FIRST Wealth Credit Card Review: Free for Life, Plus a Global Lounge
FIRST Wealth is the highest tier of IDFC FIRST Bank's lifetime-free FIRST cards, with no joining or annual fee but an income bar of ₹36 lakh a year. It earns exactly like the FIRST Millennia and FIRST Select, 1.25% on dining, travel and birthday spends and 0.375% on the rest, so the higher income buys extras: 1 international lounge visit a quarter on top of 1 domestic, golf, bigger insurance and Visa Infinite offers. Foreign spends carry zero markup but earn no points from 26 October 2026.
Key facts
- Joining fee
- Nil
- Annual fee
- Nil
- Base reward
- 3X Reward Points on eligible spends (about 0.375% value)
- Best category
- Hotel bookings via 'FIRST Rewards Gallery' in the IDFC FIRST Bank app: about 5% value
- Lounge
- Domestic: 1 complimentary domestic airport lounge visit a quarter; 4 complimentary railway lounge visits (the bank states this both per quarter and per year) International: 1 complimentary global airport lounge visit every quarter (with the DreamFolks card)
- Forex markup
- 0% (no markup)
- Network
- Visa
Opens the bank's own page for this card. Approval and the credit limit are the bank's decision.
In short
For someone earning ₹36 lakh a year it is a free upgrade over FIRST Select with a global lounge and better insurance, but its 0.375% base rate is weak for the large spends such an earner usually has.
Best for
- High earners who want a no-fee card with domestic and international lounge access
- People whose spending leans to dining, food delivery and travel
- Anyone who values ₹1 crore air accident cover and USD 1,200 travel insurance at no cost
Skip it if
- Your income is below ₹36 lakh a year
- You spend a lot abroad and want points on it
- You need more than one airport lounge visit of each kind a quarter
Highlights
- Nil joining and annual fee, no spend condition
- 10 points per ₹200 (1.25%) on dining, travel and birthday spends
- 1 domestic and 1 international airport lounge visit a quarter after a ₹20,000 month
- Zero forex markup since 9 September 2026
- Points valid 24 months from credit
What FIRST Wealth adds
FIRST Wealth is the last step on IDFC FIRST Bank's ladder of lifetime-free cards, after FIRST Millennia and FIRST Select. All three earn in exactly the same way, so the useful question is what the ₹36 lakh income bar get you that the others don't. The answer are a handful of travel and lifestyle extras, not better rewards.
- 1 international airport lounge visit a quarter through the DreamFolks card, besides 1 domestic visit. FIRST Select has only the domestic one and FIRST Millennia have no airport lounge at all.
- Bigger insurance: ₹1 crore air accident, ₹10 lakh personal accident and travel cover up to USD 1,200.
- One golf round or lesson a quarter, Buy 1 Get 1 movie tickets with up to ₹250 off the second, and Visa Infinite hotel, dining and meet-and-greet offers.
The card is active. The shared earn rules are explained at length in our FIRST Millennia review, so this page stick to what is different and what it mean for a high earner. The bank's full range is on our IDFC FIRST Bank cards page.
Changes, 2024 to 2026
- 1 September 2024: Minimum Amount Due set at 2% of principal plus EMI, interest and fees, across the bank's cards.
- 20 February 2025: fuel surcharge waiver cap cut from ₹400 to ₹300 a statement cycle.
- 18 June 2026: 10X on dining and travel now start from the first eligible transaction, where earlier it needed ₹20,000 in a billing cycle; points became valid for 24 months instead of never expiring; and the movie offer began needing ₹20,000 spent the month before.
- 9 September 2026: forex markup dropped to zero from the 1.5% in the May 2026 notice.
- 26 October 2026: international transactions stopped earning points on this card.
What FIRST Wealth costs
Nothing to join and nothing yearly. The MITC lists the joining and annual fee as nil, and there is no spend target attached to keep it that way. The costs that remain is the optional ones:
- Add-on card: ₹499 + GST at joining and every year, which is ₹588.82 with tax (₹499 plus ₹89.82).
- FIRST Digital RuPay card, needed for UPI: ₹199 + GST to join and the same yearly.
- Reward redemption: ₹99 + GST each time, so ₹116.82 (₹99 plus 18%). Card replacement: ₹199.
If you carry a balance
A high earner may never revolve, but the numbers are worth knowing. Your rate is fixed by the bank anywhere from 0.71% to 3.85% a month, so 8.5% to 46.2% a year, and if the minimum due is not paid on time it jump to 3.99% a month, 47.88% a year. Late fee is 15% of the prior statement's total due minus payments before the due date, with ₹100 as floor and ₹1,300 as ceiling, which a due of ₹10,000 already reach. Each ATM withdrawal costs ₹199 + GST and is interest-free for up to 45 days; going over the limit, only with your consent, costs 2.5% with a ₹550 minimum.
Forex and category charges
Markup on foreign currency and dynamic currency conversion is nil per the MITC and the 9 September 2026 notice. One FAQ on the card page still say 1.5%, which is out of date. On a ₹2,00,000 family holiday abroad, the old 1.5% would have been ₹3,000 plus ₹540 GST (18% of ₹3,000).
- Rent and property management: 1% per transaction, at least ₹249.
- Utilities over ₹20,000 in a cycle: 1% on the full utility amount.
- Fuel over ₹30,000, railway over ₹25,000, tolls over ₹10,000 in a cycle: 1% of each total.
- Education through third-party apps: 1%, minimum ₹249. Returned payments: 2%, minimum ₹500.
GST at 18% applies on all of it. Paying school fees through an app, mind the ₹249 floor: on ₹20,000 the 1% is ₹200, so you pay ₹249 instead.
FIRST Wealth: fees and charges
| Joining fee | Nil |
|---|---|
| Annual or renewal fee | Nil |
| Annual fee waiver | Lifetime free: no joining or annual fee, no spend condition. |
| Add-on card fee | ₹499 + GST |
| GST | Charged on top of the fees and charges listed |
| In the bank’s words | Joining and Annual Fees NIL. Add-on card ₹499 + GST joining and annual fee (MITC). Optional FIRST Digital RuPay (UPI) companion card ₹199 + GST joining and ₹199 + GST annual fee. |
| Interest on unpaid balances | Up to 3.85% a month (46.2% a year) |
| Late payment fee | 15% of the Total Amount Due as of the previous statement minus payments received before the due date, minimum ₹100 and maximum ₹1,300 (none if the amount due is below ₹100). Charged when the Minimum Amount Due is unpaid by the due date. |
| Cash withdrawal | ₹199 per cash withdrawal (plus GST). Card pages say ATM withdrawals carry no interest for up to 45 days (until the due date); after that, interest at the card's rate applies. |
| Over-limit fee | 2.5% of the over-limit amount, minimum ₹550 (over-limit only with the cardholder's explicit consent) |
| Forex markup | 0% (no markup) |
| Other fees |
|
Rewards on FIRST Wealth
The earn rates are identical to Millennia and Select, and a point is worth ₹0.25 on every redemption. In short:
- 10 points per ₹200 on dining and food delivery (MCC 5812, 5813, 5814), travel such as airlines, hotels and travel agents, and your birthday: ₹2.50 on ₹200, so 1.25%, with no published cap.
- 3 points per ₹200 on other spends, on rent, government, wallet and education, and on UPI above ₹2,000 through FIRST Digital: 0.375%.
- 1 point per ₹200 on insurance, utilities, railways, FASTag and UPI up to ₹2,000: ₹0.25 on ₹200, or 0.125%.
- Nothing on fuel, EMI, cash, fees, loan on card, balance transfer, transactions below ₹200 and, from 26 October 2026, international spends.
App bookings through FIRST Rewards Gallery add 20% bonus points on hotels and 10% on flights. Twenty bonus points per ₹100 is ₹5 at ₹0.25, so 5% extra on hotels and 2.5% on flights, until a shared cap of 8,000 bonus points a calendar month, worth ₹2,000. Hotels alone hit that cap at ₹40,000 a month (8,000 divided by 20, times ₹100).
Every point redeem at ₹0.25, on vouchers, the catalogue, pay with points, or flights and hotels in the app, where points can cover up to 70% of a booking within 1,00,000 points a month and 2,00,000 a year. Since the July 2026 statement cycle points lasts 24 months from credit, and whatever you held in July 2026 is valid until July 2028. A cycle's points also gets cancelled if the Minimum Amount Due isn't paid by the due date.
Welcome offer: a ₹500 gift voucher for ₹5,000 spent within 30 days of card generation (UPI, add-on, wallet, EMI and ATM spends don't count), and 5% cashback up to ₹1,000 on your first EMI conversion in the same window. There is no milestone benefit.
Worked examples for a high earner
| Per month | Light | Typical | Heavy |
|---|---|---|---|
| Dining and food delivery | ₹6,000 | ₹15,000 | ₹25,000 |
| Flights and hotels | ₹0 | ₹20,000 | ₹50,000 |
| Shopping and groceries | ₹18,000 | ₹45,000 | ₹80,000 |
| International | ₹0 | ₹0 | ₹30,000 |
| Utilities and insurance | ₹4,000 | ₹12,000 | ₹15,000 |
| Fuel | ₹2,000 | ₹8,000 | ₹0 |
| Points a month | 590 | 2,485 | 5,025 |
| App hotel bonus a year | 0 | 0 | 24,000 |
| Points a year | 7,080 | 29,820 | 84,300 |
| Value a year at ₹0.25 | ₹1,770 | ₹7,455 | ₹21,075 |
| Annual fee | ₹0 | ₹0 | ₹0 |
- Light, ₹30,000: dining ₹6,000 is 30 lots of ₹200 at 10, so 300; shopping ₹18,000 is 90 lots at 3, so 270; bills of ₹4,000 are 20 lots at 1, so 20. That makes 590 (300 + 270 + 20), ₹147.50 a month (590 times ₹0.25) and ₹1,770 a year (7,080 points, or 590 times 12, at ₹0.25). Fuel isn't rewarded, though the waiver return ₹20 (1% of ₹2,000).
- Typical, ₹1,00,000: dining gives 750 (75 lots at 10), travel 1,000 (100 lots at 10), shopping 675 (225 lots at 3) and bills 60 (60 lots at 1). Total 2,485 a month (750 + 1,000 + 675 + 60), so 29,820 a year (2,485 times 12), or ₹7,455 (29,820 times ₹0.25). The ₹8,000 of fuel earn no points, the waiver can return up to ₹80 if each fill is between ₹200 and ₹5,000.
- Heavy, ₹2,00,000: dining 1,250 (125 lots at 10), travel 2,500 (250 lots at 10), shopping 1,200 (400 lots at 3) and bills 75 (75 lots at 1), with nothing on the ₹30,000 abroad. That is 5,025 a month (1,250 + 2,500 + 1,200 + 75) and 60,300 a year (5,025 times 12). In three months the travel line include a ₹40,000 hotel booked in the app, which fills the 8,000 bonus cap each time, 24,000 in all (3 times 8,000). Year total 84,300 (60,300 + 24,000), or ₹21,075 (84,300 times ₹0.25).
The heavy case only work with a credit limit of ₹2,00,000 or more, since points stop at the limit. And look at the foreign line: ₹30,000 a month is ₹3,60,000 a year (₹30,000 times 12) that earn nothing here.
FIRST Wealth: higher-reward categories
| Category | Rate | Cap |
|---|---|---|
| Dining (MCC 5812, 5813, 5814, includes food delivery) | 10X Reward Points (10 points per ₹200) from the first eligible transaction, effective 18 June 2026, about 1.25% value | No cap published |
| Travel (MCC 3000 to 3350, 3501 to 3853, 7011, 4511, 4722, 4723) | 10X Reward Points (10 points per ₹200), about 1.25% value | No cap published |
| Spends on your birthday | 10X Reward Points (10 points per ₹200), about 1.25% value | No cap published |
| International purchases | No reward points on international spends from 26 Oct 2026 (bank notice of 9 Sep 2026), about 0% value | No cap published |
| Hotel bookings via 'FIRST Rewards Gallery' in the IDFC FIRST Bank app | 20% Bonus Reward Points over and above base points (up to 25% reward points in total), about 5% value | 8,000 bonus Reward Points a calendar month (shared with flights), ₹8,000, calendar month |
| Flight bookings via 'FIRST Rewards Gallery' in the IDFC FIRST Bank app | 10% Bonus Reward Points over and above base points (up to 15% reward points in total), about 2.5% value | 8,000 bonus Reward Points a calendar month (shared with hotels), ₹8,000, calendar month |
| UPI via linked FIRST Digital RuPay card, transactions above ₹2,000 | 3X Reward Points, about 0.375% value | No cap published |
FIRST Wealth: how rewards work
| Earned as | Reward Points |
|---|---|
| Base rate | 3X Reward Points on eligible spends (1X = 1 Reward Point per ₹200 spent; 1 Reward Point = ₹0.25), so 3 points per ₹200.. About 0.375% value back |
| Minimum spend rules | Points are earned per ₹200 spent in a transaction (1X reward point for every ₹200 spent in a transaction). Points accrue only on spends up to the credit limit in a billing cycle. |
| No rewards on |
|
| Lower rewards on |
|
| Value of a point |
|
| Redemption fee | ₹99 + GST per redemption |
| Expiry | Reward Points are valid for 24 months from the date they are credited (from the July 2026 statement cycle; balance as of July 2026 valid until July 2028). Earlier the points did not expire. |
| Welcome benefits |
|
| Milestone benefits | None published |
| Lounge access | Domestic: 1 complimentary domestic airport lounge visit a quarter; 4 complimentary railway lounge visits (the bank states this both per quarter and per year) International: 1 complimentary global airport lounge visit every quarter (with the DreamFolks card) Condition: Spend ₹20,000 in the current calendar month to use the benefit in the next month (airport and railway). Unused quarterly visits do not carry forward. |
| Fuel surcharge waiver | 1% waiver on fuel transactions between ₹200 and ₹5,000, up to ₹300 per statement cycle (revised from ₹400 effective 20 Feb 2025) |
| Insurance cover | Air accident cover ₹1 crore, personal accident cover ₹10 lakh, lost card liability ₹50,000 (valid if the card had a transaction in the last 30 days); travel insurance up to USD 1,200 (checked-in baggage loss USD 500, baggage delay USD 100, passport loss USD 300, flight delay USD 300); trip cancellation cover up to ₹10,000. |
Who qualifies for FIRST Wealth
This is the one card in the free range where income decide almost everything. The bank wants ₹36 lakh a year or more, which is ₹3,00,000 a month (₹36,00,000 divided by 12), plus an age of at least 21, Indian citizenship, a healthy credit score and credit usage within an acceptable level. It gives no separate income figure for the self-employed and no age for them either. Even if you meet all of it, issuance stays at the bank's discretion.
For comparison, FIRST Select asks ₹12 lakh and FIRST Millennia ₹3 lakh, for the very same earn rates. Under ₹36 lakh, Select is the natural fallback for you.
Documents and the process
Identity proof, income proof and KYC are needed, with Video KYC when you apply online; the bank doesn't publish an exact list of accepted documents. Apply through the IDFC FIRST Bank website, the mobile app or at a branch.
What decides it
- The RBI's 2025 Directions make the bank judge your independent financial means and the total limits you holds with other lenders.
- Experian treat a score above 750 as generally good, on a 300 to 900 scale.
- You should get a Key Fact Statement with the rate and charges along with the application, and written reasons if you are turned down.
- Card is issued only with your explicit consent, and isn't reported to credit bureaus until you activate it.
Application queries: 1800 10 888, or the other numbers on our IDFC FIRST Bank customer care page.
FIRST Wealth: eligibility and documents
| Age (salaried) | At least 21 years |
|---|---|
| Age (self-employed) | Not published by the bank |
| Income (salaried) | Annual income of ₹36 lakhs or more |
| Income (self-employed) | Annual income of ₹36 lakhs or more (no separate self-employed figure published) |
| Other conditions | Indian citizen, healthy credit score, credit usage within an acceptable level; issuance at the bank's discretion. Monthly figure derived as ₹36 lakh a year ÷ 12. |
| Documents |
|
| How to apply | Online on the IDFC FIRST Bank website or mobile app (fully digital with Video KYC; FD-backed cards need an FD opened online), or at a branch. |
| Card customer care | 1800 10 888 |
These are the bank's published conditions. Meeting them does not guarantee a card: approval and the credit limit are the bank's decision.
Who should take FIRST Wealth
If you already earn ₹36 lakh and want one card with no fee, Wealth is an easy yes over Select, because it cost nothing more and adds an international lounge, golf and far bigger insurance. Diners and frequent domestic travellers get 1.25% on a large share of their spend, which is decent for a free card.
The trouble is the 0.375% on everything else. A person at this income often spend ₹1,00,000 or more a month, and much of it is shopping, bills and fees that earn little. In our typical example the card returns ₹7,455 on ₹12,00,000 of yearly spend (₹1,00,000 times 12), about 0.62% (₹7,455 divided by ₹12,00,000). A paid card can return more at that level, as the next tab show.
Weigh these before applying
- No points abroad from 26 October 2026, even with the markup at zero.
- Points expire 24 months after credit, so redeem regularly and in one go.
- One airport lounge of each kind a quarter is little for a frequent flyer, and unused visits doesn't carry forward.
- Railway lounges, as listed by the bank: 4 visits, stated per quarter in one place and per year in another.
Pros
- No joining or annual fee, and no spend condition to keep it free
- 1 domestic and 1 international airport lounge visit every quarter, which FIRST Select does not offer
- 10X (1.25%) on dining and travel from the first transaction since 18 June 2026
- ₹1 crore air accident and ₹10 lakh personal accident cover, plus travel insurance up to USD 1,200
- Zero forex markup, down from 1.5% in the May 2026 notice
- 1 golf round or lesson a quarter and Visa Infinite offers
Cons
- Needs ₹36 lakh of annual income, three times the FIRST Select bar
- Only 3 points per ₹200 (0.375%) on regular spends
- No reward points on international spends from 26 October 2026
- Points expire 24 months after credit, and each redemption costs ₹99 + GST
- Lounges, golf and the movie offer depend on ₹20,000 spent in the previous month
FIRST Wealth or something else?
For a high earner the real choice is between a free card and a paid one that earn more. Three options follow, with the full numbers in the table below.
FIRST Wealth vs FIRST Select
FIRST Select has the same nil fee, the same 10X and 3X and the same ₹300 fuel cap. It lacks the international lounge and golf, carries ₹5,00,000 personal accident cover against Wealth's ₹10 lakh, and travel insurance up to USD 300 against USD 1,200. It needs ₹12 lakh of income. If you qualify for Wealth, there's no reason to pick Select.
FIRST Wealth vs Ashva
Ashva charges ₹2,999 + GST but pays 10 points per ₹150 above ₹20,000 a cycle on nearly all eligible spends. Take our typical Wealth spender: on Ashva the ₹80,000 of dining, travel and shopping (₹15,000 + ₹20,000 + ₹45,000) earns about 667 on the first ₹20,000 at 5 per ₹150, plus 4,000 (₹60,000 above the line at 10 per ₹150), and ₹12,000 of bills adds 80, so 4,747 a month (667 + 4,000 + 80) or 56,964 a year (4,747 times 12). With the 7,500 milestone for ₹8 lakh of spend that is 64,464 points (56,964 + 7,500), ₹16,116 at ₹0.25. Less the ₹3,538.82 fee (₹2,999 plus 18% GST) it still leave ₹12,577.18 (₹16,116 minus ₹3,538.82), about ₹5,122 more than Wealth's ₹7,455 (₹12,577.18 minus ₹7,455). Ashva also has 4 domestic and 2 international lounge visits a quarter and earns abroad.
FIRST Wealth vs Scapia Federal
The Scapia Federal card is lifetime free too, with zero forex. It pays 10% in Scapia Coins on every purchase, about 2% when the coins go on travel in the Scapia app, and 20% (about 4%) on travel booked there, with unlimited domestic lounge access once you spend ₹20,000 in a billing cycle (Scapia's pages differ on whether Visa and RuPay spends add up for this). Coins work only on Scapia's app, and the charges we read come from a November 2024 MITC, so check the current one. Pick Scapia if you book trips there, Wealth if you want flexible redemptions and a global lounge.
More no-fee options are on our best lifetime-free credit cards page and the credit cards hub.
FIRST Wealth against similar cards
| Term | FIRST Wealth Credit Card This card | FIRST Select Credit Card | Ashva Credit Card | Scapia Federal Credit Card |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bank | IDFC FIRST Bank | IDFC FIRST Bank | IDFC FIRST Bank | Federal Bank |
| Joining fee | Nil | Nil | ₹2,999 + GST | Nil |
| Annual fee and waiver | Nil | Nil | ₹2,999 + GST. No fee waiver. Annual fee payment benefit: spend ₹8 lakh in the previous card anniversary year and get 7,500 Reward Points on paying the next annual fee. | Nil |
| Base reward | 3X Reward Points on eligible spends (about 0.375% value) | 3X Reward Points on eligible spends (about 0.375% value) | 5X Reward Points (5 points per ₹150) on eligible spends up to ₹20,000 in a... (about 0.833% value) | Visa card: 10% rewards on every purchase of Rs (about 2% value) |
| Best category | Hotel bookings via 'FIRST Rewards Gallery' in the IDFC FIRST Bank app: about 5% value | Hotel bookings via 'FIRST Rewards Gallery' in the IDFC FIRST Bank app: about 5% value | Hotel bookings via the IDFC FIRST Bank app: about 5% value | Travel booked on the Scapia app: about 4% value |
| Lounges | Domestic: 1 complimentary domestic airport lounge visit a quarter; 4 complimentary railway lounge visits (the bank states this both per quarter and per year) International: 1 complimentary global airport lounge visit every quarter (with the DreamFolks card) | Domestic: 1 complimentary domestic airport lounge visit every quarter; 4 complimentary railway lounge visits every quarter International: None (domestic airports in India only) | Domestic: 4 complimentary Indian airport lounge visits every quarter; 4 complimentary railway lounge visits per quarter International: 2 complimentary global airport lounge visits every quarter (with the DreamFolks card) | Domestic: Unlimited domestic lounge access, or (Airport Privileges) dining, shopping or spa at domestic airports reimbursed in coins up to ₹1,000 per visit at metro airports and ₹500 at smaller airports (Scapia blog). International: No international lounge benefit stated. International airport privilege: up to ₹2,000 back in coins at international terminals in India after an international flight booking on the Scapia app of ₹40,000 (homepage) or ₹50,000 (May 2026 blog). |
| Forex markup | 0% (no markup) | 0% (no markup) | 0% (no markup) | 0% (no markup) |
| Network | Visa | Not stated by the bank | Visa | Visa, RuPay |
| Published minimum income | ₹3,00,000 a month | ₹1,00,000 a month | Not published by the bank | Not published by the bank |
| Status | Taking applications | Taking applications | Taking applications | Taking applications |
Frequently asked questions
Is the FIRST Wealth Credit Card really lifetime free?
How much are FIRST Wealth reward points worth?
What income is needed for FIRST Wealth?
Does FIRST Wealth give international lounge access?
What happened to the FIRST Wealth forex markup and foreign-spend points?
How is FIRST Wealth different from FIRST Select?
Related
- IDFC FIRST Bank Credit Cards 2026: Free Cards, Zero Forex and the Catch
- FIRST Select Credit Card Review: A Free Card With a Quarterly Lounge
- Ashva Credit Card Review: Metal Card, 10X Above ₹20,000, Zero Forex
- Scapia Federal Credit Card Review: Zero Forex, Coins Only for Travel
- Best Lifetime Free Credit Cards in India 2026: Zero Fee in the MITC
Sources
- IDFC FIRST Bank: Most Important Terms & Conditions - Credit Cards (MITC and Schedule of Charges); FIRST Wealth Reward Points Terms & Conditions; FIRST Wealth Credit Card; Important update regarding your FIRST Wealth Credit Card; Important update regarding your IDFC FIRST Bank Credit Card (Zero Forex Markup notice); FIRST Digital RuPay Credit Card; Credit Card - Apply for Credit Card Online (listing page FAQ); Contact Us
Last verified: 5 November 2026
Written by Anjali Bhargawa, reviewed by BankCreds Financial Experts
BankCreds does not sell cards or take applications. Fees and rewards change; the bank's own terms on the day you apply are what count, and approval is the bank's decision.