Kotak White Credit Card Review: Milestones Worth Up to ₹27,000 a Year
The Kotak White Credit Card has no per-transaction earn rate; it credits White Pass value as your yearly spends cross milestones, from ₹2,000 at ₹2 lakh up to ₹27,000 in all at ₹12 lakh, worth ₹1 a point in Kotak's catalogue. The fee is ₹3,000 + GST to join and each year, waived on ₹5 lakh of retail spends. It is meant for people earning ₹25 lakh a year or more in nine listed cities, and since 1 April 2026 lounge visits depend on spending ₹1,00,000 in a quarter.
Key facts
- Joining fee
- ₹3,000 + GST
- Annual fee
- ₹3,000 + GST. Annual fee waived on annual retail spends of ₹5 lakh; programme-linked fee waivers apply only while programme eligibility is maintained
- Base reward
- No per-transaction earn rate
- Best category
- No higher-reward category published
- Lounge
- Domestic: 8 complimentary domestic lounge visits a year at select lounges (2 per quarter), primary cardholder International: Priority Pass membership (worth USD 99) with 4 complimentary international lounge visits a year, primary cardholder; then USD 35 per visit
- Forex markup
- 3.5% of the amount
- Network
- Not stated by the bank
Opens the bank's own page for this card. Approval and the credit limit are the bank's decision.
In short
A strong card for high earners who put ₹6 lakh to ₹12 lakh a year on one card and redeem in Kotak's catalogue, where the milestones return 2% or more; below ₹5 lakh the fee eats most of the value.
Best for
- High earners whose card spends reach ₹6 lakh to ₹12 lakh a year
- People happy to redeem White Pass value in Kotak's catalogue at ₹1 a point
- Applicants aged 28 to 60 in the nine listed cities with ₹25 lakh income
Skip it if
- Your yearly card spend stays under ₹4 lakh
- You spend often abroad, given the 3.5% forex markup
- You want rewards that carry over, since the balance lapses after each anniversary cycle
Highlights
- White Pass value at ₹2, 4, 6, 9 and 12 lakh of yearly spends, up to ₹27,000 in all
- 1 point = ₹1 in the catalogue, ₹0.70 as cashback
- ₹3,000 + GST fee, waived on ₹5 lakh of retail spends a year
- Lounge visits need ₹1,00,000 of spends in the previous quarter from 1 April 2026
- Income of ₹25 lakh a year and age 28 to 60 required
Kotak White in brief
Kotak White works differently from most reward cards. Nothing is earned per swipe. Instead, the bank credits a White Pass balance each time your spends in a card anniversary year cross a milestone: ₹2 lakh, ₹4 lakh, ₹6 lakh, ₹9 lakh and ₹12 lakh, adding up to ₹27,000 at the top. That balance redeem at ₹1 a point in Kotak's catalogue, or ₹0.70 as cashback.
It's card for high earners. Kotak wants an income of ₹25 lakh a year, age 28 to 60, and an address in one of nine cities, and there is no online Apply button, so it goes through a branch or a relationship manager. The Key Fact Statement calls it the White Signature Credit Card, but the network is not named anywhere.
The three things that matter
- Value comes in steps. Spend ₹5.9 lakh and you get the same as at ₹4 lakh; cross ₹6 lakh and the balance jump.
- The ₹3,000 plus GST annual fee is waived at ₹5 lakh of retail spends a year, a bar most people who should have this card will clear.
- Lounges now need spend. From 1 April 2026, ₹1,00,000 in a calendar quarter earns 2 complimentary visits in the next quarter.
Status and recent changes
The card is active. Kotak's ability to issue new cards was frozen by the RBI on 24 April 2024 and restored on 12 February 2025. On this card, the 1 April 2026 changes was the big ones: the quarterly spend rule for lounges, and education and transportation spends dropping out of the milestone count. More on the bank's range is on our Kotak credit cards page, and points-style alternatives are on best reward credit cards.
Kotak White fees and charges
The joining fee is ₹3,000 and the annual fee is ₹3,000, plus GST, which is ₹3,540 each with 18% tax (₹3,000 plus ₹540). The annual fee is waived on ₹5 lakh of retail spends in a year, around ₹41,667 a month (₹5,00,000 divided by 12). Some White cards are tied to Kotak programmes, and for those the fee waiver last only while you keep the programme eligibility. Add-on cards are complimentary.
Interest and penalties
White is on Kotak's lower rate: 3.5% a month or 42% a year, with up to 51 days interest-free if you cleared the last bill fully. Late fees follow the bank's slab table, for instance ₹750 when the amount due is above ₹5,000 and up to ₹10,000, and ₹1,300 once it is above ₹50,000. Cash advances cost 2.5% with a ₹500 minimum, and interest start from that same day. Over-limit charge is ₹500 when the excess is ₹500 or more. Kotak also offer a balance transfer with 3 months interest-free and a processing fee of ₹349 plus tax per ₹10,000.
Spend fees and waivers
- Rent: 2% plus GST, double the 1% that most Kotak cards charge. ₹40,000 of rent costs ₹800 (2% of ₹40,000) and ₹144 GST on it (18% of ₹800).
- Utilities 1% above ₹75,000 a cycle; fuel 1% above ₹50,000 a cycle; wallet loads and online skill-based gaming 1% each above ₹10,000; education through third-party apps 1%.
- Foreign currency markup 3.5%, and dynamic currency conversion also 3.5%. For a premium card that is on the costly price side.
- Fuel surcharge waiver 1% on fills of ₹500 to ₹7,500, up to ₹3,500 a year. The MITC says anniversary year and the card page says calendar year.
- Railway surcharge waiver of 1.8% online and 2.5% at the counter, up to ₹500 in an anniversary year. Card replacement ₹100.
Kotak White: fees and charges
| Joining fee | ₹3,000 + GST |
|---|---|
| Annual or renewal fee | ₹3,000 + GST |
| Annual fee waiver | Annual fee waived on annual retail spends of ₹5 lakh; programme-linked fee waivers apply only while programme eligibility is maintained |
| Add-on card fee | Nil |
| GST | Charged on top of the fees and charges listed |
| In the bank’s words | Joining fee ₹3,000 + GST, annual fee ₹3,000 + GST; annual fee waived on ₹5 lakh retail spends a year; add-on card waived (complimentary). KFS names the card "White Signature Credit Card". |
| Interest on unpaid balances | Up to 3.5% a month (42% a year) |
| Late payment fee | Up to ₹100: ₹0; >₹100-₹500: ₹100; >₹500-₹1,000: ₹500; >₹1,000-₹5,000: ₹600; >₹5,000-₹10,000: ₹750; >₹10,000-₹25,000: ₹900; >₹25,000-₹50,000: ₹1,100; >₹50,000: ₹1,300 (charged when no payment or less than the Minimum Amount Due is paid by the due date) |
| Cash withdrawal | 2.5% on advance amount, subject to minimum of ₹500; interest charged from the date of the transaction until payment |
| Over-limit fee | ₹500 (if over limit amount is equal to or greater than ₹500) |
| Forex markup | 3.5% of the amount |
| Other fees |
|
How White Pass value builds up
The whole reward sits in the milestone grid from Kotak's MITC. Spends are counted within your card anniversary year, and the value is credited as you cross each step.
| Yearly spend reached | Value added | Total for the year | Total as share of spend |
|---|---|---|---|
| ₹2 lakh | ₹2,000 | ₹2,000 | 1% |
| ₹4 lakh | ₹4,000 | ₹6,000 | 1.5% |
| ₹6 lakh | ₹6,000 | ₹12,000 | 2% |
| ₹9 lakh | ₹7,000 | ₹19,000 | 2.11% |
| ₹12 lakh | ₹8,000 | ₹27,000 | 2.25% |
The last column is the total divided by the spend, so ₹19,000 on ₹9 lakh is about 2.11% and ₹27,000 on ₹12 lakh is 2.25%. The richest step is from ₹4 lakh to ₹6 lakh, ₹6,000 for ₹2 lakh of extra spend, which is 3% (₹6,000 divided by ₹2,00,000). Beyond ₹12 lakh nothing more is added at all.
Some spends doesn't count: personal loans, cash advances and withdrawals, fees, balance transfers and EMI transactions, and from 1 April 2026 education and transportation too. A point is worth ₹1 in the Kotak Unbox catalogue and ₹0.70 as cashback. The balance stays valid for 90 days after each anniversary cycle and then is reset to zero, so redeem it on time. The welcome gift is ₹1,500 of value when you spend ₹30,000 within 60 days of card set-up, only if you have paid the joining fee and not on free variant.
Three households, three results
- ₹20,000 a month: ₹12,000 shopping and dining, ₹5,000 groceries, ₹3,000 fuel. The year is ₹2,40,000 (₹20,000 times 12), past ₹2 lakh, so ₹2,000. That is under ₹5 lakh, so the ₹3,540 fee stay. Year one adds the ₹1,500 welcome (₹40,000 spent in the first two months, ₹20,000 times 2): ₹3,500 against ₹3,540, so ₹40 short. From year two you lose ₹1,540 (₹3,540 minus ₹2,000). Quarterly spend is ₹60,000 (₹20,000 times 3), below ₹1,00,000, so no lounge visits either.
- ₹45,000 a month: ₹15,000 groceries and household, ₹10,000 dining and outings, ₹8,000 online shopping, ₹5,000 fuel, ₹4,000 utilities and ₹3,000 school fees. Without the school fees the counted spend is ₹42,000 a month (₹45,000 minus ₹3,000), or ₹5,04,000 a year (times 12). That passes ₹4 lakh for ₹6,000 in total, and passes ₹5 lakh so the fee is waived. Year one is ₹3,960 (₹6,000 plus ₹1,500 minus ₹3,540); after that, ₹6,000 a year, or ₹4,200 as cashback (₹6,000 times 0.70). At ₹1,26,000 a quarter (₹42,000 times 3) the lounge condition is met.
- ₹1,00,000 a month: ₹35,000 shopping and household, ₹20,000 groceries, ₹20,000 dining and entertainment, ₹10,000 fuel and ₹15,000 utilities and insurance, all of it counted. The year is ₹12,00,000 (₹1,00,000 times 12), the top step, so ₹27,000 with the fee waived, or ₹18,900 as cashback (₹27,000 times 0.70). Lounge visits open up every quarter.
Timing matter a lot with steps like these. If you're at ₹5.9 lakh near the anniversary, the next ₹10,000 of spends brings ₹6,000 more (₹12,000 minus ₹6,000); a few weeks later the year resets and the same spend counts toward ₹2 lakh again.
Kotak White: how rewards work
| Earned as | Reward Point value (White Pass), milestone-based |
|---|---|
| Base rate | No per-transaction earn rate; Reward Point value credited on crossing annual spend milestones |
| Minimum spend rules | First milestone at ₹2 lakh spends settled in a card anniversary year |
| No rewards on |
|
| Lower rewards on | None published |
| Value of a point |
|
| Redemption fee | Not published |
| Expiry | Balance valid for 90 days after each anniversary cycle; maximum ₹27,000 a year; resets to zero on the anniversary date |
| Welcome benefits |
|
| Milestone benefits |
|
| Lounge access | Domestic: 8 complimentary domestic lounge visits a year at select lounges (2 per quarter), primary cardholder International: Priority Pass membership (worth USD 99) with 4 complimentary international lounge visits a year, primary cardholder; then USD 35 per visit Condition: From 1 April 2026: spend ₹1,00,000 or more in a calendar quarter to get 2 complimentary airport lounge visits in the next calendar quarter |
| Fuel surcharge waiver | 1% waiver on fuel transactions between ₹500 and ₹7,500; maximum ₹3,500 in an anniversary year (MITC); page says calendar year |
| Insurance cover | Not published by the bank |
Who can get Kotak White
This is one of the few Kotak cards with published criteria, and they are steep. The primary cardholder must be 28 to 60 years old with an income of ₹25 lakh a year or more, which is about ₹2,08,333 a month (₹25,00,000 divided by 12). The page doesn't split this by salaried and self-employed. Add-on holders must be 18 or above.
- Cities: Ahmedabad, Bangalore, Chandigarh, Chennai, Delhi (including Gurgaon and Noida), Hyderabad, Kolkata, Mumbai and Pune.
- Programme-linked variants also need you to meet that programme's eligibility.
- Only one active White or White Reserve card is allowed per customer.
Documents and the route
Kotak's standard list apply: identity, age and address proof, income proof or employment details, and PAN. There is no online Apply button for White on the listing or card page. Expect to apply at a Kotak branch or through your relationship manager, whereas most other Kotak cards finish online with Video KYC.
What the bank weighs
Under the RBI's 2025 Directions Kotak must judge your own repayment capacity and take into account limits you have with other lenders. A strong score helps, CRIF counts above 700 as generally good and Experian above 750. If the bank rejects you, it has to tell you why in writing. It also can't bill you for a card you never asked, unsolicited cards are banned and charges on them must be reversed. Approval is Kotak's call. Service queries go to 1800 4100; our Kotak customer care page has the full list.
Kotak White: eligibility and documents
| Age (salaried) | 28 to 60 years (primary); add-on 18 years or above |
|---|---|
| Age (self-employed) | 28 to 60 years (not split by occupation on the page) |
| Income (salaried) | ₹25 lakh and above per annum |
| Income (self-employed) | ₹25 lakh and above per annum (not split by occupation on the page) |
| Other conditions | Location: Ahmedabad, Bangalore, Chandigarh, Chennai, Delhi (including Gurgaon and Noida), Hyderabad, Kolkata, Mumbai and Pune; programme eligibility applies for programme-linked variants |
| Documents |
|
| How to apply | Online on the Kotak website (onboarding.kotak.bank.in): choose a card, share name, phone number, PAN and Aadhaar, complete Video KYC and receive a virtual card; or apply offline at a Kotak branch or through bank representatives. Dream Different (FD-secured) applications go through the Kotak811 app or website. White and White Reserve have no online Apply button (programme/RM-linked). |
| Card customer care | 1800 4100 |
These are the bank's published conditions. Meeting them does not guarantee a card: approval and the credit limit are the bank's decision.
Is Kotak White worth it for you?
The sweet spot is ₹6 lakh to ₹12 lakh a year on the card, which is ₹50,000 to ₹1,00,000 a month. In that range the fee is gone, the milestones return 2% to 2.25%, and lounge visits come every quarter. People who already shop in Kotak's catalogue get full ₹1 value; for those who just want cash it is ₹0.70.
Below ₹4 lakh the card struggle. One ₹2,000 milestone against a ₹3,540 fee is a loss, and the lounge visits also don't open up. Frequent travellers abroad should note the 3.5% markup, and tenants should note rent costs 2% here. And if your income is under ₹25 lakh or you live outside the nine cities, there is no much point applying. A strong earner with lower card spends can look at a points card with category bonuses instead.
Trade-offs
Milestone cards reward planning. You have to know roughly where you stand before the anniversary, use the balance within 90 days, and accept that nothing past ₹12 lakh earns. In return, the top-end return beat most cards in the ₹3,000 fee band, there's no category maze, and every eligible spend counts the same.
Pros
- Milestone value rises to ₹27,000 at ₹12 lakh of yearly spends, a 2.25% return
- White Pass value is worth ₹1 a point in Kotak's catalogue
- ₹3,000 + GST annual fee is waived on ₹5 lakh of retail spends a year
- Priority Pass membership with 4 international visits and 8 domestic visits a year on the card page
- Add-on cards are complimentary
- ₹1,500 welcome value on ₹30,000 of spends in the first 60 days
Cons
- Nothing is earned below ₹2 lakh a year and nothing more above ₹12 lakh
- The balance stays valid only 90 days after each anniversary cycle
- Lounge visits need ₹1,00,000 of spends in a quarter since 1 April 2026
- Education and transportation spends stopped counting towards milestones on 1 April 2026
- 3.5% forex markup and a 2% fee on rent payments
- ₹25 lakh income bar, a nine-city list and no online application
Kotak White against its rivals
The comparison table on this tab gives the full line-up; here is the reasoning in short way.
White or Axis Bank Select
Axis Select has the same ₹3,000 plus GST fee, but its waiver needs ₹8 lakh. It earns 10 EDGE points per ₹200, about 1% at ₹0.20 a point (10 times ₹0.20 is ₹2 on ₹200), double on retail shopping up to ₹20,000 a month, plus 5,000 points on ₹3 lakh a year. Its Priority Pass gives 6 international visits a year and 6 more at ₹3 lakh. At ₹6 lakh a year, Select's base points are about ₹6,000 (1% of ₹6,00,000) plus ₹1,000 milestone (5,000 times ₹0.20) before the 2X shopping bonus, against White's ₹12,000. Select asks only ₹6 lakh income though, so it suits more peoples.
White or SBI Card PRIME
SBI Card PRIME costs ₹2,999 plus GST, reversed on ₹3 lakh. It pays 10 points per ₹100 on dining, groceries, department stores and movies, worth 2.5% at ₹0.25 a point, capped at 7,500 points a month, and 0.5% elsewhere. A ₹3,000 welcome voucher and a ₹7,000 voucher at ₹5 lakh sweeten it, with 8 domestic and 4 overseas lounge visits a year and no stated spend condition. Which one pays more depends on your mix. PRIME rewards category spends and hands out vouchers at lower spend levels, while White pays the same on every eligible rupee and stops at ₹27,000. A household with big dining and grocery bills should work out both.
White or Kotak White Reserve
White Reserve costs ₹12,500 plus GST, waived on ₹10 lakh, with milestones from ₹5,000 at ₹3 lakh up to ₹2,50,000 at ₹100 lakh, unlimited lounges and a 2% forex markup. At ₹12 lakh it pays ₹20,000 against White's ₹27,000, so it only wins on value past ₹20 lakh, where its total reaches ₹42,000. Only one of the two you can hold.
Travellers may also compare Kotak's Air+ card at the same fee, or see the best lounge cards and the credit cards hub.
Kotak White against similar cards
| Term | Kotak White Credit Card This card | Axis Bank Select Credit Card | SBI Card PRIME | White Reserve Credit Card |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bank | Kotak Mahindra Bank (Kotak) | Axis Bank | SBI Card | Kotak Mahindra Bank (Kotak) |
| Joining fee | ₹3,000 + GST | ₹3,000 + GST | ₹2,999 + GST | ₹12,500 + GST |
| Annual fee and waiver | ₹3,000 + GST. Annual fee waived on annual retail spends of ₹5 lakh; programme-linked fee waivers apply only while programme eligibility is maintained | ₹3,000 + GST. Annual fee waived on spends of INR 8 lakh in the preceding card anniversary year; insurance, rent, fuel, education, utilities and telecom, government, wallet, gold and gift card spends (and EMI conversions, cash, reversals, fees) do not count. Nil fees for Burgundy account holders. | ₹2,999 + GST. Renewal fee waived on annual spends of Rs. 3 lakhs (MITC: in the preceding year) | ₹12,500 + GST. Annual fee waived on minimum retail spends of ₹10 lakh in a year; programme-linked fee waivers apply only while programme eligibility is maintained |
| Base reward | No per-transaction earn rate | 10 EDGE REWARD Points per INR 200 spent (about 1% value) | 2 Reward Points per Rs. 100 on all other retail spends, except fuel (about 0.5% value) | No per-transaction earn rate |
| Best category | No higher-reward category published | Retail shopping: department stores, grocery stores, clothing and accessory stores: about 2% value | Birthday spends: about 5% value | No higher-reward category published |
| Lounges | Domestic: 8 complimentary domestic lounge visits a year at select lounges (2 per quarter), primary cardholder International: Priority Pass membership (worth USD 99) with 4 complimentary international lounge visits a year, primary cardholder; then USD 35 per visit | Domestic: 2 complimentary visits per quarter at select domestic airport lounges (card must be swiped; Priority Pass not valid at Indian domestic lounges from 28 Aug 2026) International: Priority Pass membership with 6 complimentary international lounge visits per anniversary year, plus 6 more on INR 3 lakh spends in that year (up to 12) | Domestic: 8 complimentary domestic airport lounge visits a year (max 2 per quarter); from 10 Jan 2026 only at the lounges in SBI Card's 'Set B' list International: 4 complimentary Priority Pass lounge visits per calendar year outside India (max 2 per quarter); Priority Pass membership complimentary | Domestic: Unlimited domestic lounge access for primary and add-on cardholders (₹2 validation charge) International: Unlimited international lounge access via Priority Pass for primary and add-on cardholders; guests USD 35 per visit |
| Forex markup | 3.5% of the amount | 3.5% of the amount | 3.5% of the amount | 2% of the amount |
| Network | Not stated by the bank | Not stated by the bank | Visa, Mastercard, American Express, RuPay | RuPay |
| Published minimum income | ₹25 lakh and above per annum | ₹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 Kotak White Credit Card fee, and when is it waived?
How does White Pass work on the Kotak White card?
Who is eligible for the Kotak White Credit Card?
What lounge access does the Kotak White card give?
What changed on Kotak White from 1 April 2026?
Can I hold both Kotak White and White Reserve?
Related
- Kotak Mahindra Bank Credit Cards 2026: The Lineup After the RBI Ban
- Axis Bank Select Credit Card Review: Everyday Points and Priority Pass
- SBI Card PRIME Review: 2.5% on Dining and Grocery, 12 Lounge Visits
- Kotak White Reserve Credit Card Review: Up to ₹2.5 Lakh in Milestones
- Best Reward Points Credit Cards in India 2026: Points in Rupees
- Kotak mahindra bank
Sources
- Kotak Mahindra Bank: Key Fact Statement - White Signature Credit Card (version KFSWS12032026); Most Important Terms & Conditions and Cardholder Agreement, Retail Cards (English); Kotak White Credit Card product page; Credit Card - Apply for Credit Card Online (Kotak credit card listing page); Contact Us (Kotak Mahindra Bank customer service)
Last verified: 5 November 2026
Written by Rashmi Mandana, 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.