Credit and Debit Cards Accepted Sign · Phillip Pessar · CC BY 2.0 · cropped
Indians holding any Visa consumer credit or debit card can earn up to 20 percent back on money spent abroad between October 1, 2026 and January 31, 2027 under the second phase of Visa Power Travel. Live From A Lounge reported the extension on September 24, 2026, with enrollment through the dedicated Visa Power Travel microsite.
If you have an overseas trip planned any time from October through January, enroll your India issued Visa card before you fly so every eligible swipe, tap or ATM withdrawal abroad starts counting from day one. The payout stacks on top of whatever points or cashback your own bank card already earns. Travelers mapping out itineraries can pair the offer with planning aids such as the Visa Destinations travel planning platform for cardholders.
- Campaign window: October 1, 2026 to January 31, 2027, reported on September 24, 2026.
- Who qualifies: holders of Visa consumer credit and debit cards issued in India.
- Headline payoff: up to 20 percent back on eligible overseas spending.
- Reward cap: INR 50,000 per eligible card for the campaign period.
- Redemption: Air India gift cards or Amazon Pay e-gift cards.
Enroll Before the October 1 Starting Gate
Enrollment means authenticating your Visa card a single time on the microsite, after which eligible transactions are tracked without further effort. Because the earning window opens on October 1, 2026, enrolling in advance means spending on arrival day already counts.
ICICI Bank confirms that Visa Power Travel members earn, track and redeem rewards as Air India or Amazon e-gift cards. Visa itself describes the program in its official terms as a campaign offered by Visa Worldwide to holders of valid Visa cards issued by licensed issuers in India.
Those official terms governed the first phase, which ran from April 20 to September 30, 2026 across eleven named destinations including the United States and the United Kingdom. The newly reported second phase runs from October 2026 into January 2027 with worldwide eligibility for overseas spends, a meaningful expansion for trips outside the original eleven countries.
How the Three Reward Layers Stack
The headline rate builds from three stackable layers, and missing any one leaves money unclaimed. Layer one pays 0.5 percent on every eligible in person card swipe or ATM cash withdrawal outside India. Layer two adds 10 percent when spending goes through Tap to Pay with a card in Google Pay or Samsung Pay, lifting the combined return to 10.5 percent.
Layer three is where disciplined travelers reach toward 20 percent, through milestone and limited time bonuses. As an illustration, the official first phase terms offered a one time 10 percent bonus on the first INR 100,000 of eligible spend. Read the Period 2 milestone definitions on the microsite before assuming the maximum, since bonus thresholds can change between phases.
What Counts as Eligible Overseas Spending
Only card present spending outside India counts: in person purchases at card terminals, cash withdrawals at ATMs abroad, and spending with the listed Visa partners. Online shopping billed from abroad does not fit the in person condition, so tap or insert the card at the counter. Reward valuation follows the VisaNet exchange rate on the transaction date, settled in rupees.
The worldwide scope is the biggest reported change for Period 2. Confirm the destination list on the microsite at enrollment time, because partner and country schedules are the details most likely to be refined after launch.
Reward Cap and the Redemption Choice
Rewards are capped at INR 50,000 per eligible card, which makes the choice of card a planning decision for households with several Visa cards. Each traveler holding a separate India issued Visa card can enroll independently, multiplying the household ceiling.
Air India gift cards suit travelers expecting to book the airline through the winter schedule, converting overseas taps into future airfare. Amazon Pay e-gift cards suit everyone else. Track progress on the microsite dashboard so a large December hotel bill does not push past the cap unnoticed.
Points to Verify on the Enrollment Site
The merchant partner roster is being refreshed: partners featured through September 30, 2026 fall away for the new phase, so the Period 2 partner list on the microsite governs where bonus rates apply. Secondary summaries of the end date vary by a day between January 30 and 31, 2027, while the campaign schedule box states January 31; treat the microsite terms as authoritative.
Cancelled, reversed or refunded transactions do not qualify, and only posted transactions processed through VisaNet count. Enrollment covers the specific card authenticated, not every card in the household by default.
| If you… | What to do |
|---|---|
| Hold an India issued Visa card and travel abroad between October 2026 and January 2027 | Enroll that card on the microsite before departure so spending counts from October 1. |
| Pay mostly by tapping your phone | Provision the enrolled card to Google Pay or Samsung Pay to unlock the extra 10 percent layer. |
| Want the full 20 percent rate | Read the Period 2 milestone and partner terms and route bonus category spending accordingly. |
| Hold only a Visa card issued outside India | Sit this one out, since eligibility requires issuance in India. |
September 30, 2026 is the end of phase one. Spending after this date falls under Period 2 rules, so review the new partner list first.
October 1, 2026 is the earning start. Complete enrollment beforehand so arrival day swipes, taps and withdrawals are tracked.
January 31, 2027 is the reported window close. Plan large overseas purchases inside the window and redeem the resulting credit promptly.
Who can join Visa Power Travel Period 2?
Holders of Visa consumer credit and debit cards issued in India, according to the September 24, 2026 report. Check the microsite if your card is prepaid.
How do I enroll my card?
Authenticate the card once on the Visa Power Travel microsite. Eligible transactions are then tracked automatically through the program channel.
Does online shopping from foreign websites count?
No. The campaign covers in person purchases, ATM cash withdrawals and listed Visa partners, so present the card or its wallet token abroad.
What rewards can I redeem?
Air India gift cards or Amazon Pay e-gift cards, up to INR 50,000 per enrolled card for the campaign period.
When exactly does the window close?
The campaign schedule states January 31, 2027, although some summaries write January 30. Confirm the final date in the microsite terms.
