Introduction
Let me be trustworthy with you. When Axis Financial institution launched the Horizon card, I believed they had been lastly addressing a niche within the journey bank card market.
A simple journey card with out all of the tier-chasing complexity of the Atlas? What’s tier-chasing
Some bank cards have a system the place you unlock higher advantages when you cross sure spending milestones (like Rs. 1 lakh in a month will get you 5x miles, however under that you simply get 2x miles). That’s what “tier-chasing” means.
The Horizon card doesn’t do this.
The rewards are the identical no matter your spending quantity. So it’s less complicated to grasp and use.
Attention-grabbing. However after spending time with this card and evaluating it towards what’s accessible, I discovered myself asking a query you most likely have too: Is that this card actually definitely worth the annual payment, or is Axis simply repackaging an present product?
Let me stroll you thru what I found.
The Payment Drawback That No One Talks About
First, let’s deal with the elephant within the room.
You’re paying Rs. 3,000 becoming a member of payment plus Rs. 3,000 annual payment (plus GST, so actually Rs. 3,540). That’s a critical dedication earlier than you even swipe the cardboard as soon as.
Right here’s the factor. The cardboard provides you 5,000 EDGE Miles as a welcome profit. That’s good. However then on renewal, you get simply 1,500 miles.
Now take into consideration this, when you earn solely 2 miles per Rs. 100 spent on common transactions, you’ll want to spend Rs. 75,000 simply to earn again that renewal payment.
That’s not a small threshold to clear, proper?
Evaluate this to the HDFC Marriott Bonvoy card. Similar Rs. 3,000 becoming a member of payment, proper?
However each single yr, they offer you a Free Night time Award value as much as 15,000 Marriott factors. You don’t should spend something. It’s simply there. Yearly.
All of the sudden, the renewal profit feels far more beneficial than 1,500 miles.
The Rewards Construction Is Extra Sophisticated Than It Appears
Right here’s the place the advertising and marketing is sophisticated to decode.
The cardboard advertises 5 EDGE Miles per Rs. 100 on airline spends. Sounds implausible, doesn’t it?
However wait. That 5x incomes solely applies when you e-book instantly on the airline’s web site.
Guide the identical flight on MakeMyTrip? You’re right down to 2 miles per Rs. 100. Similar flight, identical worth, however half the reward factors simply due to the place you booked it.
And let’s be actual right here. How many people really e-book flights instantly on airline web sites?
Most of us use Cleartrip or Reserving.com or Skyscanner as a result of it’s simpler to check costs. We’re not making an attempt to be sophisticated. We simply need the very best deal.
So in observe, when you’re like most vacationers, you’re incomes round 2-2.5 miles per Rs. 100, not the 5x the advertising and marketing guarantees. That’s a significant distinction.
After which there are the excluded classes. No miles on gas, utilities, insurance coverage, lease, training, or pockets transfers.
Give it some thought.
- You may refill petrol on the best way to the airport,
- Pay insurance coverage earlier than touring, or
- Switch cash to your pockets for lodge bookings.
All of that? Zero miles.
These aren’t obscure spending classes. These are issues actual vacationers really do.
What About Worldwide Journey? Let’s Speak Foreign exchange
The Horizon card expenses a 3.5% international transaction payment. Is that dangerous? Probably not. It’s commonplace throughout most journey playing cards in India.
However right here’s the place it will get fascinating (comparability).
The RBL World Safari card affords 0% foreign exchange markup. Zero.
You’re paying much less for worldwide transactions. It doesn’t earn reward factors on international transactions, however when you’re touring internationally and wish to reduce prices, that’s a distinct calculation altogether.
The Horizon card doesn’t have a singular angle right here. It’s simply doing what everybody else is doing.
The Lounge Entry: Respectable however Not Thrilling
You get 32 home lounge accesses and eight worldwide lounge accesses per yr.
That sounds beneficiant at first.
However assume virtually.
In case you do a global journey with one round-trip flight, you want 4 lounge accesses only for that journey.
Eight accesses in a yr means you’re perhaps protecting two worldwide journeys when you’re being cautious. And that’s assuming you even have time to make use of the lounge earlier than boarding.
Don’t get me flawed. Lounge entry is sweet. However actually? Each journey card nowadays affords lounge entry. It’s not a differentiator anymore. Once I began utilizing this card about 12 years financial institution (at the moment it was Citi Financial institution), lounge entry was a luxurious. However at present, enter an Airport Lounge and you’ll really feel like a railway platform.
The place This Card Truly Makes Sense
I don’t wish to be unfair. The Horizon card isn’t a foul product. It does some issues nicely.
In case you’re somebody who flies domestically 4-6 occasions a yr and all the time books instantly on airline web sites, the 5 miles per Rs. 100 is genuinely helpful.
If your organization provides you a set journey price range and also you’re simply reserving flights on their expense, this card is simple and will get the job completed.
The welcome advantage of 5,000 miles is definitely one of many higher opening affords on this worth bracket.
And the simplicity is effective too. You don’t want to trace which airline will get what number of miles, in contrast to the Atlas card which has a number of tiers. You simply spend, earn, and that’s it.
There’s additionally a 1% gas surcharge waiver on transactions between Rs. 400-5,000, capped at Rs. 400 month-to-month.
It’s not huge, nevertheless it’s a sensible Rs. 400-500 yearly that you simply don’t take into consideration.
The Card That Ought to Be Competing However Isn’t
Right here’s what bothers me.
The Axis Financial institution Horizon card is positioned as an various to the Axis Atlas. However it doesn’t actually compete in the best way it ought to.
- The Atlas is Rs. 5,000 however affords tiered advantages and extra flexibility.
- The Horizon is Rs. 3,000 however lacks the upside for heavy spenders.
- In the meantime, the HDFC Marriott Bonvoy can also be Rs. 3,000 however provides you tangible lodge advantages yearly.
- The SBI Miles Elite is ₹1,999 and covers each flights and motels.
The place does Horizon match?
It’s making an attempt to be the budget-friendly possibility, however price range journey playing cards don’t cost Rs. 3,000 annual charges. They’re imagined to be Rs. 1,000-1,500.
And premium choices like Marriott provide extra worth anyway.
The cardboard feels prefer it’s making an attempt to be every little thing and ending up being nothing notably particular.
Who Ought to Truly Get This Card?
Go for it if:
- You fly 4+ occasions yearly on the identical airline and all the time e-book direct
- You’re an worker with a set journey price range and need one thing easy
- You have already got different premium playing cards and desire a devoted airline card
- You worth simplicity over optimizing each rupee of rewards
Skip it if:
- You’re utilizing OTA apps and web sites for reserving (which is most of us)
- You journey internationally usually and wish to reduce foreign exchange prices
- You’re hotel-focused and need extra worth than simply lounge entry
- You’re somebody who solely books flights a couple of times a yr and doesn’t wish to pay Rs. 3,000 for infrequent profit
Conclusion
The Axis Financial institution Horizon Credit score Card is competent. It really works. It does what it guarantees.
However is it thrilling? Probably not.
Is it the very best card for journey in 2025? I wouldn’t say so.
There are higher choices relying on what you really do.
- If you would like lodge advantages, go Marriott.
- In case you fly internationally, go RBL Safari.
- If you would like simplicity, go SBI Miles Elite.
- If you would like premium advantages and may spend extra, go for Amex.
The Horizon card appears like a card designed by a committee to enchantment to everybody and ending up interesting to nobody particularly, I believe.
It’s the center possibility that neither leads nor follows, it simply exists.
Do you have to apply for this card? Provided that the precise use case I discussed above matches your precise journey sample.
In any other case, you’re most likely paying Rs. 3,000 yearly for a card that doesn’t fairly suit your wants in addition to one thing else would.
But when the annual charges comes dows to Rs. 1,000, the identical card turns into 3x extra beneficial.
That’s my opinion about this card.
