Credit Card Reward Points Expiry — HDFC vs SBI vs ICICI vs Axis vs Amex (Bank-by-Bank Comparison 2026)
In short: Reward point expiry varies dramatically across Indian credit card issuers — from “never expire” (Amex, IDFC FIRST) to 12 months (Axis Edge Rewards, HDFC CashPoints, Kotak). The most common expiry is 24 months from the month earned, with each month's earning expiring on a rolling basis. Co-branded cards (Marriott Bonvoy, Tata Neu) follow the partner programme's rules, not the bank's. The worst-case scenario: forgetting about a year-old card, having 40,000 points expire silently, and losing ₹20,000 of redemption value. This guide gives the verified expiry rules per major issuer, the strategies to never let points expire, and the dirty trick of “freezing” expiry through card disputes.
Why Reward Point Expiry Matters More Than People Realise
Most Indian credit card users carry a steady balance of unredeemed reward points. The average HDFC Regalia user holds 30,000–60,000 points; an Infinia holder, 80,000–150,000. On a card with 24-month rolling expiry, every month a slice of those points is dropping off the back of the queue. If you redeem only annually (or worse, never), you are quietly forfeiting 30–50% of the value you earned.
The math: a mid-tier user earning 4,000 points/month at ₹0.50 redemption value = ₹2,000 monthly = ₹24,000/year worth. Losing one quarter of that to expiry = ₹6,000 a year, every year. Across the average card lifespan of 5–8 years, that is ₹30,000–₹50,000 of unforced value loss.
Bank-by-Bank Expiry Rules (FY 2026-27)
| Issuer / Programme | Expiry rule | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| American Express Membership Rewards | Never expire | Subject to at least one chargeable transaction in any 12-month period. Otherwise points lapse with account closure. |
| IDFC FIRST Bank | Never expire | Cleanest rule in the industry. Points carry forward indefinitely as long as card is active. |
| HDFC Infinia / Diners Black | 24 months from earning (rolling) | Points earned in May 2026 expire end-May 2028. Each month is FIFO. |
| HDFC Regalia / Regalia Gold | 24 months (rolling) | Same FIFO rule. |
| HDFC Millennia (CashPoints) | 12 months (rolling) | CashPoints are different from Reward Points — shorter expiry. |
| HDFC MoneyBack+ / Easy EMI | 12 months (rolling) | Same as Millennia. |
| HDFC Cashback (e.g., Swiggy) | Credited directly as cashback — no expiry on cashback once credited | Cashback hits statement immediately, no “redemption” needed. |
| SBI Card (general) | 24 months (rolling) | SBI ELITE, SimplyCLICK, SimplySAVE all follow this rule. |
| SBI BPCL / Yatra / AirIndia co-brands | 24 months | Partner programme points (e.g., BPCL fuel benefits) follow partner rules. |
| ICICI Reward Points / Payback | 36 months (3 years) | Used to be 24, extended in 2023 for most ICICI variants. |
| ICICI Amazon Pay (Cashback) | No expiry on cashback | Cashback credited as Amazon Pay Balance. |
| Axis Bank EDGE Rewards (general) | 12 months from earning | The shortest expiry among major banks. Aggressive redemption needed. |
| Axis Atlas / Magnus EDGE Miles | EDGE Miles do not expire as long as card is active | Earned miles persist; the welcome bonus has separate annual milestones. |
| Axis Magnus Burgundy | EDGE Miles — no expiry while active | Same as Atlas. |
| Kotak Mahindra (most cards) | 12 months from earning | Some premium cards (League, White) have 24-month expiry. |
| Standard Chartered 360° Rewards | 36 months | One of the longer expiries in the market. |
| Yes Bank (most cards) | 36 months | Yes Premia and Marquee follow this. |
| RBL Bank | 24 months | Standard for RBL co-brands too. |
| IndusInd Bank | 24 months | Same for Pinnacle, Iconia, Aura variants. |
| Federal Bank Scapia (Scapia Coins) | 24 months | Scapia Coins are redeemable only in Scapia app. |
| HSBC India | 24 months | Standard rule. |
| BoB / Bank of Baroda | 24 months | Across BOBCARD variants. |
Co-Branded Cards Follow Partner Programme Rules
When you spend on a co-branded card, you typically earn points in the partner's programme, not the bank's. The expiry rule then follows the partner:
| Co-branded card | Earns in | Expiry rule (partner programme) |
|---|---|---|
| HDFC Marriott Bonvoy | Marriott Bonvoy Points | 24 months from last earn/redeem activity (any qualifying activity resets) |
| HDFC Tata Neu Infinity / Plus | NeuCoins | 12 months from earning (rolling) |
| SBI Air India / Vistara (legacy) | Air India / Vistara miles | 24-36 months, varies by airline programme |
| Axis Vistara (legacy) | Club Vistara CV Points | Now merged into Air India Flying Returns — check current rules |
| HDFC IndiGo 6E Rewards | 6E Rewards | 12 months from earning |
| Marriott Bonvoy direct | Marriott points | 24 months last activity (resets on every earn/redeem) |
| ITC Royal Choice / Culinaire | ITC Hotels points / dining credits | 24 months from earning |
| ICICI Sapphiro (Domestic) | ICICI Reward Points | 36 months (bank rule, not partner) |
The trickiest case: Tata Neu Infinity. NeuCoins expire 12 months from earning, much shorter than HDFC's 24-month standard. Many Tata Neu Infinity users underspend during the early ownership period, then find their first year's NeuCoins quietly expiring at month 13. See our Tata Neu Infinity vs alternatives comparison for the full mechanics.
The “First-In-First-Out” Rule
For all rolling-expiry programmes (the vast majority), expiry is FIFO — first in, first out. Points earned in May 2026 expire end-May 2028. If you redeem 10,000 points in June 2026, the redemption is debited from your oldest earned points first. This is generally good for you — it means redeeming any points reduces your near-expiry pool first.
Important corollary: redeem your points before earning new ones. If you have 50,000 points and want to spend them on a flight, redeem first, then make a fresh big purchase. The new purchase earns new points that have full 24 months of life.
How to Check Your Card's Specific Expiry Rule
The expiry rule is buried in the Most Important Terms and Conditions (MITC) document for each card. Three ways to find it:
- Bank's website: Search “[card name] MITC” — every card has a downloadable MITC PDF. Look for “Reward Points” or “Reward Programme” section.
- Welcome kit: The physical/digital booklet that came with your card lists expiry rules in the rewards section.
- Card app or NetBanking: Your reward point balance display often shows “expiring soon” or specific expiry dates per batch. HDFC, SBI Card, ICICI all show this.
If you cannot find it, call customer care. They are obligated to disclose the exact rule.
Strategies to Never Let Points Expire
Strategy 1: Quarterly Redemption Discipline
Set a quarterly calendar reminder (Mar 31, Jun 30, Sep 30, Dec 31). On each, check all cards and redeem any points expiring in the next 90 days. For most users, this single habit prevents 80%+ of avoidable expiry loss.
Strategy 2: Auto-Redemption (Use with Caution)
Some banks (HDFC, SBI, ICICI) let you set “Auto-redemption” — when points reach a threshold, they automatically convert to statement credit. Convenient, but value is usually lower than manual redemption via SmartBuy / iShop / EDGE Rewards portal. Use only if you do not have time for manual optimisation.
Strategy 3: Cluster Redemption
Save up enough points for a single big redemption (a flight, premium voucher, big-ticket electronics). Many programmes have minimum redemption thresholds (HDFC SmartBuy: 1,000 points minimum; SBI: 500 points; Axis: usually 500). Clustering also reduces administrative friction.
Strategy 4: Travel-Heavy Redemption Cards Use Travel Portal Always
For Infinia, Diners Black, Atlas, and SCB Ultimate cardholders — always redeem via the travel portal (HDFC SmartBuy, Atlas EDGE Miles transfer, SCB 360° Travel) for highest per-point value. Statement credit is the worst use.
Strategy 5: Watch Quarterly Caps
For HDFC Infinia (1,50,000-point quarterly cap on travel redemption) and Regalia Gold (50,000-point cap), space large redemptions across quarters. Otherwise excess falls to lower voucher rates.
The dirty trick — temporary expiry freeze: If a card transaction is disputed (you file a chargeback for an unauthorised charge), most issuers freeze ALL reward activity on the card until the dispute resolves — including expiry. This is not a deliberate feature; it is operational policy. Some users have used legitimate small disputes to “pause” near-expiry points. We don't recommend gaming this — fraudulent disputes are themselves chargeable offences. But if you happen to have a real dispute pending, your points are safe.
When Expiry Hits — What Banks Communicate
Banks are required to send 30-day expiry warnings via SMS and email. In practice:
- HDFC, SBI, Axis, ICICI: Reliable 30-day SMS warning. Some send 60-day warning too.
- Amex: No warning needed — points don't expire if account is active.
- Smaller issuers (RBL, IndusInd, Yes): Less reliable. Don't rely on warnings; track yourself.
If you miss a warning and points expire, recovery is extremely rare. Some users have successfully called and explained extenuating circumstances (death in family, medical emergency) to get a one-time reinstatement. Most cases — no recovery.
What Happens to Points When You Close the Card
The most common way to lose points permanently: close the card without redeeming. The moment your card is closed, all unredeemed reward points are forfeited. There is no grace period.
Before closing any card:
- Check current reward balance
- Redeem fully (or as much as possible above the minimum threshold)
- Initiate closure only after redemption is confirmed
See our closure guide for the full sequence including CIBIL impact.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do points earned during EMI transactions also expire?
EMI transactions typically do not earn reward points at all on most cards. If your card is an exception (some IDFC FIRST variants earn on EMI), expiry follows the standard programme rule.
If I receive points via welcome bonus, do they expire with the rest?
Yes. Welcome bonus points are subject to the same expiry rule as earned points. Some issuers add a separate condition that welcome points only become “earnable” after milestone completion — but once credited, normal expiry applies.
What if my points expire on a Sunday?
The expiry date is calendar-based, not banking-day based. Points expire on the date listed regardless of business day. Plan redemption a week ahead if expiry falls on a weekend.
Can I transfer points to my spouse's card to extend expiry?
No major Indian programme allows direct point transfers between cardholders. Closest workaround: convert your points to a transferable voucher (Amazon, Flipkart) and gift the voucher.
Does paying with reward points count as a chargeable transaction for Amex's 12-month rule?
No. Amex requires a chargeable transaction (purchase, not a redemption) at least once in 12 months to keep Membership Rewards points alive. A single ₹100 purchase resets the clock.
Sources
- Most Important Terms and Conditions (MITC) documents for HDFC, SBI Card, ICICI, Axis, Amex, Standard Chartered, IDFC FIRST, Yes, Kotak, RBL, IndusInd credit cards — FY 2026-27
- Marriott Bonvoy, Tata Neu, 6E Rewards, Club Vistara programme terms of service
- Bank-specific reward programme T&Cs accessed from issuer websites
- RBI Guidelines on Credit Card Issuance — required disclosures regarding reward expiry
