Axis Bank Vistara Signature Credit Card Review 2026: Discontinued for Spends After 31 October 2026
Axis Bank Vistara Signature Credit Card stops earning for spends after 31 October 2026 following the Vistara–Air India merger. What holders need to know about Maharaja Points, removed benefits and timing.
Axis Bank Vistara Signature Credit Card stops earning on 31 October 2026.
Vistara has merged into Air India, and Axis is discontinuing the Vistara cards for spends after that date. If you hold one, this is not a review so much as a notice — and the timing matters, because it is weeks away, not months.
Axis Bank Vistara Signature Credit Card Quick Overview
| **Card type** | Airline co-brand card, being discontinued |
|---|---|
| **Best for** | Existing holders only — closed to new applications |
| **Joining / renewal fee** | ₹3,000 + GST, same on renewal |
| **Network** | Visa |
| **Base reward rate** | **Not published by the issuer** |
| **Reward currency** | Maharaja Points, valued at ₹0.5 each |
| **Lounge access** | 2 domestic visits per quarter (8 a year) |
| **Forex markup** | 3.5% |
Reward Structure: How You Earn
No general earn rate is published for this card in Axis's captured material. Any structured comparison will show 0%, which is a placeholder for unknown — not a statement that the card earns nothing. Ask Axis directly before relying on it either way.
The card now earns Maharaja Points, after Club Vistara was folded into Air India's Maharaja Club. Those points are valued at ₹0.50 here, which is an estimate — Air India publishes no fixed rupee rate. On this card the valuation barely matters, because earning ends shortly.
| Spend | Effective rate |
|---|---|
| Everything else | 0.0% |
| Fuel, rent, wallet loads, government, gaming | **0%** |
Three things have already changed, before the 31 October cut-off. The complimentary Maharaja Club tier memberships — the cards' main draw — have been removed. Annual fees were dropped for renewals from 18 April 2025. And Club Vistara has been absorbed into Maharaja Club, so Air India's terms now govern your points, not Axis's.
The headline benefit was up to 4 complimentary Premium Economy class ticket vouchers at annual spend milestones. With earning ending on 31 October and most milestone years unable to complete, those are not recorded here as live benefits — recording them would imply something that can no longer be earned.
Category Restrictions: Where You Won't Earn
- Where you earn nothing: Earns nothing at all: fuel; rent (MCC 6513); wallet loads (MCC 6540); government institution transactions (MCC 9222, 9311, 9399, 9402); cash withdrawals; EMI conversions; gift card purchases and toll, bridge and road fees (both excluded w.e.f. 28 August 2026); and fees, charges, GST and reversals. Insurance, utilities, telecom, education and jewellery are excluded on some cards only — the per-card notes say which.
- Point expiry: EDGE Reward Points and EDGE Miles expire 36 months from the date of accrual unless the card's own terms say otherwise. Points are forfeited if the card is closed, and a NEGATIVE point balance at closure is converted to a statement debit the cardholder must pay.
- Redemption fee: ₹199 per redemption.
Fees and Charges
| Charge | Amount |
|---|---|
| Joining fee | ₹3,000 + GST |
| Renewal fee | ₹3,000 + GST |
| Finance charges | 3.75% per month (55.55% per annum) on extended credit and cash advances. |
| Interest-free period | Up to 50 days from the date of purchase, only when the previous month's balance is paid in full. |
| Minimum amount due | 5% of the total amount due, subject to a minimum of ₹200, plus any EMI, fees, charges, interest and over-limit amount. |
| Cash advance fee | 2.5% of the amount withdrawn, subject to a minimum of ₹500. |
| Cash advance interest | 3.75% per month (55.55% per annum), charged from the date of withdrawal with no interest-free period. |
| Forex markup | 3.5% of the transaction amount. |
| Dynamic currency conversion | 1% of the transaction amount. |
| Late payment | Nil up to ₹500 of total payment due; ₹500 for ₹501–₹5,000; ₹750 for ₹5,001–₹10,000; ₹1,200 for ₹10,001–₹50,000; ₹1,300 above ₹50,000 w.e.f. 28 August 2026. An additional ₹100 applies if the Minimum Amount Due is missed for two consecutive cycles, and continues every cycle until cleared. |
| Overlimit | 2.5% of the over-limit amount, minimum ₹500. Charged only where the cardholder has explicitly consented to the over-limit facility. |
| Payment return | ₹500 per instance of cheque return, dishonour, auto-debit reversal, standing instruction failure or NACH failure. |
| Rent payment | 1% of the transaction amount plus GST on each rent payment identified through MCC 6513. |
| Fuel transactions | 1% plus GST of the transaction amount, charged only once total fuel spend in a statement cycle reaches ₹50,000. Fuel is identified through MCC 5172, 5541, 5542 and 5983. |
| Card replacement | ₹100 per replacement card. |
| Add-on card | Nil. |
| Reward redemption | ₹199 plus GST per redemption transaction on the EDGE portal, and ₹199 plus GST per instance of converting or transferring EDGE Reward Points or EDGE Miles to a partner loyalty programme. |
| EMI processing | Charged per the EMI scheme selected. Card cancellation forecloses any active EMI and attracts foreclosure charges plus GST. |
| GST | 18% on all fees, interest and charges. |
Is the Axis Bank Vistara Signature Credit Card Worth It?
If you hold this card, plan now. Points already earned sit under Air India's Maharaja Club terms, and the card itself stops earning in a matter of weeks. Check your balance, understand Maharaja Club's expiry rules, and decide what to do with what you have.
Do not spend toward a milestone you cannot finish. The card year almost certainly will not complete before earning stops.
Lounge access, golf and dining benefits continue for now under the Axis lounge programme, but the tier memberships that made these cards distinctive are gone.
There is no replacement to recommend within the Axis range yet. Air India Maharaja Club co-brand cards have been signalled but are not part of this dataset.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
When does this card stop working? It stops earning for spends after 31 October 2026. That follows the Vistara–Air India merger.
What happened to my Club Vistara points? Club Vistara has been folded into Air India's Maharaja Club. Existing points migrate, and Air India's terms now govern validity and redemption rather than Axis's.
Do I still get the Maharaja Club tier membership? No. The complimentary tier memberships have been removed — they were the cards' main draw.
Am I still being charged an annual fee? Annual fees were removed for renewals from 18 April 2025.
Can I still apply for this card? No. It is closed to new applications and is recorded here as current-holders-only.
What about the premium economy class ticket vouchers? Up to 4 were offered at annual spend milestones. With earning ending on 31 October 2026, most milestone years cannot complete, so they should not be counted on.
Cards Mentioned in This Article
