Scapia Credit Card
Scapia remains the best free travel card in India as of June 2026, even after the February 2026 reward rate cuts. Zero forex markup, 2% base rewards on regular spend, and unlimited domestic lounge access (with ₹20,000 monthly spend milestone) from a card with zero annual fee is a combination no competitor has matched in the free tier.
By Ashutosh · Updated June 2026
The February 27, 2026 changes reduced travel rewards from 5% to 4% on bookings via the Scapia app, and added utility bills and insurance to the exclusion list — meaning these categories no longer earn rewards AND no longer count toward the ₹20,000/month lounge unlock milestone. This is a meaningful cut but not a deal-breaker. The core proposition remains: zero annual fee, zero forex markup (saving 3% to 3.5% on all international transactions), 2% base rewards on eligible spends, and unlimited domestic lounge access for people who spend ₹20,000 or more per month on qualifying categories. The ₹20,000 milestone is achievable for most working professionals between dining, shopping, travel, and subscriptions — just avoid routing utility and insurance payments through Scapia for milestone purposes. The new benefit of 100% cashback up to ₹2,000 on duty-free and international dining for ₹50,000 or more international flight bookings via the Scapia app is a meaningful add-on for international travelers. For a free card, this depth of travel-oriented benefits is unmatched in India.
Working professionals who travel domestically two or more times a year, spend ₹20,000 or more monthly on non-utility eligible categories, and want zero forex for international trips — all from a card with no annual fee.
Your monthly spend is primarily utilities, insurance, and rent (which are now excluded from both rewards and the lounge milestone), or you want to accumulate transferable airline miles for business class redemptions.
~2% effective on all spends (10 Scapia Coins/₹100, 5 coins = ₹1) · Zero forex · Unlimited domestic lounge (₹20K/mo spend)
PROS
- Lifetime free — no annual fee ever
- 4% on travel (still competitive)
- 2% base on all regular spends
- ₹50K+ intl flight via app → ₹2,000 back for duty-free/dining (new perk)
CONS
- Travel rate cut from 5% to 4% (Feb 2026)
- Utility bills and insurance earn 0% AND don't count toward lounge spend milestone
- Rewards only redeemable for travel on Scapia app
- International Purchases and Travel: Zero forex markup is Scapia's strongest feature for international use. At 3.5% forex savings on an international vacation budget of ₹1,50,000, you save ₹5,250 compared to a standard card — from a card with zero annual fee. This alone makes Scapia worth carrying on every international trip. The additional benefit of 100% cashback up to ₹2,000 on duty-free and international dining when you book a ₹50,000-plus international flight via the Scapia app is a useful bonus for frequent international travelers.
- Scapia App Travel Bookings: Flight and hotel bookings through the Scapia app earn 4% Scapia Coins (down from 5% pre-February 2026). Scapia Coins redeem at 1 coin = ₹1 on Scapia travel bookings, making this effectively 4% cashback on travel booked through the app. On a ₹50,000 quarterly travel spend through the app, that is ₹2,000 in Scapia Coins — solid for a free card.
- Domestic Airport Lounge Access (₹20K Milestone): Unlimited domestic lounge access unlocks when you spend ₹20,000 or more per month on eligible categories (note: utility bills and insurance do NOT count from February 2026). This is achievable for most earners between dining, shopping, fuel, and subscriptions. Once unlocked, there is no cap on lounge visits for that month. Domestic lounges include all major VISA partner lounges across the Indian airport network.
- Regular Non-Utility Everyday Spending: The 2% base reward rate on general eligible spend is above average for a free card — SBI SimplyCLICK earns 1%, ICICI Platinum earns 0.5%, and YES Kiwi earns 0.5%. At ₹30,000/month on eligible categories, Scapia earns ₹600/month or ₹7,200/year in Scapia Coins from a zero-fee card.
- Dining and Food Delivery: Standard dining at restaurants and food delivery platforms typically falls in the eligible category at 2% base rate. If Scapia has partner accelerated rates with specific platforms (check the current app for partner list), the rate may be higher. Even at base 2%, Scapia earns more than most free card competitors on dining.
Post-February 2026, utility and insurance payments earn zero Scapia rewards AND do not count toward the ₹20,000 lounge milestone. SBI SimplySave offers 10X rewards on grocery, dining, and movies at a ₹499 fee — route utilities through a card that at least earns something on them, or use the bank's auto-debit where surcharges apply.
Scapia Coins are a closed loop — they redeem on the Scapia platform and cannot be transferred to Singapore Airlines, Air India, or any frequent flyer program. If you want to build a points balance redeemable for business class flights, HSBC TravelOne's KrisFlyer and Avios transfer partnerships are purpose-built for this at ₹2,999/year.
Scapia has no international lounge access at all. If you transit through Dubai, Singapore, London, or other international hubs regularly, IDFC FIRST Power Plus (₹2,999) or a premium travel card with international lounge coverage is needed. Scapia's lounge benefit is purely domestic.
AU Xcite ACE gives 2% flat cashback (capped at ₹1,000/month) on ALL categories including utilities and insurance — which Scapia now excludes. For pure cashback on mixed spend with no category exclusions, Xcite ACE is more reliable as a catch-all free card.
Both cards are free and together they cover two major gaps each other has. Amazon Pay ICICI delivers 5% on Amazon (Scapia earns 2% on Amazon) and works well for domestic everyday purchases. Scapia handles all international transactions with zero forex and domestic lounge access. Two free cards, near-comprehensive coverage.
HSBC Cashback earns 1.5% flat on everything including utilities (which Scapia now excludes). Route utility bills, insurance, and other excluded-category payments through HSBC Cashback to capture 1.5% on those spends, while Scapia handles international transactions, lounge access, and travel bookings.
View HSBC Cashback Credit Card →AU Xcite ACE is free and earns 2% on all categories including those Scapia excludes post-February 2026. Use Xcite ACE for utility, insurance, and high-volume domestic spend; use Scapia for all international transactions, travel bookings via the app, and domestic lounge access. Combined fee: zero.
View AU Xcite ACE Credit Card →What changed with Scapia in February 2026?
Three changes took effect from February 27, 2026. First, travel rewards on Scapia app bookings dropped from 5% to 4% Scapia Coins. Second, utility bills and insurance payments were removed from eligible reward categories — these now earn zero Scapia Coins. Third, utility and insurance transactions no longer count toward the ₹20,000/month spend milestone needed to unlock unlimited domestic lounge access. The 2% base reward rate on other eligible categories and the zero forex markup were not changed.
How do I unlock unlimited domestic lounge access on Scapia?
You need to spend ₹20,000 or more in the current calendar month on eligible transactions. Eligible categories include dining, shopping, fuel, travel, and subscriptions — but not utility bills or insurance post-February 2026. Lounge access unlocks for the following month. If you meet the milestone in June, you get unlimited lounge access in July. If you miss the milestone, you lose lounge access for that month — there is no grace period or partial visit allowance.
Can I transfer Scapia Coins to airline frequent flyer programs?
No. Scapia Coins are a closed-loop currency redeemable only on the Scapia app for travel bookings including flights, hotels, and related purchases. There are no airline or hotel transfer partnerships. If building transferable miles is your goal, Scapia is the wrong card — look at HSBC TravelOne (KrisFlyer, Avios, Asia Miles) or Axis Atlas instead.
Does the ₹20,000 milestone need to be on the Scapia app or anywhere?
The ₹20,000 milestone applies to your overall eligible transactions on the Scapia credit card across all purchases — not just bookings made through the Scapia app. Regular purchases at restaurants, stores, and online platforms all count toward the milestone as long as they are eligible categories. Excluded categories like utilities and insurance do not count regardless of where you make them.
What is the 100% cashback offer on duty-free and international dining?
When you book an international flight of ₹50,000 or more through the Scapia app using your Scapia card, you become eligible for 100% cashback up to ₹2,000 on duty-free purchases and international restaurant dining charged to your Scapia card. This is a targeted offer for international travelers and the conditions matter: the qualifying flight must be booked through the Scapia app, and the duty-free/dining purchases must be made within a specified period. Check the Scapia app for current validity and claim process.
Is Scapia safe to use as a primary credit card?
Scapia is issued by Federal Bank, a licensed scheduled commercial bank regulated by the Reserve Bank of India. It is as safe as any major bank-issued credit card. The Scapia platform operates as a co-brand partner on top of Federal Bank's infrastructure. Your credit line, dispute resolution, and consumer protection rights are governed by Federal Bank's standard credit card terms.
How does Scapia compare to the Niyo Global card for international use?
Niyo Global is a forex card (prepaid), not a credit card — a fundamentally different product. Scapia is a credit card with full credit line, reward accumulation, and credit-building benefits, plus zero forex markup. Niyo Global is better for strict budget control on international trips since it is prepaid. For everyday use, reward earning, and credit line flexibility, Scapia as a credit card is the stronger product. You can use both — Niyo for strict budgeted international cash-equivalent spends, Scapia for everything else.