IDFC FIRST Power Credit Card (HPCL fuel) review
IDFC FIRST Bank · Visa · points Partly verified Checked 30 Oct 2026
Verify before applying. We read 3 issuer documents for this card (FIRST Power update letter Jan 2026; FIRST Power revised terms effective 1 May 2024), but some figures rest on 1 secondary source (CardAdvisor IDFC Power) and are not confirmed in the bank's own terms. Check the issuer's current terms (MITC) first; every source is listed at the bottom with its check date.
At a glance
- Annual fee
- ₹199
- Joining fee
- ₹199
- Fee waiver
- None found
- Base return
- 0.33% base
- Point value
- ₹0.25 per point
- Domestic lounge
- None found
- International lounge
- None found
Estimated net value a year
| Profile | Net | % of spend |
|---|---|---|
| First card, light spender ₹15k a month | ₹1,302 | 0.7% |
| Metro salaried ₹60k a month | ₹6,181 | 0.9% |
| Family household ₹80k a month | ₹10,705 | 1.1% |
| Frequent flyer ₹1.5L a month | ₹11,419 | 0.6% |
| Online shopper ₹50k a month | ₹3,617 | 0.6% |
| Rent-heavy ₹90k a month | ₹2,193 | 0.2% |
Fee maths: The ₹199 annual fee has no spend-based waiver in the terms we read. It is 3% of the ₹6,380 the metro salaried profile earns before the fee. On our 6 profiles it nets from ₹1,302 (first card, light spender) to ₹11,419 (frequent flyer), equal to 0.2% to 1.1% of spend across the profiles. Without a waiver, the metro salaried category mix earns back the fee from about ₹3,000 a month of total spend.
After fees and caps, best-case redemption. Use your own spend.
Our take: A fuel card with a ₹199 fee for HPCL users: 21 times the base rate (about 3.5%) at HPCL pumps, capped at 700 points (₹175) a statement cycle, which is reached at about ₹5,000 of fuel. Groceries and utilities earn 15X (about 2.5% by IDFC's scale), and everything else 2X, about 0.33% at ₹0.25 a point. Fuel at other pumps earns nothing, there is no lounge access, rent carries a 1% fee and utilities above ₹20,000 a cycle carry a 1% fee. We could not confirm the fee waiver threshold.
From the card's terms: limits
- Base return is only about 0.33% on other spends
Reward rates and caps
| Spend category | Points per ₹100 | Value per ₹100 | Cap | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fuel | 14 | ₹3.5 | 700 pts monthly | 21X on HPCL fuel only, capped at 700 RP (= ₹175) per statement cycle (official, effective 1 May 2024; about ₹5,000 HPCL fuel = 3.5%). Non-HPCL fuel earns nothing. Fuel surcharge waiver withdrawn. |
| Groceries, Bills & utilities | 10 | ₹2.5 | No cap found | 15X on grocery, utility and IDFC FASTag spends (official Jan 2026 letter, ~2.5%); per-cycle cap not stated (unverified). Utility > ₹20,000/cycle attracts 1% fee. |
| Rent | 0 | ₹0 | No cap found | Rent (MCC 6513): 1% fee, minimum ₹249 per transaction; no points modelled. |
| Everything else, Amazon, Flipkart, Other online shopping, Groceries, Entertainment & OTT, Dining & food delivery, Flights & hotels, International (foreign currency) | 1.33 | ₹0.33 | No cap found | 2X on UPI and all other spends (official), no cap = 1.33 points per ₹100 on a 1 RP per ₹150 basis. International: aggregator says points stopped from 26 Oct 2026 (unverified). |
| Fuel | 0 | ₹0 | No cap found | Fuel at other pumps earns nothing; rewards apply only at the co-brand fuel partner (card terms). |
Point value: 1 reward point = ₹0.25 (official brochure: 700 RP = ₹175). ₹99 + GST redemption fee; points never expire.
Excluded or reduced
- Non-HPCL fuel earns nothing
- Insurance, EMI conversions earn nothing
- Rent: 1% fee (min ₹249)
- Utilities over ₹20,000 per cycle: 1% fee; FASTag > ₹10,000 and railway > ₹25,000 per cycle: 1% fee (from 18 Jan 2026)
- Reward points not credited in a cycle where minimum due is missed (from 18 Jan 2026)
Other benefits
- 50X bonus points on hotel / 30X on flight bookings via IDFC FIRST app (official Jan 2026 letter)
- Complimentary roadside assistance; personal accident and lost card liability cover
- Zero interest on ATM cash withdrawal (₹199 fee)
- Forex markup 3.5% (official MITC: "all cards except" a list that does not include FIRST Power; aggregator claim of 0% unverified)
Eligibility
Aggregator: min income about ₹3 lakh per year (unverified). not confirmed in an issuer document: check the application page
Where it ranks
Compare
Related guides
- How to read a credit card MITC
- Fuel surcharge waivers explained
- Paying rent with a credit card
- Fees on rent, wallet, utility, fuel and education spends
- Forex markup and using a card abroad
- How reward points work and what they are worth
- Credit card devaluations and what to do
FAQ
What is the annual fee of the IDFC FIRST Power Credit Card (HPCL fuel)?
₹199 a year, no spend-based waiver found. Fees exclude 18% GST.
How do IDFC FIRST Power Credit Card (HPCL fuel) rewards work?
0.33% base, up to 2.5% on groceries/bills & utilities, 3.5% at partners, capped. 1 reward point = ₹0.25 (official brochure: 700 RP = ₹175). ₹99 + GST redemption fee; points never expire.
Does the IDFC FIRST Power Credit Card (HPCL fuel) give airport lounge access?
We did not find lounge access on this card in the sources we checked.
Who is the IDFC FIRST Power Credit Card (HPCL fuel) best suited to?
A fuel card with a ₹199 fee for HPCL users: 21 times the base rate (about 3.5%) at HPCL pumps, capped at 700 points (₹175) a statement cycle, which is reached at about ₹5,000 of fuel. Groceries and utilities earn 15X (about 2.5% by IDFC's scale), and everything else 2X, about 0.33% at ₹0.25 a point. Fuel at other pumps earns nothing, there is no lounge access, rent carries a 1% fee and utilities above ₹20,000 a cycle carry a 1% fee. We could not confirm the fee waiver threshold. The ₹199 annual fee has no spend-based waiver in the terms we read. It is 3% of the ₹6,380 the metro salaried profile earns before the fee. On our 6 profiles it nets from ₹1,302 (first card, light spender) to ₹11,419 (frequent flyer), equal to 0.2% to 1.1% of spend across the profiles.
Sources
- FIRST Power update letter Jan 2026 (official PDF) official fetched 2026-10-29
- FIRST Power revised terms effective 1 May 2024 (official PDF) official fetched 2026-10-29
- IDFC FIRST MITC / schedule of charges (official PDF) official fetched 2026-10-29
- CardAdvisor IDFC Power aggregator fetched 2026-10-29
Not financial advice. Figures are estimates from published terms and may be outdated; confirm with IDFC FIRST Bank before you apply. Methodology.