Archive · 24 Dec 2025
IDFC First Bank Reduces Credit Card Benefits
IDFC First Bank is making big changes to its credit cards.
They are cutting reward points, especially for spending money outside India.
Some cards will now give fewer points for regular spending.
The bank is also reducing free airport lounge visits and adding new fees for high-value spends on FASTag and railway bookings.
However, they are increasing rewards for travel bookings made through their app.
These changes mean that cardholders might get less value from their cards, especially for international spending.
The bank says these changes are to make things fairer for everyone.
IDFC First Bank is reducing reward points on international spends for Mayura and Ashva cards from 10x to 5x.
Cardholders can still earn 10x rewards by spending at least ₹20,000 in a billing cycle.
Lifetime-free cards like Classic, Select, and Wealth will now earn one reward point per ₹200 spent, down from ₹150.
Airport lounge access is being reduced, with Select cardholders getting one free domestic visit per quarter instead of two.
New fees include a 1% surcharge on FASTag recharges above ₹10,000 and railway spends above ₹25,000.
Travel bookings via the bank's mobile app will receive bonus reward points: 33% on hotels and 20% on flights.
- Who
- IDFC First Bank and its credit cardholders
- What
- Reduction in credit card benefits and introduction of new fees
- When
- Changes effective from January 18, 2024, and April 2026 for lounge access
- Where
- India
- Why
- Periodic revision of reward structures and usage terms by the bank
- Cards Affected
- Mayura, Ashva, Select, Wealth, Classic
- Reward Rate Change
- 5x to 10x on international spends
- Minimum Spend for 10x
- ₹20,000 per billing cycle
- Lounge Access Change
- Reduced from 2 to 1 per quarter
- New Surcharge on FASTag
- 1% on recharges above ₹10,000
- New Surcharge on Railways
- 1% on spends above ₹25,000
- Bonus Rewards on Travel
- 33% on hotels, 20% on flights
- Reward Point Value
- ₹0.40 for Ashva, ₹0.50 for Mayura