Is Axis Select Credit Card a Smart Add-On If You Have Horizon?

Introduction

I got an email from one of my readers. He wrote in with a common dilemma. He has the Axis Horizon card for 15 years now. It started as Citi PremierMiles. His limit is Rs.16 lakhs, which covers his usual Rs. 40,000 monthly credit card spends.

Sometimes it spikes to Rs. 2 lakhs for gadgets or Rs. 2.5 lakhs for travel bookings.

He also has an HDFC Indian Oil card with Rs. 1.5 lakhs limit for small Rs. 2,000 spends. Mainly to keep his credit score strong.

Now, his Axis Mobile Banking App says he’s eligible for the Axis Select Credit Card.

Wondering if it’s worth adding a new credit card

He got attracted to the news card for two reasons:

• He does some regular Swiggy and BigBasket expenses. He spends Rs. 2,500 and Rs. 10,000 monthly, respectively, on them.
• He wants to upgrade his credit card.

He only wants to upgrade the credit card if it’s an exceptional card (that he should now miss) or if it fits his habits perfectly.

I found this question interesting. It was not so easy for me to answer it. So I thought about it deeply. When I could frame a suitable and meaningful reply to me, I felt good. So I thought, “Let’s turn this into a post.”

It can help others think about credit cards too.

In this post, we’ll compare the Horizon and the Select credit card.

Comparison of the Two Credit Cards

Feature	Axis Bank Select Credit Card	Axis Bank Horizon Credit Card
Joining Fee	Rs. 3,000 + GST	Rs. 3,000 + GST
Annual Fee	Rs. 3,000 + GST (Waived on Rs. 6,00,000 annual spends)	Rs. 3,000 + GST (No waiver)
Other Recurring Fees	– Cash withdrawal: 2.5% (Min. Rs. 500) – Foreign currency: 3.5% of transaction value – Rent surcharge: 1% of rental transaction – Wallet load: 1% on spends > Rs. 10,000/statement – Fuel surcharge: 1% (refunded for Rs. 400–4,000, max Rs. 400/statement)	– Cash withdrawal: 2.5% (Min. Rs. 500) – Foreign currency: 3.5% of transaction value – Rent surcharge: 1% of rental transaction – Wallet load: 1% on spends > Rs. 10,000/statement – Fuel surcharge: 1% (refunded for Rs. 400–5,000, max Rs. 400/statement)
Welcome Benefits	10,000 EDGE Reward Points (Rs. 2,000 value) on first transaction within<br 30 days	5,000 EDGE Miles (Rs. 1,000 value) on first transaction ≥ Rs. 1,000 within 30 days
Reward Points	– 10 EDGE Points/Rs. 200 on all spends – 20 EDGE Points/Rs. 200 on retail shopping (up to Rs. 20,000/month) – No points on insurance, rent, utilities, telecom, wallet, gold, government services	– 2 EDGE Miles/Rs. 100 on all other spends – 5 EDGE Miles/Rs. 100 on Axis Bank Travel EDGE portal/airline websites – No points on fuel, wallet, utilities, telecom, education, rent, insurance
per Swiggy Benefits	Rs. 200 off on Swiggy (min. Rs. 1,000), twice a month (Code: AXIS200)	None specifically mentioned
BigBasket Benefits	Rs. 500 off on BigBasket (min. Rs. 2,500), once a month (Code: AXISSELECTCC)	None specifically mentioned
Lounge Access	– 2 domestic lounge visits/quarter (on Rs. 50,000 spends in last 3 months) – 12 international lounge visits/year via Priority Pass (renews on Rs. 3,00,000 annual spends)	– 8 domestic lounge visits/quarter (Visa) or 6 (Mastercard) – 2 international lounge visits/quarter via Priority Pass
Fuel Surcharge Waiver	1% refund on fuel purchases (Rs. 400–4,000), max Rs. 400/statement cycle	1% refund on fuel purchases (Rs. 400–5,000), max Rs. 400/statement cycle
Insurance Benefits	– Purchase protection: Rs. 1 lakh – Travel insurance: USD 500 (loss of baggage/documents), USD 300 (baggage delay)	– Lost card liability: Rs. 10 lakh – Travel insurance: USD 500 (loss of baggage), USD 300 (documents/baggage delay)
Other Benefits	– 6 complimentary golf rounds/year (12 on Rs. 3,00,000 annual spends) – Dining Delights: 15% off at select restaurants – Wednesday Delight: 10% off Swiggy, 15% off MakeMyTrip, 10% off Tira	– Dining Delights: 15% off at select restaurants – Wednesday Delight: 10% off Swiggy, 15% off MakeMyTrip, 10% off Tira
Redemption Options	EDGE Points: Vouchers, airmiles (1 point = 0.2irmiles), cashback (1 point = Rs. 0.20)	EDGE Miles: Airmiles (1 mile = 1 airmile), cashback (1 mile = Rs. 0.20)
Key Restrictions	Points not earned on restricted categories (insurance, rent, fuel, etc.)	Points not earned on restricted categories (fuel, wallet, utilities, etc.)

Understanding Your Current Cards

Before chasing a new credit card, take stock of what you already have.

It’s like knowing what’s in your pantry before grocery shopping.

• Our reader depends on his Axis Horizon card for most expenses. It’s built for travel lovers, with a hefty Rs. 16 lakh limit and a 15-year history. That’s perfect for his usual Rs. 40,000 monthly spends and occasional big purchases, like a Rs. 2.5 lakh travel booking or a Rs. 2 lakh gadget splurge.
• He also has an HDFC Indian Oil card with a Rs. 1.5 lakh limit, used for small Rs. 2,000 spends, mainly on fuel. Its main job? Keeping his credit score healthy.

Pause and think about your own cards.

Do they meet your daily needs? For this reader, Horizon handles everything from routine bills to rare big buys. Plus, his long history with it strengthens his credit score. That’s a big win.

Adding another card isn’t always smart.

It can mean more bills to track and rewards to manage.

Ask yourself: Is your credit limit enough? His Rs. 16 lakhs covers his spikes easily. Unless your spending jumps, you might not need more plastic in your wallet.

What Are the Costs?

Credit card fees always feels like a pain at the end of the year.

Both the Axis Select and Horizon cards charge Rs. 3,000 plus GST as a joining fee. The annual fee is the same from year two onward.

Here’s a key difference: the Select card waives the annual fee if you spend Rs. 8 lakhs a year. But this excludes spends on rent, fuel, or utilities.

Our reader spends Rs. 40,000 monthly, which is Rs. 4.8 lakhs yearly. With occasional big purchases, like a Rs. 2.5 lakh travel booking, he could hit Rs. 7–8 lakhs. That makes the waiver possible.

The Horizon card has no waiver. You pay Rs. 3,000 plus GST every year, no matter what.

Other fees are nearly identical:

• Cash withdrawal: 2.5% (minimum Rs. 500).
• Foreign transactions: 3.5%.
• Rent payments: 1% extra charge.
• Wallet loads above Rs. 10,000 per statement: 1% fee.

Both cards offer a fuel surcharge waiver. You get up to Rs. 400 back monthly. For Select, this applies on fuel spends between Rs. 400 and Rs. 4,000. For Horizon, it’s Rs. 400 to Rs. 5,000.

Here’s my take on which credit card is better in terms of cost:

• The Select card’s fee waiver is attractive if your spends are high.
• But for someone like our reader with moderate spending, Horizon’s fixed fee is still okay. Its travel benefits make is a good card.

Rewards and Everyday Benefits

Choosing a credit card often comes down to rewards and how they fit your lifestyle.

Our reader spends Rs. 2,500 monthly on Swiggy and Rs. 10,000 on BigBasket. There are a few occasional big travel purchases.

Let’s compare the Axis Select and Horizon cards head-to-head to see which delivers better value for his habits.

• Axis Select: You get 10,000 EDGE Points (worth Rs. 2,000) after your first transaction within 30 days. A nice kickstart for new users.
• Axis Horizon: Offers 5,000 EDGE Miles (worth Rs. 1,000) on your first transaction of Rs. 1,000 or more within 30 days. Half the value of Select’s bonus.

Verdict: Select starts stronger with a bigger welcome reward.

Regular Rewards:

• Axis Select: Earns 10 EDGE Points per Rs. 200 (5 points per Rs. 100) on all spends. For retail shopping—like groceries, clothes, or department stores—it doubles to 20 points per Rs. 200 (10 points per Rs. 100), capped at Rs. 20,000 monthly. For our reader’s Rs. 40,000 monthly spend (say, Rs. 10,000 on retail, Rs. 30,000 general), that’s 2,500 points or Rs. 500 value monthly.
• Axis Horizon: Gives 2 EDGE Miles per Rs. 100 on most spends. If you book through Axis Travel EDGE or airline websites, it jumps to 5 miles per Rs. 100. For the same Rs. 40,000 spend, you’d earn 800 miles (Rs. 160 value) monthly, assuming no travel portal use.

Verdict: Select’s rewards are better for everyday spending, especially retail. Horizon shines if you book travel directly.

Reward Redemption:

• Axis Select: EDGE Points redeem at Rs. 0.20 each for cashback or vouchers. For airmiles, it’s 1 point = 0.2 airmiles, which is less exciting for travel buffs.
• Axis Horizon: EDGE Miles redeem at Rs. 0.20 each for cashback, but convert 1:1 to airmiles, making them far more valuable for flights or travel rewards.

Verdict: Horizon wins for travel-focused redemption, critical for our reader’s occasional Rs. 2.5 lakh travel bookings (e.g., Klook), earning 12,500 miles (Rs. 2,500 or 12,500 airmiles) vs. Select’s 6,250 points (Rs. 1,250 or 1,250 airmiles).

Swiggy Benefits:

• Axis Select: Rs. 200 off on Swiggy (minimum order Rs. 1,000), twice a month, using code AXIS200. For his Rs. 2,500 spend, splitting into two Rs. 1,250 orders saves Rs. 400 monthly (Rs. 4,800 yearly).
• Axis Horizon: 10% off Swiggy via Wednesday Delight, no minimum order. On Rs. 2,500, that’s Rs. 250 monthly (Rs. 3,000 yearly), easier to use but less savings.

Verdict: Select saves more on Swiggy, but requires planning orders.

BigBasket Benefits:

• Axis Select: Rs. 500 off on BigBasket (minimum Rs. 2,500), once a month, using code AXISSELECTCC. His Rs. 10,000 spend easily gets the full Rs. 500 (Rs. 6,000 yearly).
• Axis Horizon: No specific BigBasket offer. His Rs. 10,000 earns 200 miles (Rs. 40 value monthly, Rs. 480 yearly).

Verdict: Select is a clear winner for BigBasket, offering significant savings.

Exclusions:

• Both Cards: No rewards on fuel, rent, utilities, insurance, telecom, wallet loads, gold, or government services. This limits points on some common spends, so factor that in.

Total Value for His Spends

• Axis Select: For Rs. 40,000 monthly (Rs. 2,500 Swiggy, Rs. 10,000 BigBasket, Rs. 27,500 general), he’d get Rs. 900 (Swiggy + BigBasket discounts) + Rs. 500 (rewards), totaling Rs. 1,400 monthly or Rs. 16,800 yearly. For a Rs. 2.5 lakh travel spend, rewards are lower (Rs. 1,250 value).
• Axis Horizon: Same spend gives Rs. 250 (Swiggy) + Rs. 200 (rewards), totaling Rs. 450 monthly or Rs. 5,400 yearly. But a Rs. 2.5 lakh travel spend via the portal earns Rs. 2,500 or more in miles.

Verdict: Select is better for daily spends, especially Swiggy and BigBasket, saving Rs. 10,800 yearly on these apps alone. Horizon pulls ahead for big travel purchases, which matter for his occasional splurges.

Select leans toward lifestyle benefits. Horizon is a travel powerhouse.

For our reader, Select’s discounts are tempting, but Horizon’s travel rewards align better with his high-value bookings.

Lounge and Extra Perks

Travel perks matter for occasional trips.

Horizon shines here. 2 international lounge visits per quarter via Priority Pass. 8 domestic per quarter on Visa variant, 6 on Mastercard.

Select matches international with 12 per year. Renews on Rs. 3 lakhs spends. Domestic: 2 per quarter, but only after Rs. 50,000 in last 3 months.

Golf on Select: 6 free rounds yearly, plus 6 more on Rs. 3 lakhs spends. If you golf, nice. Otherwise, skip.

Both have dining delights. 15 percent off select restaurants.

Insurance: Select covers purchase protection Rs. 1 lakh, travel up to USD 500. Horizon has Rs. 10 lakh lost card liability.

For this reader, Horizon’s lounges fit his rare abroad trips better. No spend thresholds.

Crunching the Numbers for You

Let’s do the calculation based on our readers habits. Monthly Rs. 40,000. Rs. 2,500 Swiggy, Rs. 10,000 BigBasket, rest general.

• On Select:
  • Rewards worth Rs. 500 monthly from points.
  • Plus Rs. 900 from app discounts.
  • Annual: Rs. 16,800 or so.

• Horizon:
  • Rewards Rs. 200 monthly from miles.
  • Swiggy Rs. 250.
  • Total around Rs. 5,400 yearly.

But for his Rs. 2.5 lakhs travel spike?

• Horizon earns 12,500 miles if on portal. Worth Rs. 12,500 or airmiles.
• Select: About 12,500 points, Rs. 2,500 value.

Net: Select wins on daily spends. Horizon on travel.

Add fee. Select might waive. Horizon doesn’t.

Still, extra card means more tracking.

Is Select Worth Adding?

It depends.

For this reader, no. Horizon covers travel well. His limits are enough. Credit history is solid with two cards.

Select’s discounts are good. Rs. 7,000-8,000 extra yearly. But not exceptional. Overlaps with Horizon. Both from Axis, no new bank diversity.

If BigBasket spends rise, maybe yes. Or if travel stops.

My take: Stick to what works. Don’t chase every card. I’ve seen folks with too many, missing payments.

Conclusion

First, figure out what you need from a card. Jot down your monthly spends and see which rewards fit best. Compare the fees against the benefits—use actual numbers to be sure. Having cards from different banks helps keep your credit score strong.

For our reader, sticking with the Horizon and HDFC cards makes sense. They cover his needs well, so why add complexity?

Now, about eligibility: which card is harder to get, Horizon or Select?

Both want a solid credit score, say 750+.

• Horizon, being a premium travel card, often asks for higher income, around Rs. 15-20 lakhs yearly. It’s aimed at frequent travelers with big earnings.
• Select is easier, targeting folks with Rs. 10-12 lakhs income, perfect for salaried professionals chasing lifestyle perks.

Overall, Horizon feels like the superior card. Its airmile conversions, no-threshold lounge access, and travel benefits give it an edge for high-value trips.

Select’s great for daily discounts like Swiggy and BigBasket, but it doesn’t match Horizon’s premium travel vibe.

What’s your take? Drop a comment.