OneCard kills fuel rewards — 100% loss
OneCard stops earning points on fuel from 15 December 2023, with zero points earned per ₹50 spent, although the 1% surcharge waiver remains. This change results in a small rupee loss but adds to the excluded categories on the rewards program.
OneCard has stopped earning points on fuel spends from 15 December 2023. Previously, fuel spends earned 1 point per ₹50, similar to other spends. Now, these spends will earn zero points, although the 1% surcharge waiver will still be applicable. The loss is small in terms of rupee value, given that the OneCard rewards program pays a base rate of 0.2% into ₹0.10 cashback points. However, this move adds to the list of excluded categories on a rewards program that was already relatively thin. Our take: at a 0.2% base rate the rupee loss is trivial — fuel earned 1 point per ₹50 and now earns nothing, which was never much. What matters is the pattern: OneCard keeps bolting exclusions onto a programme that was already thin. The 1% surcharge waiver is now the only reason to put fuel on this card. That is a perfectly good reason. It is not a rewards reason.