IndiGo IDFC FIRST Credit Card Review: BluChips, Two Cards, Zero Forex
The IndiGo IDFC FIRST Credit Card is a Mastercard and RuPay pair that earns IndiGo BluChips: 6 per ₹100 on IndiGo flights booked on IndiGo's site or app, 3 per ₹100 on most other spends and 1 per ₹100 abroad, with zero forex markup. It costs ₹4,999 + GST a year, though the joining fee is ₹0 if you back the card with a fixed deposit. The bank publishes no rupee value for a BluChip and lists no airport lounge access, so it suits people who already fly IndiGo often.
Key facts
- Joining fee
- ₹4,999 + GST
- Annual fee
- ₹4,999 + GST. No spend-based waiver published. FD-backed variant: no joining fee (minimum FD stated as ₹50,000 on most of the page); annual fee ₹4,999 + GST from year 2 on both variants.
- Base reward
- 3 IndiGo BluChips per ₹100 on other spends
- Best category
- IndiGo flights booked on the IndiGo website and app: 6 BluChips per ₹100 on the card plus up to 16 from IndiGo by loyalty tier (up to 22)
- Lounge
- Domestic: None listed International: None listed
- Forex markup
- 0% (no markup)
- Network
- Mastercard, RuPay
Opens the bank's own page for this card. Approval and the credit limit are the bank's decision.
In short
Worth it for regular IndiGo flyers who can cross the ₹2 lakh and ₹5 lakh milestones; everyone else pays ₹4,999 + GST for points with no fixed rupee value and no lounges.
Best for
- Frequent IndiGo flyers who book on IndiGo's website or app
- People spending ₹2 lakh to ₹12 lakh a year who can collect milestone vouchers
- Anyone who wants the card through an FD with no joining fee
Skip it if
- You want airport lounge access
- You rarely fly IndiGo
- Most of your spend is UPI, fuel, rent or bills, which earn only 0.5 BluChips per ₹100
Highlights
- ₹4,999 + GST a year; ₹0 joining fee on the FD-backed variant
- 6 BluChips per ₹100 on IndiGo flights, 3 on other spends
- Up to 25,000 milestone BluChips a year from ₹2 lakh to ₹12 lakh of spend
- Zero forex markup and 1 BluChip per ₹100 abroad
- Mastercard and RuPay cards on one limit
The IndiGo card in plain terms
This is IDFC FIRST Bank's co-brand card with IndiGo, launched on 18 August 2025. You get two physical cards, a Mastercard and a RuPay card, that share one credit limit and one statement, and whatever you spend earn IndiGo BluChips instead of bank points. The RuPay card links straight to UPI.
Three facts shape the decision. First, BluChips have no published rupee value, IndiGo decides what they buy by route and date, and the bank's calculator treat 7,500 BluChips as one free flight (base fare). Second, the fee is ₹4,999 + GST a year, but the joining fee drops to ₹0 if you back the card with a fixed deposit. Third, no airport lounge benefit is listed, which is unusual at this price.
The card is active. See how it sits next to the bank's other cards on our IDFC FIRST Bank cards page.
Changes since launch
- 18 August 2025: launched with a ₹4,999 joining fee, or a ₹1 lakh FD for zero joining fee, and a 1.49% forex markup.
- 18 June 2026: BluChips accrue only on spends up to your credit limit.
- July 2026 statement onwards: monthly BluChips post on the payment due date plus one day, and only if you paid at least the Minimum Amount Due; otherwise they lapses.
- 22 July 2026: FASTag, railway, government and education spends cut to 0.5 BluChips per ₹100.
- 9 September 2026: forex markup went from 1.49% to zero.
- 26 October 2026: the bank stopped points on foreign spends for most of its cards, but this card are on the list that keeps them.
What the IndiGo card costs
There are two ways in. The standard variant charge ₹4,999 + GST to join and comes with joining vouchers. The FD-backed variant has no joining fee. From the second year both pay ₹4,999 + GST, which is ₹5,898.82 with 18% GST (₹4,999 plus ₹899.82), and no spend level waive it.
The FD amount for the zero joining fee variant is not consistent on the bank's own page: most of it say a minimum of ₹50,000, while its documents list asks for ₹1,00,000, the figure the launch release also used. Confirm the amount with the bank before you open the deposit.
Each add-on card is ₹499, and replacing a card cost ₹199 for each of the pair. Redemption is free, since the MITC exempts this card from the bank's ₹99 redemption fee.
Interest and penalties
Interest are personal, anywhere from 0.71% to 3.85% a month (8.5% to 46.2% a year), with 3.99% monthly or 47.88% yearly charged if the minimum due is unpaid by the due date. The late fee runs at 15% of the previous statement's total due minus what you paid before the due date, with a ₹100 minimum and ₹1,300 maximum, so a ₹4,000 due costs ₹600 (15% of ₹4,000). Cash withdrawals are ₹199 + GST each, and the card's FAQ puts the cash limit at 10% of the credit limit. Over-limit use, only with your consent, is 2.5% with a ₹550 minimum.
Forex and category fees
The markup on foreign spends is now nil. At the launch-time 1.49%, a ₹1,00,000 trip would have added ₹1,490 plus GST (1.49% of ₹1,00,000). The bank's usual 1% fees also apply: on rent and on education through third-party apps (₹249 minimum each), and on the full total once a cycle's utilities pass ₹20,000, fuel ₹30,000, railway ₹25,000 or tolls ₹10,000. Bounced payments cost 2%, at least ₹500. GST at 18% goes on all of it, and there is no fuel surcharge waiver.
IndiGo IDFC FIRST: fees and charges
| Joining fee | ₹4,999 + GST |
|---|---|
| Annual or renewal fee | ₹4,999 + GST |
| Annual fee waiver | No spend-based waiver published. FD-backed variant: no joining fee (minimum FD stated as ₹50,000 on most of the page); annual fee ₹4,999 + GST from year 2 on both variants. |
| Add-on card fee | ₹499 + GST |
| GST | Charged on top of the fees and charges listed |
| In the bank’s words | Joining fee ₹4,999 + GST with joining benefits, or ₹0 if backed by an FD; Annual Fee ₹4,999 + GST (2nd year onwards) on both variants. Add-on ₹499 per add-on card. Two physical cards (Mastercard and RuPay) share one limit and one statement. Replacement ₹199 per card. |
| 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 |
|
How BluChips are earned
BluChips are counted per ₹100 spent and credited a day after your payment due date, so long as you paid at least the Minimum Amount Due.
- IndiGo flights booked on IndiGo's website or app: 6 BluChips per ₹100 from the card, plus up to 16 more from IndiGo based on your tier, so up to 22.
- Other spends: 3 BluChips per ₹100.
- International spends: 1 BluChip per ₹100, kept after 26 October 2026.
- UPI, insurance, fuel, utility, rent, wallet, FASTag, education, railway and government: 0.5 per ₹100.
- Nothing on cash or EMI transactions.
No cap are published on any of these. What is missing is a rupee value: IndiGo set what a BluChip buys based on route and booking date, and the card page doesn't give their expiry, which follows IndiGo's own programme rules.
Welcome, milestones and renewal
On the fee-paying variant, paying the joining fee bring a 5,000 BluChips voucher and an IndiGo meal voucher, and spending ₹1,00,000 within 90 days of issue adds a 3,000 BluChips voucher, so 8,000 in all (5,000 + 3,000). The FD variant doesn't get the joining voucher. There is also a one-time 3 months of EazyDiner Prime and a Postcard hotel stay voucher worth ₹3,000.
Milestones are where the card earns its keep: a 5,000 BluChips voucher each time you cross ₹2 lakh, ₹5 lakh, ₹8 lakh, ₹10 lakh and ₹12 lakh in a card year, up to 25,000. Paying the annual fee adds another 5,000 voucher and a meal voucher. All these vouchers are valid for 6 months from issue, so plan the flights before they lapse.
Other benefits: 4 golf rounds and 12 lessons a year as Mastercard World privileges, trip cancellation cover up to ₹25,000 a year across 2 claims, ₹10 lakh personal accident cover and ₹50,000 lost card liability.
Three flyers worked out
Because there is no rupee value, these examples count BluChips and convert them with the bank's yardstick of 7,500 BluChips per free flight, base fare only. They show year two onwards, so the renewal voucher is in and the joining vouchers are out.
| Per month | Light | Typical | Heavy |
|---|---|---|---|
| IndiGo flights on IndiGo's site or app (6 per ₹100) | ₹0 | ₹5,000 | ₹15,000 |
| Other spends (3 per ₹100) | ₹12,000 | ₹30,000 | ₹70,000 |
| International (1 per ₹100) | ₹0 | ₹0 | ₹20,000 |
| UPI, fuel, bills, insurance (0.5 per ₹100) | ₹8,000 | ₹15,000 | ₹15,000 |
| BluChips a month | 400 | 1,275 | 3,275 |
| Milestone and renewal vouchers a year | 10,000 | 15,000 | 30,000 |
| BluChips a year | 14,800 | 30,300 | 69,300 |
| Free flights at 7,500 each | About 1.97 | About 4.04 | About 9.24 |
| Annual fee with GST | ₹5,898.82 | ₹5,898.82 | ₹5,898.82 |
- Light, ₹20,000 a month: ₹12,000 of shopping at 3 per ₹100 is 360 (120 lots of ₹100 at 3) and ₹8,000 of UPI and bills at 0.5 is 40, so 400 a month and 4,800 a year (400 times 12). ₹2,40,000 of annual spend (₹20,000 times 12) crosses the ₹2 lakh milestone for 5,000, and the renewal voucher adds 5,000, so 14,800 in all (4,800 + 10,000), close to 2 flights (14,800 divided by 7,500 is 1.97).
- Typical, ₹50,000 a month: ₹5,000 of IndiGo flights earn 300 from the card (IndiGo's tier bonus come on top and isn't counted), ₹30,000 of other spends 900, and ₹15,000 of UPI, fuel and bills 75 (150 lots of ₹100 at 0.5). That's 1,275 a month (300 + 900 + 75) and 15,300 a year (1,275 times 12). ₹6,00,000 a year (₹50,000 times 12) passes ₹2 lakh and ₹5 lakh for 10,000, and renewal adds 5,000, so 30,300 (15,300 + 15,000), about 4 flights (30,300 divided by 7,500 is 4.04).
- Heavy, ₹1,20,000 a month: 900 on IndiGo flights (150 lots of ₹100 at 6), 2,100 on ₹70,000 of other spends (700 lots at 3), 200 on ₹20,000 abroad and 75 on ₹15,000 in the low-rate group, so 3,275 a month (900 + 2,100 + 200 + 75) and 39,300 a year (3,275 times 12). ₹14,40,000 of spend (₹1,20,000 times 12) clears all five milestones for 25,000, and renewal adds 5,000: 69,300 (39,300 + 30,000), about 9 flights (69,300 divided by 7,500 is 9.24).
Whether that beats ₹5,898.82 depend on what an IndiGo base fare costs you on your routes, and taxes on the ticket are extra to the base fare. The heavy flyer also need a limit of ₹1,20,000 or more, since BluChips stop at the credit limit.
IndiGo IDFC FIRST: higher-reward categories
| Category | Rate | Cap |
|---|---|---|
| IndiGo flights booked on the IndiGo website and app | 6 BluChips per ₹100 on the card plus up to 16 from IndiGo by loyalty tier (up to 22) | No cap published |
| International spends | 1 IndiGo BluChip per ₹100 (IndiGo card keeps rewards on international spends after 26 Oct 2026) | No cap published |
IndiGo IDFC FIRST: how rewards work
| Earned as | IndiGo BluChips |
|---|---|
| Base rate | 3 IndiGo BluChips per ₹100 on other spends (value of a BluChip varies; set by IndiGo). |
| Minimum spend rules | BluChips per ₹100 spent; earned only on spends up to the credit limit in a billing cycle. |
| No rewards on |
|
| Lower rewards on |
|
| Value of a point |
|
| Redemption fee | Not applicable (reward redemption fee does not apply to IndiGo IDFC FIRST per MITC) |
| Expiry | BluChips follow IndiGo's BluChip programme terms (not published on the card page); BluChip vouchers (welcome, milestone) are valid 6 months from issue. |
| Welcome benefits |
|
| Milestone benefits |
|
| Lounge access | Domestic: None listed International: None listed |
| Fuel surcharge waiver | Not applicable |
| Insurance cover | Trip cancellation cover up to ₹25,000 a year (2 claims a year); personal accident cover ₹10 lakh; lost card liability ₹50,000. |
Applying for the IndiGo card
The published rules are short: 18 years or older and a resident of India. For the fee-paying variant the bank runs a credit check but does not publish any income requirement. The FD-backed variant skips the credit check and gives a limit equal to the deposit, though the decision to issue still sits with the bank.
The FD route
For the ₹0 joining fee you open a fixed deposit and the card's limit match it. The minimum is where the bank's page disagree with itself: ₹50,000 on most of it, ₹1,00,000 in the documents list. Ask the bank which one applies to you. The annual fee of ₹4,999 + GST still applies from year two on this variant.
Documents
- Your Aadhaar number.
- A physical PAN card, shown during the video KYC call.
- The fixed deposit, if you want the ₹0 joining fee variant.
The application is digital with Video KYC on the IDFC FIRST Bank website or app, or you can go to a branch.
What banks weigh
Under the RBI's 2025 card Directions the bank must assess your own financial means and the limits you already hold with other lenders; RBI itself sets no minimum income or age. A rejection have to come with specific reasons in writing, and you should get a one-page Key Fact Statement with the rate and charges. For any query call 1800 10 888, or +91 22 6248 5152 from abroad; more on our IDFC FIRST customer care page.
IndiGo IDFC FIRST: eligibility and documents
| Age (salaried) | 18 years or above |
|---|---|
| Age (self-employed) | 18 years or above |
| Income (salaried) | Not published; the joining-fee variant is offered on credit check |
| Income (self-employed) | Not published |
| Other conditions | Resident of India. FD-backed variant needs a fixed deposit (₹50,000 per most of the page; ₹1,00,000 in the page's documents list and at launch) and skips the credit check; its limit equals the FD. |
| 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 the IndiGo card suits
It's made for the person who already fly IndiGo a few times a year and books on IndiGo's own website or app. That flyer collects 6 BluChips per ₹100 on tickets from the card and more from IndiGo by tier, and with ₹5 lakh or more of yearly spend the milestone vouchers start doing the real work. Zero forex and 1 BluChip per ₹100 abroad make it usable on foreign trips too.
Skip it if you want lounges, because none are listed, or if most of your spend is UPI, fuel, rent and bills at 0.5 per ₹100. Anyone who prefer a fixed rupee value for points should also look elsewhere, since BluChips are priced by IndiGo.
Trade-offs
- No fee waiver at any spend; the 5,000 renewal voucher is the only offset.
- BluChips lapse for a cycle if you don't pay the Minimum Amount Due, and vouchers die after 6 months.
- The FD route makes entry easy, but the FD amount needs confirming first.
- Two cards means two things to keep safe, and replacing each one cost ₹199.
A simple test before you apply: add up what you spent on IndiGo tickets last year. If the number is small, the 3 per ₹100 on daily spends and the milestones have to carry the whole fee on their own.
Pros
- Two cards, Mastercard and RuPay, on one limit and statement, with the RuPay card working on UPI
- 6 BluChips per ₹100 on IndiGo flights, plus up to 16 more from IndiGo by tier
- Milestone vouchers of 5,000 BluChips at ₹2 lakh, ₹5 lakh, ₹8 lakh, ₹10 lakh and ₹12 lakh a year
- Zero forex markup, and BluChips still earned on international spends
- ₹0 joining fee on the FD-backed variant, which skips the credit check
- No reward redemption fee
Cons
- ₹4,999 + GST (₹5,898.82) every year with no spend-based waiver
- No airport lounge access listed
- The bank publishes no rupee value for a BluChip
- Only 0.5 BluChips per ₹100 on UPI, fuel, utilities, rent, insurance and several other categories
- BluChips lapse for a cycle if the Minimum Amount Due is not paid, and vouchers expire in 6 months
Other airline-leaning cards
Three cards that turn spends into flights, each in its own way. The comparison table below give the side-by-side numbers.
IndiGo IDFC FIRST or Emirates Skywards ICICI Sapphiro
The Emirates Skywards ICICI Bank Sapphiro is ₹5,000 + GST with no waiver, close to the IndiGo card's fee. It earns 1.5 Skywards Miles per ₹100 on domestic and international spends, gives 5,000 Miles and Skywards Silver tier on paying the joining fee, and 5,000 Miles a year on ₹5 lakh of spends. It adds 2 domestic lounge visits a quarter after ₹75,000 in the previous quarter and 2 Priority Pass visits a year, but forex is 3.5% and salaried applicants need ₹1,50,000 a month. For Emirates trips abroad it fits better; for domestic IndiGo hops, the IndiGo card does.
IndiGo IDFC FIRST or SBI Card Miles Elite
SBI Card Miles Elite also costs ₹4,999 + GST, reversed on ₹15 lakh of yearly spends. It earns 6 Travel Credits per ₹200 on travel and 2 per ₹200 elsewhere, valued at ₹1 each when moved to airline or hotel partners (partner ratios vary), plus 20,000 bonus credits at ₹12 lakh. Lounges are 8 domestic and 6 international a year, and forex is 1.99%. If you fly several airlines and want lounges, Miles Elite is the flexible pick.
IndiGo IDFC FIRST or Kotak Air+
The Kotak Air+ is cheaper at ₹3,000 + GST per its MITC (a ₹0 joining fee on the listing page is an offer), and the MITC waive the annual fee on ₹4 lakh of retail spends, though the card page says no waiver is available. It earns 2 Air Miles per ₹100 and 5 on flights and hotels booked through Kotak Unbox, with incremental miles capped at 15,000 a cycle and an Air Mile worth ₹1 on Unbox bookings. It gives 4 domestic lounge visits a year (up to 2 a quarter) and 2 international, at a 2% forex markup.
More travel options sit on our best travel credit cards list and in our explainer on travel and airline cards, or head back to the credit cards hub.
IndiGo IDFC FIRST against similar cards
| Term | IndiGo IDFC FIRST Credit Card This card | Emirates Skywards ICICI Bank Sapphiro Credit Card | SBI Card Miles Elite | Kotak Air+ Credit Card |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bank | IDFC FIRST Bank | ICICI Bank | SBI Card | Kotak Mahindra Bank (Kotak) |
| Joining fee | ₹4,999 + GST | ₹5,000 + GST | ₹4,999 + GST | ₹3,000 + GST |
| Annual fee and waiver | ₹4,999 + GST. No spend-based waiver published. FD-backed variant: no joining fee (minimum FD stated as ₹50,000 on most of the page); annual fee ₹4,999 + GST from year 2 on both variants. | ₹5,000 + GST. No spend-based annual fee waiver (MITC shows NA) | ₹4,999 + GST. Annual Fee reversal on spends of Rs. 15 lakhs in a membership year (MITC: Rs. 15 lakh or more in the preceding year) | ₹3,000 + GST. Annual fee waived on minimum retail spends of ₹4 lakh in an anniversary year (rent, wallet, utility, education and transportation spends excluded) |
| Base reward | 3 IndiGo BluChips per ₹100 on other spends | 1.5 Skywards Miles per ₹100 on eligible retail spends... | 2 Travel Credits for every Rs. 200 on all other spends (about 1% value) | 2 Air Miles per ₹100 on other eligible spends |
| Best category | IndiGo flights booked on the IndiGo website and app: 6 BluChips per ₹100 on the card plus up to 16 from IndiGo by loyalty tier (up to 22) | No higher-reward category published | Travel spends: airlines, hotels, travel agencies, car rental, rail, bus, tolls and similar: about 3% value | Flight and flight add-on, hotel and hotel add-on bookings through Kotak Unbox: 5 Air Miles per ₹100 (2 base + 3 incremental) |
| Lounges | Domestic: None listed International: None listed | Domestic: 2 domestic airport lounge accesses per quarter (primary) on ₹75,000 spend in the preceding quarter International: 2 complimentary international lounge accesses a year via Priority Pass (primary; for cards applied on or after Nov 15, 2024) | Domestic: 8 complimentary domestic airport lounge visits a year (max 2 per quarter), plus 1 extra visit per Rs. 1 lakh spent (max 15 extra a membership year) International: 6 complimentary international airport lounge visits a year (max 2 per quarter) via Priority Pass; Priority Pass membership complimentary for the first 2 years | Domestic: 4 complimentary domestic lounge visits per calendar year, capped at 2 per calendar quarter (primary cardholder); ₹2 validation charge International: 2 complimentary international lounge visits per calendar year via Priority Pass (primary cardholder); $1 validation charge, reversed |
| Forex markup | 0% (no markup) | 3.5% of the amount | 1.99% of the amount | 2% of the amount |
| Network | Mastercard, RuPay | Not stated by the bank | Mastercard, RuPay | Not stated by the bank |
| Published minimum income | Not published; the joining-fee variant is offered on credit check | ₹1,50,000 a month | Stable income; SBI Card says the specific minimum varies by card and does not... | Not published by the bank |
| Status | Taking applications | Taking applications | Taking applications | Taking applications |
Frequently asked questions
What is the annual fee on the IndiGo IDFC FIRST Credit Card?
How much is an IndiGo BluChip worth?
Who can apply for the IndiGo IDFC FIRST card, and how big an FD is needed?
Does the IndiGo IDFC FIRST card give lounge access or forex savings?
What changed on the IndiGo IDFC FIRST card in 2026?
Why does the IndiGo IDFC FIRST card come as two cards?
Related
- IDFC FIRST Bank Credit Cards 2026: Free Cards, Zero Forex and the Catch
- Emirates Skywards ICICI Bank Sapphiro Credit Card Review: Miles, No Waiver
- SBI Card Miles Elite Review: 3% in Travel Credits and 1.99% Forex
- Kotak Air+ Credit Card Review: ₹1 Air Miles With a Catch Abroad
- Travel Credit Cards Explained: Miles, Hotel Points and Forex Costs
Sources
- IDFC FIRST Bank: Most Important Terms & Conditions - Credit Cards (MITC and Schedule of Charges); IndiGo IDFC FIRST Dual Credit Card; IndiGo and IDFC FIRST Bank Launch Co-Branded Credit Card (press release); Important update regarding your IndiGo IDFC FIRST Credit Card; Important update regarding your IDFC FIRST Bank Credit Card (Zero Forex Markup notice); 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.