From free and flexible usage to strict caps, exclusions, and spend-based benefits, credit card users in India have seen a steady decline in value over the years. What was once simple is now layered with conditions, tracking requirements, and frequent rule changes.
After ICICI Bank’s recent large-scale devaluation, IDFC FIRST Bank has now announced significant revisions across almost its entire credit card portfolio. These changes affect premium, mid-tier, and lifetime free cards alike and will roll out in phases leading into twenty-twenty-six.
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IDFC FIRST Bank Credit Card Devaluation Overview
IDFC FIRST Bank has introduced multiple changes, including:
- Reduction in reward rates on international spends
- Increase in the reward-earning base from one-fifty to two-hundred
- New fair usage charges on FASTag and railway spends
- Reduced airport lounge and golf benefits
- Reward reversals for missed minimum due payments
Almost every IDFC FIRST credit card has been impacted in some way.
Changes to IDFC Ashva and Mayura Credit Cards
The biggest hit is to international spending rewards on IDFC FIRST’s premium cards.
Earlier, both Mayura and Ashva offered up to ten times reward points on eligible forex spends. This has now been reduced to up to five times reward points, effectively cutting the benefit by half.
Additionally, if a cardholder fails to pay the minimum amount due by the payment deadline, the bank may withhold or reverse all reward points earned during that billing cycle.
This significantly reduces the appeal of these cards, which were earlier positioned as strong options for overseas spending.
IDFC FIRST Classic Select and Wealth Cards Devaluation
IDFC FIRST Bank has revised the reward earning structure on its popular lifetime free cards.
The reward base has changed from one reward point per one-fifty spent to one reward point per two-hundred spent, leading to an effective reward cut of around twenty-five percent.
Lounge and Golf Benefit Reductions
IDFC FIRST Select Credit Card
- Earlier offered two domestic lounge visits per quarter
- Now offers one domestic lounge visit per quarter
IDFC FIRST Wealth Credit Card
- Domestic lounge access reduced to one visit per quarter
- International lounge access reduced to one visit per quarter
- Golf benefit reduced from monthly access to one session per quarter
Changes to FIRST SWYP Credit Card
The milestone reward structure has been revised and will apply from the March twenty-twenty-six statement cycle.
Earlier, users earned bonus points on rental and utility spends. This has now been replaced with rewards only on FASTag recharges and railway spends, making the benefit less flexible.
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Changes to Club Vistara IDFC FIRST Credit Cards
If the cardholder does not pay the minimum amount due by the payment due date, the bank may now withhold or reverse Maharaja Points earned during that billing cycle.
This aligns Club Vistara cards with the stricter reward policies introduced across the IDFC FIRST portfolio.
Fair Usage Charges Introduced Across All Cards
IDFC FIRST Bank has introduced new charges and limits on select spend categories.
- FASTag and railway transactions will earn only base reward points
- FASTag spends above ten thousand in a billing cycle will attract a one percent charge on the full amount
- Railway spends above twenty-five thousand in a billing cycle will attract a one percent charge on the full amount
These charges apply to all IDFC FIRST credit cards, including lifetime free variants.
Bottom Line
The latest IDFC FIRST Bank credit card devaluation significantly reduces the value proposition of several popular cards. Premium cards like Mayura and Ashva, once known for their strong international reward rates, now offer only half the earlier value. Lifetime free cards like Select and Wealth have also seen cuts in rewards, lounge access, and lifestyle benefits.
With repeated devaluations and tighter usage rules, cardholders should reassess whether these cards still meet their spending patterns and expectations.