IDFC FIRST Bank Credit Cards

Gaj is IDFC FIRST Bank's invitation-only flagship, offered only to long-standing Private Banking customers — you cannot apply for it directly. It is a Visa Infinite metal card built around travel: a genuine 0% forex markup, 4 domestic (1 guest) + 4 international lounge visits per quarter, up to 24 golf rounds a year, and reward points worth ₹1 each on flight & hotel bookings through the IDFC FIRST app (₹0.25 elsewhere). Base earn is 5 reward points per ₹150 (~0.83% at ₹0.25, up to ~3.3% on travel redemption), 3 per ₹150 on international spends and 1 per ₹150 on rent/utility/insurance/ government/wallet/railway/FASTag/education, with accelerated 45-bonus-points/₹150 on hotels and 20-bonus/₹150 on flights (capped 15,000 bonus points a month). It ships with a complimentary, no-fee FIRST Digital RuPay companion that earns 1 point per ₹150 on UPI, and a 12,500-point welcome. The ₹12,500 fee is waived on ₹10 lakh of eligible spend in the prior card-anniversary year.

Why it stands out Invite-only Visa Infinite metal card for IDFC Private Banking clients — 0% forex, points worth ₹1 on travel and a bundled FIRST Digital RuPay companion

Best suited for For IDFC FIRST Private Banking clients who receive the invite and travel heavily — the ₹1 travel point, 0% forex and deep lounge/golf bundle reward high, travel-led spending.

The IDFC FIRST Mayura is the bank's flagship metal card and its most premium publicly available product — a Visa Infinite that leads on a genuine 0% forex markup, a heavy lounge programme (16 domestic + 16 international visits a year) and up to 2 golf rounds a month. It earns 5 reward points per ₹150 up to ₹20,000 of monthly spend (~0.83%), 10 per ₹150 on incremental spend above that and on birthdays (~1.67%), 3 per ₹150 on rent/education/government/wallet loads and 1 per ₹150 on insurance/utility/railway/FASTag, with points redeemed at ₹0.25 for vouchers/statement credit and ₹0.50 on flight & hotel bookings through the IDFC FIRST app (where the marketing "40X / up to 13% back" figure lives). A 12,000-point joining benefit (three 4,000-point tranches) and an annual-fee-payment milestone of 7,500 points at ₹8 lakh — rising to 15,000 at ₹15 lakh — soften the fee. Mayura ships on either Visa Infinite or Mastercard World, and the network decides part of the perk sheet: the Mastercard variant carries its own golf programme and hotel-club tie-ups, while ITC stay offers, meet-and-greet and concierge ride on Visa. International earn was cut from 10X to 5X on 18 January 2026; points never expire. At ₹5,999 the card only pays for itself if you actually use the lounges, golf and 0% forex — a frequent traveller's card, not a rewards workhorse.

Why it stands out Flagship Visa Infinite metal card with a genuine 0% forex, unlimited-feel lounge access and up to 40X app-travel points — IDFC's most premium public card

Best suited for For frequent international travellers who will genuinely use the 0% forex, 16+16 lounge visits and monthly golf — the perks, not the base rewards, carry the ₹5,999 fee.

The IDFC FIRST Private is IDFC FIRST Bank's invite-only super-premium card, extended largely to the bank's Wealth and Private Banking relationships. It earns a flat 10 reward points per ₹150 on eligible domestic spends with no monthly threshold (points never expire), 5X on international spends, pairs zero forex markup with unlimited domestic and international lounge access and unlimited golf, and adds up to ₹1,500 off movie and event bookings on BookMyShow every month, 24x7 concierge and surcharge-free rent payments. In keeping with IDFC's no-fine-print positioning it carries no late-payment or over-limit fees. The ₹50,000 commencement fee (₹25,000 annually from the second year) is offset for new members by a 50,000-point commencement benefit on cards issued on or after 17 July 2026; spend-based milestones were discontinued from the same date. Invite-only — there is no public application form.

Why it stands out Flat 10X never-expiring rewards, unlimited lounges & golf and zero forex markup — IDFC FIRST's invite-only flagship

Best suited for For IDFC FIRST Wealth / Private Banking customers and HNIs who travel often, value never-expiring rewards and unlimited lounges, and will use the golf, movie and concierge benefits. Not for anyone who cannot secure an invite or will not use the premium perks.

The IDFC FIRST Wealth is a lifetime-free Visa Infinite with lounge access, golf, travel insurance, a 10X rewards engine and no forex markup (IDFC removed it on all its cards in September 2026, KFS dated 15 Sep 2026; it was 1.5%) — the card that makes you wonder why anyone pays for a mid-premium card. From 18 June 2026 the old ₹20,000 spend tier was replaced by categories: it earns 10 reward points per ₹200 (~1.25% at ₹0.25/point) on dining, travel, international and birthday spends from the first transaction, 3 per ₹200 on other spends and 1 per ₹200 on utilities/insurance/FASTag/railway (in-app travel redeems at the same ₹0.25). International dropped out on 26 October 2026, when IDFC stopped reward points on international spends, so abroad the card saves you the markup but earns nothing. The 2026 cuts trimmed the edges without breaking it: from 18 June 2026 points expire after 24 months, the movie benefit is spend-gated and rewards are capped to your credit limit; and from 1 April 2026 lounge and golf were revised to 1 domestic + 1 international visit per quarter, gated on ₹20,000 of prior-month spend. Clear the ₹3 lakh/month income bar and it is close to automatic.

Why it stands out Lifetime-free Visa Infinite with no forex markup, lounges, golf and a 10X engine

Best suited for For international travellers who can clear the ₹3L/month income bar and want a free premium card with no forex markup and lounge access. 10X applies to dining and travel spends from the first transaction, with no minimum spend; international spends earn no points from 26 October 2026.

The IDFC FIRST Select is a lifetime-free card with lounge access, no forex markup (IDFC removed it on all its cards in September 2026, KFS dated 15 Sep 2026; it was 1.99%) and a 10X engine, a genuinely strong starting hand. The 2026 cuts trimmed it: the reward base moved from ₹150 to ₹200 per point (about 25% down), and from 18 June 2026 the old ₹20,000 spend tier was replaced by categories — 10 reward points per ₹200 (~1.25% at ₹0.25/point) on dining, travel and international spends from the first transaction, 3 per ₹200 on other spends and 1 per ₹200 on utilities/insurance/FASTag/railway. From 26 October 2026 international spends earn no reward points at all, so abroad the saving is the markup. Domestic lounge access was halved to 1/quarter and spend-gated (₹20,000/month), though the railway lounge stays at 4/quarter, and the movie BOGO moved to District (twice a calendar month, on ₹20,000 of prior-month spend). If you qualify for the FIRST Wealth, that supersedes it.

Why it stands out Lifetime-free with lounges, no forex markup and 10X on dining and travel

Best suited for For IDFC FIRST customers who spend on dining and travel and want premium-ish benefits without a fee — noting the lounge and movie benefits still need ₹20,000 of prior-month spend. The free FIRST Wealth is the better card if you clear its income bar.

The IndiGo IDFC FIRST Credit Card is a dual-network co-brand (issued as both a Mastercard and a RuPay card on one account) built for people who fly IndiGo. It earns in IndiGo BluChips — the airline's own currency, which we value at about 42 paise toward IndiGo fares. IndiGo publishes no fixed rate: BluChips cover base fare only, taxes and fees are always cash, and the familiar "1 BluChip = ₹1" belonged to 6E Rewards, the retired HDFC co-brand currency, not to this one. You get 6 BluChips per ₹100 on IndiGo spends (plus up to 16 more from IndiGo's loyalty tiers), 3 BluChips per ₹100 on all other eligible spends in India, 1 per ₹100 on international purchases (from 26 October 2026; it was 3), and 0.5 BluChips per ₹100 on fuel, insurance, utilities, rent, wallet loads and UPI; cash and EMI earn nothing. Joining and annual fees are each ₹4,999, and paying either returns 5,000 BluChips plus an IndiGo meal voucher; a first-year activation spend of ₹1 lakh in 90 days adds a 3,000-BluChip voucher, and there are joining extras (a 3-month EazyDiner Prime membership and a ₹3,000 Postcard Hotels voucher). Annual milestones at ₹2/5/8/10/12 lakh each award 5,000 BluChips — up to 25,000 a year. Add no forex markup (IDFC removed it on all its cards in September 2026, KFS dated 15 Sep 2026; it was 1.49%), Mastercard World golf (12 green-fee rounds, 12 lessons and 4 guest rounds a year) and trip-cancellation cover up to ₹25,000 a year, and it is a genuinely rewarding card for a committed IndiGo flyer. An FD-backed secured variant (nil joining, ₹4,999 annual, no joining benefits) exists for those who cannot qualify unsecured — IDFC's page leads with a ₹50,000 minimum deposit, though it also mentions ₹1 lakh in places.

Why it stands out IndiGo's co-brand — 6 IndiGo BluChips per ₹100 on IndiGo bookings, 3 per ₹100 on most other spends (1 abroad), no forex markup, and up to 25,000 BluChips a year in milestones

Best suited for For frequent IndiGo flyers who will use BluChips on IndiGo fares and can hit the annual milestones — the 6X on IndiGo spends, the 3X base and no forex markup make it a strong single card for that traveller.

The IDFC FIRST Diamond Reserve is a mid-premium zero-forex travel card that sits below the metal Ashva and Mayura. For ₹3,000 (waived on ₹6 lakh of annual spend) it offers a genuine 0% forex markup, 8 domestic + 8 international lounge visits a year (spend-gated on ₹20,000 in the prior month), up to 2 monthly golf rounds or lessons unlocked by ₹20,000 of spend in the previous statement cycle, and a buy-one-get-one movie benefit worth up to ₹250 twice a month. Base rewards are modest: 3 reward points per ₹150 up to ₹20,000 of monthly spend (~0.5%) and 10 per ₹150 on incremental spend above that and on birthdays (~1.67%), redeemed at ₹0.25. International spends earn no points despite the zero forex, and the travel accelerator is app-bound — a 20% reward-point bonus on hotel bookings and 10% on flights through the IDFC FIRST app (up to ~27% back on travel there). It is a perks-led card: the value is the forex, lounges, golf and movies, not the everyday earn.

Why it stands out A ₹3,000 zero-forex Visa Infinite with lounges, golf and BOGO movies — annual fee waived on ₹6 lakh of spend

Best suited for For occasional international travellers and movie-goers who want zero forex, lounges and BOGO cinema for a modest ₹3,000 that a ₹6 lakh annual spend waives entirely.

The IDFC FIRST Ashva is a competent semi-premium metal card — no forex markup, lounges, golf, Postcard Hotels perks and non-expiring points — let down mainly by its company. It earns 5 reward points per ₹150 up to ₹20,000 of monthly spend, 10 per ₹150 on incremental spend above that, and 3 per ₹150 on rent, wallet, education and government (redeemed at ₹0.40 on in-app travel, ₹0.25 elsewhere), with 16 domestic + 8 international lounge visits a year gated on ₹20,000 prior-month spend, a 7,500-point joining benefit paid in three 2,500-point tranches and a 7,500-point milestone at ₹8 lakh. The catch is internal, but not the one usually stated: the lifetime-free FIRST Wealth matches the spec sheet — Visa Infinite, lounges, golf, ₹0 — yet NOT the rewards engine. On ordinary spend the Ashva earns 0.83% below the gate and 1.67% above it against the Wealth's 0.375%, so it out-earns its free sibling by two to four times; the Wealth wins only on dining and travel at 1.25%, and from 26 October 2026 it earns nothing on international spends, where the Ashva still earns a little (2 points per ₹150). The real question is whether that edge covers ₹2,999 (₹3,539 with GST), and on general spend it takes roughly ₹36,000 a month before it does. The 2026 cuts (international 10X→5X, then 2X from 26 October) trimmed the case further, and the forex edge it once held over the Wealth (1% against 1.5%) is gone, since IDFC removed the markup on all its cards in September 2026 (KFS dated 15 Sep 2026).

Why it stands out Metal card with no forex markup, lounges and golf — and it out-earns the free FIRST Wealth on everyday spend, if you spend enough to cover ₹2,999

Best suited for For IDFC customers spending past roughly ₹36,000 a month on general categories, where the Ashva's 1.67% above-gate rate out-earns the free FIRST Wealth's 0.375% by enough to cover ₹2,999 plus GST — and who want the metal card, the larger lounge allowance and the Postcard Hotels benefit. Below that, or if your spend is mostly dining and travel, the Wealth is the better card. Abroad the Ashva edges it, earning 2 points per ₹150 from 26 October 2026 where the Wealth earns nothing.

The IDFC FIRST Classic is lifetime-free with ordinary-but-fine rewards, but its genuinely standout feature is one almost no one markets: a finance charge from 0.71% a month (8.5% p.a.) up to 3.85% a month (46.2% p.a.), risk-priced — the floor is roughly five times cheaper than the industry-standard ~3.5%/month. For anyone who occasionally revolves a balance, no rewards programme beats that arithmetic. On rewards (revised 18 June 2026) it earns 10 reward points per ₹200 (~1.25%) on dining and travel, 3 per ₹200 on other spends and 1 per ₹200 on utilities/insurance/FASTag/railway; points now expire 24 months after they are earned. IDFC also removed the forex markup on all its cards in September 2026 (KFS dated 15 Sep 2026), so paying abroad costs nothing extra, though from 26 October 2026 international spends earn no reward points. If you always pay in full it is a perfectly fine free card; know which one you are.

Why it stands out Finance charge from 0.71%/month (8.5% p.a.), risk-priced up to 3.85% — a floor ~5× cheaper than the industry standard

Best suited for For responsible users who occasionally revolve a small balance — the low, risk-priced finance charge (from 0.71%/month) is the real draw. If you always pay in full, a category rewards card will serve you better at home, though with no forex markup since September 2026 it costs nothing extra to use abroad (it earns no points there from 26 October 2026).

The IDFC FIRST HPCL Power+ is a focused HPCL fuel card. The card itself earns 30X reward points (~5%) on HPCL fuel, capped at 2,400 points (₹600) a statement cycle on up to ₹12,000 of fuel spend, and adds a RuPay/UPI dimension that makes it more useful day-to-day than most fuel co-brands — for a ₹499 fee that waives at ₹1.5 lakh of annual spend. HPCL's own HP Pay app pays a further ~1.5% in Happy Coins (up to 600 coins a month on ₹10,000 of app spend) — HPCL's separate loyalty currency, not the card's points. Alongside fuel it earns 30X on grocery, utilities and FASTag, with 1 domestic lounge visit a quarter (gated on ₹20,000/month spend) and a welcome benefit worth about ₹2,500. Booking through the IDFC FIRST app also earns accelerated travel points (26.67% on hotels, 13.33% on flights) — portal rates we deliberately keep out of our scoring baseline. If you fill up at HP regularly, you can stop comparing and apply.

Why it stands out Up to ~5% on HPCL fuel (30X) with RuPay/UPI convenience and HPCL's separate HP Pay app benefits on top — ₹499 waived at ₹1.5 lakh spend

Best suited for For daily commuters who fill up at HPCL pumps, will route payments through the HP Pay app, and want a RuPay/UPI fuel card with a trivial fee waiver. Less suited to those who refuel at IOCL/BPCL.

The IDFC FIRST Hello Cashback is a secured, FD-backed RuPay credit card built around one strong idea: real cashback for people who cannot easily get an unsecured card. It earns 3% cashback on online spends up to ₹10,000 a statement cycle and 5% on incremental online spend above that (online cashback capped at ₹1,000/cycle), 1% on UPI via the IDFC FIRST app and on offline card swipes, 1% on essentials (utility, rent, insurance, education, wallet, FASTag, railway, government, jewellery, gift cards) and a bonus 1% on in-app hotel/flight bookings that takes in-app travel to about 4% total (6% once online spend crosses ₹10,000) — with total cashback capped at ₹1,500 a cycle. Because it is backed by a fixed deposit from ₹10,000, approval does not depend on your income or CIBIL score, and the FD keeps earning interest. It quietly bundles protection too: a 1% fuel-surcharge waiver up to ₹100 a cycle, personal accident and lost-card cover, a credit shield, purchase protection and roadside assistance four times a year. The catches are a real ₹1,000 fee (the annual fee is waived on ₹2 lakh of annual spend and halved on ₹1–2 lakh) and no lounge access. Forex is no longer a catch, since IDFC removed the markup on all its cards in September 2026 (KFS dated 15 Sep 2026), but with no travel perks this is still a cashback workhorse, not a travel card.

Why it stands out An FD-backed RuPay card that pays up to 5% cashback on online spends while your deposit keeps earning interest

Best suited for For anyone who wants genuine online cashback but cannot qualify for an unsecured card — new-to-credit users, the self-employed, or credit rebuilders — who can park ₹10,000+ in an FD and spends meaningfully online each month to clear the ₹1,000 fee.

The IDFC FIRST Power is a serviceable, very cheap fuel-and-bills card for IDFC account holders who fill up at HPCL. The card itself earns 21X reward points (~3.5%) on HPCL fuel, capped at 700 points (₹175) a statement cycle — the ₹499 Power+ variant reaches 30X (~5%) — plus 15X (~2.5%) on grocery, utility and FASTag spends, roadside assistance and accident cover, all for a ₹199 fee waived at ₹50,000 of annual spend. HPCL's own HP Pay app pays a further ~1.5% in Happy Coins (up to 600 coins a month on ₹10,000 of app spend) — that is HPCL's separate loyalty currency, not the card's reward points. Welcome benefits are worth about ₹2,250: a ₹250 HPCL voucher, 5% cashback on the first EMI up to ₹1,000, and ₹1,000-plus of merchant offers. Booking through the IDFC FIRST app also earns accelerated travel points (26.67% on hotels, 13.33% on flights) — portal rates we deliberately keep out of our scoring baseline. It will not out-earn dedicated rivals on fuel, so its case is low cost plus HP loyalty plus an existing IDFC relationship. Get the network right first: it is HPCL, not BPCL.

Why it stands out 21X (~3.5%) on HPCL fuel plus grocery/utility/FASTag rewards for a ₹199 fee — with HPCL's separate HP Pay app benefits on top

Best suited for For IDFC FIRST account holders who fill up at HPCL pumps and want a very low-cost fuel-and-utility card. Heavy fuel spenders who want maximum return should compare dedicated fuel cards.

The IDFC FIRST WOW! Black is the premium tier of IDFC's FD-backed secured range — a step up from the lifetime-free WOW. Because it is secured against a fixed deposit from ₹20,000 (credit limit up to 100% of the FD), approval does not depend on your income or CIBIL score, and the deposit keeps earning interest. Its standout is a genuine 0% forex markup, rare at any price and exceptional on a secured card. It earns 4 reward points per ₹150 on online, offline and international spends, up to 3 points per ₹150 on UPI, and 1 point per ₹150 on insurance and utilities, plus bonus points equal to 16.7% of hotel and 10% of flight bookings made in the app, capped at 8,000 bonus points a month. Points redeem at ₹0.25 (₹0.50 on in-app travel), with a ₹99 fee per redemption. It adds 4 domestic lounge visits a year (1 a quarter, each visit requiring ₹20,000 of spend in the preceding calendar month), golf (4 rounds and 12 lessons a year), a monthly District by Zomato movie offer, a Little Emperors luxury-hotel membership, insurance cover, a bundled RuPay UPI card, and welcome benefits worth over ₹5,000. Fuel, EMI transactions and cash withdrawals earn no points. The fee is ₹750 (waived on ₹1.5 lakh annual spend).

Why it stands out An FD-backed premium card with genuine zero forex, lounge access and a bundled RuPay UPI card — no income or CIBIL check

Best suited for For frequent international spenders who cannot — or would rather not — chase an unsecured premium card: park ₹20,000+ in an FD and get zero-forex spending, lounge access and UPI rewards while the deposit earns interest and you build credit history.

The LIC Select is the higher tier of the IDFC FIRST × LIC × Mastercard co-brand, and it roughly doubles the LIC Classic. It earns 10 reward points per ₹125 (~2%) on LIC premium payments made through LIC of India's official website, and 5 points per ₹125 (~1%) on all other spends; the Essentials categories (groceries, utilities, railways, FASTag, education and government) also earn 5 points per ₹125 but are capped at 600 points a month. A point is worth ₹0.25 and expires three years after being earned. The perk sheet is a step up from the Classic — 2 complimentary domestic airport lounge visits a quarter plus 4 railway lounge visits a quarter, a 1% fuel-surcharge waiver up to ₹300, complimentary insurance cover, and a 2,000-point welcome bonus on ₹10,000 of spend in 30 days. There is no forex markup, since IDFC removed it on all its cards in September 2026 (KFS dated 15 Sep 2026), though from 26 October 2026 international spends earn no reward points. Both LIC cards are lifetime free, so the choice between them is not about fees: the Select earns at roughly double the Classic's rate.

Why it stands out The upgraded LIC co-brand, and lifetime free — 10 reward points per ₹125 (~2%) on LIC premiums paid on LIC's website, 5 per ₹125 elsewhere, plus more lounge access than the LIC Classic

Best suited for For LIC policyholders who pay premiums on LIC's official website and want the higher 2% premium rate plus better lounge access — at no annual cost.

The IDFC FIRST Millennia is a lifetime-free entry card with decent online rewards, but its real distinction is among the lowest interest-rate floors in India — from 0.71%/month (8.5% p.a.), risk-priced up to 3.85%/month (46.2% p.a.), versus a ~42% p.a. industry norm. It earns 10X (~1.25%) on dining and travel, 3X on all other spends and 1X on utilities/insurance/railway/FASTag (points worth ₹0.25 each). Since IDFC removed its forex markup in September 2026 (KFS dated 15 Sep 2026) it costs nothing extra abroad, though from 26 October 2026 international spends earn no reward points. For a first card, that low-interest safety net matters more than a slightly higher cashback rate. The June 2026 revision was mixed — points now expire after 24 months and earning is capped to your credit limit per cycle, but the 10X rate no longer needs any minimum spend. (The old 6X-online accelerator had already been cut to 3X on 1 May 2024.) Get it for the safety margin; let a category card handle pure rewards.

Why it stands out Interest from 0.71%/month (8.5% p.a.) — risk-priced up to 3.85% — on a lifetime-free first card

Best suited for For students and young professionals who want a free first card with a genuine low-interest safety net for months when full payment is not possible. Use a category card alongside it for higher everyday rewards.

IDFC FIRST WOW is a secured credit card backed by a Fixed Deposit — the only way to get a credit card with no income proof and no credit history. Lifetime free, linked to UPI, and earns rewards like a regular card. The FD continues to earn interest while the card builds your credit score.

Why it stands out FD-backed credit card — no income proof, no credit history needed

Best suited for For people who have been rejected for a regular credit card due to no credit history — new employees, self-employed professionals, or anyone starting their credit journey. The FD-backed card gives you all card benefits while your FD earns 7%+ interest simultaneously.

The IDFC FIRST EA₹N is a secured, FD-backed RuPay credit card designed for UPI-first spenders. Because it is issued against a fixed deposit from ₹5,000 (credit limit equal to 100% of the FD), approval does not depend on income or credit history, and the deposit keeps earning interest. On rewards it pays 1% cashback on UPI spends made through the IDFC FIRST app, 0.5% on UPI via third-party apps (GPay, PhonePe, Paytm) and 0.5% on utilities, insurance, wallet loads and other online spends — and, unusually, fuel spends earn cashback too rather than being excluded (only cash withdrawals and EMI transactions earn nothing). That everyday cashback is capped at ₹500 a statement cycle. Travel booked through the in-app FIRST Rewards Gallery is separate and adds a 5% bonus on hotels and 2% on flights over the 0.5% base — 5.5% and 2.5% all-in — paid over and above the usual cashback under its own ₹2,000 per calendar month ceiling, and a District by Zomato offer gives 25% off up to ₹100 a month on movie tickets. Cards issued on or after 16 December 2025 join free and get a 10% welcome cashback up to ₹250 on the first transaction within 15 days, plus 5% cashback up to ₹1,000 on the first EMI conversion. The card is issued virtual-only — a physical card costs ₹199+GST — and a ₹499 annual fee starts in year two, waived on ₹1 lakh of annual spend. The main limit is a modest 0.5% base outside app-UPI; forex is not one, since IDFC removed the markup on all its cards in September 2026 (KFS dated 15 Sep 2026).

Why it stands out An FD-backed RuPay card built for UPI — 1% cashback on UPI via the IDFC app, with no income or CIBIL check

Best suited for For UPI-first users who cannot easily get an unsecured card — new-to-credit, self-employed or credit-rebuilding — who can park ₹5,000+ in an FD and route most everyday spends through UPI on the IDFC FIRST app to earn the full 1%.

The IDFC FIRST SWYP is a Mastercard lifestyle/EMI card aimed at young, first-time users, and its defining trait is unusual: it carries no regular finance/interest charge. Instead you either pay the Total Amount Due in full by the due date, or convert eligible spends over ₹2,500 into EMIs for a flat monthly conversion fee — there is no revolving credit. It earns reward points via monthly spend milestones on total (not incremental) spend: 200 points at ₹5,000, 500 at ₹10,000, 1,000 at ₹15,000, 2,000 at ₹30,000 and 4,000 at ₹60,000, plus 400 points on ₹20,000 (800 on ₹40,000) of education, FASTag and railway spends per cycle, each point worth ₹0.25 — though UPI, fuel, education, FASTag, railway and cash spends do not count toward the milestones. Hotels and flights booked via the in-app FIRST Rewards Gallery earn accelerated points worth 25% and 12% of the booking value respectively. On top sit year-round partner discounts (Zomato, Goibibo, Domino's, Zepto, Nykaa, EaseMyTrip, Tata CLiQ Fashion), a District by Zomato movie offer, up to 16 railway lounge visits a year, and a welcome bundle — a ₹500 Amazon voucher on ₹5,000 in 30 days, 1,000 points on your first EMI conversion, MakeMyTrip ₹1,500 off, EaseMyTrip ₹700 off three times, Lenskart Gold Max and 10% off Mokobara. Watch the ₹499 fee, a ₹99 reward-redemption fee and a maximum late-payment charge of ₹6,000 if you miss the full payment. Forex is not a cost any more: IDFC removed the markup on all its cards in September 2026 (KFS dated 15 Sep 2026), though from 26 October 2026 international spends earn no reward points.

Why it stands out A no-interest lifestyle card built to split any purchase into EMIs for a flat monthly fee — not a finance charge

Best suited for For young, first-time cardholders who want a simple no-interest structure — pay in full or convert to EMI — plus lifestyle discounts, and who will actually clear the Total Amount Due or convert to EMI every cycle to avoid the steep late-payment charge.

The LIC Classic (an IDFC FIRST × LIC × Mastercard co-brand) is a lifetime-free card built around one job: paying your LIC insurance premiums. It earns 6 reward points per ₹125 (~1.2%) on premiums paid through LIC of India's official website, and 3 points per ₹125 (~0.6%) on all other spends including utilities, groceries, education, railways and government — with the Essentials categories sharing a 300-point monthly ceiling. A point is worth ₹0.25 and now expires three years after it is earned. On top of that sit a modest bundle — 1 domestic airport and 2 railway lounge visits a quarter, a 1% fuel-surcharge waiver up to ₹200 and complimentary insurance cover — and a 1,000-point welcome bonus on ₹5,000 of spend in the first 30 days. Since IDFC removed the forex markup on all its cards in September 2026 (KFS dated 15 Sep 2026), it also costs nothing extra abroad, though from 26 October 2026 it earns no points on international spends. Its use is narrow — the 6X only fires on LIC's own site — but since it costs nothing to hold, there is no annual spend you need to clear to make it pay for itself.

Why it stands out A lifetime-free LIC co-brand that earns 6 reward points per ₹125 on LIC premium payments made on LIC's own website — plus 3 points per ₹125 everywhere else

Best suited for For LIC policyholders who pay premiums on LIC's official website and want a small, steady return on them at no cost — the 6X premium rate is the whole point.

The IDFC FIRST Digital RuPay Credit Card is a virtual, digital-first RuPay card issued against an existing IDFC FIRST credit card, with which it shares a single credit limit. Its point is convenience: it links to UPI apps like BHIM, Google Pay, PhonePe and Paytm so you can scan-and-pay from a credit line. Rewards are thin and honest — 3 reward points per ₹200 (~0.4%) on UPI spends above ₹2,000, and 1 point per ₹200 (~0.13%) on UPI spends below ₹2,000 and on utility and insurance transactions (the denominator is ₹150 when the primary card is a FIRST Private, Ashva, Mayura, Diamond Reserve or FIRST Business). A point is worth ₹0.25 and each redemption carries a ₹99 fee. The only eligibility criterion IDFC publishes is holding an eligible IDFC FIRST primary card; interest and most other charges apply as per that primary card, there is no forex markup (IDFC removed it on all its cards in September 2026, KFS dated 15 Sep 2026), and the card cannot be used for international online purchases. There is a ₹199 joining fee and a ₹199 annual fee (it is not lifetime free), largely offset in year one by a ₹200 welcome cashback (up to ₹50 per transaction) on your first four UPI transactions within 15 days. It is a low-stakes add-on for putting UPI spends on credit, not a primary rewards card.

Why it stands out A fully-digital RuPay-on-UPI companion card — pay by UPI from BHIM, GPay, PhonePe or Paytm and earn 3 reward points per ₹200 on UPI spends above ₹2,000

Best suited for For existing IDFC FIRST cardholders who want to route UPI spends through their credit line and earn a small return, chiefly on UPI transactions above ₹2,000.