HDFC Bank Regalia First Credit Card Review (2020)

HDFC Bank has been very successful with their premium offering Regalia Credit Card, so much so that everyone wants it. Earlier HDFC Bank used to issue Allmiles credit card for those who’re not eligible for the Regalia. But HDFC recently decided to stop issuing Allmiles card, probably because it was run by a different loyalty partner.

So that’s how HDFC Regalia First came into existence – as a good replacement for Allmiles credit card. Note that this is the Regalia First and do-not get confused with the original Regalia, which is one step above this card.

Joining Fees & Charges

Reward Points

Default Reward Rate

• 1 Reward Point = 0.30 INR (when redeemed on regalia portal)
• 4 RP for every 150 INR Retail Spends
• Reward Rate: ~0.8%

Spend Based Milestones

• Earn 5,000 Reward Points on annual spends of Rs. 3,00,000 or more in each anniversary year
• Earn 7,500 Reward Points on annual spends of Rs. 6,00,000 or more in each anniversary year
• Fulfilment: After completion of the card anniversary year.

So if you’re able to spend 6 Lakhs in a year, you can get reward rate as good as 1.2%  – which is pretty good for a card of this range.

5X/10X Offers

Every now and then HDFC runs offers with various merchant to give you 2x/5x/10x of the regular points which multiplies the reward rate so well. Hence, lookout for the offers every now & then.

Redemption

All the above reward rate that i’ve mentioned is possible to achieve only when you redeem the points for travel bookings (flights/hotels). If you prefer to redeem your points for shopping or other vouchers from the catalog, you’ll end up loosing a lot.

Redemptions are easy and I’ve myself used the original Regalia Reward Points to book a trip to Vietnam – typically saving 25,000 INR using points.

Lounge Access

Domestic

• Access Via: Visa Signature/Master Card
• Complimentary Limits: 8
• Limits Reset: Every Calendar Year

Note that most of the Visa/MC limits are set to every quarter, but with Regalia range of cards its an yearly limit, which is great indeed.

International

• Access Via: Priority Pass
• Complimentary Limits: 3 (shared between Primary & Add-on cards)
• Limits Reset: Every Calendar Year

If you would like to check the remaining visits left on your card at any point of time, you need to check with Priority Pass directly ([email protected]) about the visits done on your PP card. Just deduct that # from your actual limit and you’ll get the remaining limits on your PP card.

Caution: Any visits made in domestic lounges or visits made above the limits at Intl Lounges with attract $32 fee per visit.

Other Benefits

• Foreign Exchange Markup fee: 2% + GST
• Credit Shield: 5 Lakhs

How to Apply

• New Application: >7.2 Lakh Annual Income (Branch/Online)
• HDFC Classic Banking: If you’re a Classic Customer for >6 months with good Balance/AQB, you’ve higher chances to get Regalia First if above condition is not met.
• Upgrade: Limits above 1.5 Lakh on existing HDFC card (Moneyback) with good spends would help.

That aside, most of the salary account holders are given HDFC Regalia First even if you don’t meet the above eligibility criteria, provided your company is banking with HDFC.

Competitors

Regalia is a Semi-premium credit card – a not so popular segment in credit card industry but HDFC is giving Premium feel even for non-premium customers and that’s how HDFC is killing the competition. Cards with similar reward rate are as below,

• Yesbank Premia
• SBI Simply Click
• Amex MRCC

Bottomline

HDFC Bank is certainly doing a great thing by introducing Premium benefits to regular customers. Its also in line with the current generation’s expectation to meet their growing travel needs. And not to forget, this is not the card to hold, but the path to get the original Regalia – the actual premium credit card.

• Cardexpert Rating: 4/5 

Whats your take on HDFC bank Regalia First Credit Card? Feel free to share your thoughts in comments below.