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 (IDFC FIRST Power+ / Power product page; 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
- ₹499
- Joining fee
- ₹499
- Fee waiver
- ₹1,50,000 a year
- Base return
- 0.5% base
- Point value
- ₹0.25 per point
- Domestic lounge
- 1 domestic lounge visit per quarter on minimum monthly spend of ₹20,000 (raised from ₹5,000 on 1 May 2024)
- International lounge
- None found
Estimated net value a year
| Profile | Net | % of spend |
|---|---|---|
| First card, light spender ₹15k a month | ₹1,728 | 1.0% |
| Metro salaried ₹60k a month | ₹7,440 | 1.0% |
| Family household ₹80k a month | ₹12,240 | 1.3% |
| Frequent flyer ₹1.5L a month | ₹14,400 | 0.8% |
| Online shopper ₹50k a month | ₹4,680 | 0.8% |
| Rent-heavy ₹90k a month | ₹3,432 | 0.3% |
Fee maths: The ₹499 annual fee is waived at ₹1,50,000 a year of eligible spend, about ₹12,500 a month. All of our profiles clear that, so the fee costs nothing on them. On our 6 profiles it nets from ₹1,728 (first card, light spender) to ₹14,400 (frequent flyer), equal to 0.3% to 1.3% of spend across the profiles. Without a waiver, the metro salaried category mix earns back the fee from about ₹4,500 a month of total spend.
After fees and caps, best-case redemption. Use your own spend.
Our take: The higher-tier IDFC FIRST fuel card (₹499 joining and annual, reversed at ₹1.5 lakh): 30 times the base rate at HPCL pumps, about 5%, capped at 2,400 points (₹600) a cycle, reached at roughly ₹12,000 of HPCL fuel. Groceries and utilities earn 15X, which IDFC's page calls 5% but which works out to 2.5% on the brochure's own scale, so we use the lower figure. Other spends earn about 0.5%, forex markup is zero, and one domestic lounge visit a quarter needs ₹20,000 of monthly spend. Fuel at other pumps earns nothing.
From the card's terms: strengths
- 1 domestic lounge visit a quarter
- Up to about 5% at partner merchants, subject to caps
From the card's terms: limits
- Base return is only about 0.5% on other spends
Reward rates and caps
| Spend category | Points per ₹100 | Value per ₹100 | Cap | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fuel | 20 | ₹5 | 2400 pts monthly | 30X on HPCL fuel only (brochure effective 1 May 2024: 2,400 RP = ₹600 per statement cycle, i.e. about ₹12,000 of HPCL fuel = 5%). Official product page now says 'up to 6.5% savings on fuel' - extra 1.5% not itemised, not modelled. Non-HPCL fuel earns nothing; 1% fuel surcharge waiver withdrawn (folded into points). |
| Groceries, Bills & utilities | 10 | ₹2.5 | No cap found | Official page says 15X and '5% savings as rewards' on grocery and utility spends. On the brochure's own scale (30X = 2,400 RP = ₹600 = 5% on fuel, so 1X is 1 point per ₹150 at ₹0.25 a point), 15X works out to 2.5%, not 5%. We model the lower 2.5% (10 points per ₹100); the mismatch is unresolved. Per-cycle cap not stated on fetched pages (unverified). 1% fee if utility spend exceeds ₹20,000 per cycle. |
| International (foreign currency) | 2 | ₹0.5 | No cap found | 3X base; official product page (30 Oct 2026) says Power+ has zero forex markup and "Earn Reward Points on international spends as per the credit card's reward programme". The aggregator claim that international spends stopped earning from 26 Oct 2026 is not reflected on the official page. |
| Rent | 0 | ₹0 | No cap found | Rent (MCC 6513): 1% fee, minimum ₹249 per transaction (MITC); no points modelled. |
| Everything else, Amazon, Flipkart, Other online shopping, Groceries, Entertainment & OTT, Dining & food delivery, Flights & hotels | 2 | ₹0.5 | No cap found | 3X (1 RP per ₹150 x3 = 2 points per ₹100 = 0.5%); UPI spends also 3X, no cap. Derived from brochure ratio 30X = 5%. |
| 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: 2,400 RP = ₹600). ₹99 + GST redemption fee (IDFC schedule); points never expire.
Excluded or reduced
- Non-HPCL fuel earns nothing; fuel fee 1% if fuel > ₹30,000 per cycle
- Insurance, EMI conversions, cash advances earn nothing
- Rent and property: 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
- Welcome: Welcome benefits worth ₹2,500 (official page): ₹500 gift voucher on first HPCL fuel transaction >= ₹500, 5% cashback up to ₹1,000 on first EMI conversion, merchant offers.
- Hotel/flight bookings via IDFC FIRST app earn bonus points (26.67% hotel, 13.33% flight savings on page)
- Roadside assistance worth ₹1,399
- 25% off movie tickets up to ₹100 monthly
- Personal accident cover ₹2 lakh; lost card liability ₹25,000
- 0% interest on ATM withdrawals (₹199 fee), 0% forex markup
Eligibility
Not stated on fetched official page. not confirmed in an issuer document: check the application page
Where it ranks
- #5 in Best credit cards for groceries
- #3 in Best credit cards for fuel
- #4 in Best credit cards for utility bill payments
Compare
Related guides
- How to read a credit card MITC
- How annual fee waivers work
- Fuel surcharge waivers explained
- Airport lounge access on credit cards
- 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)?
₹499 a year, waived at ₹1,50,000 annual spend. Fees exclude 18% GST.
How do IDFC FIRST Power+ Credit Card (HPCL fuel) rewards work?
0.5% base, up to 2.5% on groceries/bills & utilities, 5% at partners, capped. 1 reward point = ₹0.25 (official brochure: 2,400 RP = ₹600). ₹99 + GST redemption fee (IDFC schedule); points never expire.
Does the IDFC FIRST Power+ Credit Card (HPCL fuel) give airport lounge access?
Domestic: 1 domestic lounge visit per quarter on minimum monthly spend of ₹20,000 (raised from ₹5,000 on 1 May 2024). International: None found.
Who is the IDFC FIRST Power+ Credit Card (HPCL fuel) best suited to?
The higher-tier IDFC FIRST fuel card (₹499 joining and annual, reversed at ₹1.5 lakh): 30 times the base rate at HPCL pumps, about 5%, capped at 2,400 points (₹600) a cycle, reached at roughly ₹12,000 of HPCL fuel. Groceries and utilities earn 15X, which IDFC's page calls 5% but which works out to 2.5% on the brochure's own scale, so we use the lower figure. Other spends earn about 0.5%, forex markup is zero, and one domestic lounge visit a quarter needs ₹20,000 of monthly spend. Fuel at other pumps earns nothing. The ₹499 annual fee is waived at ₹1,50,000 a year of eligible spend, about ₹12,500 a month. All of our profiles clear that, so the fee costs nothing on them. On our 6 profiles it nets from ₹1,728 (first card, light spender) to ₹14,400 (frequent flyer), equal to 0.3% to 1.3% of spend across the profiles.
Sources
- IDFC FIRST Power+ / Power product page 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.
