Best Credit Cards for Fuel in India
Most fuel value in India is the 1% surcharge waiver, not the reward rate, and several issuers exclude fuel from rewards entirely. The table below shows what each card actually returns on fuel spend after those rules.
Short answer
On ₹10,000 a month of fuel spending, IDFC FIRST Bank Quantum+ Credit Card (FD-secured) returns the most in the CardMasters model at about ₹100 a month (₹1,200 a year) before its annual fee of ₹0. 5 issuer-verified cards return anything at all on this category; the rest cap it, exclude it or charge a surcharge — 86 name it in their own exclusion list and 0 add a processing fee on top. Figures apply each card's published caps, exclusions and surcharges rather than its headline reward rate, and are calculated from issuer terms recorded on 2026-08-25.
Source: CardMasters issuer-evidence catalogue, release 2026-08-25. Confirm final terms with the issuer.
| # | Card | Per month | Per year | Annual fee |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | IDFC FIRST Bank Quantum+ Credit Card (FD-secured) | ₹100 | ₹1,200 | ₹0 |
| 2 | IDFC FIRST Bank FIRST Ashva Metal Credit Card | ₹83 | ₹999 | ₹2,999 + GST |
| 3 | IDFC FIRST Bank FIRST Mayura Metal Credit Card | ₹83 | ₹999 | ₹5,999 + GST |
| 4 | IDFC FIRST Bank HPCL Power+ | ₹50 | ₹600 | ₹499 + GST |
| 5 | Google Pay Flex Axis Bank Credit Card | ₹20 | ₹240 | ₹0 |
Cards that earn nothing on fuel spending
86 of the 96 issuer-verified cards CardMasters tracks name fuel spending in their own exclusion list. Spend here usually does not count toward a fee waiver or a milestone either.
Your own spend level changes this order, because monthly caps bind at different points. Run the ranking at your actual monthly spend →
What to check before applying
- Check the per-transaction range and monthly ceiling on the surcharge waiver.
- Confirm whether fuel earns rewards at all, or only avoids the surcharge.
- Co-branded fuel cards usually pay only at their partner pump network.
Frequently asked questions
Which credit card is best for fuel spending in India?
At ₹10,000 a month of fuel spending, IDFC FIRST Bank Quantum+ Credit Card (FD-secured) ranks first at about ₹100 a month in the CardMasters model, followed by IDFC FIRST Bank FIRST Ashva Metal Credit Card (₹83) and IDFC FIRST Bank FIRST Mayura Metal Credit Card (₹83). The ranking changes with your spend level because monthly caps bind at different points, and the annual fee has to be subtracted from the annual total.
How is the monthly value calculated?
Each card's published earn rate is applied to ₹10,000 of monthly fuel spending, then its category cap, exclusions and any surcharge are applied, and reward currency is valued at a conservative redemption rate rather than the issuer's best-case example. This is the same calculation CardMasters uses for personalised recommendations.
Why do some well-known cards return nothing here?
Because they exclude this category from rewards, cap it at zero, or levy a surcharge that cancels the earn. Cards returning nothing on fuel spending are left out of the table rather than shown with a headline rate they do not actually pay here.
Does the annual fee change the ranking?
Yes. This table ranks by reward return only. Subtract the annual fee plus GST — unless your spend clears the waiver threshold — before deciding, and compare the result against the cards already in your wallet rather than in isolation.