AU Zenith+ Credit Card Review: Points Worth ₹1 and 0% Forex From December
The AU Zenith+ Credit Card costs ₹4,999 plus GST a year, waived from year two if you spend ₹8 lakh in the previous card year, and values its points at ₹1 each. It adds 16 domestic and 16 international lounge visits a year and 1.99% monthly interest, and AU's MITC cuts its forex mark-up from 0.99% to 0% on 1 December 2026.
Key facts
- Joining fee
- ₹4,999 + GST
- Annual fee
- ₹4,999 + GST. For 2nd year onwards fee waiver: Rs. 8 Lakhs net retail spends done in previous card anniversary year
- Base reward
- 1 Reward Point per Rs.100 spent across all merchant categories... (about 1% value)
- Best category
- Travel, dining and international spends: about 2% value
- Lounge
- Domestic: 16 complimentary domestic airport lounge visits a year (4 per quarter) International: 16 complimentary international lounge visits a year (4 per quarter) with Priority Pass
- Forex markup
- 0.99% of the amount
- Network
- Visa, RuPay
Opens the bank's own page for this card. Approval and the credit limit are the bank's decision.
In short
A strong travel card for someone who spends ₹8 lakh a year on it, because the fee goes away, points are worth ₹1 and forex drops to 0% from 1 December 2026.
Best for
- Frequent flyers who will use lounges in India and abroad
- High earners who put ₹75,000 or more of retail spend on one card each month
- People who sometimes carry a balance, at 1.99% a month
Skip it if
- Your net monthly income is below ₹2.5 lakh, AU's published floor
- Most of your spend is fuel, transport, rent or bills
- You rarely fly and would not use the lounge visits
Highlights
- Joining and annual fee ₹4,999 each, plus GST
- Annual fee waived on ₹8 lakh of net retail spends
- 1 point per ₹100, 2 on travel, dining and international; 1 point = ₹1
- 16 domestic and 16 international lounge visits a year
- Forex 0.99% now, 0% from 1 December 2026
AU Zenith+ at a glance
Zenith+ sits at the top of AU Small Finance Bank's retail card range and is aimed at people who fly. It charges ₹4,999 plus GST as joining fee on activation and the same amount as annual fee, and from the second year AU waive the annual fee if your net retail spends in the previous card year reach ₹8 lakh.
The rest is built around travel. You get 16 domestic and 16 international airport lounge visits a year, 4 of each per quarter, and AU's MITC exempts Zenith+, along with corporate cards, from the spend condition other AU cards have for domestic lounges.
What matters most
- Points worth ₹1. The card page values 1 Reward Point at ₹1, so the base 1 point per ₹100 is 1%, and travel, dining and international spends at 2 points per ₹100 is 2%.
- Cheap borrowing. Interest is 1.99% a month (23.88% a year), against 3.75% (45%) on AU's other retail cards, and cash withdrawals carries no fee.
- Forex going to zero. The mark-up on foreign currency spends is 0.99% today, and AU's MITC lists 0% effective 1 December 2026.
Status and recent changes
The card is active and open for applications. Three dated changes sit in AU's MITC version 2.23, dated 2 November 2026. The forex cut is the welcome one. The other two is fair-usage charges on every AU retail card. Since 14 June 2026, transport spends (MCC 4111, 4112 and 4784) attract 1% on the month's whole total when they exceed ₹25,000 or half your credit limit, whichever is the smaller figure. Since 1 July 2026, fuel attracts 1% on the full month's fuel when a single fill is over ₹10,000 or the month's fuel is over ₹25,000.
One caution: the copy of AU's card page behind the benefit list is dated 5 September 2026 and benefits may have changed since, so confirm perks like golf and meet-and-assist in the app before you counts on them.
Zenith+ fees and charges
Joining fee and annual fee are ₹4,999 each, plus GST. With 18% GST each one come to ₹5,898.82 (₹4,999 plus ₹899.82). The joining fee is charged when you activate the card, and add-on cards are lifetime free.
Can a normal spender reach the waiver?
The waiver needs ₹8 lakh of net retail spends in the previous card anniversary year, which is ₹66,667 a month on average (₹8,00,000 divided by 12). AU's documents we read do not define net retail spend for the waiver, so don't count on rent, fuel or bills to get you there. For someone who just clear AU's ₹2.5 lakh monthly income bar, ₹66,667 a month on one card is reachable but not automatic.
Miss it and the renewal costs ₹5,898.82 with tax. In year one, the welcome voucher worth ₹5,000 (or 5,000 Reward Points) on activation covers most of the joining fee.
Interest, late fee and cash
- Interest: 1.99% a month or 23.88% a year, calculated on average daily balance, plus GST. Purchases get up to 50 days interest free.
- Late fee: 15% of the Total Amount Due, at least ₹10 and at most ₹1,300, plus 18% GST, if the minimum isn't paid by due date. Zenith+ bills tend to be big, and 15% of a ₹50,000 bill would be ₹7,500, so expect the ₹1,300 ceiling.
- Cash: no cash withdrawal fee on Zenith+, but interest runs from the day of withdrawal, and you can draw up to 20% of your limit.
- Forex: 0.99% plus GST until 30 November 2026, then 0% from 1 December 2026.
- Over-limit: 2.5% of the over-limit amount, minimum ₹500, only with your explicit consent.
- Reissue of a lost, stolen or damaged card: ₹2,500 plus taxes, which is high and worth to remember.
- Priority Pass at lounges inside India: AU charges US$35 plus taxes a visit, so use the domestic entitlement at Indian airports.
Category fees
The usual AU fair-usage fees apply: domestic rent at 1% (minimum ₹99 a payment), utilities at 1% once a month's total passes ₹50,000, and education through third-party apps at 1% (minimum ₹99), while paying the institution direct cost nothing. A bounced payment costs the higher of ₹500 or 2% of the amount due.
Zenith+: fees and charges
| Joining fee | ₹4,999 + GST |
|---|---|
| Annual or renewal fee | ₹4,999 + GST |
| Annual fee waiver | For 2nd year onwards fee waiver: Rs. 8 Lakhs net retail spends done in previous card anniversary year |
| Add-on card fee | Nil |
| GST | Charged on top of the fees and charges listed |
| In the bank’s words | Zenith+ Credit Card Joining/Annual Membership Fee: Rs. 4,999 + applicable taxes. The joining fee is charged on card activation. Add-on cards lifetime free. |
| Interest on unpaid balances | Up to 1.99% a month (23.88% a year) |
| Late payment fee | 15% of Total Amount Due (minimum Rs.10, maximum Rs.1,300), plus 18% GST |
| Cash withdrawal | Zero cash withdrawal fee on Zenith+; interest from the date of withdrawal; cash limit 20% of card limit |
| Over-limit fee | 2.5% of over-limit amount, minimum Rs.500 (over-limit only with the cardholder's explicit consent) |
| Forex markup | 0.99% of the amount |
| Other fees |
|
Zenith+ rewards, milestones and value
Every ₹100 spent earn 1 Reward Point, and travel, dining and international spends earn 2 points per ₹100. With the card page's ₹1 a point, that's a clean 1% and 2%. Points accrue in multiples of ₹100 of each transaction, so a ₹1,950 dinner earns 38 points (19 full ₹100 blocks at 2 points), not 39.
Caps and exclusions
- No points on cash, EMI, fuel, transportation, BBPS, quasi-cash or fees and charges.
- Utility and telecom, insurance, education and government, and rent earn the base rate, but each are capped at 1,000 points per statement cycle.
- AU's cardmember agreement sets an overall ceiling of 25,000 points per statement cycle. At 2 points per ₹100 you would need ₹12,50,000 of travel and dining in one cycle (25,000 divided by 2, times ₹100), so few people will touch it.
- Points last 2 years from the date earned, and a redemption cost ₹99 plus GST each time, so redeem in bigger lots.
Welcome and milestones
On activation you get a luxury brand voucher worth ₹5,000 or 5,000 Reward Points. Each statement cycle, ₹75,000 of retail spend adds 1,000 bonus points, but utility, insurance, transportation, rent, education and government, fuel, cash and EMI does not count to that ₹75,000. Net retail spends of ₹12 lakh in a card anniversary year bring a complimentary Taj Epicure membership.
The card page also lists up to 16 buy-one-get-one BookMyShow tickets a year (4 a quarter, up to ₹500 off a ticket), up to 8 golf games or lessons a year (2 a calendar quarter) and 4 airport meet-and-assist services a year. AU does not publish a separate point value for each AU Rewardz option, only the flat ₹1.
Three worked examples
Points are valued at ₹1. The fee is ₹5,898.82 with GST unless the waiver is met. Lounges and perks get no rupee value here because AU gives none.
Light for this card: ₹40,000 a month
| Spend | Working | Per year |
|---|---|---|
| Travel and dining ₹8,000 | 2 per ₹100 = 160 points a month | 1,920 points |
| Utilities ₹4,000 | 1 per ₹100 = 40 points, under the 1,000 cap | 480 points |
| Other retail ₹25,000 | 1 per ₹100 = 250 points | 3,000 points |
| Fuel ₹3,000 in fills up to ₹5,000 | 1% surcharge waived = ₹30 a month | ₹360 |
| Milestone | Retail below ₹75,000 | 0 |
| Total value | 1,920 + 480 + 3,000 points at ₹1, plus ₹360 | ₹5,760 |
| Annual fee | ₹40,000 x 12 = ₹4,80,000, below ₹8 lakh | ₹5,898.82 |
| Net | ₹5,760 minus ₹5,898.82 | minus ₹138.82 |
Roughly break-even in cash, so the lounges decide it. If you would use a few of the 16 domestic and 16 international visits, the card earn its fee; if you never fly, it does not.
Typical: ₹85,000 a month
| Spend | Working | Per year |
|---|---|---|
| Travel and dining ₹15,000 | 2 per ₹100 = 300 points a month | 3,600 points |
| Other retail ₹60,000 | 1 per ₹100 = 600 points | 7,200 points |
| Utilities ₹5,000 | 1 per ₹100 = 50 points | 600 points |
| Milestone | ₹15,000 + ₹60,000 = ₹75,000 retail, 1,000 points | 12,000 points |
| Fuel ₹5,000 | 1% surcharge waived = ₹50 a month | ₹600 |
| Total value | 3,600 + 7,200 + 600 + 12,000 = 23,400 points at ₹1, plus ₹600 | ₹24,000 |
| Annual fee from year two | ₹75,000 x 12 = ₹9,00,000 retail, above ₹8 lakh | Waived |
The milestone are worth more than half the points here, 12,000 of 23,400. Fall a little short of ₹75,000 retail in a cycle and you lose 1,000 points that month.
Heavy: ₹1,50,000 a month
| Spend | Working | Per year |
|---|---|---|
| Travel and dining ₹40,000 | 2 per ₹100 = 800 points a month | 9,600 points |
| International ₹20,000 | 2 per ₹100 = 400 points | 4,800 points |
| Utilities and telecom ₹10,000 | 1 per ₹100 = 100 points | 1,200 points |
| Other retail ₹80,000 | 1 per ₹100 = 800 points | 9,600 points |
| Milestone | 1,000 points a month | 12,000 points |
| Total value | 9,600 + 4,800 + 1,200 + 9,600 + 12,000 = 37,200 points at ₹1 | ₹37,200 |
| Forex mark-up | 0.99% of ₹20,000 = ₹198 a month before 1 December 2026 | ₹0 from December |
| Annual fee | ₹1,40,000 retail x 12 = ₹16,80,000, above ₹8 lakh | Waived |
That is ₹37,200 on ₹18,00,000 of yearly spend (₹1,50,000 x 12), or about 2.07%, and the Taj Epicure membership comes too since ₹16,80,000 is above ₹12 lakh.
Zenith+: higher-reward categories
| Category | Rate | Cap |
|---|---|---|
| Travel, dining and international spends | 2 Reward Points per Rs.100, about 2% value | No category cap published; overall statement-cycle cap of 25,000 Reward Points applies per the Cardmember Agreement table, statement cycle |
Zenith+: how rewards work
| Earned as | Reward Points |
|---|---|
| Base rate | 1 Reward Point per Rs.100 spent across all merchant categories (1 Reward Point = Rs.1). About 1% value back |
| Minimum spend rules | Points accrue in multiples of Rs.100 of transaction value |
| No rewards on |
|
| Lower rewards on |
|
| Value of a point |
|
| Redemption fee | Rs.99 + GST per successful redemption |
| Expiry | 2 years from the date of accrual |
| Welcome benefits |
|
| Milestone benefits |
|
| Lounge access | Domestic: 16 complimentary domestic airport lounge visits a year (4 per quarter) International: 16 complimentary international lounge visits a year (4 per quarter) with Priority Pass Condition: MITC: domestic lounge access is spend-based for AU cards except Zenith+ (no spend condition). Priority Pass use at lounges inside India is charged US$35 + taxes. |
| Fuel surcharge waiver | 1% waiver on fuel transactions of Rs.400 to Rs.5,000, up to Rs.1,000 per statement cycle |
| Insurance cover | Air accident cover up to Rs.2 crore; credit shield and card liability up to Rs.15 lakh; purchase protection up to Rs.50,000; travel covers for baggage delay, flight delay, loss of passport and hijack (card page, Sep 2026) |
Zenith+ eligibility and applying
AU's card page asks for a monthly net income of ₹2.5 lakh, which is ₹30 lakh a year (₹2.5 lakh times 12), and the page do not split it by salaried or self-employed. Ages follow AU's general rules: 21 to 60 for salaried applicants and 25 to 65 for the self-employed. You must be a resident Indian, and add-on cardholders must be over 18.
Documents and the application
The listing page asks for valid proof of identity, address and income, and AU does not lists anything more specific for Zenith+. The Zenith+ page's Apply Now button leads to AU's online credit card onboarding, where the status can be tracked too. AU branches and the AU 0101 app handle queries, and the joining fee is charged only once you activate.
What the bank weighs
Under the RBI's 2025 card Directions, AU must make its own credit assessment from your independent financial means and take into account every limit you already hold elsewhere, through your declaration or credit bureau data. The RBI fixes no minimum income; the ₹2.5 lakh is AU's own floor, and clearing it is not same as approval.
A clean credit report helps. Experian India's scale runs 300 to 900, and it calls anything above 750 generally good. If AU turn you down, it must tell you the specific reasons in writing, and before you sign it must hand you the one-page Key Fact Statement listing the rate and charges.
Zenith+: eligibility and documents
| Age (salaried) | 21 to 60 years |
|---|---|
| Age (self-employed) | 25 to 65 years |
| Income (salaried) | Monthly Net Income of Rs.2.5 lakh (not split by employment type) |
| Income (self-employed) | Monthly Net Income of Rs.2.5 lakh (not split by employment type) |
| Other conditions | Resident Indian; add-on cardholder over 18 years. Criteria are indicative; AU decides on approval. |
| Documents |
|
| How to apply | Online through the 'Apply Now' link on each card page (AU credit card onboarding portal, cconboarding.au.bank.in); application status can be tracked online. NOMO needs an AU fixed deposit. Support also at branches and on the AU 0101 app. |
| Card customer care | 1800 1200 1500 |
These are the bank's published conditions. Meeting them does not guarantee a card: approval and the credit limit are the bank's decision.
Who Zenith+ suits, and who should pass
The person who gains most is a frequent flyer who spend ₹75,000 or more in retail every month. That person clears the waiver (₹75,000 times 12 is ₹9 lakh, above ₹8 lakh), collects 12,000 milestone points a year and uses lounges at home and abroad, with no spend condition on the domestic ones.
It is also unusual for someone who sometimes revolves. 1.99% a month on carried balances is far below the 3.75% on most AU cards, and cash withdrawal has no fee. Still, borrowing at 23.88% a year are expensive on any card.
Skip it if your spending is mostly rent, fuel, bills or school fees: fuel and transport earn nothing, the others cap at 1,000 points a cycle, and rent adds a 1% fee. Skip it too if your income is below ₹2.5 lakh a month, because that is the published bar.
The trade-off is the fee against the milestone. Under ₹66,667 a month you pay ₹5,898.82, and your points barely cover it or fall just short, as our light example show. From ₹75,000 a month the fee goes away and the milestone adds 1,000 points every cycle.
Pros
- Points valued at ₹1 each: 1% base and 2% on travel, dining and international
- 16 domestic and 16 international lounge visits a year, with no spend condition on domestic
- Forex mark-up 0.99%, falling to 0% from 1 December 2026
- Interest of 1.99% a month and no cash withdrawal fee
- 1,000 bonus points in every cycle with ₹75,000 of retail spend
- Lifetime-free add-on cards
Cons
- ₹4,999 plus GST fee unless you spend ₹8 lakh in the previous card year
- Needs a net monthly income of ₹2.5 lakh
- No points on fuel, transport, BBPS, EMI or cash; bills and rent capped at 1,000 points a cycle
- Priority Pass visits at lounges inside India cost US$35 plus taxes
- Reissue of a lost or damaged card costs ₹2,500 plus taxes
Zenith+ against other travel cards
Three cards in the ₹3,500 to ₹6,500 fee band that also sell on travel and lounges.
HSBC TravelOne
The HSBC TravelOne has the same ₹4,999 fee and the same ₹8 lakh waiver, and HSBC reverses the fee including GST. It earns 2 points per ₹100 everywhere and 4 on flights, travel aggregators and foreign currency spends (accelerated earn capped at 50,000 points a month), and points move 1:1 to airlines such as Air India Maharaja Club and Flying Blue. HSBC publishes no rupee value, so it suits people who transfer to airlines rather then redeem for vouchers. Lounges are fewer, 6 domestic and 4 international a year, and its forex mark-up is 3.5%.
ICICI Bank Sapphiro
The ICICI Sapphiro charges ₹6,500 to join and ₹3,500 a year, waived above ₹6 lakh. It gives 2 points per ₹100 at home and 4 on international spend, but ICICI does not publish the point value. Domestic lounges need ₹75,000 of spend in the previous quarter (4 a quarter), international visits are only 2 a year, and forex is 3.5%. It asks lower income, ₹75,000 a month for salaried applicants.
SBI Card ELITE
The SBI Card ELITE also costs ₹4,999 but needs ₹10 lakh for the waiver. With 4 points to ₹1, its 2 points per ₹100 is only ₹0.50, though dining, departmental stores and grocery earn 10 points per ₹100 (₹2.50) up to 10,000 points a calendar month. It has 8 domestic and 6 Priority Pass visits a year and a 1.99% forex mark-up.
Which one to choose
Choose Zenith+ for lounge count, ₹1 points, low interest and 0% forex from December, if you can clear ₹8 lakh. Choose TravelOne if you collect airline miles, Sapphiro if your income is under AU's ₹2.5 lakh bar but over ₹75,000 a month, and ELITE if dining and groceries lead your spending. If you want an AU card with no fee at all, the AU LIT is at the other end of the range.
See every AU card on our AU Small Finance Bank page, try the card finder, or go back to all credit card reviews.
Zenith+ against similar cards
| Term | AU Zenith+ Credit Card This card | HSBC TravelOne Credit Card | ICICI Bank Sapphiro Credit Card | SBI Card ELITE |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bank | AU Small Finance Bank (AU Bank) | HSBC India | ICICI Bank | SBI Card |
| Joining fee | ₹4,999 + GST | ₹4,999 + GST | ₹6,500 + GST | ₹4,999 + GST |
| Annual fee and waiver | ₹4,999 + GST. For 2nd year onwards fee waiver: Rs. 8 Lakhs net retail spends done in previous card anniversary year | ₹4,999 + GST. Annual fee, including GST, fully reversed if total eligible spend across primary and add-on cards in the anniversary year exceeds Rs 8,00,000 | ₹3,500 + GST. Spend over ₹6 lakh and get your Annual Fee waived off for the next year | ₹4,999 + GST. Renewal fee waived off on annual spends of Rs. 10 lakh or more in the preceding year |
| Base reward | 1 Reward Point per Rs.100 spent across all merchant categories... (about 1% value) | 2 reward points for every Rs 100 spent, no cap | 2 reward points per ₹100 on domestic spend | 2 Reward Points per Rs (about 0.5% value) |
| Best category | Travel, dining and international spends: about 2% value | Flights, travel aggregators and foreign currency spends: 4 reward points per Rs 100 | International spend: 4 reward points per ₹100 | Dining, departmental stores and grocery: about 2.5% value |
| Lounges | Domestic: 16 complimentary domestic airport lounge visits a year (4 per quarter) International: 16 complimentary international lounge visits a year (4 per quarter) with Priority Pass | Domestic: 6 complimentary domestic lounge visits a year International: 4 complimentary international lounge visits a year (LoungeKey) | Domestic: 4 domestic airport lounge accesses per quarter (primary) on ₹75,000 spend in the preceding quarter (dual Mastercard and Amex holders: 2 per variant) International: 2 complimentary international lounge accesses a year via Priority Pass (primary) | Domestic: 2 complimentary domestic airport lounge visits every quarter (8 a year) International: 6 complimentary Priority Pass lounge visits per calendar year outside India (max 2 per quarter); Priority Pass membership complimentary, valid 2 years |
| Forex markup | 0.99% of the amount | 3.5% of the amount | 3.5% of the amount | 1.99% of the amount |
| Network | Visa, RuPay | Mastercard | Mastercard, American Express, RuPay | Visa, Mastercard, American Express |
| Published minimum income | ₹2,50,000 a month | ₹50,000 a month | ₹75,000 a month | Stable income; SBI Card says the specific minimum varies by card and does not... |
| Status | Taking applications | Taking applications | Taking applications | Taking applications |
Frequently asked questions
What is the AU Zenith+ annual fee and how is it waived?
How much are AU Zenith+ Reward Points worth?
What income do I need for AU Zenith+?
How many lounge visits does AU Zenith+ give?
When does the Zenith+ forex mark-up become 0%?
Is cash withdrawal free on AU Zenith+?
Related
Sources
- AU Small Finance Bank: Most Important Terms and Conditions (MITC) with Schedule of Charges, Version 2.23; AU Zenith+ Credit Card page (Internet Archive copy; live page refused automated fetch with a Cloudflare check); Cardmember Agreement (AU Small Finance Bank Credit Card); Credit Cards listing page (Internet Archive copy, 23 Oct 2026; live page refused automated fetch with a Cloudflare check)
Last verified: 5 November 2026
Written by Pankaj Pandey, reviewed by BankCreds Financial Experts
BankCreds does not sell cards or take applications. Fees and rewards change; the bank's own terms on the day you apply are what count, and approval is the bank's decision.