In-depth review
AU Xcite Ultra Credit Card
The points-flavoured Xcite — the same ₹749 RuPay card as the cashback Xcite Ace, but earning by transaction channel rather than category: 4 reward points per ₹100 on offline spends, 8 per ₹100 online and 12 per ₹100 on international spends, plus monthly and anniversary milestone points and quarterly airport-lounge access gated on ₹50,000 of previous-quarter spend. The online channel (≈2% at ₹0.25 a point) is the real story; the 12-point international headline is a trap, since ≈3% back still trails the 3.49% forex markup.
Read the full review →Key features
What this card is built to do — the highlights that actually matter.
3% on International
12 reward points per ₹100 on international spends — ≈3% at ₹0.25 a point, still below the 3.49% forex markup
2% on Online Shopping
8 reward points per ₹100 on online spends (≈2% at ₹0.25 a point)
Airport Lounge Access
2 complimentary domestic airport lounge visits per quarter on ₹50,000 spend in the previous quarter (w.e.f. 10 Apr 2026). 2 complimentary railway lounge visits per quarter (8 a year) — unconditional, unlike the spend-gated airport visits.
Annual Fee Waiver
Fee of ₹749 + 18% GST (₹884 all-in)/yr fully waived when you spend ₹2,00,000/year
24x7 Concierge
Dedicated concierge services for travel, dining and event bookings
Fuel Surcharge Waiver
1% waiver on fuel transactions, capped at ₹100/month
Milestone Bonus
~₹1,250 in bonus rewards on hitting annual spend milestones
UPI Linked
Pay UPI QR codes from your credit line. What UPI payments earn can depend on the app you pay through, so check the rewards details.
✈️ TRAVEL BENEFITS
Lounge access, miles, forex rates and travel perks at a glance.
AIRPORT LOUNGE ACCESS
8 visits/yr
Domestic lounges
₹5,200
Estimated annual value
3.49%
Forex markup
- Domestic airport lounge access (8 domestic visits/yr, worth ~₹5,200)
- Railway lounge access (8 visits/yr, worth ~₹1,500)
- Travel insurance cover included
👑 PREMIUM LIFESTYLE BENEFITS
Concierge, golf, hotel membership and high-value perks for premium cardholders.
₹1,250
Milestone bonus value
- 24x7 lifestyle and travel concierge
- Travel insurance and accident cover
- 5,000 reward points on ₹2.5 lakh of spend in a card anniversary year (the separate 500-point bonus for ₹5,000 spent in the 1st–5th window is a recurring offer, described above)
For online-first RuPay/UPI spenders — the 8-points-per-₹100 online channel (≈2% at ₹0.25 a point) is where this card earns its keep, backed by monthly and anniversary milestones.
Full reward structure
What you earn on every rupee, per spend category — as of 11 Oct 2026. Rates assume 1 pt = ₹0.25. How we value points →
| Category | Type | Rate | Monthly cap |
|---|---|---|---|
| International | reward points | 3%12 pts/₹100 × ₹0.25 | — |
| Online Shopping | reward points | 2%8 pts/₹100 × ₹0.25 | — |
| Other | reward points | 1%4 pts/₹100 × ₹0.25 | — |
| Insurance | reward points | 0.25%1 pts/₹100 × ₹0.25 | — |
| Utility Bills | reward points | 0.25%1 pts/₹100 × ₹0.25 | — |
International: 12 reward points per ₹100 on international spends — ≈3% at ₹0.25 a point, still below the 3.49% forex markup
Online Shopping: 8 reward points per ₹100 on online spends (≈2% at ₹0.25 a point)
Other: Earns by channel — this base row is the 4 reward points per ₹100 on offline spends; online spends earn 8 per ₹100, international 12, and utility, telecom and insurance 1
Insurance: 1 reward point per ₹100 on insurance spends
Utility Bills: 1 reward point per ₹100 on utility and telecom spends, capped at 100 reward points per transaction
Earns nothing on: Rent · Education · Government & Tax · EMI Conversions · Fuel · Cash Advances · BBPS bill payments · Quasi-cash · Transportation MCCs (Apr 2026)
These spends earn no rewards at all — not a reduced rate, and not the base rate. They are also normally left out of any milestone or fee-waiver calculation.
Fees & charges
The numbers that matter beyond rewards — verify on the issuer site before applying. Fees below are shown inclusive of 18% GST, as of 11 Oct 2026.
| Charge | Amount |
|---|---|
| Annual fee (incl. 18% GST) | ₹884 |
| Joining fee (incl. 18% GST) | ₹884 |
| Finance charge (APR) | 3.75% p.m. |
| Forex markup | 3.49% |
| Fuel surcharge waiver | 1%, cap ₹100 |
Perks & benefits
Estimated annual value beyond rewards — ~₹8,750/yr in total.
2 complimentary domestic airport lounge visits per quarter on ₹50,000 spend in the previous quarter (w.e.f. 10 Apr 2026)
2 complimentary railway lounge visits per quarter (8 a year) — unconditional, unlike the spend-gated airport visits
5,000 reward points on ₹2.5 lakh of spend in a card anniversary year (the separate 500-point bonus for ₹5,000 spent in the 1st–5th window is a recurring offer, described above)
1% fuel surcharge waiver on transactions between ₹400 and ₹5,000, capped ₹100 per cycle since 1 October 2026 (₹200 before)
Air accident cover (AU's page states ₹50 lakh in its detail note and ₹20 lakh in its benefit tile), credit shield up to ₹2 lakh and purchase protection up to ₹25,000, plus baggage and flight-delay covers and device protection with extended warranty
Dedicated concierge services for travel, dining and event bookings
Spend milestone
- ₹2,50,000 a year₹1,250 of value
Should you get it?
- Best for: Online-first RuPay/UPI spenders, Users who can time spends to the monthly bonus window
- Mid tier — a solid all-rounder for steady monthly spend.
- Strongest value if you spend heavily on International (3% back).
- Frequent travellers benefit from the included airport lounge access.
Pros & cons
✓ Pros
- 8 reward points per ₹100 (≈2%) on online spends
- Monthly and anniversary milestone points
- Quarterly domestic airport (spend-gated) and railway lounge access, RuPay/UPI-linkable
- Complimentary Times Prime membership and Alaya Stays privileges — current curated offers, no assigned ₹ value
✕ Cons
- Headline 12-point rate is international-only — where the 3.49% forex markup outweighs the ≈3% earn
- Offline base earn is 4 points per ₹100 (≈1%) at AU's ₹0.25 point value
- Airport lounge visits need ₹50,000 of previous-quarter spend
Eligibility & documents
Documents required
- 📄PAN card
- 📄Aadhaar / valid address proof
- 📄Latest 3 months bank statement
- 📄Income proof — salary slips (salaried) or ITR (self-employed)
- 📄Recent passport-size photograph
How to redeem rewards
Ways to convert what you earn into real value.
- 🎁Online rewards catalogue (vouchers, merchandise)
- 🎁Flight & hotel bookings via the issuer rewards portal
- 🎁Statement credit / cashback adjustment
What your AU Reward Points are worth
Realistic value per point by redemption route — the difference is what most people leave on the table.
Standard redemption
Brand & e-gift vouchers
The headline 12 points per ₹100 applies only to international spends, where the ≈3% earn is outweighed by the 3.49% forex markup — everyday offline spend earns a plain ≈1%.
Frequently asked questions
How does the Xcite Ultra differ from the Xcite Ace?
What are the milestone benefits?
What is the fee?
How has the AU Xcite Ultra Credit Card changed over time?
Has the AU Xcite Ultra Credit Card been devalued recently?
When did the AU Xcite Ultra Credit Card's fees last change?
How did the AU Xcite Ultra Credit Card change in 2026?
The bottom line
The points-flavoured Xcite earns by channel, and the channel that matters is online: 8 points per ₹100 (≈2%) beats the Ace's milestone cashback for a digital-heavy spender. Ignore the 12-point international headline — at ≈3% it still trails the 3.49% forex markup.
How this page was built
Counted from this card’s own record: 5 earn rules, the spends listed as earning nothing and 6 recorded perks. The renewal fee is conditional — it is waived on a published spend target, so the fee you pay depends on what you spend.
Last updated 11 Oct 2026.
Sources & verification
Fees, reward rates, and benefits for the AU Xcite Ultra Credit Card are taken from AU Small Finance Bank's official Most Important Terms & Conditions (MITC) and fee schedule — see the card's official page. Last updated 11 Oct 2026. Reviewed by Devchandra Sah. Always confirm current details on the issuer's site before applying. How we research →
Independence. CardAdvisor is an independent editorial publication. We are not affiliated with, endorsed by, sponsored by, or authorised to act for AU Small Finance Bank. All issuer names, product names, and payment-network marks are the property of their respective owners and appear here for identification and comparison only. Card faces shown on this site are our own original illustrations — we do not display or host issuer card artwork or logos.
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Read more
Guides and reviews related to this card.
AU Xcite Ultra Credit Card
The points-flavoured Xcite — the same ₹749 RuPay card as the cashback Xcite Ace, but earning by transaction channel rather than category: 4 reward points per ₹100 on offline spends, 8 per ₹100 online and 12 per ₹100 on international spends, plus monthly and anniversary milestone points and quarterly airport-lounge access gated on ₹50,000 of previous-quarter spend. The online channel (≈2% at ₹0.25 a point) is the real story; the 12-point international headline is a trap, since ≈3% back still trails the 3.49% forex markup.
AU Xcite Ace Credit Card
A ₹749 RuPay cashback card that pays up to 3% through monthly milestones and adds quarterly domestic airport lounge access — a genuine step up from the railway-only base Xcite. The catch is that both the top cashback tier and the lounges are spend-gated: you need ₹20,000 a month to reach the full 3%, and ₹50,000 in the previous quarter to unlock the lounges. A clean, consistent-earner card for the steady spender; underwhelming for a light one.
Value timeline
Every real-world change to this card's rewards, fees and benefits we've tracked — newest first, each linked to its source.
Tracking since 2023 · last change Oct 2026
2026
- ▼ FeeEffective 1 Oct 2026
Fuel surcharge waiver cap cut from ₹200 to ₹100 a month
1% waiver, capped at ₹200 per statement month→1% waiver, capped at ₹100 per statement month
From 1 October 2026 the Xcite Ultra's 1% fuel surcharge waiver (on fills of ₹400 to ₹5,000) is capped at ₹100 per statement month, down from ₹200, so the most it can save in a year falls from ₹2,400 to ₹1,200. AU's MITC dated 30 September 2026 lists the Xcite cards in its ₹100 row, where the July 2026 edition had the Xcite series at ₹200, and the card's page now says ₹100. The 1 October date is the one AU announced for the same revision on its Zenith, Vetta and Altura Plus pages; no dated line for this card was captured, so the date is reconstructed.
Verification: AU Small Finance Bank ↗ · Confidence: Reconstructed
- ▼ FeeEffective 1 Jul 2026
Fuel fair-usage terms tightened — trigger halved, levy on the whole aggregate
1% fair-usage charge once monthly fuel spends exceeded 50% of the credit limit or ₹50,000→1% on the entire aggregate once a single fuel transaction exceeds ₹10,000 or monthly fuel spends exceed ₹25,000
From 1 July 2026 AU tightened its fuel fair-usage charge: the trigger dropped from ₹50,000 of aggregate fuel spend in a calendar month to ₹25,000 (or a single fuel transaction above ₹10,000), and the 1% charge is now levied on the entire aggregate fuel spend for the month rather than the portion above the threshold. Fair-usage charges do not apply to international transactions. The complimentary fuel-surcharge waiver bands are unchanged.
Verification: AU Small Finance Bank ↗ · Confidence: High
- ▼ FeeEffective 14 Jun 2026
New 1% fair-usage charge on transportation spends
No transportation fair-usage charge→1% on the entire aggregate once monthly transportation spends exceed 50% of the credit limit or ₹25,000, whichever is lower
From 14 June 2026 AU levies a 1% fair-usage charge when aggregate transportation spends (MCC 4111, 4112 and 4784 — local commuter transport, passenger rail and tolls) in a calendar month exceed 50% of the credit limit or ₹25,000, whichever is lower. The charge applies to the entire aggregate transportation spend for the month, not just the excess. IRCTC and select marquee travel partners are excluded, international transactions are out of scope, and AU exempts the ixigo AU co-brand variants entirely. This charge is separate from (and adds to) the April 2026 removal of reward-point earning on transportation MCCs.
Verification: AU Small Finance Bank ↗ · Confidence: High
- ▼ LoungeEffective 10 Apr 2026
Domestic lounge spend-gate raised ₹20,000 → ₹50,000/quarter
2 domestic lounge visits/quarter, gated on ₹20,000 spend in the prior quarter→2 domestic lounge visits/quarter, gated on ₹50,000 spend in the prior quarter
Xcite Ultra's domestic-lounge benefit was already spend-gated (2 visits/quarter conditional on ₹20,000 spend in the previous quarter, since 1 January 2025 — see event above); from 10 April 2026 AU raised that threshold to ₹50,000/quarter bank-wide for every AU card that gates lounge access on spend.
Verification: AU Small Finance Bank ↗ · Confidence: High
- ▼ RewardEffective 10 Apr 2026
Transportation spends stop earning rewards
Transportation spends earned reward points→No reward points on transportation MCCs
From 10 April 2026 AU stopped awarding rewards on 11 transportation merchant categories (rail, transit, tolls and similar — MCC 4011/4111/4112/4121/4131/4411/4582/4784/4789/5561/7523) across its credit cards, so Xcite Ultra no longer earns reward points on rail, transit or toll spends. (Dating note, 2026-08-06: AU's own surfaces carry both 1 April and 10 April 2026 as the effective date of the transportation change, and the bank-wide revision PDF originally cited for it now serves a lounge-only notice at the same URL; both dates are disclosed rather than silently picking one.)
Verification: AU Small Finance Bank ↗ · Confidence: High
Each change links to the issuer's own document — bank T&C, MITC, notice, press release or product page — where one is public. Where the bank published nothing, it's marked CardAdvisor Research and verified against the card's current terms. Independent of the live terms shown above. This timeline is one card's slice of our market-wide change record across every tracked card.
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Source: <a href="https://cardadvisor.in/cards/au-xcite-ultra#value-timeline">AU Xcite Ultra Credit Card value timeline</a>, CardAdvisor (CC BY 4.0).
Terms & reward changes
Tracked updates to this card's fees, rewards and benefits — newest first.
- 💳 Fee changeEffective 1 Oct 2026
From 1 October 2026 AU caps this card's fuel-surcharge waiver at ₹100 per statement cycle.
Want to know if this beats your current card for your spending?
Applications are submitted to and decided by AU Small Finance Bank. CardAdvisor does not issue cards or process applications.