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HDFC Bank, India’s largest credit card issuer, has announced a set of changes to some of its mid-premium credit cards. The revisions affect Regalia Gold, Diners Club Privilege (DCP), and the BizPower Credit Card, and will roll out gradually starting May 15, 2026, with some benefits taking effect from the July–September 2026 quarter.
The updates mainly focus on how reward points are earned, how airport lounge access works, and the introduction of some new travel benefits. A common theme across these changes is the move toward spending-linked benefits. Instead of offering perks automatically, the bank is increasingly tying them to regular card usage.
This approach reflects a broader shift in the credit card market. Banks want customers to actively use their cards throughout the year, rather than holding them mainly for occasional perks like lounge access.
Below is a closer look at the changes and what they mean for cardholders.
Changes to reward points earning
HDFC has revised the reward points earning structure on Regalia Gold and BizPower cards. Earlier, both cards earned 4 reward points for every ₹150 spent on eligible transactions. Under the new structure, they will earn 5 reward points for every ₹200 spent.
| Card | Old reward rate | New reward rate | Effective change |
| Regalia Gold | 4 points / ₹150 | 5 points / ₹200 | Minor change in effective rewards |
| BizPower | 4 points / ₹150 | 5 points / ₹200 | Minor change in effective rewards |
The reward points apply to most regular transactions. However, certain categories remain excluded from earning reward points:
- Fuel purchases
- Wallet loads
- Rent payments
- Education payments
- EMI transactions
While the structure has changed, the overall reward rate difference is relatively small for most users.
9 major credit card rule changes in India (2026)
Regalia Gold: Lounge access and new travel perks
For Regalia Gold cardholders, the biggest change relates to domestic airport lounge access. Previously, these lounge visits were available without a spending requirement. Going forward, access will depend on how much the card is used.
To receive three complimentary domestic lounge visits per quarter, cardholders must spend ₹60,000 in the previous calendar quarter. This rule will begin from the July–September 2026 quarter, based on spending during April–June 2026.
| Benefit | Old rule | New rule |
| Domestic lounge access | Available without spend requirement | 3 visits per quarter after ₹60,000 quarterly spend |
| International lounge access | 6 visits per year via Priority Pass | No change |
International lounge access remains unchanged. Cardholders will continue to receive six international lounge visits per year through Priority Pass, and these visits will not require any spending threshold.
HDFC has also introduced a new travel benefit called the Boarding Edge programme for Regalia Gold cardholders. Under this programme, users can upload a boarding pass and choose two complimentary benefits per calendar quarter.
Boarding Edge benefit options:
- Complimentary spa session at partner wellness centres
- Complimentary airport transfer via Uber
- Complimentary buffet at participating hotels or restaurants
- Complimentary hotel room upgrade
These benefits are available in the arrival city mentioned on the boarding pass, not the departure location. Hotel partners include brands such as ITC Hotels, Welcomhotel, Storii, Mementoes, and Fortune, while spa services are provided by partners like Meghavi Wellness, Tattva Spa, and Tathaapi Spa. Airport transfers are offered through Uber vouchers worth ₹750.
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Diners Club Privilege: Lounge access linked to spending
The Diners Club Privilege card will also see changes to its lounge access policy. Similar to Regalia Gold, lounge access will now depend on quarterly spending.
Cardholders who spend ₹60,000 in the previous calendar quarter will receive three lounge access vouchers per quarter. These vouchers include two domestic lounge visits and one international lounge visit.
| Benefit | Old structure | New structure |
| Lounge access | Fixed lounge access structure | 3 vouchers per quarter after ₹60,000 quarterly spend |
| Voucher split | — | 2 domestic + 1 international |
The new rule will apply starting July–September 2026, based on spending during April–June 2026.
BizPower credit card: Multiple benefit changes
The BizPower credit card, which is aimed at business users, will see the largest number of updates. These changes affect reward points, milestone benefits, accelerated rewards, and lounge access.
Higher milestone rewards
The quarterly milestone benefit on BizPower has been improved.
| Quarterly spend | Old benefit | New benefit |
| ₹2.5 lakh per quarter | ₹2,500 voucher | ₹5,000 voucher |
The voucher can be redeemed at MakeMyTrip or Reliance Digital. However, certain transactions such as fuel, Income Tax payments, GST payments, and EMI transactions do not count toward the milestone spend.
Accelerated reward points changes
BizPower offers accelerated reward points on certain spending categories, such as travel bookings through MMT MyBiz, bill payments via PayZapp or SmartPay, purchases of business software like Microsoft Office or AWS services, Google Ads spending, and purchases at Reliance Digital.
However, Income Tax and GST payments will no longer qualify for accelerated reward points.
At the same time, the maximum cap on accelerated reward points has been increased.
| Feature | Old limit | New limit |
| Accelerated reward cap | 5,000 reward points | 7,500 reward points |
HDFC has also introduced a fair usage policy for tax transactions. Reward points will be granted only on the first two Income Tax payments and the first two GST payments per billing cycle. Any additional transactions beyond these limits will not earn reward points.
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BizPower lounge access and new travel benefit
BizPower lounge access will also change. Previously, cardholders could use 16 domestic lounge visits per year. Going forward, the benefit will be limited to two visits per quarter, bringing the annual total to eight visits.
| Benefit | Old structure | New structure |
| Domestic lounge access | 16 visits per year | 2 visits per quarter (8 per year) |
HDFC has also introduced a new Zero Cancellation flight benefit for BizPower cardholders. If a user spends ₹75,000 in a calendar quarter, they will receive a MakeMyTrip Zero Cancellation voucher.
This voucher can be used when booking domestic flights on MakeMyTrip and allows the user to cancel a ticket and receive a refund of the airfare paid at the time of booking, subject to a maximum benefit of ₹1,200.
A shift toward spending-based benefits
Taken together, these updates show a clear shift in how HDFC structures benefits on its mid-tier credit cards. Many perks that were previously available automatically are now linked to regular spending activity, and some categories that were often used to maximise rewards—such as tax payments—are being restricted.
For cardholders who actively use their credit cards for everyday spending, most benefits will still remain accessible. However, those who previously kept these cards mainly for perks like lounge access may need to reassess how much value they derive from them going forward.
