RBL World Safari Credit Card Review: Zero Forex Markup, ₹3,000 Fee

The RBL World Safari Credit Card charges no forex markup on foreign currency spends and earns 5 reward points per ₹100 on travel, in India or abroad, and 2 per ₹100 on other domestic spends. RBL bills an annual fee of ₹3,000 + GST from the first year with no spend-based waiver, and it does not publish what a point is worth. It suits people who spend abroad every year, since avoiding a 3.5% markup on ₹1 lakh saves ₹3,500 (3.5% of ₹1,00,000) before GST.

By Rashmi Mandana · Content Writer Updated 5 November 2026 Reviewed by BankCreds Financial Experts

Key facts

Joining fee: ₹3,000 + GST
Annual fee: ₹3,000 + GST. No spend-based waiver is listed for World Safari
Base reward: 2 reward points for every INR 100 on eligible domestic retail purchases
Best category: Travel, domestic or international: 5 reward points per INR 100
Lounge: Domestic: 2 complimentary domestic airport lounge visits per calendar quarter (primary cardmember) International: Priority Pass: 2 complimentary visits to lounges outside India per calendar year, plus 1 extra visit (LoungeKey voucher) for each calendar quarter with INR 50,000 or more spends
Forex markup: 0% (no markup)
Network: Mastercard, Visa

Apply on RBL Bank's site

Opens the bank's own page for this card. Approval and the credit limit are the bank's decision.

In short

A focused travel card that earns its ₹3,000 fee if you spend abroad each year and use the lounges; people who travel only within India pay for benefits they will not use.

Best for

People with ₹1 lakh or more of foreign currency spends a year
Travellers who will use Priority Pass and domestic airport lounges
Families who want complimentary travel insurance with a USD 50,000 sum insured

Skip it if

You rarely travel abroad
You want to know the rupee value of your points, which RBL does not publish
You want UPI on your credit card, as World Safari is on Mastercard and Visa only

Highlights

0% forex markup on foreign currency transactions
5 points per ₹100 on travel, 2 per ₹100 on other domestic spends
₹3,000 + GST annual fee from year one; MakeMyTrip voucher worth ₹3,000 as welcome
2 Priority Pass visits a year plus 1 for each quarter with ₹50,000 of spends
Milestones at ₹2.5 lakh, ₹5 lakh and ₹7.5 lakh a year

World Safari at a glance

World Safari is RBL Bank's travel card for people who spend in foreign currency. Its headline feature is a 0% markup on eligible foreign currency transactions, where most RBL cards add 3.5%. It comes on Mastercard and Visa, not RuPay, so it can't be used on UPI.

The reward side is simple for describing and hard to value. You get 5 reward points per ₹100 on travel, meaning airlines, hotels and motels and transportation, whether booked in India or abroad, and 2 per ₹100 on other domestic spends. International spends that aren't travel earns nothing. And RBL doesn't publish what a World Safari point is worth, on the card page or in its terms, so we can count the points but not price them.

What you get for the fee

A MakeMyTrip voucher worth ₹3,000 as welcome, if you transact within 30 days and pay the annual fee in the first billing cycle.
Lounges: 2 domestic visits a quarter, now linked to spend, and 2 Priority Pass visits a year outside India, plus 1 more for every quarter with ₹50,000 of spends.
Complimentary travel insurance with a USD 50,000 sum insured from Care Health Insurance, covering personal liability, trip delay, baggage loss, loss of passport and dental treatment.
4 complimentary golf green-fee rounds a year, one golf lesson a month, and a 24x7 concierge.

Status and recent changes

The card is active. From 1 July 2025 the domestic lounge visits needs ₹35,000 of spends in the previous calendar quarter. Two bank-wide changes is applying too: the 12.5% late fee rule from 17 October 2025, and a 1% charge on big FASTag and toll payments from 7 January 2026. Compare RBL's other cards on our RBL Bank cards page, or read how travel cards differ from one another.

The cost of World Safari

RBL has no joining fee on this card in name. What you pay is the annual membership fee of ₹3,000 plus GST, charged in year one and every year after. With 18% GST that come to ₹3,540 a year (₹3,000 plus ₹540). No spend-based waiver is listed, so even a heavy user pays it. Add-on cards are ₹200 plus GST. In year one, the ₹3,000 MakeMyTrip voucher covers most of the bill, but it is valid only 120 days.

Interest and late payment

RBL prices interest by credit score. The ceiling is 3.99% a month (47.88% a year) for scores under 725, it drops to 3.85% between 725 and 775, and 3.35% above 775. A ₹25,000 balance rolled over for a month cost about ₹962.50 at 3.85% (3.85% of ₹25,000). You get up to 50 days interest-free when nothing was carried from before.

Late fee is a percentage, not a slab: 12.5% of what you owe in total, with ₹5 as the floor and ₹1,300 as the ceiling, and RBL only charges it once you're more than 3 days past due. Owing ₹8,000, the fee would be ₹1,000 (12.5% of ₹8,000). A cash withdrawal costs 2.5% subject to ₹500 minimum, so ₹15,000 in cash costs ₹500, because 2.5% of it is just ₹375. There's no over-limit fee.

Forex and spend-linked fees

Foreign currency markup: 0% on eligible retail transactions, exclusive of taxes.
Fuel or auto payments above ₹10,000 in one go: 1%, up to ₹3,000. The fuel surcharge waiver gives 1% back on fills of ₹500 to ₹4,000, up to ₹250 a month.
Rent: 1% of the amount. Utilities above ₹50,000 in a month: 1%. Fees paid to schools or colleges through third-party apps: 1%.
FASTag loading and tolls: 1% when a transaction crosses ₹10,000, from 7 January 2026.
Points redemption: ₹99 plus GST, charged once for all redemptions in a day. Cheque or auto-debit return ₹500, cash paid at a branch ₹100. GST at 18% is added on every charge.

World Safari: fees and charges

Joining fee	₹3,000 + GST
Annual or renewal fee	₹3,000 + GST
Annual fee waiver	No spend-based waiver is listed for World Safari
Add-on card fee	₹200 + GST
GST	Charged on top of the fees and charges listed
In the bank’s words	Annual membership fee INR 3,000 + GST, charged in the first year and every year after; add-on card INR 200
Interest on unpaid balances	Up to 3.99% a month (47.88% a year)
Late payment fee	12.5% of total outstanding amount, minimum INR 5 and maximum INR 1,300 (w.e.f. 17 October 2025); levied only when the account is past due for more than 3 days
Cash withdrawal	2.5% of the cash amount withdrawn (minimum INR 500) plus finance charges from the date of withdrawal
Over-limit fee	NIL
Forex markup	0% (no markup)
Other fees	Cash advance fee 2.5% of the cash amount (minimum INR 500); finance charges accrue from the date of withdrawal Fee on rental transactions (MCC 6513): 1% of transaction amount Fee on utility spends (MCC 4900): 1% on aggregate utility spends above INR 50,000 per month per card Fee on fuel and auto transactions: 1% on each transaction above INR 10,000, maximum INR 3,000 per transaction Fee on education payments made through third-party apps (CRED, PhonePe, Paytm and others): 1%; none when paid on the school/college website or POS Fee on FASTag loading and toll payments (MCC 4784, 4111, 4131): 1% on transactions above INR 10,000, w.e.f. 7 January 2026 Foreign currency transaction markup: 3.5% (0% on World Safari, World Safari Lite, World Safari Plus and Lumiere; 2% Nova; 1.5% Insignia/iGlobe/World Xclusive) Merchant EMI processing fee: 1.5% of amount or INR 150, whichever is higher Cash payment at RBL Bank branches: INR 100 per transaction Cheque return / auto-debit reversal: INR 500 Reward redemption fee: INR 99 + GST, once per day of redemption All charges attract GST at 18%

Points, milestones and the forex saving

Travel: 5 points per ₹100 on airlines, hotels and motels and transportation merchant categories, domestic or international. RBL states no cap.
Other domestic spends: 2 points per ₹100.
No points: fuel and auto, utilities, insurance, railways, real estate and rent, wallets, miscellaneous MCC 5960, and international spends that are not travel. Railways is excluded even though transportation counts as travel, so train tickets earns nothing.

RBL don't publish the value of a World Safari point; its general rewards terms say value differs by product. Redemption costs ₹99 plus GST per day and unused points lapse after 24 months.

Milestones and welcome

In a membership year, ₹2.5 lakh of eligible spends bring 10,000 bonus points and ₹5 lakh bring 15,000. Since you cross ₹2.5 lakh on the way to ₹5 lakh, a ₹5 lakh year should collect both, 25,000 points in all (10,000 plus 15,000). At ₹7.5 lakh you also gets a voucher worth ₹10,000 from Taj Experiences, Amazon, Croma, Myntra or MakeMyTrip. The welcome MakeMyTrip voucher is worth ₹3,000.

Three travellers, worked out

For forex saving we are comparing against a card with a 3.5% markup and 18% GST on it, which is what most RBL cards charge.

One trip a year: ₹15,000 a month at home, 300 points a month (₹15,000 divided by 100, times 2), so 3,600 a year (300 times 12). Abroad, ₹25,000 of hotels earns 1,250 points (₹25,000 divided by 100, times 5) and ₹15,000 of shopping earns none. Points: 4,850 (3,600 plus 1,250). Yearly spend is ₹2,20,000 (₹15,000 times 12 is ₹1,80,000, plus ₹40,000), so no milestone it reach. Forex saved: ₹1,400 (3.5% of ₹40,000) plus ₹252 GST (18% of ₹1,400), ₹1,652. Against the ₹3,540 fee that's ₹1,888 short (₹3,540 minus ₹1,652) before points, and to close it the points would need to be worth about ₹0.39 each (₹1,888 divided by 4,850). In year one the ₹3,000 voucher turns it into ₹1,112 ahead (₹1,652 plus ₹3,000 minus ₹3,540).
Two trips a year: at home, ₹32,000 a month earns 640 points (2 per ₹100) and ₹8,000 of domestic flights and hotels earns 400 (5 per ₹100), so 12,480 a year (640 plus 400 is 1,040, times 12). Abroad, ₹70,000 of travel bookings earns 3,500 (5 per ₹100) and ₹80,000 of other spends none. The year totals ₹6,30,000 (₹40,000 times 12 is ₹4,80,000, plus ₹1,50,000), past both point milestones, so 25,000 bonus. Points: 40,980 (12,480 plus 3,500 plus 25,000). Forex saved: ₹5,250 (3.5% of ₹1,50,000) plus ₹945 GST (18% of ₹5,250), ₹6,195, which beats the fee by ₹2,655 (₹6,195 minus ₹3,540) before a single point.
Frequent flyer: at home ₹60,000 a month earns 1,200 points (2 per ₹100) and ₹20,000 of travel earns 1,000 (5 per ₹100), so 26,400 a year (1,200 plus 1,000 is 2,200, times 12). Abroad, ₹1,20,000 of travel earns 6,000 (5 per ₹100) and ₹1,80,000 of other spends none. The year is ₹12,60,000 (₹80,000 times 12 is ₹9,60,000, plus ₹3,00,000), so 25,000 bonus points and the ₹10,000 voucher. Points: 57,400 (26,400 plus 6,000 plus 25,000). Forex saved: ₹10,500 (3.5% of ₹3,00,000) plus ₹1,890 GST (18% of ₹10,500), ₹12,390. With the voucher that's ₹22,390 (₹12,390 plus ₹10,000), or ₹18,850 after the fee (₹22,390 minus ₹3,540).

Traveller	Spent abroad a year	Points a year	Forex saved	Milestone voucher	Cash value after the ₹3,540 fee
One trip	₹40,000	4,850	₹1,652	None	Minus ₹1,888, plus points
Two trips	₹1,50,000	40,980	₹6,195	None	₹2,655, plus points
Frequent flyer	₹3,00,000	57,400	₹12,390	₹10,000	₹18,850, plus points

World Safari: higher-reward categories

Category	Rate	Cap
Travel (airlines, hotels and motels, transportation MCCs), domestic or international	5 reward points per INR 100	No cap stated

World Safari: how rewards work

Earned as	RBL Bank reward points ('travel points')
Base rate	2 reward points for every INR 100 on eligible domestic retail purchases; no reward points on international spends except travel
Minimum spend rules	Not published by the bank
No rewards on	Fuel & Auto Utilities Insurance Railways Real estate / rental Wallets / service providers Miscellaneous (MCC 5960) International spends other than travel
Lower rewards on	None published
Value of a point	Not published by the bank
Redemption fee	INR 99 + GST, charged once for all redemptions made in a single day
Expiry	Points not redeemed within 24 months expire
Welcome benefits	MakeMyTrip voucher worth INR 3,000: transact within 30 days of issuance and pay the annual fee in the first billing cycle; voucher valid 120 days
Milestone benefits	10,000 bonus reward points on INR 2.5 lakh spends in a membership year 15,000 bonus reward points on INR 5 lakh Voucher worth INR 10,000 (Taj Experiences, Amazon, Croma, Myntra, MakeMyTrip) on INR 7.5 lakh
Lounge access	Domestic: 2 complimentary domestic airport lounge visits per calendar quarter (primary cardmember) International: Priority Pass: 2 complimentary visits to lounges outside India per calendar year, plus 1 extra visit (LoungeKey voucher) for each calendar quarter with INR 50,000 or more spends Condition: Domestic: from 1 July 2025, spend INR 35,000 or more in the previous calendar quarter. International: no spend condition for the 2 Priority Pass visits
Fuel surcharge waiver	1% waiver on fuel transactions of INR 500 to INR 4,000; maximum INR 250 per month
Insurance cover	Complimentary travel insurance, sum insured USD 50,000 (Care Health Insurance): personal liability, trip delay, baggage loss, loss of passport, dental treatment

How to get World Safari

RBL publishes no age or income criteria for World Safari, neither on the card page nor in the product terms. The only age rule RBL states anywhere is 21 to 70 for its IndianOil cards, which doesn't carry over here. So you can't check a floor before applying, and the bank decide under its internal policy.

What you will be asked

Your PAN, a mandatory field.
Your net monthly income, declared on the form.
Identity checks by Aadhaar e-KYC, Video KYC, biometric KYC, offline KYC or a CKYC record.

The process and the network

You apply online from the card page. RBL's own estimate is up to 20 days for processing, once the KYC and your details are complete. World Safari is issued on Mastercard or Visa, and you can pick one where both are offered; existing cardmembers can ask for a switch on +91 22 6232 7777.

What counts in the decision

The RBI's 2025 rules make every issuer judge your own repayment capacity and look at limits you already holds with others, before setting a limit. Your bureau score count twice at RBL, once for approval and again for the interest rate. If refused, you're entitled to the specific reasons in writing, and a card can't be issued or upgraded without your explicit consent. Approval rests with RBL. The toll-free line in RBL's MITC is 1800 102 6222.

World Safari: eligibility and documents

Age (salaried)	Not published by the bank
Age (self-employed)	Not published by the bank
Income (salaried)	Not published by the bank
Income (self-employed)	Not published by the bank
Other conditions	RBL Bank does not publish age or income criteria for this card on its card page or product T&C
Documents	PAN (mandatory field on the application) KYC through Aadhaar e-KYC / Video KYC / biometric KYC or offline KYC, or CKYC record Net monthly income declared on the application
How to apply	Online through the 'Apply Now' links on each card page (creditcard.rbl.bank.in); KYC by Aadhaar e-KYC, Video KYC, biometric or offline modes. RBL says processing takes up to 20 days once KYC and details are complete.
Card customer care	+91 22 6232 7777

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 World Safari is for

Think of it as a card you carry for the trips. Against a 3.5% card, each ₹100 spent abroad saves ₹4.13 (₹3.50 markup plus ₹0.63 GST, which is 18% of ₹3.50), so the ₹3,540 fee is covered at about ₹85,714 of foreign spends a year (₹3,540 divided by 4.13%). Past that, every point, lounge visit and the insurance come on top. Families who fly abroad twice a year, or anyone paying foreign hotels and shopping by card, fit this well.

Domestic-only users should give it a miss. In India it earns 2 points per ₹100 of unknown value, the fee never waived, and domestic lounges now need ₹35,000 a quarter. People who need UPI on their credit card also lose out, since it's Mastercard and Visa only.

Trade-offs

The unknown point value is the real weakness, it makes every comparison partly a guess. Shopping and restaurants abroad earn no points, so the forex saving have to do the work there. On the other side the international lounge allowance can reach 6 visits a year (2 plus 1 for each of 4 quarters), the travel cover is included, and there is no cap stated on travel points. Pair it with a good domestic rewards card and let each do its own job.

Pros

No forex markup, against 3.5% on most RBL cards
5 points per ₹100 on airlines, hotels and transport, even abroad, with no cap stated
MakeMyTrip voucher worth ₹3,000 as a welcome benefit
2 Priority Pass visits a year plus 1 more for each quarter with ₹50,000 of spends
Complimentary travel insurance with a USD 50,000 sum insured
Milestone bonuses of 10,000 and 15,000 points and a ₹10,000 voucher at ₹7.5 lakh

Cons

₹3,000 + GST annual fee every year from year one, with no spend waiver
RBL does not publish the rupee value of a reward point
No points on international spends other than travel
Domestic lounges need ₹35,000 of spends in the previous quarter since 1 July 2025
No points on fuel, utilities, insurance, rent, railways or wallets
Not issued on RuPay, so it cannot be used on UPI

World Safari against other low-forex cards

The comparison table on this tab lines up all the numbers. Here's how the choice usually play out.

World Safari or Scapia Federal

The Scapia Federal card is lifetime free and also has 0% forex. It gives 10% back as Scapia Coins on purchases of ₹20 and above, about ₹2 per ₹100 at 5 coins to ₹1, and 20% on travel booked in the Scapia app. Domestic lounge access is unlimited once you spend ₹20,000 in a billing cycle, but no international lounge benefit is stated. Its charges come from a November 2024 MITC, as Federal Bank's current version couldn't be read, so check the latest one. For most people Scapia is the cheaper way to zero forex; World Safari wins on Priority Pass and its stated travel cover.

World Safari or IDFC FIRST Ashva

IDFC FIRST Ashva costs ₹2,999 plus GST with no fee waiver, and its forex markup went to zero from 9 September 2026. It earns 5 points per ₹150 up to ₹20,000 a cycle and 10 per ₹150 above, at ₹0.25 a point, but international spends earn only 2 per ₹150 from 26 October 2026. Lounges are generous, 4 domestic and 2 global visits a quarter, with a ₹20,000 monthly spend condition. Its points have a published value, which is more than World Safari can say.

World Safari or Kotak Air+

The Kotak Air+ card charges the same ₹3,000 plus GST, waived on ₹4 lakh per Kotak's MITC, with a 2% markup and no miles at all on international spends. At home it is stronger: 2 Air Miles per ₹100 worth ₹1 each on Kotak Unbox. Domestic traveller pick Air+; foreign spender pick World Safari.

More options are on best travel credit cards, best lounge access cards and the credit cards hub.

World Safari against similar cards

Term	World Safari Credit Card This card	Scapia Federal Credit Card	Ashva Credit Card	Kotak Air+ Credit Card
Bank	RBL Bank	Federal Bank	IDFC FIRST Bank	Kotak Mahindra Bank (Kotak)
Joining fee	₹3,000 + GST	Nil	₹2,999 + GST	₹3,000 + GST
Annual fee and waiver	₹3,000 + GST. No spend-based waiver is listed for World Safari	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.	₹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	2 reward points for every INR 100 on eligible domestic retail purchases	Visa card: 10% rewards on every purchase of Rs (about 2% value)	5X Reward Points (5 points per ₹150) on eligible spends up to ₹20,000 in a... (about 0.833% value)	2 Air Miles per ₹100 on other eligible spends
Best category	Travel, domestic or international: 5 reward points per INR 100	Travel booked on the Scapia app: about 4% value	Hotel bookings via the IDFC FIRST Bank app: about 5% 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: 2 complimentary domestic airport lounge visits per calendar quarter (primary cardmember) International: Priority Pass: 2 complimentary visits to lounges outside India per calendar year, plus 1 extra visit (LoungeKey voucher) for each calendar quarter with INR 50,000 or more spends	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).	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: 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)	0% (no markup)	0% (no markup)	2% of the amount
Network	Mastercard, Visa	Visa, RuPay	Visa	Not stated by the bank
Published minimum income	Not published by the bank	Not published by the bank	Not published by the bank	Not published by the bank
Status	Taking applications	Taking applications	Taking applications	Taking applications

Frequently asked questions

What is the RBL World Safari annual fee, and can it be waived?

RBL charges an annual membership fee of ₹3,000 plus GST, billed in the first year and every year after, with no separate joining fee. No spend-based waiver is listed, so you pay ₹3,540 a year with 18% GST (₹3,000 plus ₹540). In year one, a MakeMyTrip voucher worth ₹3,000 offsets most of that if you transact within 30 days and pay the fee in the first billing cycle.

What is a World Safari reward point worth?

RBL does not publish a rupee value for World Safari points on the card page or in the card's terms, and its general rewards terms say the value depends on the product. What is known: you earn 5 points per ₹100 on travel and 2 per ₹100 on other domestic spends, redemption costs ₹99 plus GST per day, and points expire after 24 months.

Who can apply for the RBL World Safari card?

RBL does not publish age or income criteria for World Safari. The application asks for your PAN and your net monthly income, and you verify identity by Aadhaar e-KYC, a video call, biometric checks or offline documents. RBL decides each application under its internal policy, and if it declines, it must give you the specific reasons in writing.

Does World Safari have lounge access and zero forex?

Yes. Foreign currency transactions carry a 0% markup, against 3.5% on most RBL cards, so ₹1 lakh spent abroad saves ₹3,500 in markup (3.5% of ₹1,00,000) plus the GST on it. Priority Pass gives 2 visits a year outside India, plus 1 for each quarter with ₹50,000 of spends, and you get 2 domestic visits a quarter after spending ₹35,000 in the previous quarter.

What changed on the World Safari card in 2025 and 2026?

From 1 July 2025, the 2 domestic lounge visits each quarter need spends of ₹35,000 or more in the previous calendar quarter. From 17 October 2025, RBL's late fee became 12.5% of the total outstanding within a ₹5 to ₹1,300 range. From 7 January 2026, FASTag loading and toll payments above ₹10,000 carry a 1% fee.

Does World Safari earn points on foreign spends?

Only on travel. Airlines, hotels and motels, and transportation earn 5 points per ₹100 whether you book in India or abroad. Other international spends, such as shopping and restaurants abroad, earn no points at all. On a foreign trip, most of the card's value comes from the zero markup rather than from points.

Sources

RBL Bank: Schedule of Charges (RBL-CC-SOC-V2-04-06-2026); Most Important Terms and Conditions cum Key Fact Statement for Credit Cards; RBL Bank World Safari Credit Card Terms and Conditions; RBL Bank Rewards Terms & Conditions (live page refused the fetch; read from Internet Archive capture of 2026-05-20; World Safari Credit Card; RBL Bank Credit Card Network Availability Guide; Credit Card Application Form (RBL-CC-LF-23-09-2026)

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.