Unlocking Your Wings: A Deep Dive into the IDFC FIRST Bank IndiGo Credit Card

In the bustling world of travel credit cards, the IDFC FIRST Bank IndiGo co-branded cards have soared onto the scene, promising to revolutionize how frequent IndiGo flyers earn rewards. But do these cards truly deliver on their promise, or are they just another feather in the already crowded cap of travel loyalty programs? Let’s take a detailed flight through the features, benefits, and potential pitfalls of the IDFC FIRST Bank 6E Rewards and 6E Rewards XL credit cards.

IDFC FIRST Bank has partnered with India’s leading airline, IndiGo, to introduce two distinct variants designed for different tiers of travelers: the IDFC FIRST Bank 6E Rewards Card and the IDFC FIRST Bank 6E Rewards XL Card.

The standard 6E Rewards Card comes with an annual fee of Rs 700 plus GST, while its premium sibling, the 6E Rewards XL Card, commands an annual fee of Rs 2,500 plus GST. Right off the bat, both cards offer attractive welcome benefits that more than offset their initial costs, setting a positive tone for new cardholders.

Upon activation, the 6E Rewards Card greets you with a Rs 1,500 flight voucher and 500 bonus 6E Rewards, effectively providing a total value of Rs 1,650.

The 6E Rewards XL Card, as expected, offers a more generous welcome: a Rs 3,000 flight voucher and 1,500 bonus 6E Rewards, culminating in a substantial Rs 3,450 in value. These introductory perks certainly make for a smooth take-off, immediately recovering your annual fee and then some.

But the real test of a travel card lies in its ongoing reward structure.

Both cards earn 6E Rewards, where 1 6E Reward equals Re 0.30. The 6E Rewards XL Card truly shines for IndiGo loyalists, offering an impressive 6% (or 18 6E Rewards) on every Rs 100 spent on IndiGo flights, F&B, and other services. For your everyday spending, it offers 3% (9 6E Rewards) on dining, groceries, and entertainment, and a more modest 2% (6 6E Rewards) on all other retail expenditures.

Translating this to effective returns, you’re looking at 1.8% on IndiGo spends, 0.9% on dining/groceries/entertainment, and 0.6% on general retail. The standard 6E Rewards Card offers lower rates, at 3% on IndiGo, 2% on dining/groceries/entertainment, and 1% on other retail, translating to 0.9%, 0.6%, and 0.3% effective rates respectively.

A key advantage is that these 6E Rewards never expire, giving you ample time to accumulate and redeem them.

Beyond rewards, the cards come packed with travel-centric benefits. The 6E Rewards XL Card offers up to 8 complimentary domestic lounge accesses per year, while the standard variant provides 2.

Both include a fuel surcharge waiver, emergency medical assistance, personal accident cover, and lost card liability protection, adding layers of security and convenience to your journeys. The XL variant also tempts high spenders with milestone benefits: achieve Rs 3 lakh in annual spending and receive a complimentary domestic IndiGo flight ticket (covering base fare, fuel surcharge, and airport charges up to Rs 2,000 for Flexi fare or Rs 1,500 for Saver fare).

You can earn up to three such tickets by hitting Rs 6 lakh and Rs 9 lakh spending thresholds.

However, no card is without its turbulence. A significant drawback for international travelers is the hefty 3.5% foreign exchange markup fee, making it an unsuitable choice for overseas spending. Furthermore, while the IndiGo-specific rewards are decent, the general retail spend reward rates are quite low compared to many other cards on the market, meaning it’s not the best card for your everyday expenses.

The milestone benefits, while sounding attractive, offer a relatively low return on your high spending – spending Rs 3 lakh for a flight worth Rs 1,500-2,000 translates to a mere 0.5-0.66% return, which is far from impressive.

So, should you apply? The IDFC FIRST Bank IndiGo credit cards are a niche product.

They are primarily designed for and best suited to the incredibly frequent IndiGo flyer, especially those who often opt for higher-fare classes or business travel on IndiGo. If your travel predominantly involves IndiGo and your annual spending on the airline is substantial enough to consistently hit the higher reward tiers and potentially the milestone benefits, then the 6E Rewards XL card could be a valuable addition to your wallet.

For casual IndiGo flyers or those who split their loyalty across multiple airlines, the general low reward rate on non-IndiGo spends and the high forex markup make it less appealing. Consider your flying habits and spending patterns carefully before you take off with this card.