Shortlist 2–4 cards
Side-by-side comparison of the American Express SmartEarn and the Axis Bank Airtel. Verify fees, lounge access, forex markup, and base rewards before you apply.
| Feature | SmartEarn | Airtel |
|---|---|---|
| Annual fee | ₹495 Waivable at ₹40,000 spend | ₹500 Waivable at ₹2,00,000 spend |
| Forex fee | 3.5% | 3.5% |
| Domestic lounge | Not specified | No lounge access |
Fees: SmartEarn wins
Confidence: High
Forex: Tie
Confidence: High
Lounge: Tie
Confidence: Low (limited information available)
Confidence varies by card — verify issuer terms
Start with the constraint you care about most: annual fee (American Express SmartEarn: ₹495 vs Axis Bank Airtel: ₹500), forex markup (3.5% vs 3.5%), or lounge access (Not specified vs No lounge access).
Explore: American Express SmartEarn card page · Axis Bank Airtel card page · best credit cards in India
If this pair is close, these are the next useful side-by-side checks.
Confidence: Low (limited information available)
Verify with issuer (opens in new tab)Confidence: High
Verify with issuer (opens in new tab)At ₹50k/month spend:
Illustrative only, using current base rates before caps.
| SmartEarn American Express | Airtel Axis Bank | |
|---|---|---|
| Lounge Access | ||
| Domestic lounge visits Only available for Airtel Axis Bank | Not specified | No lounge access |
| Forex / International Use | ||
| Forex markup | 3.5% | 3.5% |
| Fees | ||
| Annual fee ₹495 vs ₹500 | ₹495 | ₹500 |
| Joining fee ₹495 vs ₹500 | ₹495 | ₹500 |
| Fee waiver spend ₹40,000 vs ₹2,00,000 | ₹40,000 | ₹2,00,000 |
| Rewards | ||
| Points per ₹100 2 pts vs 1 pts | 2 pts | 1 pts |
| Point cash value Only available for Airtel Axis Bank | Not specified | ₹1 |