Kotak White Credit Card Review

Kotak White credit card offers a welcome voucher on card activation, via white pass value of Rs.1,500, which can be redeemed against a brand voucher from any of the associated premium brands. However, note that you can avail this welcome benefit if you spend Rs. 30,000 within the first 60 days of the card setup. 

Though the welcome benefit offered on this card is comparatively good, yet the value benefit offered as per the joining fee of Rs. 3000 is not justified. Also, the duration to avail the welcome benefit is longer since usually welcome benefits are offered in 45 days, but this card takes up to 60 days, (probably to let you have enough time to spend Rs. 30,000).

What keeps the Kotak White credit card at par with most of the other credit cards is that instead of direct reward points, you earn benefits via the White Pass Value. In a way, the White Pass Value is a voucher amount that you can redeem across associated premium brands across apparel, hotels, dining, self-care, etc.

Though the reward structure for this card sounds impressive, yet there are certain drawbacks to this reward structure. The white pass value structure is not easy to understand, since most leading cards go by the reward point or cashback. Further, in comparison to general reward points or cashback rewards, the benefits can be availed only across fixed brands, whereas in the case of general rewards you can use them anywhere you want. In addition to that, unlike many credit cards that offer reward points without expiry, the White Pass Value, offered as a reward, expires after each anniversary year. 

Thereby, while White Pass Value could let you experience great benefits across luxury brands, it can not compete with the all-rounder reward structure that a high reward rate card can provide.

Similar to welcome benefits and reward structure, the card provides the milestone benefit via the White Pass Value. The milestone benefits against various spent values are listed as follows:

The maximum value is capped at rewards worth Rs. 27,000 per year, yet the silver lining is that the milestone benefit can not just be availed once on completing the milestone of Rs 12 Lakh but against various milestone amounts as listed above. However, note that there is no milestone benefit for any penny spent below Rs. 2 Lakh. Further, though the milestone benefit is awarded at various stages, yet you get only up to 1% benefit of the amount spent. 

When it comes to offering the lounge access benefit, the Kotak White credit card offers the Priority Pass Membership. With this membership, you can avail access to 1300+ lounge access across 148 countries. However, unlike various premium credit cards that offer unlimited airport lounge access, this card limits your airport lounge access to 4 complimentary international lounge visits per year and 8 domestic airport lounge access limited to 2 per quarter at selected airports. Any airport visit beyond the complementary ones is chargeable even if you are the primary cardholder.

Also, even in complimentary visits, the card does not allow any complimentary access for accompanying guests, which various cards provide. Though the benefits offered under the airport lounge access are good in general, yet since the card is introduced as a premium credit card for high-income groups, the benefits are marginal.

Suggested Read: Top Premium Credit Cards in India

You get an annual fee waiver of Rs. 3,000 on spending Rs. 5 Lakh annually. The card offers an annual fee waiver benefit yet it can be availed on spending a high value of Rs. 5 Lakh. However, considering the milestone benefits you earn of Rs. 4,000 on spending above Rs. 4 lakh, in totality, the benefit offered is good.

• The card offers a 1% fuel surcharge waiver across all petrol pumps in India. This is a good benefit since the fuel surcharge is not limited to specific petrol stations.
• You can avail railway surcharge waiver of 1.8% to 2.5% on booking train tickets via the IRCTC website or counters.

• You can convert purchases above Rs. 2500 into easy EMI options
• The card provides a complimentary add-on credit card. However note that the benefits offered for add on cardholders are not very extensive, except that they can use the card as much as they want to up to the credit limit
• The Kotak White credit card comes with a card insurance cover of Rs 2.5 lakh against fraud transaction
• You can consolidate all your credit card bills by transferring all credit card amounts to Kotak White credit card and avail a three-month interest-free period. This however is chargeable at a processing fee of Rs, 3000+ service tax on every Rs. 10,000.

Check full details of the Kotak White Credit Card here.

You should get Kotak White Credit Card if:

• You are looking for a premium credit card
• You are looking for benefits across some specific brand. Check the associated brand with Kotak White here  
• You find it difficult to understand the credit card reward structure and redemption process
• You are looking for a card that provides benefits across multiple categories such as travel and shopping

You should check other credit cards if:

• You want to avail benefits across multiple categories but do not want to restrict yourself to certain brands
• You are looking for a priority pass membership with unlimited lounge access
• You are looking for a premium credit card specific to any particular category

Kotak White credit card introduces itself as a credit card designed to offer access to premium brands, yet functions more as a mid-level credit card, instead of a premium credit card. The card is suitably addressed to high-income groups with annual income above Rs. 25 Lakh per annum. However, it falls short to meet the premium requirements of such clients such as high reward rate, benefits across multiple categories, benefits for add-on members, and unlimited airport lounge access. 

Though, this Kotak Mahindra Bank credit card tries to keep par with other mid-level cards by putting forth the ‘White Pass’, yet the pass is substantial enough only to limited brands. You can consider opting for this card if you feel that the benefits across the associated brands are of good use to you. However, note that with this high eligibility, you can easily get a card with better benefits. Therefore, before making a final decision it is advisable to explore other credit cards as per your income.