After teasing it for quite some time, Airtel launches its own credit card in partnership with Axis Bank. Airtel Axis Bank Credit Card can be applied using Airtel Thanks App only, as of now. It’s exclusive to Airtel users and the option to apply is visible for specific Airtel customers only.
Airtel Credit Card Review – First Impressions
Everyone has different thoughts on this card, the reward rate is exceptionally good but maximum monthly reward capping is somewhat too low. However, in my opinion, it’s an excellent card for normal users. The reward rate is already good and the maximum cap is also somewhat good enough for most users. However the card has a ₹500+GST joining fee and ₹500+GST annual fee (Applicable from 2nd year), had it been offered Lifetime free, there would have been no debates.
Charges & Welcome Benefits
| Joining Fee | ₹500 + GST = ₹590 |
| Annual Fee | ₹500 + GST = ₹590 |
| Welcome Benefits | ₹500 Amazon Voucher |
| Welcome Benefits Condition | First transaction within first 30 days of card activation |
| Annual Fee Waiver Condition | Spend a minimum of ₹2,00,000 in a year |
Activation voucher of ₹500 makes it literally free for the first year, it will reimburse the charges paid for the first year except for the GST charges of ₹90. You just need to make the first transaction within the first 30 days of card activation. Post completion of the first transaction, you will get Gift Voucher within 30 days of the first transaction.
There are chances that the card might be given as LTF later like other Axis Bank Cards. However, you’ll be getting welcome benefits only if you have paid the joining fee.
Card Features & Cashback Benefits Of Axis Bank Airtel Credit Card
| Spend Category | Cashback | Monthly Maximum Rewards |
|---|---|---|
| Airtel Mobile, Broadband, WiFi and DTH bill payments via Airtel Thanks App | 25% | ₹300 |
| Non-Airtel Utility bill payments such as gas, electricity, etc., via Airtel Thanks App | 10% | ₹300 |
| Preferred merchants (Swiggy, Zomato, & BigBasket) | 10% | ₹500 |
| All other spends | 1% | Unlimited |
The cashback percentage is great and the maximum cap should be sufficient for those who have around ₹1200 monthly bills, recharges from Airtel & other monthly utility bills are under ₹3000.
Apart from cashback benefits, cardholders will get 4 complimentary lounge visits per calendar year. The usual 1% fuel surcharge waiver is also there with this card. You can get a maximum ₹500 surcharge waiver in a month on fuel purchase transactions between ₹400 to ₹5000.
All other spendings except Wallet Load, Fuel spends, Rental payments & EMI transactions will get you 1% cashback with no monthly maximum capping. The cashback will be credited 3 days prior to the next statement generation.
How to avail maximum benefits?
In order to avail of the maximum benefits of the card, you need to spend ₹1200 monthly on Airtel Recharges & Bills, it will give you a cashback of ₹300. Another ₹3000 worth of Non-Airtel utility bill spends will get you another ₹300 cashback. Apart from bills, you can use the card at Swiggy, Zomato & BigBasket for up to ₹5000 transactions a month to get ₹500 cashback.
For other transactions, there are better cards available. You will get 1% cashback on the rest of the transactions so it’s better to use any other card if you have one, for those transactions. For example, Axis Ace will give you 2% cashback while Axis Flipkart Card will fetch you 1.5% of rewards.
The card will be also useful to shop online during Amazon sales if they have an extra discount applicable on Axis Bank Cards. For Flipkart & Myntra, you should try getting a Flipkart Axis Bank credit card.
Here’s a Value Chart from Axis Bank
| S.No. | Category | Benefit | Annual Spends | Benefits in INR. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | Activation Benefit | 500 | – | 500 |
| 2. | Airtel Billpay & recharge | 25% | 14,400 | 3,600 |
| 3. | Non-telecom spends via Airtel Thanks app | 10% | 36,000 | 3,600 |
| 4. | Purchase from Swiggy | 10% | 15,000 | 1,500 |
| 5. | Purchase from bigbasket | 10% | 15,000 | 1,500 |
| 6. | Purchase from Ola | 10% | 15,000 | 1,500 |
| 7. | Purchase from Zomato | 10% | 15,000 | 1,500 |
| 8. | Fuel surcharge waiver | 1% | 20,000 | 200 |
| 9. | Other Spends | 1% | 69,600 | 696 |
| 10. | Airport lounge access | 4000 | ||
| Total Annual Benefits | Rs.18,596 (~9.3%) |
You can check more details on Axis Bank’s official website by clicking here.
How to Apply For Airtel Axis Bank Credit Card?
- Open Airtel Thanks App
- Click on Apply Credit Card button
- Agree to their conditions and give your consent on the next page to proceed further
- Fill up all the required details such as Name, DOB, PAN Card, Address ETC
- Quickly complete Video KYC or schedule Physical KYC
- Post verification, your card application will be processed in 7-10 days
- It’ll take another 5-7 days to get your card delivered post-approval.
Yes, you will get 10% cashback on FastTag recharges done through the Airtel Thanks app as there’s no exception written for any kind of utility bill. It’s specifically stated that you’ll get 10% cashback on all utility bills via the Airtel Thanks app.
The card is launched very recently and as of now it’s available only with an annual fee of ₹500 + GST, however, there are chances that it might be available LTF from time to time just like other Axis Bank Cards.
If your monthly bills are under the maximum cashback cap, I suggest you, take this card. However, the ₹2,00,000 transaction requirement is a bit high considering the maximum monthly cap on rewards. Instead of doing all transactions through this card, it’s better to pay the annual fee and use a better card for all other transactions.
For example, If you spend ₹1,00,00 through accelerated reward categories and the remaining ₹100k in the normal spend category, you will get ₹1000 worth of rewards + ₹590 annual fee savings. On other hand, Axis Ace will fetch you ₹2000 worth of rewards plus that too has ₹590 annual fees as well, so you can save annual fee there instead.
