What were once considered just fancy metal offerings from IDFC First Bank have now turned out to be some of the most rewarding and sought-after credit cards in India, especially after the recent revaluation.
In September 2024, IDFC First Bank launched the Ashva and Mayura Credit Card series, offering premium lifestyle benefits along with a reasonable reward rate. Many opted for these cards due to features such as free airport lounge access, BOGO on movies, and more. Although priced on the higher side, both these cards initially didn’t offer an impressive reward rate – in fact, both offered the same reward rate.
All of this changed in 2025 when IDFC First Bank introduced accelerated reward point earning for its credit cards, along with enhanced reward point value specifically for the Ashva and Mayura Credit Cards. Now, cardholders of these IDFC metal credit cards can enjoy a reward rate of up to 20% on travel spends. All of this makes both cards significantly more rewarding.
While many chose the more premium Mayura last year itself, a large number also applied for the IDFC Ashva. Now, those Ashva cardholders are left wondering whether they should upgrade to the Mayura Credit Card to enjoy better redemption value and enhanced lifestyle benefits.
In this article, we shall cover all the points surrounding the question of upgrading from Ashva to Mayura.
Short Answer – Yes. Find Out Why!
Ashva Credit Card, although a rewarding offering, is only beneficial for the first year. All applicants who applied for the card up until recently have also gotten bonus points as a welcome benefit, completely offsetting the joining charges. But from the second year onwards, there is a complete shift in the benefits received.
There is no spend-based annual fee waiver associated with the card. There is a renewal benefit of 7,500 Bonus Reward Points (worth ₹3,000), but this can only be unlocked by achieving high spends of ₹8 lakh in the card anniversary year. If any cardholder is making such high spends on the Ashva Credit Card, it would be suggested to move their spends to a more premium offering with a better reward rate and additional milestone benefits.
It is also worth mentioning that the Reward Points earned as a renewal benefit are worth ₹3,000 only when redeemed for travel redemptions via IDFC Travel & Shop. Any other redemptions would bring the value down to ₹1,875.
Here are several additional reasons why upgrading to the Mayura Credit Card is highly recommended.
Better Reward Point Value
One of the most important benefits of the upgrade would be the increase in Reward Point redemption value from ₹0.40 per point to ₹0.50. This is only valid when redemption is made at the IDFC Travel & Shop via mobile banking.
| Reward Redemption | Ashva | Mayura |
| Travel Bookings Via Travel & Shop | ₹0.40 | ₹0.50 |
| Others (Cash, Vouchers, and More) | ₹0.25 | ₹0.25 |
Higher Reward Earning and Redemption Cap
With the Mayura Credit Card, you can earn and redeem more Reward Points for accelerated travel spends with the IDFC Travel & Shop portal. This benefit would be most suitable for those with high travel expenses, as they can earn and redeem rewards with a much higher cap.
| Cap | Ashva | Mayura |
| Monthly Cap on Bonus Reward Earnings | 15,000 | 25,000 |
| Monthly Capping on Redeemable Reward Points for IDFC Travel & Shop | 1,00,000 | 1,50,000 |
| Annual Capping on Redeemable Reward Points for IDFC Travel & Shop | 2,00,000 | 3,00,000 |
From 1% to Zero Forex Charges
Mayura Credit Card comes with zero Forex charges, making it the perfect choice for international travellers. Those who plan to visit abroad can do so without having to worry about any foreign currency charges while earning Reward Points for the same when they upgrade from Ashva to Mayura Credit Card.
Increased Number of Airport Lounge Visits
The Mayura Credit Card, being the more premium offering, provides more free international airport lounge visits. With the Ashva Credit Card, users are eligible for two free international airport lounge visits each quarter. In contrast, the Mayura card offers four free international airport lounge visits, providing more flexibility and comfort during travel.
The number of domestic airport lounge visits is the same with both cards, but even here, Mayura Credit Card has an edge as it offers one free guest visit each quarter (overall shared limit).
Higher Movie Ticket Value
Both the Ashva and Mayura Credit Cards offer a Buy One Get One Free deal on movie ticket bookings made through the District app. However, there’s a difference in the benefit cap; Ashva cardholders can avail a maximum ticket value of ₹400, while the Mayura Credit Card offers an increased limit of ₹500. Over the course of a year, this translates to an additional benefit of ₹1,200 for Mayura cardholders.
Any Upgrade Benefit?
Most credit card issuers don’t offer any benefit on upgrading from one credit card to another. This is obviously not valid for American Express Credit Cards, which are known to provide high incentives on upgrading to more premium cards. So, if you do choose to upgrade from Ashva to Mayura, do so knowing that you would simply be shifting from one credit card to another without receiving any bonus incentives. The card features themselves should suffice if one chooses to upgrade.
How Much Would You Need to Pay?
There are several reasons why the Mayura Credit Card is the obvious choice, from increased visits to airport lounges to greater value on BOGO movie tickets. However, it’s important to note that it comes with a higher joining fee and annual charge compared to the Ashva Credit Card.
| Fees | Ashva | Mayura |
| Annual Charges | ₹2,999 + GST | ₹5,999 + GST |
The Mayura Credit Card costs twice as much as the Ashva Credit Card. Currently, all applicants for the card can avail themselves of cashback of up to ₹4,000 as a welcome benefit, with the Mayura card effectively reducing the joining fee to ₹2,000. There are no bonus Reward Points being provided at this time.
After reviewing all the features and benefits offered by the card, it is important to assess how much the card charges and whether you will be able to fully utilize its value. Those who frequently watch movies or take advantage of benefits like golf, airport lounge, or spa access can definitely get their money’s worth. However, individuals who make average spends and do not require such luxury privileges may be better off not upgrading. All of this is said keeping in mind that the regular reward rate for both cards is the same, with Mayura gaining an edge only in reward point redemption.
Bottom Line
Many IDFC Ashva Credit Cardholders have been receiving upgrade offers for the Mayura Credit Card, raising the question of whether the card is worth the increased fee. In our opinion, those who can fully take advantage of the numerous benefits should definitely go for it, while those looking to stay on a budget would be better off sticking with the Ashva Credit Card.
One major factor to consider is that both the Ashva and Mayura Credit Cards offer less value in the second year compared to the first, especially when the annual fee is taken into account. For those who opted for the Ashva Credit Card but haven’t been able to achieve the ₹8 lakh annual spend required for the renewal benefit, it may be more suitable to upgrade to Mayura.
Yes, the Mayura Credit Card comes with a higher fee of ₹5,999 + GST, but keep in mind that you can get ₹4,000 back as a joining benefit. So, effectively, you would be paying ₹2,000 + applicable taxes for the upgraded Mayura Credit Card. On the other hand, if you keep the Ashva Card without meeting the ₹8 lakh spend threshold, you would be paying ₹3,000 in annual charges, making Mayura the better value in such cases.
Here is a breakdown with easy representation.
| Fees | Ashva | Mayura |
| Charges | -₹2,999 + GST (Second Year Fee) | -₹5,999 + GST (First Year Joining) |
| Benefits on Payment | -None if Spend Based Criteria Not Achieved
-7,500 Bonus Reward Points if Spends of ₹8 Lakh or More Achieved |
-Cashback Up to ₹4,000 |
Keep in mind that when upgrading from the Ashva to the Mayura Credit Card, a new card will be issued with a shared credit limit. However, the previously issued Ashva Credit Card will not be closed automatically; it must be closed manually by the cardholder.