Four IndiGo cards from Axis and SBI Card are open and scored 60 to 69. Air India's SBI cards are unconfirmed and a new card has no terms yet. Here is the comparison.
Quick Verdict
For most people today, an IndiGo credit card is the better choice in the IndiGo credit card vs Air India credit card question. The reason is availability: IndiGo has four co-branded cards (two from Axis Bank, two from SBI Card) with terms we can read, while the Air India SBI cards are not confirmed as open to new applicants. Pick an Air India card only if you are already an Air India flyer and SBI Card confirms on its site that the card is open to new applicants.
As of November 2026, all four IndiGo cards we scored land in C Tier (60 to 69 out of 100). That is typical for airline co-brands: the points work only on one airline and expire or forfeit under rules the issuer controls. The best of the four is theIndiGo SBI Card ELITE (69/100), which suits frequent flyers. The cheapest entry is theIndiGo Axis Bank Credit Card (62/100)at ₹799.
The simple rule: an airline card is a discount on one airline. It pays off only if you already fly that airline often enough to use the welcome and milestone credits before they expire.
Question | IndiGo cards | Air India SBI cards |
|---|---|---|
Open to new applicants? | Yes, on Axis and SBI Card pages | Not confirmed on official pages |
Fee range | ₹799 to ₹5,000 | ₹1,499 (Platinum) and ₹4,999 (Signature) per SBI KFS |
Our score | 60 to 69, C Tier | Not scored |
Best for | Domestic and short-haul IndiGo flyers | Existing Air India and Maharaja Club flyers |
Apply with Axis:Check Axis credit cards
Apply with SBI:Check SBI credit cards
How do the IndiGo cards work?
IndiGo's loyalty currency is the BluChip. All four IndiGo co-brands earn BluChips, which are used only to pay for IndiGo flights. They are not cash: the issuers' terms say BluChips have no monetary value or state no rate, so we do not convert them into rupees. Our guide toredeeming reward points for free travelcovers why that matters.
IndiGo Axis Bank Credit Card
The entry card costs ₹799 plus taxes. It earns 3 BluChips per ₹100 on IndiGo, 2 on grocery and dining and 1 elsewhere. A 1,200-BluChip voucher comes on joining and on renewal, and another 1,200-BluChip voucher at each of ₹1.5 lakh and ₹3 lakh of spend. Vouchers apply to one journey, last six months and forfeit any unused balance. It includes one domestic lounge visit a quarter only after ₹50,000 of spend in the previous three months. Forex is 3.5%.
Benchmarksutra Score:62/100 — C Tier
IndiGo Axis Bank Premium Credit Card
The fee is ₹5,000 plus taxes and the applicant needs ₹6 lakh of net income. It earns 7 BluChips per ₹100 on IndiGo, 3 on grocery and hotels and 2 elsewhere. A 5,000-BluChip voucher and a 6E Eats voucher come on joining and renewal, and four 5,000-BluChip vouchers arrive at ₹2, 5, 8 and 12 lakh of spend. It includes two Priority Pass visits abroad and two domestic lounge visits a quarter, again spend-gated. Forex is 2.5%.
Benchmarksutra Score:66/100 — C Tier
IndiGo SBI Card
The fee is ₹1,499. It earns 3 BluChips per ₹100 on the IndiGo app and website, 2 on hotel and travel merchants and 1 elsewhere. It gives 2,500 BluChips on joining (after the fee and a first transaction within 60 days), 2,500 on renewal and 2,500 at each of ₹2, 4 and 6 lakh of spend. Per SBI Card's booklet, four domestic lounge visits a year need ₹50,000 of spend in the previous quarter. Forex is 3.5%.
Benchmarksutra Score:60/100 — C Tier
IndiGo SBI Card ELITE
The fee is ₹4,999. It earns 7 BluChips per ₹100 on IndiGo, 3 on hotel and travel and 2 elsewhere. It gives 5,000 BluChips plus a 6E Eats voucher on joining and renewal, and 6,000 BluChips at each of ₹3, 6, 9 and 12 lakh. It includes eight domestic lounge visits a year (₹1 lakh spend in the previous quarter) and six Priority Pass visits abroad. SBI Card's KFS lists forex at 1.99%.
Benchmarksutra Score:69/100 — C Tier
IndiGo Card Rewards Side by Side
Card | Fee (₹) | BluChips per ₹1 lakh on IndiGo | BluChips per ₹1 lakh elsewhere | Forex |
|---|---|---|---|---|
IndiGo Axis | 799 | 3,000 | 1,000 (2,000 grocery, dining) | 3.5% |
IndiGo Axis Premium | 5,000 | 7,000 | 2,000 (3,000 grocery, hotels) | 2.5% |
IndiGo SBI Card | 1,499 | 3,000 | 1,000 (2,000 hotel, travel) | 3.5% |
IndiGo SBI Card ELITE | 4,999 | 7,000 | 2,000 (3,000 hotel, travel) | 1.99% |
At ₹5 lakh of yearly spend the milestone credits differ more than the earn rates. Axis gives two 1,200-BluChip vouchers (2,400). Axis Premium gives vouchers at ₹2 lakh and ₹5 lakh (10,000). SBI Card gives credits at ₹2 and ₹4 lakh (5,000) and ELITE gives one at ₹3 lakh (6,000). Axis credits come as vouchers with six-month validity; SBI says its BluChips do not expire while you earn or redeem at least once in two years.
What about the Air India credit cards?
SBI Card's Key Fact Statement still lists two Air India cards: the Air India SBI Platinum Card at ₹1,499 and the Air India SBI Signature Card at ₹4,999, with forex at 3.5%. SBI's Signature page describes 20,000 reward points as a welcome gift and accelerated points on Air India tickets. We could not confirm from SBI's pages whether either card is open to new applicants, and we did not find their current reward-rate terms in a readable official document, so we have not scored them.
Is an IndiGo or Air India credit card better for each type of flyer?
Flyer type | Better fit | Why |
|---|---|---|
Occasional domestic flyer, 2 to 4 trips a year | IndiGo Axis Bank Credit Card | ₹799 fee, welcome voucher offsets it if you fly IndiGo |
Frequent IndiGo flyer with ₹3 lakh+ card spend | IndiGo SBI Card ELITE | 7 BluChips per ₹100, 6,000-BluChip milestones, 1.99% forex |
Flyer who wants lounges and foreign trips on IndiGo | IndiGo SBI Card ELITE or Axis Premium | Both include Priority Pass visits abroad, with lower forex than the entry cards |
Long-haul or Star Alliance traveller | Check SBI Card's site first | Terms not published; older Air India SBI cards not confirmed open |
Existing Air India SBI cardholder | Keep your card; check Maharaja Points rules | Fees are listed in the KFS; points convert under Air India programme rules |
IndiGo and Air India Credit Card Benchmarksutra Scores
Each score uses our fixed 100-point framework with airline co-branding as the use case. Redemption quality is capped because points work on one airline. Seehow we score credit cards.
Card | Score | Tier | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|
IndiGo SBI Card ELITE | 69/100 | C Tier | Frequent IndiGo flyers who reach ₹3 lakh+ spend |
IndiGo Axis Bank Premium Credit Card | 66/100 | C Tier | IndiGo flyers who want lounges and 2.5% forex |
IndiGo Axis Bank Credit Card | 62/100 | C Tier | Occasional IndiGo flyers on a small fee |
IndiGo SBI Card | 60/100 | C Tier | Entry IndiGo flyers who value non-expiring BluChips |
Air India SBI Platinum and Signature | Not scored | Not scored | Existing holders; new card terms awaited |
Our earlier note onconverting Flipkart SuperCoins into BluChipsshows another way to build a balance without the card, andthe EazyDiner BluChip changeshows how partner rules shift.
Checklist
Count how many IndiGo or Air India flights you take in a year before you pick either.
Confirm the card is open for new applications on the issuer page.
Work out whether the welcome voucher covers the fee, and when it expires.
Check the lounge spend condition in the previous quarter or three months.
Check the forex markup in the KFS or MITC if you travel abroad.
Remember points work on one airline: keep a general card for everything else.
Common Mistakes to Avoid
Mistake 1: Valuing BluChips in rupees
IndiGo and the issuers state no fixed rupee rate. Any rupee value you see is someone's estimate, so compare BluChip counts and fees instead.
Mistake 2: Ignoring voucher expiry
Axis welcome and milestone vouchers are single-journey and last six months. An unused voucher is forfeited.
Mistake 3: Chasing the milestone with spend you would not make
A ₹3 lakh milestone is not a gain if you spend ₹1 lakh extra to reach it on a card with 2 BluChips per ₹100 elsewhere.
Mistake 4: Assuming lounges are free
Both SBI and Axis tie domestic lounge visits to spend in the previous quarter or three months.
Mistake 5: Applying for an Air India card before terms are public
The new card has no published terms yet. Wait for the fee, reward rate and eligibility.
Related on benchmarksutra
FAQs
Is an IndiGo or Air India credit card better?
For most people, an IndiGo card, because Axis and SBI Card IndiGo cards are open and their terms are readable. The Air India SBI cards are not confirmed open and a replacement card has no published terms.
Which IndiGo credit card is best?
Among the four we scored, the IndiGo SBI Card ELITE (69/100) is highest, with 7 BluChips per ₹100 on IndiGo and 1.99% forex. The IndiGo Axis Bank card (62/100) is the cheapest entry at ₹799.
What is an IndiGo BluChip worth?
IndiGo and the issuers do not state a fixed rupee value. BluChips can be redeemed only on IndiGo flights, so their worth depends on the fares you book.
Do IndiGo BluChips expire?
SBI Card's booklet says BluChips do not expire while there is at least one earn or burn in two years. Axis welcome and milestone vouchers are different: they last six months and forfeit any unused balance.
Are the Air India SBI credit cards still available?
SBI Card's Key Fact Statement lists the Air India SBI Platinum (₹1,499) and Signature (₹4,999) cards, but we could not confirm from official pages that they accept new applications.
Which airline card gives the lowest forex markup?
The IndiGo SBI Card ELITE has the lowest of the four IndiGo cards at 1.99% per SBI Card's KFS. Axis Premium is 2.5% and the entry cards are 3.5%.
Do airline credit cards give free lounge access?
They give limited access with spend conditions. The IndiGo SBI Card ELITE includes eight domestic visits a year if you spend ₹1 lakh in the previous quarter, and six Priority Pass visits abroad.
Official Sources and Editorial Note
Data checked as of: 9 November 2026
IndiGo Axis Bank Credit Card page
https://www.axis.bank.in/cards/credit-card/indigo-axis-bank-credit-card
IndiGo Axis Bank Credit Card T&C
https://www.axis.bank.in/docs/default-source/default-document-library/final_indigo-base_customer-tnc.pdf
IndiGo Axis Bank Premium Credit Card page
https://www.axis.bank.in/cards/credit-card/indigo-axis-bank-premium-credit-card
IndiGo Axis Bank Premium Credit Card T&C
https://www.axis.bank.in/docs/default-source/default-document-library/final_indigo-premium_customer-tnc.pdf
IndiGo SBI Card product page
https://www.sbicard.com/en/personal/credit-cards/travel/indigo-sbi-card.page
IndiGo SBI Card T&C booklet
https://www.sbicard.com/sbi-card-en/assets/docs/pdf/ekit-tncs/IndiGo-Base-E-kit_TnC-Booklet.pdf
IndiGo SBI Card ELITE product page
https://www.sbicard.com/en/personal/credit-cards/travel/indigo-sbi-card-elite.page
IndiGo SBI Card ELITE T&C booklet
https://www.sbicard.com/sbi-card-en/assets/docs/pdf/ekit-tncs/IndiGo-Elite-TnC-Booklet.pdf
SBI Card Key Fact Statement (fees, forex)
https://www.sbicard.com/sbi-card-en/assets/docs/pdf/kfs/key-fact-statement.pdf
Air India SBI Signature Card page
https://www.sbicard.com/en/personal/credit-cards/travel/air-india-sbi-signature-card.page
Air India SBI Platinum Card page
https://www.sbicard.com/en/personal/credit-cards/travel/air-india-sbi-platinum-card.page
IndiGo BluChip programme terms
https://www.goindigo.in/loyalty/terms-and-conditions
This article is written from official sources and does not rely on third-party wording.
Editorial note:Co-brand terms, partner rules and lounge conditions change often. SBI Card's e-kit booklets carry 2025-dated examples and Axis terms may have been revised since our scores were set. Confirm current fees and reward rules with the issuer before you apply.
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