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Credit CardsComparisons

IDFC FIRST WOW vs Marriott Bonvoy HDFC

A head-to-head comparison of IDFC FIRST WOW and Marriott Bonvoy HDFC across fees, rewards, and spending categories to help you decide which card suits your wallet better.

TravelCard A

IDFC FIRST WOW

International Trips

Annual Fee
Lifetime Free
Reward Rate
Zero Forex Markup
Apply Now Read full review →
TravelCard B

Marriott Bonvoy HDFC

Hotel Loyalists

Annual Fee
₹3,000
Reward Rate
Bonvoy Points
Apply Now Read full review →

Feature comparison

FeatureIDFC FIRSTMarriott Bonvoy
Annual FeeLifetime Free₹3,000 + taxes (No waiver under any condition)
Reward RateZero Forex MarkupBonvoy Points
Best ForInternational TripsHotel Loyalists
First-Card Friendly
Lounge Access
Zero Forex Markup

Spending category coverage

Which categories does each card reward?

CategoryIDFC FIRSTMarriott Bonvoy
Domestic travel
International travel
Airport lounge access
Zero forex markup

Quick verdict

Choose IDFC FIRST WOW if:

  • Lower annual fee (₹Nil vs ₹3,000)
  • You spend heavily on zero forex markup
  • This is your first credit card

Choose Marriott Bonvoy HDFC if:

  • You spend heavily on domestic travel
  • You spend heavily on airport lounge access

Full pros & cons

IDFC FIRST WOW

What's good
  • 0% Forex Markup — saves ₹3,500+ on every lakh spent abroad
  • FD-backed with guaranteed approval
  • No minimum income criteria required
  • 3X reward points (~0.75% effective) on regular spends — 3 RP per ₹150 outside fuel/EMI/wallet
Watch out for
  • Credit limit is 100% tied to the FD amount blocked
  • Requires locking funds in a fixed deposit
  • Does not waive international ATM withdrawal charges

Marriott Bonvoy HDFC

What's good
  • Annual free night award (up to 15,000 points) easily offsets the ₹3,000 fee
  • 12 domestic + 12 international lounge visits per year
  • Automatic Marriott Bonvoy Silver Elite status + 10 Elite Night Credits/year
Watch out for
  • Bonvoy points strictly locked to the Marriott ecosystem
  • Annual fee not waivable under any condition — no spend-based waiver exists