Axis Bank Drops Accor, Marriott & Qatar: The Points Game Changes Overnight

Axis Bank Credit Cards have long been loved for their impressive lineup of points transfer partners and Accor was the crown jewel, offering one of the best earn rates in the world. Sadly, that chapter has now closed, eff. 2nd April.

Axis Bank has not only removed Accor but also Marriott, and Qatar from its points transfer partners.

Now, removing Accor? That’s somewhat understandable. But what’s frustrating to most is the complete lack of advance notice. A simple one-month heads-up, would’ve been the decent thing to do. But hey, the credit card world was getting a little too quiet lately, and Axis Bank decided it was time to stir things up!

So what’s going on?

It’s no secret that Accor was likely costing Axis a fortune, so pulling the plug there makes business sense.

But what about Qatar and Marriott, you ask? Well, chances are they were also seeing massive point movements, which likely made the partnership unsustainable.

But we still have the Avios through HDFC, so Qatar isn’t a huge loss. And for Marriott lovers, Amex & HSBC remain a solid alternative, so not all hope is lost!

Will Accor come back?

Definitely! But “when” is the million dollar question because Accor after tasting “million dollars” with Axis, would certainly want them again. 😉

My guess? Expect a cooling period of at least a year. When they do return, it’ll likely be at 5:2 if Axis can’t sustain 5:4, though a 5:3 ratio would be a nice middle ground. But for now, only time will tell.

What are the best alternatives?

Here are some solid options that should work well for most cardholders:

• Flights: Aeroplan (Group A); Air India (Group B)
• Hotels: ITC (B)

Personally, I moved a significant chunk of my Axis points to Air Canada’s Aeroplan last year, and I plan to do the same this year.

Aeroplan is truly an outstanding program. What sets it apart is its fantastic network of partner connections, something that the other Star Alliance programs like United and Singapore Airlines just can’t match.

Honestly, it’s so good that I wouldn’t be surprised if Axis removes Aeroplan next!

That said, there are other partners like JAL and Krisflyer too.

But since I don’t find enough frequent use cases for JAL, and there are other ways to earn Krisflyer miles, I wouldn’t spend my Axis points on them.

Flying Blue is also worth a look if you’re mainly into economy redemptions.

For hotels, ITC is great always and not to forget that you can as well transfer them to Marriott, but with some limits.

Axis also added new partners like Finnair Plus, British Airways Club, and Vietnam Airlines LotusMiles but the ratios have been devalued. Magnus Burgundy now gets 5:2 (down from 5:4), while Burgundy private transfers at 5:4.

Alternate Cards for Accor

With the Axis route gone, here are some cards worth exploring:

• HSBC Premier (or) HSBC Travel One
• HDFC Infinia (or) Regalia Gold (or) HDFC Diners Black

For most Atlas or Magnus cardholders, the HSBC Travel One is your best bet. If you’re on Magnus Burgundy, the HSBC Premier Credit Card is the one to go for.

HDFC’s super premium cards are a decent fallback, though not ideal, as they convert at 2:1, compared to HSBC’s much friendlier 1:1 ratio (at least for now).

Bottomline

Losing three top partners overnight with zero warning? Classic Axis. The points game is always evolving, and if there’s one thing we’ve learned with Axis: expect the unexpected. 😀

Focus on what’s still available, make the most of Aeroplan and ITC, and keep an eye out for when these partners eventually make their comeback. Happy redeeming!