IDFC First Bank Vistara Credit Card – Hand’s On Experience

IDFC First Bank launched its first Airline Co-Branded card on the 12th of July 2023 in partnership with Vistara and its frequent flyer program, Club Vistara. After Axis Bank, SBI Cards, and IndusInd Bank, IDFC First Bank is the fourth bank to launch to Vistara co-branded card in India. The card is under the MasterCard moniker.

Eligibility Criteria & Fees

Joining Fees: ₹4,999 + GST
Annual Fees: ₹4,999 + GST
Spend-Based Annual Fee Waiver: None

Unfortunately, IDFC First Bank does not publish official eligibility criteria for their card. However, if you already have an existing credit card with IDFC First, such as Classic, Select, or Wealth, the odds of approval seem to be very high. You will receive the same credit limit as on your existing card.

Card Features & Benefits

Welcome Benefit: Club Vistara Silver Membership & 1 Domestic Premium Economy Voucher and one 1 class upgrade voucher.

Earning Rate: 6 CV Points on every ₹200 spent upto ₹1L per month, and 4 CV Points on every ₹200 spent above ₹1L per month.

1 CV Point for every ₹200 spent on Wallet, Rent, Fuel and Utility.

10 CV Points on every ₹200 spent on dining on your birthday.

Foreign Currency Markup: 2.99%

Other Benefits: Lounge & Spa Access through Dreamfolks membership basis monthly spends of ₹5000 each month on the card.

Trip Cancellation Coverage: ₹10,000 coverage on cancellation of flight and hotel bookings, upto 2 claims in a year.

Golf benefits: 12 complimentary golf lessons in a year, 4 rounds of green fees waiver.

Milestone Benefits

Milestone 1 (First Year Only): 6,000 CV Points credited across the period of the first 3 months – 2,000 CV points each month for the first 3 months, for spending of ₹30,000 each month.
Milestone 2: 1 Domestic premium economy ticket on spends of ₹1,50,000
Milestone 3: 1 Domestic premium economy ticket on spends of ₹3,00,000
Milestone 4: 1 Domestic premium economy ticket on spends of ₹4,50,000
Milestone 5: 1 Domestic premium economy ticket on spends of ₹9,00,000
Milestone 6: 1 Domestic premium economy ticket on spends of ₹12,00,000

Application Process & Experience

I recently applied for the IDFC Vistara Credit Card, and it was probably the smoothest and quickest credit card application process I’ve encountered. Although this is my second card issued by IDFC, the application process is very similar to someone who is applying for the IDFC card for the first time.

Aadhar number, Date of Birth, and Mobile Number are collected on the landing page and an OTP is sent for authentication. I had an issue with OTP generation initially on Chrome. The issue was resolved once I used a different browser.

Once Authenticated, the fee information and high-level features are displayed.

The credit limit and Interest Rates are shown on the next screen. If this is your second card from IDFC, the credit limit is shared with the existing card. With IDFC, the Interest rates are personalized and it starts at as low as 9% per annum.

Once Agreeing to the terms and conditions, the next screen proceeds to link the Club Vistara membership. The existing email and Mobile number will be used to link the Club Vistara ID.

Once Confirming the Club Vistara ID, the credit card application is submitted Successfully.

To my surprise, I was able to see the second Vistara card issued immediately after the application is submitted. I even made a transaction with the Virtual Card on the app.

Kudos to IDFC for providing such a seamless application process!

Unboxing & Hands On with the Card

The card comes in a rather unassuming white envelope bearing all three brandings, Vistara, IDFC First Bank, and the MasterCard logo.

On opening you are presented with this leaflet that holds the card inside and has multiple folds, as you open each fold you are presented with the different features and benefits of the card.

Honestly, it’s a nice way to explain the most important features of the card to your users.

Lastly the card itself, has a matte black look with aubergine streaks and the Club Vistara, IDFC First Bank, and MasterCard logo on the front, along with the name of the cardholder. The card details such as the card number, expiry, and CVV are on the rear. A nice minimalistic look.

Conclusion

The Vistara co-branded credit card from IDFC First Bank is a welcome offering and perhaps the best card in the IDFC lineup at present. However, with the impending Vistara and Air India merger, it is difficult to predict how long this card and the Club Vistara program will last. To learn more, read our post comparing this card with the SBI Vistara Prime and the Axis Vistara Signature Credit Card.