Axis Airtel Credit Card
The Axis Airtel card was a genuine bargain before April 2026, combining Airtel bill rewards with food delivery cashback in one cheap ₹500/year wrapper. That changed with the April 2026 restructuring: Swiggy, BigBasket, and most dining partners were removed from the 10% tier, leaving only Zomato, Blinkit, and District Movies at that rate, each capped at ₹200/month with a ₹499 minimum order. The 25% on Airtel bills (data, broadband, DTH) is still intact and still the card's main reason to exist.
By Ashutosh · Updated June 2026
Before April 2026, a household spending ₹3,000/month on Airtel bills and ₹4,000/month on food delivery could earn roughly ₹1,500/year in rewards against a ₹500 fee, a clean 200% ROI. Post-devaluation, if that same household now splits delivery spend across Swiggy and Zomato equally, only the Zomato half earns 10% (capped at ₹200), and the Swiggy portion drops to 1% base. Real-world benefit shrinks to around ₹900-1,000/year for the same spend pattern. The lounge access, which was already stingy at 2 visits/year, was discontinued entirely in April 2026. If you are not primarily paying Airtel bills, this card has no compelling story.
Airtel postpaid or broadband subscribers who pay ₹1,000 or more per month in Airtel bills and occasionally order on Zomato or Blinkit.
You do not have an Airtel connection, or your food delivery spend is split across Swiggy and Zomato rather than concentrated on Zomato.
25% on Airtel bills, 10% Zomato/Blinkit, 1% other · ₹500/mo cap on accelerated · Cashback card
PROS
- 10% on Zomato/Blinkit orders ≥₹499
- 25% on Airtel services (recharges, broadband)
- Low annual fee ₹500
CONS
- 10% limited to only 3 partners (was dining/groceries/utilities)
- ₹200/mo cap per 10% partner
- Min order ₹499 for 10% categories
- Lounge access discontinued Apr 12, 2026
- 25% Airtel cashback tied to base spend, not flat ₹250
- Airtel bill payments: The 25% reward on Airtel bills is the strongest feature left on this card post-April 2026. At ₹1,500/month Airtel spend (a typical postpaid + broadband household), that is ₹4,500/year in rewards against a ₹500 fee. No other card in this fee bracket comes close for Airtel bills specifically.
- Zomato orders above ₹499: 10% cashback on Zomato up to ₹200/month means you max out the cap at ₹2,000 Zomato spend. If you order 4-5 times a month on Zomato at around ₹500 each, this cap is reachable and adds ₹2,400/year in Zomato benefits alone.
- Blinkit grocery deliveries: Blinkit is one of the three partners still in the 10% tier, with the same ₹200/month cap and ₹499 minimum. At ₹1,500/month Blinkit spend, you hit the cap quickly. This works best if Blinkit is your primary grocery delivery app, not a secondary one.
- District Movies (BookMyShow-rival): District app bookings earn 10% up to ₹200/month. If you book 2-3 movies a month on District, this cap is easy to hit. Note that BookMyShow spend earns only 1% base on this card, so consolidate movie bookings to District if you hold the Axis Airtel.
BigBasket was removed from the Axis Airtel's 10% tier in April 2026. RBL ShopRite gives 5% on grocery spends including BigBasket with no minimum order restriction, making it a far better grocery card at a comparable fee.
Swiggy was explicitly removed from Axis Airtel's 10% tier in April 2026. HDFC Swiggy BLCK gives 10% on the full Swiggy ecosystem (food, Instamart, Dineout) up to ₹1,500/month. If Swiggy is your primary delivery app, the Swiggy BLCK earns 10x more on that spend.
Axis Airtel no longer rewards restaurant dining above 1% base. HDFC Millennia gives 5% on Zomato and Swiggy orders and 1% on other spends, with broader partner coverage and an uncapped base for everyday dining.
Lounge access was removed from Axis Airtel in April 2026. Axis Horizon at ₹3,000/year provides 16 lounge visits (12 domestic + 4 international) plus 5% on travel bookings, a meaningfully better deal for any traveler.
Axis Airtel covers Airtel bills at 25% and Zomato/Blinkit at 10%. HDFC Swiggy BLCK covers Swiggy food and Instamart at 10%. Together they cover the two dominant food platforms at top rates without overlap. Combined fee is ₹1,999, and a household spending ₹1,500 Airtel + ₹3,000 Swiggy + ₹2,000 Zomato monthly can earn around ₹7,200/year in rewards.
View HDFC Swiggy BLCK Credit Card →Axis Airtel's 1% base rate on non-partner categories is weak. Axis ACE gives 2% base on all spends and 5% on utility bill payments via Google Pay. Use Axis Airtel exclusively for Airtel bills and Zomato/Blinkit, and route everything else through ACE for a stronger blended earn rate.
View Axis ACE →Does the Axis Airtel card still give rewards on Swiggy after April 2026?
No. Swiggy was removed from the 10% accelerated tier in the April 2026 restructuring. Swiggy spends now earn only 1% base reward rate on this card. If Swiggy is your primary delivery app, you should look at the HDFC Swiggy BLCK card instead.
What is the ₹200/month cap on Zomato rewards? How does it work?
The cap means the maximum cashback or reward points you can earn from Zomato in a month equals ₹200 in value, regardless of how much you spend. You hit that cap at ₹2,000 Zomato spend in a month (10% of ₹2,000 = ₹200). Any Zomato spend beyond ₹2,000 in the same month earns only 1% base rate. The ₹200 cap resets each calendar month.
Does the Airtel bill reward apply to Airtel Black plans?
Yes. Airtel Black (the bundled postpaid + broadband + DTH plan) qualifies for the 25% reward rate since all three components are Airtel services. This is one of the stronger use cases for the card. A typical Airtel Black plan at ₹1,499/month generates ₹4,497/year in rewards against a ₹500 annual fee.
Is lounge access really gone? Even with spend milestones?
Yes, lounge access was discontinued from April 2026 and is no longer available on this card even if you meet spend milestones. Axis Bank's official April 2026 communication confirmed this removal. If lounge access is important to you, consider the Axis Horizon (₹3,000/year, 16 visits) or Axis Privilege (₹1,500/year, 8 visits).
Can I get the annual fee waived on the Axis Airtel card?
Axis Bank typically waives the ₹500 annual fee if you spend ₹2 lakh or more in the preceding 12 months. Given that the card is best used only for Airtel bills and specific delivery apps, hitting ₹2 lakh on this card alone is unlikely unless it is your primary card. Most users will pay the ₹500 fee.
Should I keep the card if I am already a cardholder after the April 2026 devaluation?
If you pay Airtel bills of ₹800 or more per month, keep it. The 25% Airtel reward alone generates ₹2,400/year against a ₹500 fee, a 380% ROI even ignoring all other benefits. If your Airtel bill is smaller or you have already switched to Jio or BSNL, the card's remaining benefits do not justify even the minimal ₹500 fee.
Which is better for Zomato: Axis Airtel or HDFC Millennia?
For Zomato specifically: Axis Airtel gives 10% capped at ₹200/month (max out at ₹2,000 spend), while HDFC Millennia gives 5% on Zomato. If your monthly Zomato spend is under ₹2,000, Axis Airtel's 10% wins. Above ₹2,000, HDFC Millennia's uncapped 5% is better since you keep earning at 5% beyond ₹2,000 rather than dropping to 1%.