IDFC FIRST Bank has made the Select Credit Card a lot more interesting for customers who already keep meaningful balances in the bank. The card now comes with a permanent annual fee waiver for customers maintaining a ₹25,000+ balance in an IDFC FIRST Bank savings account. That’s a strong retention hook, especially for people who like premium-style benefits without paying a recurring fee.
The card’s reward structure also remains attractive, with 3X reward points on online spends and 6X on dining. On top of that, it includes complimentary railway lounge access, which is a nice extra for frequent train travellers. The combination of fee waiver and category bonuses makes this card stand out in a crowded mid-premium segment.
The permanent waiver is the real headline because it changes the long-term economics of the card. A fee-free card with strong online and dining multipliers is much easier to keep in the wallet than a card that needs annual justification. If you already maintain a decent balance with IDFC FIRST, this benefit can effectively turn Select into a low-maintenance rewards card.
The dining multiplier is especially useful because restaurant spends are one of the easiest categories to optimize in everyday life. Add in 3X reward points on online spends, and the card starts to cover two of the most common spending buckets for urban cardholders. That makes it more versatile than a card that only shines in one niche.
Railway lounge access is another practical plus. It may not be the flashiest benefit in the market, but for people who travel by train regularly, it can be more useful than a benefit they’ll never touch. That’s the kind of detail that often separates a decent card from one that actually fits your lifestyle.
Overall, this is a smart move by IDFC FIRST because it ties the fee waiver to a relationship balance rather than a spend target. For customers who already bank with them, the card becomes much easier to justify. For everyone else, the value still depends on whether the reward multipliers and lounge access match your habits.
What You Should Do: If you already maintain ₹25,000+ in an IDFC FIRST Bank savings account, the Select Card is worth a fresh look because the fee can be waived permanently. If you’re comparing cards, check whether the 6X on dining and 3X on online spends fit your monthly spend pattern before applying.