Axis Atlas vs HDFC Regalia: Best Mid-Tier Travel Card Comparison

Axis Atlas and HDFC Regalia are the two most popular mid-tier travel cards for Indians. Both offer solid rewards and lounge access at reasonable fees. But they work very differently. Here's how to choose.

Core Difference: Atlas is built around Edge Miles (airline transfers). Regalia is built around SmartBuy (portal rewards). Choose based on how you redeem.

Quick Comparison Table

Feature	Axis Atlas	HDFC Regalia
Annual Fee	₹5,000 + GST	₹2,500 + GST
Fee Waiver	₹4L spend	₹3L spend
Base Earn	5 Edge Miles/₹200	4 RP/₹150
Portal Multiplier	Travel Edge 5X	SmartBuy 5X
Lounge Access	Priority Pass (8/year)	Priority Pass (8/quarter)
Transfer Partners	Air France, Etihad, Marriott	Marriott, Hyatt, Avios
Forex Markup	2% + GST	3.5% + GST
Milestone Bonus	Up to 10,000 miles/quarter	None

Reward System Comparison

Axis Atlas: Edge Miles System

Spend Category	Edge Miles Earned	Value
Base spend	5 per ₹200	2.5%
Travel Edge	25 per ₹200 (5X)	12.5%
Milestone ₹75k/quarter	5,000 bonus	Variable
Milestone ₹1.5L/quarter	10,000 bonus	Variable

Edge Miles Value: ~₹0.50-0.75 per mile when transferred wisely.

HDFC Regalia: Reward Points System

Spend Category	RP Earned	Value
Base spend	4 per ₹150	1.3%
SmartBuy	20 per ₹150 (5X)	6.7%
Partner merchants	Varies	2-5%

Reward Points Value: ~₹0.30-0.50 per point.

Head-to-Head: ₹10 Lakh Annual Spend

Scenario	Atlas	Regalia
All regular spend	25,000 EM (₹18,750)	26,666 RP (₹13,333)
50% via portal	37,500 EM (₹28,125)	40,000 RP (₹20,000)
With milestones	57,500 EM (₹43,125)	40,000 RP (₹20,000)

Winner: Atlas wins on pure rewards math IF you can hit milestones.

Lounge Access

Axis Atlas

• 8 Priority Pass visits per year
• Shared domestic + international
• Guest access: ₹2,000/visit
• DreamFolks domestic lounges: Limited

HDFC Regalia

• 8 Priority Pass visits per quarter (32/year total)
• Shared domestic + international
• Guest access: ₹1,500/visit

Winner: Regalia by far for lounge access volume. 32 vs 8 annually.

Transfer Partners

Axis Atlas Edge Miles

Partner	Ratio	Best For
Air France/KLM Flying Blue	2:1	Europe flights
Etihad Guest	2:1	Middle East, Australia
ITC Hotels	Direct	Domestic luxury stays
Marriott Bonvoy	5:2	Hotel stays globally

HDFC Regalia Reward Points

Partner	Ratio	Best For
British Airways Avios	Direct	Short-haul redemptions
Singapore KrisFlyer	Direct	Asia-Pacific
Marriott Bonvoy	Varies	Hotel stays
Hyatt	Varies	Premium hotels

Winner: Tie. Both have good airline partners. Atlas has edge for European airlines; Regalia for Asian airlines.

Forex Comparison

Card	Markup	On ₹5L Foreign Spend
Atlas	2% + GST (2.36%)	₹11,800
Regalia	3.5% + GST (4.1%)	₹20,500
Savings with Atlas		₹8,700

Winner: Atlas for international spending. Significant savings on forex.

Portal Experience

Axis Travel Edge

• Flights: MakeMyTrip, EaseMyTrip
• Hotels: Various aggregators
• Experience: Decent, occasional inventory issues
• 5X multiplier on most travel

HDFC SmartBuy

• Flights: Multiple airlines/OTAs
• Hotels: Various options
• Amazon/Flipkart vouchers: 5X
• Experience: Well-established, broader than just travel

Winner: Regalia's SmartBuy for versatility (shopping vouchers). Atlas Travel Edge for pure travel focus.

Fee Structure

Axis Atlas

• Joining: ₹5,000 + GST (₹5,900)
• Annual: ₹5,000 + GST (₹5,900)
• Waiver: ₹4L annual spend

HDFC Regalia

• Joining: ₹2,500 + GST (₹2,950)
• Annual: ₹2,500 + GST (₹2,950)
• Waiver: ₹3L annual spend

Winner: Regalia is half the cost with lower waiver threshold.

Decision Matrix

If You...	Choose
Travel internationally often	Atlas (better forex)
Fly mostly domestic	Regalia (more lounges)
Want to accumulate airline miles	Atlas
Prefer flexible redemptions	Regalia
Can hit ₹1.5L/quarter spend	Atlas (milestones)
Spend ₹3-5L/year	Regalia (lower fee)
Planning to upgrade to premium	Either (both have upgrade paths)
Want simple cashback-like rewards	Regalia

Scenario Analysis

Scenario 1: Monthly Domestic Traveler

• 12+ domestic flights/year
• ₹6L annual card spend
• Prefers lounges over miles

Winner: Regalia

• 32 lounge visits vs 8
• Lower fee
• SmartBuy covers flight bookings

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Scenario 2: Quarterly International Traveler

• 4 international trips/year
• ₹8L annual card spend
• ₹3L+ international spending

Winner: Atlas

• 2% forex saves ₹4,500+
• Edge Miles for business class redemptions
• Milestone bonuses achievable

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Scenario 3: Light Traveler, Heavy Spender

• 4-6 trips/year
• ₹10L annual spend
• Mostly domestic
• Prefers vouchers over miles

Winner: Regalia

• SmartBuy Amazon/Flipkart vouchers
• More lounge visits for occasional use
• Lower fee

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Scenario 4: Miles Maximizer

• Wants to save for business class redemption
• Comfortable with complex transfers
• ₹12L+ annual spend

Winner: Atlas

• Milestone bonuses are significant
• Transfer partners for premium redemptions
• Better long-term accumulation

Can You Hold Both?

Yes! Some enthusiasts hold both:

Use	Card
International travel	Atlas (forex savings)
Domestic lounges	Regalia
Flight bookings	Regalia SmartBuy
Mile accumulation	Atlas

Combined fees: ₹8,850/year

Worth it if: You spend ₹12L+/year and travel 10+ times.

Upgrade Paths

Axis Atlas →

• Axis Magnus (₹12,500/year)
• Requires ₹18L+ income or ₹10L limit

HDFC Regalia →

• Regalia Gold → Infinia
• More structured upgrade ladder

For Infinia aspirants: Regalia path is more established.

Common Questions

Which has better customer service?

Both have dedicated premium lines. HDFC's network is larger; Axis response times are often faster.

Can I product-change between them?

No. They're different banks. You'd need to apply fresh.

Which is better for first premium card?

Regalia. Lower fee, more lounges, easier to justify while learning the ecosystem.

Do rewards expire?

• Atlas Edge Miles: 3 years
• Regalia RP: 2-3 years (varies by program)

Summary Recommendation

Profile	Recommendation
First premium card	HDFC Regalia
Budget-conscious	HDFC Regalia (lower fee)
International traveler	Axis Atlas
Lounge enthusiast	HDFC Regalia
Miles collector	Axis Atlas
SmartBuy power user	HDFC Regalia
Milestone chaser	Axis Atlas
Upgrade to Infinia path	HDFC Regalia
Upgrade to Magnus path	Axis Atlas

Both are excellent cards. Regalia offers better value at lower cost for most people. Atlas rewards high spenders who can maximize milestones and airline transfers.

If you can only have one: Start with Regalia for the lower entry point and better lounges. Graduate to Atlas (or Magnus) when your travel pattern demands it.