In-depth review
IDFC FIRST Diamond Reserve Credit Card
A ₹3,000 zero-forex Visa Infinite that sits below IDFC's metal cards — genuine 0% forex, 8+8 lounge visits a year, monthly golf and a buy-one-get-one movie perk, with the fee waived on ₹6 lakh of spend. A perks-led travel card whose thin base rewards and zero international earn keep it out of workhorse territory.
Read the full review →Key features
What this card is built to do — the highlights that actually matter.
Welcome Benefit
~₹500 in vouchers, points or cashback in year one — usually conditional on a first spend within 30–90 days
0.5% on Other
3 RP per ₹150 up to ₹20,000/month (~0.5%), 10 RP per ₹150 on incremental above ₹20,000 and on birthdays (~1.67%); no reward points on international spends despite the 0% forex
Airport Lounge Access
2 domestic and 2 international lounge visits each quarter (8 + 8 a year), spend-activated on ₹20,000 in the previous month
Zero Forex Markup — but no rewards abroad
No markup on international spends, but they earn nothing on this card, so a purchase abroad costs no extra and returns nothing.
Annual Fee Waiver
Fee of ₹3,000 + 18% GST (₹3,540 all-in)/yr fully waived when you spend ₹6,00,000/year
Golf Privileges
Up to 2 golf rounds or lessons a month, unlocked by ₹20,000 of spend in the previous statement cycle
Movie Ticket Benefit
Buy-one-get-one-free movie ticket (up to ₹250 off) twice a month via the partner app
✈️ TRAVEL BENEFITS
Lounge access, miles, forex rates and travel perks at a glance.
AIRPORT LOUNGE ACCESS
✓
Domestic lounges
✓
International lounges
₹12,000
Estimated annual value
0% — Zero!
Forex markup
- Domestic + international airport lounge access (worth ~₹12,000/yr)
- Zero forex markup — zero extra cost abroad
👑 PREMIUM LIFESTYLE BENEFITS
Concierge, golf, hotel membership and high-value perks for premium cardholders.
₹8,000
Golf perk value
- Complimentary golf access at premium courses
🎬 ENTERTAINMENT BENEFITS
Movies, OTT subscriptions and entertainment perks.
- Buy-one-get-one-free movie ticket (up to ₹250 off) twice a month via the partner app
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.
Full reward structure
What you earn on every rupee, per spend category — as of 27 Oct 2026. Rates assume 1 pt = ₹0.25. How we value points →
| Category | Type | Rate | Monthly cap |
|---|---|---|---|
| Other | reward points | 0.5%2 pts/₹100 × ₹0.25 | — |
Other: 3 RP per ₹150 up to ₹20,000/month (~0.5%), 10 RP per ₹150 on incremental above ₹20,000 and on birthdays (~1.67%); no reward points on international spends despite the 0% forex
Earns nothing on: International · Fuel · EMI Conversions · Cash Advances
These spends earn no rewards at all — not a reduced rate, and not the base rate. They are also normally left out of any milestone or fee-waiver calculation.
Fees & charges
The numbers that matter beyond rewards — verify on the issuer site before applying. Fees below are shown inclusive of 18% GST, as of 27 Oct 2026.
| Charge | Amount |
|---|---|
| Annual fee (incl. 18% GST) | ₹3,540 |
| Joining fee (incl. 18% GST) | ₹3,540 |
| Forex markupInternational spends are excluded from rewards on this card, so a purchase abroad costs no extra but earns nothing. A card with a small markup that still earns can work out better overseas. | 0% |
| Reward redemption fee | ₹99 |
Perks & benefits
Estimated annual value beyond rewards — ~₹26,800/yr in total.
2 domestic and 2 international lounge visits each quarter (8 + 8 a year), spend-activated on ₹20,000 in the previous month
Up to 2 golf rounds or lessons a month, unlocked by ₹20,000 of spend in the previous statement cycle
Buy-one-get-one-free movie ticket (up to ₹250 off) twice a month via the partner app
1% fuel-surcharge waiver on fuel transactions between ₹200 and ₹5,000, capped at ₹300 per statement cycle
Should you get it?
- Best for: Occasional international travellers who want zero forex on a budget, Regular movie-goers who value the BOGO cinema benefit
- Premium tier — a solid all-rounder for steady monthly spend.
- Strongest value if you spend heavily on everyday spends (0.5% back).
- Frequent travellers benefit from the included airport lounge access.
Pros & cons
✓ Pros
- Genuine 0% forex markup for a modest ₹3,000 fee
- 8 domestic and 8 international lounge visits a year, plus 4 railway lounge visits a quarter
- Buy-one-get-one movie tickets twice a month (up to ₹250)
- CFAR trip-cancellation cover up to ₹25,000 twice a year
- Claim-based welcome bundle headlined at ₹5,000+ — brand vouchers and memberships (ET Prime, Lenskart, MakeMyTrip, Mokobara) on fee payment, plus 5% cashback up to ₹1,000 on the first EMI
- Annual fee waived on ₹6 lakh of spend
✕ Cons
- Base earn is thin at 3 RP per ₹150 up to ₹20,000 a month
- International spends earn no reward points despite the 0% forex
- Lounge access is spend-gated on ₹20,000 in the previous month
Eligibility & documents
Documents required
- 📄PAN card
- 📄Aadhaar / address proof
- 📄Income proof (salary slips or ITR)
How to redeem rewards
Ways to convert what you earn into real value.
- 🎁Book flights and hotels on the IDFC FIRST app at an accelerated rate
- 🎁Redeem for statement credit and vouchers at ₹0.25 per point
What your IDFC Reward Points are worth
Realistic value per point by redemption route — the difference is what most people leave on the table.
Never-expiring points
Brand & e-gift vouchers
Base earn is thin (3 RP per ₹150 up to ₹20,000/month) and international spends earn no points at all, so the card only makes sense for its perks — the forex, lounges, golf and movies.
Frequently asked questions
What is the forex markup on the IDFC FIRST Diamond Reserve?
Is the Diamond Reserve annual fee waived?
What is the reward rate on IDFC FIRST Diamond Reserve?
How has the IDFC FIRST Diamond Reserve Credit Card changed over time?
Has the IDFC FIRST Diamond Reserve Credit Card been devalued recently?
How did the IDFC FIRST Diamond Reserve Credit Card change in 2026?
The bottom line
Diamond Reserve is a sensible mid-premium travel card — a real 0% forex, a fair lounge and golf bundle and a genuinely useful BOGO movie perk, at a fee that ₹6 lakh of spend erases. Its base rewards are weak and international spends earn nothing, so treat it as a perks card, not a rewards engine. The 0% forex no longer sets it apart inside IDFC, which removed the markup on all its cards in September 2026 (KFS dated 15 Sep 2026), and from 26 October 2026 most IDFC cards, the lifetime-free Millennia, Classic and Select included, earn nothing abroad as this one never has, so choose it for the lounges, golf and movies. If you want metal and heavier lounge access, the pricier Ashva or Mayura go further.
How this page was built
Counted from this card’s own record: 1 earn rule, the spends listed as earning nothing and 4 recorded perks. The renewal fee is conditional — it is waived on a published spend target, so the fee you pay depends on what you spend.
Last updated 27 Oct 2026.
Sources & verification
Fees, reward rates, and benefits for the IDFC FIRST Diamond Reserve Credit Card are taken from IDFC FIRST Bank's official Most Important Terms & Conditions (MITC) and fee schedule — see the card's official page. Last updated 27 Oct 2026. Reviewed by Devchandra Sah. Always confirm current details on the issuer's site before applying. How we research →
Independence. CardAdvisor is an independent editorial publication. We are not affiliated with, endorsed by, sponsored by, or authorised to act for IDFC FIRST Bank. All issuer names, product names, and payment-network marks are the property of their respective owners and appear here for identification and comparison only. Card faces shown on this site are our own original illustrations — we do not display or host issuer card artwork or logos.
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Guides and reviews related to this card.
Value timeline
Every real-world change to this card's rewards, fees and benefits we've tracked — newest first, each linked to its source.
Tracking since 2026 · last change Jun 2026
2026
- ▼ RewardEffective 18 Jun 2026
Earning capped at the credit limit per billing cycle
All eligible spend earned points→Only spend up to the assigned credit limit per cycle earns
From 18 June 2026 reward points accrue only on spends up to the assigned credit limit within a billing cycle; spend beyond the limit earns nothing. Aimed at repay-and-respend cycling rather than ordinary use, but it does cap what the card can pay in any one month — notable on a card whose ₹6 lakh fee waiver rewards heavy spending.
Verification: IDFC FIRST Bank ↗ · Confidence: High
- ▼ BenefitEffective 18 Jun 2026
Movie buy-one-get-one spend-gated
Unconditional, twice a month→Needs ₹20,000 spend in the previous calendar month
From 18 June 2026 the buy-one-get-one movie ticket only unlocks if you spent ₹20,000 or more on the card in the previous calendar month — IDFC's own example: to claim it in August 2026 you must have spent ₹20,000 in July 2026. The offer still runs monthly, but the card had carried it unconditionally for barely five months before the condition arrived.
Verification: IDFC FIRST Bank ↗ · Confidence: High
- ◆ LaunchEffective 6 Jan 2026
IDFC FIRST launches the Zero-Forex Diamond Reserve
IDFC FIRST Bank launched the Diamond Reserve as a mid-premium travel card below its metal range, pitched at affluent global travellers: 0% forex mark-up on all international spends at ₹3,000 + GST, waived on ₹6 lakh of annual spend. Up to 10 reward points per ₹150 on monthly spends (~1.66% back), with in-app accelerators of up to 60 RP per ₹150 on hotels and 40 per ₹150 on flights; 2 domestic and 2 international lounge visits a quarter; up to 2 golf rounds or lessons a month; a buy-one-get-one movie ticket twice a month; ITC Hotels third night free; ₹25,000 trip-cancellation cover; and no expiry on reward points.
Verification: IDFC FIRST Bank ↗ · Confidence: High
Each change links to the issuer's own document — bank T&C, MITC, notice, press release or product page — where one is public. Where the bank published nothing, it's marked CardAdvisor Research and verified against the card's current terms. Independent of the live terms shown above. This timeline is one card's slice of our market-wide change record across every tracked card.
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