Axis Bank Reserve Credit Card Review: Unlimited Lounges, ₹50,000 a Year
The Axis Bank Reserve Credit Card costs ₹50,000 plus GST a year, waived only on ₹35 lakh of spends in the preceding card year, and earns 15 EDGE REWARD Points per ₹200, doubled on international spends. Its strongest parts are unlimited domestic and Priority Pass lounge visits for you and add-on holders, a 1.5% forex markup and no cash withdrawal fee. Axis does not publish what a Reserve point is worth, so its value depends on how you redeem.
Key facts
- Joining fee
- ₹50,000 + GST
- Annual fee
- ₹50,000 + GST. Annual fee of INR 50,000 + taxes waived on eligible spends of INR 35 lakh in the preceding card anniversary year (rent, wallet, gift card, utilities and telecom, government, cash, insurance, gold/jewellery, fuel, tolls, reversals, fees and EMI excluded).
- Base reward
- 15 EDGE REWARD Points per INR 200 spent
- Best category
- International spends: 2X: 30 EDGE REWARD Points per INR 200
- Lounge
- Domestic: Unlimited complimentary domestic lounge visits for primary and add-on cardholders, plus 12 guest visits a year International: Unlimited complimentary international lounge visits with Priority Pass for primary and add-on cardholders, plus 12 guest visits a year
- Forex markup
- 1.5% of the amount
- Network
- Visa
Opens the bank's own page for this card. Approval and the credit limit are the bank's decision.
In short
A super-premium card that makes sense mainly for very high spenders who travel abroad with family and can clear ₹35 lakh a year, because Axis does not publish a rupee value for its points.
Best for
- Frequent international travellers who want unlimited lounges and 1.5% forex
- Families who fly together, since add-on holders get unlimited lounge visits too
- People spending ₹35 lakh or more a year on eligible categories
Skip it if
- You cannot clear ₹35 lakh a year and do not want to pay ₹59,000 including GST
- You need a fixed, published value per point
- Most of your spending is rent, utilities, insurance, fuel or gold
Highlights
- ₹50,000 plus GST, waived on ₹35 lakh of eligible yearly spends
- 15 points per ₹200, 30 per ₹200 on international spends
- Unlimited domestic and Priority Pass lounges, plus 12 guest visits a year
- 1.5% forex markup and 3.0% monthly interest
- No cash withdrawal fee
What the Axis Reserve card is
Reserve sit at the top of Axis Bank's public card listing, with the highest fee on it. It runs on Visa, is open for applications, and is built for people who travel abroad and spend in lakhs each month. For ₹50,000 plus GST a year you get 15 EDGE REWARD Points per ₹200, twice that on international spends up to your credit limit each month, unlimited lounges at home and abroad, a 1.5% forex markup and a set of hotel and dining memberships.
What Axis don't give is a value for a Reserve point. Its rewards page talks only of "dynamic conversion ratios" for airline and hotel transfers, so we quote no rupee figure, and the worked examples on this page are in points.
What the fee buys
- Unlimited domestic lounges and unlimited Priority Pass lounges abroad for primary and add-on cardholders, plus 12 guest visits a year on each, with no spend condition.
- Club ITC Culinaire, Accor Plus, Club Marriott Asia Pacific and EazyDiner Prime memberships, free BookMyShow tickets, 15% savings at Postcard Hotel, airport concierge and 50 golf rounds per financial year.
- Interest of 3.0% a month and no cash withdrawal fee, though interest on cash runs from day one.
Changes from 2024 to 2026
The biggest cut came on 20 April 2024: the yearly 50,000-point benefit were discontinued, insurance, fuel, gold and wallet spends stopped earning, partner transfers got yearly caps and the airport transfer service ended. On 20 June 2025 the 2X international earn was limited to spends up to your credit limit each month and rent earn was capped at ₹1,00,000 a month. Oberoi offers ended on 1 October 2025. From 28 August 2026 Priority Pass no longer work in Indian domestic lounges, so you show the Reserve card there, and from 15 November 2026 memberships renew only with your explicit consent.
Reserve fees and charges
Joining and annual fee are ₹50,000 each, and Axis's charges are exclusive of GST. At 18% the GST is ₹9,000, so a year cost ₹59,000. Add-on cards are free.
The ₹35 lakh waiver
The annual fee is waived on ₹35 lakh of eligible spends in the preceding card anniversary year. ₹35,00,000 divided by 12 is about ₹2,91,667 a month, and rent, wallet, gift cards, utilities and telecom, government, cash, insurance, gold and jewellery, fuel, tolls, reversals, fees and EMI don't count. This is not a "spend a little more and it's free" card; either your eligible spend is already at that level, or you pay ₹59,000 for the benefits.
Interest and penalties
Reserve's interest is lower than Axis's usual rate: 3.0% a month, or 42.58% a year, under the MITC. Cash withdrawals carry no fee, which is rare, but interest at 3.0% a month start from the withdrawal date. Late fees follows the common Axis slabs, topping out at ₹1,300 when more than ₹50,000 is due, and going over the limit costs 2.5% of the excess, minimum ₹500.
- Forex: 1.5% on foreign currency spends, against 3.5% on most Axis retail cards, and 1.5% on rupee payments to merchants abroad.
- The common 1% fees still apply: every rent payment, education through third-party apps, and cycles where utilities cross ₹25,000, wallet loads or skill-based gaming ₹10,000, or fuel ₹50,000.
- Fuel surcharge waiver: 1% on fills of ₹400 to ₹4,000, capped at ₹400 a month.
- ₹99 per catalogue redemption and ₹199 per partner transfer, the amounts on Axis's other card pages, and ₹175 for paying cash at a branch.
On ₹1,50,000 of foreign spends, 1.5% is ₹2,250 while 3.5% would be ₹5,250, so the lower markup saves ₹3,000 before GST on that amount.
Reserve: fees and charges
| Joining fee | ₹50,000 + GST |
|---|---|
| Annual or renewal fee | ₹50,000 + GST |
| Annual fee waiver | Annual fee of INR 50,000 + taxes waived on eligible spends of INR 35 lakh in the preceding card anniversary year (rent, wallet, gift card, utilities and telecom, government, cash, insurance, gold/jewellery, fuel, tolls, reversals, fees and EMI excluded). |
| Add-on card fee | Nil |
| GST | Charged on top of the fees and charges listed |
| In the bank’s words | Joining fee INR 50,000 and annual fee INR 50,000 + GST; waived on INR 35 lakh annual eligible spends; add-on free (MITC). |
| Interest on unpaid balances | Up to 3% a month (42.58% a year) |
| Late payment fee | Nil if total payment due is up to INR 500; INR 500 for INR 501 to 5,000; INR 750 for INR 5,001 to 10,000; INR 1,200 for INR 10,001 to 50,000; INR 1,300 if greater than INR 50,000; additional INR 100 if Minimum Amount Due is missed for two consecutive cycles, every cycle until MAD is cleared (MITC; INR 1,300 slab effective 28 Aug 2026) |
| Cash withdrawal | No cash withdrawal fee; interest at 3.0% per month (42.58% a year) from the date of withdrawal |
| Over-limit fee | 2.5% of the over-limit amount, minimum INR 500 |
| Forex markup | 1.5% of the amount |
| Other fees |
|
How Reserve points work
Domestic eligible spends get 15 EDGE REWARD Points per ₹200. International spends get 2X, 30 points per ₹200, on spends up to your assigned credit limit in a calendar month, and 15 after that. Utilities and telecom, wallets, gift cards, government, insurance, gold and jewellery, fuel, tolls, cash and repayments earn nothing, and EMI conversions takes the points back. Rent sits on that list with a ₹1,00,000-a-month cap for points earn, so read the terms before counting on rent points.
Welcome: 15,000 points if the first transaction is within 30 days of card creation, not for first-year-free or lifetime-free cards. There is no milestone or renewal bonus anymore now. Points expire 3 years from allotment, or after 365 days with no account activity.
What a point is worth
Axis does not state the value of a Reserve point. Partner transfers follow "dynamic conversion ratios", with a yearly limit of 1 lakh points to Group A partners and 4 lakh points to Group B, so at most 5 lakh points a year (1 lakh plus 4 lakh) can leave as miles. The EDGE REWARDS catalogue and pay-with-points at partner stores show no per-point value for this card either. So the cases below work out the value per point the card need to cover its ₹59,000 cost.
Light for this card: ₹1,50,000 a month
₹1,00,000 of domestic spends, ₹20,000 abroad and ₹30,000 on utilities, insurance and fuel. Domestic gives 500 lots of ₹200 times 15, so 7,500 points; abroad 100 times 30, so 3,000. That is 10,500 points a month, 1,26,000 a year, plus 15,000 welcome points in year one. Eligible spends of ₹1,20,000 times 12 come to ₹14,40,000, well under ₹35 lakh, so the full ₹59,000 is paid. A point must be worth ₹59,000 divided by 1,26,000, about ₹0.47, just to break even before lounges.
Typical: ₹3,00,000 a month
₹2,00,000 domestic, ₹70,000 abroad within your limit, ₹30,000 excluded. Domestic gives 1,000 times 15, so 15,000 points, and abroad 350 times 30, so 10,500: 25,500 a month, 3,06,000 a year. Eligible spends are ₹2,70,000 times 12, or ₹32,40,000, still ₹2,60,000 short of the waiver. Break-even is ₹59,000 divided by 3,06,000, about ₹0.19 a point. A extra ₹2,60,000 of eligible spend in the year would have removed the fee.
Heavy: ₹5,00,000 a month
₹3,20,000 domestic, ₹1,50,000 abroad within your limit, ₹20,000 of insurance and ₹10,000 of utilities. Domestic gives 1,600 times 15, so 24,000 points, and abroad 750 times 30, so 22,500: 46,500 a month, 5,58,000 a year. Eligible spends of ₹4,70,000 times 12 are ₹56,40,000, so the annual fee is waived from the next year and only the joining fee is paid. Here the transfer limit is coming in picture: 5,58,000 minus 5,00,000 leaves 58,000 points for the catalogue. Forex at 1.5% on ₹1,50,000 a month is ₹2,250, which is ₹3,000 less than a 3.5% card.
| Spender | Points a year | Fee position | Break-even value per point |
|---|---|---|---|
| ₹1,50,000 a month | 1,26,000 | ₹59,000 paid | About ₹0.47 |
| ₹3,00,000 a month | 3,06,000 | ₹59,000 paid | About ₹0.19 |
| ₹5,00,000 a month | 5,58,000 | Annual fee waived from year two | Not needed after year one |
Reserve: higher-reward categories
| Category | Rate | Cap |
|---|---|---|
| International spends | 2X: 30 EDGE REWARD Points per INR 200 | 2X on international spends up to the assigned credit limit per calendar month; 15 points per INR 200 thereafter, calendar month |
Reserve: how rewards work
| Earned as | EDGE REWARD Points |
|---|---|
| Base rate | 15 EDGE REWARD Points per INR 200 spent |
| Minimum spend rules | Points earned per INR 200 spent. |
| No rewards on |
|
| Lower rewards on | None published |
| Value of a point |
|
| Redemption fee | INR 99 per redemption on the EDGE REWARDS portal; INR 199 per transfer to partner programmes (stated on other Axis card pages) |
| Expiry | EDGE REWARD Points expire 3 years from allotment, or after 365 days without account activity; forfeiture 30 days after closure or MAD overdue 90+ days. |
| Welcome benefits |
|
| Milestone benefits | None published |
| Lounge access | Domestic: Unlimited complimentary domestic lounge visits for primary and add-on cardholders, plus 12 guest visits a year International: Unlimited complimentary international lounge visits with Priority Pass for primary and add-on cardholders, plus 12 guest visits a year Condition: Spend criterion waived for Reserve (Axis lounge programme) |
| Fuel surcharge waiver | 1% fuel surcharge waiver on transactions of INR 400 to INR 4,000; capped at INR 400 per month |
| Insurance cover | Purchase protection INR 2 lakh; loss/delay of baggage and personal documents USD 500; credit shield INR 5 lakh |
Eligibility and applying for Reserve
Axis publish no Reserve-specific eligibility: no income figure and no document list on its site. Its general rule for credit cards is a primary cardholder aged 18 to 70, or up to 80 for Burgundy customers. In practice expect the bank offer to people with high, well-documented income and a long clean credit record, though that is our reading and not an Axis rule.
An apply link sits on Axis's card listing, but the Reserve page itself shows no apply button, so to go through a relationship manager or branch may be more easier. Axis's online form takes your mobile number and PAN or date of birth and verifies by OTP. Reserve and Magnus holders have a separate line, 1800 419 0065, and the Reserve concierge desk is 1800 103 4962; other numbers are on our Axis Bank customer care page.
How the bank decides
Under the RBI's 2025 card Directions, Axis has to assess you on your own financial means and set the limit after looking at limits you holds elsewhere. The RBI sets no income floor itself. A strong record helps; Experian calls scores above 750 on its 300 to 900 scale generally good. A rejection must come with specific reasons in writing, and no third party can approve the card on Axis's behalf.
Reserve: eligibility and documents
| Age (salaried) | 18 to 70 years (Axis general criteria; no Reserve-specific criteria published) |
|---|---|
| Age (self-employed) | 18 to 70 years (Axis general criteria) |
| Income (salaried) | Not published by Axis for Reserve |
| Income (self-employed) | Not published by Axis for Reserve |
| Other conditions | None published |
| Documents | Not published by the bank |
| How to apply | Online through the Axis Bank website application form (choose the card, enter mobile number and PAN or date of birth, check eligibility and offers, verify by OTP), through the Axis Mobile app, or at an Axis Bank branch. FD-backed 'Easy' cards are applied for online by booking an FD (Video KYC for non-customers). Some co-brand cards are applied for through the partner's app (Airtel Thanks app for Airtel Axis; Google Pay for Google Pay Flex; Fibe; Scapia). |
| Card customer care | 1800 4030 / 1800 8911 (toll free; Retail Phone Banking) |
These are the bank's published conditions. Meeting them does not guarantee a card: approval and the credit limit are the bank's decision.
Is Reserve worth ₹59,000 a year?
For a small group, yes. If you and your family fly abroad several times a year, the unlimited lounges for every add-on holder, 12 guest visits, 1.5% forex and the memberships does the heavy lifting. And 3.5% cards charges ₹3,000 more on every ₹1,50,000 spent abroad, as the fees tab shows.
For most others, no. The points has no published rupee value, the waiver needs ₹35 lakh of eligible spends, and the 2024 cuts removed the yearly 50,000-point benefit and the airport transfers. Without a waiver each point must be worth about ₹0.19 even at ₹3 lakh a month, before memberships, and there is no Axis figure to check that against.
- Pick it if you travel abroad often with family, can clear ₹35 lakh a year and will use the memberships.
- Skip it if your spends are under ₹3 lakh a month, mostly domestic, or heavy on rent, utilities and insurance.
A simple test: ₹59,000 divided by 12 is about ₹4,917 a month, so ask whether the lounges, forex savings and memberships are worth that much to you every month. See where it stands in our best travel credit cards.
Pros
- Unlimited domestic and Priority Pass lounge visits for primary and add-on cardholders, plus 12 guest visits a year
- 1.5% forex markup, against 3.5% on most Axis cards
- 30 points per ₹200 on international spends up to the credit limit each month
- No cash withdrawal fee and interest of 3.0% a month
- Memberships including Club ITC Culinaire, Accor Plus and Club Marriott, plus 50 golf rounds a year
Cons
- ₹50,000 plus GST a year, waived only on ₹35 lakh of eligible spends
- No published rupee value for a Reserve point
- The yearly 50,000-point benefit and airport transfers were dropped in April 2024
- Long exclusion list including utilities, insurance, fuel, gold and wallets
- No Reserve-specific income rule, document list or apply button on its own page
Reserve against other super-premium cards
Axis Bank Magnus costs ₹12,500 plus GST, waived on ₹25 lakh. It earns 12 points per ₹200 up to ₹1.5 lakh a month and 35 per ₹200 above that, has 5X on Travel EDGE, unlimited Priority Pass visits with 4 guest visits a year, 2% forex and the same 3.0% interest. Its domestic lounges need ₹50,000 of spends in 3 months, and Axis is asking ₹24 lakh of net salary for it.
The HDFC INFINIA Metal card is ₹12,500 plus taxes, waived on ₹10 lakh a year. It earns 5 points per ₹150 and up to 10X through SmartBuy, gives unlimited lounges in India and abroad for primary and add-on members, charges 2% forex and 1.99% a month interest, and adds 12,500 points on joining and on renewal.
The ICICI Emeralde Private Metal card is ₹12,499 plus GST, waived on ₹10 lakh, and invite only. It earns 6 points per ₹200, worth ₹1 each on flights and hotel vouchers, gives unlimited domestic and Priority Pass lounges and 2% forex, and credits 12,500 points on joining and every year.
Which to pick
Reserve wins on forex, 1.5% against 2%, and on guest visits, 12 a year against Magnus's 4. Magnus, INFINIA and Emeralde each cost about a quarter of Reserve's fee (₹12,500 against ₹50,000) and have lower waivers, and Emeralde publishes a point value. Unless the 0.5 point forex gap (2% minus 1.5%) and family lounges matter a lot, one of them gives more for less. See the INFINIA and Magnus comparison, the full Axis Bank range or all credit cards.
Reserve against similar cards
| Term | Axis Bank Reserve Credit Card This card | Axis Bank Magnus Credit Card | INFINIA Metal Edition Credit Card | ICICI Bank Emeralde Private Metal Credit Card |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bank | Axis Bank | Axis Bank | HDFC Bank | ICICI Bank |
| Joining fee | ₹50,000 + GST | ₹12,500 + GST | ₹12,500 + GST | ₹12,499 + GST |
| Annual fee and waiver | ₹50,000 + GST. Annual fee of INR 50,000 + taxes waived on eligible spends of INR 35 lakh in the preceding card anniversary year (rent, wallet, gift card, utilities and telecom, government, cash, insurance, gold/jewellery, fuel, tolls, reversals, fees and EMI excluded). | ₹12,500 + GST. Annual fee waived on eligible spends of INR 25 lakh in the preceding card anniversary year (rent, wallet, utilities, government, EMI conversions, cash, reversals, fees, insurance, gold/jewellery, fuel and gift cards excluded). Lifetime free (Nil fees) for customers with a Burgundy Salary Account opened on or after 1 July 2026 with net monthly salary of INR 2 lakh or more. | ₹12,500 + GST. Spend ₹10 lakh or more in a year before the renewal date to get the renewal fee waived. | ₹12,499 + GST. Spend over ₹10 lakh and get your annual fee waived for the next year (card page); MITC footnote *** says the fee for the year is reversed on anniversary-year completion |
| Base reward | 15 EDGE REWARD Points per INR 200 spent | 12 EDGE REWARD Points per INR 200 on eligible spends up to INR 1.5 lakh in a... | 5 Reward Points for every ₹150 spent | 6 reward points per ₹200 on eligible retail spend |
| Best category | International spends: 2X: 30 EDGE REWARD Points per INR 200 | Monthly eligible spends above INR 1.5 lakh: 35 EDGE REWARD Points per INR 200 | SmartBuy: Up to 10X Reward Points (limited-period programme governed by SmartBuy T&C) | No higher-reward category published |
| Lounges | Domestic: Unlimited complimentary domestic lounge visits for primary and add-on cardholders, plus 12 guest visits a year International: Unlimited complimentary international lounge visits with Priority Pass for primary and add-on cardholders, plus 12 guest visits a year | Domestic: Unlimited complimentary visits at select domestic airport lounges (card, not Priority Pass, from 28 Aug 2026); 4 guest visits a calendar year International: Unlimited complimentary visits with Priority Pass, plus 4 guest visits per year | Domestic: Unlimited complimentary lounge access in India for primary and add-on cardholders International: Unlimited lounge access outside India through Priority Pass for primary and add-on cardholders | Domestic: Unlimited complimentary domestic lounge access for primary and add-on cardholders International: Unlimited international lounge access via Priority Pass for primary and add-on cardholders (guests USD 29 + GST per visit) |
| Forex markup | 1.5% of the amount | 2% of the amount | 2% of the amount | 2% of the amount |
| Network | Visa | Mastercard | Not stated by the bank | Mastercard |
| Published minimum income | Not published by Axis for Reserve | ₹2,00,000 a month | Not published by the bank | Not published (invite only) |
| Status | Taking applications | Taking applications | Taking applications | Taking applications |
Frequently asked questions
What is the Axis Reserve annual fee, and how do I get it waived?
How much is an Axis Reserve EDGE REWARD Point worth?
Who is eligible for the Axis Bank Reserve Credit Card?
What lounge access and forex rate does Reserve offer?
What changed on Axis Reserve recently?
Is there a fee for cash withdrawals on Axis Reserve?
Related
- Axis Bank Credit Cards 2026: Which Card Still Pays After the Cuts
- Axis Bank Magnus Credit Card Review: Big Points Only Above ₹1.5 Lakh
- HDFC Bank INFINIA Metal Edition Review: 5 Points per ₹150, Invite Only
- ICICI Bank Emeralde Private Metal Credit Card Review: Lounges and 2% Forex
- Best Travel Credit Cards in India 2026: Eight Cards Worked Out in Rupees
Sources
- Axis Bank: Most Important Terms and Conditions (MITC), PDF dated 8 October 2026; Revision of Axis Bank Reserve Credit Card Terms & Conditions (effective 1 September 2023); Revision of Axis Bank RESERVE Credit Card Terms & Conditions (effective 20 April 2024); Key Fact Sheet (schedule of charges), last updated 8 October 2026; Reserve Credit Card: Beyond Expectations Always (rewards, financial and insurance benefits); IndianOil Axis Bank Credit Card page (fees table); Axis Bank Atlas Credit Card page (fees table); Axis Bank support: Validity of EDGE REWARD Points; Reserve Credit Card: Limitless Comfort (lounges); Axis Bank Credit Cards Domestic Airport Lounge Access Program
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.