These 5 credit cards are being devalued in 2026. Check list

In 2026, several banks announced changes in their rewards and cashback offerings, leading to a noticeable decline in the overall benefits they offer.

Here, we list five credit cards that have undergone major devaluations this year. Some credit cards have introduced lower cashback rates, whereas others have imposed caps on benefits. Let us understand more about this.

5 credit cards are currently being devalued

1. IndusInd Credit card: This credit card will no longer offer free airport lounge access. In order to claim free lounge access, cardholders must have used their card upto a certain amount in the previous quarter.

Here we list out the card-wise breakup:

Indulge needs ₹5 lakh spend>> 6 lounge visits

Solitaire needs 5 lakh spend> 4 lounge visits

Crest needs 5 lakh spend> 2 lounge visits

Legacy needs 1.5 lakh spend > 1 visit

Pinnacle needs 1.5 lakh spend > 1 visit

Celesta needs 1.5 lakh to spend > unlimited visits

2. SBI Cashback Card: This is a popular cashback card which used to give unlimited cashback at a fixed percentage. Now, cardholders would have to get accustomed to capping.

Online spends will now offer 5% cashback up to ₹2,000, and offline spends will offer 1% cashback up to ₹2,000. Therefore, if you are a heavy spender, this card won't offer you many benefits.

3. HDFC Infinia Card: The cardholders of HDFC Infinia can now lose access to this card until one of these two conditions is met: a) ₹18 lakh yearly spend (primary + add-on card). b) total relationship value touches ₹50 lakh (savings, current, FD and recurring account).

4. Federal Scapia Card: Earlier, to be able to access airport privileges, cardholders had to have spent a minimum of ₹10,000, but now the minimum spend has been stretched to ₹20,000. For daily spend, rewards are being phased out for various expenses, such as electricity, phone recharges, and insurance.

However, this credit card has introduced a new offering – those who spend ₹50,000 through international booking are now entitled to airport privileges at the Indian and international airports and 100% rewards up to a maximum of ₹2,000.

5. Airtel Axis Card: This credit card was earlier giving cashback of 10% on utility spend with 1% base cashback. Starting 12 April, this card caps cashback at base spend. 25% Airtel cashback is now capped at 2X base cashback, and 10% utility cashback is capped at 1X base cashback. This means lower spending, lower cashback.

Disclaimer: MintMoney has a tie-up with fintechs for providing credit; you will need to share your information if you apply. These tie-ups do not influence our editorial content. This article only intends to educate and spread awareness about credit needs like loans, credit cards and credit score. MintMoney does not promote or encourage taking credit, as it comes with a set of risks, such as high interest rates, hidden charges, etc. We advise investors to discuss with certified experts before taking any credit.

To apply for credit cards, visit here