Kotak Air Plus Credit Card – Benefits, Fees & Eligibility

Introduction

The Kotak Air+ Credit Card, issued by Kotak Mahindra Bank, is a travel-focused, entry-level air miles credit card designed for individuals who frequently travel, especially those who book flights and hotels. It differentiates itself by offering Air Miles on eligible spends, providing complimentary domestic and international lounge access, and featuring a competitive foreign currency markup.

Welcome Benefits

• Earn 2,500 Air Miles as a welcome benefit.
• Welcome Air Miles will be credited within 120 days of card issuance, subject to the payment of Joining Fees.

Fees & Charges Breakdown

• Joining Fee: ₹3,000 + GST. A limited-time offer of Nil joining fee may be available.
• Renewal Fee: ₹3,000 + GST.
• Spend-Based Waiver threshold: Not Available. There is no spend-based annual fee waiver with this card.
• Reward Redemption Fee: Not Applicable.
• Foreign Currency Markup: 2% on international transactions.
• Interest Rates: 3.5% Monthly Rate and 42% Yearly Rate.
• Fuel Surcharge Waiver rules: 1% waiver for fuel transactions between ₹400 and ₹7,500. The maximum waiver is capped at ₹4,500 in an anniversary year.
• Cash Advance Charges: 2.5% of the advance amount, subject to a minimum of ₹500.
• Other: GST/Applicable taxes would be charged as per the rates approved in the Finance Act each year on all interest & fees and other charges levied on your Credit Card.

Rewards & Cashback Structure

• Earning Rate:
  • Earn 5 Air Miles for every ₹100 spent on Flight & Hotel Booking through Kotak Unbox.
  • Earn 2 Air Miles for every ₹100 spent for all other purchases.
• Accelerated Earning Cap: Accelerated Air Miles earnings for Flight/Hotel Booking on Kotak Unbox are capped at 15,000 Air Miles per statement cycle. After reaching this cap within the same statement cycle, the base Air Miles benefit of 2 Air Miles for every ₹100 spent will apply.
• Exclusions: No Air Miles will be accrued on Utility/Telecom, Insurance, Education & Government, Rent, Fuel, Wallet Loading, EMI, Online Gaming, Cash Advance, and International Transactions.
• Reward Redemption Options:
  • Air Miles can be used for flight and hotel bookings via Kotak Unbox, where 1 Air Mile = ₹1.
  • Air Miles can be transferred to preferred hotel or airline partners.
  • A minimum of 200 Air Miles is required for Flight & Hotel Booking on Kotak Unbox.
  • The maximum Air Miles Redemption allowed for Flight/Hotel Booking on Kotak Unbox is up to 80% of the booking value.
  • A minimum of 1,000 Air Miles is required to transfer Air Miles to preferred Airline/Hotel partners.
• Transfer Ratios (Air Miles: Partner Miles):
  • Airline Partners (2:1): Air India, Air Canada, Air France, British Airways, Cathay Pacific, Etihad Airways, Qatar Airlines, United Airlines.
  • Hotel Partners: Accor (2:1), Marriott (3:1).
• Point Expiry Rules: Air Miles are valid for a period of 3 years.
• Milestone Benefits: High spenders can unlock bonus milestone benefits worth up to ₹20,000 annually. Spend ₹1.5 lakh in a calendar quarter and earn a ₹5,000 travel voucher or equivalent air miles every quarter.

Travel, Lounge & Lifestyle Perks

• Domestic Lounge Access:
  • Receive 4 complimentary domestic airport lounge visits per year.
  • Access is capped at 2 lounges per calendar quarter.
  • This benefit is only valid for primary cardholders.
  • To access, present your Credit Card at the lounge.
  • A visit validation charge of ₹2 will be debited at the lounge.
• International Lounge Access:
  • Receive 2 complimentary international airport lounge visits per year.
  • This benefit is powered by Priority Pass.
  • This benefit is only valid for primary cardholders.
  • To access, present your Credit Card or the Digital QR code available on the Priority Pass app.
  • Activate international transactions (online & in-store/POS) using your Kotak Bank Mobile App or Net Banking to enable the visit validation transaction.
  • Visit validation charges of $1.00 will be debited from your Credit Card and will be auto-reversed within 7 working days.
• Travel Vouchers: Opportunity to earn up to ₹20,000 worth of travel vouchers annually by meeting quarterly spend milestones.
• Foreign Exchange Savings: Enjoy a low foreign currency mark-up of 2% on international transactions.
• Insurance Benefits: The card lacks travel insurance.

Credit Card Review

• Overall Verdict: The Kotak Air+ Credit Card is a sound entry-level air miles card, best suited for frequent travelers who regularly book flights and hotels.
• Pros:
  • A sound entry-level air miles card available at a decent joining fee (especially with the limited-time offer).
  • Offers welcome and renewal benefits in the form of Air Miles.
  • Features a low Forex markup charge of 2%, which is competitive compared to the industry average of 3.5%.
• Cons:
  • Lacks travel insurance, a concierge service, and global hotel discounts, which are often expected in a travel-focused credit card.
  • There is no spend-based annual fee waiver.
  • No Air Miles are earned on international transactions, which somewhat diminishes the value of the low forex markup for rewards.
  • Lounge access is restricted to primary cardholders only, which can be a drawback for those traveling with companions.
  • The card may not measure up to more established players in the travel credit card segment.
• Who should apply: Individuals who frequently travel and primarily use Kotak Unbox for flight and hotel bookings.
• Maximizing Value: To maximize value, it is recommended to redeem Air Miles via Kotak Unbox (where 1 Air Mile = ₹1) rather than transferring them to partner programs at potentially devalued ratios.

Important Product Details

• This is a travel-focused credit card.
• Cardholders earn Air Miles on their eligible spends.
• The card provides access to international and domestic airport lounges.
• The Forex markup charge on this card is 2%.
• 2,500 Air Miles are offered as a renewal benefit upon completion of each anniversary year, subject to the payment of annual fees.
• The card lacks travel insurance, a concierge service, and global hotel discounts.
• No Air Miles are earned on international transactions.
• There is no spend-based annual fee waiver with this card.
• Complimentary Lounge Access Benefit is only applicable for the Primary Cardholder.

Other Details

• The bank website may experience intermittent downtime on 26th July 2026, from 12:00 AM to 06:00 AM due to scheduled maintenance.
• Detailed terms and conditions for lounge access and the Kotak Air+ Credit Card are available via specific links provided by the bank.
• Steps on how to access Kotak Unbox for bookings are available via a provided link.
• A value chart example suggests a total benefit of ₹61,695 for a customer spending ₹12,00,000 in an anniversary year, with savings calculated at 1 Air Mile = ₹1.