In-depth review
IndusInd Bank Tiger Credit Card
An underrated pick — one of the more interesting lifetime-free travel cards in India: domestic and international lounge access, a low 1.5% forex markup, golf and a fuel-surcharge waiver, all for a fee of exactly zero. The rewards are the weak part and are widely misdescribed: they climb through an incremental annual-spend ladder that starts at 1 point per ₹100, so 0.40% on the first ₹1 lakh and 2.40% only on spend beyond ₹5 lakh.
Read the full review →Key features
What this card is built to do — the highlights that actually matter.
0.4% on Other
Incremental annual-spend ladder — 1 RP per ₹100 to ₹1 lakh, then 2X to ₹2.5 lakh, 4X to ₹5 lakh and 6X above. 0.40% on the first ₹1 lakh at ₹0.40 a point, rising to a 2.40% marginal ceiling. Fuel earns nothing; utility, insurance, government, education, real estate and rent earn base 1X only.
Airport Lounge Access
Complimentary: 8 domestic airport lounge visits a year (2 a quarter) and 2 international
Lifetime Free
No annual fee — ever. Keep this card long-term without any recurring cost.
Golf Privileges
1 complimentary golf round per quarter
Movie Ticket Benefit
One complimentary BookMyShow ticket worth up to ₹500 every six months — one in the April to September window and one in the October to March window. Valid till 31 March 2027.
Milestone Bonus
~₹600 in bonus rewards on hitting annual spend milestones
✈️ TRAVEL BENEFITS
Lounge access, miles, forex rates and travel perks at a glance.
AIRPORT LOUNGE ACCESS
8 visits/yr
Domestic lounges
✓
International lounges
₹6,000
Estimated annual value
1.5%
Forex markup
- Domestic + international airport lounge access (8 domestic visits/yr, worth ~₹6,000)
- Low forex markup: 1.5%
🎬 ENTERTAINMENT BENEFITS
Movies, OTT subscriptions and entertainment perks.
- One complimentary BookMyShow ticket worth up to ₹500 every six months — one in the April to September window and one in the October to March window. Valid till 31 March 2027.
For anyone who wants a genuinely strong free travel card — lounge access and low forex — without an income-gated premium fee. Especially good as a no-cost travel addition to any wallet, provided you read the rewards ladder rather than the 6X headline.
Full reward structure
What you earn on every rupee, per spend category — as of 28 Sept 2026. Rates assume 1 pt = ₹0.40. How we value points →
| Category | Type | Rate | Monthly cap |
|---|---|---|---|
| Other | reward points | 0.4%1 pts/₹100 × ₹0.40 | — |
Other: Incremental annual-spend ladder — 1 RP per ₹100 to ₹1 lakh, then 2X to ₹2.5 lakh, 4X to ₹5 lakh and 6X above. 0.40% on the first ₹1 lakh at ₹0.40 a point, rising to a 2.40% marginal ceiling. Fuel earns nothing; utility, insurance, government, education, real estate and rent earn base 1X only.
Earns nothing on: Fuel
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 28 Sept 2026.
| Charge | Amount |
|---|---|
| Annual fee (incl. 18% GST) | Lifetime free |
| Joining fee (incl. 18% GST) | Free |
| Finance charge (APR) | 3.5% p.m. |
| Forex markup | 1.5% |
| Reward redemption fee | ₹100 |
Perks & benefits
Estimated annual value beyond rewards — ~₹14,800/yr in total.
1 complimentary golf round per quarter
8 domestic (2 a quarter) + 2 international airport lounge visits a year — no spend condition is published for the Tiger, though IndusInd began spend-gating domestic lounge access on several other cards from 1 April 2026
1% fuel surcharge waiver at fuel stations across India on transactions from ₹400 to ₹4,000, with no capping on the amount waived
One complimentary BookMyShow ticket worth up to ₹500 every six months — one in the April to September window and one in the October to March window. Valid till 31 March 2027.
The 2X rung of the Magnificent Rewards ladder — 1,500 extra reward points for the slice of annual spend between ₹1 lakh and ₹2.5 lakh, credited on top of the 1 RP per ₹100 base
The 4X rung of the Magnificent Rewards ladder — 7,500 extra reward points for the slice of annual spend between ₹2.5 lakh and ₹5 lakh. Spend beyond ₹5 lakh earns an unbounded 6X that no fixed bonus can express, so it is not modelled here
Milestone ladder
- ₹2,50,000 a year₹600 of value
- ₹5,00,000 a year₹3,000 of value
Should you get it?
- Best for: Travellers who want domestic and international lounge access on a no-fee card, High spenders who can push annual spend above ₹5 lakh
- Mid tier — a solid all-rounder for steady monthly spend.
- Strongest value if you spend heavily on everyday spends (0.4% back).
- Frequent travellers benefit from the included airport lounge access.
Pros & cons
✓ Pros
- Genuinely lifetime free with no spend-based waiver conditions
- 8 domestic + 2 international lounge visits a year, with no spend gate published for this card
- Rewards climb with annual spend — 2X above ₹1 lakh, 4X above ₹2.5 lakh and 6X above ₹5 lakh
- Low 1.5% forex markup, a golf round a quarter and a fuel-surcharge waiver with no capping
✕ Cons
- The multipliers only bite at high annual spend — the first ₹1 lakh earns 1 reward point per ₹100, which is 0.40% at IndusInd's own point value
- Points are worth ₹0.40 each as cash credit, cash redemption is capped at 5,000 points a calendar month and since 1 April 2025 a single redemption can use no more than half the point balance
- IndusInd charges 1% plus GST once a statement cycle's fuel spend passes ₹50,000, a fee in place since 4 May 2025 that the Tiger kept on 15 June 2026 when many other IndusInd cards moved to ₹30,000. Since 15 June 2026 the same 1% plus GST also applies to non-air transport spends above ₹40,000 a cycle
- Rent paid through third-party merchants carries 1% plus GST on every transaction, and 1% plus GST also applies once a statement cycle's utility payments pass ₹25,000, its wallet loads pass ₹20,000 or its education payments made through third-party websites and apps pass ₹45,000
- Dynamic currency conversion doubled to 2% plus GST on 15 June 2026, charged on top of the 1.5% forex markup when an overseas merchant bills you in rupees
- IndusInd's Tiger page states that the reward points a cardholder can earn are capped up to the card's credit limit
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.
- 🎁IndusMoments catalogue — vouchers, merchandise and travel bookings
- 🎁Transfer to Air India Maharaja Club at 1 reward point = 1 Maharaja Point, capped at 25,000 reward points a calendar month
- 🎁Transfer to Singapore Airlines KrisFlyer at 4 reward points = 1 mile, capped at 10,000 reward points a calendar month
- 🎁Cash credit at ₹0.40 a point — minimum 500 points, capped at 5,000 points a calendar month
- 🎁Since 1 April 2025 a cash redemption can draw on no more than 50% of the reward-point balance and costs ₹149 plus GST (₹100 for non-cash redemptions)
What your IndusInd Reward Points are worth
Realistic value per point by redemption route — the difference is what most people leave on the table.
Above-average base value
Brand & e-gift vouchers
Three partners only — Air India Maharaja, Singapore KrisFlyer and Club ITC. Ratios are per-card AND per-partner: Air India is 1:1 on Pioneer Private & Tiger (⇒ ₹1/pt), 2:1 on Pinnacle/Heritage/Indulge, 4:1 on Legend. KrisFlyer is 1:1 on Pioneer Private but 4:1 on Tiger — the same card, a different partner. Club ITC 1:1 is Pioneer Private only. Capped at 10,000 pts/month to KrisFlyer.
✈ Transfer partners
Direct transfers from this card only, ranked by what a point is worth in the destination programme. Full calculator, every currency →
The base earn is only 0.40% and the multipliers apply to slices of spend, not to everything; cash redemption runs at ₹0.40 a point, capped at 5,000 points a calendar month. Issuer risk is real too — IndusInd has been cutting benefits on other cards.
Frequently asked questions
Is IndusInd Tiger really lifetime free?
How does the reward rate work?
What is a Tiger reward point worth?
What lounge access is included?
How has the IndusInd Bank Tiger Credit Card changed over time?
Has the IndusInd Bank Tiger Credit Card been devalued recently?
When did the IndusInd Bank Tiger Credit Card's fees last change?
How did the IndusInd Bank Tiger Credit Card change in 2026?
The bottom line
A standout hiding in plain sight, once you price it honestly: domestic and international lounges, a 1.5% forex markup and golf on a card that costs nothing. The rewards are the weakest part — 0.40% until annual spend passes ₹1 lakh, and 2.40% only on the slice above ₹5 lakh — so take it for the travel package rather than the earn. Very little at ₹0 competes.
How this page was built
Counted from this card’s own record: 1 earn rule, the spends listed as earning nothing and 6 recorded perks.
Last updated 28 Sept 2026.
Sources & verification
Fees, reward rates, and benefits for the IndusInd Bank Tiger Credit Card are taken from IndusInd Bank's official Most Important Terms & Conditions (MITC) and fee schedule — see the card's official page. Last updated 28 Sept 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 IndusInd 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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Dreamfolks vs Priority Pass in India (2026): What Actually Powers Your Lounge Access Now
The Indian lounge-access map was redrawn in 2025: Dreamfolks exited domestic airport-lounge aggregation on 16 September 2025 after ICICI, Axis and IDFC dropped it and operators like Adani, Encalm and TFS terminated their contracts. Domestic access now runs through airport-operator apps (Adani One, Encalm's HOI) and new aggregators; Priority Pass remains the international standard. This guide explains who replaced Dreamfolks, how you actually get into a lounge today, and which cards still cover you.
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 2023 · last change Jun 2026
2026
- ▼ FeeEffective 15 Jun 2026
Dynamic Currency Conversion fee doubled to 2%
1% mark-up + taxes→2% + GST
From 15 June 2026 the mark-up on transactions billed in Indian rupees at an international location, or with merchants located in India but registered overseas, doubled from 1% to 2% + GST on the Tiger, which IndusInd's MITC names in its 2% list. Premium cards such as Celesta, Pinnacle, Indulge and Crest were held at 1%. The charge is avoidable: choose to be billed in the merchant's local currency.
Verification: IndusInd Bank ↗ · Confidence: High
- ▼ FeeEffective 15 Jun 2026
New 1% surcharge on transport spends above ₹40,000/cycle
No transport surcharge→1% + GST above ₹40,000 per cycle
From 15 June 2026 IndusInd charges 1% + GST once a statement cycle's cumulative transport spends pass ₹40,000. The category is MCCs 4111, 4112, 4131 and 4784 (local commuter transport, rail, bus lines, and tolls and bridge fees); air travel is excluded. Only the Pioneer Private, Pioneer Heritage and Indus Solitaire are exempt, so the Tiger is in scope.
Verification: IndusInd Bank ↗ · Confidence: High
- ▲ TransferObserved 28 May 2026 · Effective 1 Jun 2026
Air India Maharaja Club 1:1 transfers go live
No airline transfer partner→Points → Air India Maharaja Club at 1:1 (up to 25,000 pts/month)
IndusInd made Tiger reward-point transfers to Air India Maharaja Club live on 1 June 2026 at a 1:1 ratio, capped at 25,000 points/month via IndusMoments — restoring an airline transfer route (~1.5x the ₹0.40/point cash value) roughly 19 months after the Vistara route closed.
Verification: IndusInd Bank ↗ · Confidence: High
2025
- ▼ BenefitEffective 21 Dec 2025
Complimentary air-accident insurance withdrawn
Complimentary air-accident cover provided with the card→No air-accident cover
On 21 December 2025 IndusInd discontinued the complimentary air-accident insurance feature across its credit cards, stating simply that the coverage "stands discontinued". The bank published no replacement and named no exempt card. Note that several IndusInd product pages still described the cover months afterwards — the Avios, Duo, Pioneer Private and Platinum pages all still advertised it in August 2026 — so a reader may encounter the old wording on IndusInd's own site; the dated withdrawal notice is the operative statement. Other insurance benefits are unaffected: lost-card liability, Total Protect fraud cover, travel insurance and purchase protection continue where the card carried them.
Verification: IndusInd Bank ↗ · Confidence: High
- ▼ FeeEffective 4 May 2025
New 1% fee on fuel spends above ₹50,000/cycle
No bank fee on fuel spends→1% + GST on cumulative fuel above ₹50,000 per statement cycle
From 4 May 2025, once a statement cycle's fuel spends pass ₹50,000, IndusInd charges 1% + GST on the whole cycle's fuel spend, not just the excess. The fee is separate from the Tiger's 1% fuel-surcharge waiver and is not offset by it. When IndusInd revised its fuel fee on 15 June 2026, its MITC kept the Tiger at the ₹50,000 threshold while many other IndusInd cards moved to ₹30,000.
Verification: IndusInd 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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