This is for anyone who wants Olympus specifically, whether because they held Citi Prestige, because they want the hotel vouchers and guest-inclusive lounges, or because it is the next rung above Magnus. It settles what Axis actually looks for, which routes work, and what the process costs in time and paperwork.
Quick Answer: You need ₹2 lakh of net monthly income (or ₹24 lakh ITR), a 750+ credit score and, realistically, an existing Axis relationship; the card costs ₹20,000 + GST (₹23,600) a year with no spend waiver, and the two routes that work are a Burgundy relationship manager or an upgrade from Magnus.
What Olympus is, briefly
Axis launched Olympus as the successor card for Citi Prestige holders after it acquired Citi's India consumer business. The fee is ₹20,000 + GST (₹23,600), charged at joining and every renewal, with no spend-based waiver. The offsets are 10,000 EDGE Miles on the first transaction within 30 days, and at every renewal ₹10,000 of Taj and ITC hotel vouchers plus 2,500 EDGE Miles. Earning is 1 EDGE Mile per ₹100 at home and 2 per ₹100 abroad up to ₹2 lakh a month, with miles worth about ₹1 on Travel EDGE and transferable at 1 mile to 4 partner miles. Lounge access is unlimited domestic, 32 international visits plus 20 guest visits a year, and there are 32 complimentary golf rounds. Forex markup is 2%.
If you are weighing it against the other Axis travel cards, the Olympus vs Magnus vs Atlas comparison does that in numbers. This piece is about getting it.
Eligibility: the published bar
| Requirement | What Axis asks for |
|---|---|
| Income, salaried | ₹2 lakh net monthly income |
| Income, self-employed | ₹24 lakh annual income on the ITR |
| Credit score | 750 or above |
| Age | 21 to 70 for the primary cardholder; 18 for add-ons |
| Residency | Indian resident |
| Relationship | "Preferred for Axis Bank customers"; in practice, expected |
| Credit limit | Minimum ₹5 lakh; typical range ₹5 lakh to ₹20 lakh |
| Employment | High-income professionals and business owners |
The income figures are the reference numbers in the Axis Olympus terms and the bank's revision FAQ. Two things about them matter more than the numbers. First, Axis assesses net income after tax and existing EMIs, so a ₹2.4 lakh gross salary with a large home loan may not clear the bar. Second, the credit limit floor of ₹5 lakh means the bank has to be willing to extend at least that much to you; if your highest existing card limit is ₹2 lakh, expect a decline regardless of income.
Route 1: through a Burgundy or Priority relationship
This is how most Olympus cards get issued. Axis's premium cards are sold by relationship managers, and a Burgundy account (the bank's affluent banking tier, which typically expects a total relationship value of ₹10 lakh or more across deposits, investments and loans) puts you in front of one.
The sequence that works:
- Open or upgrade to a Burgundy account. Moving a salary account, a fixed deposit or a mutual fund portfolio to Axis is the usual trigger.
- Ask the relationship manager for Olympus by name. Say why: hotel vouchers, guest lounge access, golf, or the Citi Prestige history. Relationship managers pitch Magnus for Burgundy and Select by default because those are their targets.
- Provide income proof once. The relationship manager files the application internally, which skips the public form and its pre-screening.
- Expect a credit decision in two to three weeks. The card follows in 7 to 10 working days.
If you already bank with Axis but are not Burgundy, a Priority banking relationship is the halfway house: it gives you a named contact who can file the application, even if the approval odds are lower.
Route 2: upgrade from Magnus (or Atlas)
Axis does not run a formal upgrade ladder, but it does upgrade cardholders it wants to keep. The profile the bank upgrades to Olympus looks like this:
- Holding Magnus (or, less often, Atlas) for at least 12 months.
- Spend of ₹2 lakh a month or more, which is the level where Magnus's 35-point tier kicks in and the bank sees you as a high-value customer.
- Zero late payments and utilisation under 30% on the Axis card and on your other cards.
- Income that has grown since the Magnus application, reflected in a newer ITR or salary slip.
The request goes through the Axis app's card services or through customer care as a "card upgrade" request, with the new income documents attached. Two cautions. Olympus earns EDGE Miles while Magnus earns EDGE Reward Points, so an upgrade does not convert your Magnus points balance; redeem or transfer it first. And the bank may offer Magnus for Burgundy instead of Olympus if it thinks you are a points customer rather than a benefits customer, so be specific about which card you want and why.
Route 3: cold online application
You can apply through the Axis site without any relationship. At our last read the Olympus product page was not reliably indexed, and applicants report being routed to a callback rather than a form. This is the route with the lowest approval rate, because the bank has no relationship data to lean on and has to decide on income documents alone. If it is your only option, strengthen it first: hold an entry Axis card such as ACE or Airtel for a year with clean payments, then apply.
Documents to prepare
Axis lists the standard set:
- Income proof: last three months' salary slips and the latest Form 16 for salaried applicants; the last two years' ITR with computation of income for the self-employed.
- Identity proof: PAN is mandatory; Aadhaar, passport or voter ID for KYC.
- Address proof: Aadhaar, passport, utility bill or rent agreement.
- Bank statements: the last three months, showing salary credits or business receipts.
- Employment proof: an offer letter or employee ID for salaried applicants; a GST registration or business registration for the self-employed.
For an upgrade, only the income documents are usually needed, since KYC is already complete.
Timeline
| Stage | Relationship route | Upgrade route | Cold application |
|---|---|---|---|
| Application filed | Same day, by the relationship manager | Same day, in-app or by phone | After a callback, typically 2 to 5 working days |
| Credit decision | 2 to 3 weeks | 1 to 2 weeks | 3 to 4 weeks |
| Card dispatch | 7 to 10 working days after approval | 7 to 10 working days | 7 to 10 working days |
| Welcome benefit | 10,000 EDGE Miles after the first transaction within 30 days of setup | Same | Same |
Treat these as typical rather than guaranteed; Axis does not publish service levels for premium card decisions.
What it costs in the first year
| Item | Amount |
|---|---|
| Joining fee | ₹20,000 + GST (₹23,600) |
| Welcome miles | 10,000 EDGE Miles, about ₹10,000 on Travel EDGE |
| Net first-year cost before spend | About ₹13,600 |
| Renewal, year two onward | ₹20,000 + GST (₹23,600), offset by ₹10,000 of Taj/ITC vouchers and 2,500 miles, so about ₹11,100 net |
At 1% base earning you would need about ₹11 lakh of ordinary spend a year to cover that net renewal cost in miles. Most Olympus holders do not cover it that way; they cover it by using the hotel vouchers, the lounges and the golf.
Who should get it
Get it if:
- You held Citi Prestige and want the same shape of card: vouchers, lounges with guests, golf.
- You stay at Taj or ITC hotels at least twice a year, so the ₹10,000 of renewal vouchers is real value.
- You travel internationally with family; the 20 guest lounge visits are the best in the Axis lineup.
- You already bank with Axis at Burgundy level or hold Magnus with heavy spend.
Skip it if:
- You want earn rate. Magnus and Atlas both out-earn Olympus at every spend level.
- You would be applying cold with no Axis relationship; get Atlas or Magnus first.
- Your spend is heavy on rent, utilities, wallets or fuel, which Axis excludes or surcharges.
If the application is rejected
Axis will usually give a reason category if you ask through customer care. The common ones and the fix for each:
- Income below the bar: wait for the next ITR or a raise, then reapply with the new documents. Do not reapply with the same numbers.
- Credit score or utilisation: bring utilisation under 30% across all cards and keep it there for three months; clear any overdue amount.
- Too many recent applications: pause all credit applications for six months. Every hard enquiry counts against a premium application.
- No relationship: open a Burgundy or Priority account, or hold an entry Axis card for a year, then reapply through the relationship manager.
- Credit limit too low elsewhere: ask your existing issuers for limit enhancements first; Axis will not set a ₹5 lakh limit for someone whose other cards cap at ₹1 lakh.
Wait at least six months between applications. A second decline within that window makes a third attempt harder.
Common questions
What is the minimum income? ₹2 lakh net a month salaried or ₹24 lakh ITR, with a 750+ score.
Can I apply online? Technically, but the public page is unreliable and cold applications rarely succeed. Use a relationship manager or the upgrade route.
Is it an upgrade from Magnus? Often. Twelve months of Magnus with ₹2 lakh monthly spend and clean history is the profile Axis upgrades.
How long does it take? Two to three weeks for a decision by the relationship route, plus 7 to 10 working days for the card.
What if I am rejected? Find the reason, fix it, wait six months, and reapply through a relationship rather than cold.
Next steps
- Check your eligibility before applying
- Axis Bank Olympus card page
- All Axis Bank cards ranked
- Olympus vs Magnus vs Atlas
- How to get Axis Magnus
Last verified: 2026-02-24 against the Axis Olympus terms and conditions (https://www.axisbank.com/docs/default-source/default-document-library/olympus-terms-and-conditions.pdf) and the Axis card revision FAQ; the public product page at https://www.axisbank.com/retail/cards/credit-card/olympus-credit-card was not reachable in the September 2026 audit.