This is the same product on a different payment network. Everything on this page applies to both rails — the differences are below. Pick the rail you want; you apply for it directly with the bank.
Same rewards, lounge access and ₹7,999 fee, on RuPay - so it can be linked to UPI apps.
In-depth review
AU Zenith Credit Card
The AU Zenith was a credible big-bank alternative — until the January 2026 devaluation gutted it. Base rewards cut to 3 RP, dining slashed 75%, and the quarterly voucher and Taj Epicure membership both deleted. AU's newer Zenith+ now costs ₹3,000 a year less (₹4,999 against ₹7,999) and is worth comparing. For a new applicant it's been devalued out of contention; only an existing AU customer whose spend fits the new structure should hold on.
Read the full review →Key features
What this card is built to do — the highlights that actually matter.
1.25% on Dining
5 reward points per ₹100 on dining (~1.25% at ₹0.25/point), capped at 5,000 points per statement cycle — cut from 20X on 1 Jan 2026
1.25% on Groceries
5 reward points per ₹100 on grocery (~1.25%) — cut from 10X on 1 Jan 2026
Airport Lounge Access
2 domestic lounge visits per quarter using the AU card itself (require ₹50,000 retail spend in the preceding quarter) plus 2 international visits per quarter via Priority Pass — 8 + 8 a year
Annual Fee Waiver
Fee of ₹7,999 + 18% GST (₹9,439 all-in)/yr fully waived when you spend ₹5,00,000/year
24x7 Concierge
24x7 concierge and lifestyle services
Fuel Surcharge Waiver
1% waiver on fuel transactions, capped at ₹100/month
Milestone Bonus
~₹3,000 in bonus rewards on hitting annual spend milestones
✈️ TRAVEL BENEFITS
Lounge access, miles, forex rates and travel perks at a glance.
AIRPORT LOUNGE ACCESS
16 visits/yr
Domestic lounges
Priority Pass
International lounges
₹12,000
Estimated annual value
3.49%
Forex markup
- Domestic + international airport lounge access (16 domestic visits/yr, worth ~₹12,000)
👑 PREMIUM LIFESTYLE BENEFITS
Concierge, golf, hotel membership and high-value perks for premium cardholders.
₹625
Milestone bonus value
- 24x7 lifestyle and travel concierge
- 2,500 bonus reward points on completing one retail transaction on your birthday
For AU Small Finance Bank customers spending ₹60,000–1,20,000/month who want a premium travel card without joining HDFC or ICICI. The lounge access is the draw; at a 3.49% forex markup since 1 October 2026 it is no longer a card to spend abroad on.
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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Dining | reward points | 1.25%5 pts/₹100 × ₹0.25 | ₹1,250 |
| Groceries | reward points | 1.25%5 pts/₹100 × ₹0.25 | — |
| International | reward points | 1.25%5 pts/₹100 × ₹0.25 | — |
| Other | reward points | 0.75%3 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 | — |
Dining: 5 reward points per ₹100 on dining (~1.25% at ₹0.25/point), capped at 5,000 points per statement cycle — cut from 20X on 1 Jan 2026
Groceries: 5 reward points per ₹100 on grocery (~1.25%) — cut from 10X on 1 Jan 2026
International: 5 reward points per ₹100 on international spends (~1.25%) — cut from 10X on 1 Jan 2026
Other: 3 reward points per ₹100 on all other spends (~0.75%) — cut from 5X on 1 Jan 2026
Insurance: 1 reward point per ₹100 on insurance spends (~0.25%)
Utility Bills: 1 reward point per ₹100 on utility and telecom spends (~0.25%), max 100 reward points per transaction
Earns nothing on: Rent · Education · Government & Tax · EMI Conversions · Fuel · Cash Advances · BBPS bill payments · Transportation (Apr 2026) · Quasi-cash transactions
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) | ₹9,439 |
| Joining fee (incl. 18% GST) | ₹9,439 |
| Finance charge (APR) | 3.75% p.m. |
| Forex markup | 3.49% |
| Fuel surcharge waiver | 1%, cap ₹100 |
Perks & benefits
Estimated annual value beyond rewards — ~₹19,825/yr in total.
24x7 concierge and lifestyle services
2 domestic lounge visits per quarter using the AU card itself (require ₹50,000 retail spend in the preceding quarter) plus 2 international visits per quarter via Priority Pass — 8 + 8 a year
1% fuel surcharge waiver on transactions between ₹400 and ₹5,000, capped ₹100 per statement cycle since 1 October 2026 (₹1,000 before)
1,000 reward points on spending ₹50,000+ in a statement cycle, awarded once per cycle (annual equivalent modelled; the Taj Epicure and quarterly-voucher milestones were withdrawn on 1 Jan 2026)
2,500 bonus reward points on completing one retail transaction on your birthday
Should you get it?
- Best for: Frequent travellers, Higher spenders
- Premium tier — a solid all-rounder for steady monthly spend.
- Strongest value if you spend heavily on Dining (1.25% back).
- Frequent travellers benefit from the included airport lounge access.
Pros & cons
✓ Pros
- Strong rewards that can offset the annual fee for the right spender
- Premium lifestyle perks (lounge, concierge, milestone benefits)
✕ Cons
- Annual fee applies unless the spend-based waiver is met
- Forex markup raised to 3.49% from 1 October 2026 (it was 1.99%)
- Fuel surcharge waiver capped at ₹100 a statement cycle from 1 October 2026 (it was ₹1,000)
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.
- 🎁Statement credit / cashback adjustment
- 🎁Online rewards catalogue (vouchers, merchandise)
- 🎁Flight & hotel bookings via the issuer rewards portal
- 🎁A ₹99 + GST fee applies per redemption
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
AU's merchant offers, transfer partners, and service network trail HDFC/ICICI substantially — the headline rate is competitive but the ecosystem around it is thin.
Frequently asked questions
Is domestic lounge access conditional?
How many international lounge visits?
What is the forex markup?
Is there a fee waiver?
What is 1 reward point worth?
What are the age criteria?
How has the AU Zenith Credit Card changed over time?
Has the AU Zenith Credit Card been devalued recently?
When did the AU Zenith Credit Card's fees last change?
How did the AU Zenith Credit Card change in 2026?
The bottom line
Zenith is AU Bank's statement card, but after the 1 January 2026 earn cut (to ~0.75–1.25%) and the 1 October 2026 rise in its forex markup to 3.49% it is worth holding mainly for the lounge access, and only if you already bank with AU. Outside an existing AU relationship, the big-bank ecosystems offer more redemption depth for the same fee.
How this page was built
Counted from this card’s own record: 6 earn rules, 1 of them capped, the spends listed as earning nothing and 5 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 Zenith 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.
Compare head-to-head
See AU Zenith Credit Card compared side by side with a close alternative.
Similar & related cards
Other cards worth comparing before you apply.
AU Zenith Plus Credit Card
Same tier with similar rewards
AU Traverse Credit Card
Same tier with similar rewards
Adani One ICICI Bank Signature Credit Card
Comparable ICICI option
IndiGo Axis Bank Premium Credit Card
Comparable AXIS option
IndiGo XL Kotak Credit Card
Lower annual fee, similar tier
IndusInd Bank Nexxt Credit Card
Lower annual fee, similar tier
Read more
Guides and reviews related to this card.
AU Zenith Credit Card
The AU Zenith was a credible big-bank alternative — until the January 2026 devaluation gutted it. Base rewards cut to 3 RP, dining slashed 75%, and the quarterly voucher and Taj Epicure membership both deleted. AU's newer Zenith+ now costs ₹3,000 a year less (₹4,999 against ₹7,999) and is worth comparing. For a new applicant it's been devalued out of contention; only an existing AU customer whose spend fits the new structure should hold on.
AU Zenith Plus Credit Card
AU's metal premium card, priced at ₹4,999 to undercut the older ₹7,999 Zenith. AU values 1 reward point at ₹1, which makes the 2 points per ₹100 on dining, travel and international a genuine 2% return (1% elsewhere) — but the privileges are still the point: a Taj Epicure membership gated behind ₹12 lakh of annual spend, 32 lounge visits a year, golf and BookMyShow tickets. Eligibility is steep at AU's published ₹2.5 lakh monthly income.
AU Traverse Credit Card
An NRI-only premium travel card built around a low 0.99% forex markup and global lounge access. For a Non-Resident Indian who spends across borders, the forex saving and international lounges are the real draw, and a ₹5,000 MakeMyTrip welcome voucher offsets part of the ₹4,999 fee. The catch is the first line of the pitch: resident Indians simply cannot hold it, and the base reward rate is modest.
AU Ananta Credit Card
A mid-tier rewards card that earns hard where most people actually spend: 5 reward points per ₹100 on shopping, dining and travel (~1.25% at ₹0.25 a point, capped at a shared 5,000 points a cycle), with an 8,000-point welcome that covers most of the first-year fee. Off those three categories the base is 2 points per ₹100 (~0.5%), and a four-step milestone ladder pays from ₹2.5 lakh of annual spend up to 50,000 bonus points at ₹10 lakh. The ₹2,000 fee waives on ₹3,00,000 of annual spend.
AU Bank Vetta Credit Card
A competent mid-tier lifestyle card — 4X on groceries, quarterly milestone bonuses, a birthday bonus and lounge access — that does its job for existing AU customers without standing out against the big banks. The 2026 change putting lounge access behind a ₹50,000-quarterly-spend gate brings it in line with the market. Easy to recommend to AU customers; hard to recommend over the majors.
AU CA Credit Card
A genuinely rare thing — a lifetime-free metal card with airport lounge access — but only if you're a Chartered Accountant. It earns 8 reward points per ₹100 (~2% at ₹0.25 a point) on dining, travel, tax payments and software, the exact spends a practising CA makes, for no fee. The single fact to get right: it is profession-gated to ICAI members, so most readers simply can't apply.
AU CS Credit Card
A lifetime-free metal card built specifically for Company Secretaries — 8 reward points per ₹100 (~2%) on dining, travel, tax payments and software, plus 2 domestic airport lounge visits a quarter and 25% cashback on your ICSI membership renewal. It earns hard on exactly the categories a practising CS spends on, at zero fee. The one catch is the door: you must be an ICSI member to hold it, so it is not open to the general applicant.
ixigo AU Credit Card
A lifetime-free travel co-brand built around the ixigo app — 10% off flights and hotels (up to ₹3,000 each) and no payment-gateway charge on train bookings. Because it costs nothing to hold, there's no break-even to clear, and the train-booking saving alone can justify it for regular rail travellers. Just know the discounts only fire when you book through ixigo — this is a companion card, not a primary.
Kotak, RBL and AU Small Finance Bank Credit Cards 2026: Spotlight Guide
Kotak, RBL Bank, and AU Small Finance Bank each offer distinctive credit card programmes that serve specific niches — from Kotak's 811 (entry digital) and White Reserve (ultra-premium) to RBL's travel-focused World Safari and AU's Zenith (premium for new-to-credit-segment banks).
AU Laksya Credit Card
A mid-tier everyday-and-family card that pays 5 reward points per ₹100 (~1.25%) on groceries, departmental stores and contactless spends — grocery/departmental capped at 1,000 points a cycle — with 8 domestic airport lounge visits a year (2 a quarter, unlocked by ₹50,000 previous-quarter spend) and buy-one-get-one movie tickets each month. Off-category retail earns 2 points per ₹100 (~0.5%). The ₹1,000 fee waives on ₹2,00,000 of annual spend, so it isn't free, but it's easy to justify for a grocery-heavy household.
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 2021 · last change Oct 2026
2026
- ▼ FeeEffective 1 Oct 2026
Forex markup raised from 1.99% to 3.49%
1.99% on international transactions→3.49% on international transactions
From 1 October 2026 AU raised the Zenith's cross-currency markup from 1.99% to 3.49%, so an international spend now costs about 4.1% on top once GST is added. AU announced it on the card's own page ("Effective 1st October 2026, Forex Markup will be revised from 1.99% to 3.49% for your international transactions") and moved the card into its 3.49% group in the Key Fact Statement v1.9 and the MITC dated 30 September 2026; the July 2026 editions still listed it at 1.99%.
Verification: AU Small Finance Bank ↗ · Confidence: High
- ▼ FeeEffective 1 Oct 2026
Fuel surcharge waiver cap cut from ₹1,000 to ₹100 a month
1% waiver, capped at ₹1,000 per statement month→1% waiver, capped at ₹100 per statement month
From 1 October 2026 the Zenith's 1% fuel surcharge waiver (on fills of ₹400 to ₹5,000) is capped at ₹100 per statement month, down from ₹1,000, so the most it can save in a year falls from ₹12,000 to ₹1,200. AU announced it on the card's own page ("Effective 1st October 2026, Fuel Surcharge Waiver will be up to ₹100 per statement cycle") and moved the card into the ₹100 row of its MITC dated 30 September 2026. Zenith+ keeps its ₹1,000 cap.
Verification: AU Small Finance Bank ↗ · Confidence: High
- ▼ 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
- ▼ RewardObserved Dec 2025 · Effective 1 Jan 2026
January 2026 reward-rate cut across every accelerated category
Base 5 / Dining 20 / Intl 10 / Grocery 10 RP→Base 3 / Dining 5 / Intl 5 / Grocery 5 RP
Effective 1 Jan 2026, AU cut base earn from 5 to 3 RP/₹100 (~0.75%), dining from 20 to 5 RP (a ~75% cut), and international and grocery/department-store from 10 to 5 RP each (~1.25% at ₹0.25/point). Insurance/utility/telecom stayed at 1 RP. Cardholders were notified by direct email in late 2025; points earned before the date kept their value.
Verification: CardAdvisor Research · 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.
</> Embed this timeline on your site
Free to use. Facts only — dates, changes and before/after values. Please keep the credit line below the frame: it's the only part search engines can see, and it's what we ask for in return.
“ Cite this timeline
Quoting a date or a before/after figure? Copy the HTML version — it credits the record with a working link.
Source: <a href="https://cardadvisor.in/cards/au-zenith#value-timeline">AU Zenith 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's forex mark-up on this card is 3.49% (it was 1.99% on the Zenith, 2.99% on the Vetta).
- 💳 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.