Yes Reserv Credit Card Review 2026: Unlimited Lounges for ₹2,499

Yes Reserv packs super-premium perks into a ₹2,499 fee: unlimited domestic and international lounge access, a 2% forex markup, a ₹3 crore air accident cover and golf, with the fee waived at ₹3 lakh of annual spend. On paper its 4% base and 8% travel reward rates are strong too. The catches are a ₹2 lakh monthly income bar, lounge benefits limited to the primary cardholder, and Yes Bank's history of reworking reward rules, so read the current terms carefully.

Who it's for

Yes Reserv is aimed at high earners who fly often, both within India and abroad, and who want unlimited lounge access without paying ₹10,000 or more a year for it. If you meet the income requirement and travel monthly, few cards give you this much for the fee.

It's less suited to couples who travel together and expect both to get into lounges, since the unlimited access covers the primary cardholder only. It is also not a cashback card for everyday shoppers: the value comes from travel perks and points, and you need to redeem those points sensibly to see the stated return.

Fees and waiver

Item	Yes Reserv
Joining fee	₹2,499 + GST
Annual fee	₹2,499 + GST
Fee waiver	₹3,00,000 annual spend
Forex markup	2% (from 15 Jun 2026)
Minimum income	₹2,00,000 a month
Network	Visa

A ₹3 lakh waiver is ₹25,000 a month, which most people who qualify for this card will spend anyway. That effectively makes it free from year two. In the first year you pay the ₹2,499 joining fee plus 18% GST, about ₹2,949 in total, which the rewards in either example below cover several times over.

Reward structure

BestCard's data lists:

• Base rate: 4% on eligible spends
• Travel: 8%
• Point value: 25 paise

These are effective rates after converting points at 25 paise. Yes Bank applies exclusions (typically categories like fuel, rent and wallet loads on most cards) and may cap points on some categories or redemptions, so check the current reward terms before counting on the full rate for every spend.

Worked example: ₹60,000 a month

Say you spend ₹10,000 a month on travel and ₹50,000 on other eligible spends.

• Travel: ₹10,000 × 8% = ₹800
• Other: ₹50,000 × 4% = ₹2,000
• Monthly: ₹2,800, so ₹33,600 a year

Annual spend is ₹7.2 lakh, so the fee is waived.

Worked example: ₹25,000 a month

• Travel: ₹5,000 × 8% = ₹400
• Other: ₹20,000 × 4% = ₹800
• Monthly: ₹1,200, so ₹14,400 a year

₹3 lakh of annual spend exactly meets the waiver. Even at this level, the card returns more than most cards in its price band, provided the stated rates hold for your spending mix.

Lounge, travel and insurance

• Domestic lounges: unlimited for the primary cardholder
• International lounges: unlimited via Priority Pass
• Travel: complimentary travel insurance and airport meet-and-greet for the primary cardholder; comprehensive travel insurance up to $1 million
• Insurance: air accident cover up to ₹3 crore; purchase protection up to ₹50,000 for 6 months on online purchases
• Golf: up to 4 complimentary rounds a year (max 1 a month) plus 1 complimentary lesson a month at select courses in India
• Fuel: 1% surcharge waiver on ₹500 to ₹5,000 transactions, capped per statement cycle

Unlimited international lounge access at ₹2,499 is rare. Most cards with uncapped Priority Pass visits cost ₹10,000 or more; our unlimited lounge access guide lists them. The 2% forex markup is decent for spending abroad, though zero-forex cards beat it.

Pros and cons

Pros

• Unlimited domestic and international lounge access for a ₹2,499 fee
• Fee waived at an easy ₹3 lakh of annual spend
• High stated reward rates: 4% base, 8% on travel
• 2% forex markup, below the market norm
• ₹3 crore air accident cover and $1 million travel insurance

Cons

• ₹2 lakh monthly income requirement
• Lounge and travel perks cover the primary cardholder only
• Forex markup rose from 1.75% to 2% in June 2026; Yes Bank adjusts terms often
• Only 4 golf rounds a year
• Reward exclusions and caps need checking before you rely on the headline rates

Eligibility

BestCard's data lists a minimum monthly income of about ₹2 lakh. Yes Bank will also check your credit score and existing debt. Existing Yes Bank customers with a salary or wealth relationship generally find it easier to get approved. Our Yes Bank credit cards guide covers the rest of the lineup.

How Yes Reserv compares

Yes Marquee: Yes Bank's step-up card costs ₹9,999 to join and ₹4,999 a year (waived at ₹10 lakh), with a 3% base rate, 6% on travel and 5% on dining, a lower 1% forex markup, 24 domestic visits a year for primary and add-on cards and unlimited international visits. Pick it if you spend heavily abroad or want add-on lounge cover. See our Marquee review.

HDFC Diners Club Black Metal: ₹10,000 fee (waived at ₹8 lakh), 3.33% base, unlimited lounges for primary and add-on cardholders, and HDFC's SmartBuy accelerators. It needs ₹2.5 lakh a month.

IDFC FIRST Ashva: ₹2,999 with no waiver, but a 0% forex markup, 4 domestic and 2 international lounge visits a quarter, and a much lower income bar of about ₹1 lakh a month. Better if you mostly need cheap spending abroad rather than unlimited lounges.

Run them side by side on our compare tool.

Verdict

Yes Reserv is one of the best-value travel cards in India for those who qualify. Unlimited lounges, strong stated rewards and a waiver most cardholders will clear make the ₹2,499 fee close to irrelevant. Just confirm the current reward exclusions and redemption rules, since Yes Bank revises them, and pick a card that covers add-ons if you usually travel as a pair.

Figures here reflect BestCard's latest card data; verify the current terms on Yes Bank's site before applying. Not sure it's the right fit? The BestCard matcher will rank cards against your own spending.