56 devaluations, launches and rule changes, each dated and sourced.
BWH Hotels is folding Best Western Rewards and WorldHotels Rewards into one program, WorldHotels Rewards, from 5 January 2027. Points keep their value and still do not expire; the tier rules arrive on 16 November 2026.
Effective 5 Jan 2027
SBI Card's MILES rewards terms listed 18 airline partners in an August 2026 copy. The version dated 23 September lists 16: Air France-KLM Flying Blue and Etihad Guest are gone.
Axis Bank's own opt-in terms list the benefits that renew only with your consent from 15 November 2026: Priority Pass on nine cards, plus Accor+ Explorer, Club Marriott, Taj Epicure and Club ITC on three.
Effective 15 Nov 2026
AU Small Finance Bank's charges sheet dated 30 September 2026 moves the Zenith and Vetta credit cards to a 3.49% forex markup and caps their fuel surcharge waiver at ₹100 a month. Zenith+ is not affected.
Effective 1 Oct 2026
From 25 November 2026, NeuCoins earned on Tata Neu Infinity and Tata Neu Plus HDFC cards no longer reach your Tata Neu account on their own. The primary cardholder has to claim them in the app within 12 months of the statement date.
Effective 25 Nov 2026
Air India, SBI Card and Visa announced a new Maharaja Club credit card on 28 October 2026. No fee, earn rate or launch date is out yet. The old Air India SBI cards have been closed to new applicants since October 2024.
From 1 December 2026, every SBI credit card charges 1% on each transportation transaction above ₹30,000, and 1% on your whole fuel spend once it crosses ₹50,000 in a billing cycle. Here is how the two rules differ and who pays.
Effective 1 Dec 2026
From 10 November 2026 the MakeMyTrip ICICI Bank Credit Card drops its forex markup and DCC fee to zero, ends myCash on international spends outside MakeMyTrip, and new myCash expires after 24 months. The older Signature and Platinum MakeMyTrip cards are excluded.
Effective 10 Nov 2026
AU Small Finance Bank and Paytm launched a lifetime-free RuPay credit card on 21 October 2026: up to 2% on eligible Paytm UPI spends, 5% on Paytm Travel and Paytm Gold, and up to 12 family lounge visits a year tied to round-trip flights booked on Paytm.
Effective 21 Oct 2026
Equitas Small Finance Bank's PowerMiles credit card has reportedly switched on its first points transfer partner, Air India Maharaja Club, at 1:1 through the Xchange Rewards portal, after more than a year of delays. The other announced airline and hotel partners are not live yet.
Effective 23 Oct 2026
Since 15 October 2026, World of Hyatt members can send points to another member online at 1:1 and no fee, replacing the old paper form. Limits: 1,000-point minimum, one transfer a month, six a year, 525,000 sent and received per calendar year.
Effective 15 Oct 2026
Punjab National Bank's public notice revises credit card charges from 1 November 2026. Visa and RuPay variants get a ₹99 fee per reward redemption, a 1% fee on utility payments above ₹50,000 a cycle, and steeper cash advance and late payment charges.
Effective 1 Nov 2026
HDFC's own migration FAQ confirms the original Swiggy HDFC card is being retired in phases. If you do not pick a variant in time, you are moved to the lifetime-free Swiggy Ornge card, with a new card number, a reset renewal date and no carried-over mandates.
Effective 30 Sept 2026
SBI Card and Eternal (Zomato's parent) have launched the Eternal SBI Card on Mastercard and RuPay. It gives instant discounts on Zomato, Blinkit, District and Bistro, 5% cashback on four partner apps, and 1% elsewhere, with monthly caps on each. Invitations to apply roll out in phases from 22 October 2026.
Effective 22 Oct 2026
ICICI Bank's 1838 Reserve, issued with Times Internet and Visa, is now live on ICICI's site. ₹1,75,000 plus GST every year with no waiver, 3% back on domestic spends, 2% on international, zero forex markup, and a monthly cap of 1,00,000 points.
From 1 November 2026, Axis Bank's buy-one-get-one movie benefit on MyZone, Select, Privilege and Neo becomes conditional: you need ₹25,000 of settled spend in the previous three calendar months to qualify. Membership renewals on premium Axis cards also move to opt-in.
American Express has ended its Lufthansa lounge agreement. From 1 October 2026, Platinum and Centurion cardmembers can no longer use Lufthansa Business, Senator or First lounges on a same-day Lufthansa Group flight. Here is what you still have.
From 15 October 2026 you can book an eligible Air India or Singapore Airlines flight between India and Singapore on the other airline's site without pairing it. Reciprocal Maharaja Club and KrisFlyer elite perks follow in Q2 2027. No award prices change.
Visa's Power Travel campaign now covers spends in any country for India-issued Visa cards from 1 October 2026 to 31 January 2027: 0.5% on overseas in-store spend and ATM withdrawals, 10% on Google Pay or Samsung Pay taps, and a one-time ₹10,000 bonus after ₹1 lakh across 20 transactions. Registration is required and rewards cap at ₹50,000 per card.
HDFC's top cards can reportedly redeem 10,000 reward points for an ALL Accor+ Explorer membership through SmartBuy until 17 December 2026. It carries the 30 status nights that make you ALL Accor Gold, but not the two Stay Plus free nights a paid membership includes.
Effective 6 Oct 2026
Apple Pay launched in India at the end of September 2026 with a single issuer. Axis Bank Visa and Mastercard credit cards can be added to Apple Wallet; RuPay is not supported, and HDFC Bank, ICICI Bank and SBI Card are reportedly still negotiating terms.
IDFC FIRST Bank says the Club Vistara IDFC FIRST Credit Card programme ends on 30 September 2026 and the card will not work for any transaction from 1 October. Live From A Lounge and CardInsider report that holders get the Diamond Reserve card lifetime free as the replacement.
From 1 September 2026, BOBCARD's four mainstream cards are first year free only. From year two they carry annual fees of ₹500 to ₹2,499, each waived on a spend threshold between ₹35,000 and ₹2,50,000 a year.
Effective 1 Sept 2026
Around 22-23 September 2026 Axis Bank reshuffled its EDGE transfer partners: Cathay Pacific Asia Miles, Lufthansa Miles & More and Hilton Honors were added, Accor returned at a worse ratio, Club ITC was removed, and three popular airlines moved into the lower-capped Group A.
Effective 22 Sept 2026
From 10 October 2026 the Edge+ CSB Bank RuPay card pays its full 50% Jewels on Amazon, Flipkart, Myntra and other listed shopping merchants only when qualified statement-cycle spend is greater than ₹15,000. Below that, shopping earns 5%, the same as every other spend, and the held-back 45% is cancelled.
Effective 10 Oct 2026
IDFC FIRST Bank now charges zero forex markup on all its credit cards, existing ones included, with no upgrade or spend condition. A reported plan to stop rewards on international spends from 26 October 2026 is contradicted by IDFC's own 17 September press release, though Ashva's page still shows its international earn falling from 5X to 2X.
Effective 26 Oct 2026
The Amazon Pay Kotak Business Credit Card pays 5% cashback on eligible Amazon Business purchases and flight and hotel bookings for Prime members (3% otherwise), 2% on Amazon Pay bills and 1% elsewhere. The annual fee waiver counts only off-Amazon spend, and the top tier is capped at 5% of your monthly credit limit.
Effective 11 Sept 2026
From 15 September 2026 Wyndham Rewards moves from three flat award tiers to four, adding a new 45,000-point top band for its most expensive hotels while dropping the entry tier to 5,000 points. Book the top properties before the switch.
Effective 15 Sept 2026
Hyatt is ending its American Airlines AAdvantage tie-up and starting a new Delta SkyMiles partnership. Announced 9 September 2026, with a 15 November linking deadline and earning wind-downs into 2027. Here is the timeline that matters.
The main India Membership Rewards changes have moved from 11 October to 15 November 2026: American Express removes the half-price fee waiver band on the Membership Rewards Credit Card, stops letting you pool points across two Amex cards, and switches milestone tracking to posting date. Here is what actually changes.
The Scapia Axis Bank Credit Card opened for onboarding on 3 September 2026 with no joining or annual fee, no markup on foreign currency, and up to 20% back in Scapia Coins on in-app travel bookings. It ships on two networks. The lounge spend threshold appears only in outlet coverage, not in the issuer press release.
Effective 3 Sept 2026
ICICI Bank's own upcoming-changes page sets a tiered dynamic currency conversion charge from 15 January 2026, running from 0.99% to 3.50% depending on the card. It applies when you are billed in rupees abroad, and to India-based merchants registered overseas.
Effective 15 Jan 2026
From 10 September 2026 the ₹1.9 lakh milestone disappears and the ₹7 lakh milestone stops paying points at all. From 1 October, complimentary domestic lounge visits require ₹1 lakh of eligible spend in the preceding calendar quarter.
Effective 10 Sept 2026
American Express India confirms on its own site that the Reward Multiplier programme ends effective 30 September 2026. Purchases must be fully completed by 11:59 PM on 29 September to earn the accelerated points. ShopWise survives as a separate platform.
From 18 June 2026 the buy-one-get-one movie benefit on IDFC First cards requires ₹20,000 of spend in the previous month, and rewards are earned only on spends up to your credit limit per cycle. From the July 2026 statement, FIRST Wealth and FIRST Millennia points expire after 24 months.
Effective 18 Jun 2026
HDFC Bank's MITC was updated on 28 August 2026. Buried in it: a ₹3,500 re-issuance fee for metal cards, a new 1.75% dynamic currency conversion markup live since 15 May, and Priority Pass visits inside India charged at $27 plus taxes per person on the Regalia family.
Effective 15 May 2026
Since 2 April 2026 MileagePlus members without a United card earn 3 miles per dollar instead of 5, and basic economy earns nothing for general members. Cardholders earn 6x and get at least 10% off award flights. We also found the Explorer's annual fee had moved and corrected it.
Effective 2 Apr 2026
From 27 May 2026 the Avios price of a British Airways reward flight is unchanged, but the cash co-pay rose roughly 10% to 33% depending on the route. It is the second cash-element increase in five months, after the December 2025 change.
Effective 27 May 2026
From 1 October 2026 unlimited domestic lounge access on BOBCARD Eterna, Tiara and Varunah Premium requires ₹75,000 of spend in the preceding quarter, up from ₹40,000. Finance charges rose to 3.75% a month on 15 July, and accidental death cover ended for existing cardholders on 25 August.
From 10 September 2026 the ₹1.9 lakh milestone disappears and the ₹7 lakh milestone pays a Taj voucher instead of points, cutting milestone Membership Rewards at ₹7 lakh from 40,000 to 10,000. From 1 October, domestic lounge visits require ₹1 lakh of spend in the previous quarter.
From August 15 to September 15, 2026 HSBC India charges no foreign exchange markup on any of its credit cards, covering both in-store and online foreign currency spend. It is a one-month promotional window, not a permanent product change.
Effective 15 Aug 2026
From September 8, 2026 Air France and KLM award tickets book in three tiers. Light keeps today's mileage price but drops the checked bag, seat selection, lounge access and any right to change or refund. Paris to New York business goes from 60,000 miles to 75,000 for the ticket you get today.
Effective 8 Sept 2026
American Express India rerated two Membership Rewards transfer partners on August 18, 2026. Virgin Atlantic Flying Club moves from 2:1 to 5:4, and Hilton Honors from 1:0.9 to 1:1.5. Both are permanent rate changes, not a limited-time transfer bonus.
Effective 18 Aug 2026
From August 28, 2026 Axis raises the dynamic currency conversion fee to 3.5% on most cards, stops reward points on gift cards, tolls and road fees, and lifts the top late fee to Rs 1,300. Movie BOGO and lounge access get spend gates too.
Effective 28 Aug 2026
Hyatt's first award-chart restructure in five years replaced Off-Peak, Standard and Peak with five tiers on 20 May 2026. A Category 8 night at the top tier rose from 45,000 points to 75,000, a 67% increase, and 112 of 136 repriced hotels moved up.
Effective 20 May 2026
IndusInd now requires quarterly spend before it unlocks complimentary domestic lounge visits the following quarter. Tracking began with the April to June 2026 quarter and access is gated from July to September. The thresholds are the steepest any Indian issuer has set.
Effective 1 Apr 2026
American Express removed Etihad Guest as a Membership Rewards transfer partner across every major market between 15 June and 1 July 2026, shut the Mumbai Centurion Lounge on 1 July, and from 8 July admits only one guest, travelling on the same flight.
Effective 1 Jul 2026
HDFC recalibrated Regalia Gold, Diners Club Privilege and BizPower: base earn moved from 4 points per ₹150 to 5 per ₹200 on 15 May 2026, and from the July quarter domestic lounge visits require ₹60,000 of spend in the quarter before.
On 2 April 2026 Axis removed Accor Live Limitless, Marriott Bonvoy and Qatar Airways Privilege Club with no notice, adding British Airways, Finnair and Vietnam Airlines at materially worse transfer ratios.
From 28 August 2026, Axis more than doubles the DCC rate on mid-tier cards, invalidates Priority Pass at domestic lounges, and stops gift card spends from counting toward milestones and fee waivers.
India's most-recommended cashback card gets a hard ₹4,000 per-cycle ceiling and new exclusions from April 2026. Here's what still earns and what to do about it.
A broad Marriott Bonvoy award-price increase of roughly 5–10% was spotted in July 2026, a rare all-at-once devaluation since Marriott went fully dynamic. What it means for your transferable points.
Effective 10 Jul 2026
IDFC First, long the 'generous' issuer, moved its base earn from per ₹150 to per ₹200 (a 25% cut) and dropped forex rewards from 10X to 5X from April 2026.
From January 2026, ICICI's Emeralde Metal drops reward earning on several everyday categories and ICICI adds a 2% fee on online gaming platforms like Dream11 and MPL.
From July 2026, HDFC's SmartBuy brand vouchers earn accelerated points only up to 3,000 RP/month. The favourite Infinia and Diners Black points-maximising trick just got smaller.
For 2026–27, Infinia holders must hit ₹18 lakh in card spend or park ₹50 lakh with HDFC, or risk downgrade/termination in 2027. What the new retention rule means.