IDFC First Gaj Credit Card: Premium Travel Card Review

IDFC First Bank's Gaj is a ₹12,500 metal credit card for frequent travellers seeking zero forex markup and strong travel rewards. Gaj is an invitation-only card with premium packaging. Built for private banking customers, it focuses on travel benefits and lounge access.

The name "Gaj" means elephant in Hindi, which probably signals strength and premium positioning.

One quirk worth noting: you pay the joining fee upfront after approval, before the physical card even ships. IDFC says this is to cut down on wastage from cancelled or unclaimed cards, which sounds reasonable but feels a bit like paying the restaurant bill before you've seen the menu.

Benefits and Rewards

Welcome Offers

• 12,500 reward points (worth ₹12,500 for travel bookings)

• 25% off hotel bookings (up to ₹5,000) after spending ₹1,00,000 in 60 days

The hotel voucher kicks in only after you spend ₹1,00,000 within 60 days of card generation. The coupon is valid for 180 days and works on bank-curated properties listed in the Travel & Shop section of the app.

Both welcome benefits are one-time only. If you close the card and reapply later, you don't get them again.

Reward Earning Structure

Gaj uses a tiered earning system:

Fuel, EMI conversions, and cash withdrawals earn zero points.

Redemption Value

This is where Gaj shines. Each reward point equals ₹1 when redeemed for hotel or flight bookings via the IDFC app, That's a 1:1 value, which is excellent for travel cards. For other redemptions (gift vouchers, merchandise), 1 point = ₹0.25. You can use up to 70% of a booking amount with points; the remaining 30% must be paid by card.

Monthly redemption is capped at 1,50,000 points (worth ₹1,50,000), and annual redemption is capped at 3,00,000 points (worth ₹3,00,000).

Reward points never expire as long as the card stays active.

Airport Lounge Access

You get 4 complimentary domestic lounge visits per quarter, plus 1 guest visit per quarter. For international lounges, you get 4 complimentary visits per quarter via your DreamFolks card.

The catch: you must spend ₹20,000 or more in the current calendar month to unlock lounge access for the next month. Miss the spend threshold, and you're paying out of pocket at the lounge.

Meet and Greet Service

One complimentary Meet and Greet service per year at major Indian airports if you've spent USD 1,000 on international POS transactions in the last 12 months. If you don't hit that threshold, you get a flat 10% discount on Meet and Greet services.

Travel Insurance and Protection

Gaj includes:

• Trip cancellation cover up to ₹50,000 (no questions asked for non-refundable hotel and flight bookings)

• Travel insurance up to USD 1,200 (covers luggage loss, flight delays, etc.)

• Personal accident cover: ₹10 lakh

• Card fraud and liability cover: ₹50,000

• Credit shield: ₹50,000

• Purchase protection: ₹50,000

Fees and Charges

The annual fee waiver threshold of ₹10 lakh is steep but realistic for frequent business travellers or families who put most expenses on one card. If you don't hit it, you still get 12,500 reward points when you pay the annual fee, which offsets the cost if you redeem for travel.

Pros and Cons

Pros

• Zero forex markup saves ₹5,000–₹10,000 annually on international travel.

• ​50X hotel and 25X flight points via app booking deliver strong value.

• ​Reward points never expire while card is active.

• ​1:1 travel redemption value is excellent.

• ​Premium metal card with strong travel insurance cover.

Cons

• Invitation-only access limits eligibility.

• ​₹12,500 joining fee paid upfront before receiving the card.

• ​Base earn rate (5 points per ₹150) is weak for non-travel spends.

• ​15,000 monthly bonus cap limits high spenders.

• ​₹20,000 monthly spend required for lounge access next month.

• ₹10 lakh annual spend needed to waive renewal fee.

• ​Travel bookings must go through IDFC app, not third-party sites.

Eligibility and Documents

Invitation-only for IDFC First private banking customers. Unofficial eligibility estimate:

• ​Minimum age: 21 years

• Credit score: 750+

• Income: ₹25 lakh per annum (estimated)

• Existing private banking relationship with IDFC First

Required documents:

• ​PAN, Aadhaar, or passport

• Address proof (utility bill, passport, ration card)

• Income proof (salary slips, 2 years ITR, or bank statements)

How to Apply

Gaj is invitation-only, so you can't apply independently:

• ​IDFC First Bank invites select private banking customers via email.

• Submit application and documents through your relationship manager.

• After approval, pay ₹12,500 + GST joining fee via UPI or net banking.

• ​Digital card activates immediately; metal card arrives in 5 working days.

Final Verdict

Gaj suits frequent travellers who book hotels and flights via apps and want zero forex costs.

​Annual value example for ₹10 lakh spender:

• ₹3 lakh regular spends: ₹10,000 rewards

• ₹2 lakh international: ₹4,000 rewards

• ₹3 lakh hotels via app: ₹1,00,000 rewards (50X with cap)

• ₹2 lakh flights via app: ₹33,333 rewards (25X with cap)

Total: approx. ₹1,47,333 annual rewards (translating to a 14.7% return)

​Skip this card if you're not a heavy app-based traveler, don't travel internationally, or prefer cashback over points.

​For the right user, Gaj is one of India's best travel credit cards. Otherwise, it's premium overkill.