Kotak IndiGo Premium vs Axis IndiGo Premium 2026: BluChips

Kotak IndiGo Premium and Axis IndiGo Premium are the two Visa premium co-brand cards from IndiGo's partner banks, and both pay in BluChips that only work inside IndiGo. Kotak is cheaper at ₹3,000 a year and lists a much higher earn on IndiGo bookings: up to 21 BluChips per ₹100 against 7 on Axis. Axis costs ₹5,000 but adds international lounge visits and a 2% forex markup. If you fly IndiGo on domestic routes, Kotak looks stronger on paper. If you also fly abroad, Axis has more to offer.

Side-by-side comparison

Feature	Kotak IndiGo Premium	Axis IndiGo Premium
Network	Visa	Visa
Joining fee	₹3,000	₹5,000
Annual fee	₹3,000	₹5,000
Fee waiver spend	None	None
IndiGo bookings	Up to 21 BluChips per ₹100	7 BluChips per ₹100
Dining	3 per ₹100	Base rate
Base rate	2 per ₹100	1%
Welcome benefit	4,000 BluChips voucher + 6E Eats voucher	5,000 BluChips voucher + 6E Eats voucher
Renewal benefit	4,000 BluChips voucher + 6E Eats voucher yearly	Not listed in our data
Milestones	Up to 16,000 BluChips a year in vouchers	Not listed in our data
Domestic lounge	2 visits per quarter	2 visits per quarter on ₹50,000 spend in the previous 3 months
International lounge	Not listed	2 visits a year via Priority Pass
Forex markup	Not listed in our data	2%
Min monthly income	Not listed	₹75,000
Min credit score	700	750

All figures are from BestCard's latest card data. Kotak's forex markup and income requirement are not listed in our data, so check them with the bank before applying.

How the rewards actually work

Kotak IndiGo Premium

Kotak IndiGo Premium, the successor to the earlier 6E Rewards XL line, earns up to 21 BluChips per ₹100 on IndiGo flight bookings, 3 per ₹100 on dining and 2 per ₹100 on other spends (our data lists a base rate of 2, which we read as BluChips per ₹100). A 4,000 BluChips voucher and a 6E Eats voucher arrive on issue and again at each renewal, and spend milestones can add up to 16,000 BluChips a year in vouchers. Our data does not list the milestone thresholds.

Axis IndiGo Premium

Axis IndiGo Premium earns 7 BluChips per ₹100 on IndiGo bookings, which Axis presents as a 7% value-back, and a 1% base rate elsewhere. On paying the fee you get a 5,000 BluChips voucher and a 6E Eats voucher. BluChips redeem inside the IndiGo booking flow for flights, seat selection and baggage, with no separate redemption fee.

One caution. A BluChip's rupee value is only stated for Axis in our data (7 per ₹100 equals 7%, so ₹1 each). Kotak's data does not state a value. The worked examples below compare BluChip counts, not rupees, so check how Kotak values a BluChip before you rely on the gap.

Worked example 1: ₹40,000 a month

Split: ₹8,000 on IndiGo bookings, ₹5,000 dining, ₹27,000 other. Annual spend ₹4.8 lakh.

Kotak IndiGo Premium

• IndiGo: 21 × 80 = 1,680 BluChips
• Dining: 3 × 50 = 150
• Other: 2 × 270 = 540
• Total: 2,370 BluChips a month, 28,440 a year
• Plus 4,000 BluChips voucher and 6E Eats voucher each year

Axis IndiGo Premium

• IndiGo: 7 × 80 = 560
• Dining and other at the 1% base (we count it as 1 BluChip per ₹100): 320
• Total: 880 BluChips a month, 10,560 a year
• Plus 5,000 BluChips voucher and 6E Eats voucher on the first fee payment

Kotak earns about 2.7 times the BluChips. Since Axis's BluChips are worth ₹1 each, its 10,560 plus the 5,000 welcome voucher is about ₹15,560 in the first year against a ₹5,000 fee. Kotak's ₹3,000 fee is the lowest cost in the pair, and its larger count looks better, but confirm the BluChip value first.

Worked example 2: ₹1,00,000 a month

Split: ₹25,000 on IndiGo bookings, ₹10,000 dining, ₹65,000 other. Annual spend ₹12 lakh.

Kotak IndiGo Premium

• IndiGo: 21 × 250 = 5,250 BluChips
• Dining: 3 × 100 = 300
• Other: 2 × 650 = 1,300
• Total: 6,850 BluChips a month, 82,200 a year

Axis IndiGo Premium

• IndiGo: 7 × 250 = 1,750
• Dining and other: 1% × ₹75,000 = 750
• Total: 2,500 BluChips a month, 30,000 a year
• Worth about ₹30,000 a year at ₹1 per BluChip

Neither card has a fee waiver, so higher spend only improves the return. At ₹1 lakh a month Axis returns about 2.5% of spend and Kotak's count is far larger. Ignoring fees, Kotak stays ahead as long as one of its BluChips is worth more than about 37 paise (₹30,000 ÷ 82,200). A 21-per-₹100 headline rate is unusual, so treat it as the best case and verify the terms with Kotak.

Lounge access and travel

Both cards list 2 domestic lounge visits per quarter. Axis ties its visits to ₹50,000 of spend in the previous three months, while Kotak's data lists no spend condition. Only Axis lists international lounge access: 2 visits a year through Priority Pass. Axis also lists a reduced 2% forex markup, against the 3.5% standard rate on most Axis entry and mid-tier cards. On ₹1 lakh of foreign spend that is ₹2,000. Kotak's forex markup is not in our data. For wider choices, see our best travel credit cards with lounge access.

Axis also lists a 1% fuel surcharge waiver capped at ₹400 per statement cycle. Kotak's fuel terms are not listed in our data.

Fees and waivers

Kotak costs ₹3,000 to join and ₹3,000 a year. Axis costs ₹5,000 to join and ₹5,000 a year. Neither has a spend-based waiver, so you pay every year whether or not you fly. On Kotak, the 4,000 BluChips renewal voucher plus the 6E Eats voucher is meant to offset the fee. Axis does not list a renewal voucher in our data, so its fee is harder to offset after year one.

Axis asks for ₹75,000 a month and a 750 score. Kotak lists a 700 score and no income requirement in our data.

Who should pick which

Choose Kotak IndiGo Premium if:

• You fly IndiGo regularly on domestic routes
• You want the lower fee and a renewal voucher each year
• You are happy for all your rewards to stay inside IndiGo
• You want domestic lounge visits without a stated spend gate

Choose Axis IndiGo Premium if:

• You fly IndiGo abroad and want international lounge visits via Priority Pass
• You want a lower forex markup, at 2%
• You earn ₹75,000 a month or more and can live with a ₹5,000 fee
• You prefer a simple 7% value-back with a stated rupee value

Verdict

For domestic IndiGo flyers, Kotak IndiGo Premium is the better pick on our data: lower fee, higher BluChip earn and a yearly renewal voucher. Axis IndiGo Premium is the better fit if you also fly internationally and want Priority Pass and the 2% forex markup. If you only fly IndiGo a few times a year, neither fixed fee is easy to justify, and a general travel card may do more for you.

For more detail, read our Kotak IndiGo Premium review and Axis IndiGo Premium review. See also SBI IndiGo ELITE vs Axis IndiGo Premium, our co-branded airline cards guide, the best co-branded airline cards, or compare both on BestCard's compare tool.