Apple Pay launched in India on 30 September 2026, about 12 years after it first went live. Eligible Axis Bank Visa and Mastercard credit cards can be added to Wallet. Checkout on your own device uses Face ID or Touch ID, not an OTP, and the spend still earns on the underlying card. Razorpay and Cashfree are among the gateways already live — a website does not get Apple Pay just because you have the card.
HSBC extended its zero forex markup offer on eligible personal credit cards till 31 October 2026, announced on 30 September. Rewards carry on as usual. Corporate cards and ATM cash are left out.
Axis Bank transfer partners changed from 23 September 2026: Accor returns at weaker rates, Cathay / Miles & More / Hilton join, Club ITC is out, and Air India, Flying Blue and Qantas move to Group A (~75% less yearly room).
LifeMiles is selling miles with up to a 145% bonus through 25 September 2026 (~1.35¢/mile at the top tier). From India that is a USD Points.com charge — use a 0% forex card, and only buy if you already see the award.
NPCI’s September circular spells out interest-free (CLIF) and interest-bearing (CLIB) credit lines on UPI, with banks and apps to standardise by 15 December 2026. Here is how that differs from a RuPay credit card on UPI — and when I would still pick a travel card.
The Club Vistara IDFC FIRST Credit Card shuts on 30 September 2026. IDFC FIRST is moving holders to a Diamond Reserve card with the ₹3,000 annual fee waived for life, and Maharaja Points move to your linked account.
From 1 October 2026, ALL Accor+ Explorer adds Bahrain, Egypt, Iraq, Jordan, Kuwait, Lebanon, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, and Pakistan — 80+ more hotels for Stay Plus, dining discounts, and Red Hot Rooms.
0.5% on eligible overseas Visa spends plus 10% Google Pay / Samsung Pay Tap (or partner) bonus. Ends 30 Sep 2026. Register at visapowertravel.com.
Update 13 September 2026: IDFC FIRST rolled back the plan to stop forex rewards. Cards keep 0% forex markup from 9 September and again earn cashback or reward points on eligible international spends.
Maharaja Club members can now earn 2 Maharaja Points per USD 1 at participating IHG hotels (1 per USD 1 at extended-stay brands), convert IHG points at 1,000:200, and earn 3X on qualifying stays booked and stayed 15 Sept–31 Dec 2026.
Amex has written to Platinum Travel Card Members: a new Online Account from mid-October, T&Cs from 11 October 2026. Membership Rewards split per Basic Card, SMS/balance EMI ends, supplementary applications pause 22 September, and late fees move to Total Amount Due slabs of ₹500–₹1,250.
From 1 October 2026, IndusInd debit cards earn 2, 4 or 8 IndusRewards per ₹200 based on account AMB, at ₹0.25 a point, with one CIF-level balance. Exclusive/Grande-type accounts were emailed 4 per ₹200, a 4,000 monthly earn cap, and a 600-point welcome bonus.
HSBC has extended two accelerated points offers — Apple via Unicorn (up to 6X) and Dyson (up to 10X) — till 30 September 2026. Apple’s next launch is expected on 9 September.
HSBC Live+ now pays 10% cashback (up to ₹1,200/month) on dining, food delivery, grocery, shopping and utilities, 1.5% on most other spends, plus 2 domestic and 1 international lounge visit a year — all at a ₹999 fee that’s waived on ₹2 lakh spend.
Axis Bank now provides a dedicated portal to check your credit card's current calendar year spends, annual cycle reset date, annual fee, and fee waiver spend threshold in real time.
Amex is ending Check Your Spending Power on 16 September 2026 and Emergency Card Replacement on 8 October 2026. Lost or stolen cards still get replaced — on the standard 7–10 business day timeline.
Eligible Mastercard credit and debit cards get a complimentary second night on a two-night ITC / Welcomhotel stay. Promo code: MCITC2. Breakfast and Wi-Fi included; book direct and pay with the card at the hotel.
Amex is temporarily pausing new card applications in India for planned issuing-platform updates. Direct apply links still worked as of 27 Aug; existing cardholders are unchanged. Reopen expected around mid-October.
AI Mode in Search can now show award rates in points or miles—live for American, Alaska, Hilton, Wyndham, and Choice. Accor, Flying Blue, Hyatt, and Lufthansa are next.
Single-ticket Air India + Drukair itineraries via Delhi, with through baggage and wider SAARC / Bhutan domestic links from Paro.
MaxCoins now transfer to Singapore Airlines KrisFlyer at 2:1 through 31 Dec 2026 (then 3:1). Suites, Spontaneous Escapes, Scoot, and Star Alliance awards — but miles can take up to 30 business days.
MaxCoins now transfer to Club ITC at 1:1 — 1 Green Point is ₹1 at participating hotels. Minimum 100 MaxCoins; posting is 48 hours, not instant. Marriott Bonvoy is an onward option at 2 Green Points = 3 Bonvoy (5,000 GP/quarter cap).
Ferns N Petals joins HDFC’s 10X SmartBuy-style partner list—community reports up to ~33% points on eligible premium cards; verify live rates and caps in SmartBuy.
21 Aug 2026–20 Feb 2027: hit 10 eligible nights, then diversify hotels/brands for up to 50,000 bonus Green Points—highest tier only, direct book.
ICICI’s 1838 Reserve teaser is live—joining fee about ₹1.75 lakh+, invite-only, interest form at 1838reserve.com, targeted October 2026 launch.
Weekend District store bill-pay: flat ₹1,500 off when the final bill is ₹2,499 on eligible HDFC Mastercard debit cards.
Paytm Bank Offers: 15% off up to ₹150 (min ₹199) on bills, recharges, and FASTag for Visa Platinum and Classic rails.
HSBC’s branch finder now lists Thiruvananthapuram (Vazhuthacaud / Nandavanam) as part of its wealth branch expansion.
Privé, Premier, and TravelOne: register, spend ₹1L, then transfer ≥15,000 points on 13–14 Aug for 25–50% bonus ALL.
Accor signed Fairmont Rishikesh (~220 rooms)—planned 2031 opening, long-horizon ALL luxury inventory.
Non-Premier HSBC cards: register HFEST, then hit spend tiers from ₹2.5L for Amazon vouchers up to large voucher pools.
MaxCoins now transfer to Finnair Plus at 1:1 — a non-bank on-ramp into Avios (BA, Iberia, Aer Lingus, Vueling). Minimum 100 MaxCoins; usually instant. Qatar is not a direct Finnair link: route Finnair → British Airways → Qatar where eligible.
Akasa Elevate is live with four tiers, Elevate Points on flights and ancillaries, and retro claims from 1 April 2026.
Maximize now transfers MaxCoins to Accor ALL at 2:1—positioned as India’s first non-bank Accor transfer partner.
