Credit card annual fee waiver condition — how does it actually work?
Tarun Patil
Asked 31 May 2026
Banks say annual fee is waived if I spend ₹25,000 in the previous year. Does the spend include EMI, wallet loads, and reversals? Please clarify with examples.
2 Answers
The 'minimum due' trap is real. Banks love it because they charge ~36-42% interest on the carried-forward amount. If you can't pay the full bill this month, pay at least 50% — anything below that and the interest eats the rewards of the next 6 months.
I've held this card for 3 years. Quick reality check: the welcome benefit is good, the first-year fee waiver is easy, but from year 2 onwards you really have to work for the milestone benefits. Don't keep it if your monthly spend drops below the milestone threshold.
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