Mastercard are accepted almost everywhere in Singapore, and contactless payment is the norm. RuPay and Diners Club are much less useful there.
3. Lounge access. International lounge visits help on the way home. Domestic visits help on departure from India.
4. Miles. If you fly Singapore Airlines or Scoot, earning KrisFlyer miles directly can make sense.

The shortlist

IDFC FIRST Wealth: best free zero-forex card

IDFC FIRST Wealth is lifetime free with 0% forex markup. It gives 1 domestic and 1 international lounge visit per quarter, unlocked by ₹20,000 spend in the current calendar month. Rewards are modest: 1.25% on travel and dining and 0.375% elsewhere, at 25 paise a point. The catch is eligibility: our data lists ₹3 lakh minimum monthly income. If that's too high, the IDFC FIRST Select (₹1 lakh income) also has 0% markup and 4% on travel and dining, but no international lounge.

Scapia Axis Bank card: best free card for younger travellers

The Scapia Axis Bank card charges no fee and 0% forex markup on both online and in-store spends. It earns up to 20% in Scapia Coins on flights and hotels booked in the Scapia app, plus up to ₹2,000 back on airport shopping and duty-free. Domestic lounges are unlimited in any billing cycle where you spend ₹20,000. There's no international lounge. You can apply for the Scapia Axis card here.

AU Zenith Plus: low markup with lots of lounges

AU Bank Zenith Plus costs ₹4,999 (waived on ₹8 lakh) and charges a low 0.99% forex markup. It's strong on lounges: 16 domestic and 16 international visits a year through Priority Pass, plus quarterly Airport Meet & Assist. It earns 2% on travel and dining and 1% elsewhere. Minimum income is ₹80,000 a month.

DBS Vantage: zero markup in Singapore specifically

DBS Vantage is a ₹50,000 super-premium card (waived on ₹10 lakh), so it's not one to get just for a holiday. It does have a feature that fits this trip: 0% forex markup on spends in Singapore, 1.75% elsewhere abroad. It also gives unlimited domestic and international lounge access through LoungeKey, and 10% cashback at duty-free stores (capped at ₹1,500 a month). If you visit Singapore often for work, it's worth considering.

KrisFlyer SBI Card Apex: for Singapore Airlines loyalists

KrisFlyer SBI Card Apex (₹9,999 a year) earns KrisFlyer miles directly, with 5% on Singapore Airlines Group spends and 1.5% elsewhere in our data. It gives 10,000 KrisFlyer miles on joining (after your first transaction within 60 days) and 8 domestic plus 8 international lounge visits a year (Priority Pass valid for the first 2 years), along with priority boarding and seat selection on SIA flights. The 3.5% forex markup makes it a poor card for spending in Singapore itself, so use it to book flights and pay for the trip with a zero-forex card. You can apply for a KrisFlyer SBI Card here. The entry-level KrisFlyer SBI Card costs ₹2,999 if you fly SIA less often.

Axis Horizon: transferable miles that include KrisFlyer

Axis Horizon (₹3,000, waived on ₹3.5 lakh) earns EDGE Miles that transfer 1:1 to KrisFlyer, Marriott Bonvoy and Accor in our data. It earns 5% on Travel EDGE and airline bookings and gives up to 8 domestic visits a quarter (Visa variant) and 2 international visits a quarter. It's a good card for booking flights to Singapore. For spends in Singapore, switch to a zero-forex card, because Horizon charges 3.5%.

Summary table

Card	Annual fee	Forex markup	International lounge	Best for
IDFC FIRST Wealth	₹0	0%	1/quarter on ₹20,000 monthly spend	Free zero-forex card
Scapia Axis Bank	₹0	0%	None	Free card, Scapia app bookings
AU Zenith Plus	₹4,999	0.99%	16 a year	Lounges plus low markup
DBS Vantage	₹50,000	0% in Singapore	Unlimited	Frequent Singapore visitors
KrisFlyer SBI Apex	₹9,999	3.5%	8 a year	Singapore Airlines flyers
Axis Horizon	₹3,000	3.5%	8 a year	Booking flights, KrisFlyer transfers

What forex really costs: a worked example

Say a family of three spends ₹1.5 lakh on a Singapore holiday, covering hotel, food, attractions and some shopping:

• 3.5% markup card: ₹5,250 markup + ₹945 GST = ₹6,195 extra
• 2% markup card: ₹3,000 + ₹540 GST = ₹3,540 extra
• 0.99% markup card (AU Zenith Plus): ₹1,485 + ₹267 GST = ₹1,752 extra
• 0% markup card (IDFC FIRST Wealth, Scapia): ₹0 extra

So a free zero-forex card saves about ₹6,000 on this trip compared with a typical rewards card. That's more than most cards earn in rewards on the same ₹1.5 lakh. For the full picture of markup across banks, see our forex markup guide.

How to choose

• One trip, tight budget: a free zero-forex card (IDFC FIRST Wealth, IDFC FIRST Select or Scapia).
• You fly often and want lounges: AU Zenith Plus, for low markup and lots of lounge visits.
• You fly Singapore Airlines several times a year: a KrisFlyer SBI card for the flights, plus a zero-forex card for spending on the ground.
• You already collect Axis miles: Horizon for flights through Travel EDGE and KrisFlyer transfers.

Tips before you fly

• Always pay in SGD, never in rupees. Rupee billing abroad uses the merchant's exchange rate, which is usually worse.
• Turn on international usage in your card app before you leave, and set limits.
• Carry two cards on different networks, in case one is declined.
• Check the current TCS position on overseas card spends. Confirm the latest rules with your bank or a tax advisor.
• Save your bank's international helpline number in case a card gets blocked.

All figures come from BestCard's latest card data. Issuers update fees and benefits often, so check current terms on the issuer's site before applying. To find the card that best fits your travel and everyday spending, use the BestCard matcher.