AIRLINE PROGRAM
IndiGo BluChip: Co-brand Cards, Transfers & What a BluChip Is Worth
India’s largest airline runs a closed currency: BluChips are earned on seven co-brand cards or fed in from Axis EDGE, and buy nothing but IndiGo fares — at a rate IndiGo does not publish.
Card data updated
Realistic value
₹0.42 / point
Type
Airline miles
Our estimate, not IndiGo’s — the airline publishes no rate and says the conversion varies by route, date, season and cabin; BluChips cover the fare only, never taxes or fees. See how we value points →
IndiGo BluChip is the loyalty programme of India's largest airline, launched to replace 6E Rewards, and it differs from every other programme on this site in one way that matters to a cardholder: it is closed. BluChips buy IndiGo fares and nothing else — no partner airlines, no hotels, no statement credit — so the card question is not "where can I move these points" but "will I fly IndiGo enough to spend them". Seven co-brand cards across Axis, SBI, Kotak and IDFC FIRST earn BluChips directly on spend, and two Axis currencies can transfer in. What none of them can tell you is what a BluChip is worth, because IndiGo does not publish it.
Which cards earn BluChips, and which can transfer in
The co-brands are the real on-ramp. Each earns BluChips on every purchase, with the accelerated rate reserved for IndiGo's own app and website:
| Card | BluChips per ₹100 on IndiGo bookings, from the card | Annual fee |
|---|---|---|
| IndiGo Axis Bank Credit Card | 3 | ₹799 |
| IndiGo Axis Bank Premium Credit Card | 7 | ₹5,000 |
| IndiGo SBI Card | 3 | ₹1,499 |
| IndiGo SBI Card ELITE | 7 | ₹4,999 |
| IndiGo Kotak Credit Card | 3 | ₹1,500 |
| IndiGo XL Kotak Credit Card | 5 | ₹3,000 |
| IndiGo IDFC FIRST Credit Card | 6 | ₹4,999 |
Read the headline rates carefully. Kotak advertises "up to 19" and "up to 21" BluChips per ₹100 and IDFC FIRST "up to 22" — but most of that is IndiGo's own booking-channel earn: the 8 base BluChips plus the 4 channel bonus every member gets for booking on IndiGo's site or app, plus tier bonuses. Those BluChips arrive because you booked direct, not because of the card. The column above is the card's own share, which is the number to compare cards on.
Transfers are a footnote, and a cautionary one. Only Axis EDGE reaches BluChip, and IndiGo sits in the partner family Axis prices worse: the Atlas moves 2 EDGE Miles per BluChip where most Atlas partners get 1:2, the Horizon and IndianOil Premium sit at the same 2:1, and only the Olympus doubles in at 1:2. EDGE Reward Points convert 5:1 on the Reserve and Magnus, 5:4 on the Burgundy Private and 10:1 on the Select, Privilege and Rewards. Put our 42-paise figure against those ratios and an Atlas EDGE Mile buys about 21 paise of IndiGo fare, against the fixed ₹1 it fetches on the Travel EDGE portal. If you hold Axis points and want an IndiGo ticket, book it through Travel EDGE; do not transfer.
What a BluChip is worth
IndiGo says the rate varies. Its terms state that the conversion rate for cash plus BluChips may vary based on the origin, destination, flight schedule, flight number, date, season, fare, cabin, tier, sales channel, or any combination of these, and its FAQ says BluChips do not have any monetary value. So there is no published figure, and there cannot be one. We hold it at ₹0.42 as a realistic planning figure — our estimate, calibrated on what typical redemptions return, and never IndiGo's number.
Two mechanics keep the real rate below the fare you see. BluChips cover the fare only: taxes, levies, surcharges, fees and 6E add-ons are always paid in cash, per passenger per sector, and a redemption fee and convenience fee apply on top and are non-refundable. And the widely repeated "1 BluChip = ₹1" belonged to 6E Rewards, the retired HDFC co-brand currency; IndiGo's own terms refute it for BluChip. At 42 paise, the Axis Premium's 7 BluChips per ₹100 on IndiGo bookings is about 2.9% back in flight value, not 7% — still respectable for an airline co-brand, as long as the flights are ones you would have booked anyway.
How earning and redemption really work
Flying earns 8 BluChips per ₹100 of base fare and fuel surcharge on IndiGo-operated flights, plus a tier bonus of 2 at Blu 2 and 4 at Blu 1, plus 4 channel-bonus BluChips when you book on IndiGo's site or app rather than through an agent or an OTA — up to 16 per ₹100 for a top-tier member booking direct. Tiers are earned over a rolling twelve months on revenue fares: Blu 2 at ₹1,00,000 and 4 flights, Blu 1 at ₹2,00,000 and 8 flights, both conditions together.
Redemption is IndiGo-marketed and IndiGo-operated flights only — the Turkish and Qantas codeshares earn BluChips but cannot be booked with them. There are no blackout dates, any sector and any date until the last seat, and you can pay part in BluChips and part in cash; bookings are one-way only, and taxes and fees are always cash. Membership is free, never expires, and lets you name up to five nominees, family or friends, whose flights you can book from your balance.
The two rules that decide whether you still hold the balance are the ones a summary loses. BluChips stay valid as long as the account shows at least one earn or redemption in the preceding 24 months — IndiGo reviews every account at the end of each calendar month, and any qualifying activity keeps the whole balance alive. Let 24 months pass with nothing and the balance is forfeited for good. And there is no pooling: BluChips cannot be transferred between accounts, and a member cannot pool a nominee's balance with their own — a nominee is someone you can book for, not someone whose points you can combine with. That is the opposite of Air India Maharaja Club, whose Family Pool moves everyone's future points into one account.
Who should hold an IndiGo card
An IndiGo co-brand earns its fee for one kind of cardholder: someone who flies IndiGo several times a year, books on the app or website, and is happy to spend BluChips straight back into IndiGo fares. For that flyer the welcome and renewal vouchers, milestone BluChips and lounge visits on the premium cards are real money, and the closed currency is no handicap because it was always going to be spent on IndiGo. If you fly a mix of airlines, or want points that can move, a general rewards card with a transferable currency serves you better — and if you already hold Axis points, Travel EDGE beats any BluChip transfer. Compare the cards below on the rate the card itself earns and the fee, not on the "up to" headline.
Below are the cards that earn IndiGo BluChips directly, and the Axis cards that can transfer in.
How to transfer credit-card points to IndiGo BluChip
Every standing route from an Indian reward currency, read from our transfer graph rather than typed alongside it. A ratio given as a range differs by card — the graph knows which cards sit at each end, and you should still confirm the live rate in your bank’s rewards portal before transferring. Never assume a promotional rate is the standing one.
| From (currency & cards) | Ratio | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Axis EDGE MilesAxis Bank | 1:2 / 2:1 (per card) | IndiGo sits in the partner family Axis prices worse: the Atlas moves 2 EDGE Miles per BluChip where most of its partners get 1:2, and the Horizon and IndianOil Premium sit at the same 2:1. Only the Olympus doubles in at 1:2. At our 42-paise figure an Atlas EDGE Mile buys about 21 paise of IndiGo fare this way, against the fixed ₹1 it fetches on the Travel EDGE portal — a route to know about, not to use. Group B cap, minimum 500 EDGE Miles, up to 3 business days. |
| Axis EDGE Reward PointsAxis Bank | 5:4 – 10:1 (per card) | Reserve and Magnus convert 5:1 (about 8 paise a point) and Select, Privilege and Rewards 10:1 (about 4 paise) — both below the ₹0.20 EDGE catalogue rate. Only the Burgundy Private’s 5:4 (about 34 paise) clears it. Minimum 300 points, Group B cap. |
Expiry and pooling
The two rules that decide whether you still hold the points when you come to spend them. Both are quoted from IndiGo BluChip Program Terms and Conditions, Clause 11 (Validity of IndiGo BluChips) and the Nominees and accrual clauses, read on 2026-09-05.
Expiry
IndiGo BluChips expire after 2 years of inactivity, and qualifying activity restarts the clock.
“At the end of every calendar month, each Membership Account will be reviewed, and subject to this Clause 11, as long as the Membership Account reflects at least one Accrual Activity (where IndiGo BluChips are credited after completion of such an Accrual Activity), or an Award/Redemption Activity undertaken by the Member (not including cancelled Award/Redemption Activity), in the preceding 24-month period from the last IndiGo BluChips Validity Review Date, the IndiGo BluChips accrued in the Membership Account will continue to remain valid and available for redemption.”
What does not count
“Cancelled Accrual Activity or Award/Redemption Activity or accrual of IndiGo BluChips on account of a goodwill credit into the IndiGo BluChip Account do not qualify as eligible at the time of review.”
Extending
“IndiGo BluChips are valid for 24 calendar months from the date of the last Accrual Activity.”
“Once they have expired, they cannot be reinstated.”
Sharing and pooling
IndiGo BluChips cannot be moved to another member's account.
“IndiGo BluChips cannot be transferred between IndiGo BluChip Membership Accounts.”
“A Member who has added another Member as a Nominee does not get access to that Member’s IndiGo BluChips balance or the Tier Benefits.”
What you can do instead
“A Member can only redeem IndiGo BluChips or utilize the Tier Benefits (6E Prime and discounts on select 6E Add-ons) with respect to themself and their Nominees, and not for any other passenger.”
Source: IndiGo BluChip Program Terms and Conditions, Clause 11 (Validity of IndiGo BluChips) and the Nominees and accrual clauses, read 2026-09-05. Programmes change these terms without notice — check yours before relying on a date.
Earns IndiGo BluChips directly
Co-brand cards that earn IndiGo BluChip points on spend — no transfer needed.
₹799/yr
annual fee · ≈ ₹943 incl. GST
● BEST FOR: 0.84% reward points on Dining
Annual fee
Joining fee
Top reward
Welcome bonus
Forex markup
The IndiGo Axis Bank Credit Card is the entry rung of the IndiGo × Axis co-brand launched on the IndiGo BluChip loyalty programme. It earns 3 IndiGo BluChips per ₹100 on IndiGo bookings (flights, 6E add-ons, the app), 2 per ₹100 on grocery and dining, and 1 per ₹100 on everything else. The joining and annual fee is ₹799, more than covered by a 1,200-BluChip welcome voucher and a matching 1,200-BluChip renewal voucher each year — though each voucher lapses six months after it is issued. Two spend milestones — ₹1.5 lakh and ₹3 lakh a year — each add another 1,200 BluChips, and the card carries one complimentary domestic lounge visit per quarter, unlocked by spending ₹50,000 in the previous three months. The catch is the currency itself: neither Axis nor IndiGo publishes a fixed redemption rate, and BluChips buy nothing but IndiGo fares, at a price that moves with the fare. We value a BluChip at 42 paise — the figure our transfer data carries for the currency — so 3 per ₹100 reads as roughly 1.3% back in flight value, and what any single booking returns can land either side of that.
Why it stands out Entry IndiGo co-brand earning IndiGo BluChips (3/₹100 on IndiGo, 2/₹100 grocery & dining, 1/₹100 else) with a ₹799 fee offset by a 1,200-BluChip renewal voucher, spend milestones and one quarterly lounge visit — best for regular IndiGo flyers who redeem straight back into IndiGo fares
Best suited for This card suits someone who flies IndiGo several times a year, books directly on the IndiGo app or website, and is happy redeeming BluChips straight back into IndiGo tickets. If IndiGo is your default airline and you want the co-brand's welcome voucher, milestone BluChips and a quarterly lounge visit for a modest ₹799, it does its job. It is not a card for someone chasing flexible, transferable travel value.
₹5,000/yr
annual fee · ≈ ₹5,900 incl. GST
● BEST FOR: 1.26% reward points on Groceries
Annual fee
Joining fee
Top reward
Welcome bonus
Forex markup
Min income
The IndiGo Axis Bank Premium Credit Card is the top tier of the IndiGo × Axis co-brand on the IndiGo BluChip programme. It earns 7 IndiGo BluChips per ₹100 on IndiGo bookings, 3 per ₹100 on grocery and hotels, and 2 per ₹100 on all other eligible spends. The ₹5,000 joining and annual fee comes with a 5,000-BluChip welcome voucher and a 6E Eats voucher, repeated each year as a renewal benefit. Four spend milestones — ₹2 lakh, ₹5 lakh, ₹8 lakh and ₹12 lakh — each add a 5,000-BluChip voucher, so a big spender can pull 20,000 milestone BluChips in a year — though every voucher lapses six months after it is issued. Lounge access is generous for the fee: two complimentary domestic visits per quarter (unlocked by ₹50,000 spend in the prior three months) plus a Priority Pass with two international visits a year, and a BookMyShow buy-one-get-one movie offer up to ₹250 a month. As with the entry card, the currency is the caveat — neither Axis nor IndiGo publishes a redemption rate, and BluChips buy nothing but IndiGo fares at a price that moves with the fare. We value a BluChip at 42 paise, in line with every other IndiGo co-brand we cover, so 7 per ₹100 reads as roughly 2.9% back in flight value on IndiGo spend.
Why it stands out Premium IndiGo co-brand earning 7 IndiGo BluChips per ₹100 on IndiGo spends (3/₹100 grocery & hotels, 2/₹100 else), with a 5,000-BluChip welcome and renewal voucher, four spend milestones, eight quarterly domestic lounge visits plus Priority Pass — strongest for heavy IndiGo flyers who spend ₹8L+ a year
Best suited for This is the card for a frequent IndiGo flyer who spends heavily — ₹8 lakh or more a year — and will actually hit the milestone thresholds and redeem BluChips into IndiGo tickets. The eight annual domestic lounge visits, Priority Pass and a 5,000-BluChip renewal voucher justify the ₹5,000 fee for someone whose travel and everyday spend both flow through this card. It is over-specified for a light flyer.
₹1,499/yr
annual fee · ≈ ₹1,769 incl. GST
● BEST FOR: 0.84% airline miles on Travel
Annual fee
Joining fee
Top reward
Welcome bonus
Forex markup
The IndiGo SBI Card is the low-fee doorway into IndiGo's BluChips rewards, with a ₹1,499 joining and renewal fee. It earns 3 IndiGo BluChips per ₹100 on IndiGo app and web bookings (about 1.3% back — we value a BluChip at 42 paisa, not the ₹1 that belonged to the retired 6E Rewards currency), 2 per ₹100 on hotel and travel spends and 1 per ₹100 elsewhere, with utility, government, rent, fuel and insurance excluded. 2,500 BluChips land every year the renewal fee is realised — a recurring benefit worth about ₹1,050 at our valuation, roughly 70% of the ₹1,499 fee (60% of the ₹1,769 all-in), not a one-off welcome — and up to 7,500 milestone BluChips reward steady spend. It includes 4 domestic lounge visits a year (unlocked on ₹50,000 prior-quarter spend) and a 1% fuel surcharge waiver, but no international lounges or travel insurance at this tier.
Why it stands out A low-fee ₹1,499 entry into IndiGo BluChips with 3 per ₹100 on IndiGo bookings
Best suited for For the occasional IndiGo flyer who wants to earn BluChips without committing to the ELITE's ₹4,999 fee, and who doesn't need international lounge access.
₹4,999/yr
annual fee · ≈ ₹5,899 incl. GST
● BEST FOR: 1.26% airline miles on Travel
Annual fee
Joining fee
Top reward
Welcome bonus
Forex markup
The IndiGo SBI Card ELITE is SBI's premium co-brand for India's largest airline, carrying a ₹4,999 joining and renewal fee. It earns 7 IndiGo BluChips per ₹100 on IndiGo app and web bookings (about 2.9% back — we value a BluChip at 42 paisa, matching our transfer graph, not the ₹1 that belonged to the retired 6E Rewards currency), 3 per ₹100 on hotel and travel spends and 2 per ₹100 elsewhere, though utility, government, rent, fuel and insurance earn nothing. 5,000 BluChips plus a 6E Eats voucher land every year the renewal fee is realised — a recurring benefit, not a one-off welcome — alongside up to 24,000 milestone BluChips a year and 4 6E Prime Passes. It layers on 8 domestic and 6 international lounge visits a year, travel insurance with 4 free flight cancellations, and a 1% fuel surcharge waiver.
Why it stands out 7 IndiGo BluChips per ₹100 on IndiGo bookings plus domestic and international lounges
Best suited for For the frequent IndiGo flyer who books on the card and will use both the lounges and the milestone BluChips; the base rate is ordinary for anyone who flies IndiGo only occasionally.
₹1,500/yr
annual fee · ≈ ₹1,770 incl. GST
● BEST FOR: 0.84% reward points on Dining
Annual fee
Joining fee
Top reward
Welcome bonus
Forex markup
The IndiGo Kotak Credit Card is the base tier of Kotak's IndiGo co-brand, sitting below the ₹3,000 IndiGo XL. It earns up to 19 IndiGo BluChips per ₹100 on IndiGo flight bookings, an unlimited 2 per ₹100 on dining and entertainment, and 1 per ₹100 on everything else — with 1 BluChip worth roughly 42 paise against an IndiGo fare — IndiGo publishes no fixed rate. Read the headline carefully, though. As on the XL, most of that 19 is not the card: only a few BluChips per ₹100 come from the card itself, while the rest accrue to any BluChip member booking through IndiGo's own channels, plus a top-tier status bonus. The ₹1,500 fee buys a 2,500-BluChip welcome voucher and a matching 2,500 on each renewal, and milestone vouchers of 2,500 BluChips each at ₹1.25 lakh, ₹2.5 lakh and ₹6 lakh of annual spend — up to 7,500 a year. What it does not buy is lounge access: Kotak publishes none on this card, which is the clearest line between it and the XL. There is also no spend-based fee waiver, so the vouchers are the only thing that offsets the fee.
Why it stands out The entry rung of the Kotak x IndiGo co-brand — up to 19 BluChips per ₹100 on IndiGo bookings and 2,500-BluChip welcome and renewal vouchers, at half the XL's fee but with no lounge access
Best suited for The occasional-to-regular IndiGo flyer who books on the IndiGo app or website and wants the co-brand earn without paying ₹3,000 for lounge access they would not use. If you do want the lounges, or will clear the higher milestone tiers, the IndiGo XL is the better buy.
₹3,000/yr
annual fee · ≈ ₹3,540 incl. GST
● BEST FOR: 1.26% reward points on Dining
Annual fee
Joining fee
Top reward
Welcome bonus
Forex markup
IndiGo XL is the premium tier of the Kotak x IndiGo co-brand — a step above the base IndiGo Kotak card. After IndiGo moved its reward currency to BluChips (we value a BluChip at about 42 paise against IndiGo fares), Kotak headlines "up to 21 BluChips per ₹100" on IndiGo app/website bookings. IndiGo publishes the split, and it is the thing to read: 5 come from the card, 12 from booking through IndiGo's own channels and 4 from Blu 1 tier status. Only the 5 is the card — the other 16 accrue to any BluChip member booking direct with any card at all, and Blu 1 is the top of three tiers, so a new member on Blu 3 sees 17. Off IndiGo it is ordinary: 3 BluChips per ₹100 on dining and entertainment, 2 per ₹100 on everything else. The ₹3,000 fee buys 8 domestic lounge visits a year (2 a quarter), a 4,000-BluChip welcome voucher with a 6E Eats voucher, a matching 4,000-BluChip renewal voucher, and milestone vouchers worth up to 16,000 BluChips across ₹1.5L / ₹4L / ₹7.5L / ₹12L of annual spend. The value is concentrated in IndiGo flying; a light IndiGo flyer will not fill the fee.
Why it stands out The premium IndiGo co-brand — 5 BluChips per ₹100 from the card on IndiGo bookings inside Kotak's "up to 21" headline, 8 domestic lounges and up to 16,000 milestone BluChips, for the flyer who books IndiGo often enough to fill a ₹3,000 fee
Best suited for The frequent IndiGo flyer who books direct on the IndiGo app/website, will actually use the 8 domestic lounge visits and the welcome/renewal vouchers, and spends enough to reach the milestone tiers. If you fly IndiGo only occasionally, the base IndiGo Kotak card (lower fee) or a flat-cashback card serves you better.
₹4,999/yr
annual fee · ≈ ₹5,899 incl. GST
● BEST FOR: 1.26% airline miles on all spends
Annual fee
Joining fee
Base reward
Welcome bonus
Forex markup
The IndiGo IDFC FIRST Credit Card is a dual-network co-brand (issued as both a Mastercard and a RuPay card on one account) built for people who fly IndiGo. It earns in IndiGo BluChips — the airline's own currency, which we value at about 42 paise toward IndiGo fares. IndiGo publishes no fixed rate: BluChips cover base fare only, taxes and fees are always cash, and the familiar "1 BluChip = ₹1" belonged to 6E Rewards, the retired HDFC co-brand currency, not to this one. You get 6 BluChips per ₹100 on IndiGo spends (plus up to 16 more from IndiGo's loyalty tiers), 3 BluChips per ₹100 on all other eligible spends, and 0.5 BluChips per ₹100 on fuel, insurance, utilities, rent, wallet loads and UPI; cash and EMI earn nothing. Joining and annual fees are each ₹4,999, and paying either returns 5,000 BluChips plus an IndiGo meal voucher; a first-year activation spend of ₹1 lakh in 90 days adds a 3,000-BluChip voucher, and there are joining extras (a 3-month EazyDiner Prime membership and a ₹3,000 Postcard Hotels voucher). Annual milestones at ₹2/5/8/10/12 lakh each award 5,000 BluChips — up to 25,000 a year. Add no forex markup (IDFC removed it on all its cards in September 2026, KFS dated 15 Sep 2026; it was 1.49%), Mastercard World golf (12 green-fee rounds, 12 lessons and 4 guest rounds a year) and trip-cancellation cover up to ₹25,000 a year, and it is a genuinely rewarding card for a committed IndiGo flyer. An FD-backed secured variant (nil joining, ₹4,999 annual, no joining benefits) exists for those who cannot qualify unsecured — IDFC's page leads with a ₹50,000 minimum deposit, though it also mentions ₹1 lakh in places.
Why it stands out IndiGo's co-brand — 6 IndiGo BluChips per ₹100 on IndiGo bookings, 3 per ₹100 everywhere else, no forex markup, and up to 25,000 BluChips a year in milestones
Best suited for For frequent IndiGo flyers who will use BluChips on IndiGo fares and can hit the annual milestones — the 6X on IndiGo spends, the 3X base and no forex markup make it a strong single card for that traveller.
Cards that transfer to IndiGo BluChip
Each card below can feed IndiGo BluChips via a points transfer. Tap any card for its full review — fees, reward rates and eligibility. These are the cards we cover in depth; other cards that earn a currency in the table above can reach IndiGo BluChip the same way.
₹50,000/yr
annual fee · ≈ ₹59,000 incl. GST
● BEST FOR: 6% reward points on International
Annual fee
Joining fee
Top reward
Welcome bonus
Fee waiver
Forex markup
The Axis Reserve is Axis Bank's ₹50,000 super-premium flagship — and contrary to any "ordinary ~1%" framing, it carries the richest base earn in its class: 15 EDGE Reward Points per ₹200 on domestic spends and 30 per ₹200 internationally. Those are worth about 3% and 6% at the ₹0.40 we price a transferred EDGE point at, or half that — ≈1.5% and ≈3% — if you redeem on the EDGE catalogue at ₹0.20. It pairs a low 1.5% forex markup with unlimited domestic and international lounge access (primary and add-on, plus 12 guest visits a year), three hotel memberships and a 24x7 concierge. The ₹50,000 fee technically waives at ₹35 lakh of annual spend — effectively unwaivable for most. The 2023–24 revisions cut the airline-transfer value, not the earn rate, so it remains a strong everyday super-premium earner.
Why it stands out Richest base earn among super-premium cards — 15 EDGE Reward Points per ₹200 domestic, 30 per ₹200 international (≈3% and ≈6% at the ₹0.40 transfer value) — with 1.5% forex and unlimited lounges
Best suited for For very high spenders who want a rich everyday earn plus unlimited lounges and low forex, and won't miss the trimmed airline-transfer value.
₹5,000/yr
annual fee · ≈ ₹5,900 incl. GST
● BEST FOR: 4% airline miles on all spends
Annual fee
Joining fee
Base reward
Welcome bonus
Forex markup
Fuel waiver
Min income
The Axis Atlas is India's most popular dedicated travel card. It earns EDGE Miles at 5 per ₹100 on Axis Travel EDGE and on bookings made direct with an airline or hotel — capped at ₹2 lakh of such spend a calendar month — and 2 per ₹100 on everything else, online travel agencies included. The April 2026 devaluation reset the maths, removing Accor and Marriott as transfer partners and adding British Airways, Finnair and Vietnam Airlines at a poorer 2:1. Qatar Airways Privilege Club and Accor were cut in that same April round but had returned to the Axis partner list by August and September 2026 respectively — both in the weak 2:1 band, not the 1:2 the Atlas gets on partners like Air India Maharaja Club. The welcome bonus is 2,500 EDGE Miles (down from 5,000 for cards sourced before April 2024), worth roughly ₹5,000 at 1:2 — about 85% of the ₹5,900 all-in joining fee. Milestones pay 2,500 EDGE Miles at ₹3 lakh of eligible annual spend, a further 2,500 at ₹7.5 lakh and a further 5,000 at ₹15 lakh. The spend tiers are a separate ladder — Silver from day one, Gold at ₹7.5 lakh, Platinum at ₹15 lakh — and the tier sets the anniversary gift credited when the annual fee is paid: none at Silver, 2,500 EDGE Miles at Gold and 5,000 at Platinum.
Why it stands out EDGE Miles travel card (5/₹100 travel, 2/₹100 else) with spend-tier milestones and standout lounge access (no spend-gate, uncapped guest entry) — still strong for high spenders, though lighter after the April 2026 transfer-partner cuts
Best suited for Atlas suits the traveller who books flights and hotels direct — on the airline's or hotel's own website, at the counter, or through Axis Travel EDGE — because that is where the 5 miles per ₹100 lands. Book the same trip through MakeMyTrip, Goibibo or EaseMyTrip and you earn the base 2 per ₹100 instead. If you are ready to transfer miles 1:2 to a partner such as Air India Maharaja Club or Singapore Airlines KrisFlyer, the value doubles. For high spenders it stays a top pick — the no-spend-gate, uncapped-guest lounge access alone can justify the fee against pricier premium cards.
₹12,500/yr
annual fee · ≈ ₹14,750 incl. GST
● BEST FOR: 2.4% reward points on all spends
Annual fee
Joining fee
Base reward
Welcome bonus
Fee waiver
Forex markup
Min income
The Axis Magnus is Axis Bank's premium EDGE Reward Points flagship (₹12,500 fee, renewal waived at ₹25 lakh), historically prized for points that transferred to airline and hotel partners at strong ratios. Three separate rounds did the damage: the transfer ratio was cut from 5:4 to 5:2 in September 2023; the annual transfer cap was split into Group A (100,000 points) and Group B (400,000) in April 2024; and in April 2026 Accor and Marriott were dropped as partners and the remaining milestone benefits discontinued. British Airways, Finnair, Vietnam Airlines Lotusmiles and IndiGo BluChip sit a rung worse still at 5:1 — as do Qatar Airways Privilege Club and Accor, both removed in the April 2026 cull and back in Axis's published table by 5 August and 25 September 2026 respectively, and Cathay Pacific, new to the table in September. Real return now sits around 1.2–2%. The separate "Magnus for Burgundy" is now a ₹30,000 product; Burgundy Private retains better ratios. Since 1 July 2026 Axis also issues the Magnus lifetime-free to customers onboarded on a Burgundy Salary account (at least one net salary credit of ₹2 lakh or more required), though that variant carries no welcome benefit.
Why it stands out Premium EDGE Reward Points card — but round after round of cuts, capped by the April 2026 partner cull, has dropped real return to ~1.2–2%
Best suited for This is your card if you book through Axis's own Travel EDGE portal — 5X there is 60 EDGE Reward Points per ₹200 on up to ₹2 lakh of portal spend a month — and if you clear ₹1.5 lakh a month, which is what unlocks the incremental 35/₹200 tier. MakeMyTrip, Goibibo and IRCTC carry no accelerator and earn the plain 12/₹200. Points transfer to Air India, Singapore Airlines and British Airways.
₹3,000/yr
annual fee · ≈ ₹3,540 incl. GST
● BEST FOR: 2% airline miles on all spends
Annual fee
Joining fee
Base reward
Welcome bonus
Forex markup
Fuel waiver
The Axis Horizon is positioned as the successor to the discontinued Citi PremierMiles — a ₹3,000 travel card with no spend-based fee waiver. It earns 5 EDGE Miles per ₹100 on the Axis Travel EDGE portal and on direct airline bookings — hotels are an Atlas inclusion, not a Horizon one — and 2 per ₹100 on everything else, online travel agencies included. Its real draw is lounge access with no spend conditions: 32 domestic visits a year (8/quarter) plus 8 international (2/quarter) on Axis's own international lounge programme, opened with a USD 1 card transaction rather than through Priority Pass. Welcome is 5,000 EDGE Miles on ₹1,000 spend within 30 days, with a 1,500-mile renewal benefit from the second anniversary onwards. The April 2026 devaluation removed Accor and Marriott as transfer partners and left most of the rest at 1:1 (₹1/mile); British Airways, Finnair, IndiGo BluChip, Vietnam Airlines, Cathay Pacific and two partners cut in April and since restored — Qatar Airways Privilege Club (back by August 2026) and Accor (back by 25 September 2026) — convert at a weaker 2:1. Horizon carries its own transfer ceilings of 1,00,000 EDGE Miles a year to Group A partners and 4,00,000 to Group B, inside a 5,00,000 annual cap.
Why it stands out ₹3,000 travel card with unconditional lounge access (32 domestic + 8 international/year) and 5 EDGE Miles/₹100 on travel — the Citi PremierMiles successor
Best suited for For travellers who want generous, no-spend-gate lounge access and a simple miles earn, and don't mind the lack of a fee waiver.