Axis Bank Primus Credit Card – Benefits, Fees & Eligibility

Introduction

The Axis Bank Primus Credit Card is positioned as one of the most premium and top-tier offerings by Axis Bank, designed for high-net-worth individuals seeking unparalleled luxury and exclusive benefits. With a substantial joining and annual fee, this card offers a straightforward yet highly rewarding system, earning 1 EDGE Mile for every ₹100 spent across all transactions without exclusions. A key differentiator is its impressive redemption process, allowing cardholders to convert EDGE Miles to partner miles at a favorable 1:5 ratio with renowned airlines and hotel partners. Beyond rewards, the card provides a comprehensive suite of luxury perks, including unlimited domestic and international airport lounge access with Priority Pass, meet-and-greet services, luxury airport transfers, extensive golf privileges, and complimentary memberships to Taj Epicure and Bloomberg.

Welcome Benefits

• New cardholders, upon payment of the full joining fee, are eligible for one of two welcome benefits:
  • 25,000 Axis EDGE Miles (equivalent to 125,000 Partner Miles).
  • OR, a ₹40,000 Gift Card from ITC Hotels.
• Cardholders must choose their preferred benefit within the first 30 days of card issuance.
• The choice must be selected in the card application form and communicated to their Primus Lifestyle Relationship Manager within 15 days of successful card booking.

Fees

• Joining Fee: ₹5,00,000 + GST (effectively costing ₹5,90,000).
• Annual Fee: ₹3,00,000 + GST.
• Spend-Based Waiver: No spend-based annual fee waiver is available.
• Rewards Redemption Fee: Nil.
• Foreign Currency Markup: Nil.
• Interest Rates: 1% Per Month (12.68% Per Annum).
• Fuel Surcharge Waiver: 1% of the transaction amount, applicable for transactions between ₹400 and ₹10,000.
• Cash Advance Charges: Nil.

Rewards

• Rewards Rate
  • Earn 1 EDGE Mile for every ₹100 spent on all transactions, including categories not traditionally rewarded by credit cards such as rent, shopping, utility bills, insurance, fuel, and tax payments.
• Milestone Benefits (Quarterly)
  • Cardholders' spending is awarded quarterly, with no Merchant Category Codes (MCCs) excluded from the calculation. Spends on utilities, rental, and fuel are considered.
  • Spends Between ₹20 - 30 Lakh: Earn 15,000 EDGE Miles.
  • Spends Between ₹30.01 - 50 Lakh: Earn 25,000 EDGE Miles.
  • Spends Greater Than ₹50.01 Lakh: Earn 35,000 EDGE Miles.
  • Milestone benefits are provided within 45 days from the end of the quarter.
• Annual Membership Renewal Benefit
  • Upon successful realization of annual membership charges after completing 12 months tenure, cardholders are eligible for one of the following benefits:
    • 15,000 Axis EDGE Miles (equivalent to 75,000 Partner Miles).
    • OR, a ₹20,000 Gift Card from ITC Hotels.
• Travel
  • Airfare Privilege Offer:
    • Complimentary companion airfare (excluding taxes and surcharges) when purchasing a full fare First or Business class ticket on participating airlines.
    • OR, four complimentary companion airfares (excluding taxes and surcharges) when purchasing a best-available class ticket on participating airlines.
    • OR, up to 15% savings on non-promotional international First- and Business-class airfares with participating and partner airlines.
    • Conditions for companion ticket: The paid ticket must be purchased at a non-restricted fare from an airline and charged to a valid Axis Bank Primus Card. All travel must both start and end in the country where the card is issued, and tickets must be issued in the same country. The cardholder availing this offer must be one of the travelers. The companion using the complimentary ticket must travel with the cardholder on the same itinerary. Both tickets must be issued at the same time. The complimentary ticket will be issued at the lowest available fare in the same cabin class. Only one companion ticket can be redeemed per itinerary. One stop-over is allowed in the itinerary.
  • Airport Benefits:
    • Domestic Lounge Access: Unlimited complimentary domestic airport lounge access for primary and add-on cardholders, along with 12 free guest visits each year. To avail, present the Primus Credit Card at participating lounges; a ₹2 authorization amount will be deducted for validation.
    • International Lounge Access: Unlimited Priority Pass lounge access for primary and supplementary cardholders, with 12 complimentary guest visits per year.
    • Airport Meet & Greet: Free one-way airport Meet & Assist Service or Fast Track Immigration Service when traveling worldwide for primary and add-on cardholders. This perk is available only for those flying business class or higher on full-service airlines.
    • Luxury Airport Transfer: One complimentary one-way luxury airport transfer service per itinerary at participating airports across the world for primary and add-on cardholders when purchasing a business class or higher ticket using their Axis Bank Primus Card. This service is available only for those traveling on full-service carriers in business class or above.
    • Domestic Airport Transfer: One complimentary one-way airport transfer service per itinerary at participating airports within India for primary cardholders when purchasing an air ticket using their Primus Card. This service is available for cardholders with domestic carriers traveling in any class, including economy.
  • Stay Benefits (Luxury Hotel Collection):
    • Primary and add-on cardholders are eligible for special benefits and privileges across 900+ luxury hotels worldwide.
    • Privileges include: best available rate guarantee, automatic room upgrade upon arrival (when available), complimentary in-room Wi-Fi (when available), complimentary continental breakfast, $25 USD food & beverage credit, VIP guest status, and 3 PM check-out (upon request, when available).
  • Complimentary Night Stay:
    • Primary cardholders are eligible for one complimentary night’s stay when booking a minimum of two consecutive nights at over 900 luxury participating properties worldwide.
    • Each cardholder can enjoy a maximum of two complimentary nights per outgoing trip from the country where the Axis Bank Primus card is issued.
    • Booking, changes, and cancellations must be handled by the Axis Bank Primus Lifestyle Relationship Manager.
• Golf
  • International Golf Benefits: 4 Free Golf Rounds With One Guest.
  • Domestic Golf Benefits: Unlimited Complimentary Golf Rounds and Lessons Along With One Guest in a Year for the primary cardholder.
  • Add-On Cardholders: 10 Complimentary Golf Rounds or Lessons at Domestic Golf Clubs.
• Insurance Benefits
  • Lost Card Liability of ₹25,00,000.
• Lifestyle & Memberships
  • Taj Epicure Membership: Available for the first year, includes:
    • 25% Discount on Food & Beverage.
    • 20% Discount on Food & Beverages at Banquets.
    • 20% Discount on Qmin.
    • 20% Discount on Spa Treatments.
    • 20% Discount on Salon Experiences.
    • Unique one-time vouchers:
      • 20% Discount on the best available rate for a room/suite Stay at Taj Palaces (on direct bookings, for stays lasting up to five consecutive nights, once a year).
      • 20% Discount on the best available rate for a room/suite Stay (on the best available rate on direct booking of a room/suite stay for unlimited consecutive nights).
      • 20% Discount on the best available rate for a room/suite Stay at Taj Safaris (on direct bookings, lasting up to five consecutive nights, once a year).
  • Bloomberg Membership: Primary cardholders are eligible for an annual subscription to Bloomberg, renewed on the card’s anniversary date.

Rewards Redemption Guide

• EDGE Miles can be redeemed for products from a catalog, vouchers, and partner miles.
• Partner Miles:
  • Redemption Rate: 1 EDGE Mile = 5 Partner Miles.
  • Minimum EDGE Miles Required for Redemption: 500.
  • Eligible Partners for Miles Transfer: Air Asia, Air Canada, Air France - KLM, Air India, Ethiopian Airlines, Etihad Airways, IHG® Hotels & Resorts, ITC, Japan Airlines, Qantas Airways, Singapore Airlines, SpiceJet, Thai Airways, Turkish Airlines, United Airlines, Wyndham Hotels & Resorts.
• Catalog:
  • Redemption Rate: As Per the Catalog Structure.
  • Minimum EDGE Miles Required for Redemption: 500.
• Redemption at Partner Outlets:
  • Instant Offline Redemptions While Shopping at Select Retail Outlets.
  • Minimum EDGE Miles Required for Redemption: 500.

Card Eligibility Criteria

• The Axis Bank Primus Credit Card is an "Invite Only" offering.
• Eligibility criteria are yet to be officially announced.
• The card is primarily suitable for high-net-worth individuals.

Card Review

The Axis Bank Primus Credit Card is the ultimate choice for those seeking the pinnacle of luxury and best-in-class experiences. Despite its hefty fees, it is perfectly suited for the wealthy and opulent, offering a wide array of options for rewarding, comforting, and luxurious experiences across travel, stay, and shopping.

• Pros:
  • Earns 1 EDGE Mile for every ₹100 spent on all transactions, including non-traditional categories like insurance, rent, utility bills, and fuel, allowing for a single card for all payments.
  • Offers a highly favorable conversion ratio of 1:5 when transferring EDGE Miles to partner miles, making it excellent for frequent travelers.
  • Provides unlimited domestic and international airport lounge access, complemented by a Priority Pass membership.
  • Includes unique travel perks such as complimentary airport meet-and-greet services, luxury airport transfers, and a complimentary companion airfare offer on select airlines, which are rarely found on other premium cards.
  • Cardholders enjoy complimentary memberships to Taj Epicure and Bloomberg, offering discounts on dining, spa treatments, and access to global news.
  • Features extensive golf privileges, including unlimited domestic rounds and lessons, and four complimentary international golf rounds annually.
  • Offers unparalleled rewards and luxury benefits, justifying its ultra-premium positioning.
• Cons:
  • The card comes with a very high joining fee of ₹5,90,000 (including GST) and an annual fee of ₹3,00,000 + GST, making it accessible only to high-net-worth individuals.
  • There is no spend-based annual fee waiver, meaning the annual charge must always be paid.
  • Surprisingly, for a card with such a high fee, it does not offer any Buy One Get One (BOGO) offers on movie tickets.

Important Product Details

• This is a super premium credit card offering by Axis Bank.
• The joining charge is ₹5,00,000 + GST, effectively costing ₹5,90,000.
• Cardholders earn 1 EDGE Mile for every ₹100 spent on all transactions, covering categories like rent, shopping, utility, insurance, fuel, and travel.
• The card provides complimentary memberships to Taj Epicure and Bloomberg.
• It is best suited for individuals focused on Travel, Fuel, and Shopping.
• The reward type is Reward Points, specifically Axis EDGE Miles.

Other Details

• The Axis Bank Primus Credit Card is an "Invite Only" product.
• Axis Bank Primus Concierge Services are exclusively available to Primus Cardholders and include:
  • Concierge and Lifestyle Assistance.
  • Reservation Assistance for restaurants, limousines, car rentals, yachts, private jets, and helicopters.
  • Travel Assistance for organizing hotel stays, cruises, and flights.
  • Travel Management, including tailored itineraries, packaged tours, and unique travel experiences.
  • Arrangement of Access to Exclusive Events.
  • Flower and Gift Deliveries.