Axis Bank’s Reserve has been one of the most sought after super-premium credit cards in India, especially among the high earning frequent traveller segment. The card boasts of an excellent reward rate and multiple travel-focused benefits. For golf enthusiasts, the card offers additional benefits in the form of 50 free rounds every year across select courses (there are few cards like HDFC Infinia that can match this). However, since September 2023, Reserve has undergone two rounds of devaluation, impacting some of its key features. Does Reserve continue to be one of India’s best super-premium cards, and is the Rs. 50,000 annual fee really worth it? Read on.
See how the 2 devaluations have impacted Axis Reserve
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Axis Reserve Credit Card Overall Rating: ★★★
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Rewards Program | ★★★ |
Travel Benefits | ★★★ |
Premium Features | ★★★ |
Golf Benefits | ★★★★★ |
Annual Fee | ★★★ |
Note: This card is not available on Paisabazaar.com. Content on this page is for information purpose only.
Most features on Axis Reserve Credit Card are travel-focused, largely catering to the premium travel needs of high-income individuals. Despite two rounds of devaluation, the card continues to stand strong on the travel grounds with benefits like unlimited lounge access, premium hotel memberships, concierge service, etc. However, there are a couple of factors that would disappoint users:
- The point-to-mile conversion ratio of 5:2 is low, considering the annual fee of Rs. 50,000 and the card’s super-premium status. Cards like HDFC Infinia and HDFC Diners Club Black charge a much lower annual fee but provide a better redemption value of 1:1. One can retain the old redemption ratio of 5:4 by opening and maintaining a burgundy private account (with a minimum TRV of Rs. 5 Crore) and opting for a burgundy private credit card. The high relationship value requirement, however, makes it unviable for most.
- Effective 20th April 2024, miles transfer partners have been divided into Group A and Group B where customer can transfer maximum 1 Lakh Points under Group A and 4 Lakh Points under Group B. This would affect users who are loyal to an airline or hotel group falling under Group A as they would not be able to transfer more than 1 Lakh Points even if they have accumulated a lot of points.
Axis Reserve’s reward rate is also good at 15 points per Rs. 200 along with offering twice the earning on international spends. Some new exclusions have been added to the rewards program such as gold/jewellery, fuel, etc. which affect its reward potential.
Overall, the card still holds good value for high-spenders who also travel often as they can accumulate enough points and redeem them to get travel benefits. Complimentary membership to Club ITC Culinaire, Accorplus and Club Marriott and a low forex mark-up fee of 1.5% further add to its travel benefits. With 50 complimentary rounds of golf in a year, golf lovers have a big reason to take Axis Reserve.
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