IDFC FIRST Bank

IDFC FIRST Classic Credit Card

Reward points worth 1.25% back on dining (including food delivery), travel and spends on your birthday, 0.375% on most other spends, and 0.125% on utilities, insurance, railway tickets and FASTag. From 26 October 2026, international spends earn nothing. No points on fuel, EMI or cash withdrawals.

Lifetime free

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Good

Lifetime free: no joining or annual fee
1.25% on travel: 2nd of 14 zero forex cards we compare
No forex markup

Watch out for

Low base rate: 0.38% on everyday spends
Can't be used on UPI (not a RuPay card)

Who it's for: Anyone who wants a no-fee card for travel.
Skip it if: You mainly pay by UPI.

Worked out from the bank's published terms with the same rules for every card, never from what we earn. How we judge cards.

Rewards (value back as % of spend)

Everyday spends: 0.38% (base rate)
Online shopping: 0.38%
Fuel: 0%
Groceries: 0.38%
Travel: 1.25%
Bills and utilities: 0.13%
Dining and food delivery: 1.25%

Fees and charges

Joining fee: Free
Annual fee: Free
Fee waiver: Lifetime free: no joining or annual fee, and no spend needed to keep it free.
Forex markup: 0%
Fuel surcharge waiver: 1% waiver on fuel transactions of ₹200 to ₹5,000, up to ₹200 per statement cycle. If your fuel spends pass ₹30,000 in a cycle, a 1% fee applies to all of them. Fuel earns no points.

Benefits and eligibility

Airport lounge: No airport lounge visits; 4 railway lounge visits a quarter when you spend ₹20,000 in the previous month.
Card network: Not published by the bank
UPI payments: No
Minimum income (salaried): Not published by the bank
Eligibility: Income proof is needed. Self-employed applicants can apply using their income tax return. IDFC FIRST hasn't published a minimum income or age range in the card documents we could check. Approval at the bank's discretion.

Fees exclude GST. Reward rates are the value back you get at the bank's published redemption value; where a bank doesn't publish what a point is worth, we leave the rate blank rather than guess. See how we compare cards.

Compare it with other cards

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CreditParakh is not a bank or lender. Approval, limits and final terms are decided by IDFC FIRST Bank.

What changed recently

From 26 Oct 2026UpcomingRewardsWorse for you
International spends will no longer earn reward points.
Before: 10X points (1.25% back) on international spends · After: No points on international spends
Announced change, takes effect after the log date. Comes with the zero forex markup from 9 September 2026.
Bank's notice or terms
9 Sept 2026FeesBetter for you
No forex markup on international transactions.
After: 0% forex markup
The notice covers all IDFC FIRST cards ('savings of up to 3.5%') and doesn't state this card's earlier markup.
Bank's notice or terms
18 Jun 2026RewardsNeutral
10X points moved from spends above ₹20,000 a month to dining, travel and international spends from the first rupee; other spends earn 3X.
Before: 10X on monthly spends above ₹20,000 and on birthday; 3X up to ₹20,000 · After: 10X on dining, travel and international from the first transaction; 3X on other spends
Bank's notice or terms
18 Jun 2026RewardsWorse for you
Reward points now expire 24 months after they are credited; the existing balance stays valid until July 2028.
Before: Points never expire · After: Points valid 24 months
The bank gives the start as the July 2026 statement cycle; 'never expire' is from its December 2025 notice.
Bank's notice or terms
18 Jun 2026Reward capsWorse for you
Points are earned only on spends up to the credit limit in each billing cycle.
After: Points capped at spends up to the credit limit per cycle
Bank's notice or terms

All card changes, month by month

Questions people ask

Is the IDFC FIRST Classic Credit Card worth it in 2026?

Yes, as a no-fee card for travel: it costs nothing to keep. The catch: low base rate: 0.38% on everyday spends.

Is the IDFC FIRST Classic Credit Card lifetime free?

Yes. The bank's fee schedule shows no joining fee and no annual fee.

Does the IDFC FIRST Classic Credit Card work on UPI?

No. Only RuPay credit cards can be linked to UPI, and this isn't one.

Does the IDFC FIRST Classic Credit Card give airport lounge access?

No airport lounge visits; 4 railway lounge visits a quarter when you spend ₹20,000 in the previous month.

What earns no rewards on the IDFC FIRST Classic Credit Card?

No points on fuel, EMI transactions or cash withdrawals, and none on international spends from 26 October 2026. Utilities, insurance, railway tickets and FASTag recharges earn the low 0.125% rate rather than nothing. Points are earned only on spends up to your credit limit in each billing cycle, and you lose a cycle's points if you don't pay at least the minimum due on time. A 1% fee applies when, in one cycle, utilities pass ₹20,000, railway spends pass ₹25,000 or FASTag and toll spends pass ₹10,000; rent and education paid through third-party apps carry a 1% fee (at least ₹249). Points last 24 months. No cap on points is published.

Who can get the IDFC FIRST Classic Credit Card?

Income proof is needed. Self-employed applicants can apply using their income tax return. IDFC FIRST hasn't published a minimum income or age range in the card documents we could check. Approval at the bank's discretion. Approval is at the bank's discretion.

How we checked this card: the CreditParakh team read IDFC FIRST Bank's own terms and product page on 19 Oct 2026. Every fee, rate and rule above comes from those pages; where they disagree, we say so. We re-check every card monthly and log changes on card changes. See our editorial standards.

Last verified 19 Oct 2026 on IDFC FIRST Bank's official page. Fees and rewards change; check the issuer's terms before you apply.

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