Kotak Air+ Credit Card
Joining Fee
Renewal Fee
Best Suited For
Reward Type
|
Welcome Benefits
Movie & Dining
N/A
Rewards Rate
5 Air Miles/₹100 Spent on Flight & Hotel Booking Through Kotak Unbox. 2 Air Miles/₹100 for All Other Spends
Reward Redemption
Transfer Air Miles to Partner Hotels and Airlines Such as Accor, Air Canada, Air France, and More at a 2:1 Ratio
Travel
N/A
Domestic Lounge Access
4 Free Visits Each Year (Maximum of 2 Per Quarter)
International Lounge Access
2 Free Visits Each Year
Golf
N/A
Insurance Benefits
N/A
Spend-Based Waiver
N/A
Rewards Redemption Fee
N/A
Foreign Currency Markup
2%
Interest Rates
3.5% Monthly Rate and 42% Yearly Rate
Fuel Surcharge
1% Waiver for Transactions Between ₹400 and ₹7,500 (Maximum ₹4,500 Each Year)
Cash Advance Charges
2.5% of the Advance Amount, Subject to a Minimum of ₹500
- This is a travel-focused credit card.
- Cardholders shall earn Air Miles on their eligible spends.
- This card provides access to international and domestic airport lounges.
- The Forex markup charge on this card is quite low, at just 2%, compared to the industry average of 3.5%.
Pros
- The Kotak Air+ Credit Card is a sound entry-level air miles card available at a decent joining fee.
- This card offers renewal and welcome benefits in the form of Air Miles.
Cons
- The card lacks travel insurance, a concierge service, and global hotel discounts. These features are often sought after in a travel-dedicated credit card.
- There is no spend-based annual fee waiver with this card. Even though you would receive a renewal benefit of 2,500 Air Miles, you would still have to pay the yearly fee.
- One of the biggest drawbacks of this card is that no Air Miles are earned on international transactions.
2,500 Air Miles as Welcome and Renewal Benefit
2,500 Air Miles are offered as renewal and welcome benefit with the Kotak Air+ Credit Card. These miles are provided on realization of joining and annual charges.
Earn Air Miles on Eligible Spends
- 5 Air Miles/₹100 on flight & hotel bookings via Kotak Unbox. These accelerated Air Miles earnings are capped at 15,000 Air Miles per statement cycle.
- 2 Air Miles/₹100 on all other spends.
- No Air Miles shall be earned for Utility/Telecom, Insurance, Education & Government, Rent, Fuel, Wallet Loading, EMI, Online Gaming, Cash Advance, and International Transactions.
- Air Miles shall be valid for a period of 3 years.
Air Miles can be used for flight and hotel bookings via Kotak Unbox (1 Air Mile = ₹1), or they can be transferred to preferred hotel or airline partners.
Transfer Air Miles to Partner Hotels and Airlines
A minimum of 1,000 Kotak Air+ Credit Card Air Miles is required for initiating a successful transfer to various partners. One highlight of this card is that there is no maximum monthly or yearly limit of Air Miles that can be transferred.
Given below are various airline partners.
| Airline Partners | Air Miles: Partner Miles |
| Air Canada | 2:1 |
| Air France | 2:1 |
| British Airways | 2:1 |
| Cathay Pacific | 2:1 |
| Etihad Airways | 2:1 |
| Qatar Airlines | 2:1 |
| United Airlines | 2:1 |
Given below are various hotel partners.
| Hotel Partners | Air Miles: Partner Miles |
| Accor | 2:1 |
| Marriott | 3:1 |
Free Airport Lounge Access
The Kotak Air+ Credit Card offers 2 complimentary international airport lounge visits per year and 4 complimentary domestic airport lounge visits per year. This benefit is only valid for the primary cardholders; add-on cardholders shall not be able to avail of this benefit.
Final Word
Kotak Mahindra Bank has launched several new credit cards since the lifting of the RBI ban, and at the time of writing this article, most of them are travel-focused. Whether it’s the IndiGo Kotak XL Credit Card, IndiGo Kotak Credit Card, or the Air+ Credit Card, all aim to cater to frequent flyers.
While these cards focus on travel, they lack some core benefits that other credit cards in the same category offer. When it comes to privileges, the Kotak Air+ Credit Card misses out on lounge access for add-on cardholders, a key drawback for families or couples, as most people tend to travel with a companion.
The card also falls short in terms of rewards on international spends. The low forex markup fee becomes somewhat irrelevant if no Air Miles are earned on foreign transactions.
In the end, we can say that the Kotak Air+ Air Miles Credit Card doesn’t quite measure up to established players like Axis Atlas. That said, for those who already have the card or are considering it, the best way to maximize value is to redeem Air Miles via Kotak Unbox, where you get the full value of 1 Air Mile = ₹1, instead of transferring them to partner programs at a devalued ratio.
Share your thoughts on the card in the comments below, or if you have any questions, feel free to ask!
FAQs:
What are the joining charges for this card?
How many Air Miles can I earn for flight and hotel bookings via Kotak Unbox?
Will I earn Air Miles for international spends with the Kotak Air+ Credit Card?