FIRST Select

"10X" here means about 1.25%

The biggest catch with IDFC FIRST Select is the headline. 10X sounds huge, but it is 10 reward points per ₹200, and a point is worth about ₹0.25. That is roughly 1.25% back, and only on dining, travel, international spends and your birthday. Most other spending earns 3 points per ₹200, about 0.375%.

So why look at it at all? Because it costs nothing. There is no joining fee and no annual fee, ever, and the forex markup is 0%. As a free second card for trips abroad, lounges and bank offers, it is hard to argue with.

This page is about IDFC FIRST Select, not the FIRST Millennia from the same bank or HDFC Millennia.

What changed in 2026

Select has been reworked more than once this year, and holders on Reddit noticed. Users say points used to earn 10X on all spends above ₹20,000 a month. The current bank terms list 10X only on dining, travel, international and birthday spends, with no monthly threshold; this history is not confirmed, so check the latest terms. One thread from August 2026 calls the card "nerfed" for exactly this reason.

Two other changes to know:

• Our data says points earned from the July 2026 statement cycle are valid for 24 months. This is not confirmed yet, so check before you rely on it; older posts say points never expire.
• Utilities, insurance, railway and FASTag now earn just 1 point per ₹200.

IDFC FIRST Select lounge access

You get 1 domestic airport lounge visit a quarter, unlocked when you spend ₹20,000 in a month. That is 4 airport visits a year at most. No international airport lounge is listed.

Railway lounges are included too, but the count is unclear. Our data has shown both "4 a year" and "4 a quarter", and the product page gives no number, so check the lounge terms before a trip. In practice, that means putting ₹20,000 on Select in a month before a trip, then going back to your main card; check which month's spend counts.

The small print that eats rewards

• Users report a ₹99 + GST fee on each redemption. 2,000 points are worth about ₹500; after the fee you keep about ₹383. Redeem in big batches.
• UPI works only after you activate the RuPay option, which costs ₹199 + GST.
• A few users say kiosk agents promised Lifetime Free and a ₹199 charge still appeared. The official fee is nil, so dispute it with screenshots.

On the plus side, you get a ₹500 voucher for spending ₹5,000 in the first 30 days, trip cancellation cover up to ₹10,000, and interest-free ATM cash for up to 45 days with a ₹199 fee per withdrawal.

Who FIRST Select suits, and who should skip it

Apply if you want a free card for foreign spends at 0% forex, an occasional airport lounge, and dining or travel that earns something. If IDFC calls with a Lifetime Free offer, it is an easy yes as a backup card.

Do not make it your main card. At 0.375% on everyday spends, a cashback card like HDFC Millennia or Amazon Pay ICICI earns much more for the same groceries and online orders.

Credit Card Information Compiled by: Abhijeet Kumar | Reviewed by: Anmol Ratan Sachdeva