Is it worth paying an annual fee on a credit card?
Venkatesh Murthy
Asked 21 May 2026
Most premium cards charge ₹5,000+ as annual fee. Are the rewards and lounge benefits worth it for someone whose monthly spend is around ₹40,000?
3 Answers
I have had a hard time getting this card approved twice. The third time I applied after a 10% salary hike and got instant approval. Banks re-check eligibility every time. If you got rejected, improve your income proof / CIBIL and reapply after 6 months.
On the annual fee — most premium cards waive it if you spend ₹1.5L to ₹3L in the previous year. Wallet loads (Paytm, Amazon Pay balance) usually DON'T count. But utilities, fuel, and grocery do. Spend pattern matters more than absolute number.
Forex markup comparison: Amex = 3.5%, HDFC Infinia/Diners Black = 2.0%, Axis Atlas = 3.5% but with milestone fee waivers, ICICI Emeralde = 3.5%, Standard Chartered = 3.5%. If you travel more than twice a year, the math favours Infinia or Diners Black.
Your Answer
Sign in to post your answer and help the community.
Sign in to postWhy sign in? We moderate Q&A to keep it spam-free.