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What does my card actually give me?

Tick a row only when your own Most Important Terms and Conditions, or the bank’s benefits page for the card you hold, says it is there. This list is a set of common categories. It is not a description of any named card, and it does not say that you have the benefit.

Fees, the interest-free period, finance charges, and whether any insurance is included belong in the MITC. Lounge visits, fuel waivers, points, and festive offers are often in a separate benefits file. The commercial-bank text that describes the MITC is the Reserve Bank of India (Commercial Banks – Credit Cards and Debit Cards: Issuance and Conduct) Directions, 2025, updated as on 1 October 2026. Use the RBI copy if a summary and your sheet disagree. A longer reading order is in how to read your card’s benefits and the MITC.

• Lounge access In the benefits file, look for who can visit, which airports or lounges, how many visits, a spend hurdle, and whether a guest is included. A network page is not your card’s allowance.
• Fuel surcharge waiver Look for the surcharge amount the issuer says it will waive, the monthly cap, eligible pumps, and a minimum transaction. The waiver is separate from any reward rate on fuel.
• Reward points expiry Look for how points are earned, the exclusions, the value when you redeem, and the date unused points expire. “No expiry” is only true if the sheet says it.
• Milestone benefits Look for the spend threshold, what counts toward it, the reward or fee waiver you receive, and the period (a quarter, a year, or a statement cycle).
• Insurance covers The directions say the MITC should mention available insurance cover, if any, and when it starts. Look for the cover name, the cap, excluded events, and the claim contact. A line that says cover is optional is not cover you already have.
• EMI conversion Look for the interest or processing fee, GST on those charges, the tenure, and whether a purchase can be converted after it posts. The monthly figure is one instalment, not the total cost.
• Forex markup Look for the markup on a transaction in another currency, or a transaction with a merchant abroad, and any waiver. A reward rate does not cancel the markup unless the sheet says so.
• Interest-free period In the MITC, look for the interest-free period with examples, and what happens if the previous statement was not paid in full. The examples are part of the price, not a slogan.
• Dining and other offers On the bank’s offers page, look for the end date, the minimum spend, the cap, and the merchants. An offer that has ended is not a benefit of the card.