When it comes to travel credit cards, the IndusInd Avios and Axis Atlas both offer strong value for frequent flyers. Recently, the IndusInd Avios Credit Card underwent a major fee revaluation, bringing its renewal fee closer to that of Axis Atlas, making the comparison between these two cards more relevant. Both now carry a ₹5,000 + GST renewal fee, but even after that, there are some differences between the two.
For instance, Axis Atlas features a tier-based membership system, Silver, Gold, and Platinum, where the benefits depend on your annual spending. IndusInd Avios, on the other hand, offers a straightforward reward system with fixed perks. Keep reading to explore the detailed breakdown of their fees, rewards, lifestyle benefits, and which card will suit you better.
Annual Charges and Welcome Benefits
The IndusInd Avios Credit Card, which initially had a joining fee of ₹40,000 + GST and then a renewal fee of ₹10,000 + GST, has now been updated, and the fee structure has been modified. As per the new changes, the card’s joining fee is ₹10,000 + GST, and the renewal fee has come down to ₹5,000 + GST annually. That is a significant change in itself.
Changes to the fee structure have also affected the card’s welcome benefits. For instance, previously, the card offered complimentary gold tier membership and a bonus of 20,000 Avios for Qatar Airways Privilege Club Members and a bonus of 55,000 Avios for British Airways Executive Club Members. Since the update, the card offers 20,000 Bonus Avios for both Qatar and British Airways.
The card also offers various milestone benefits like–
- Earn a bonus of 18,000 Avios for spending ₹8 lakh or more in a year.
- Receive an additional 18,000 Avios on a second spending of ₹8 lakh within the year.
- Get 5,000 Avios credited after the renewal fee is paid.
The Axis Atlas Credit Card has a consistent joining and renewal fee of ₹5,000 + GST. Upon paying the joining fee, users earn 2,500 EDGE Miles when they complete their first transaction within 30 days. Cardholders receive a bonus of EDGE Miles on their Atlas Credit Card annually once the renewal fee has been paid. The number of Bonus Miles awarded as the annual benefit varies by tier within the card membership. Silver tier members do not receive any bonus points, while Gold tier members earn a bonus of 2,500 EDGE Miles, and Platinum tier members receive a bonus of 5,000 EDGE Miles for paying the renewal fee every year. The card also offers other milestone benefits like–
- Earn a bonus of 2,500 EDGE Miles for spending ₹3 lakh or more in a year.
- Receive an additional 2,500 EDGE Miles on spending of ₹7.5 lakh in the year.
- Get an additional 5,000 EDGE Miles credited after spending ₹15 lakh in a year.
| Particulars | IndusInd Avios Credit Card | Axis Atlas Credit Card |
| Joining Fee | ₹10,000 + GST | ₹5,000 + GST |
| Renewal Fee | ₹5,000 + GST | ₹5,000 + GST |
| Welcome Benefits | 20,000 Bonus Avios for Both Qatar & British Airways. | 2,500 EDGE Miles on Completing the First Transaction Within 30 Days |
| Milestone Spending Benefits |
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Collecting and Redeeming Reward Points
IndusInd Bank Avios Visa Infinite Credit Card offers Avios as reward points that can be used at both British Airways and Qatar Airways.
- Earn 6X Avios for every ₹200 spent for POS transactions at preferred destinations.
- Earn 5X Avios for every ₹200 spent on the Qatar Airways and British Airways website or mobile app.
- Earn 3X Avios for every ₹200 spent on other domestic and international spends.
- Earn 1X Avios for every ₹200 spent on utilities, government, and insurance.
You can redeem your earned Avios for a variety of options with Qatar Airways and British Airways. With Qatar Airways, Avios can be redeemed for award flights and upgrades, purchasing gifts, transferring at Qatar Duty Free, booking flights with partner airlines, or using Cash + Avios for your reservations, among other choices. For British Airways, your Avios can be used for reward flights, class upgrades, booking British Airways Holidays, paying for flights with Cash + Miles, reserving hotel accommodations, car rentals, travel experiences, and additional services.
With the Axis Atlas Credit Card, users can earn EDGE Miles based on the following criteria:
- Earn 5 EDGE Miles for every ₹100 spent on Axis Bank Travel Edge, hotels, and flight bookings. These accelerated EDGE Miles can be earned only on cumulative spends of up to ₹2,00,000 per month.
- Earn 2 EDGE Miles for every ₹100 spent on all other transactions made with the card, including travel expenses, after reaching a cumulative spend of ₹2 lakh per month.
You can redeem the EDGE Miles earned on the Axis Bank Atlas Credit Card in these two ways:
- Booking flight tickets and making hotel reservations through the Axis Bank Travel Edge Portal.
- Transfer Edge Miles from the card to partner airlines’ frequent-flyer programs.
With the Axis Atlas Credit Card, 1 EDGE Mile = 2 Partner Points, except for Marriott International, where 2 EDGE Miles = 1 Marriott Bonvoy Point.
| Particulars | IndusInd Avios Credit Card | Axis Atlas Credit Card |
| Earning Rewards |
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| Redeeming Rewards | Avios Earned Can Be Redeemed Against Different Options on Qatar Airways or British Airways Website | Edge Miles Can Be Transferred to International & Domestic Loyalty Program Partners for Airlines & Hotels |
Lifestyle Perks
Both these credit cards offer various lifestyle perks, such as airport lounge access. Given below is a table of comparison for the lifestyle perks provided by the two cards–
| Particulars | IndusInd Avios Credit Card | Axis Atlas Credit Card |
| Domestic Airport Lounge Access | 2 Complimentary Domestic Lounge Visits Per Quarter, 8 Per Year | 8 Every Year With Silver Tier
12 Every Year With Gold Tier 18 Every Year With Platinum Tier |
| International Airport Lounge Access | 2 Complimentary International Lounge Visits Per Quarter Via Priority Pass, 8 Per Year | 4 Every Year With Silver Tier
6 Every Year With Gold Tier 12 Every Year With Platinum Tier |
| Dining Discounts | N/A | Discount Up to 25% at Partner Restaurants via EazyDiner. |
Bottom Line
The IndusInd Avios and Axis Atlas credit cards are both great for travel. While they are both designed for the same purpose, they differ significantly in their values and offerings.
Initially, IndusInd Avios was priced differently. However, after its recent revaluation, both IndusInd Avios and Axis Atlas now have the same renewal fee of ₹5,000 + GST.
When it comes to rewards, Axis Atlas offers more flexibility. Its EDGE Miles can be transferred to multiple airline and hotel partners at a 1:2 ratio (1 EDGE Mile = 2 Partner Points), except for Marriott International, where 2 EDGE Miles convert to 1 Marriott Bonvoy Point. In contrast, IndusInd Avios limits rewards to Avios points, which can only be redeemed with British Airways and Qatar Airways, a much limiting factor as compared to the versatility of EDGE Miles.
On the lifestyle front, both cards offer airport lounge access, but with a few differences. IndusInd Avios provides 8 complimentary domestic lounge visits annually. Axis Atlas also offers 8 visits for its entry-level Silver Tier, with higher limits for Gold and Platinum members. In addition, Axis Atlas offers a 25% discount at partner restaurants through EazyDiner, while IndusInd Avios includes no other lifestyle perks beyond lounge access.
One area where IndusInd Avios outshines Axis Atlas is the interest rate. IndusInd Avios charges a lower interest rate of 3% per month (36% annually), compared to Axis Atlas, which stands at 3.75% per month (55.55% annually). IndusInd Avios also offers a low forex markup fee of 1.5% at select international destinations, and 3.5% elsewhere, giving it an edge for overseas usage.