In-depth review
IDFC FIRST Select Credit Card
Lifetime-free with lounge access, no forex markup and a 10X engine — a genuinely strong starting hand. The 2026 cuts trimmed it: ₹200/point base (~25% down), points now expire after 24 months, and the lounge quota was halved and spend-gated — though 10X moved to a category basis (dining and travel) with no minimum spend, and from 26 October 2026 international spends earn nothing. Rewarding if your spend lands in those categories; "free but ordinary" otherwise. If you qualify for the FIRST Wealth, that supersedes it.
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 — conditional on ₹5,000 of spend within 30 days of card set-up
1.25% on Dining
10 RP per ₹200 (~1.25%) on dining
1.25% on Travel
10 RP per ₹200 (~1.25%) on travel
Airport Lounge Access
1 domestic airport lounge visit and 4 railway lounge visits each quarter (airport access needs ₹20,000 of spend in the prior month from Apr 2026)
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.
Lifetime Free
No annual fee — ever. Keep this card long-term without any recurring cost.
Movie Ticket Benefit
Buy-1-Get-1 movie ticket offer on District, twice a calendar month, unlocked by ₹20,000 of spend in the previous calendar month
Insurance Cover
Trip-cancellation (CFAR) cover up to ₹10,000, travel insurance up to USD 300, air accident cover of ₹1 crore, personal accident cover of ₹5 lakh, lost-card liability of ₹50,000 and roadside assistance worth ₹1,399
🎬 ENTERTAINMENT BENEFITS
Movies, OTT subscriptions and entertainment perks.
- Buy-1-Get-1 movie ticket offer on District, twice a calendar month, unlocked by ₹20,000 of spend in the previous calendar month
✈️ TRAVEL BENEFITS
Lounge access, miles, forex rates and travel perks at a glance.
AIRPORT LOUNGE ACCESS
4 visits/yr
Domestic lounges
₹4,400
Estimated annual value
0% — Zero!
Forex markup
1.3%
Travel reward rate
- Domestic airport lounge access (4 domestic visits/yr, worth ~₹4,400)
- Zero forex markup — zero extra cost abroad
- Travel insurance cover included
👑 PREMIUM LIFESTYLE BENEFITS
Concierge, golf, hotel membership and high-value perks for premium cardholders.
- Travel insurance and accident cover
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.
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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Dining | reward points | 1.25%5 pts/₹100 × ₹0.25 | — |
| Travel | reward points | 1.25%5 pts/₹100 × ₹0.25 | — |
| Other | reward points | 0.38%1.5 pts/₹100 × ₹0.25 | — |
| Utility Bills | reward points | 0.13%0.5 pts/₹100 × ₹0.25 | — |
Dining: 10 RP per ₹200 (~1.25%) on dining
Travel: 10 RP per ₹200 (~1.25%) on travel
Other: 3 RP per ₹200 (~0.375%) on other eligible spends; base cut from ₹150 to ₹200/point on 18 Jun 2026; points expire 24 months, capped to credit limit per cycle
Utility Bills: 1 RP per ₹200 (~0.125%) on utilities, insurance, FASTag & railway
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) | Lifetime free |
| Joining fee (incl. 18% GST) | Free |
| 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 — ~₹7,700/yr in total.
1 domestic airport lounge visit and 4 railway lounge visits each quarter (airport access needs ₹20,000 of spend in the prior month from Apr 2026)
1% fuel-surcharge waiver on fuel transactions between ₹200 and ₹5,000, capped at ₹300 per statement cycle
Buy-1-Get-1 movie ticket offer on District, twice a calendar month, unlocked by ₹20,000 of spend in the previous calendar month
Trip-cancellation (CFAR) cover up to ₹10,000, travel insurance up to USD 300, air accident cover of ₹1 crore, personal accident cover of ₹5 lakh, lost-card liability of ₹50,000 and roadside assistance worth ₹1,399
Should you get it?
- Best for: IDFC customers wanting premium-style perks with no fee, Dining and travel spenders
- Premium tier — a solid all-rounder for steady monthly spend.
- Strongest value if you spend heavily on Dining (1.25% back).
- Frequent travellers benefit from the included airport lounge access.
Pros & cons
✓ Pros
- Lifetime free with 10X on dining and travel spends
- No forex markup since September 2026 (IDFC KFS dated 15 Sep 2026)
- Lounge and railway lounge access at no annual fee
- Reward points valid for 24 months
- ₹500 welcome gift voucher on ₹5,000 of spend within 30 days of card generation
✕ Cons
- Base rate on regular spend is only 3X
- Lounge access now needs ₹20,000 of monthly spend
- IDFC trimmed card benefits in 2026
- UPI needs the separate FIRST Digital RuPay add-on card, which carries its own ₹199 + GST annual fee
- International spends earn no reward points from 26 October 2026
Eligibility & documents
This is the figure for salaried applicants. Where IDFC FIRST Bank sets a separate one for the self-employed, its own eligibility page gives it.
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 travel and shop via the IDFC FIRST app
- 🎁Redeem for statement credit and vouchers at ₹0.25 per point
- 🎁Every redemption attracts a fee of ₹99 + GST per redemption
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
The 2026 ~25% base cut and the halved, spend-gated lounge weaken it, and IDFC's own free FIRST Wealth undercuts it for higher-income applicants.
Frequently asked questions
What income is required?
Is it lifetime free like Wealth?
What lounge access is provided?
What is the forex markup?
How does Select differ from Wealth?
How has the IDFC FIRST Select Credit Card changed over time?
Has the IDFC FIRST Select Credit Card been devalued recently?
When did the IDFC FIRST Select Credit Card's fees last change?
How did the IDFC FIRST Select Credit Card change in 2026?
The bottom line
Select extends IDFC's anti-fee philosophy up-market — lounges, no forex markup since September 2026 and 10X on dining and travel, still free. The 2026 base cut (₹150→₹200/point), the halved, spend-gated lounge and the end of points on international spends (26 October 2026) took some shine off, and the free FIRST Wealth out-positions it for anyone who clears the income bar.
How this page was built
Counted from this card’s own record: 4 earn rules, the spends listed as earning nothing and 4 recorded perks.
Last updated 27 Oct 2026.
Sources & verification
Fees, reward rates, and benefits for the IDFC FIRST Select 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.
Similar & related cards
Other cards worth comparing before you apply.
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IDFC FIRST Diamond Reserve Credit Card
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IDFC FIRST Classic Credit Card
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IDFC FIRST Ashva Credit Card
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Read more
Guides and reviews related to this card.
IDFC FIRST Select Credit Card
Lifetime-free with lounge access, no forex markup and a 10X engine — a genuinely strong starting hand. The 2026 cuts trimmed it: ₹200/point base (~25% down), points now expire after 24 months, and the lounge quota was halved and spend-gated — though 10X moved to a category basis (dining and travel) with no minimum spend, and from 26 October 2026 international spends earn nothing. Rewarding if your spend lands in those categories; "free but ordinary" otherwise. If you qualify for the FIRST Wealth, that supersedes it.
IDFC FIRST Wealth Credit Card
A lifetime-free Visa Infinite with lounge access, golf, travel insurance, a 10X rewards engine and no forex markup — the card that makes you wonder why anyone pays for a mid-premium card. The 2026 cuts (24-month points expiry, spend-gated movie benefit, credit-limit reward cap) trimmed the edges without breaking it. Clear the income bar and it's close to automatic.
IDFC FIRST Ashva Credit Card
A competent semi-premium metal card — no forex markup, lounges, golf, Postcard Hotels perks and non-expiring points — measured against its own free sibling. The lifetime-free FIRST Wealth covers most of the same spec sheet for ₹0, but not the same rewards engine, and not in the direction usually claimed: on general spend the Ashva pays 0.83% below its ₹20,000 cycle gate and 1.67% above it, against the Wealth's 0.375%. So the Ashva out-earns it on ordinary spend — the question is whether that edge clears ₹2,999 plus GST (₹3,539), which takes roughly ₹36,000 a month. Below that the Wealth wins on net, and it wins outright on dining and travel; abroad the Ashva now wins, since the Wealth earns nothing on international spends from 26 October 2026. The 2026 cuts trimmed the case further.
LIC Select Credit Card
The higher tier of the IDFC FIRST × LIC × Mastercard co-brand, and lifetime free — 10 reward points per ₹125 (~2%) on LIC premiums paid through LIC's official website, 5 per ₹125 (~1%) on other spends in India, plus 2 domestic airport and 4 railway lounge visits a quarter. Both LIC cards cost nothing, so the choice against the Classic is about how much premium you pay, not about fees.
IDFC FIRST Classic Credit Card
Lifetime-free with ordinary-but-fine rewards, the Classic's genuinely standout feature is one almost no one markets: a finance charge from 0.71% a month (8.5% p.a.), risk-priced up to 3.85% (46.2% p.a.) — a floor roughly five times cheaper than the industry-standard 3.5%. For anyone who occasionally revolves a balance, no rewards programme beats that arithmetic. If you always pay in full, it's a perfectly fine but unremarkable free card. Know which one you are.
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.
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 2021 · last change Oct 2026
2026
- ▼ RewardObserved 9 Sept 2026 · Effective 26 Oct 2026
International spends stop earning reward points
Reward points on international spends at the card's own rate→No reward points on international spends
From 26 October 2026 IDFC FIRST Bank credit cards stop earning reward points on international spends, except the Ashva, Mayura, Gaj, FIRST Private, FIRST WOW!, FIRST WOW! Black and IndiGo cards. IDFC announced it in its 9 September 2026 letter to cardmembers, the same letter that removed the forex markup, so paying abroad still costs no markup but earns nothing. On the Classic, Millennia, Select and FIRST Wealth this ends the 10X rate on international spends.
Verification: IDFC FIRST Bank ↗ · Confidence: High
- ▲ FeeEffective 9 Sept 2026
Forex markup removed
1% to 3.5%, depending on the card→0% (nil)
IDFC FIRST Bank stopped charging a markup on foreign-currency spends on all its credit cards from 9 September 2026, the effective date its letter to cardmembers gives. Its Key Fact Statement dated 15 September 2026 lists the markup on foreign-currency and currency-conversion transactions as nil, with no card-by-card exception, where the January 2026 edition charged 3.5% on most cards and less on a few (1.99% on the FIRST Select, 1.5% on the FIRST Wealth, 1.49% on the IndiGo card and 1% on the Ashva). The same letter says international spends stop earning reward points from 26 October 2026 on most IDFC FIRST cards; that is recorded as its own change.
Verification: IDFC FIRST Bank ↗ · Confidence: High
- ▼ RewardObserved 13 May 2026 · Effective 18 Jun 2026
Points get 24-month expiry + credit-limit earn cap
Points never expired; no per-cycle earn cap; movie BOGO ungated; 10X only on incremental spend above ₹20,000/cycle→24-month expiry; credit-limit earn cap; movie BOGO needs ₹20k spend; 10X now category-based (dining/travel/international) from the first rupee
Reward points earned from the July 2026 statement cycle expire 24 months after being credited (previously lifetime-valid), and points accrue only on spends up to the assigned credit limit per billing cycle. The Buy-1-Get-1 movie benefit (up to ₹125) now needs ₹20,000 of prior-month spend to activate. The same revision replaced the ₹20,000 incremental spend tier with category-based earning: 10X now applies to dining, travel and international spends from the first transaction, 3X to other eligible spends, and 1X to utilities, insurance, railway and FASTag. The FIRST Select was confirmed among the affected cards, though IDFC did not publish a Select-specific dated notice.
Verification: CardAdvisor Research · Confidence: High
- ▼ LoungeObserved 18 Dec 2025 · Effective 1 Apr 2026
Domestic airport lounge halved to 1/quarter
2 per quarter→1 per quarter
From 1 April 2026 the complimentary domestic airport lounge quota was halved from 2 to 1 visit per quarter, still gated on ₹20,000 of prior-month spend — a third successive trim to the card's lounge benefit. Railway lounge access continues.
Verification: IDFC FIRST Bank ↗ · Confidence: High
- ▼ RewardEffective 18 Jan 2026
FASTag & railway spends cut to 1X, plus high-usage fees
Earned at base rate, counted toward 10X threshold→1X only; excluded from 10X threshold; 1% high-usage fee
From 18 January 2026 FASTag recharges (MCC 4784) and railway spends (MCC 4111/4112) earn only 1X and no longer count toward the 10X threshold. A 1% fee now applies if FASTag recharges exceed ₹10,000 or railway spends exceed ₹25,000 in a billing cycle (plus GST).
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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Source: <a href="https://cardadvisor.in/cards/idfc-select#value-timeline">IDFC FIRST Select Credit Card value timeline</a>, CardAdvisor (CC BY 4.0).
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