With Vistara set to merge into Air India on November 12, 2024, many loyal customers holding co-branded credit cards may be confused or wondering what will happen to their benefits and points.

The merger will bring an end to Vistara’s decade-long presence as India’s premier full-service airline, with Air India taking over all operations and bookings for flights beyond November 11, 2024.

Starting from September 3, 2024, Vistara will stop accepting bookings for travel on or after November 12.

All flights previously managed by Vistara will then fall under Air India’s operations.

This raises an important question for customers holding Vistara co-branded credit cards: What happens next?

Vistara’s co-branded credit cards: What to expect

Vistara currently offers seven co-branded credit card variants through partnerships with four leading Indian banks: Axis Bank, SBI Card, IDFC FIRST Bank, and IndusInd Bank.

These cards include:

• Club Vistara SBI Card
• Axis Vistara Platinum
• Club Vistara IDFC FIRST Credit Card
• Club Vistara SBI Card Prime
• Axis Vistara Signature
• Axis Vistara Infinite
• Club Vistara IndusInd Bank Explorer

These cards allow users to earn Club Vistara (CV) Points on their spending, which can be redeemed for award flights or class upgrades with Vistara.

Additionally, cardholders receive complimentary tickets upon reaching spending milestones—a standout feature across all Vistara credit cards.

While the core benefits remain consistent, the extent of these benefits varies depending on whether the card is entry-level, mid-range, or premium.

What happens to your points and benefits?

The merger must have caused concern among Vistara’s credit cardholders.

Vistara has assured that more specific communication will be provided to loyalty customers in the coming days.

However, as of now, no concrete details have been shared about the fate of these co-branded cards.

Banking experts, however, suggest possible outcomes.

According to Adhil Shetty, CEO of BankBazaar, “Typically, during a merger, the points and benefits get migrated to the new joint entity, in this case, Air India’s Flying Returns. There is no clarity from Vistara as to how the co-branded cards are going to be absorbed. One option is that they will be reissued as an Air India card with similar features and benefits.”

He added that airline may also tweak some benefits so that it is more in line with what is currently being offered.

“However, it is all speculation until Air India and Vistara provide an update on future plans regarding the credit cards,” Shetty told CNBC-TV18.com.

Current benefits and what you should know

For now, Vistara’s co-branded credit cards continue to offer several benefits, including:

Welcome benefits: These include free economy or premium economy class ticket vouchers and Club Vistara Base or Silver membership upon activation, depending on the card variant.

Complimentary Club Vistara membership: All cards offer a complimentary Club Vistara membership that enhances overall benefits.

Among the premium variants, the IndusInd Explorer card stands out, offering additional benefits such as vouchers for luxury hotels or shopping, on top of the business class ticket and CV Gold membership.