Editor’s note: This is a recurring post, regularly updated with new information and offers. Last Updated 31st May 2024.
Axis Bank Airtel Credit Card is the latest offering of Axis Bank in collaboration with Airtel. Axis Bank is going all guns blazing with back-to-back new and decent product launches. Axis is already creating some noise among credit cardholders. This aggressive stance by Axis is good news for all the cardholders as the competition is only going to further increase from here. Let’s check out this card quickly in detail.
Contents
Charges and Welcome Benefits
| Joining Fees | ₹500 + GST = ₹590 |
| Welcome Benefits | Amazon Voucher worth ₹500* |
| Renewal Fees | ₹500 + GST = ₹590 |
| Renewal Benefits | None |
| Annual Fee Waiver | Spend ₹2,00,000 or more in a year. (Except Rental and Wallet Spends) |
*Make the first transaction within the first 30 days of card issuance to be eligible for the voucher.
The joining fee is well compensated by a cash equivalent Amazon voucher. What needs to be seen is that will you be able to extract good value for next year out of it.
Reward Accrual
| Spends Area | Reward Rate | Capping |
| Airtel Mobile, Broadband, WiFi and DTH Bill Payments via Airtel Thanks App | 25% | ₹250/Statement Cycle |
| Utility Bill Payments on Airtel Thanks App | 10% | ₹250/Statement Cycle |
| Preferred Merchants (Swiggy, Zomato and BigBasket) | 10% | ₹500/Statement Cycle |
| Other Spends* | 1% | NIL |
- **Currently preferred merchants are Swiggy, Zomato and BigBasket. Preferred merchants may change at any time without any intimation from the bank.
- Cashback shall not be eligible for fuel, jewellery spends, EMI, wallet loads and rental payments
- Education, Fuel, Wallets, Jewellery, Government Payments, Insurance, Rent, and Utility Bill payments outside the Airtel Thanks app.
Reward Redemption
Just like other Axis cashback credit cards, the cashback will be given as statement credit 3 days prior to the next statement generation date without any request. Like if the statement date is 12th March, the cashback earned in the Feb month cycle (13th Jan-12th Feb) will be credited on 9th March.
TechnoFino Maximum
To maximize the benefits of this card you will have to spend ₹1,000 per month on Airtel services like Mobile recharges, broadband, and DTH services to get ₹250 worth of cashback. Paying utility bills worth ₹2500 will get you another ₹250 cashback. Another spend of ₹5,000 per month on preferred merchants like Swiggy, Zomato, and BigBasket will yield ₹500 worth of cashback every month. The 1% standard reward rate for all other spending is also an added benefit but less as compared to better cash-back cards available.
Other Benefits
Lounge Access
Access Via – Credit Card
Conditional Complimentary Domestic Limit – 4 Visits/Year
Being a starter card it may allow you access to selected lounges only so don’t make it your primary lounge card. Also very recently Axis Bank has added a minimum spending condition to this card ie one has to spend ₹50,000 in the previous quarter to avail of complimentary lounge access in the current quarter.
Fuel Surcharge Waiver
1% fuel surcharge waiver at all fuel stations across India. (On minimum transaction of ₹400 & maximum transaction of ₹4,000. Maximum waiver of ₹500 per statement cycle). GST charged on the surcharge will not be reversed.
Axis Dining Delights
Indulge in delectable cuisines and enjoy up to 20% off at 4000+ partner restaurants in India. You can check the complete list here. But as compared to Zomato Pro and Dineout Passport, this offer stands nowhere.
Eligibility
These are the eligibility criteria as shown on the Axis Bank website for this card.
- Age 18-65 years of age.
- Stable Monthly Income
- Salaried/Self-employed persons both can apply basis income documents.
Applications for this card are currently being accepted via the Airtel Thanks app also if you already have an Axis Bank credit card then you can simply call customer care and ask for a swap.
Customer Care Details
Axis customer care representative can be reached at 18604195555 / 18605005555.
TechnoFino Recommends
In my honest opinion, this card has an exceptionally good reward rate of 10% with a comfortable capping for an average consumer. Still, I am leaving the recommendation part for this card at an open end and at the discretion of the user as the card is only for a very specific set of users.
This card is a no-brainer for anyone with high exposure to Airtel products due to a whopping 25% reward rate even on prepaid recharges. With exceptional 10% reward rates on Swiggy, Zomato, and even Bigbasket this card can prove to be a great family card too.
Before taking the plunge also factor in the annual fees if you will be spending only on the top three categories then you will not be able to get a waiver and if you put your general spending from other highly rewarding cards on this card then it will prove to be counter-productive. So do your maths properly!
Comparable cashback cards are Axis Ace and HSBC Cashback which provide rewards in the same category as Axis Airtel.
Are you planning to get your hands on this card soon? If you already have a strategy in mind for this card then share it in the comments below.
Chief Editor, TechnoFino.
Personal finance nerd! Physics enthusiast and trainer. When not into Physics, he is minting points and hunting for the next best credit card for himself.
If you spend 1200 on airtel recharge plus dth and 5000 on prefered merchant permonth and pay the annual fees the reward rate is 12%. Exceptional. Bill payments via axis ace (the real boss).
Yes reward rate is too good.
It must be a gradual rollout on the airtel app as I’m not seeing an option to apply. I had clicked the I’m interested tab a couple of days back.
Yes looks like so. Some of them are getting the option to apply.
Great job by you sir , I feel this card is really great. Can we get this card by upgrading from any other axis bank existing credit card or its only an invite model on Airtel Thanks App
I don’t have input on whether an upgrade is possible over a call or not.
Upgrade is possible, you can call customer care and ask for a upgrade over your existing Axis card
applied for the same on 9th and Card got generated on 10th (can see in App and already charged joining fee
Thanks for the update. Will update it in article as well.
I am on Airtel Family postpaid plan of 999 which comes to around 1180 per month and i can save 280+ per month. All the annual fee will be recovered in initial 2 to 3 months and rest is all the benefit. Still am not counting other recharges and utility bills.
yes… go for this card
Hey there.. I have a small question. Axis card upgrades obtained on the basis of existing credit cards are reported as new credit card accounts in CIBIL or seeded in the existing account like ICICI. Thanks in advance.
they will add a new credit card account.
getting technical error while trying to pay utilities payment in Airtel Thanks app using this airtel credit card other cards are going through, seems most of the things in Airtel App is just for name sake like it fetches the bill but there is no pay button.
Seems getting 300 cashback for utility payments is going to be pain in the a**
Issue resolved now, utility payments are working fine in Airtel Thanks app through airtel credit card
Getting cashback for Airtel Mobile Bill payment. But for Utility payment done through thanks app not getting cashback.
Anybody facing Similar Issue.
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I am not getting Cashback on Utility Bill Payment done through thanks app using this card.
Anybody facing similar issue?
Raised complaint but not yet resolved?
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Discrepancy in getting the correct Cashback. Unlike Ace card, this card is not transparent
I AM EXCITING CUSTOMER OF AXIS BANK CREDIT CARD WHEN I CALLED CUSTOMER CARE TOLD TO UPGRADE MY CARD IN AIRTEL AXIS BANK CREDIT CARD THEY TOLD THEY CAN’T ABLE TO DO SO, I HAVE TO APPLY WITH AIRTEL THANKS APPLICATION IS THERE ANY ALTERNATE WAY TO GET THIS CARD?
Yesterday I received an email about a slight devaluation of rewards. Now cashback on airtel spends as well as utility bill payments have been capped at ₹250 each.