The six transfer-ratio corridors Indian cardholders actually search
Compare card-to-program transfer routes, then open a program review for the full details.
Air India Maharaja Club
1:1 to 2:1Axis Atlas is the standout 1:2 feed card; HDFC and SBI premium cards deliver 1:1 with 3–7 day TAT.
Axis Atlas (1:2), HDFC Infinia (1:1), HDFC Diners Black (1:1), SBI Aurum (1:1)
Singapore Airlines KrisFlyer
1:1 to 5:4Best long-haul business-class corridor from India. Watch for Amex MR 30% transfer bonuses into KrisFlyer.
HDFC Infinia (1:1), Axis Atlas (1:1), Amex MR (1:1 with periodic transfer bonuses)
Marriott Bonvoy
1:1 to 2:1Free-night cert sweet-spots at 85k points make Marriott the highest-yield hotel currency for Indian cardholders.
HDFC Infinia (1:1), HDFC Diners Black (1:1), Axis Atlas (2:1)
Qatar Airways Privilege Club
1:1Avios cross-transferable 1:1 with British Airways, Iberia and Finnair — unlocks Qsuite award space from India.
HDFC Infinia (1:1), Axis Atlas (1:1), Amex MR (1:1)
Hilton Honors
1:1 to 2:1Axis Atlas remains the only Indian card transferring at the published 1:2 ratio; HDFC lands at 1:1.
Axis Atlas (1:2 — best Indian feed), HDFC Infinia (1:1)
Emirates Skywards
1:0.8 to 1:1ICICI Emeralde is the cleanest 1:1 path into Skywards from India for Emirates First/Business redemptions.
ICICI Emeralde (1:1), HDFC Infinia (1:1), Amex MR (1:0.8 historically)
Top transfer-earning cards referenced in this guide
Open a card review to check its fees, rewards and transfer details.
| Card | Annual Fee | Transfer Ratio |
|---|---|---|
| HDFC Infinia Credit Card HDFC Bank | ₹12,500 + GST | 1:1 to Marriott, Singapore, Qatar, Air India, Emirates |
| Axis Bank Atlas Credit Card Axis Bank | ₹5,000 | 1:2 to Air India; 1:1 to Singapore, Hilton, Marriott, Qatar |
| ICICI Bank Emeralde Private Metal Credit Card ICICI Bank | ₹12,499 + GST | 1:1 to Emirates Skywards, Singapore KrisFlyer, Air India |
| HDFC Diners Club Black Metal Credit Card HDFC Bank | ₹10,000 + GST | 1:1 to Marriott, Air India, Singapore, British Airways |
| SBI Card Aurum SBI Card | ₹5,000 | 1:1 to Air India Maharaja Club |
Frequently Asked Questions on Card-to-Partner Transfer Ratios
Find answers about transfers, redemption value and the assumptions behind this guide.
What is the realistic air miles transfer ratio from Indian credit cards?
In India the dominant premium-card transfer ratio is 1:1, but the headline 1:2 from Axis Atlas to Air India is the best published rate. Most premium metal cards deliver 1:1 to flagship partners like Marriott Bonvoy, Singapore KrisFlyer, Qatar Privilege Club and Air India Maharaja Club. A handful of corridors — Amex MR to Emirates historically and certain Amex-to-Air India routes — have run at 5:4 or 1:0.8. The CredSutra rupee peg treats any ratio below 1:1 as a structural drag; you should only take those redemptions when the partner’s award chart is sweet-spot tier (e.g. 85k Marriott free-night certs).
Which is the best credit card for airline transfers in India right now?
HDFC Infinia is the most versatile because it transfers 1:1 to Marriott, Singapore, Qatar, Air India and Emirates from a single point balance. Axis Atlas edges it on pure earn rate — it transfers 1:2 to Air India Maharaja Club and 1:2 to Hilton Honors, both of which no other Indian card matches at the published ratio. ICICI Emeralde Private Metal is the cleanest 1:1 path into Emirates Skywards. For BOFU travellers redemptions should be sized against the partner’s sweet-spot redemptions listed in the loyalty program reviews.
What are the Amex Membership Rewards transfer partners available in India?
From an Indian-issued Amex MR card the live transfer partners are Singapore KrisFlyer (1:1), Air India Maharaja Club (1:1), Marriott Bonvoy (1:1), Hilton Honors (1:1) and British Airways Executive Club (1:1). Amex MR also runs periodic 30% transfer bonuses to Singapore KrisFlyer; the effective ratio becomes 10:13. The minimum transfer batch is typically 1,000 MR points and processing takes 3–7 business days. Always check the partner status banner inside your Amex account before initiating — partner pages rotate quarterly.
What is the HDFC Infinia transfer ratio to airlines and hotels?
HDFC Infinia transfers Reward Points at 1:1 to Air India Maharaja Club, Singapore KrisFlyer, British Airways Executive Club, Marriott Bonvoy, Hilton Honors and a handful of other partners. The minimum transfer batch is 2,500 Reward Points and the annual ceiling is uncapped on most partners (subject to bank discretion). Transfer TAT is 3–7 business days. Compared with Axis Atlas, Infinia’s ratio is identical on most partners but Atlas wins on Air India (1:2) and Hilton (1:2). For rupee pegs see /methodology.
How does Axis Atlas transfer ratio compare to Air India and Hilton?
Axis Atlas is the only Indian card with a published 1:2 transfer ratio to Air India Maharaja Club — you receive 2 Maharaja Points for every 1 Edge Reward Point transferred. It also transfers at 1:2 to Hilton Honors, which means a 1 lakh Hilton point redemption costs just 50,000 Atlas points. On Singapore KrisFlyer, Marriott Bonvoy, Qatar Privilege Club and Etihad Guest Atlas transfers at 1:1. The annual cap is 1.2 lakh Edge Reward Points for Air India and 6 lakh overall. Minimum transfer is 500 Edge Reward Points.
Which ICICI Emeralde transfer partners offer 1:1 in 2026?
ICICI Emeralde Private Metal transfers at 1:1 to Emirates Skywards, Singapore KrisFlyer, Air India Maharaja Club, British Airways Executive Club, Qatar Privilege Club and a curated set of hotel partners. It is the cleanest 1:1 path into Emirates Skywards from India, especially valuable for Emirates First or Business Class redemptions on India–US and India–Europe corridors. The minimum transfer is 1,000 ICICI Reward Points and the annual cap is 4 lakh ICICI Reward Points per partner. TAT is 5–7 business days.
Sources & Verification
Transfer ratios, minimums and caps verified against the official partner pages; rupee-pegged valuations follow the CredSutra 5-pillar methodology.
- HDFC Bank reward-points transfer partner schedule (2026 Q3)
- Axis Bank Atlas transfer-ratio schedule and T&C
- ICICI Bank Emeralde Private Metal transfer schedule
- American Express India Membership Rewards transfer-partner list
- SBI Card Aurum transfer schedule (Air India Maharaja Club)
- CredSutra 5-Pillar Loyalty Valuation Framework (/methodology)