Axis Bank has quietly brought back Qatar Airways Privilege Club as a transfer partner for EDGE Rewards and EDGE Miles cardholders reversing one of the three partner removals from the April 2026 Travel EDGE overhaul.
The catch? Most cards now transfer at a weaker ratio than before, with only one card retaining its previous transfer ratio.
What Happened in April, and Why It Mattered
In April 2026, Axis Bank pulled three airline partners from the Travel EDGE portal overnight: Accor Live Limitless, Marriott Bonvoy, and Qatar Airways Privilege Club. In their place, the bank added British Airways Club, Finnair Plus, and Vietnam Airlines Lotusmiles.
On paper, British Airways and Finnair also connect to the Avios pool. In practice, cardholders lost the cleanest route into that pool. Qatar Airways offered strong pricing on its own Qsuite awards, lower taxes on many routes, and the same free movement of Avios across British Airways, Iberia, Finnair, and Aer Lingus. Losing it meant losing the easiest path to premium oneworld redemptions for Indian cardholders.
Qatar Airways Is Back, at a Price
Axis Bank has now restored Qatar Airways Privilege Club to the Travel EDGE portal. Eligible cardholders can transfer EDGE Rewards Points or EDGE Miles into a Qatar Airways account again, using the same transfer process as before. What changed is the ratio, and it depends entirely on which card you hold.
Note: On the Axis Travel EDGE portal and in the official Terms & Conditions, the programme is listed simply as Privilege Club, not Qatar Airways Privilege Club. Both refer to the same Qatar Airways frequent flyer programme, so don’t be confused by the naming.
| Card name | Ratio Before April 2026 | Current Ratio |
| Axis Burgundy Private (The One Credit Card) | 5:4 | 5:4 (unchanged) |
| Axis Magnus for Burgundy | 5:4 | 5:2 |
| Axis Atlas | 1:2 | 2:1 |
| Axis Horizon | 1:1 | 2:1 |
| Axis Reserve | 5:2 | 5:1 |
| Axis Magnus | 5:2 | 5:1 |
Read that Atlas row carefully. A ratio of 1:2 meant every EDGE Mile turned into two Qatar Avios. The new 2:1 ratio flips that: you now need two EDGE Mile for one Avios. For a cardholder converting 50,000 EDGE Mile, that is the difference between 100,000 Avios and 25,000 Avios. The same points now buy a quarter of the miles they used to.
This Is a Partial Rollback, Not a Full Reversal
Accor Live Limitless has not returned. Marriott Bonvoy has not returned. Both remain absent from the Travel EDGE portal, and Axis Bank has given no timeline for either. Annual transfer caps introduced in April also stay in place, so even cardholders happy to see Qatar Airways back cannot move unlimited points into it.
Treat this as Axis Bank plugging one hole in the ecosystem, not rebuilding the whole wall. A Burgundy Private cardholder who relied on Marriott Bonvoy for hotel stays gets nothing new here. A Magnus for Burgundy cardholder who redeemed for Qatar Business Class gets the option back, just at half the previous value.
Why Bring It Back So Soon?
Axis Bank has not explained the reversal publicly. Two explanations are doing the rounds among frequent flyers.
The first is customer pressure: Qatar Airways generated more complaints than Accor or Marriott after the April cut, because it was one of the few realistic ways for Indian cardholders to earn Avios directly.
The second is a straightforward commercial one: the original partnership agreement between Axis Bank and Qatar Airways may have lapsed, and a fresh one was negotiated on different commercial terms, which would explain why the ratios shifted rather than staying the same.
Neither bank nor airline has confirmed either version. What is confirmed is the outcome: the partner is back, priced differently.
What This Means for You
If you hold a Burgundy Private card, nothing changes. Your 5:4 ratio survived both the removal and the return, so keep redeeming for Qatar Airways the way you always have.
If you hold Magnus for Burgundy, run the math before transferring. At 5:2, a Qsuite redemption that needed 100,000 Avios now costs 250,000 EDGE points instead of 125,000. Check whether a cash fare or a different transfer partner beats that before you commit points you cannot get back.
If you hold Atlas, the 2:1 ratio is a real step down from 1:2, and if you hold Horizon, it is still a significant downgrade from 1:1 transfers to Qatar to 2:1 based on the new transfer ratio. These cards were the more accessible way into Qatar Airways for cardholders outside the Burgundy tier. Weigh Qatar Airways against your other transfer partners on the EDGE panel before assuming it is still your best option.
If you hold Axis Reserve or Magnus and redeem for premium international travel, 5:1 puts Qatar Airways firmly in the “occasional splurge” category rather than the default choice. Save it for a specific Qsuite or First Class redemption where the seat value clearly outweighs the point cost, not for routine bookings.
Should You Wait for Accor and Marriott?
There is no announced timeline for either to return, and Axis Bank has said nothing to suggest they are next. If you are sitting on a large EDGE balance hoping for a Marriott or Accor comeback, do not let it sit idle indefinitely. Points devalue faster than most people expect, and a bank that already removed and reinstated one partner at a worse rate is unlikely to bring the other two back unchanged, if it brings them back at all.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Qatar Airways available to all Axis Bank EDGE cardholders?
It is available to eligible EDGE Rewards and EDGE Miles cardholders on the Travel EDGE portal. The exact ratio depends on your specific card, so check the portal for your card’s current rate before transferring.
Did the transfer caps from April also change?
No. The annual transfer caps introduced during the April 2026 overhaul remain in place alongside Qatar Airways’ return. The cap limits how many points you can move to airline and hotel partners each year, regardless of which partner you choose.
Is the Burgundy Private ratio really unchanged?
Yes. Burgundy Private (The One Credit Card) kept its 5:4 transfer ratio to Qatar Airways Privilege Club through both the removal and the reinstatement.
Will Accor Live Limitless or Marriott Bonvoy come back next?
Axis Bank has not said. Both remain off the Travel EDGE portal with no announced return date.
Should I still transfer to Qatar Airways at the new ratios?
It depends on your card. Burgundy Private holders lose nothing by transferring. Magnus for Burgundy, Atlas, Horizon, Reserve, and standard Magnus holders should compare the new ratio against a cash fare and against other transfer partners before moving points, since the value dropped for every one of those cards.
Can I still move Qatar Airways Avios to British Airways or Iberia?
Yes. Qatar Airways Privilege Club Avios still move freely within the Avios family, including British Airways Club, Iberia Plus, Finnair Plus, and Aer Lingus AerClub, the same as before the April changes.