IDFC First Bank
IDFC FIRST Select Credit Card
Data last verified: 27 October 2026
- Joining feeFree
- Annual feeFree
- Reward rate0.38% base, up to 1.25% on dining
Takes you straight to the application. We earn a commission if you are approved, and you pay nothing extra.
- Joining feeFree
- Annual feeFree
- Lifetime freeYes
- Forex markup0%
The Select is lifetime free. It earns about 0.38% on regular spends and about 1.25% on dining, travel and international spends, with 10X points on spends above Rs 20,000 in a month and on your birthday. There is 0% forex markup, rare for a free card.
With no fee, there is nothing to recover. You get 4 airport lounge visits a year after Rs 20,000 spend in the previous month, 16 railway lounge visits, a buy one get one movie offer up to Rs 125 on District, and a Rs 500 welcome voucher on Rs 5,000 spend in 30 days.
It suits salaried people earning around Rs 1 lakh a month who travel abroad now and then. The catch is the low base rate, and income needed is higher than most free cards.
Best for: Salaried people earning Rs 1 lakh a month or more, Occasional foreign travellers, People who want a strong free card.
01IDFC FIRST Select Credit Card Rewards and Benefits
02IDFC FIRST Select Credit Card Annual Fee and Charges
- Joining fee
- Lifetime free
- Annual fee
- Lifetime free
- Spend-based waiver
- None
- Rewards redemption fee
- ₹99 per request
- Forex markup
- 0%
- Interest rate
- Not published
- Fuel surcharge waiver
- Yes
- Card replacement
- Not published
03What It's Worth, in Rupees
If you spend ₹20,000 a month on this card:
- ₹5,000 on dining and food delivery, earning 1.25%₹63
- ₹15,000 on everything else, earning 0.38%₹57
- Back each month, ₹1,440 a year₹120
- In your pocket each year₹1,440
Worked out from this card's reward rates, caps and fee in our data; a rate limited to named merchants is not counted here. Your own spending will differ: see what this card is worth at your spend.
Good for
- Dining: 1.25% back
- Travel: 1.25% back
- Anyone who wants no annual fee, ever
- Flyers: 4 airport lounge visits a year
- Spending abroad: 0% markup, most cards add 3.5%
Skip it if…
- most of your spending is fuel or foreign spends: those earn nothing on this card
- you pay mostly by UPI: a Visa or Mastercard card cannot pay by UPI
- you spend a lot on government payments: the card's terms do not state a rate there, so we count nothing
- you rarely spend on dining or travel: the 1.25% rate applies only there, everything else earns 0.38%
04Product Details
- Lifetime free, no joining or annual fee
- 0% forex markup
- About 1.25% on dining, travel and international spends
- 10X points on monthly spends above ₹20,000 and on your birthday
- 4 domestic airport lounge visits a year after ₹20,000 spend in the previous month
- 16 railway lounge visits a year
05Pros and Cons
Pros
- No fee ever
- 0% forex markup
- Lounge and railway lounge access on a free card
- Buy one get one movie tickets on District
Cons
- Low 0.38% on regular spends
- Airport lounges need ₹20,000 spend in the previous month
- Needs a higher income than most free cards
- Very low rewards on utility bills
06How IDFC FIRST Select Credit Card earns Rewards
0.38% base, up to 1.25% on dining.
| Spend category | Rate | Monthly cap | Where it applies |
|---|---|---|---|
| UPI payments (scan and pay) | Earns nothing | - | a Visa or Mastercard card cannot pay by UPI |
| Online shopping | 0.38% | No cap | The card's normal rate |
| Dining and food delivery | 1.25% | No cap | All merchants in the categoryTerms: 10 RP per ₹200 (~1.25%) on dining |
| Groceries | 0.38% | No cap | The card's normal rate |
| Travel: flights, hotels, trains | 1.25% | No cap | All merchants in the categoryTerms: 10 RP per ₹200 (~1.25%) on travel |
| Fuel | Earns nothing | - | earns nothing on this card |
| Bills and recharges | 0.13% | No cap | All merchants in the categoryTerms: 1 RP per ₹200 (~0.125%) on utilities, insurance, FASTag & railway |
| Rent | 0.38% | No cap | The card's normal rate |
| Insurance premiums | 0.38% | No cap | The card's normal rate |
| School and college fees | 0.38% | No cap | The card's normal rate |
| Wallet top-ups | 0.38% | No cap | The card's normal rate |
| Taxes and government payments | Not stated | - | the card's terms state no rate here; many cards pay nothing on these |
| Spend abroad or in a foreign currency | Earns nothing | - | earns nothing on this card |
| Everything else | 0.38% | No cap | The card's normal rate |
Terms on the base rate. 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
Point value. 1 point is worth about ₹0.25 at the bank's stated value.
07IDFC FIRST Select Credit Card Lounge Access and Travel
Domestic lounge access is 4 visits a year. Railway lounges: 16 visits a year. Spend Rs 20,000 in the previous month for domestic lounge access. Spending abroad carries a 0% forex markup; rewards on it: earns nothing. See what it costs on your trip
Also on the card. fuel surcharge waiver, insurance cover, airport lounge access, movie ticket offers.
- Fuel surcharge waiver: 1% fuel-surcharge waiver on fuel transactions between ₹200 and ₹5,000, capped at ₹300 per statement cycle
- 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
- 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)
- Movie ticket offers: Buy-1-Get-1 movie ticket offer on District, twice a calendar month, unlocked by ₹20,000 of spend in the previous calendar month
08IDFC FIRST Select Credit Card Eligibility and Documents
- Age
- 21 years and above
- Employment
- Salaried or self-employed
- Minimum monthly income
- ₹1,00,000
Documents. PAN card Aadhaar / address proof Income proof (salary slips or ITR)
09Recent Changes
What IDFC First Bank changed on this card recently. The facts on this page already reflect them.
| Date | Change | Before | Now |
|---|---|---|---|
| 26 Oct 2026 | Reduced: International spends stop earning reward pointsSource: IDFC First Bank | Reward points on international spends at the card's own rate | No reward points on international spends |
| 15 Sept 2026 | Changed: Forex markup removedSource: IDFC First Bank | 1% to 3.5%, depending on the card | 0% (nil) |
| 9 Sept 2026 | Changed: Forex markup removedSource: IDFC First Bank | 1% to 3.5%, depending on the card | 0% (nil) |
| 18 Jun 2026 | Reduced: 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 |
| 1 Apr 2026 | Reduced: Domestic airport lounge halved to 1/quarterSource: IDFC First Bank | 2 per quarter | 1 per quarter |
See all 7 changes on this card → · All card changes in October 2026 →
10Cards Similar to IDFC FIRST Select Credit Card
IDFC FIRST Select Credit Card is a dining card. The two below are the closest on SkyloFin; open any of them, or put them side by side.
| Feature | IDFC FIRST Select Credit Card |  HSBC Live Plus Credit Card |  SBI BPCL Credit Card |
|---|---|---|---|
| Joining fee | Lifetime free | ₹999 + GST | ₹499 + GST |
| Annual fee | Lifetime free | ₹999 + GST | ₹499 + GST |
| Rewards | 0.38% base, up to 1.25% on dining | 1.5% base, up to 10% on dining | 0.25% base, up to 1.25% on dining; 3.25% only at partner merchants |
| Domestic lounge | 4 visits a year | 2 visits a year | Not included |
| Forex markup | 0% | 1.99% | 3.5% |
| Type | Dining | Dining | Fuel |
11Explore More
Card facts last verified 27 October 2026.
Card data sourced via CardAdvisor.in, India Credit Card Facts, CC BY 4.0, adapted by SkyloFin.
Never Miss Your IDFC FIRST Select Credit Card Bill
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Common Questions
Is the IDFC FIRST Select card free?
Yes. It is lifetime free with no joining or annual fee.
What is the forex markup?
None, where most cards charge 3.5%. IDFC FIRST charges 0% forex markup on any of its credit cards since September 2026.
How many lounge visits do I get?
4 domestic airport lounge visits a year, one per quarter, if you spent ₹20,000 in the previous month. You also get 16 railway lounge visits a year.
What income do I need?
A monthly income of around ₹1 lakh.
What is the joining fee for the IDFC FIRST Select Credit Card?
The joining fee is Free. Check the bank's page before you apply, because fees change and promotional waivers come and go.
What is the annual fee for the IDFC FIRST Select Credit Card?
The annual fee is Free.
Does the IDFC FIRST Select Credit Card give airport lounge access?
Yes. Domestic lounge access is 4 visits a year. Check the bank's page for the current rules, because lounge programmes change.
Does applying through SkyloFin cost more?
No. You pay the same fees you would pay applying directly with IDFC First Bank. We earn a commission from the bank when someone applies through our link, and that is how the site is funded.
SkyloFin is not a bank and does not approve applications. Fees, rewards and eligibility rules are set by the provider and can change without notice. Always read the terms on the provider's site before you apply.
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