Best Zero Forex Markup Credit Cards in India 2025 | Top Cards Compared

Lifetime-free (no annual fee) 

Zero forex markup on international transactions

10% travel discounts on Ixigo

• Flight bookings on Ixigo: 10% discount (up to ₹1000), once a month 
• Hotel bookings on Ixigo: 10% discount (up to ₹1000), once a month
• Bus bookings on Ixigo: 10% discount (up to ₹300), once a month

Airport lounge access

• International airport lounges – once per year
• Domestic airport & railway lounges – 16 times per year (domestic lounge access - maximum 8 times per year)
• Spending requirement for domestic lounge access - ₹20,000 in a calendar quarter

Waiver of Payment Gateway (PG) charges on train bookings: Valid 2 times per month on ixigo trains, and 2 times per month on other train tickets.

1.25% reward on online spends

• 5 reward points worth ₹1.25, on every ₹100 spent 
• 1 reward point = up to ₹0.25, redeemable for flights & bookings, mobile/DTH recharge, vouchers, products and more.
• Monthly limit: 10,000 reward points 

0.62% reward on offline spends

• 2.50 reward points worth ₹0.62, on every ₹100 spent
• 1 reward point = up to ₹0.25 (25 paise), and can be redeemed for flights & bookings, mobile/DTH recharge, vouchers, products and more.

Important exclusions: Reward points are not given on the following transactions - 

• Fuel, rent, Insurance, 
• Jewelry, wallet loads
• Education, government, BPPS & international transactions

Fuel surcharge waiver up to ₹250 per month, valid only on fuel transactions between ₹400 and ₹5000

Card liability cover up to ₹1.50 lakhs

• Zero liability for fraudulent transactions, coverage up to ₹1.5 lakhs.
• Protection against card counterfeit/skimming and online frauds.

No forex fee on international transactions 

Domestic & international airport lounge access

• Domestic: 2 visits per quarter (requires ₹35,000 quarterly spend)
• International: 2 visits annually via Priority Pass (+1 bonus at ₹50,000 quarterly spend)

Travel insurance: USD 50,000 worldwide including medical/dental, trip delay, baggage loss, passport loss

Golf benefits

• Complimentary: 4 rounds annually + 1 lesson monthly 
• Discounted: 50% off green fees beyond complimentary rounds

24/7 concierge services

• Golf course referrals and reservations
• Hotel and dining assistance
• Spa, fitness, and sports center information

Fuel surcharge waiver up to ₹250 per month, and valid only on fuel transactions between ₹500 and ₹4000

Up to 1.25% rewards on card spending

• Travel spending: 1.25% rewards (5 travel points worth ₹1.25, per ₹100)
• Other purchases: 0.5% rewards (2 travel points worth ₹0.50, per ₹100)
• Important exclusions: No rewards on international transactions, fuel, utilities, wallets, insurance, railways, rental, education, government services, cash advances

Value of reward points

• Standard redemption: 1 point ≈ ₹0.25 for travel/shopping
• Lower value options: As low as ₹0.11 per point on certain popular redemptions

Up to 2.1% additional reward, through annual milestone program

• Spend ₹2.5 lakh: 10,000 points (₹2,500 value) - 1% additional
• Spend ₹5 lakh: Additional 15,000 points (₹3,750 value) - 0.75% additional
• Spend ₹7.5 lakh: Additional ₹10,000 vouchers (Taj, Amazon, Croma, Myntra, MakeMyTrip)
• Total at ₹7.5 lakh annual spend: ₹16,250 value (2.1% additional reward)

▶︎ Upto 20% Reward on Travel & Zero Forex Fee 

Accelerated travel rewards:

• Hotels: Up to 20% rewards (60X points) via IDFC Accelerator program
• Flights: 13.3% rewards (40X points) via IDFC Accelerator program
• Monthly Limits: Maximum 25,000 bonus reward points per month

Zero forex markup: No fees on international transactions

▶︎ Upto 3.3% Reward on Other Spends

Up to ₹20,000 Monthly Spend: 1.6% rewards (5X program)

• Earn 5 reward points per ₹150 spent (₹2.50 value)
• Reward point value: ₹0.50 for flight/hotel redemptions

Above ₹20,000 Monthly Spend: 3.3% rewards (10X program)

• Earn 10 reward points per ₹150 spent (₹5 value)
• Reward point value: ₹0.50 for flight/hotel redemptions

Important Exclusions & Special Categories

• Insurance & utilities: 0.33% rewards (1X) - excluded from 10X tier threshold calculation
• Rental, education, wallet loads, government: 1% rewards (3X) - excluded from 10X tier threshold calculation
• No rewards: Fuel, EMI, loan transfers, balance transfers, fees, cash withdrawals

▶︎ Other Benefits 

Airport & Railway Lounge Access (Requires ₹20,000 monthly spend in previous month)

• Domestic lounge access: 4 times per quarter (+ 1 guest visit)
• International lounge access: 4 times per quarter
• Railway lounge access: 4 times per quarter

Golf Benefits

• Spend-based: 1 free round/lesson per ₹20,000 spent (maximum 2 per month)
• Mastercard benefit: 4 free rounds annually + 1 lesson monthly

Entertainment, Fuel & Mobility

• Movies: BOGO offer - 2 free tickets monthly (up to ₹500 off 2nd ticket, valid twice monthly)
• Fuel: Surcharge waiver up to ₹300 monthly (valid on fuel transactions between ₹200-₹5,000)
• Roadside Assistance: 24/7 emergency support worth ₹1,399 (4 times yearly)

▶︎ Comprehensive Insurance Coverage

• Card Protection: ₹50,000 for fraud/counterfeit transactions
• Personal Accident: ₹10 lakhs general cover
• Air Accident: ₹1 crore coverage
• Travel Insurance: USD 1,200 total (baggage loss/delay, document loss, flight delays)
• CFAR Insurance: ₹50,000 cancellation cover for flights/hotels (2 claims yearly)

Lifetime free, no annual fee

Guaranteed approval against fixed deposit, no income proof or credit score required

• Minimum FD amount: ₹20,000
• Credit limit: Minimum 100% of FD amount

Zero forex fees on international transactions

Rewards Program

• 0.66% rewards on all eligible spending (2.66 reward points per ₹100 spent)
• 1 reward point = ₹0.25

Exceptions & important exclusions

• Insurance & utilities: 0.16% rewards (0.66 points per ₹100)
• No rewards: Fuel purchases, EMI transactions, cash withdrawals

Redemption 

• Points redeemable via IDFC FIRST rewards platform
• Options: Vouchers, products, and more

Fuel Savings

• 1% fuel surcharge waiver up to ₹200 per month
• Valid on fuel transactions between ₹200-₹5,000

Roadside Assistance (₹1,399 value)

24/7 emergency services (up to 4 times/year):

• Flat tire service & tire replacement
• Battery jump-start or replacement
• Emergency fuel delivery
• Lost key replacement & minor repairs
• Vehicle towing & assistance via Global Assure

Comprehensive Insurance Coverage

Card Security Protection

• ₹25,000 lost card liability & fraud protection
• Covers counterfeit, skimming, phishing for online purchases

Personal Protection

• ₹2 lakh personal accident cover
• Coverage for accidental death or permanent disability

Purchase & Credit Protection

• ₹25,000 purchase protection cover
• ₹50,000 credit shield cover

▶︎ Upto 40% Rewards on Card Spending

Up to 40% accelerated travel rewards, through IDFC accelerator program

• 40% rewards on hotels, 20% on flights
• Monthly limit: 2,00,000 reward points

High base rewards: 6.66%

• Rate: 10 reward points per ₹150 (₹10 value)
• Important exclusions: Fuel, government, EMI, cash withdrawals
• Reduced reward categories: Insurance (0.66%), rental/property/education (2%)

Value of reward points: 1 point = ₹1 (for hotel/flight redemptions)

Additional benefits, based on spending milestones

• ₹15 lakh (every 6 months): Taj Experiences Signature Dining Voucher
• ₹40 lakh annually: Club ITC Culinaire Select membership

▶︎ World-Class Travel Benefits

Unlimited airport & railway lounge access, zero forex fee

• International airports: Primary + add-on cardholders
• Domestic airports & spas: Primary + add-on cardholders
• Railway lounges: Unlimited domestic access
• Forex: Zero markup on international transactions

Hotel Partnerships

• ITC Hotels: Free 3rd night on 2-night stays OR 50% off 2nd night
• Postcard Hotels: ₹7,500 off minimum ₹25,000 spend (once monthly)

▶︎ Entertainment & Leisure Benefits

Golf Benefits

• Domestic: Unlimited rounds and lessons in India
• International: 1 complimentary round per quarter at select courses

Exclusive Memberships

• Quorum Club: 20% off joining fees + 20% restaurant discounts (minimum ₹5,000 spend)

Movie Benefits

• Discount: 100% off up to ₹750 per transaction
• Usage: 2 times monthly on movies, food combos, non-movies

▶︎ Comprehensive Insurance Coverage

Comprehensive Protection

• Personal accident: ₹25 lakh general coverage
• Air accident: ₹2.5 crore coverage
• Card liability: ₹5 lakh protection
• Credit shield: ₹5 lakh coverage
• Purchase protection: ₹5 lakh coverage

Travel Insurance (USD 1,200 total)

• Baggage loss: USD 500 | Baggage delay: USD 100
• Document loss: USD 300 | Flight delay: USD 300
• CFAR insurance: ₹50,000 cancellation cover (2 claims annually)

Emergency Support

• Roadside assistance: ₹1,399 value, 4 times annually across India

Zero forex markup credit card: No forex fee is charged on international card transactions

Lifetime free (limited time offer)

1% cashback on card spending

Important exclusions (no cashback)

• Fuel purchases
• Wallet loads & rent payments
• Government transactions & education fees
• Cash withdrawals & utility payments
• EMI transactions & cash advances
• Fees, charges & card transactions abroad
• Note: International transactions get zero forex markup but no cashback

Fuel surcharge waiver up to ₹500 per month, and valid only on fuel transactions up to ₹7500 

Lifetime free credit card: No annual fee is charged on this credit card

Zero forex fees on international transactions

Unlimited domestic lounge access (with monthly spending requirement)

• Visa variant: ₹10,000 spend per month
• RuPay variant: ₹15,000 spend per month

Up to 2% basic rewards

• Visa Variant: 2% rewards on card spends (10 Scapia Coins per ₹100)
• RuPay Variant: 1% rewards on card spends (5 Scapia Coins per ₹100)

4% rewards on travel 

• Earning rate: 20 Scapia Coins per ₹100 on Scapia app bookings
• Coverage: Flights, hotels, buses booked through Scapia app

Value of Reward Points & Redemption

• Value: 1 Scapia Coin = ₹0.20
• Redemption: Travel bookings through Scapia app only (flights, hotels, buses)

Exclusions & Restrictions

1. No Rewards Categories

• Money transfers & rent payments
• Cash withdrawals & EMI transactions
• Forex transactions & education fees
• Gift cards & credit card repayments
• Crypto/digital asset transactions
• Fuel purchases & wallet loading

2. Utility Spending Cap (utilities, telecom, cable): No rewards on spending above ₹20,000 per month