Axis Bank ACE Credit Card vs HDFC Millennia Credit Card
Last Updated : March 27, 2025, 12:36 p.m.
Choosing the right credit card can significantly impact your financial benefits and savings. The Axis Bank Ace Credit Card and HDFC Millennia Credit Card are two popular options in the Indian market that offer attractive cashback rewards and benefits. Both cards target digitally-savvy consumers but with different reward structures and benefits. This credit card comparison will help you determine which card aligns better with your spending habits. We’ll analyze everything from cashback rates and annual fees to eligibility criteria and additional perks, giving you a clear picture of what each card offers. After you choose a credit card, check your free CIBIL score on Wishfin and also view your detailed CIBIL as they are important for credit card application approval. A low credit score and bad credit history in your credit report will likely lead to credit card application rejection. Hence, if your credit score or CIBIL score is not up to the mark, improve it and then apply for the credit card.
Axis Bank Ace Credit Card Versus the HDFC Millennia Credit Card - Core Features and Benefits
The Axis Bank Ace Credit Card offers impressive cashback rates on utility bills and food delivery services, making it ideal for everyday expenses. Meanwhile, the HDFC Millennia Credit Card is designed for online shoppers with its 5% cashback on select e-commerce platforms.
Axis Bank Credit Card Benefits: What Makes the ACE Card Unique?
Cashback Structure: The Axis Bank Ace Credit Card cashback offers are particularly strong for utility bill payments through Google Pay, offering a generous 5% cashback. This is complemented by a 4% cashback on popular food delivery platforms like Zomato and Swiggy, as well as ride-hailing service Ola. For all other transactions, the card provides a standard 1.5% cashback, which applies to both online and offline purchases. This makes it a versatile option for various spending categories.
Cashback Limits: It is important to note that the 5% and 4% cashback categories are capped at Rs. 500 per month combined. While this might seem limiting for high spenders, it still translates to a potential monthly spending of Rs. 10,000 on these high-cashback categories.
Travel Benefits: One standout feature is the complimentary airport lounge access. Cardholders receive 4 domestic airport lounge visits per year, provided they’ve spent at least Rs. 50,000 in the previous three months. This adds significant value for frequent travelers.
Fuel Benefits: The card offers a 1% fuel surcharge waiver on transactions between Rs. 400 and Rs. 4,000, with a monthly cap of Rs. 500. This benefit can lead to substantial savings for those who drive regularly.
Dining Discounts: Cardholders can enjoy up to 15% (Up to Rs. 500) off at partner restaurants through the EazyDiner platform, enhancing the card’s value proposition for food enthusiasts.
HDFC Millennia Credit Card Benefits - What makes it Special?
Rewards Structure: The HDFC Millennia Credit Card uses a points-based reward system called CashPoints. Cardholders earn 5% cashback (in the form of CashPoints) on select online merchants including popular e-commerce platforms like Amazon and Flipkart. For all other eligible transactions, the card offers a standard 1% cashback in CashPoints. This makes it particularly attractive for those who shop frequently online.
Welcome Bonus: Unlike the Axis Bank Ace, the HDFC Millennia offers a welcome bonus of 1,000 CashPoints, equivalent to Rs.1,000. This gives new cardholders an immediate reward upon joining.
Travel Benefits: Accumulated cashpoints can be redeemed against travel perks like flight and hotel bookings and the rewards catalogue at the SmartBuy rewards portal @1 CashPoint = Rs. 0.30. The lounge access benefits provided by the card are now included in the quarterly milestone benefits. Users can now opt for the Dreamfolks airport lounge access voucher on reaching quarterly milestone spends of Rs. 1 lakh.
Milestone Benefits: The card also features a quarterly milestone benefit: a Rs. 1,000 gift voucher when you spend Rs. 1 lakh within a quarter. This incentivizes higher spending and provides additional value.
Redemption Options: CashPoints can be redeemed in multiple ways as follows:
- Statement credit at a value of ₹1 per point
- Alternative redemptions at ₹0.30 per point for other rewards
- Minimum 500 CashPoints required for redemption
This flexibility enables cardholders to choose how they want to utilize their rewards, though the value varies significantly depending on the redemption method.
Credit card fees and charges: Comparing Costs Between Axis ACE and HDFC Millennia
Understanding the credit card fees and charges is crucial before making your final decision. Here’s how the two cards compare in terms of costs:
Joining and Annual Fees
The Axis Bank Ace Credit Card has a joining and annual fee of Rs. 499 plus taxes, while the HDFC Millennia Credit Card charges Rs. 1,000 plus taxes for both. This makes the Axis Bank card more affordable in terms of upfront costs.
Fee Waiver Conditions
Interestingly, despite its higher fee, the HDFC Millennia has a more accessible fee waiver condition. The annual fee is waived if you spend Rs. 1 lakh in the previous year, compared to the Rs. 2 lakh requirement for the Axis Bank Ace.
Finance Charges
The Axis Bank Ace Credit Card has a finance charge of 3.75% per month (equivalent to 55.55% per annum), which is relatively high. The HDFC Millennia’s finance charges follow the bank’s standard rates, which may vary.
Late Payment Fees
Both cards have tiered late payment fees based on the outstanding amount. It’s always advisable to pay your bills on time to avoid these charges.
Comparing the Eligibility Criteria of both the Credit Cards
Before applying for either card, it’s important to understand if you meet the eligibility requirements:
Age Requirements
The HDFC Millennia Credit Card eligibility criteria include an age range of 21-40 years, which is more restrictive than the Axis Bank Ace’s 18-70 years range. This makes the Axis card more accessible to both younger and older individuals.
Income Requirements
For the HDFC Millennia:
- Salaried individuals: Minimum monthly income of Rs. 35,000
- Self-employed: Minimum annual income of Rs. 6,00,000
The Axis Bank Ace doesn’t specify exact income requirements but requires Indian resident status. However, as with most credit cards, a good credit score is essential for approval.
Axis Bank Ace Credit Card vs HDFC Millennia Card - Which Card Should You Choose?
Both the HDFC Millennia and Axis ACE credit cards offer attractive cashback benefits tailored to different spending patterns. The HDFC Millennia is most suitable for online shoppers with its 5% cashback on e-commerce platforms and lower annual spend requirement of Rs. 1 lakh for fee waiver, making it ideal for digital-first consumers who frequently shop online. Meanwhile, the Axis ACE card stands out with its diverse cashback structure - 5% on utility bills via Google Pay, 4% on food delivery services and Ola rides, and an uncapped 1.5% on all other purchases—along with a more affordable annual fee of Rs. 499. Your choice ultimately depends on your spending habits: Opt for HDFC Millennia if e-commerce dominates your expenses. Select Axis ACE if you regularly pay utility bills digitally and frequently require food delivery. Whichever card you choose, both offer valuable lounge access benefits and represent solid options in today’s competitive cashback card market. Consider your monthly spending patterns carefully to maximize the rewards that matter most to your lifestyle.
Conclusion
After comparing the Axis Bank ACE Credit Card vs HDFC Millennia Credit Card, it will be easy for you to make a one-sided choice. Both the cards have unique benefits but first, you must analyze your needs and then only choose a card. You must make optimum use of the credit card and save some extra bucks on various expenses through it.
