Axis Bank recently launched the Axis Primus Credit Card, the most expensive credit card available from an Indian bank in the Indian market. This card comes with hefty annual and renewal fees but also offers some extraordinary benefits to compensate for the costs. Is this credit card really worth the fees?
Let's discuss.
Joining Fee: Rs. 5 lakhs + GST (1 Primary & 1 Add on)
Add-on card: Rs. 25K + GST (from 2nd add-on card)
Annual Fee: Rs. 3 lakhs + GST (1 Primary & 1 Add on)
Add-on card renewal fees: Rs. 25K +GST (from 2nd add-on card)
Welcome Benefit: ITC Gift voucher worth Rs. 40K OR 25K EDGE miles equal to 125K air miles
Renewal Benefit: ITC Gift voucher worth Rs. 20K OR 15K EDGE miles equal to 75K air miles
Milestone Benefit:
• 15K EDGE Miles on quarterly spends of Rs. 20-30 lakhs
• 25K EDGE Miles on quarterly spends of Rs. 30-50 lakhs
• 35K EDGE Miles on quarterly spends > Rs. 50 lakhs
Rewards System:
• Earn 1 EDGE Mile / Rs 100 on all spends
• Redemption Value : 1 EDGE Miles = Rs. 1
• 1 EDGE miles = 5 Partner Points
Forex Markup Fees: 0%
Lounge Access:
With Priority Pass Membership: Unlimited lounge access for Primary + add on (Intl + Dom)
• 12 guest visits per year for primary & add-on (Intl & Dom each)
Golf Benefits:
• Domestic: Unlimited access via complimentary green fee & buggy for primary card holder
and 10 complimentary rounds/lessons per year for add on.
• International: 4 Complimentary green fees at participating clubs for primary card holder
Memberships:
• Taj Epicure
• Bloomberg
Travel Benefits:
• Unlimited complimentary companion’s airfare on purchase of First/Business class ticket
(Highest available class)
• Up to 15% savings on airfare bookings (Single passenger)
• Additional complimentary companion’s airfare on purchase of First/Business class
ticket (Best available class)
• Flight offers: 10% savings as part of platform benefits
• Private Jet: Access to on-demand jets, private terminals, onboard catering & assisted
transfers
• Car Rental offers and Global Data Roaming - 15% discount on Mobile on the Go
Meet & Greet:
Unlimited complimentary meet and greet services
Airport Transfer:
Unlimited Complimentary Airport Transfer services
Airport Transfer Limousine services (20% discount on chauffeur services in 83+ countries)
Hotel Benefits:
• 1-night complimentary stay at 900 luxurious participating properties worldwide.
Benefits provided are:
o VIP Guest status and Automatic room upgrade
o Complimentary breakfast for two
o Food or beverage credit voucher
o Early check-in / Late check-out
• Global Hotel Network – Access to 3K+ prestigious properties around the world, with
15% discount and complimentary upgrades on superior rooms
Dining Benefits:
• Priority Access to over 10,000 global restaurants
• Held Tables at Prime Times along with complimentary extras like welcome drinks,
dining courses & discounts
• Discounts on dining at Michelin starred restaurants
Insurance Benefits:
• Delayed Baggage/ Baggage Loss of $500
• Lost Card liability of Rs. 25 lakhs
Concierge Services:
• Dedicated Lifestyle Managers available exclusively to cater to requests 24x7
Experiences:
• Exclusive access to global events
• Bespoke travel itineraries & event calendars
TechnoFino Review:
The Axis Primus is a good UHNI credit card. With the level of travel benefits this card offers, it seems that Axis Bank has modeled it after the Citi Ultima credit card, similar to what they did with the Citi Prestige and Citi PremierMiles. For those who travel in business or first class, this card is a must-consider, as it offers a free companion ticket. The unlimited airport transfer and meet-and-greet services can save you a significant amount of time while traveling internationally.
This card also offers a very lucrative reward rate on all spending—5% airmiles on all purchases with no exclusions, which is truly impressive. Typically, lifestyle UHNI cards don't offer great rewards, but this card definitely addresses that issue.
I'm just a little curious about Axis Bank's recent history, as they have been known to request invoices or proof to verify that cardholders' expenses are personal and not related to business transactions. Hopefully, they won't treat Primus cardholders in the same manner.
Those considering getting the Amex Centurion might want to check out this alternative as well. However, Amex has a reputation that Axis can't quite match; the Centurion concierge is considered the best in the world. But recently, we've also seen some very negative feedback from its users. We don't know much about Axis Primus Concierge Services yet, and for those who use these types of cards, the concierge service is a major factor in justifying the fees. It remains to be seen how Axis will handle the concierge services for this card, and this could be a deciding factor for potential cardholders.
In conclusion, I would say the card is somewhat overpriced, annual fees is even more than amex centurion, which cost 2.75L + GST. Axis could have offered more hotel membership or other lifestyle benefits to justify the cost. However, it's still a good card with a strong mix of lifestyle benefits and a solid rewards system.
Let's discuss.
Joining Fee: Rs. 5 lakhs + GST (1 Primary & 1 Add on)
Add-on card: Rs. 25K + GST (from 2nd add-on card)
Annual Fee: Rs. 3 lakhs + GST (1 Primary & 1 Add on)
Add-on card renewal fees: Rs. 25K +GST (from 2nd add-on card)
Welcome Benefit: ITC Gift voucher worth Rs. 40K OR 25K EDGE miles equal to 125K air miles
Renewal Benefit: ITC Gift voucher worth Rs. 20K OR 15K EDGE miles equal to 75K air miles
Milestone Benefit:
• 15K EDGE Miles on quarterly spends of Rs. 20-30 lakhs
• 25K EDGE Miles on quarterly spends of Rs. 30-50 lakhs
• 35K EDGE Miles on quarterly spends > Rs. 50 lakhs
Rewards System:
• Earn 1 EDGE Mile / Rs 100 on all spends
• Redemption Value : 1 EDGE Miles = Rs. 1
• 1 EDGE miles = 5 Partner Points
Forex Markup Fees: 0%
Lounge Access:
With Priority Pass Membership: Unlimited lounge access for Primary + add on (Intl + Dom)
• 12 guest visits per year for primary & add-on (Intl & Dom each)
Golf Benefits:
• Domestic: Unlimited access via complimentary green fee & buggy for primary card holder
and 10 complimentary rounds/lessons per year for add on.
• International: 4 Complimentary green fees at participating clubs for primary card holder
Memberships:
• Taj Epicure
• Bloomberg
Travel Benefits:
• Unlimited complimentary companion’s airfare on purchase of First/Business class ticket
(Highest available class)
• Up to 15% savings on airfare bookings (Single passenger)
• Additional complimentary companion’s airfare on purchase of First/Business class
ticket (Best available class)
• Flight offers: 10% savings as part of platform benefits
• Private Jet: Access to on-demand jets, private terminals, onboard catering & assisted
transfers
• Car Rental offers and Global Data Roaming - 15% discount on Mobile on the Go
Meet & Greet:
Unlimited complimentary meet and greet services
Airport Transfer:
Unlimited Complimentary Airport Transfer services
Airport Transfer Limousine services (20% discount on chauffeur services in 83+ countries)
Hotel Benefits:
• 1-night complimentary stay at 900 luxurious participating properties worldwide.
Benefits provided are:
o VIP Guest status and Automatic room upgrade
o Complimentary breakfast for two
o Food or beverage credit voucher
o Early check-in / Late check-out
• Global Hotel Network – Access to 3K+ prestigious properties around the world, with
15% discount and complimentary upgrades on superior rooms
Dining Benefits:
• Priority Access to over 10,000 global restaurants
• Held Tables at Prime Times along with complimentary extras like welcome drinks,
dining courses & discounts
• Discounts on dining at Michelin starred restaurants
Insurance Benefits:
• Delayed Baggage/ Baggage Loss of $500
• Lost Card liability of Rs. 25 lakhs
Concierge Services:
• Dedicated Lifestyle Managers available exclusively to cater to requests 24x7
Experiences:
• Exclusive access to global events
• Bespoke travel itineraries & event calendars
TechnoFino Review:
The Axis Primus is a good UHNI credit card. With the level of travel benefits this card offers, it seems that Axis Bank has modeled it after the Citi Ultima credit card, similar to what they did with the Citi Prestige and Citi PremierMiles. For those who travel in business or first class, this card is a must-consider, as it offers a free companion ticket. The unlimited airport transfer and meet-and-greet services can save you a significant amount of time while traveling internationally.
This card also offers a very lucrative reward rate on all spending—5% airmiles on all purchases with no exclusions, which is truly impressive. Typically, lifestyle UHNI cards don't offer great rewards, but this card definitely addresses that issue.
I'm just a little curious about Axis Bank's recent history, as they have been known to request invoices or proof to verify that cardholders' expenses are personal and not related to business transactions. Hopefully, they won't treat Primus cardholders in the same manner.
Those considering getting the Amex Centurion might want to check out this alternative as well. However, Amex has a reputation that Axis can't quite match; the Centurion concierge is considered the best in the world. But recently, we've also seen some very negative feedback from its users. We don't know much about Axis Primus Concierge Services yet, and for those who use these types of cards, the concierge service is a major factor in justifying the fees. It remains to be seen how Axis will handle the concierge services for this card, and this could be a deciding factor for potential cardholders.
In conclusion, I would say the card is somewhat overpriced, annual fees is even more than amex centurion, which cost 2.75L + GST. Axis could have offered more hotel membership or other lifestyle benefits to justify the cost. However, it's still a good card with a strong mix of lifestyle benefits and a solid rewards system.
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