YES Bank RESERV Credit Card (formerly First Exclusive): Fees, Rewards & Real Value

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YES Bank RESERV Credit Card Review (formerly YES First Exclusive)

YES Bank · Premium · Mastercard · Renamed from YES First Exclusive in 2024
Our score: 5.6 / 10
Annual fee: ₹1,999 + GST (waivable)
Reward rate: 6 RP per ₹200 on select categories
Lounge: Complimentary international lounge access
Forex: 1.75% (preferential)
Renaming notice: YES BANK has renamed this product to RESERV Credit Card. The issuer's product page (yes.bank.in/personal-banking/cards/credit-card/reserv-credit-card) explicitly states “RESERV was previously known as YES FIRST EXCLUSIVE”. All terms, fees, and features remain the same per the issuer's landing page.

Best for: NRIs (and resident YES BANK customers via the parallel resident variant) with NRE/NRO FD, ₹2L+/month income or ₹18L+ ITR, who travel internationally and want preferential 1.75% forex, complimentary international lounge access, 25% BookMyShow discount, and a low 2.99%/month revolving rate.

What we like
  • Preferential 1.75% forex markup — well below 3.5% standard
  • Complimentary international airport lounge access
  • Low revolving interest rate of 2.99%/month
  • First-year fee waived on ₹40K spend in 30 days; renewal waived on ₹3L annual spend
  • NRI variant available — links to NRE/NRO FD & auto-debit from NRE/NRO Savings Account
  • 8,000 RP renewal benefit (year 2 onwards)
  • Welcome ₹500 Amazon voucher on ₹1,000 spend within 30 days
Watch out for
  • No lounge access
  • Weak base reward rate
  • Limited to Yes Bank customers for best benefits
  • Forex 3.5%

Fees & charges

ItemCharge
First-year membership fee₹1,999 + GST — waived on ₹40,000 retail spends within 30 days of card setup
Renewal fee (year 2 onward)₹1,999 + GST — waived on ₹3,00,000 retail spends in the 12 months prior to renewal
Finance charge (revolving)2.99% p.m. (~35.88% p.a.) on revolving credit
Forex markup1.75% (preferential — well below the 3.5% market standard)
Rent / wallet transaction fee1% of transaction value (min ₹1) on rental and wallet transactions; rentals capped at 3 per 30-day period
Cash advance / late paymentRefer current MITC

Rewards structure

Per the YES BANK product page: 6 RP per ₹200 on select categories (= 3 RP/₹100). 8,000 RP renewal benefit applicable from year 2 onwards (post annual membership renewal). Air-miles redemption: 10 RP = 1 InterMile / 1 Club Vistara Point — note both InterMiles and Vistara redemption have been discontinued (InterMiles wound down; Vistara merged into Air India), so the air-miles math is effectively obsolete; redeem via the YES Rewardz portal for vouchers / statement credit instead. Effective rupee return at typical YES Rewardz value (~₹0.20-0.25/RP) is roughly 0.6-0.75% on the 3 RP/₹100 tier.

Key benefits

  • Complimentary international airport lounge access (verify lounge count and program in current MITC — historically Priority Pass)
  • 1.75% preferential forex markup on all international spends
  • 2.99%/month revolving credit interest — among the lowest on YES Bank consumer cards
  • 8,000 RP renewal benefit (year 2 onwards)
  • Renewal fee waived at ₹3L annual spend (NOT ₹1L); first-year fee waived at ₹40K spend within 30 days
  • Rent & wallet transactions attract 1% fee; rentals capped at 3 per 30 days

Who the Yes Bank First Exclusive is for

Yes Bank account holders who see 4 movies a year + want a fee-waive entry card. Outside Yes Bank relationship, better options exist at this fee level.

Final verdict

A functional entry card for existing Yes Bank customers. Nothing standout, but the fee-waiver at ₹1L is easily hit. Upgrade to Yes Bank Marquee or Private Prime for real premium features.

FAQ

Does First Exclusive give Yes Premia account tier?

It does unlock some Yes Premia benefits for card customers — this is a marketing bundle, not a full savings-account tier change.

Is the BOGO valid on IMAX bookings?

BOGO applies to standard 2D and 3D bookings. IMAX and premium formats typically excluded. Check the current terms on BookMyShow.

How do I redeem reward points?

Redeem via Yes Bank mobile app → Cards → Rewards → Catalogue / statement credit / Amazon voucher.

Fees and features verified against the issuer's public website. Benefits may vary; always confirm current terms with the issuer before applying.

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