Compare the best AU Bank credit cards in India, including Ananta, Laksya, Tejas, Prathama, LIT, ixigo AU, NOMO, Altura Plus, Zenith and more. See benefits, use cases, hidden conditions and provisional BenchmarkSutra Scores.
Quick Verdict
AU Bank has a wide credit card range, but the best choice depends on your use case. ixigo AU is strongest for travel, LIT for custom benefits, Altura Plus for everyday entry-level use, NOMO for FD-backed approval, and Ananta/Laksya for lifestyle-focused users.
Pros
- Wide card range across travel, cashback, UPI, FD-backed and premium segments
- ixigo AU has a clear travel-first use case with strong practical value
- NOMO is useful for new-to-credit users who need FD-backed approval
- LIT offers customisable benefits for users who know their spending pattern
- Altura Plus, Tejas and Prathama give AU a useful entry-level card ladder
- Ananta and Laksya improve AU’s lifestyle, grocery, dining and movie-benefit coverage
Cons
- Premium cards need real benefit usage to justify annual fees
- UPI, grocery and category rewards may have caps or exclusions
- Lounge access may require prior spending conditions
- LIT can become inefficient if paid features are activated without calculation
- Some AU cards have lower differentiation versus stronger HDFC, SBI, Axis or ICICI alternatives
- Provisional scores need card-wise MITC and reward-cap verification before final ranking
Best For
Users comparing AU Bank credit cards for travel, cashback, UPI spends, FD-backed approval, premium lifestyle benefits, grocery/movie spends, and first-time credit card use.
Avoid If
You want one simple best card for all spending categories, cannot track reward caps, or may not use premium benefits enough to recover annual fees.
Best AU Bank Credit Cards in India 2026
Compare AU Ananta, AU Laksya, AU Tejas, AU Prathama, AU Kosmo, AU Traverse NRI, AU CA Metal, AU CheQ, AU LIT, ixigo AU, AU NOMO, AU Altura Plus, AU Zenith and more using official AU Bank information, card-level benefit details, fees, forex markup, reward value, hidden conditions and the locked Benchmarksutra Credit Card Score.
AU Small Finance Bank has built one of the widest credit card portfolios among newer Indian card issuers. The bank now offers cards for travel, cashback, UPI, FD-backed approval, premium lifestyle, entry-level credit building, dining, grocery, shopping, NRI use cases, business expenses and professional users.
But not every AU Bank credit card is worth applying for.
Some AU cards are good starter cards. Some work only for travel-heavy users. Some are useful for UPI spending. Some premium cards make sense only if you travel enough or spend enough to recover the annual fee.
This guide compares AU Bank credit cards using Benchmarksutra’s locked 100-point scoring system: Reward Value, Fee Value, Redemption Quality, Use-Case Fit, Eligibility & Accessibility, Benefits & Perks, Hidden Costs & Conditions, and Bank & User Experience.
AU’s official credit card page currently lists cards including Zenith+, Ananta, Laksya, Tejas, Prathama, LIT, CA Metal, Vetta, Spont, NOMO, Xcite Ultra, Xcite Ace, Xcite, Traverse Credit Card for NRIs, InstaPay RuPay, Kosmo, CheQ AU, ixigo AU, Zenith, Altura Plus and Altura.
Benchmarksutra Disclosure
This article is based on structured secondary research using AU Bank’s official credit card page, publicly available card benefit details, fee information, launch coverage, and card-level terms available at the time of writing.
We have not physically tested these cards. This is not a sponsored ranking.
The Benchmarksutra Scores shown here are provisional. They may change after deeper card-wise MITC, reward-cap, redemption-value, fee-waiver and exclusion analysis.
Every card is scored using the same locked 100-point Benchmarksutra Credit Card Score. We do not change the scoring weights from article to article.
AU Bank’s official page is treated as the primary source wherever official information is available.
Quick Verdict: Which AU Bank Credit Card Should You Choose?
Choose ixigo AU Credit Card if you travel often and want travel-linked benefits with 0% forex markup.
Choose AU LIT Credit Card if you want customisable card features and can actively manage them.
Choose AU Altura Plus Credit Card if you want a practical entry-level cashback and rewards card with a low annual fee.
Choose AU NOMO Credit Card if you want an FD-backed card to build credit history.
Choose AU Kosmo Credit Card if your spending is heavily UPI-led and you are comfortable using the Kiwi app ecosystem.
Choose AU Traverse NRI Credit Card if you are an NRI or international-spend-heavy user who wants 0.99% forex markup, travel benefits, lounge access and MakeMyTrip voucher value.
Choose AU CA Metal Credit Card if you are a Chartered Accountant or business user and want a lifetime-free card for business expenses, tax payments, software purchases and travel/dining rewards.
Choose AU CheQ Credit Card if you actively use the CheQ ecosystem and want brand rewards, CheQ UPI rewards and EazyDiner membership.
Choose AU Ananta Credit Card if you are a premium user who spends heavily on shopping, dining, travel and wants welcome points, lounge access and milestone rewards.
Choose AU Laksya Credit Card if you want a lifestyle card for grocery, departmental stores, contactless spends, lounge access and welcome voucher/reward options.
Choose AU Tejas Credit Card if you want a lower-fee rewards card focused on AU Rewardz, favourite categories and regular spends.
Choose AU Prathama Credit Card if you are a first-time credit card user and want a simple starter card with very low annual charges.
Choose AU Zenith or Zenith+ only if you can actually use premium travel, hotel, concierge or lifestyle benefits.
For most users, the first shortlist should be:
ixigo AU, LIT, Altura Plus, NOMO, Kosmo, Traverse NRI, CA Metal, Ananta, Laksya, Tejas and Prathama.
Benchmarksutra AU Bank Credit Card Scores
| Rank | AU Bank Credit Card | Score | Grade | Best For | Verdict |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | ixigo AU Credit Card | 83 / 100 | A Tier | Travel bookings | Strong pick for frequent travel users |
| 2 | AU LIT Credit Card | 80 / 100 | A Tier | Custom benefits | Strong, but needs active management |
| 3 | AU Altura Plus Credit Card | 78 / 100 | B Tier | Entry-level cashback | Strong low-fee everyday card |
| 4 | AU NOMO Credit Card | 77 / 100 | B Tier | FD-backed approval | Strong secured-card pick |
| 5 | AU Zenith Credit Card | 76 / 100 | B Tier | Premium travel/lifestyle | Good if benefits are actually used |
| 6 | AU Ananta Credit Card | 75 / 100 | B Tier | Premium travel, shopping, dining | Strong new premium-mid card |
| 7 | AU Traverse NRI Credit Card | 74 / 100 | B Tier | NRIs and international spends | Strong NRI travel card |
| 8 | AU SPONT Credit Card | 74 / 100 | B Tier | UPI + cashback | Useful niche card |
| 9 | AU Laksya Credit Card | 73 / 100 | B Tier | Lifestyle rewards, lounge | Strong lifestyle card with caps |
| 10 | AU Zenith+ Credit Card | 73 / 100 | B Tier | Super-premium lifestyle | Premium but conditional |
| 11 | AU CA Metal Credit Card | 72 / 100 | B Tier | CA/business expenses | Strong niche business card |
| 12 | AU Vetta Credit Card | 71 / 100 | B Tier | Mid-premium lifestyle | Decent, but not universal |
| 13 | AU Tejas Credit Card | 70 / 100 | B Tier | Everyday category savings | Useful low-to-mid rewards card |
| 14 | AU Kosmo Credit Card | 70 / 100 | B Tier | UPI via Kiwi app | Strong if Kiwi app usage matches your spends |
| 15 | AU Altura Credit Card | 69 / 100 | C Tier | Beginner cashback | Simple starter card |
| 16 | AU InstaPay RuPay Credit Card | 68 / 100 | C Tier | UPI/RuPay spends | Useful if UPI caps fit |
| 17 | AU Prathama Credit Card | 67 / 100 | C Tier | First-time card users | Basic starter card |
| 18 | AU CheQ Credit Card | 67 / 100 | C Tier | CheQ ecosystem users | Useful only if you use CheQ actively |
| 19 | AU Xcite / Xcite Ace / Xcite Ultra | 63 / 100 | C Tier | Legacy/basic users | Basic card range |
Locked Benchmarksutra Credit Card Scoring Framework
| Scoring Category | Maximum Points | What It Measures |
|---|---|---|
| Reward Value | 20 | Real cashback, reward rate, reward caps, point value, milestone value |
| Fee Value | 15 | Joining fee, annual fee, waiver, breakeven spend, renewal value |
| Redemption Quality | 10 | Cashback, vouchers, miles, statement credit, expiry, redemption fees |
| Use-Case Fit | 15 | How well the card fits the specific article use case |
| Eligibility & Accessibility | 10 | Income requirement, approval difficulty, beginner access, upgrade path |
| Benefits & Perks | 10 | Lounge, dining, travel, movies, insurance, milestones, welcome benefits |
| Hidden Costs & Conditions | 10 | Forex, rent charges, wallet rules, exclusions, caps, devaluation risk |
| Bank & User Experience | 10 | App, support, dispute handling, card controls, bank reliability |
| Total | 100 | Full Benchmarksutra Credit Card Score |
Every card is scored using the same 100-point framework. We do not change the weights from article to article.
Score Grades
| Score | Grade | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| 90–100 | S Tier | Strong card with high value and manageable conditions |
| 80–89 | A Tier | Good card for most eligible users |
| 70–79 | B Tier | Useful, but with trade-offs |
| 60–69 | C Tier | Works only for a specific user type |
| Below 60 | Avoid unless niche use case | Not recommended for most users |
A higher grade does not mean the card is perfect for everyone. A lower-grade card can still be useful if it solves a specific problem, such as FD-backed approval, UPI payments, NRI use, business expenses, or first-card access.
Detailed Benchmarksutra Score Breakdown
We have shown detailed score breakdown only for the most decision-relevant AU credit cards. Other AU cards are included in the wider comparison table with provisional score, grade and verdict.
| Scoring Category | Max Points | ixigo AU | AU LIT | Altura Plus | NOMO | Zenith | Ananta | Traverse NRI | CA Metal | Kosmo | CheQ | Laksya | Tejas | Prathama |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Reward Value | 20 | 18 | 16 | 16 | 12 | 16 | 16 | 15 | 15 | 15 | 14 | 15 | 14 | 12 |
| Fee Value | 15 | 11 | 13 | 13 | 14 | 8 | 11 | 8 | 15 | 15 | 11 | 11 | 12 | 13 |
| Redemption Quality | 10 | 8 | 7 | 8 | 7 | 7 | 7 | 7 | 7 | 7 | 6 | 7 | 7 | 7 |
| Use-Case Fit | 15 | 14 | 14 | 13 | 15 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 12 | 12 | 11 | 12 | 11 | 10 |
| Eligibility & Accessibility | 10 | 8 | 8 | 8 | 10 | 5 | 6 | 5 | 7 | 8 | 7 | 8 | 8 | 9 |
| Benefits & Perks | 10 | 9 | 7 | 6 | 5 | 10 | 9 | 10 | 8 | 4 | 5 | 8 | 6 | 4 |
| Hidden Costs & Conditions | 10 | 7 | 7 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 6 | 7 | 5 | 5 | 6 | 5 | 5 | 5 |
| Bank & User Experience | 10 | 8 | 8 | 8 | 7 | 10 | 8 | 8 | 8 | 4 | 7 | 7 | 7 | 7 |
| Total Score | 100 | 83 | 80 | 78 | 77 | 76 | 75 | 74 | 72 | 70 | 67 | 73 | 70 | 67 |
How to Read This Score
A higher score does not mean the card is best for everyone.
For example, ixigo AU scores highest because it has a clear travel use case, 0% forex positioning and strong benefit visibility. But it is not the right card for someone who wants grocery cashback.
AU NOMO scores well because it solves a specific approval problem for new-to-credit users. It is not a high-reward card.
AU LIT scores high because of flexibility, but users must actively manage features. If paid features are activated without calculation, the real score can drop.
AU Traverse NRI scores well for NRIs and international-spend-heavy users because it has 0.99% forex markup, domestic and international lounge access, Meet & Assist, airport spa and MakeMyTrip voucher value. It is not meant for regular domestic cashback users.
AU CA Metal scores well because it is lifetime-free and offers strong rewards for CA/business-style spends such as dining, travel, tax payments and software purchases. But it is a niche card, not a mass-market cashback card.
AU Kosmo can be useful for UPI-heavy users through the Kiwi app, but the value depends heavily on app usage and cashback conditions.
AU CheQ is ecosystem-dependent. It works only if the user actively uses CheQ UPI, CheQ bill payments and partner-brand rewards.
Ananta scores well because of premium travel, lounge and milestone benefits, but it needs higher spends to unlock full value.
Laksya scores well for lifestyle use, but it is capped and conditional.
Tejas is useful for AU Rewardz and favourite-category savings but not for universal cashback.
Prathama scores lower because it is a basic starter card. That does not make it bad. It simply means its reward upside is limited.
AU Bank Credit Card Fees and Waiver Conditions
| AU Bank Credit Card | Joining / Annual Fee | Fee Waiver / Spend Condition | Source Confidence |
|---|---|---|---|
| AU Altura | ₹199 annual / renewal fee | Spend ₹10,000 within first 90 days for first-year waiver; spend ₹40,000 in a year for renewal waiver | Official AU landing page |
| AU Altura Plus | ₹499 annual / renewal fee | Spend ₹20,000 within first 90 days for first-year waiver; spend ₹80,000 in a year for renewal waiver | Official AU landing page |
| AU Vetta | ₹2,999 annual / renewal fee | Spend ₹40,000 within first 90 days for first-year waiver; spend ₹1,50,000 in a year for renewal waiver | Official AU landing page |
| AU Zenith | ₹7,999 annual / renewal fee | Spend ₹1,25,000 within first 90 days for first-year waiver; spend ₹5,00,000 in a year for renewal waiver | Official AU landing page |
| AU Zenith+ | ₹4,999 annual / renewal fee | Spend ₹8,00,000 in a year for renewal waiver | Official AU landing page |
| AU LIT | Lifetime-free as listed by AU | Not applicable | Official AU landing page |
| AU InstaPay RuPay | Lifetime-free as listed by AU | Not applicable | Official AU landing page |
| SwipeUp Xcite Series | Lifetime-free as listed by AU | Not applicable | Official AU landing page |
| AU SPONT | ₹299 annual / renewal fee | Check latest AU terms | Official AU landing page |
| AU NOMO | ₹199 one-time joining fee | Not applicable | Official AU landing page |
| ixigo AU | ₹999 annual / renewal fee | Spend ₹1,000 within first 30 days for first-year waiver; spend ₹1,00,000 in a year for renewal waiver | Official AU landing page |
| AU Kosmo | Lifetime-free | No joining or annual fee | Public card-level information |
| AU CheQ | ₹499 + GST joining fee; ₹499 + GST annual fee | Check latest CheQ AU terms | Public card-level information |
| AU Traverse NRI | ₹4,999 + GST joining fee; ₹4,999 + GST annual fee | Annual fee waived on spending ₹6 lakh in a year | Public card-level information |
| AU CA Metal | Lifetime-free | Not applicable | Public card-level information |
| AU Ananta | ₹2,000 + GST annual charges | Annual fee waiver on spends of ₹3 lakh | Launch coverage |
| AU Laksya | ₹1,000 + GST annual charges | Annual fee waiver on spends of ₹2 lakh | Launch coverage |
| AU Tejas | ₹500 + GST annual charges | Annual fee waiver on spends of ₹1.5 lakh | Launch coverage |
| AU Prathama | ₹100 + GST annual charges | Annual fee waiver on spends of ₹75,000 | Launch coverage |
AU Bank Credit Card Forex Markup
| Card / Card Group | Forex Markup |
|---|---|
| ixigo AU Credit Card | 0% |
| AU Zenith+ | 0.99% |
| AU NOMO | 0.99% |
| AU Traverse NRI | 0.99% |
| AU Zenith | 1.99% |
| AU CA Metal | 1.99% |
| AU Vetta | 2.99% |
| AU Altura | 3.49% |
| AU Altura Plus | 3.49% |
| AU LIT | 3.49% |
| AU InstaPay RuPay | 3.49% |
| AU SPONT | 3.49% |
| AU Kosmo | 3.49% |
| SwipeUp Xcite Series | 3.49% |
New AU Cards: Ananta vs Laksya vs Tejas vs Prathama
| Feature | AU Ananta | AU Laksya | AU Tejas | AU Prathama |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Annual Charges | ₹2,000 + GST | ₹1,000 + GST | ₹500 + GST | ₹100 + GST |
| Welcome Benefit | 8,000 Reward Points | ₹1,000 Brand Voucher or 4,000 Reward Points | ₹500 Brand Voucher or 2,000 Reward Points | Not listed |
| Reward Rate | Up to 5 Reward Points per ₹100; 5X on shopping, dining and travel; 2X on other retail spends; 1X on insurance, utility and telecom | Up to 5 Reward Points per ₹100; 5X on grocery, departmental stores and contactless; 2X on other retail spends; 1X on insurance, utility and telecom | Up to 5 Reward Points per ₹100; 5X on AU Rewardz flights, hotels, vouchers and bill payments; 1X on all other spends | Up to 2 Reward Points per ₹100; 2X on contactless Tap & Pay; 1X on all other spends |
| Annual Fee Waiver | On spends of ₹3 lakh | On spends of ₹2 lakh | On spends of ₹1.5 lakh | On spends of ₹75,000 |
| Domestic Airport Lounge Access | 4 complimentary domestic lounge visits per quarter, on spending ₹50,000 on flight bookings via AU Rewardz in the same quarter | 8 complimentary domestic lounge visits per year, maximum 2 per quarter, on spending ₹50,000 in the same quarter | Not available | Not available |
| Milestone Rewards | Up to 50,000 Reward Points on spending ₹10 lakh in a year | Not available | Not available | Not available |
AU Kosmo, AU CheQ, AU Traverse NRI and AU CA Metal
| Feature | AU Kosmo Credit Card | AU CheQ Credit Card | AU Traverse NRI Credit Card | AU CA Metal Credit Card |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Joining Fee | Lifetime-free | ₹499 + GST | ₹4,999 + GST | Lifetime-free |
| Annual Fee | Lifetime-free | ₹499 + GST | ₹4,999 + GST | Lifetime-free |
| Best Suited For | UPI via Kiwi app | CheQ ecosystem users | Travel and international spends for NRIs | Business expenses / CA users |
| Reward Type | Reward Points / Kiwi rewards | CheQ Points | Reward Points | Reward Points |
| Welcome Benefit | Not listed | Complimentary EazyDiner membership for 3 months, worth ₹695 | MakeMyTrip voucher worth ₹5,000 on activation within 30 days | 2,000 Reward Points on spending ₹5,000 and dining membership on spending ₹10,000 within 30 days of card activation |
| Reward Rate | 1.5% cashback on offline spends using the Kiwi app; premium users get 5% cashback; Kiwi Rewards on UPI Scan & Pay using the Kiwi app | 24 CheQ Points per ₹200 on Apple, Amazon, Flipkart, Zomato, BigBasket, CheQ Travel and utility bill payments through CheQ app; 10 CheQ Points per ₹200 on online shopping, food delivery, groceries and travel bookings; 5 CheQ Points per ₹200 on CheQ UPI; 2 CheQ Points per ₹200 on other spends | 4 RPs per ₹100 on international spends; 2 RPs per ₹100 on domestic spends; 1 RP per ₹100 on insurance, utility and telecom spends | 8 RPs per ₹100 on dining, travel, tax payments and software purchases; 2 RPs per ₹100 on other purchases; 1 RP per ₹100 on utility and insurance |
| Reward Redemption | 1 kiwi = ₹0.25 | CheQ ecosystem redemption | Redeem reward points at AU Rewardz portal | Redeem reward points at AU Rewardz |
| Lounge Access | Not available | Not listed | 8 domestic lounge visits per year, limited to 2 per quarter; 8 international lounge visits per year, maximum 2 per quarter | 2 complimentary lounge visits per calendar quarter |
| Travel Benefits | Not available | Not listed | Complimentary Meet & Assist, airport spa, duty-free shopping cashback | Not listed |
| Insurance Benefits | Not available | Not listed | Not listed | Air accident cover |
| Spend-Based Waiver | Not listed | Check latest terms | Annual fee waived on spending ₹6 lakh in a year | Not applicable |
| Forex Markup | 3.49% | Check latest terms | 0.99% | 1.99% |
| Interest Rate | 3.75% per month, 45% per annum | Check latest terms | 3.75% per month, 45% per annum | 3.75% per month, 45% per annum |
| Fuel Surcharge Waiver | 1% waiver for transactions between ₹400 and ₹5,000, capped as per cycle | Check latest terms | 1% waiver for transactions between ₹400 and ₹5,000, up to ₹250 per statement cycle | 1% waiver for transactions between ₹400 and ₹5,000, up to ₹250 |
| Cash Advance Charges | 2.5% | Check latest terms | Nil | 2.5%, subject to minimum ₹500 |
Best AU Bank Credit Card by Use Case
Best for Travel: ixigo AU Credit Card
Benchmarksutra Score: 83 / 100
Grade: A Tier
Best for: Flights, hotels, trains, buses
Card type: Co-branded travel card
Key benefit: Travel offers + 0% forex
Approx fee: ₹999 annual / renewal fee as per AU landing page
Advantages
- Strong travel-focused use case
- Useful for ixigo users
- 0% forex markup
- Good for flight, hotel, train and bus bookings
Challenges
- Not ideal for general cashback
- Fee waiver depends on retail-spend conditions
- Best value depends on ixigo usage
Best Custom Card: AU LIT Credit Card
Benchmarksutra Score: 80 / 100
Grade: A Tier
Best for: Customisable benefits
Card type: Feature-based credit card
Key benefit: Choose, pay and switch features
Approx fee: Lifetime-free as listed by AU
Advantages
- Flexible feature selection
- Useful for disciplined users
- Avoids fixed benefit bundles
- Good for users who know their spending pattern
Challenges
- Needs active management
- Paid features can reduce value
- Not ideal for set-and-forget users
Best Entry-Level Pick: AU Altura Plus Credit Card
Benchmarksutra Score: 78 / 100
Grade: B Tier
Best for: Everyday cashback + rewards
Card type: Entry-level rewards card
Key benefit: Cashback, rewards, milestone benefits
Approx fee: ₹499 annual / renewal fee
Advantages
- Practical low-fee card
- Good for beginner users
- Cashback + reward structure
- Milestone benefits add value
Challenges
- Not the highest cashback card in India
- Reward caps and exclusions need checking
- 3.49% forex markup makes it weak for international spends
Best FD-Backed Card: AU NOMO Credit Card
Benchmarksutra Score: 77 / 100
Grade: B Tier
Best for: New-to-credit users
Card type: FD-backed secured card
Key benefit: Credit card against fixed deposit
Approx fee: ₹199 one-time joining fee
Advantages
- Easier approval route
- Useful for credit building
- Good for users with limited credit history
- 0.99% forex markup is lower than most entry cards
Challenges
- FD gets blocked as collateral
- Tax-saver, non-callable, third-party and joint FDs cannot be used
- Not a high-reward card
- Best for access, not reward maximisation
Best Premium Travel Pick: AU Zenith Credit Card
Benchmarksutra Score: 76 / 100
Grade: B Tier
Best for: Premium travel and lifestyle
Card type: Premium credit card
Key benefit: Hotel, concierge and lower forex markup
Approx fee: ₹7,999 annual / renewal fee
Advantages
- Premium travel positioning
- Luxury hotel membership
- 1.99% forex markup
- 24x7 global concierge service
Challenges
- High annual fee
- Not ideal for cashback users
- Fee waiver requires high annual spends
- Value depends on actual benefit usage
Best New Premium-Mid Card: AU Ananta Credit Card
Benchmarksutra Score: 75 / 100
Grade: B Tier
Best for: Shopping, dining, travel
Card type: Premium-mid lifestyle card
Key benefit: Rewards + merchant discounts + milestone rewards
Approx fee: ₹2,000 + GST annual charges
Advantages
- 8,000 Reward Points as welcome benefit
- 5X rewards on shopping, dining and travel
- 4 domestic lounge visits per quarter subject to flight-booking spend condition
- Up to 50,000 milestone Reward Points on ₹10 lakh annual spends
Challenges
- Annual fee waiver requires ₹3 lakh spends
- Lounge access has specific AU Rewardz flight-booking condition
- Insurance, utility and telecom earn lower rewards
- Not ideal for simple flat cashback users
Best Lifestyle Rewards Card: AU Laksya Credit Card
Benchmarksutra Score: 73 / 100
Grade: B Tier
Best for: Grocery, departmental stores, contactless payments, lounge access
Card type: Lifestyle rewards card
Key benefit: Welcome voucher / Reward Points + lounge + category rewards
Approx fee: ₹1,000 + GST annual charges
Advantages
- ₹1,000 brand voucher or 4,000 Reward Points as welcome benefit
- 5X rewards on grocery, departmental stores and contactless spends
- 8 domestic lounge visits per year, max 2 per quarter
- Lower fee than Ananta
Challenges
- Annual fee waiver requires ₹2 lakh spends
- Lounge access requires ₹50,000 spends in the same quarter
- Insurance, utility and telecom earn lower rewards
- Best for matched lifestyle spends only
Best Lower-Tier Rewards Card: AU Tejas Credit Card
Benchmarksutra Score: 70 / 100
Grade: B Tier
Best for: AU Rewardz, vouchers, bill payments and regular spends
Card type: Lower-to-mid rewards card
Key benefit: AU Rewardz category rewards
Approx fee: ₹500 + GST annual charges
Advantages
- ₹500 brand voucher or 2,000 Reward Points as welcome benefit
- 5X on AU Rewardz flights, hotels, vouchers and bill payments
- Lower annual fee than Ananta and Laksya
- Useful for users who can route spends through AU Rewardz
Challenges
- Annual fee waiver requires ₹1.5 lakh spends
- No lounge access
- 1X on all other spends
- Not a universal cashback card
Best Starter AU Card: AU Prathama Credit Card
Benchmarksutra Score: 67 / 100
Grade: C Tier
Best for: First-time users
Card type: Basic starter card
Key benefit: Contactless rewards + low annual charge
Approx fee: ₹100 + GST annual charges
Advantages
- Very low annual charge
- 2X rewards on contactless Tap & Pay
- Good for first-card users
- Annual fee waiver at ₹75,000 spends
Challenges
- No welcome benefit listed
- No lounge access
- Lower reward upside
- Better cards become available once eligibility improves
Best NRI Travel Card: AU Traverse NRI Credit Card
Benchmarksutra Score: 74 / 100
Grade: B Tier
Best for: NRIs, international spends and frequent travel
Card type: NRI travel credit card
Key benefit: 0.99% forex + lounge + travel benefits
Approx fee: ₹4,999 + GST joining and annual fee
Advantages
- 4 RPs per ₹100 on international spends
- 8 domestic lounge visits per year
- 8 international lounge visits per year
- MakeMyTrip voucher worth ₹5,000 on activation within 30 days
- Complimentary Meet & Assist, airport spa and duty-free shopping cashback
- Annual fee waived at ₹6 lakh annual spends
Challenges
- Niche card for NRIs and international-spend users
- ₹4,999 + GST fee is not low
- Utility, insurance and telecom spends earn only 1 RP per ₹100
- Not useful for regular domestic cashback users
Best Business / CA Card: AU CA Metal Credit Card
Benchmarksutra Score: 72 / 100
Grade: B Tier
Best for: Chartered accountants and business expenses
Card type: Professional / business expense card
Key benefit: Lifetime-free + high rewards on business-style spends
Approx fee: Lifetime-free
Advantages
- Lifetime-free joining and annual fee
- 8 Reward Points per ₹100 on dining, travel, tax payments and software purchases
- 2 lounge visits per calendar quarter
- Welcome benefit linked to early spends
- Air accident cover
Challenges
- Niche card for CA/business users
- 1.99% forex markup is not the lowest
- Utility and insurance earn only 1 Reward Point per ₹100
- Cash advance charges apply
Best UPI / Kiwi App Card: AU Kosmo Credit Card
Benchmarksutra Score: 70 / 100
Grade: B Tier
Best for: UPI spends through Kiwi app
Card type: UPI ecosystem credit card
Key benefit: Lifetime-free + Kiwi rewards
Approx fee: Lifetime-free
Advantages
- No joining fee
- No annual fee
- 1.5% cashback on offline spends using Kiwi app
- Premium users can get 5% cashback
- 1 kiwi = ₹0.25
- Available in digital and physical forms
Challenges
- Value depends heavily on Kiwi app usage
- No lounge, travel, dining or insurance benefits
- 3.49% forex markup
- Spend-based waiver not applicable because it is lifetime-free
Best CheQ Ecosystem Card: AU CheQ Credit Card
Benchmarksutra Score: 67 / 100
Grade: C Tier
Best for: CheQ app users
Card type: Ecosystem-linked rewards card
Key benefit: Brand rewards + CheQ UPI + EazyDiner membership
Approx fee: ₹499 + GST joining fee; ₹499 + GST annual fee
Advantages
- Complimentary EazyDiner membership for 3 months
- 24 CheQ Points per ₹200 on select brands and utility bill payments through CheQ app
- 10 CheQ Points per ₹200 on online shopping, food delivery, groceries and travel bookings
- 5 CheQ Points per ₹200 on CheQ UPI transactions
Challenges
- Rewards are strongest only inside CheQ ecosystem
- 2 CheQ Points per ₹200 on other spends
- Not ideal for users who do not use CheQ app
- Needs card-wise redemption-value check before final recommendation
AU Bank Credit Cards Compared
| AU Bank Card | Best For | Key Positioning | Benchmarksutra Verdict |
|---|---|---|---|
| ixigo AU Credit Card | Travel bookings | Travel, 0% forex, ixigo benefits | Best AU card for travel-first users |
| AU LIT Credit Card | Custom benefits | Choose/pay/switch features | Good for disciplined users |
| AU Altura Plus | Entry cashback | Low-fee everyday card | Strong mass-market AU card |
| AU NOMO | Credit building | FD-backed card | Best for new-to-credit users |
| AU Zenith | Premium travel | Hotel membership, concierge, lower forex | Good only if benefits are used |
| AU Ananta | Premium-mid lifestyle | Shopping, dining, travel, lounge, milestone rewards | Strong new AU card |
| AU Traverse NRI | NRIs / international spends | 0.99% forex, lounge, MMT voucher, airport services | Strong niche NRI travel card |
| AU SPONT | UPI/cashback | UPI-led spends + cashback | Useful niche card |
| AU Laksya | Lifestyle rewards | Grocery, contactless, lounge, brand voucher | Useful but conditional |
| AU Zenith+ | Super-premium lifestyle | Metal card, Taj Epicure, welcome benefit | Premium but not for everyone |
| AU CA Metal | CA/business expenses | Lifetime-free, tax/software/travel/dining rewards | Strong niche professional card |
| AU Vetta | Mid-premium lifestyle | Lounge + milestone benefits | Conditional mid-premium pick |
| AU Tejas | Cashback/rewards | AU Rewardz, vouchers, bill payments | Useful low-to-mid card |
| AU Kosmo | UPI through Kiwi app | Lifetime-free, Kiwi rewards, UPI Scan & Pay | Useful if Kiwi app usage matches spends |
| AU Altura | Beginner cashback | Milestone benefits + railway lounge | Starter card |
| AU InstaPay RuPay | UPI/RuPay | UPI-linked credit card | Useful but capped |
| AU Prathama | First-time users | Low annual charge, contactless rewards | Basic starter card |
| AU CheQ | CheQ users | CheQ UPI, brands, utility bill payments, EazyDiner | Ecosystem-dependent card |
| AU Xcite series | Legacy/basic users | Older/basic card range | Low differentiation |
Best AU Bank Credit Cards Reviewed
ixigo AU Credit Card
Benchmarksutra Score: 83 / 100 — A Tier
Best for: Travel bookings
Avoid if: You mainly spend on groceries, fuel, rent, utilities or offline shopping.
The ixigo AU Credit Card is the strongest AU Bank card for travel-first users. It is useful for people who regularly book flights, hotels, buses or trains and can benefit from ixigo-linked offers.
AU’s landing page lists ixigo AU with an annual / renewal fee of ₹999, first-year waiver on spending ₹1,000 within the first 30 days of card setup, second-year-onwards waiver on spending ₹1,00,000 in a year, and 0% forex markup.
AU Bank official credit card page
Benchmarksutra verdict: Strong pick for travel users. Not the best everyday cashback card.
AU LIT Credit Card
Benchmarksutra Score: 80 / 100 — A Tier
Best for: Customisable benefits
Avoid if: You want a simple “set and forget” card.
AU LIT is useful because it lets users choose features instead of accepting a fixed benefit bundle. AU lists the card around three core ideas: choose features as per lifestyle, pay for the features used, and switch features on or off when needed.
AU’s landing page lists LIT as lifetime-free in the annual-fee section. However, its feature-based model means the real value depends on which paid features are activated and whether they match your spending pattern.
AU Bank official credit card page
Benchmarksutra verdict: Strong but conditional. Good for disciplined users.
AU Altura Plus Credit Card
Benchmarksutra Score: 78 / 100 — B Tier
Best for: Entry-level cashback and rewards
Avoid if: You already qualify for stronger cashback cards.
AU Altura Plus is one of the most practical AU cards for regular Indian users. AU positions it around cashback, reward points, milestone benefits and lost card liability cover.
AU’s landing page lists Altura Plus with an annual / renewal fee of ₹499, first-year waiver on spending ₹20,000 within the first 90 days of card setup, second-year-onwards waiver on spending ₹80,000 in a year, and 3.49% forex markup.
AU Bank official credit card page
For users who want a low-fee everyday card, Altura Plus is easier to understand than many premium cards.
Benchmarksutra verdict: Strong entry-level AU card for everyday users.
AU NOMO Credit Card
Benchmarksutra Score: 77 / 100 — B Tier
Best for: FD-backed approval and credit building
Avoid if: You do not want to block money in a fixed deposit.
AU NOMO is useful for users who are new to credit, have limited credit history, or want a secured card to build credit discipline. The main benefit is easier approval access, not high rewards.
AU’s landing page lists NOMO with a ₹199 one-time joining fee and 0.99% forex markup. AU also states that tax-saver, non-callable, third-party and joint FDs cannot be used for issuing an FD-based credit card.
AU Bank official credit card page
Benchmarksutra verdict: Strong secured-card pick.
AU Zenith Credit Card
Benchmarksutra Score: 76 / 100 — B Tier
Best for: Premium travel and lifestyle
Avoid if: You want pure cashback.
AU Zenith is a premium card. AU lists benefits such as luxury hotel membership, lower markup fee of 1.99%, and 24x7 global concierge service.
AU’s landing page lists Zenith with an annual / renewal fee of ₹7,999, first-year waiver on spending ₹1,25,000 within the first 90 days of card setup, second-year-onwards waiver on spending ₹5,00,000 in a year, and 1.99% forex markup.
AU Bank official credit card page
The card can be useful for users who travel frequently and can use lounge, hotel, concierge and lifestyle benefits. But the annual fee only makes sense if the benefits are actually used.
Benchmarksutra verdict: Conditional premium pick.
AU Ananta Credit Card
Benchmarksutra Score: 75 / 100 — B Tier
Best for: Premium-mid users who spend on shopping, dining and travel
Avoid if: You want simple flat cashback.
AU Ananta is one of AU Bank’s newer premium-mid cards. AU lists Ananta with benefits such as up to 15% instant discount with merchant partners, travel benefits, and accelerated reward points on shopping, dining and travel spends.
Card-level launch information shows annual charges of ₹2,000 + GST, 8,000 Reward Points as welcome benefit, up to 5 Reward Points per ₹100, 5X rewards on shopping, dining and travel, 2X on other retail spends, and 1X on insurance, utility and telecom spends.
Ananta also offers 4 complimentary domestic lounge visits per quarter, subject to spending ₹50,000 on flight bookings via AU Rewardz in the same quarter. It also offers up to 50,000 Reward Points on spending ₹10 lakh in a year.
AU Bank official credit card page
Benchmarksutra verdict: Strong new AU card for lifestyle and travel-oriented users, but final value depends on spend level, AU Rewardz usage, reward caps and fee-waiver eligibility.
AU Traverse NRI Credit Card
Benchmarksutra Score: 74 / 100 — B Tier
Best for: NRIs and international spends
Avoid if: You are a resident Indian looking for regular domestic cashback.
AU Traverse NRI is positioned for Non-Resident Indians, international spends, frequent travel and premium travel benefits.
Card-level information shows a ₹4,999 + GST joining fee and ₹4,999 + GST annual fee. It earns 4 Reward Points per ₹100 on international spends, 2 Reward Points per ₹100 on domestic spends, and 1 Reward Point per ₹100 on insurance, utility and telecom spends.
It offers a MakeMyTrip voucher worth ₹5,000 on activation within 30 days, 8 domestic lounge visits per year limited to 2 per quarter, and 8 international lounge visits per year, maximum 2 per quarter. It also includes complimentary Meet & Assist, airport spa and duty-free shopping cashback.
The card has 0.99% forex markup and annual fee waiver on spending ₹6 lakh in a year.
AU Bank official credit card page
Benchmarksutra verdict: Strong niche travel card for NRIs and international-spend-heavy users. Not a mass-market domestic rewards card.
AU SPONT Credit Card
Benchmarksutra Score: 74 / 100 — B Tier
Best for: UPI and cashback-oriented users
Avoid if: Your UPI spends fall into excluded or capped categories.
AU SPONT is relevant for users who spend heavily through UPI and want a low-fee cashback-style card. AU lists Spont around coins on UPI spends, 1% cashback on all transactions and milestone benefits.
AU’s landing page lists AU SPONT with an annual / renewal fee of ₹299 and 3.49% forex markup.
AU Bank official credit card page
The real value depends on reward caps, eligible merchant categories and monthly spending pattern.
Benchmarksutra verdict: Useful niche card.
AU Laksya Credit Card
Benchmarksutra Score: 73 / 100 — B Tier
Best for: Lifestyle rewards, grocery, contactless payments and lounge access
Avoid if: Your spends exceed reward caps or do not match partner categories.
AU Laksya is positioned around everyday lifestyle spending. AU lists Laksya with benefits such as up to 15% instant discount with merchant partners, complimentary airport lounge access and accelerated reward points.
Card-level launch information shows annual charges of ₹1,000 + GST, welcome benefit of ₹1,000 brand voucher or 4,000 Reward Points, up to 5 Reward Points per ₹100, 5X on grocery, departmental stores and contactless, 2X on other retail spends, and 1X on insurance, utility and telecom.
It offers 8 complimentary domestic lounge visits per year, maximum 2 per quarter, subject to spending ₹50,000 in the same quarter. Annual fee waiver applies on spends of ₹2 lakh.
AU Bank official credit card page
Benchmarksutra verdict: Strong lifestyle card for the right user, but lounge and fee-waiver value depends on spend discipline.
AU Zenith+ Credit Card
Benchmarksutra Score: 73 / 100 — B Tier
Best for: Super-premium lifestyle users
Avoid if: You are applying only for status value.
AU Zenith+ is a premium lifestyle card. AU lists it with metal card positioning, grand welcome benefit and Taj Epicure membership.
AU’s landing page lists Zenith+ with an annual / renewal fee of ₹4,999, second-year-onwards waiver on spending ₹8,00,000 in a year, and 0.99% forex markup.
AU Bank official credit card page
It can make sense for high-income users who use lifestyle benefits, premium privileges and card-linked memberships. But it should not be chosen only because it looks premium.
Benchmarksutra verdict: Premium but conditional.
AU CA Metal Credit Card
Benchmarksutra Score: 72 / 100 — B Tier
Best for: Chartered accountants and business expenses
Avoid if: You do not spend on business-style categories.
AU CA Metal is a niche professional card. It is positioned for business expenses and CA-style use cases.
Card-level information shows lifetime-free joining and annual fee. It earns 8 Reward Points per ₹100 on dining, travel, tax payments and software purchases, 2 Reward Points per ₹100 on other purchases, and 1 Reward Point per ₹100 on utility and insurance.
The welcome benefit includes 2,000 Reward Points on spending ₹5,000 and a dining membership on spending ₹10,000 within 30 days of card activation. It offers 2 complimentary lounge visits per calendar quarter, air accident cover, 1.99% forex markup, and 1% fuel surcharge waiver on fuel transactions between ₹400 and ₹5,000, up to ₹250.
AU Bank official credit card page
Benchmarksutra verdict: Strong niche card for business users and Chartered Accountants. The lifetime-free fee structure makes it unusually strong if the spend categories match.
AU Vetta Credit Card
Benchmarksutra Score: 71 / 100 — B Tier
Best for: Mid-premium lifestyle users
Avoid if: You compare cards only on cashback rate.
AU Vetta sits between basic and premium cards. AU lists it with quarterly and yearly milestone benefits, complimentary lounge access and up to 4 reward points.
AU’s landing page lists Vetta with an annual / renewal fee of ₹2,999, first-year waiver on spending ₹40,000 within the first 90 days of card setup, second-year-onwards waiver on spending ₹1,50,000 in a year, and 2.99% forex markup.
AU Bank official credit card page
It can work for users who want lifestyle benefits without going into super-premium fees.
Benchmarksutra verdict: Decent, but needs comparison against stronger mainstream cards.
AU Tejas Credit Card
Benchmarksutra Score: 70 / 100 — B Tier
Best for: Users who want cashback on selected partner categories and AU Rewardz benefits
Avoid if: You want high uncapped rewards.
AU Tejas is a lower-to-mid rewards card. AU lists Tejas with 5 reward points on AU Rewardz, up to 10% cashback on favourite categories, and instant rewards on activation.
Card-level launch information shows annual charges of ₹500 + GST, welcome benefit of ₹500 brand voucher or 2,000 Reward Points, up to 5 Reward Points per ₹100, 5X on AU Rewardz flights, hotels, vouchers and bill payments, and 1X on all other spends. Annual fee waiver applies on spends of ₹1.5 lakh.
AU Bank official credit card page
Benchmarksutra verdict: Useful if your spends match AU Rewardz categories. Not a universal cashback card.
AU Kosmo Credit Card
Benchmarksutra Score: 70 / 100 — B Tier
Best for: UPI spends through Kiwi app
Avoid if: You do not want to use the Kiwi app ecosystem.
AU Kosmo is a lifetime-free credit card with no joining or annual fee. It is best suited for UPI spends and uses a reward-points / Kiwi rewards structure.
Card-level information shows 1.5% cashback on offline spends using the Kiwi app. Premium users get 5% cashback on every purchase. Kiwi Rewards apply on credit-card spends made through UPI Scan & Pay using the Kiwi app. Reward redemption is shown as 1 kiwi = ₹0.25.
The card has no movie/dining, domestic lounge, international lounge, travel, golf or insurance benefits listed. It has 3.49% forex markup, 3.75% monthly interest rate, 45% annual interest rate, 2.5% cash advance charges and 1% fuel surcharge waiver for transactions between ₹400 and ₹5,000.
Benchmarksutra verdict: Strong if your spending is UPI-heavy and you are willing to use Kiwi app. Weak if you want broader card benefits.
AU Altura Credit Card
Benchmarksutra Score: 69 / 100 — C Tier
Best for: Beginner cashback users
Avoid if: You already qualify for higher-value cards.
AU Altura is a simple low-fee card. AU positions it around milestone benefits, railway lounge access and lost card liability cover.
AU’s landing page lists Altura with an annual / renewal fee of ₹199, first-year waiver on spending ₹10,000 within the first 90 days of card setup, second-year-onwards waiver on spending ₹40,000 in a year, and 3.49% forex markup.
AU Bank official credit card page
It is useful for beginners, but advanced users may find better reward rates elsewhere.
Benchmarksutra verdict: Simple starter card.
AU InstaPay RuPay Credit Card
Benchmarksutra Score: 68 / 100 — C Tier
Best for: UPI-linked card payments
Avoid if: You expect unlimited cashback on UPI.
AU InstaPay RuPay is useful for users who want to link a credit card with UPI. AU positions the card around linking a virtual card to UPI.
AU’s landing page lists InstaPay as lifetime-free and places it in the 3.49% forex-markup group.
AU Bank official credit card page
But cashback caps and eligible categories matter.
Benchmarksutra verdict: Useful for convenience, not a major reward engine.
AU Prathama Credit Card
Benchmarksutra Score: 67 / 100 — C Tier
Best for: First-time credit card users
Avoid if: You already qualify for stronger cashback or rewards cards.
AU Prathama is positioned as a starter credit card. AU lists Prathama with up to 2 reward points on contactless transactions, 500 bonus reward points on setting up each recurring payment, and 1% fuel surcharge waiver.
Card-level launch information shows annual charges of ₹100 + GST, up to 2 Reward Points per ₹100, 2X on contactless Tap & Pay, and 1X on all other spends. Annual fee waiver applies on spends of ₹75,000.
AU Bank official credit card page
Benchmarksutra verdict: Basic but useful for first-time users. It is not a high-reward card, but it can help beginners start with simple credit-card usage.
AU CheQ Credit Card
Benchmarksutra Score: 67 / 100 — C Tier
Best for: CheQ ecosystem users
Avoid if: You do not use CheQ or do not want ecosystem-linked rewards.
AU CheQ is useful only if the user actively uses the CheQ app ecosystem.
Card-level information shows a joining fee of ₹499 + GST and annual fee of ₹499 + GST. The welcome benefit is complimentary EazyDiner membership for 3 months, worth ₹695.
The reward rate is strongest inside the CheQ ecosystem: 24 CheQ Points per ₹200 on Apple, Amazon, Flipkart, Zomato, BigBasket, CheQ Travel and utility bill payments through CheQ app; 10 CheQ Points per ₹200 on online shopping, food delivery, groceries and travel bookings; 5 CheQ Points per ₹200 on CheQ UPI transactions; and 2 CheQ Points per ₹200 on other spends.
AU Bank official credit card page
Benchmarksutra verdict: Ecosystem-dependent card. Consider only if you already use or plan to use CheQ actively.
AU Xcite / Xcite Ace / Xcite Ultra Credit Cards
Benchmarksutra Score: 63 / 100 — C Tier
Best for: Legacy/basic users
Avoid if: You qualify for newer, clearer AU cards.
AU lists Xcite, Xcite Ace and Xcite Ultra as part of its credit card portfolio. AU’s fee section also lists the SwipeUp Xcite series as lifetime-free.
AU Bank official credit card page
These cards may still be relevant for some existing users, but new applicants should compare them against newer AU cards like Prathama, Tejas, Laksya, Ananta, Altura Plus, LIT, Kosmo and ixigo AU.
Benchmarksutra verdict: Basic card range with lower differentiation.
AU Bank Credit Cards: Pros and Cons
Pros
- Wide card range across travel, cashback, UPI, FD-backed, lifestyle, premium, NRI and business-use segments
- ixigo AU has a clear travel use case and 0% forex markup
- NOMO is useful for new-to-credit users
- LIT offers customisable benefits
- Kosmo gives a lifetime-free UPI-led option through Kiwi app
- Traverse NRI is useful for NRIs and international-spend-heavy users
- CA Metal is lifetime-free and strong for business-style spends
- Ananta, Laksya, Tejas and Prathama create a clear new card ladder
- AU publishes fee, fee-waiver and forex markup details for several cards on its landing page
Cons
- Premium cards need real benefit usage to justify fees
- UPI rewards may be capped or ecosystem-dependent
- Lounge access may require spending conditions
- LIT can become inefficient if paid features are not used properly
- CheQ AU depends heavily on CheQ app usage
- Kosmo depends heavily on Kiwi app usage
- Some newer cards need deeper MITC and exclusion validation
- Prathama is simple but not very rewarding
- Not every AU card beats comparable cards from HDFC, SBI, Axis, ICICI or IDFC FIRST
Hidden Conditions to Check Before Applying
Before applying for any AU Bank credit card, check these conditions carefully:
- Whether annual fee waiver counts only retail spends
- Whether rent, wallet, EMI, fuel, education or insurance spends are excluded
- Whether lounge access needs previous-quarter or same-quarter spending
- Whether UPI rewards are capped
- Whether cashback applies only through a specific app ecosystem
- Whether reward points have a clear rupee value
- Whether partner cashback has monthly or transaction caps
- Whether premium benefits are usable by you
- Whether an FD-backed card blocks your fixed deposit
- Whether utility, telecom and insurance spends earn lower rewards
AU’s landing page says only retail spends are considered for annual / renewal fee waiver. It defines retail spends as POS transactions, including contactless and chip+PIN, plus online/e-commerce transactions. It excludes loan amount, cash withdrawal, balance transfer, fees, charges and GST.
AU Bank official credit card page
AU’s landing page also says you can enjoy up to 48 days of interest-free credit period on AU Credit Cards.
AU’s official page also states that up to 3 lifetime-free add-on credit cards can be issued to family members, card delivery is generally within 7 working days after approval and dispatch, and a credit card not activated within 37 days of issuance will be closed and cannot be reinstated.
AU Bank official credit card page
A credit card is not good just because it has many benefits. It is good only if those benefits convert into real value for your spending pattern.
Which AU Bank Credit Card Should You Choose?
Choose ixigo AU if you travel often
Pick ixigo AU if you book flights, hotels, buses or trains regularly and can use ixigo-linked offers, 0% forex markup and travel benefits.
Choose AU LIT if you want custom benefits
Pick LIT if you are comfortable managing card features. Avoid it if you do not want to track which features are active and whether they are worth paying for.
Choose AU Altura Plus if you want a simple everyday card
Pick Altura Plus if you want a low-fee card for normal online and offline spending. It is one of the more practical AU cards for regular users.
Choose AU NOMO if you are new to credit
Pick NOMO if you want a credit card against fixed deposit. It is better for approval access and credit-building than reward maximisation.
Choose AU Kosmo if you spend through UPI and use Kiwi app
Pick Kosmo if you want a lifetime-free UPI-led card and are comfortable with the Kiwi app ecosystem. Avoid it if you want travel, lounge, dining or broader card benefits.
Choose AU Traverse NRI if you are an NRI
Pick Traverse NRI if you make international spends, travel frequently and can use domestic/international lounge access, airport services and MakeMyTrip voucher value.
Choose AU CA Metal if you have business or professional spends
Pick CA Metal if you are a Chartered Accountant or business user spending on dining, travel, tax payments, software purchases and similar categories.
Choose AU CheQ if you use the CheQ ecosystem
Pick CheQ AU only if you actively use CheQ for UPI, bill payments, brands and partner rewards. Avoid it if you do not want ecosystem-locked value.
Choose AU Ananta if you want a premium-mid lifestyle card
Pick Ananta if you spend on shopping, dining and travel, and can use reward points, lounge access and milestone benefits.
Choose AU Laksya if your spends are lifestyle-category heavy
Pick Laksya if you spend on grocery, departmental stores, contactless payments and lounge-eligible categories. Check quarterly lounge-spend conditions before applying.
Choose AU Tejas if you want AU Rewardz category value
Pick Tejas if you use AU Rewardz for flights, hotels, vouchers and bill payments. Do not treat it as an uncapped cashback card.
Choose AU Prathama if you want your first simple AU card
Pick Prathama if you are a first-time credit-card user and want a basic card with low annual charges and contactless rewards.
Choose AU Zenith if you are a premium traveller
Pick Zenith only if you travel enough and use hotel, concierge, forex or premium service benefits. Otherwise, the annual fee may not be worth it.
Choose AU Zenith+ if you want premium lifestyle benefits
Pick Zenith+ only if you can use metal-card, welcome, Taj Epicure and premium lifestyle benefits enough to justify the fee and annual waiver requirement.
FAQs
Which is the best AU Bank credit card?
For travel users, the ixigo AU Credit Card is the strongest AU Bank card because it has a clear travel use case and 0% forex markup. For custom benefits, AU LIT is better. For entry-level everyday use, AU Altura Plus is more practical. For new-to-credit users, AU NOMO is the better option.
What are the new AU Bank credit cards?
AU Bank’s newer card ladder includes Ananta, Laksya, Tejas and Prathama. AU’s official card page lists these cards in its current credit card portfolio.
AU Bank official credit card page
Is AU Ananta Credit Card good?
AU Ananta can be useful for users who want a premium-mid lifestyle card for shopping, dining and travel. AU lists it with merchant-partner discounts, travel benefits and accelerated reward points on shopping, dining and travel spends. Its real value depends on fee, reward caps, partner merchants and milestone conditions.
Is AU Laksya Credit Card good?
AU Laksya is useful for lifestyle users who value merchant discounts, airport lounge access and accelerated reward points. But reward caps and excluded categories matter. It is better for matched lifestyle spends than for unlimited reward chasing.
Is AU Tejas Credit Card good?
AU Tejas can be useful if you spend in its target partner categories. AU lists it with 5 reward points on AU Rewardz, up to 10% cashback on favourite categories and instant rewards on activation. It is not a universal cashback card.
Is AU Prathama Credit Card good for beginners?
Yes. AU Prathama is better viewed as a beginner card. AU lists it with contactless rewards, bonus reward points on recurring payment setup and fuel surcharge waiver.
AU Bank official credit card page
Is AU LIT Credit Card good?
AU LIT is good for users who want customisable benefits. But it is not ideal for users who want a simple card. The value depends on whether you activate the right features and avoid paying for unused benefits.
Is AU NOMO Credit Card good for beginners?
Yes. AU NOMO is useful for new-to-credit users because it is FD-backed. It is better for approval access and credit-building than pure reward maximisation.
Which AU Bank card is best for UPI?
AU SPONT and AU InstaPay RuPay are more relevant for UPI-led users. But check reward caps and eligible merchant categories before applying.
Which AU Bank credit card is best for travel?
The ixigo AU Credit Card is the most travel-focused AU Bank credit card. AU Ananta can also work for users who want a broader shopping, dining and travel card.
Which AU Bank credit card is best for first-time users?
AU Prathama is the simplest first-card option. AU NOMO is better if the user needs an FD-backed approval route.
Are AU Bank premium credit cards worth it?
AU Zenith, Zenith+, Ananta and other premium/lifestyle cards can be worth it only if you use the travel, lounge, dining, shopping and lifestyle benefits. If you want simple cashback, they are not the best default choice.
Does AU Bank charge annual fees on credit cards?
Yes, AU’s landing page says annual fees are applicable on all credit card variants, but the fee is applicable only if the retail-spend-based waiver condition is not met. It also lists LIT, InstaPay, ABC FLEX, ABC NXT and SwipeUp Xcite series as lifetime-free.
AU Bank official credit card page
What counts as retail spends for AU Bank credit card fee waiver?
AU says retail spends include POS transactions, both contactless and chip+PIN, and online/e-commerce transactions. It excludes loan amount, cash withdrawal, balance transfer, fees, charges and GST.
AU Bank official credit card page
What is the interest-free period on AU Bank credit cards?
AU’s landing page says you can enjoy up to 48 days of interest-free credit period on AU Credit Cards.
Cards to Shortlist First
| Priority | AU Bank Card | Why |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | ixigo AU Credit Card | Best defined use case: travel + 0% forex |
| 2 | AU LIT Credit Card | Flexible benefits for disciplined users |
| 3 | AU Altura Plus | Practical entry-level value |
| 4 | AU NOMO | Strong for new-to-credit users |
| 5 | AU Kosmo | Lifetime-free UPI-led option via Kiwi app |
| 6 | AU Traverse NRI | Strong NRI/international-spend card |
| 7 | AU CA Metal | Lifetime-free professional/business-expense card |
| 8 | AU Ananta | Strong new lifestyle/travel card |
| 9 | AU Laksya | Good for lifestyle rewards and lounge use |
| 10 | AU Tejas | Useful AU Rewardz and category card |
| 11 | AU Prathama | Simple first-card option |
| 12 | AU Zenith | Good for premium travel users |
Cards to Be Careful With
| Card Type | Why You Should Be Careful |
|---|---|
| Premium AU cards | High annual fee needs real benefit usage |
| Custom-feature cards | Easy to overpay if features are not used |
| UPI cards | Rewards may be capped or ecosystem-restricted |
| FD-backed cards | Your money may be blocked as collateral |
| CheQ AU | Best value is tied to CheQ app usage |
| Kosmo | Best value is tied to Kiwi app usage |
| Traverse NRI | Useful mainly for NRIs / international spends |
| CA Metal | Strong only if CA/business-style categories match |
| Partner-category cards | Rewards may apply only to selected merchants |
| Lifestyle reward cards | Quarterly caps and spend conditions can reduce real value |
| First-card products | Useful for access, but usually not high-reward |
| Legacy/basic cards | May have lower value than newer alternatives |
Final Benchmarksutra Recommendation
AU Bank credit cards are worth considering, but you should not apply randomly.
The best AU card depends on your use case:
- Best for travel: ixigo AU Credit Card
- Best for custom benefits: AU LIT Credit Card
- Best for entry-level users: AU Altura Plus Credit Card
- Best for new-to-credit users: AU NOMO Credit Card
- Best UPI / Kiwi app card: AU Kosmo Credit Card
- Best NRI travel card: AU Traverse NRI Credit Card
- Best CA / business expense card: AU CA Metal Credit Card
- Best CheQ ecosystem card: AU CheQ Credit Card
- Best new premium-mid AU card: AU Ananta Credit Card
- Best lifestyle/lounge AU card: AU Laksya Credit Card
- Best AU Rewardz category card: AU Tejas Credit Card
- Best first AU card: AU Prathama Credit Card
- Best premium AU card: AU Zenith Credit Card
- Best super-premium AU lifestyle card: AU Zenith+ Credit Card
Simple rule:
Pick ixigo AU for travel, LIT for custom benefits, Altura Plus for everyday beginner use, NOMO for FD-backed approval, Kosmo for Kiwi-led UPI spends, Traverse NRI for international/NRI use, CA Metal for business-style spends, Ananta for premium-mid lifestyle, Laksya for lifestyle/lounges, Tejas for AU Rewardz categories, and Prathama for a basic first card.
Not sure which credit card suits you?
Start with our beginner-friendly credit card guides before applying. They explain how fees, rewards, eligibility, CIBIL score, billing cycles, reward caps and hidden conditions work in India.
Read Credit Card 101
See How We Score Credit Cards
Compare Credit Cards
A credit card should not be chosen only because it has the highest headline reward rate. First check whether your actual monthly spends match the reward categories, then calculate whether the annual fee is recoverable through real benefits.
FAQs
Which is the best AU Bank credit card?
For travel users, the ixigo AU Credit Card is the strongest AU Bank card because it has a clear travel use case and 0% forex markup. For custom benefits, AU LIT is better. For entry-level everyday use, AU Altura Plus is more practical. For new-to-credit users, AU NOMO is the better option.
Which AU Bank credit card is best for UPI?
AU Kosmo, AU SPONT and AU InstaPay RuPay are the most relevant AU cards for UPI-led users. Kosmo is more Kiwi-app focused, SPONT is UPI/cashback focused, and InstaPay RuPay is useful for UPI-linked convenience.
Is AU Kosmo Credit Card good?
AU Kosmo can be good if you use the Kiwi app for UPI spends. It is lifetime-free and offers 1.5% cashback on offline spends using the Kiwi app, with premium users getting 5% cashback. It is weak for users who want lounge, travel, dining or insurance benefits.
Is AU Traverse NRI Credit Card good?
AU Traverse NRI is good for NRIs and international-spend-heavy users. It offers 0.99% forex markup, 4 Reward Points per ₹100 on international spends, 8 domestic lounge visits per year, 8 international lounge visits per year, airport services and MakeMyTrip voucher value.
Is AU CA Metal Credit Card good?
AU CA Metal is good for Chartered Accountants and business users. It is lifetime-free and gives higher rewards on dining, travel, tax payments and software purchases. It is not a generic cashback card for everyone.
Is AU CheQ Credit Card good?
AU CheQ Credit Card is useful only if you actively use the CheQ ecosystem. Its strongest reward rates apply through CheQ app categories, CheQ UPI, utility payments and selected brands.
What are the new AU Bank credit cards?
AU Bank’s newer card ladder includes Ananta, Laksya, Tejas and Prathama. AU’s official card page lists these cards in its current credit card portfolio.
AU Bank official credit card page
Is AU Ananta Credit Card good?
AU Ananta can be useful for users who want a premium-mid lifestyle card for shopping, dining and travel. It has ₹2,000 + GST annual charges, 8,000 Reward Points as welcome benefit, 5X rewards on shopping, dining and travel, domestic lounge access and milestone rewards. Its value depends on spend level and AU Rewardz usage.
Is AU Laksya Credit Card good?
AU Laksya is useful for lifestyle users who value grocery, departmental store, contactless, lounge and welcome-benefit value. It has ₹1,000 + GST annual charges and annual fee waiver at ₹2 lakh spends. Lounge access has a quarterly spend condition.
Is AU Tejas Credit Card good?
AU Tejas can be useful if you spend through AU Rewardz on flights, hotels, vouchers and bill payments. It has ₹500 + GST annual charges and annual fee waiver at ₹1.5 lakh spends. It is not a universal cashback card.
Is AU Prathama Credit Card good for beginners?
Yes. AU Prathama is better viewed as a beginner card. It has ₹100 + GST annual charges, 2X rewards on contactless Tap & Pay, and annual fee waiver at ₹75,000 spends.
Is AU LIT Credit Card good?
AU LIT is good for users who want customisable benefits. But it is not ideal for users who want a simple card. The value depends on whether you activate the right features and avoid paying for unused benefits.
Is AU NOMO Credit Card good for beginners?
Yes. AU NOMO is useful for new-to-credit users because it is FD-backed. It is better for approval access and credit-building than pure reward maximisation.
Which AU Bank credit card is best for travel?
The ixigo AU Credit Card is the most travel-focused AU Bank credit card for most users. AU Traverse NRI is better for NRIs and international-spend-heavy users. AU Zenith works for premium travel users who can use hotel, concierge and forex benefits.
Which AU Bank credit card is best for first-time users?
AU Prathama is the simplest first-card option. AU NOMO is better if the user needs an FD-backed approval route.
Are AU Bank premium credit cards worth it?
AU Zenith, Zenith+, Ananta and other premium/lifestyle cards can be worth it only if you use the travel, lounge, dining, shopping and lifestyle benefits. If you want simple cashback, they are not the best default choice.
Does AU Bank charge annual fees on credit cards?
Yes, AU’s landing page says annual fees are applicable on all credit card variants, but the fee is applicable only if the retail-spend-based waiver condition is not met. It also lists LIT, InstaPay, ABC FLEX, ABC NXT and SwipeUp Xcite series as lifetime-free.
AU Bank official credit card page
What counts as retail spends for AU Bank credit card fee waiver?
AU says retail spends include POS transactions, both contactless and chip+PIN, and online/e-commerce transactions. It excludes loan amount, cash withdrawal, balance transfer, fees, charges and GST.
AU Bank official credit card page
What is the interest-free period on AU Bank credit cards?
AU’s landing page says you can enjoy up to 48 days of interest-free credit period on AU Credit Cards.
AU Bank official credit card page
How many add-on cards does AU Bank allow?
AU Bank’s official page says up to 3 lifetime-free add-on credit cards can be issued to immediate family members.
AU Bank official credit card page
What happens if I do not activate my AU Bank credit card?
AU Bank’s official page says that as per RBI guidelines, if a credit card is not activated within 37 days of issuance, the card will be closed and cannot be reinstated.