1%
Strong data Pairwise comparison
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Axis Bank Airtel vs HSBC India Live+ Credit Cards – Fees, Lounge, Forex
Side-by-side comparison of the Axis Bank Airtel and the HSBC India Live+. Verify fees, lounge access, forex markup, and base rewards before you apply.
The short answer
VerdictPick Live+ for spending abroad, lounge access and rewards.
Head-to-head
Three core metrics- Annual fee Airtel saves ₹499/yrAirtel ₹500 Waivable at ₹2,00,000 spendLive+ ₹999 Waivable at ₹2,00,000 spend
- Forex markup Live+ saves ~₹1,510 per ₹1L abroadAirtel 3.5%Live+ 1.99%
- Domestic lounge Live+: +2 lounge visits/yrAirtel RemovedLive+ 2/year
Reward earning explained
Per card1.5% · 10% on eligible dining, food delivery, grocery, and utilities
Strong dataPick based on what matters
4 dimensionsStart with the constraint you care about most: annual fee (Axis Bank Airtel: ₹500 vs HSBC India Live+: ₹999), forex markup (3.5% vs 1.99%), or lounge access (Removed vs 2/year).
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Travel Insufficient data Insufficient data to compare travel
Only HSBC India Live+ has comparable evidence here. Forex markup is 1.99%.
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Forex markup HSBC India Live+ wins HSBC India Live+ is better for forex
HSBC India Live+ is stronger here. Forex markup is 1.99%.
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Lounge access HSBC India Live+ wins HSBC India Live+ is better for lounge access
HSBC India Live+ is stronger here. Domestic lounge access is 2 per year.
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Rewards HSBC India Live+ wins HSBC India Live+ is better for rewards
HSBC India Live+ is stronger here. HSBC India Live+ conservative base value ~1.5% vs Axis Bank Airtel's ~1%.
All fields
Example usage at this monthly spend
At ₹50k/month spend:
- HSBC Live+: ~₹750/month at base rate
- Airtel Axis Bank: ~₹500/month at base rate
Illustrative only, using current base rates before caps.
| Field | Airtel Axis Bank | Live+ HSBC India |
|---|---|---|
| Lounge Access | ||
| Domestic lounge visits Removed vs 2/year | Removed | 2/year |
| International lounge visits Not included vs 1 per year | No international lounge access | 1 per year |
| Forex / International Use | ||
| Forex markup 3.5% vs 1.99% | 3.5% | 1.99% |
| Fees | ||
| Recurring annual fee ₹500 vs ₹999 | ₹500 | ₹999 |
| Annual-fee waiver | ₹2,00,000 | ₹2,00,000 |
| Interest-free period Only available for Airtel Axis Bank | Up to 50 days | Not specified |
| Monthly interest rate | 3.75% / month | 3.75% / month |
| Fuel benefit Only available for Airtel Axis Bank | 1% surcharge waiver · ₹400–₹4,000 transactions · ₹500/month waiver cap · Fuel rewards excluded | Not specified |
| Rewards | ||
| Base cashback Some reward lanes are unsupported — base rate only for comparison. 1% vs 1.5% | 1% | 1.5% |
| Earn ceiling 2× base cashback earned in the same month vs ₹1,200 per month — shared across Dining, Food delivery, Grocery, Shopping & Utilities | 2× base cashback earned in the same month | ₹1,200 per month — shared across Dining, Food delivery, Grocery, Shopping & Utilities |
Notes
- Card benefits change frequently. Always verify current terms on the issuer's official website or app before applying.
Axis Bank Airtel
Verify with issuer , opens external siteHSBC India Live+
Verify with issuer , opens external site