HDFC Bank has updated the terms for the Diners Club Privilege Credit Card. From introducing a high spending requirement of ₹60,000 for airport lounge access to adding a card reissuance fee, several changes have been made.
Effective from 1st July 2026, airport lounge access on the Diners Club Privilege Credit Card will only be available if you spend ₹60,000 or more in the previous calendar quarter. For example, to access lounges between July and September, you must meet the spending requirement between April and June.
Apart from this, the reward rate has also been revised. Cardholders will now earn 4 Reward Points for every ₹200 spent, compared to the earlier 4 Reward Points per ₹150 on retail spends. This change will be effective from 15th May 2026. Additionally, a card reissuance fee of ₹199 + GST has been introduced for lost, stolen, or damaged cards, effective 15th May 2026.
Spend ₹60,000 for Airport Lounge Access
Starting from July 2026, cardholders will need to spend ₹60,000 in a calendar quarter to unlock airport lounge access in the next quarter. This effectively means spending around ₹20,000 per month.
One of the most surprising parts of this change is that the spending requirement applies to both domestic and international lounge access. Usually, such conditions are only introduced for domestic lounge access.
“Customer would get 3 complimentary lounge access vouchers on spends of ₹60,000 or more in preceding calendar- 2 Domestic lounge access (Within India) + 1 International lounge access (Outside India).”
Lowered Reward Rate
From 15th May 2026, the reward rate will be revised to 4 Reward Points for every ₹200 spent, instead of the earlier 4 Reward Points for every ₹150.
| Type | Earlier (4 RPs /₹150) | Now (4 RPs /₹200) |
| Reward Points per ₹100 | 2.67 RPs | 2 RPs |
| Value per ₹100 | ₹1.33 | ₹1.00 |
| Reward Rate | 1.33% | 1.00% |
Assuming a maximum redemption value of ₹0.50 per point.*
NEW Card Reissuance Fee
In case of a lost, stolen, or damaged card, a reissuance fee of ₹199 will be charged. This fee covers secure processing, dispatch, and handling. The change will be effective from 15th May 2026.
Dynamic Currency Conversion (DCC) Fee
The DCC markup will be revised to 1.75% on international transactions processed in INR. This includes transactions made abroad in INR as well as payments made in India to merchants registered overseas.
Bottom Line
These changes are not exactly a devaluation but rather a restructuring. The bank hasn’t directly cut all benefits but has made adjustments that aim to balance value for customers while keeping the card sustainable for the bank.
That said, cardholders will now have to spend ₹60,000 per quarter to access airport lounges, deal with a lower reward rate, and pay a reissuance fee in case the card is lost or damaged. These changes do feel like a downgrade, especially the lounge access condition, as the Diners Club Privilege Credit Card was earlier known for offering both domestic and international lounge access quite easily.
In fact, it could be argued that such a change was long overdue. And honestly, while the impact is noticeable, it’s not as harsh as one might have expected.