AU Bank Altura Plus Credit Card Review
Entry-level card: 1.5% unlimited cashback on retail, 2X online, 499 fee waivable at 80K spend. April 2026.
Who this is for
The AU Bank Altura Plus is a budget-friendly entry cashback card with a straightforward 1.5% unlimited flat-rate cashback on all POS (offline) retail spends plus 2X reward points on online transactions. No category complications, no monthly caps on POS cashback, low fee. Best for young spenders who want simple cashback without juggling partner brands or tiered thresholds.
Fees & welcome
| Head | Detail |
|---|---|
| Joining fee | 499 + GST (~590 all-in) |
| Joining fee waiver | 20,000 retail spend within 90 days of card setup |
| Annual fee waiver | 80,000 retail spend in previous anniversary year |
| Welcome voucher | 500 voucher on 10,000 retail spend within 60 days of card setup (per editorial; not on current AU marketing page — verify with AU Bank if material) |
| Monthly milestone (issuer-verified Apr 2026) | 500 Bonus RP on retail spends of ₹20,000+ in a calendar month — uncapped over the year |
Reward structure
- POS retail (offline): 1.5% unlimited cashback — no cap, no category restriction
- Online purchases: 2X reward points (double the base rate)
- Other benefits: No maximum cap on total RP accumulation
Other benefits
- Fuel surcharge waiver: 1% on 400-5,000 transactions, max 150/cycle
- Railway lounges: 2 complimentary visits per quarter (8/year) at Kolkata Sealdah, New Delhi, Jaipur, Ahmedabad, Madurai, Agra
- XpressEMI: Convert transactions above 2,000 into EMI
- 50-day interest-free period on regular purchases
Compared with alternatives
| Card | Fee | Offline cashback | Unique benefit |
|---|---|---|---|
| AU Altura Plus | 499 | 1.5% unlimited | 8 railway lounges/yr |
| AU Xcite (basic) | LTF | 3% RP on retail + 15% on specific | LTF, grocery/dining boost |
| HDFC Freedom | 500 | 0.1% base + 10X partners | 0.99% intro interest rate |
| HDFC Pixel Go | 250 | 1% unlimited | RuPay on UPI |
| SBI Cashback | 999 | 1% offline / 5% online | Broad online partner coverage |
What we like
- Fee waiver at 80K retail spend is very achievable
- Easy joining fee waiver at 20K in 90 days
- 8 railway lounge visits/year (6 supported stations)
- 2X online rate is competitive with HDFC Pixel Go
- AU Bank positioning is young-friendly with better app UX than SBI/PSU banks
Where it falls short
- 1.5% unlimited is good, not great — SBI Cashback's 5% online beats it for e-commerce
- Transportation MCC exclusion from April 2026 reduces value for ride-hailing / metro users
- No airport lounge access (only railway)
- 2X online rate requires clarification on base rate — effective return depends on RP value
- AU Small Finance Bank has smaller network than major banks
Should you apply?
Apply if: You spend mostly offline (POS retail) and want simple flat-rate cashback without category management; you take 2+ rail trips a year from supported stations; you're comfortable with a smaller bank.
Skip if: You spend mostly online (SBI Cashback or HDFC Pixel Play beat this), need airport lounges (not offered here), or rely heavily on ride-hailing/metro (no more RP on Transportation from April 2026).
The bottom line
AU Bank Altura Plus is a solid flat-rate cashback card at an entry-level fee. The 1.5% unlimited POS cashback with no cap is genuinely differentiated among 499-tier cards. Railway lounges add unique value. Best as a primary card for offline-heavy spenders or a supplementary card for anyone wanting railway lounges. The April 2026 Transportation exclusion is the main recent downside.
Verified against AU Small Finance Bank's official Altura Plus product page and April 2026 listings. Transportation MCC reward exclusion effective 1 April 2026. Railway lounges available at: Kolkata Sealdah, New Delhi, Jaipur, Ahmedabad, Madurai, Agra.
Eligibility (per AU Bank issuer page, Apr 2026)
- Salaried Indian: age 21-60 years
- Self-employed Indian: age 25-65 years
- Add-on cardholder: minimum age 18
- Resident Indian only
- Final approval at AU Bank discretion