Here comes a big news for the year!
India’s most rewarding airline credit card Axis Vistara Infinite just lost its USP today!
Beginning 1st March 2024 we’ll need “4 flights and 15k Tier Points” to retain “Vistara Gold” status for 2nd year, which is currently being issued as complimentary as long as we hold the Axis Vistara Infinite Credit Card.
The said flights and tier points are impossible for most frequent fliers who solely rely on the redemption flights. Hence it’s good to say that it’s gone!
Here’s a quick look at the complete official announcement on the same that can also be accessed via this link:
As you might know, Axis Vistara Infinite Credit Card used to be the only card for very many years to provide Gold tier benefit even on renewal and now this is sadly going away.
So going forward, we’ll be getting the Vistara Gold tier for the First Year only (for 365 days) just like the IndusInd Vistara Explorer Credit Card, post which one would get downgraded to Silver.
Note that as long as your Gold tier renews before 1st March 2024 along with the annual fee on card, you should be getting the Gold tier for 1 more year.
If your card is renewing post 1st March, you may always choose to close the card and re-open after 6 months to get access to Gold tier. While this works as of now, I expect another round of devaluation if Air India decides to absorb Vistara Gold as Air India Gold.
And lastly, if you’re taking a fresh Vistara Infinite Card, you would get the Gold status for 1 year irrespective of when you apply.
Does it matter?
Well, as long as you’re only flying business class, it doesn’t matter as it doesn’t make much of a difference. I’ve experienced it already and so I can say that.
Even though I’ve been flying frequently on Vistara lately, I don’t hold Gold tier at the moment as I dropped Vistara Infinite about 2 yrs ago. But I don’t see any major disadvantage except that I couldn’t get priority access lane to the 080 lounge at Bangalore airport.
Having said that, if you’re flying economy, Gold tier certainly can make a lot of difference from lounge access to priority check-in, priority boarding and few more.
Final Thoughts
If you’ve recently travelled on Vistara in the last few months you know that this is inevitable.
Because while boarding, when they request gold members to come forward, you would be quite surprised to see a LOT of them, which wasn’t the case a year or so before.
So to control this and probably to reduce the liability of Gold members merging with Air India (which we don’t know anything yet), this is an essential move.
What’s your thoughts on the recent devaluation on the Axis Vistara Infinite Credit Card? Feel free to share your thoughts in the comments below.
What happens to those who have renewed their gold status on Jan.. through the axis infinite card. Will the status hold good or will they be downgraded as I have not taken 4 flights last year.
It will be renewed for 1Yr, as that’s how it usually works. Lot safer in your case I would say!
You will retain your gold status till 2025. These new rules applicable only after 1 March 2024. You can see your gold status validity in club vistara account. I renewed in Dec 23 and my new gold status validity already reflecting in account till March 2025. Sad to see these changes..I’ll move on to SBI Vistara Prime card from next year onward.
This is a very bad move. It would be understandable if they had imposed a minimum spend requirement, but this would be counterproductive to them.
It is further compounded by the fact that unlike Air India, Vistara neither has sufficient international routes nor is it a full fledged partner in a global alliance.
The only real practical way to achieve the 15k is through accrual on international flights (partner flights likely). This seems like a move to shed these cobrand gold tier members prior to merger.
“minimum spend requirement” is indeed the right way to handle it and I think they might do it for first year itself incase if it gets access to Star Alliance Gold in future.
I don’t think even international partner flights will help with the Tier points since tier points only accrue with vistara operated flights.
So you’re forced to spend at least 150k INR at 10 points per 100INR if the math is as straightforward. Keeping gold wouldn’t be as difficult if you fly often and specifically with vistara
Good move considering two things :
1) the card became so popular that because of limited resources and more supply ,
Vistara gold had to be made invitation only
(earn only ) status !
2) with the merger of air india
Vistara gold and air india gold (expected ) would make confusion in laying new policies !
Yeah, well said.
Infact I would be surprised to see Gold benefit even for 1st year at 10K fee if at all we get Star alliance Gold.
They may increase price similar to Magnus/Reserve.
is there any news update on the vistara signature card devaluation too ?
It’s about the Gold tier issue and so no news on Signature, at-least for now.
Thanks for this post!
As always, helpful and timely!
My infinite card was due for renewal in Jan, this helped in deciding – I will renew it this year, they have already levied the fees, and unfortunately I can get it reversed as there is a transaction after the levy.
So I will carry this for one more year.
Cheers!
Hello Sid, and all the CardExpert community members
Need some advice for the existing stock of CV points. Spends on the card have allowed me to accumulate ~100k points over the past 2 years.
With the expected numbers of card closures in the near future – and the damocles’ sword of the merger – what would be the maximum timeframe to retain the points?
Community inputs would be much appreciated. Thanks in advance.
So its back to HDFC to retain the jewel crown in CCs. Axis lost it as fast as it gained…. looks like they aquired lot of customers and are betting quite a few will stay with other Axis products.
1. I got renewed in Jan, retained gold status. So good for another year, i guess.
2. It’s unfortunate that flights purchased with miles isn’t considered as well. I usually take at least 10-12 reward flights in one calendar year (excluding the vouchers)
3. It’s not clear (to me) if purchasing tickets for my family would count towards the 4 flights or tier points. We often travel as a family (of three) and a return journey would complete my quota easily. Any idea?
It’ll not be counted.
You need to have 15,000 Tier points and they are earned under your CV ID.
Family tickets are under different CV IDs, so separate calculation for each person.
Really disappointing move by Axis on this 🙁
Lose not loose
Silly me doing silly mistakes.
Very many thanks, updated.
I have Axis Bank Vistara Infinite card for which they are charging 11800 yearly fee. They have taken the yearly fee a month back and suddenly telling that you wont get Business class tickets on Utility bill. They keep on changing policy. If you have taken fee for a particular service then you cannot change its policy in between. Never buy any Axis bank products.
News also floating that this year Air India loyalty program is also getting revamped. So this maybe the method to thin the ranks before loyalty merger.
Disappointing to say the least. Canceled my Magnus late last year after the devaluation and now mostly may need to close this too as won’t be getting the 15k CV points.
Hdfc infinia wins 🙂 time to take the Yes Bank Reserv out of the drawer maybe too.
My Gold tier is valid until Aug 2024, Have 43k points earned sofar but travelled only vouchers except few times. Yet to complete 4 flights so planning to take routes blr mum twice two and fro will complete 4 flights and I still have one business class voucher and two gold upgrade voucher and 1 more two premium eco voucher and another upgrade voucher two upgrade expired in dec and Jan. Have to see if any, was expecting devaluation on this and it happened.
Two days ago I placed cancellation request as my card was up for renewal in Mar-24. Reading from disappointing experience shared by others in this forum, whereby Axis levies the fee, expects you to pay to get it reversed is so much of a hassle. Axis has too many restrictions such no CVs for utility payment, rent, etc. I will stick to SBI Prime Vistara until they offer CVs on these transactions. Axis Retention team offered to retain me by giving me 3k CV points. After I refused, they closed my card yesterday and now I see this post and I’m glad I stuck to my decision to cancel the card.
Can someone please help with the following Query:
Is the 9 months timeline to redeem Business class voucher (6Months till its On Demand + 3months after issue) is for actual Travel or just for Booking the lfight within that period.
E.g. I got the Voucher on 1st Oct 2023. now the voucher is issued after 6 months. Do I have to travel in next 3 months or Do I just need to book a flight in next 3 months (by End of June 2024), and the travel can be any time (Say in Oct 2024)
You need to travel before voucher expiry date, that’s June 2024.
That is correct.
Additional info: There used to be a provision for extending the life of the voucher on payment of a fee. Check the website.
For earning tier points, is it required to use Vistara infinite card only for booking Vistara revenue flights ? Or using other cards like Atlas etc would be also fine ? As it is the same member ID in Vistara ?
Any card. Tier points are earned on revenue tickets booked through any mode.
You can use any card.