Axis Bank Vistara Infinite Credit Card: Hands-On Review & Benefits

I initially planned to apply for the Axis Privilege card (free for Priority AC) but changed my mind to the Vistara Infinite card because it delivers a business class experience on domestic flights. A detailed review of the Vistara Infinite card is available here: Axis Bank Vistara Infinite Credit Card review.

This article focuses on how I applied for the card, the application experience, and my hands-on impressions of the benefits that come with it.

Axis Bank Credit Card Application Process:

I waited nearly a year hoping for an auto-eligibility offer to appear in my account, but it never did despite being a Priority customer. So I chose to apply manually, which generally takes longer to process.

I contacted my relationship manager (RM), submitted the application along with income documents, and included an HDFC credit card statement to help them match the limit. The RM collected the paperwork and estimated about three weeks for delivery.

Escalations: After ten days with no update, I escalated through multiple channels—RM, email support, and social media. Within a day someone from the escalation desk called and explained there was a delay at the Chennai processing unit. He assured me he would follow up closely until the card was delivered.

From that point it took another 20 days for processing and delivery. The turnaround felt long, but the frequent updates from the escalation contact made the wait manageable—he literally updated me every other day.

Credit limit: I was pleasantly surprised to receive a generous credit limit—the highest among my cards. Axis Bank is known to be generous with limits, and in my case a decade-old savings account plus prior usage of the Axis Insta Easy credit card likely helped.

Unboxing Axis Bank Vistara Infinite Credit Card:

The card arrives in a neat box. It’s not the flashiest packaging I’ve seen (some other premium cards have a stronger presentation), but it’s tidy and professional. The card itself has a decent design and supports contactless payments, though I’ve rarely found occasions where I could actually use contactless cards locally.

Posting of CV points:

Points for card spends post to your Club Vistara (CV) account in roughly four days from the transaction date. Milestone vouchers also appear at the same time. Axis Bank and Vistara appear to have a smooth integration—this is one of the fastest cards for points posting.

For comparison, HDFC Jet cards usually post JPMiles in around seven days, while some ICICI Jet co-branded cards can take much longer. Note that the welcome gift (business class voucher) for the Vistara Infinite card sometimes posts only after about two months, even though spend-based vouchers post promptly.

Redemption of Vouchers:

I was fortunate that Vistara began flying from Chennai shortly after I received the card, so I redeemed two business class vouchers without hassle. The redemption process is straightforward and you can allow friends or family to use your vouchers. Ensure you redeem at least seven days before travel.

Booking is quick—typically a short phone call and five minutes to issue the ticket. Redemption charges are modest, about Rs. 500, which is reasonable. The agent may request payment with a Vistara card, though the payment gateway itself can technically accept other cards.

Club Vistara Gold:

A significant but sometimes overlooked benefit is the Club Vistara Gold status. You are enrolled in CV Gold within a week of card approval. Membership includes three upgrade vouchers and two lounge vouchers (guest passes). Upgrade vouchers are particularly valuable: they can convert premium economy bookings to business class or upgrade economy bookings to premium economy, effectively giving potential business class travel value.

These vouchers are added to your CV account directly, and a physical welcome kit with the personalized CV Gold card is typically mailed to your registered address within about a month.

Overall Value & Reward Rate:

The joining fee effectively buys you a business class ticket for about Rs. 10,000. With a spend of Rs. 7.5 lakh in a year, you can earn three business class tickets plus around 33,000 CV points (regular and bonus points). Combining the Gold status and vouchers, here’s an approximate perceived value:

• 3 Business Class Tickets: Rs. 60,000
• 3 Upgrade Vouchers: Rs. 30,000
• 33,000 CV Points: Rs. 25,000
• Total perceived value: Rs. 1,15,000 (~15% reward rate)

The 15% figure is a perceived reward rate based on estimated values, not net cash savings. It indicates good value for frequent domestic travelers, particularly those who can fully utilize vouchers and points.

Tips:

1. You can access KrisFlyer Gold benefits, including the Business Class SilverKris lounges overseas, when flying Singapore Airlines, even if you travel on economy—this is a CV Gold perk.
2. Approximate value of 1 CV point on domestic redemptions is around Rs. 0.75. In some redemptions you can achieve higher per-point value.
3. Exceptional value is possible when redeeming CV points for Singapore Airlines short-haul business class—25,000 CV points can represent a perceived value far higher than typical domestic redemptions.
4. Upgrade vouchers confirm upgrades only about an hour before departure. On high-demand sectors like Delhi–Mumbai, competition for upgrades is strong and your chances may be lower.

Bottomline:

The Axis Bank Vistara Infinite card offers one of the most attractive perceived reward rates in the market for frequent domestic travelers seeking a business class experience. The fee is reasonable relative to the benefits, and the card is particularly valuable for those in the premium travel segment.

If you have the Axis Bank Vistara Infinite Credit Card, feel free to share your experience in the comments.