Here’s a breakdown of what has changed and how it may affect cardholders.
What’s changed in the Travel Edge programme?
The update focuses on three areas:
- Removal and addition of transfer partners
- Revision in reward conversion ratios
- Continuation of caps and transfer rules
Together, these changes determine how much value cardholders can extract from EDGE Reward Points and EDGE Miles.
Which partners have been removed?
Axis Bank has discontinued three major loyalty programmes:
- Accor Live Limitless
- Marriott Bonvoy
- Qatar Airways Privilege Club
These were among the most widely used partners, especially for hotel stays and international travel. Their removal reduces high-value redemption options, particularly for users who relied on hotel point transfers.
Which new partners have been added?
The bank has introduced three new airline-focused programmes:
- British Airways Executive Club
- Finnair Plus
- Vietnam Airlines Lotusmiles
Are reward conversion rates changing?
Yes. One of the biggest shifts is in how reward points convert to partner miles.
- Several credit cards now offer lower conversion ratios for the new partners
- Cards like Atlas and Horizon see reduced value per point
- Even premium cards such as Magnus for Burgundy and Olympus have weaker ratios in select cases
- Top-tier cards like Burgundy Private remain relatively less affected
In simple terms, cardholders may now need more points to get the same travel benefit as before.
What about limits on point transfers?
Axis Bank has retained its existing structure:
- Annual caps on how many points/miles can be transferred
- Two partner categories (Group A and Group B) with separate limits
- For multiple cards, the highest-tier card determines the overall cap
- EDGE Reward Points and EDGE Miles continue to have separate limits
This means usage is still controlled not just by value, but also by how much can be transferred in a year.
What does this mean for cardholders?
The impact will vary depending on the type of card:
- Frequent travellers may feel the loss of hotel partners the most
- Mid-tier cardholders are likely to see a drop in overall reward value due to weaker conversion rates
- Premium users may retain better value, but with fewer high-value redemption routes
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First Published: Apr 7, 2026 11:33 AM IST
