How I Successfully Upgraded My Airtel Axis Bank Credit Card from Mastercard to RuPay Variant

[Deepak_9155]

Hey guys,

Just got my Airtel Axis Mastercard swapped for the Rupay variant, and thought I'd share the process and a little trick I figured out.

So, I called up Axis Bank today and asked them to switch my card from Mastercard to Rupay. The rep on the line said it was possible, but a joining fee would be charged.

I told her I had already paid the joining fee when I first got the card in September 2023, so they should waive it. She put me on hold for a couple of minutes but came back and said the fee is compulsory for a new card issuance, and a waiver is not possible.

This is where I had a thought. My annual fee for the old Mastercard was due next month (September 2025) anyway. I would have had to shell out ₹500 + GST for it regardless.

So I thought, what the heck. I might as well pay this "joining fee" now. The bright side is that my annual fee cycle for this new card will start from today, meaning the next renewal fee will only be in August 2026.

I agreed and told her to proceed. The rep then explained the card's benefits and sent me an SMS where I had to provide my consent by verifying it with an OTP. This was successfully done.



Basically, I paid the fee I was going to pay next month anyway, got the Rupay card I wanted, and pushed my next payment out by an extra year. It seemed like a fair deal to me.

The process was very fast! The new Airtel Axis RuPay card is already showing up in my Axis mobile app. The strange part, however, is that my old Airtel Mastercard has already disappeared from the app and the net banking website.



Now, it only shows my other cards (like my Privilege card) and the new Airtel RuPay card.

The rep confirmed that the physical card will arrive within 10-14 working days. She also clarified their official policy on the old card: my existing Airtel Axis Mastercard will be deactivated precisely on the 45th day from the new card's setup date.

Just a heads-up for anyone else in the same boat whose renewal is coming up. This might be a decent trade-off.


EDIT - customer care representative told me that no welcome benefits will be provided(as it was already provided during 1st time ). In the CIBIL report, a new account will be created and the previous account will be closed.

So, basically, they are issuing a new credit card instead of just changing the network.




UPDATE: August 4, 2025 - I Received the Welcome Voucher After All!

Hey everyone, a quick and very surprising update.

You might remember that customer care explicitly told me I would NOT get any welcome benefits for this upgrade. Well, I'm happy to report they were wrong! I received the ₹500 Amazon voucher this morning.

Here's the sequence of events:

• My ₹590 joining fee was charged on August 1st.
• Yesterday, I made my very first transaction with the new RuPay card – just a small UPI payment of ₹215 at a local shop.
• This morning, the voucher was in my email inbox.
  
  

I want to be clear that I did not contact the bank at all for this. It seems their system automatically sent the voucher after the first transaction, regardless of what the support team says.

This just adds more evidence that the system is treating this as a completely new card issuance. So for anyone else upgrading, there's a good chance you'll get the voucher too!

 

[real_name_hidden]

I also got my joining fee reversed. Thanks to @mailmenow otherwise I would have waited out till card anniversary for rupay conversion.

BTW no sign of joining benefit till now, if I get it's okay if not also no issue. Did my 1st transaction yesterday.

 

[mailmenow]

I also got my joining fee reversed. Thanks to @mailmenow otherwise I would have waited out till card anniversary for rupay conversion.

BTW no sign of joining benefit till now, if I get it's okay if not also no issue. Did my 1st transaction yesterday.

So it's not UPI transaction?what was the amount?

 

[real_name_hidden]

So it's not UPI transaction?what was the amount?

It was upi transaction of rs 500.

 

[mailmenow]

It was upi transaction of rs 500.

Wait bro. U will get it.

 

[rajarancho]

Lol, me too. And thanks to @mailmenow I got the joining fee on my Axis Airtel Rupay reversed!

Bro, I too called axis and got airtel axis master to rupay.. but in call the employee said no joinig fee but only annual fees. But joing fee is levied and axis on email id saying joining fee is mandatory. I have shared the call recording as proof to their pno. Waiting for feedback. How did you get the fees reversed ??

 

[mailmenow]

Bro, I too called axis and got airtel axis master to rupay.. but in call the employee said no joinig fee but only annual fees. But joing fee is levied and axis on email id saying joining fee is mandatory. I have shared the call recording as proof to their pno. Waiting for feedback. How did you get the fees reversed ??

They will say JF is mandatory.

 

[maneesh]

Lol, me too. And thanks to @mailmenow I got the joining fee on my Axis Airtel Rupay reversed!

How you got fee reversed?

 

[tharun]

With this upgrade did axis actually close your old account from credit profile and added new one to cibil/Experian etc. (yes/no)

Whoever took the upgrade except for @mailmenow comment on this ?

 

[rajarancho]

Always record the call and ask about joing fee reversal from axis employee. U can provide it to pno as evidence. They always ask for evidence...

 

[Deepak_9155]

Received The Card Yesterday !!

 

[mailmenow]

Finally got the most awaited airtel rupay.🔥🔥

 

[mailmenow]

It was upi transaction of rs 500.

Do your transaction once u got the card activated. Don't wait for the physical card to be done the 1st transaction. Because there may be some chances that the welcome voucher might be removed if it is issued erroneously. Because many people are escalating about the voucher already

 

[VikasBhindwar]

Lol, me too. And thanks to @mailmenow I got the joining fee on my Axis Airtel Rupay reversed!

How to get joining fee reversed? I think have to mail but can you please help me with the same.

 

[real_name_hidden]

Do your transaction once u got the card activated. Don't wait for the physical card to be done the 1st transaction. Because there may be some chances that the welcome voucher might be removed if it is issued erroneously. Because many people are escalating about the voucher already

Once i was able to link card to upi, I did the transaction.

For now stuck with 5k limit till physical card arrives. Card was dispatched today so will receive physical card in sometime.

 

[mailmenow]

How to get joining fee reversed? I think have to mail but can you please help me with the same.

Name:
Mob no:
Credit card no(Last 4 digit): xxx(new rupay), xxx(old Master card)


Dear Sir/Madam,

I am writing to formally raise a concern regarding the joining fee of ₹500 + GST that has been charged on my newly upgraded Airtel Axis Bank RuPay Credit Card ending with xxx.

I had previously been holding the Airtel Axis Bank Mastercard Credit Card ending with xxx, which I obtained in (month year). At that time, I had already paid the applicable first-year annual fee of ₹500 + GST.

Yesterday, my card was upgraded from the Mastercard variant to the RuPay variant, and I was charged a joining fee of ₹500 + GST was debited again, solely due to the network migration.

Since this was merely a network upgrade initiated by the bank/card program and not a new credit card account , I strongly believe that the additional joining fee is unjustified. The core product remains the same, and I have maintained an active and loyal relationship with Axis Bank for 5 years.

Hence, I sincerely request you to kindly reverse this additional joining fee as an exceptional goodwill gesture, considering:

*My long-standing and responsible relationship with Axis Bank.

*The fact that I have already paid the first-year fee for the same product.

I would be grateful if you could look into this matter and ensure a reversal of the charged joining fee on 01/08/2025 at the earliest by treating it as an exceptional case.Kindly update me on the resolution.

Thank you for your understanding and support.

 

[RadTheCrab]

How you got fee reversed?

How to get joining fee reversed? I think have to mail but can you please help me with the same.

Just send the email @mailmenow sent above to PNO!

 

[demx302]

I was able to convert my MC to Rupay via chat!

Will they close the mastercard variant ?
Anyway to keep both?

 

[demx302]

I upgraded Airtel Mastercard to Rupay via Chat and HDFC Millennia Mastercard to Rupay as well as it was on renewal. Now, life sorted.

Will they close the mastercard variant ?
Anyway to keep both?

 

[mailmenow]

Will they close the mastercard variant ?
Anyway to keep both?

Old card will be active for 45 days from the date of new card setup date. I am still also using old card

 

[iimadarsh]

I already had an Airtel Visa card with some outstanding amount. Then I saw a post and called to request an Airtel RuPay card. The agent initially denied it but after I insisted they check with the team, they confirmed. They said I’d have to pay a joining fee, and I agreed. Then I received an SMS for the upgrade, which I approved.

Now my questions are:

1. I recently paid the annual fee for the Airtel Visa card. If I request a reversal, can I get it back?
2. The old Airtel Visa card isn’t showing anymore. Will it show up again?