There are different credit cards that are well-suited for travelers; some credit cards are co-branded with a particular airline, while others are not tied to any airline, but they offer many travel benefits. In this article, we compare the BOBCARD Etihad Guest Credit Card, a co-branded credit card, with the Horizon Credit Card, a core travel offering by Axis Bank.
Both credit cards are beneficial for travelers, offering welcome benefits, milestone benefits, and more. The Axis Horizon card comes with a joining fee of ₹3,000 + GST and offers travel benefits such as lounge access and flexible reward redemptions, while the BOBCARD Etihad Guest card comes at a joining fee of ₹2,500 + GST and is for frequent Etihad flyers who want to earn miles faster and unlock airline privileges.
One could argue that the Horizon Credit Card is useful for flight bookings across all airlines, whereas the Etihad Guest BOBCARD is primarily valuable only for Etihad bookings.
Earn Miles as Welcome Benefit
With the Axis Bank Horizon Credit Card, you will get 5,000 EDGE Miles as a welcome benefit on purchases of ₹1,000 or more within the first 30 days of receiving the card, and the best part is that there are no MCC restrictions for these purchases. These 5,000 EDGE Miles can be transferred across a list of popular airlines and hotels at a ratio of 1:1.
With the BOBCARD Etihad Guest Credit Card, you will receive 5,000 Etihad Guest Bonus Miles if you spend ₹25,000 within the first 60 days, and if you make one transaction with Etihad, then you will be directly upgraded to the Etihad Silver Tier.
If you apply for the credit card now, you can also enjoy the ongoing LIMITED TIME offer. Through this offer, new BOBCARD Etihad Guest Credit Card holders can earn 2,500 bonus miles by spending a cumulative of ₹50,000 or more within the first 60 days of receiving the card and paying the joining fee. Bringing the total welcome miles to 7,500.
When it comes to welcome benefits, both cards offer good value. With the Axis Horizon Credit Card, you receive 5,000 EDGE Miles for a joining fee of ₹3,000, subject to a relatively easy spending requirement. On the other hand, the Etihad Guest BOBCARD offers 7,500 Etihad Guest Miles, but only after spending ₹50,000 within 60 days of card issuance. Therefore, if you’re unlikely to meet the ₹50,000 spending requirement, the Axis Horizon Credit Card is the more practical choice.
Reward Earning
| Feature | Axis Horizon | BOBCARD Etihad |
| Airline Spend | 5 EDGE Miles on Axis Travel Edge and Airline Spends | 3 Miles/₹100 on Etihad Airways |
| Other Domestic Spends | 2 EDGE Reward Points on all Other Eligible Spends | 1 Mile/₹100 on All Other Domestic and Cross-Border Spends |
In terms of miles earning, the Axis Horizon Credit Card is the clear winner. Surprisingly, you can earn more miles on Etihad Airways bookings with the Axis Horizon Credit Card than with the BOBCARD Etihad Guest Credit Card itself. The BOBCARD Etihad Guest earns 3 Etihad Guest Miles per ₹100 spent on Etihad Airways, whereas the Axis Horizon earns 5 EDGE Miles per ₹100. Additionally, the Axis Horizon offers far greater flexibility, as EDGE Miles can be transferred to multiple airline and hotel loyalty programs rather than being limited to Etihad Guest alone.
Milestone Benefits
When it comes to milestone benefits, the Axis Bank Horizon Credit Card falls behind as it does not offer any milestone rewards or even a spend-based annual fee waiver.
In contrast, the BOBCARD Etihad Guest Credit Card offers multiple opportunities to earn bonus miles. By completing four transactions of ₹25,000 each in a month, cardholders earn 250 bonus Etihad Guest Miles. Spending ₹2 lakh in a calendar quarter earns an additional 2,000 miles, while annual spends of ₹7.5 lakh unlock 12,000 bonus miles, redeemable once every year. Cardholders can also earn a Travel Goal Bonus of 500 additional miles by flying with Etihad Airways twice in a year.
Overall, the BOBCARD Etihad Guest Credit Card clearly offers stronger long-term value for high spenders through its generous milestone rewards.
Free Airport Lounge Access
Whether you fly internationally or domestically, airport lounges are a luxury everyone wishes to have; most travelers look forward to the lounge access offered by credit cards.
If you get the Axis Horizon Credit Card, then the number of free domestic airport lounge visits you get with the Horizon Credit Card depends on whether you have a Visa or a Mastercard. The access fee is ₹2 for Visa cards and ₹25 for Mastercard cards, which you pay at entry and get refunded later. The Axis Horizon Mastercard allows 6 lounge visits each calendar quarter, while the Axis Horizon Visa Signature allows 8 lounge visits each quarter. You can also access international airport lounges twice each quarter.
The BOBCARD Etihad Guest Credit Card offers 8 complimentary domestic airport lounge visits and 4 complimentary international airport lounge visits every year.
In terms of airport lounge access, the Axis Horizon Credit Card is clearly the better option for frequent travelers. It offers lounge visits every quarter, which means you can use them more often throughout the year, especially with the Visa version that gives up to 8 domestic visits per quarter plus international access.
Low Forex Charge for International Spending
If you travel often, then you must be aware of the forex markup fee. Whenever you use your credit card in a foreign country, you get charged a small percentage unless you have a zero Forex or low Forex card. The Axis Horizon charges a 3.5% fee; on the other hand, the BOBCARD has a relatively low forex fee of 1%, on which cardholders would also earn rewards.
If you frequently travel abroad and use your credit card for most purchases, the BOBCARD Etihad Guest Credit Card is a great choice for you.
If you’re looking for an airline credit card with zero forex markup, the BOBCARD Etihad Guest Premium Credit Card is also a compelling option. Its zero forex markup makes it well-suited for international travel, especially for cardholders who frequently spend overseas while also looking to earn airline miles.
Which is the Better Choice?
Both the Axis Horizon Credit Card and the BOBCARD Etihad Guest Credit Card are good, affordable choices for people who want to save on airline spending, but they suit different types of travelers. If you usually fly with different airlines and want flexible EDGE Miles, then the Axis Horizon Card is the better option. It lets you earn EDGE Miles, which you can later transfer to multiple airline and hotel partners.
On the other hand, if you mostly travel to the UAE, specifically Abu Dhabi, and prefer flying with Etihad Airways, the BOBCARD Etihad Guest Credit Card may suit you better. This co-branded card lets you earn Etihad Guest Miles directly, and you can also take advantage of the Etihad Silver benefits.
Both cards offer useful travel benefits, but when it comes to the overall value, the Axis Horizon is much more beneficial, and it lets the user transfer their air miles to different hotels and airlines. Even beyond the first year, this card is worth having, and there is a bonus of 1,500 EDGE Miles as well every year on renewal.