Going to take my first travel card - Axis Atlas, need some inputs.

[cardio_guycardio_guy is verified member.]

So after a lot of time spent on cashback cards and exploring a lot about travel cards, I finally decided to take the plunge and get into the world of travel card.
I had been avoiding Axis for some reasons all this while, but finally decided to take the Axis Atlas card.

Most importantly these days my bookings have changed, I usually book from direct airlines website or app, and hotels can be booked from traveledge.
So this gives me a chance to try my luck with Axis Atlas.

My travel and hotel stay is mostly domestic. My current cards do not give any good value on flight or hotel booking.
But Indigo flights are the one where I am stuck without any returns. (or may be 1.5% base returns)

I was shortlisting some of the other cards in this league:
- Amex Plat Travel: Amex not issuing cards now and low offline acceptance held me back
- HSBC Travel One: The advantage over Atlas is that OTAs are included but with Traveledge, I decided to go with Axis.
- HDFC Regalia Gold - I will be get this card sometime this year. When I get it, I will relook at my strategy.

Another thing that I considered is validity of edge miles and accor points.
I understand that Edge miles are valid for 3 years, but Accor points validity keeps extending as and when we transfer in points.

Use case of the Edge miles is stay in Accor hotels and nothing else.
In the next 1-2 years, I want to take my family to good places, and stay in good hotels, and I believe this will be a good choice.


I want to know the following things -
1. I don't have an Axis bank account. Will they give this card for people who doesnt have an account?
2. How is traveledge portal for booking hotels? (not accor or mariott kind of, but local ones)
3. I haven't considered anything about vouchers yet. Is it possible to play the voucher game with this card? If yes, how?
3. Did I mss anything else?

 

[Pissant]

1. I don't have an Axis bank account. Will they give this card for people who doesnt have an account?
Of Course.
2. How is traveledge portal for booking hotels? (not accor or mariott kind of, but local ones)
Keep it as the last choice and only use it iif you don't have any other portal to go through.
3. I haven't considered anything about vouchers yet. Is it possible to play the voucher game with this card? If yes, how?
Kinda. You can buy Amazon Pay Vouchers using Amazon and the various other voucher platforms and you'll get the base reward miles (2x)
3. Did I mss anything else?
Not really. It is a simple card with an amazing reward rate. There are also renewal and milestone benefits at 3lk, 7.5lk, 15lk.

 

[S U D O]

So after a lot of time spent on cashback cards and exploring a lot about travel cards, I finally decided to take the plunge and get into the world of travel card.
I had been avoiding Axis for some reasons all this while, but finally decided to take the Axis Atlas card.

Most importantly these days my bookings have changed, I usually book from direct airlines website or app, and hotels can be booked from traveledge.
So this gives me a chance to try my luck with Axis Atlas.

My travel and hotel stay is mostly domestic. My current cards do not give any good value on flight or hotel booking.
But Indigo flights are the one where I am stuck without any returns. (or may be 1.5% base returns)

I was shortlisting some of the other cards in this league:
- Amex Plat Travel: Amex not issuing cards now and low offline acceptance held me back
- HSBC Travel One: The advantage over Atlas is that OTAs are included but with Traveledge, I decided to go with Axis.
- HDFC Regalia Gold - I will be get this card sometime this year. When I get it, I will relook at my strategy.

Another thing that I considered is validity of edge miles and accor points.
I understand that Edge miles are valid for 3 years, but Accor points validity keeps extending as and when we transfer in points.

Use case of the Edge miles is stay in Accor hotels and nothing else.
In the next 1-2 years, I want to take my family to good places, and stay in good hotels, and I believe this will be a good choice.


I want to know the following things -
1. I don't have an Axis bank account. Will they give this card for people who doesnt have an account?
2. How is traveledge portal for booking hotels? (not accor or mariott kind of, but local ones)
3. I haven't considered anything about vouchers yet. Is it possible to play the voucher game with this card? If yes, how?
3. Did I mss anything else?

Following + +
(in the same boat as you)

 

[cardio_guycardio_guy is verified member.]

One more follow up qn on hotel.
If travel edge is not so good for hotel booking, where else can I book hotels and get 5EM/100?
Direct hotel website is one option, but cost may be little higher. Any other choice?


Another question on flight.
Is it needed that the flight bookings must be in my name itself to get 5EM? If I book for my wife, will I still get 5EM?

Apart from this one thing - (hotel booking), I am pretty.much sorted. In the worst case, I am ok even if I get 2EM/100 on OTAs.

If I use this card for travel spends alone, then my overall spend may be just around 1L per year.
I am aware of the exclusions, that should also be OK I think.

 

[S U D O]

If I use this card for travel spends alone, then my overall spend may be just around 1L per year

would you be able to complete 7.5L on this card within 1 year?
I am still doubtful because i am not sure if i can reach 7.5L alone on this card

 

[cardio_guycardio_guy is verified member.]

would you be able to complete 7.5L on this card within 1 year?
I am still doubtful because i am not sure if i can reach 7.5L alone on this card

Maynot be.
I read somewhere if we pay renewal fees, we will still get it back in the form of some 2500 EM or so (need to confirm).

I am yet to go through axis banks website for this card. Will find out and update here.

 

[6ix9ine]

If I were you, I would not go for axis.

I would milk HDFC cards and go for the top tier, axis these days are so strong, even RBI is blind.

People are showing legit invoices, still they are adamant. Rest is up to you, I am no one to influence your decision.

 

[S U D O]

I read somewhere if we pay renewal fees, we will still get it back in the form of some 2500 EM or so (need to confirm).

If i am not wrong, you stay in silver tier when your spends are less than 7.5L. And for silver, you get 0 EM.

 

[S U D O]

If you reach 3L then you get milestone benefit of 2500 EM (you might be referring to this?)

 

[cardio_guycardio_guy is verified member.]

If i am not wrong, you stay in silver tier when your spends are less than 7.5L. And for silver, you get 0 EM.

What I understood was - if you enter gold tier (7.5L+), annual fees is waived off + you get additional 2500 EM as milestone reward.

If you stay in silver tier, annual fees is not waived off, you don't get additional 2500 EM milestone reward. But you pay annual fees and for that you get 2500 EM. (I may be wrong here).

 

[Maverick3]

The Axis Atlas Card does not qualify for an annual fee waiver based on spending.