PNB RuPay Select Credit Card Review

At a Glance

Joining Fee	₹500 + GST (₹590 all-in)
Annual Fee	₹750 + GST (₹885 all-in), waived if you use the card at least once in every quarter of the previous year
Best Suited For	PNB customers earning ₹5 lakh or more a year who want a low-cost card with lounge visits and UPI payments
Reward Type	PNB Rewardz points, redeemable for vouchers, products or cashback

The PNB RuPay Select Credit Card is the step up from PNB’s RuPay Platinum card.

For a ₹500 + GST joining fee you get two domestic lounge visits every quarter, two international visits a year, ₹10 lakh of personal accident cover and a slightly better reward rate.

Its best feature is the easiest fee waiver you will find on any card: use it once in every quarter and the ₹750 annual fee goes away.

Because it runs on RuPay, you can also link it to UPI apps and pay at any shop with a QR code. The weak spot is the reward rate, which is low even by entry-level standards.

Rewards & Benefits

Reward rate and earn structure

Benefit	Rate	Cap
All retail spends	2 reward points per ₹150	No cap published
First transaction bonus	300 reward points	Once, on a retail or online transaction within 90 days of receiving the card
Accelerated categories	None	Not applicable

There is no multiplier on any category, so every eligible rupee earns at the same flat rate. PNB does not publish a list of excluded categories on the card page.

Redemption and point value

You need at least 1,000 points to redeem, and points expire three years after they are earned.

Redeem on the PNB Rewardz portal for movie tickets, hotel bookings, recharges, merchandise and e-vouchers, or convert points to cashback on your card account.

PNB gives two different values. The RuPay Select card page says 1 point is worth ₹0.25, while the PNB Rewardz page says 1 point is worth ₹0.50, or ₹500 for 1,000 points.

At ₹0.25, two points per ₹150 return 0.33% of your spend. At ₹0.50 the return is 0.67%. Plan with the lower figure. On ₹3 lakh of yearly spends that means 4,000 points, worth ₹1,000 at ₹0.25 a point.

Lounge, insurance and lifestyle

Benefit	Allowance
Domestic airport lounge	2 visits a quarter
International airport lounge	2 visits a year
Railway lounge	Not offered
Personal accident insurance	₹10 lakh
Fuel surcharge waiver	1% on transactions of ₹400 to ₹4,000, up to ₹350 per statement cycle

Unlike many cards in this price range, PNB does not tie the lounge visits to a spend target on the card page.

PNB also lists a premium health check-up package, complimentary golf and spa sessions and a complimentary gym membership. The page does not say how many sessions you get or at which partners, so ask PNB customer care before you count on them.

Fees & Charges

Charge	Amount
Joining fee	₹500 + GST; add-on cards nil
Annual fee	₹750 + GST; add-on cards nil
Fee waiver	Card used at least once in each quarter of the previous year
Interest	2.95% a month (35.89% a year)
Interest-free period	20 to 50 days on retail purchases
Foreign currency markup	3.5%
Cash withdrawal	2%, minimum ₹150 at PNB ATMs, ₹200 at other ATMs, ₹300 abroad
Cash advance limit	20% of your credit limit
Late payment	Nil up to ₹1,000; ₹500 up to ₹5,000; ₹600 up to ₹10,000; ₹750 above ₹10,000
Over-limit	2.5%, minimum ₹500
Railway tickets	2.5% at the counter, up to 1.8% on IRCTC
Minimum amount due	5% of the total due

GST at 18% applies to every fee and to interest. Hitting the waiver is simple: put one small purchase on the card in each of the four quarters, such as a monthly bill or a grocery run.

Miss even one quarter and you pay ₹885 the next year.

The charge that catches people out is cash. Withdrawals cost at least ₹150 each, and interest at 2.95% a month starts on the day you withdraw, with no interest-free period.

Eligibility & Documents Required

PNB asks for an annual income of ₹5 lakh for the RuPay Select card, double the ₹2.5 lakh needed for RuPay Platinum. The card page does not list an age range.

Keep your PAN, an address proof such as Aadhaar and recent income proof ready. PNB offers paperless and online applications with video KYC, and the credit limit is set on your income and credit profile.

Pros & Cons

Pros	Cons
Fee waived with one use a quarter	Reward return of only 0.33% at ₹0.25 a point
2 domestic lounge visits a quarter	No accelerated categories
₹10 lakh accident cover	3.5% forex markup
Works on UPI	Lifestyle perks are not detailed

PNB RuPay Select vs Competitors

Card	Joining / annual fee	Fee waiver	Lounge
PNB RuPay Select	₹500 / ₹750 + GST	One use each quarter	2 domestic a quarter, 2 international a year
PNB RuPay Platinum	Nil / ₹500 + GST	One use each quarter	2 domestic a quarter, 2 international a year
HDFC Bank UPI RuPay	₹99 / ₹99 + GST	₹25,000 a year	Not offered

PNB’s own RuPay Platinum card lists the same lounge visits with no joining fee. Select is worth the extra ₹500 only if you value the ₹10 lakh accident cover (against ₹2 lakh on Platinum), the slightly higher reward rate and the lifestyle perks.

How to Apply

Go to PNB’s credit card portal and choose Apply Credit Card Online or the paperless option. PNB account holders may see a pre-qualified offer there.

Complete video KYC, then track the application on the same portal. Once the card arrives, make a purchase within 90 days to collect the 300 bonus points.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is the PNB RuPay Select annual fee waived?

Yes, the ₹750 + GST fee is waived if you use the card at least once in each quarter of the previous year. There is no spend target.

How many lounge visits does PNB RuPay Select give?

Two domestic airport lounge visits a quarter and two international visits a year. Railway lounge access is not offered.

What is the minimum income for PNB RuPay Select?

An annual income of ₹5 lakh. The RuPay Platinum card needs ₹2.5 lakh.

Can I use the PNB RuPay Select card on UPI?

Yes. It is a RuPay card, so you can link it to UPI apps and pay by scanning merchant QR codes.

What is a PNB reward point worth?

₹0.25 according to the card page, though the PNB Rewardz page quotes ₹0.50. You need 1,000 points to redeem.

Bottom Line

Get the PNB RuPay Select if you bank with PNB, earn ₹5 lakh or more and want a card that costs almost nothing to keep, with eight domestic lounge visits a year and solid accident cover.

One purchase a quarter keeps the fee at zero. Skip it if rewards are your priority, since a 0.33% return is among the lowest around.

Skip it too if you spend abroad, because of the 3.5% markup. And if you do not need the higher insurance cover, PNB RuPay Platinum gives the same lounge visits with no joining fee.