| HDFC Diners Club Black Credit Card Rating |
| Rewards ★★★★★ Annual Fee ★★★ Travel Benefits ★★★★ Offers & Discounts ★★★★ |
| Overall Rating ★★★★ |
HDFC Diners Club Black is a super premium credit card offering the best in all categories to its users, be it exclusive rewards, lifestyle, travel, shopping or any other benefits. The card is at par with HDFC’s Infinia credit card in features and benefits but has comparatively relaxed eligibility criteria. Here is a detailed review of the card to help you decide if this card can be the right choice for you.
HDFC Diners Club Black Credit Card at a Glance |
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| Annual Fee | Rs. 10,000 plus taxes (waived off on spending Rs. 5 Lakh in the preceding year) |
| Best Suited For | Lifestyle, Shopping and Travel |
| Minimum Income | Salaried – > Rs 1.75 Lakhs per month
Self-Employed – ITR > Rs 21 Lakhs |
| Reward Rate | 3.33% (5 points per Rs. 150) 1 RP= Rupee 1 |
Know more about HDFC Diners Club Black Credit Card
Key Highlights of HDFC Diners Club Black Credit Card
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Gain More From the Exclusive Rewards Program
HDFC Diners Club Black Credit Card offers an unmatched rewards program for its users. The card offers 5 reward points on every Rs. 150 spent on retail, insurance, education, utilities and rent. It offers 10X rewards points on travel, shopping and other spends on Smartbuy. Even though super-premium cards such as Axis Reserve and Citi Prestige offer 15 reward points on every 200 spent and 1 reward point on every 100 spent, it does not match the 10X reward benefit offered by HDFC Diners Club Black. The 10X rewards benefit is also offered by HDFC Infinia, but again, HDFC Infinia is an invite-only credit card, which gives Diners Club Black an edge over it.
All the reward points you collect on your HDFC Diners Club credit card can be redeemed for:
- Booking flights and hotels
- Airmiles conversion
The value of reward points will differ for all redemptions made. Here is a table explaining the same:
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Value of 1 Reward Point |
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| SmartBuy (Flights/Hotels) | Rs. 1.00 |
| Airmiles | 1.00 AirMile |
| Product Catalogue (vouchers/products) | Upto Rs. 0.50 |
| Cashback | Rs. 0.30 |
Note: All the reward points are valid for 3 years from the date of their accumulation.
Enjoy Unlimited Lounge Access
The card offers unlimited lounge access to more than 1,000 domestic and international lounges for both primary and add-on card members. However, unlike Axis Burgundy and Axis Reserve, this card offers no privileges for the guests accompanying you. You will be charged for the guests (if any) that take the lounge benefit with you. This card is, therefore, more beneficial if you travel alone or with an add-on cardmember.
No Need to Worry About Travel Bookings
HDFC Diners Club Black Credit Card allows you to travel with ease and comfort, be it domestic or international. Using the Smartbuy platform, you can book air tickets or hotels across more than 150 domestic/international airlines and hotels. You can redeem your reward points to carry out these bookings via Smartbuy.
Reward points can also be redeemed and converted into AirMiles, InterMiles, Singapore Airlines (KrisFlyer Miles) and Club Vistara miles. However, in order to avail the AirMiles redemption feature, you will need to complete the Frequent Flyer registration.
Relish Exclusive Discounts and Memberships
This card will give you great discounts on leading gyms, spas and salons. For instance, with your HDFC Diners Club Black Credit Card, you can avail 30% off at VLCC, Rs. 1,000 off at Lakme Salons and 15% off on Anytime Fitness membership.
The card further offers you complimentary annual memberships of Forbes, Club Marriott, Amazon Prime, MMT BLACK, Zomato Pro, and Times Prime. If you spend Rs. 80,000 or more in a month, you get 2 complimentary vouchers worth Rs. 500 for either one – Ola Select, cult.fit Live, BookMyShow or TataCliQ. Not many super-premium credit cards provide such generous milestone benefits.
Enjoy Low Foreign Currency Markup Fees
HDFC Diners Club Black offers a foreign currency markup fee of 1.99% which is lower as compared to the markup fee of 2% offered by Citi Prestige and Standard Chartered Ultimate Credit Card. On the other hand, the fee is relatively higher when compared to Axis Reserve and Axis Burgundy credit cards that offer a forex markup of 1.5% and 0% respectively.
We can simply say that HDFC Diners Club Black lags behind amidst these cards in offering forex benefits to its users. With credit cards such as Axis Burgundy and Axis Reserve, you may have a low markup fee but will need to have a relationship value of Rs. 5 crores with the bank. Also, these cards are invite-only credit cards, making HDFC Diners Club Black an optimal choice for people looking for a super-premium credit card with a low foreign currency markup fee.
How does Foreign Currency Markup work?
Consider this, if you purchased an item worth 2000 USD and the exchange rate is 1 USD = INR 70. In this case, the payable amount in INR will be Rs. 14,000. Now if the foreign exchange mark-up fee is 3.5%, the additional amount you have to pay will be Rs. 490 (3.5% of 14,000). GST at 18% will also be applicable on the fee amount.
Now if the markup fee is reduced to 1.99%, it would be just Rs. 278.6 plus the 18% GST that you would have to pay. So, if you travel internationally on a regular basis, this card could help you save a lot of money on your international transactions.
Play in the Finest Golf Courses
For golf lovers, the card offers 24 complimentary golf games in the finest courses in the world. Also, the entire green fee can be waived off on both domestic and international bookings by placing the requests in advance. However, if you are a golf fan, this might not be the right card for you. HDFC Infinia offers unlimited complimentary golf games at both national and international golf courses while Axis Burgundy and Reserve credit cards offer 50 complimentary golf rounds per year. So, if you wish to have a card offering amazing golf benefits, HDFC Infinia can be your best option.
Get All the Help You Need
Whatever your booking needs are, the 24/7 concierge services offered by HDFC Bank Diners Club Black Credit Card will ensure that all your needs are taken care of. The concierge services offered by HDFC Bank Diners Club Black include:
- Golf course referral and reservation assistance
- Flower and gift delivery assistance
- Dining referral and reservation assistance
- Hotel referral and reservation assistance
- Car rental and limousine referral and assistance
- Business services and courier service assistance
Almost all super-premium credit cards provide exclusive concierge services to cardholders. Diners Club Black also fares well in this respect.
Other Benefits of HDFC Diners Club Black Credit Card
Apart from these benefits, there are a number of other benefits that make this card worth considering. Some of these benefits are mentioned below:
- Air accidental death coverage of Rs. 2 Crore
- Credit Liability Cover of up to Rs. 9 lakh
- Travel Insurance cover of up to Rs. 55,000
- 1% fuel surcharge waiver at all fuel stations across India on a minimum transaction value of Rs. 400
Limitations of HDFC Diners Club Black Credit Card
- The card has lesser acceptance as compared to other super-premium cards on Visa platform
- The card does not offer the golf benefits you might be looking for
Should you get this card?
HDFC Diners Club Black Credit Card is no doubt one of the best in its segment and offers unmatchable reward benefits to the users. The 10x reward benefit is one of the most impressive features of this card that makes it stand out from the rest.
For those who have to travel, the card offers unlimited airport lounge access in India and abroad. For this, a cardholder does not need to sign up for Priority Pass Membership. Cardholders also get a decent airmile conversion program where tickets can be booked by redeeming points. Travel insurance, air accident cover, concierge services and discounts at spas and salons make this card an ideal option for those who prefer luxurious travel.
However, on the downside, the card has lesser acceptance as compared to the cards on VISA platforms. Apart from this minor limitation, HDFC Diners Club Black can be your optimal choice if you are a frequent international traveller and are looking for a card that offers unlimited benefits. The annual fee of Rs. 10,000 for this card is also less compared to other super-premium credit cards that can charge up to Rs. 50,000 yearly. The annual fee waiver on spending just Rs. 5 Lakh is also very generous for a super-premium credit card.
| HDFC Bank offers top credit cards in different categories, click here to check best HDFC Credit Cards in 2022 |
Bottomline
HDFC Diners Club Black is one of the best super premium cards in the country. It would be best for you if you wish to earn excellent reward points on your purchases and do not mind paying an annual fee of Rs. 10,000. Also, if you travel internationally, this card could save you a lot of money on your purchases.
