Credit card annual fee waiver condition — how does it actually work?
Nikhil Prasad
Asked 6 Apr 2026
Banks say annual fee is waived if I spend ₹40,000 in the previous year. Does the spend include EMI, wallet loads, and reversals? Please clarify with examples.
4 Answers
I've been using this card for over a year now. In my experience, the rewards are decent but the real value is in the lounge access and the milestone benefits. Make sure to read the fine print on the welcome benefit — most banks only credit it after the first transaction, not on approval.
Short answer: no, EMI on credit card is not cheaper than a personal loan for large amounts (>₹50,000). The processing fee (~₹199-₹599) plus the interest (~14-16% reducing) usually adds up to slightly more than a personal loan rate of 11-13%. But for small-ticket EMI (₹10-20K), it is fine.
Dispute process that worked for me: I called customer care within 24 hours, raised a dispute via the netbanking portal (uploading the receipt showing I never visited the merchant), and got a provisional credit in 5 working days. Permanent credit came after the bank's investigation in about 30 days.
The customer care experience matters more than people think. I've had two cards with similar rewards, and the one from the bank with better support saved me ₹18,000 when there was a merchant dispute. Don't underestimate this.
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