HDFC Bank Regalia Gold Credit Card
By WhichWise Editorial Team · Verified ·
A premium Visa card with 8+ partner merchants with 18 lounge visits with 5 transfer programs. 5 transfer partners and 18 lounge visits make this a travel play, but the 1.25% base rate means rewards alone won't justify the fee.
HDFC Bank
By WhichWise Editorial Team · Verified ·
A premium Visa card with 8+ partner merchants with 18 lounge visits with 5 transfer programs. 5 transfer partners and 18 lounge visits make this a travel play, but the 1.25% base rate means rewards alone won't justify the fee.
Fuel Surcharge Waiver Details
Three product-feature changes effective 15 May 2026: reward-earn rate revised from 4 RP per Rs.150 to 5 RP per Rs.200 (~6.25% base-rate devaluation, 1.33% to 1.25%), DCC markup revised to 1.75% on international-currency-in-INR transactions, and card re-issuance fee set at Rs.199. See Recent Changes for details.
You must spend ₹60,000/quarter to access domestic lounges (international Priority Pass access has no spend gate).
Fee waiver requires ₹4,00,000 annual spend (₹33,333/month) on eligible retail. Most issuers exclude cash, rent, wallet reload, and fuel from the waiver-eligible total.
5 spending categories earn zero rewards (including fuel, wallet_load).
The HDFC Bank Regalia Gold Credit Card is HDFC Bank's ₹2,500-a-year reward points credit card with about 1.25% base rewards on everyday spend. Best for myntra shoppers and frequent travelers.
Quick Decision
Reward earnings only, at the everyday spend mix: milestone vouchers and lounge value are tracked separately in the sections below. 5 categories (fuel, wallet load, rent, etc., see Excluded list) earn 0% and are NOT in this range.
Casual users hit the lower end; engaged users hit the upper end.
See full analysisPros & Cons
A balanced look at what this card does well and where it falls short.
- Fee waived on ₹4.0L annual spend
- 6.25% on Myntra
- 12 domestic + 6 international lounge visits/year
- Welcome bonus worth ₹5,898
- Fuel transactions excluded from rewards
- Rent payments excluded from rewards
- 5 spending categories excluded
- High income requirement: ₹1,50,000/month
- Lounge access gated: spend ₹60,000 per quarter to unlock
Our editorial take on this card
What works
The lounge story is strong on paper: 12 domestic visits via DreamFolks plus 6 international via Priority Pass - 18 free visits with a retail-equivalent ceiling of Rs.18,600, realistic at Rs.7,400-13,000/year depending on how often you actually fly (40-70% utilization band; ~Rs.10,230 midpoint, see the Lounge Access block). Starting July 2026, domestic access converts to 3 visits/quarter conditional on Rs.60,000 spend in the preceding quarter, so it's not unconditional - international Priority Pass access remains gate-free. Issued as Visa or Mastercard, with up to 4 add-on cards at zero fee that share rewards and lounge access. The milestone structure rewards predictable spend: Rs.1,500 voucher every quarter at Rs.1.5L spend (Rs.6,000/year if all four hit) plus Rs.5,000 SmartBuy flight voucher at Rs.5L annual and another Rs.5,000 at Rs.7.5L annual - Rs.16,000 total milestone value. Welcome benefits add up too: Rs.2,500 voucher on joining-fee payment, plus complimentary Swiggy One and MMT Black Gold memberships when you spend Rs.1L within 90 days (welcome bundle realistically valued at ~Rs.5,900: Rs.2,000 voucher realised + Rs.899 Swiggy One + Rs.2,999 MMT Black Gold). SmartBuy is the redemption engine that makes points work: hotels and flights book at Rs.0.50 per point versus Rs.0.20 for statement credit, so the 1.25% base earn becomes a real 1.25% only if you funnel redemptions through the portal.
The 5,000 RP/month bonus-category cap (Rs.2,500 value) limits high spenders on the Myntra/Nykaa/Reliance Digital 5X rate - past Rs.75,000/month on those merchants you fall back to 1.25%. There is also a card-wide 50,000 RP per statement-cycle ceiling, capping the absolute maximum reward earn at Rs.25,000/cycle no matter how much you spend. The 2% forex markup (~2.36% with GST) is mid-pack for HDFC but still material on international spend; a separate 1.75% DCC markup (effective May 2026) applies when transactions are billed in INR at an international location or with merchants in India registered abroad. The 1.25% base rate (revised down from 1.33% in May 2026) is mediocre for the price point - the IDFC FIRST Select matches it at 1.25% on monthly spends above Rs.20K (0.375% below) with Rs.0 annual fee and zero cap. Excluded categories - fuel, rent, wallet loads, EMI conversions, and government/tax payments - earn zero reward points; if you route rent or fuel through this card, those rupees sit at 0%. HDFC has revised Regalia-tier rates and lounge gates more than once in recent cycles (latest changes 15 May 2026 and 1 July 2026 are reflected on this page).
Bottom line
The Regalia Gold has the strongest fee-to-benefit ratio in HDFC's mid-premium tier - not the absolute best HDFC card, but the one where the Rs.2,500 fee actually pencils out for someone who flies domestically, hits the milestones, and redeems via SmartBuy. Realistically expect Rs.11,000-20,500 in annual value (rewards + milestones + lounge usage), with Rs.18,000+ achievable for highly-engaged users at Rs.5-7L annual spend. Confirm the current reward structure and any spend-gate conditions on lounges at the issuer's product page before applying - HDFC's Regalia tier has been revised before.
Independent analysis from public card terms, no paid placements or ratings.
Welcome Bonus
VerifiedOne-time bonus for new cardholders
₹2,500 gift voucher on paying joining fee + complimentary Swiggy One & MMT Black Gold membership on spending ₹1 lakh within 90 days
So what does this card actually earn?
Reward Points
This card earns reward points on every transaction. The real value of your points depends on how you redeem them: here is a breakdown of the redemption tiers.
Cash redemption: 60% value loss vs best tier
Effective rate drops from 1.25% (at ₹0.50/point via vouchers/travel) to 0.5% (at ₹0.20/point as statement credit / cash equivalent). If you want flexible cash redemption, a flat 1.5%+ cashback card will out-earn this card.
per point
1%
assumes ₹0.40/point redemption
Redemption Tiers
Tap a tier to update the Value Verdict above
Worst Case
Statement credit
Tiered Rewards
Different reward rates by category
Cap: Daily: 2,000 RP (~₹1,000) · Monthly: 4,000 RP (~₹2,000)
Cap: Daily: 2,000 RP (~₹1,000) · Monthly: 4,000 RP (~₹2,000)
Cap: Monthly: 5,000 RP (~₹2,500)
Partner Rewards
Earn bonus rates at these merchants
| Merchant | Reward | Type |
|---|---|---|
| Myntra | 6.25% | Cashback |
| Reliance Digital | 6.25% | Cashback |
| Nykaa | 6.25% | Cashback |
| PhonePe (Platform) | 3.33% | Cashback |
| Airtel | 3.33% | Cashback |
| Swiggy One Membership | 5X | Multiplier |
| Marks & Spencer | 5X | Multiplier |
| Swiggy | 5X | Multiplier |
Three product-feature changes effective 15 May 2026: reward-earn rate revised from 4 RP per Rs.150 to 5 RP per Rs.200 (~6.25% base-rate devaluation, 1.33% to 1.25%), DCC markup revised to 1.75% on international-currency-in-INR transactions, and card re-issuance fee set at Rs.199.
- Reward Points: Earn 5 Reward Points for every Rs.200 spent on eligible categories (was 4 RP per Rs.150). At 0.5/point conservative redemption this lowers the base rate from 1.33% to 1.25% — a ~6.25% devaluation on every rupee of base-category spend.
- DCC markup: 1.75% on each international transaction carried out in INR at an international location, or in INR with merchants located in India but registered in a foreign nation.
- Card re-issuance fee: Rs.199 for lost, stolen, or damaged card replacement (was previously unspecified).
WhichWise monitors changes to card terms so you're never caught off guard by a devaluation. See all tracked changes →
Excluded Categories
5 categories earn no rewards on this card
⚠ Do not use for Fuel / Petrol / Diesel / CNG, Wallet / Prepaid Instrument Loading, Rent Payments and 2 more. You earn 0 rewards on these spends. Use a different card or pay direct.
This card works best for smartbuy hotels, smartbuy flights & vouchers, and airport lounge usage. Spends in those categories still earn at the headline rate.
Lounge Access
Complimentary airport lounge visits
Domestic
3
visits/quarter (~12/year max)
International
6
visits/year
Priority Pass
Yes
membership
The ceiling priced at walk-in rates is the theoretical max; the realistic range above assumes 40–70% of visits actually used (most users land in the lower half). How is this estimated?
- Network
- DreamFolks
- Guest policy
- paid
Effective 1 July 2026: 3 domestic lounge visits per calendar quarter, conditional on Rs.60,000 spend in the preceding calendar quarter. International (Priority Pass) access remains unconditional.
Lounge Spend Requirement
Minimum spend needed to unlock lounge access
You must spend ₹60,000 in the quarter to access lounges.
Milestone Rewards
Bonus rewards when you hit spending targets
₹1,500 voucher (Marriott/Myntra/M&S/Reliance Digital) (~₹1,500 at threshold) (quarterly)
₹5,000 SmartBuy Flight voucher (~₹5,000 at threshold) (annual)
Additional ₹5,000 SmartBuy Flight voucher (~₹5,000 at threshold) (annual)
Who Is This Card For?
Domestic business travellers earning Rs.1.5L+/month who fly 6+ times per year and want strong lounge access without the Rs.10,000+ fee of an Infinia or Diners Club Black. Especially good if you shop regularly at Myntra, Nykaa, or Reliance Digital - 6.25% on those (post May-2026 base revision) is competitive for the fee tier. Spend target: Rs.4-7L per year to clear the fee waiver (Rs.4L) and capture both annual flight-voucher milestones (Rs.5L and Rs.7.5L) without hitting the 50,000 RP cycle ceiling.
Heavy international travellers (the 2.36% effective forex eats into rewards - pair with a zero-forex card or pick a low-forex one outright), heavy spenders doing Rs.2L+/month who want uncapped rewards (the cycle ceiling kicks in around Rs.37L of bonus spend), or anyone who values flat simplicity over milestone-chasing. If you don't fly enough to use the lounges, the Axis Bank ACE Credit Card (1.5% flat, Rs.499 fee) or IDFC FIRST Select (1.25% above Rs.20K/month, Rs.0 fee) deliver more reward per rupee.
How It Compares
Side-by-side with similar cards in our database.
| Feature | This card | ICICI Bank Sapphiro | SBI ELITE |
|---|---|---|---|
| Annual fee | ₹2,500 | ₹3,500 | ₹4,999 |
| Reward ratecash-equivalent · accelerated | 1.00%up to 6.25% on partners | 0.50%no accelerator | 0.50%no accelerator |
| Network | Visa / Mastercard | Mastercard / American Express | Visa / Mastercard |
| Acceptance | Universal | Universal | Universal |
| Eligibility | Applicable | Applicable | Applicable |
Methodology: reward rates shown at cash-equivalent redemption (statement credit / direct cashback): the most conservative tier every cardholder can realize. Travel-transfer or partner-merchant routing can be materially higher; see each card's full review for upside scenarios.
Fees & Charges
Complete breakdown of all fees associated with this card.
Value Verdict
Eligible spend · no routingEstimated annual value at ₹50,000/month spend with base earn on eligible retail (after assumed 15% in excluded categories), plus milestones + lounge access at realistic utilization.
+ up to ₹6,000/yr fuel surcharge savings (regularly transact ₹400–₹5,000 per fill, not included above).This waives the 1% surcharge petrol pumps add. Fuel spend itself still earns 0% cashback on this card.
✓ Fee waived above ₹33,333/month, so all ₹26,330 is net value
Year 1 also carries a one-time ₹2,500 + 18% GST joining fee (~₹2,950), charged upfront on issuance and not waivable by spend. The net above reflects the renewal-year fee (which your spend waives); subtract the joining fee from year-1 value.
First year bonus: +₹5,898 welcome value (not included above)
↓ Accelerated rates (SmartBuy Hotels at 12.5%, SmartBuy Flights & Vouchers at 6.25%, Myntra, Nykaa, Reliance Digital at 6.25%, All other retail spends at 1.25%) not included: actual value may be higher
Reward earnings only: ~₹5,100/year on generic spend, or ₹7,778/year if you route ~₹4,250/month (~10% of eligible spend) through MYNTRA (6.25% partner rate). Partner premium: +₹2,678/year.The 'With optimized routing' figure also routes ~15% of spend through the SmartBuy Hotels tier (12.5% vs 1.00% base): estimated +₹8,798/year additional.
The ₹26,330 top-line above also includes lounge access and milestone benefits on top of these reward earnings.
Assumptions used in this estimate▸
- • Reward earnings shown at the conservative redemption tier (Vouchers / merchandise).
- • Milestone bonus of ₹11,000/year assumes you hit the spend threshold every period: base earn alone (no milestone) is ₹5,100/year.
- • Lounge value uses ~55% realistic utilization (most flyers don't fully clock the available visits). Per-visit anchors: ₹800 domestic, ₹1,500 international. Retail-equivalent (100% utilization) would be ₹18,600.
- • Lounge access is gated at ₹60,000/quarter preceding spend. At ₹50,000/month you clear the gate with ₹90,000 headroom, value counted at full utilization band.
- • Assumes 15% of your spend lands in 5 excluded categories (fuel, rent, etc.) that earn ₹0: eligible spend used in the math above is ₹42,500/month.
Eligibility
Requirements you need to meet to apply for this card.
Before You Apply: Lounge Access Requires Spend
You must spend ₹60,000 per quarter to unlock lounge visits. Without meeting this threshold, lounge access is not available even though the card advertises it.
Data verified against HDFC Bank official website · Last verified: 2026-05-13 · Terms & Conditions (MITC)
WhichWise does not accept payment for card placement or ratings. Fees, rates, and benefits may change. Always confirm with the issuer before applying.
Verified from the source
Key facts below are quoted verbatim from HDFC Bank's own pages and documents, not paraphrased.
- Joining fee
“Joining Fee: ₹2500 plus Applicable Taxes”
Verified quote from hdfc.bank.in (MITC document) · fetched 2026-04-19 - Annual fee
“Renewal Fee: ₹2500 plus Applicable Taxes”
Verified quote from hdfc.bank.in (MITC document) · fetched 2026-04-19 - Annual fee waiver
“Fee Waiver: Spend ₹4 lakh within 12 billing cycles of your anniversary year to enjoy a waiver on the renewal fee for the following year.”
Verified quote from hdfc.bank.in (MITC document) · fetched 2026-04-19 - Reward type
“4 Reward Points on every Rs.150 spent (On retail spends)”
Verified quote from hdfc.bank.in (issuer website) · fetched 2026-04-19 - Welcome bonus
“Complimentary Swiggy One and MMT Black Gold membership as Welcome benefits.”
Verified quote from hdfc.bank.in (issuer website) · fetched 2026-04-19 - Forex markup
“2% on all your foreign currency spends.”
Verified quote from hdfc.bank.in (issuer website) · fetched 2026-04-19 - Lounge access
“Enjoy 3 domestic lounge visits per calendar quarter on spends of ₹60,000 or more in the preceding calendar quarter. (Applicable from the calendar quarter starting 1st July 2026.) Example: Access lounge using credit card in Jul–Sep 2026 based on spends made during Apr–Jun 2026. • 6 international lounge visits per year via Priority Pass continue unchanged.”
Verified quote from hdfc.bank.in · fetched 2026-05-12 - Minimum income
“Net Monthly Income> Rs 1,50,000 (For Non Govt.)”
Verified quote from hdfc.bank.in (issuer website) · fetched 2026-04-19
Interested in HDFC Bank Regalia Gold?
Check the official page for the latest terms before applying.