Base earn
1% base cashback
AXIS MASTERCARD
Airtel
Should you get this?
Conditional fit
Trade-off
The annual fee (₹500) is waived only after ₹2,00,000 of eligible annual spend.
Annual fee ₹500 per year
Base cashback 1%
Lounge access 0 removed
Forex markup 3.5% high
Compare with HDFC Bank Millennia →
Similar tier comparison
Rewards
Earning rules
Detail · from the summary aboveScopeRateEligibilityLimit
General spend1%——
Annual fee break-even math
When does this card pay for itself ₹50K
Conservative yearly spend needed at base cashback rates.
Reward reality — the earning-rate detail behind the numbers above
Reward reality
Conclusion · what you actually getUnknowns
Reward value unresolved
Reward value unclear
Costs & fees
Spending requirements
Spend gates · caps · milestone thresholdsRequirementAmountPeriodUnlocksRealismStrength
Annual fee waiver₹2,00,000yearAnnual fee waiverreasonablestrong
Watch outs
Before choosing this card- Forex markup is 3.5%, so frequent international spends may be costly.
- Reward point value isn't clearly documented yet, so overall returns may vary.
- Lounge access removed from 12 April 2026
Estimated usage
Example usage at this monthly spend
₹
- At this monthly spend, you'd earn: ~₹500/month back (base earn · uses base/general earn rate)
- ~₹6,000/year back · net +₹5,500 after ₹500 fee
- Fee waiver achievable at this spend
- Forex cost ~₹1,750 per ₹50k international spend
Illustrative only, using current base rates and snapshot data.
Lounge benefit removed — effective 12 April 2026
Domestic lounge access discontinued effective April 12, 2026 per Axis MITC update.
Benefits & charges
Side-by-side factsBenefits
Lounge Access
Complimentary lounge access was removed effective 12 April 2026. Domestic lounge access discontinued effective April 12, 2026 per Axis MITC update.
- Domestic (cardholder)
- Removed
2 sources agree · verify issuer terms before applying
Where to verify
- Issuer site (verified manually) , opens external site
- Operator-verified anchor
- International (cardholder)
- Not included
2 sources agree · verify issuer terms before applying
Where to verify
- Issuer site (verified manually) , opens external site
- Operator-verified anchor
Rewards
- Base cashback
- 1% base cashback
- Reward type
- Cashback
Fees & charges
Fees
- Monthly interest rate
- 3.6% / month
- Annual fee
- ₹500 (verify with issuer)
- Joining fee
- ₹500
- Fee waiver spend
- ₹2,00,000 Near catalog median waiver (₹2,00,000 vs ₹2,00,000).
- Interest-free period
- Up to 50 days · verified 7 Jul 2026
International Use
- Forex markup
- 3.5% (verify with issuer)
3 sources agree · verify issuer terms before applying
Where to verify
- Product tier
- Mid-tier
Travel & perks
Fuel Benefits
At the pump- 1% fuel surcharge waived on transactions ₹400–₹4,000.
- Maximum waiver ₹500 per statement cycle.
Fine print & compare
Compare with similar cards
Similar tier · similar benefitsThe fine print
Caps · exclusions · earning · redemption · last refreshLatest update
- Annual fee: ₹500.
- Forex markup currently listed at 3.5%.
- Lounge access removed from 12 April 2026. Domestic lounge access discontinued effective April 12, 2026 per Axis MITC update..
Common questions
From verified card factsIs this good for lounge access?
Lounge access removed from 12 April 2026
Is this good for international spends?
Forex markup is 3.5%, so frequent international spends may be costly.
Is the annual fee easy to recover?
Fee waiver applies at ₹2,00,000 annual spend. Verify eligible spend exclusions before counting on it.
When do welcome benefits arrive?
A welcome benefit worth ₹250 is listed, but timing may depend on joining fee payment, card activation, first eligible transaction, or issuer processing.
Learn more
Guides matched to this card — not a random syllabus.
- Cashback vs points
When simple cash beats flashy miles - Billing cycle
Statement date vs due date, clearly - How interest works
The real cost of paying the minimum