Is HDFC Regalia Gold the Best? Here Are India’s Top Rival Credit Cards You Need to Know

Synopsis- HDFC Regalia Gold Credit Card offers a premium combination of reward points, travel benefits, and low annual fees, making it an attractive option for frequent travelers and everyday spenders. With features like airport lounge access, milestone benefits, and comprehensive insurance cover, it provides excellent value for its price.

The HDFC Regalia Gold Credit Card is one of the most desired premium credit cards in India with a great balance of reward, travel and lifetime benefits. There are, however, a number of competitive substitutes which pose a threat to its position. This paper analyses the HDFC Regalia Gold and its top three competitors: SBI Card PRIME, ICICI Bank Sapphiro, and Axis Bank SELECT.

HDFC Regalia Gold Credit Card: Features and Benefits

• Annual Fees and Charges: The card will have an initial and annual fee of ₹2500 plus GST. This renewal fee is not charged in the event of 4 lakh or above expenditure in a calendar year. Its foreign currency markup is 2%, making it competitive for international use.
• Reward Structure: Each ₹150 used to make retail purchases will earn the cardholder 4 reward points. The card will provide an increased 5X reward points (20 reward points per 150) on purchases at partner merchants, such as Nykaa, Myntra, Marks and Spencer and Reliance Digital.
• Welcome Benefits: New cardholders will be given a ₹2,500 gift voucher when they pay the joining fee. Moreover, ₹1 lakh spending in the initial 90 days of card issuance is accompanied by a free Swiggy One and MMT Black Elite membership.
• Travel Benefits: The card will allow 12 domestic airport lounge visits each year and 6 international lounge visits via the Priority Pass membership.
• Milestone Benefits: Quarterly milestone benefits will consist of ₹1,500 worth of vouchers on spending 1.5 lakh per quarter. Annual milestones will provide ₹5,000 worth of flight vouchers on 5 lakh spending and additional ₹5,000 flight vouchers on 7.5 lakh.
• Insurance cover: The card is fully insured with a 1 crore air accident cover, purchase cover and no lost card liability under immediate reporting.

Competitor Analysis

1. SBI Card PRIME

The SBI Card PRIME places itself as a high-end lifestyle credit card with high travel and dining benefits.

• Fees and Charges: The card fee is one joining fee of ₹2,999 and GST and the same annual fee which is waived in case of spending 3 lakh per year. The mark up of the foreign currency is 3.5%.
• Reward Structure: Cardholders receive 2 reward points on regular spends of ₹100 and 10 reward points on dining, groceries, departmental stores and movies. During birthdays, the user will be rewarded 20 reward points per ₹100 spent.
• Travel Benefits: This card is accompanied with 8 domestic lounge visits (2 per quarter) and 4 international lounge visits using Priority Pass membership. It contains a 1% fuel surcharge waiver to a maximum of ₹250 per month.
• Unique Features: SBI card PRIME offers 50% discount on golf games and 25% discount via American express Dining Platform. 

2. ICICI Bank Sapphiro

The ICICI Bank Sapphiro is aimed at the people who make high expenditures on travel and lifestyle benefits.

• Fees and Charges: The card comes with a joining fee of ₹6,500 + GST and annual fee of 3,500 + GST. The renewal fee is exempt on an annual expenditure of ₹6 lakh. Foreign currency markup is 3.5%.
• Reward Structure: 2 reward points are earned on every 100 rupees spent domestically and 4 reward points are earned on every 100 rupees spent on international transactions. The milestone program provides 4,000 points on 4 lakh of spending per year, and 2,000 points on every 1 lakh that follows.
• Travel Benefits: The card will include 16 domestic lounge visits per year and 2 international lounge visits. The domestic cover is high, though the number of international access is limited.
• Welcome Benefits: New cardholders will obtain ₹13,000 worth shopping and travel vouchers, which is more than the amount of the joining fee.
• Additional Benefits: Up to 4 golf rounds per month  complimentarily on spending ₹50,000 in retail purchases previous month.

3. Axis Bank SELECT

The Axis Bank SELECT targets retail oriented spenders who have high shopping and dining benefits-

• Fees and Charges: The card has a joining fee of 3000 rupees and an equal annual fee, but it is free to the Burgundy customers. Spending ₹8 lakh per year is exempted from the renewal fee. Foreign currency markup is 3.5%.
• Reward Structure: Cardholders get 10 EDGE points on every 200 and 20 EDGE points on every 200 they spend on retail purchases up to 20,000 each month. Redemption value is about 0.20 per point.
• Travel Benefits: The card comes with 12 international lounge visits with Priority Pass membership in addition to 2 domestic lounge visits in a quarter (subject to 50,000 quarterly spend).
• Welcome Benefits: New cardholders will earn 10,000 EDGE points of 2,000 in the first transaction.
• Other Perks: The card will come with 6 free golf rounds per year, a waiver of 1 percent fuel surcharge on purchases between 400- 4, 000 INR, and dining discounts under the Axis Dining Delights program.

Also read: SBI and Flipkart Launch Co-Branded Credit Card With Up to 7.5% Cashback

Comparison of Credit Cards

Final Thoughts

HDFC Regalia Gold comes out as the most balanced option among the premium credit card seekers in that it provides a good value of low annual fee, good reward rate, and attractive foreign exchange rates. Its all inclusive travel advantages and milestone benefits make it applicable to both travellers and day-to-day spenders.

• Select SBI Card PRIME when you like dining and grocery rewards and its 5X points structure offers the best value to these categories.
• Select ICICI Bank Sapphiro when you are a high spender and can justify the higher charges with the help of domestic travelling widely and using premium lifestyle advantages.
• Axis Bank SELECT should be selected when you are a shopping enthusiast who appreciates access to international lounges and can take advantage of the 2X retail rewards program.

The HDFC Regalia Gold Credit Card continues to maintain its competitiveness with a winning mix of low charges, high rewards and extensive benefits, thus being the best in the market among the aspirants of the premium card in India.

Written by Prajwal Hegde

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