IDFC FIRST Credit Cards (2026): Lifetime Free and the Catch

My honest take on IDFC FIRST credit cards

IDFC FIRST hands out free cards where other banks make you earn them. Seven cards here have no joining or annual fee, and most IDFC cards list a 0% forex markup. That part is real. The brochure is quieter about three things.

First, the multiples. On Millennia, Select and Wealth, 1X is 1 point per ₹200 and a point is worth ₹0.25, so "10X" is about 1.25% and ordinary spends earn about 0.375%. Second, each redemption costs ₹99 + GST, about ₹117: on 2,000 Select points worth ₹500, you keep about ₹383. Third, almost every lounge, golf and movie benefit sits behind ₹20,000 of spend in a calendar month.

So use IDFC as a second card for specific jobs: foreign spends, dining and travel, HPCL fuel or LIC premiums. On ₹1 lakh spent abroad, a 3.5% markup card charges about ₹3,500 plus GST; FIRST Select charges nothing and earns about ₹1,250 in points. Also note the 2026 changes: Wealth's earning base moved from ₹150 to ₹200 on 18 January 2026, a 25% cut. For the bank itself, read our IDFC FIRST credit card guide.

IDFC lifetime free cards: Select or Millennia

FIRST Millennia, Select, FIRST Wealth, FIRST Classic, the FD-backed FIRST WOW! and the two LIC co-brands are lifetime free. Between Select and Millennia, pick Select if you fly even a few times a year; Millennia has no airport lounge. And IDFC FIRST Millennia is not HDFC Millennia, HDFC's ₹1,000 cashback card; for that one, see the HDFC credit cards directory. Free cards from every bank sit in our lifetime free credit cards directory.

IDFC fuel credit card: Power or Power+ at HPCL

FIRST Power costs ₹199 + GST and earns up to 5% on HPCL fuel; Power+ costs ₹499 + GST and earns up to 6.5%. The 5% on Power comes in three layers, and you get all three only by paying through HP Pay at an HPCL pump. On ₹5,000 of fuel a month, that is about ₹250. Users who track it say real savings land nearer 3% to 3.8% after fees. More in our fuel credit cards directory.

IDFC credit card lounge access: the ₹20,000 rule

Spend ₹20,000 in a calendar month and the visits open the following month. Select gives 1 domestic airport visit and 4 railway visits a quarter; Wealth gives 1 domestic and 1 international airport visit a quarter; Mayura Metal gives 4 domestic and 4 international a quarter, for ₹5,999 + GST with no waiver. The practical move: put ₹20,000 on the card the month before you fly. For lounges with no monthly target, compare lounge access credit cards.

Frequently asked questions

Which IDFC credit card is best?

For most people, FIRST Select. It is lifetime free, has 0% forex, and earns about 1.25% on dining, travel, international and birthday spends.

Are IDFC credit cards lifetime free?

Many are: Millennia, Select, Wealth, Classic, WOW!, LIC Classic and LIC Select have no joining or annual fee. The ₹199 + GST on several IDFC pages is the UPI add-on, not a card fee.

What is the IDFC Power+ fuel benefit?

Power+ earns up to 6.5% on HPCL fuel and 5% on groceries, utilities and FASTag, for ₹499 + GST a year. FIRST Power, at ₹199 + GST, earns up to 5% on HPCL fuel.

Does IDFC FIRST Select have lounge access?

Yes, 1 domestic airport visit and 4 railway visits a quarter, unlocked by ₹20,000 of spend in a calendar month. It has no international airport lounge.

What happened to the IDFC Club Vistara credit card?

It is not among the active cards here. Users on Reddit report holders being moved to Diamond Reserve with the fee waived, which we have not seen IDFC confirm.

This is my honest read, not formal financial advice. IDFC changed these cards several times in 2026, so read the current terms before you apply.

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