HDFC Diners Club Black offers benefits similar to HDFC Bank’s other premium credit card, HDFC Infinia. While Infinia is an invite-only card that comes with a stringent eligibility criteria, individuals who want to avail similar benefits but are not eligible for it can consider applying for HDFC DC Black Credit Card, offered at a comparatively lower annual fee of Rs. 10,000.
HDFC Bank
HDFC Diners Club Black Credit Card
Travel
Lounge Access
Reward Points
1st Year Fee: ₹10,000* Plus Applicable Taxes
Rewards Program
3.33% value-back across all spends
Lounge Access
Unlimited domestic and international visits
Free Memberships
Marriott, Amazon, MMT Black Elite & more
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About HDFC Diners Club Black Credit Card
HDFC Diners Club Black Credit Card is among the best premium credit cards in India and could be a worthy alternative to HDFC Bank’s invite-only premium card- HDFC Infinia. While the card caters to multiple categories like shopping, dining, golf, etc., its primary focus remains on travel-centric benefits.
With a reward rate of 3.33% across all spends and up to 33% on HDFC’s Smartbuy portal purchases, HDFC DC Black outshines other premium cards like Axis Magnus or ICICI Emeralde Private. The point-to-mile conversion and redemption of rewards against flight/hotel bookings at a 1:1 ratio make this card a preferable option for frequent travellers. Complimentary international lounge access for primary and add-on members, along with a low forex mark-up fee and the facility to convert points to miles, add to its value for international travellers.
HDFC Diners Club Black Rewards Program
HDFC Diners Club Black Credit cardholders can earn 3.33% value-back across all categories as per the below details:
Reward Earning
- 5 reward points per Rs. 150 spent across all retail categories
- Up to 10X reward points1 on spends at HDFC Bank’s SmartBuy Platform
Reward Points Redemption
- Convert the reward points into Air Miles at a value of 1 Reward Point = 1 Air Mile
- Use reward points to book hotels/flight tickets through Smartbuy portal at 1 Reward Point = Re. 1
- Buy vouchers and items through the rewards catalogue for 1 Reward Point = Up to Re. 0.50
- 1 Reward Point = Re. 0.30, if redeemed against cashback
HDFC DC Black holds significant value due to its rewards program, where individuals can earn 3.33% value-back across all categories. Additionally, consumers can convert the accumulated reward points for travel bookings and air miles at a 1:1 ratio, which is a great feature for frequent travellers. Also, HDFC Bank’s miles transfer program has over 14 partners, allowing frequent travellers to avail a significant value back on popular airlines or hotels like British Airways, Etihad Guest, or Accor. Another aspect that strengthens this card’s reward program is that users can earn rewards on mostly overlooked categories like utility bills, insurance, and groceries, making it a suitable option for day-to-day expenses as well.
Other Features and Benefits
In addition to offering great value-back in the form of reward points, HDFC Diners Club Black offers several other benefits to the cardholders, as shown below:
Welcome Benefit
- Complimentary Annual memberships* of Club Marriott, Times Prime (worth Rs. 1,499), Amazon Prime (worth Rs. 1,499), MMT BLACK Elite Tier and three-month Swiggy One (worth Rs. 899) on spending Rs. 1.5 Lakh within the first 90 days or upon first-year fee realization
- These memberships will be renewed every year on spending Rs. 8 Lakh in a year
Monthly Milestone Benefits
- 2 monthly vouchers from cult. fit Live 1-month membership or BookMyShow or TataCLiQ or Ola vouchers worth Rs. 500, every month on spends of Rs. 80,000
Golf Benefit
- 6 complimentary golf games per quarter across the finest courses in the world
Both welcome and milestone benefits on HDFC Diners Club Black Credit Card are quite good. Combined value of the complimentary memberships not just compensates for the joining fee but surpasses it by a wide margin. Milestone benefits cover different categories, allowing individuals to choose benefits as per their preferences. For high spenders, reaching monthly spend threshold of Rs. 80,000 would not be difficult. Moreover, lounge access, low forex mark-up, airport assistance and concierge service will help you save big, especially if you are a frequent international traveller.
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Fees and Charges
| Particulars | Amount | ||||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Joining Fee | Rs. 10,000 | ||||||||||||||||||
| Annual Fee | Rs. 10,000 | ||||||||||||||||||
| Finance Charges | 1.99% p.m. (23.88% p.a.) | ||||||||||||||||||
| Cash Withdrawal Fee | 2.5% of amount withdrawn or Rs. 500 whichever is higher | ||||||||||||||||||
| Rewards Redemption Fee | Nil | ||||||||||||||||||
| Late Payment Charges |
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HDFC Diners Club Black vs. Axis Magnus vs. ICICI Emeralde Private
Let’s understand how much you can save on monthly spends of Rs. 1 Lakh through these three credit cards.
| Category | Amount (in Rs.) | HDFC DC Black (RP) | Axis Magnus (RP) | ICICI Emeralde Private (RP) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Travel | 30,000 | 1,000 | 1,800 | 900 |
| Online Shopping | 15,000 | 500 | 900 | 450 |
| Departmental Store | 10,000 | 333 | 600 | 300 |
| Utility Bills | 20,000 | 666 | 1,200 | 600 |
| Dining | 10,000 | 333 | 600 | 300 |
| Fuel | 5,000 | 166 | 300 | 150 |
| Other | 10,000 | 333 | 600 | 300 |
| Total | 1,00,000 | 3,331 | 6,000 | 3,000 |
| Redemption Value | ||||
| Airmile Conversion | – | 3,331 Air Miles | 2,400 Air Miles | NA |
| Travel Bookings through Rewards Portal | – | Rs. 3,331 | Rs. 1,200 | Rs. 3,000 |
| Other Purchases through Rewards Portal | – | Rs. 1,665 | Rs. 1,200 | Rs. 3,000 |
| Statement Credit | – | Rs. 999 | NA | NA |
HDFC DC Black’s higher reward rate makes it a better option than other premium cards such as Axis Magnus and ICICI Emeralde. With DC Black, you can convert accumulated points into Air Miles or redeem them against travel bookings through the portal at a 1:1 ratio. Whereas, with ICICI Emeralde, point-to-mile conversion is not available; you can only redeem rewards through the reward portal at a 1:1 ratio, which may not be the preferable option for all consumers, considering there are limited options available, and you can only redeem points for travel bookings through vouchers. Additionally, despite offering the highest reward points, Magnus falls behind in this race due to its low redemption value, especially considering it’s a premium card, people would expect a better redemption value. Overall, HDFC DC Black offers the best value in comparison to these three cards, at a comparatively lower fee.
Things to Know Before you apply
Get this card if:
You are a frequent traveller looking for an option to save on travel bookings
You want all-round benefits on a single credit card rather than having multiple cards catering to different categories
You put most spends on your credit cards and would be able to spend Rs. 80,000 or more in a month to avail monthly milestone benefit
You are ready to pay a high annual fee for the right set of benefits
Eligibility Criteria
Occupation: Salaried or Self-employed
Age: 21 to 60 years (65 years for self-employed)
Minimum Income for Salaried Applicants: Rs. 2.5 Lakh per month
Minimum Income for Self-employed Applicants: Rs. 30 Lakh per annum
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What do we like about this card?
HDFC Diners Club Black can be an excellent option for consumers who spend a considerable amount through their credit cards every year and also travel often. Such cardholders can maximize the card’s value by earning substantial reward points and getting an equivalent value in miles or travel discount (through SmartBuy). High spenders would also be able to utilize the milestone benefit and avail the renewal fee waiver. Premium privileges like unlimited lounge access, complimentary golf games, fast track airport experience, concierge service, etc. make this card a worthy competitor to several other premium cards like ICICI Emeralde Private, Axis Magnus and others.
Pros
- 3.33% value-back across all spending categories
- 1:1 reward redemption against some of the leading airlines and hotels
- Unlimited domestic and international lounge visits for primary and add-on user
- 6 complimentary golf games per quarter
- Multiple complimentary memberships
- Low forex mark-up fee of 2%
Cons
- Complimentary annual memberships will be renewed only on spending Rs. 8 Lakh or more in a year
- Though forex mark-up fee of 2% is lower than the general 3.5% charged on most cards, it could have been lower, considering the card’s premium status
Frequently Asked Questions
Everything you need to know about this credit card
The redemption value of reward points on HDFC DC Black differ across multiple redemption categories. 1 reward point = 1 Airmile/Rs. 1, if you choose to transfer the points to miles or book flights/hotels through HDFC Bank’s SmartBuy Platform. However, for redemption against product catalogue, you get Rs. 0.50 and for cash conversion, you get Rs. 0.30 for each reward point.
The minimum income requirement is Rs. 2.5 Lakh p.m. for salaried applicants and Rs. 30 Lakh p.a. for self-employed applicants.
With HDFC DC Black Card, you get 10X rewards on select spends made on SmartBuy. Currently, 10X rewards can be earned on Hotel Bookings, IGP, Jockey and PharmEasy. These categories and brands can be changed at the bank’s discretion. Hence, cardholders must check the details before making a purchase.
Cardholders can earn maximum 75,000 reward points in a statement cycle, which adds up to 9 Lakh reward points in a year.
You can redeem your reward points for air miles through HDFC Bank’s SmartBuy Portal. Login to the SmartBuy portal, select the airline, enter your airline loyalty program ID, enter the number of points to be converted to Air Miles and proceed. The transferred miles will be added to your airline loyalty program balance, which can be used at the time of booking your tickets through the respective airline’s platform.
With HDFC Diners Club Black Credit Card, you get 6 complimentary golf games in a quarter. You can book the same by calling their 24-hour Golf Concierge Assistance Service at Golf Concierge Assistance on the Toll free no.: 1800 118 887 (India) or on Landline – 022 42320226. Customers travelling overseas can call at Landline: 022-6171 7606.
Footnotes
- 10X rewards will be offered on Hotel Bookings, IGP, Jockey, PharmEasy, 5X rewards will be offered on Flights Bookings, Bus Bookings, Nykaa, ZoomCar, MMT Holiday Packages, Myntra, 3X rewards will be offered on Train Bookings, Vouchers, Tresor and 2X rewards will be offered on Flipkart
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Rupanshi Thapa
Rupanshi a personal finance writer, specializing in credit cards and consumer finance. Her work is committed to helping readers navigate the complex world of credit with confidence– whether they are selecting the right credit card, optimizings rewards, managing debt, or improving their financial well-being. Through her detailed insights and actionable advice, she guides readers towards smarter financial choices.
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