Airtel Axis Bank Credit Card – Benefits, Fees & Eligibility

Introduction

The Airtel Axis Bank Credit Card is a co-branded credit card offered by Axis Bank in partnership with the telecom services provider Bharti Airtel. Primarily targeted at individuals who frequently use Airtel Mobile, Broadband, WiFi, and DTH services, it is positioned as an entry-level card with an affordable annual fee. While it previously offered significant value for utility bill payments and Airtel recharges, a devaluation in April 2026 introduced a more complex reward structure where cashback in higher categories depends on spending in the 1% category. Despite this, it still provides cashback on Airtel services and utility bills, along with value back on select partner brands.

Welcome Benefits

• Get an Amazon eVoucher worth ₹250 on making the first transaction within 30 days of card issuance. This offer is not applicable for cards issued without a joining fee.

Fees

• Joining Fee - Primary Card: ₹500 + GST
• Joining Fee - Add-on Card: Waived
• Annual Fee - Primary Card: ₹500 + GST (from the second year onwards)
  • Spend-Based Waiver: The annual fee is waived off if annual spends are ₹2,00,000 or more in the previous anniversary year. Rent transactions (MCC 6513) and wallet load transactions (MCC 6540) are not eligible for annual fee waiver calculation.
• Annual Fee - Add-on Card: Waived
• Card Replacement Fee - Primary Card: Nil
• Card Replacement Fee - Add-on Card: ₹100
• Cash Payment Fee: ₹175
• Duplicate Statement Fee: Waived
• Charge Slip Retrieval Fee or Copy Request Fee: Waived
• Mini Statement SMS: Waived
• Outstation Cheque Fee: Waived
• Transaction Alert SMS: Free
• Balance Enquiry Charges: Waived
• Finance Charges (Retail Purchases and Cash): 3.75% per month (55.55% per annum)
• Late Payment Fees:
  • Nil if total payment due is less than ₹500.
  • ₹500 if total payment due is between ₹501 - ₹5,000.
  • ₹750 if total payment due is between ₹5,001 - ₹10,000.
  • ₹1200 if total payment due is greater than ₹10,000.
  • An additional ₹100 is charged for missing payment of minimum amount due (MAD) by the due date for two consecutive cycles, continuing until MAD is cleared.
• Cash Advance Charges: Minimum ₹500 up to 2.5% of the cash withdrawal amount.
• Over Limit Fees: Minimum ₹500 up to 2.5% of the over limit amount.
• Surcharge on Purchase or Cancellation of Railway Tickets: As prescribed by IRCTC/Indian Railways.
• Cheque Return or Dishonor Fee or Auto-Debit Reversal: 2% of the payment amount, subject to a minimum of ₹500.
• Foreign Currency Transaction Fee: 3.50% of the transaction value.
• Rewards Redemption Fee: Nil
• Rent Transaction Fee: 1% fee per transaction will be applicable on rental transactions. GST will be applicable.
• Dynamic Currency Conversion Markup: 1.5% plus taxes will be applicable on each international transaction performed in Indian currency at an international location or transactions performed in Indian currency with merchants located in India but registered in a foreign nation.
• Wallet Load Transaction Fee (Applicable from December 20, 2024): 1% fee will be applicable for cumulative spends of ₹10,000 or more for wallet loads per statement cycle.
• Fuel Transaction Fee (Applicable from December 20, 2024): 1% fee will be applicable for cumulative spends of ₹50,000 or more on fuel per statement cycle.
• Education Transaction Fee (Applicable from December 20, 2024): 1% fee per transaction will be applicable on education payments made via third-party apps.
• Utility Transaction Fee (Applicable from December 20, 2024): 1% fee will be applicable for cumulative spends of ₹25,000 or more on utilities per statement cycle.
• Online Skill-Based Gaming Fee (Applicable from December 20, 2024): 1% fee will be applicable for cumulative spends of ₹10,000 or more on online skill-based gaming platforms per statement cycle.
• Taxes: For all above fees and charges, taxes as per Government norms shall be applicable.

Rewards

• Airtel Spends: 25% cashback on Airtel Mobile, Broadband, WiFi, and DTH bill payments via the Airtel Thanks App. Maximum cashback is capped at twice the base cashback earned in the same statement month. This applies to both prepaid and postpaid Airtel mobile connections.
• Utility Bills: 10% cashback on utility bill payments (such as gas, electricity, water) via the Airtel Thanks App. Maximum cashback is capped at the base cashback earned in the same statement month. Gas cylinder payments count as utilities.
• Partner Brands Value Back: 10% value back on Zomato, Blinkit, and District Movies. Maximum value back of ₹200 per partner per month. A minimum order value of ₹499 applies to Zomato and Blinkit. The value back does not expire and can be used on future purchases with partner brands.
• Other Spends: 1% cashback on all other retail spends. Those with the RuPay variant shall be eligible for 1% cashback on UPI spends.
• Dining Benefits: Get a discount of 15% up to ₹500 at over 4000+ participating restaurants across the country under the Axis Bank’s Dining Delights Program. This discount is applicable on a minimum order value of ₹2,500.
• Cashback Exclusions: Cashback is not applicable on utility bill payments not made through the Airtel Thanks app, fuel purchases, EMI transactions, rent payments, government services, insurance services, education services, payment of credit card fees & charges, wallet loading transactions, purchase of jewelry items, and cash advances.

Rewards Redemption Guide

• The cashback earned from purchases/spends made with the Airtel Axis Bank Credit Card during the current billing cycle will be automatically credited directly against your statement in the following billing cycle, three days before the statement generation date.
• The cashback amount will be calculated based on the total spending during the statement period, after subtracting any returns or refunds that occurred in the same period.

Card Eligibility Criteria

• Age: The primary cardholder should be between 18 and 70 years old.
• Residency: The applicant should be a resident of India.
• Income: The applicant should have a stable source of income.
• Documents Required:
  • PAN card photocopy or Form 97.
  • Colour photograph.
  • Latest payslip/bank statement/Form 16/IT return copy as proof of income.
  • Residence proof (any one of the following): Passport, Driving license, Voter ID card, Aadhaar card.
  • Identity proof (any one of the following): Passport, Driving license, Voter ID card, Aadhaar card, PAN card.
  • Note: This list is indicative, and documents required may vary on a case-to-case basis. The bank reserves the ultimate right to approve or decline applications.

Card Review

The Airtel Axis Bank Credit Card was once a highly recommended option for utility bill payments and Airtel recharges. However, a significant devaluation in April 2026 has complicated its reward structure, making it less straightforward and potentially less rewarding for many users.

Pros:

• Offers 10% value back on Zomato, Blinkit, and District Movies (up to ₹200 per partner per month).
• Provides 25% cashback on Airtel services and 10% on utility bills when paid via the Airtel Thanks app.
• Includes a 1% fuel surcharge waiver.

Cons:

• The card's reward structure has become complicated. Cashback on higher categories (Airtel, utilities) now depends on the amount spent in the 1% cashback category. For example, to earn ₹250 cashback in the 25% category, one might need to spend ₹12,500 in the 1% category to unlock that limit. This makes the card less rewarding for users who primarily use it only for bills and recharges.
• Complimentary airport lounge access has been removed after the devaluation.
• The card is not lifetime free and comes with an annual fee, though it can be waived.

Overall Verdict: This card is best suited for individuals who are heavy users of Airtel services and frequently spend on Zomato, Blinkit, and District Movies, and are willing to manage their overall spending across categories to maximize cashback. For those who only intend to use it for specific bill payments without significant other retail spends, the complicated cashback structure might make it less appealing compared to its previous iteration.

Important Product Details

• Amazon gift voucher worth ₹250 as a welcome benefit on first transaction within 30 days.
• Up to 25% cashback on Airtel Mobile, broadband, and DTH bill spends via the Airtel Thanks app (capped at 2x base cashback).
• 10% cashback on gas, electricity, and water bill payments via the Airtel Thanks app (capped at base cashback).
• 10% value back on Zomato, Blinkit, and District Movies (up to ₹200 per partner per month, min order ₹499 for Zomato/Blinkit).
• 1% cashback on all other retail spends.
• 1% fuel surcharge waiver on transactions between ₹400 and ₹4,000, capped at ₹500 per month. GST charged on fuel surcharge is not refundable.
• Annual fee waiver on spends of ₹2 Lakh or more in the previous anniversary year (excluding rent and wallet load transactions).
• The card no longer offers complimentary domestic lounge access after the April 2026 devaluation.
• Cashback on Airtel and utility spends depends on how much is spent in the 1% category.

Other Details

• Convert Purchases to EMI: Transactions of ₹1,500 or more can be converted into easy EMIs by contacting the bank.
• Wednesday Delight: Offers instant savings of up to 15% on flights & hotels via Goibibo and MakeMyTrip, 10% off on orders via Swiggy, and 10% off up to ₹1000 on Tira.
• Application Process: The card can be applied for via the Airtel Thanks app or the official Axis Bank website.
• Credit Limit: The credit limit varies based on credit history, payment history, and credit score, with a maximum limit of ₹5,00,000.
• Indicative Annual Benefits (assuming ₹3 Lakh annual spends, effective April 12, 2026):
  • Activation benefit: ₹250
  • Airtel billpay & recharge (25% on ₹20,000 spends): ₹3,800
  • Utility bill payments via Airtel Thanks app (10% on ₹20,000 spends): ₹1,900
  • Value back at Preferred Partner (Zomato, Blinkit & District Movies) (10% on ₹60,000 spends): ₹6,000
  • Fuel surcharge waiver (1% on ₹10,000 spends): ₹100
  • Other spends (1% on ₹1,90,000 spends): ₹1,900
  • Total annual benefits: ₹13,950 (approximately 4.65% of spends).
• Terms & Conditions Update: Some features and Terms and Conditions on the Airtel Axis Bank Credit Card were revised effective April 12, 2026, and further updates to terms and conditions were effective April 20, 2024.