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Federal BankTaj InnerCircle (now known as NeuPass) is a hotel loyalty program by the Indian Hospitality brand Taj Hotels. Under the InnerCircle program, you accumulate loyalty points on your InnerCircle account for spends at Taj (and partner) hotels, restaurants and spas. The InnerCircle Points or NeuCoins earned can also be redeemed at Taj and partner hotels, restaurants and spas. Apart from this, Taj has partnered with many credit card issuers so that the reward points earned on their credit cards can be transferred to the Taj InnerCircle loyalty program.
When it comes to premium and luxurious travel experiences, the name Taj Hotels is always at the top of the list. People who love traveling without compromising on their luxuries, often prefer Taj Hotels for their stays. In India, Taj has partnered with Citibank and HSBC Bank for reward points redemption. There are also a few other credit cards from other card issuers like ICICI Bank Diamant Credit Card and AmEx Platinum Credit Card that offer a complimentary Taj Epicure Membership. We have curated some of the most rewarding credit cards in terms of reward points benefits or complimentary membership from Taj Hotels.
List Of Best Credit Cards To Get Taj Epicure Membership in India 2023
The Taj Hotels has partnered with a few premium credit cards in India to offer the Taj Epicure Membership. With this membership, cardholders can enjoy tons of benefits like discounted dining bills and beverages at Taj Hotels, spa & salon services, Hotel bookings, and much more. There are two ways to get the Taj Epicure membership in India, either by buying the program or as a complimentary gift with the following credit cards:
Fee
Joining Fee
Rs. 60,000 (plus applicable taxes)
Renewal Fee
1 MR on every Rs. 40, 3X Rewards on all international spends, and 5X Rewards Points on transactions via the AmEx Reward Multiplier portal.
Best Suited For
Travel
Reward Type
Reward Points
Welcome Benefits
SeleQtions, Taj, and Vivanta Hotels’ vouchers worth Rs. 45,000.
Card Details +
The Platinum Credit Card is a super-premium offering by American Express. It comes with a membership fee of Rs. 60,000 per annum, which is one of the highest in India. It is a Charge Card– a name given by American Express to the cards that it issues without a pre-decided credit limit. The credit limit of these Charge Cards varies according to the financial behavior of the cardholder.
As AmEx Platinum Card is a super premium credit card, it offers a plethora of best in class privileges including unlimited complimentary domestic and international airport lounge access, travel-related insurance benefits, discounts at premium hotel chains like Taj, SeleQtions, Vivanta, etc., 24×7 global concierge service and many other premium benefits. Just as ICICI Diamant Credit Card, although the Membership Rewards Points earned on the American Express Platinum Credit Card (or any American Express Credit Card for that matter) can not be converted into Taj InnerCircle Points, you do get a complimentary Taj Epicure membership with AmEx Platinum Credit Card.
Fee
Joining Fee
Rs. 20,000 (plus applicable taxes)
Renewal Fee
1 Reward Points for every Rs. 100 on domestic spends, 2 Reward Points for every Rs. 100 on international spends.
Best Suited For
Travel
Reward Type
Reward Points
Welcome Benefits
2,500 bonus reward points and a benefit worth Rs. 10,000 from ITC hotels or the Taj group.
Card Details +
With the Citibank Prestige Card, you get Complimentary Taj Epicure membership. With this, enjoy a host of privileges like discounted stays at Taj Hotels, food & beverages, Spas, and much more.
Fee
Joining Fee
Rs. 7,999 (plus applicable taxes)
Renewal Fee
20 Reward Points for every Rs. 100 spent on dining (reward rate = 5%), 10 Reward Points for every Rs. 100 spent on international purchases and grocery & departmental stores (reward rate = 2.5%) and 5 Reward Points for every Rs. 100 spent on all other spends except fuel (reward rate = 1.25%)
Best Suited For
Travel
Reward Type
Reward Points
Welcome Benefits
Get Zomato Pro membership after 5 successful transactions, Rs. 1,000 worth of Vouchers after the first POS transaction, 10,000 Bonus RPs on spending Rs. 1 Lakh. Every welcome benefit would be applicable for retail spends made within sixty of card set-up.
Card Details +
With the Zenith credit card, you can earn the Complimentary Taj Epicure membership on spending Rs. 8 lakh in a year.
List Of Best Credit Cards To Earn Taj Inner Circle Points in India 2023
Lots of major card issuers these days provide exciting discounts and deals on Taj hotels in the form of Taj Inner Circle Points. With these points, one can save a lot on their spends on Taj hotels and that is why credit cards offering such benefits are among the top choices of frequent travelers. In this article, you can find the list of top credit cards that can earn you TIC Points and all their features:
Fee
Joining Fee
Rs. 20,000 (plus applicable taxes)
Renewal Fee
1 Reward Points for every Rs. 100 on domestic spends, 2 Reward Points for every Rs. 100 on international spends.
Best Suited For
Travel
Reward Type
Reward Points
Welcome Benefits
2,500 bonus reward points and a benefit worth Rs. 10,000 from ITC hotels or the Taj group.
Card Details +
The Prestige Credit Card by Citibank is a super-premium credit card. The membership fee of this card is Rs. 20,000 per annum and it comes with a plethora of benefits and privileges (travel benefits in particular) including complimentary gift vouchers from premium hotel chains like Taj Hotels and ITC Hotels, a complimentary extra night stay at hotels worldwide, unlimited complimentary domestic and international airport lounge access with Priority Pass membership, fast track priority immigration at select airports and a high conversion rate of Reward Points into AirMiles.
As far as Reward Points are concerned, you earn 2 Reward Points per Rs. 100 on international spends and 1 Reward Point per Rs. 100 on domestic spends. The Reward Points earned on Citi Prestige Credit Card can be transferred to Taj InnerCircle loyalty program. 1 Reward Point = 1 Taj InnerCircle Point. Now, considering the Reward Points earning rate of the Citi Prestige Credit Card on international spends, the effective reward rate of the Citi Prestige Credit Card comes out to be 2%. You must have a minimum of 250 Reward Points on your Citi Prestige Credit Card before they can be transferred to the Taj InnerCircle loyalty program.
| Reward Points Earning Rate | 2 Reward Points per Rs. 100 on international spends and 1 Reward Point per Rs 100 on domestic spends |
| Points Conversion | 1 Reward Point = 1 Taj InnerCircle Point (1:1 conversion ratio) |
| Effective Reward Rate (for redemption against Taj InnerCircle Points) | 2% (considering the Reward Points earning rate on international spends) |
Fee
Joining Fee
Rs. 3,000 plus applicable taxes (complimentary for Citi Gold account holders)
Renewal Fee
10 Miles/Rs. 100 spent for airline transactions and 4 Miles/Rs. 100 spent for all other transactions. No Miles earned on certain spends categories (details below).
Best Suited For
Travel
Reward Type
Reward Points
Welcome Benefits
10,000 Miles on the spends of Rs. 1,000 or more in the first 2 months of card issuance.
Card Details +
Citi PremierMiles Credit Card is one of the best travel cards in the Indian market. It is a mid-level credit card and comes with a membership fee of Rs. 3,000 (plus GST) per annum. You earn Miles as rewards on Citi PremierMiles Credit Card. The Miles earned on Citi Premier Miles Credit Card are transferable to your Taj InnerCircle account. 2 Citibank Miles = 1 Taj InnerCircle Point (conversion ratio of 2:1).
PremierMIles Credit Card earns you 10 Miles per Rs. 100 spent on Airline transactions and 4 Miles per Rs. 100 spent on all other transactions. Considering the Miles earning rate on normal transactions and Miles conversion ratio of 2:1, the effective reward rate on Citibank Premier Credit Card is 2%, i.e. you effectively get 1 Taj InnerCircle Point for every Rs. 100 spent using the Citi PremierMiles Credit Card. You must have a minimum of 100 Miles on your Citi PremierMiles Credit Card before they can be converted into Taj InnerCircle Points.
| Reward Points Earning Rate | 10 Miles per Rs. 100 on airline spends and 4 Miles per Rs 100 on all other spends |
| Points Conversion | 2 Miles = 1 Taj InnerCircle Point (2:1 conversion ratio) |
| Effective Reward Rate (for redemption against Taj InnerCircle Points) | 2% (considering the Miles earning rate on normal spends) |
Fee
Joining Fee
Nil
Renewal Fee
For every Rs. 100 spent using this credit card, you will get 2 Reward Points.
Best Suited For
Shopping
Reward Type
Reward Points
Welcome Benefits
One night stay at Taj Hotels along with Complimentary Epicure Membership.
Card Details +
HSBC Premier MasterCard Credit Card is a premium credit card by HSBC bank exclusively offered for those HSBC customers who maintain Premier relationship with HSBC in India. The card comes with a plethora of benefits and privileges including complimentary (limited) domestic and international airport lounge access, complimentary rounds of golf at some of the premium golf destinations in the country, travel-related insurance benefits, etc. HSBC Premier Credit Card is complimentary for HSBC Premier customers.
You earn 2 Reward Points for every Rs. 100 spent with HSBC Premier MasterCard Credit Card which are transferable to Taj InnerCircle loyalty program. 1,000 Reward Points = 1,000 Taj InnerCircle Points (conversion ratio of 1:1). Thus, the effective reward rate of HSBC Premier MasterCard Credit Card for redemption against HSBC Premier MasterCard Credit Card is 2%.
| Reward Points Earning Rate | 2 Reward Points per Rs. 100 spent with the card |
| Points Conversion | 1,000 Reward Points = 1,000 Taj InnerCircle Points (1:1 conversion ratio) |
| Effective Reward Rate (for redemption against Taj InnerCircle Points) | 2% (for redemption against Taj InnerCircle Points) |
Fee
Joining Fee
Nil
Renewal Fee
For every Rs. 150 spent using this credit card, the cardholders will get 2 Reward Points.
Best Suited For
Shopping
Reward Type
Reward Points
Welcome Benefits
Amazon Voucher worth Rs. 500, 3 complimentary lounge access/3 meal vouchers, 50% discount (up to Rs.100) on the first transaction on google pay, and 10% cashback (upto Rs. 2,000).
Card Details +
HSBC Visa Platinum Credit Card is one of the entry-level credit cards by HSBC Bank. You earn 2 Reward Points for every Rs. 150 spent with the card (Reward Points earning rate of 1.33%). The Reward Points earned on HSBC Visa Platinum Credit Card can be redeemed for Taj InnerCircle Points. For redemption against Taj InnerCircle Points, 1,000 Reward Points = 1,000 Taj InnerCircle Points (1:1 conversion ratio). Therefore, the effective reward rate of HSBC Visa Platinum Credit Card, on redemption of Reward Points for Taj InnerCircle Points comes out to be 1.33%.
| Reward Points Earning Rate | 2 Reward Points per Rs. 150 spent with the card |
| Points Conversion | 1,000 Reward Points = 1,000 Taj InnerCircle Points (1:1 conversion ratio) |
| Effective Reward Rate (for redemption against Taj InnerCircle Points) | 1.33% (for redemption against Taj InnerCircle Points) |
Fee
Joining Fee
Rs. 1,25,000 (plus applicable taxes)
Renewal Fee
6 Reward Points per Rs. 100 on internationally and 3 Reward Points on domestic spends.
Best Suited For
Movies
Reward Type
Reward Points
Welcome Benefits
Apple MacBook Air MMGG2HN/A worth Rs. 75,000 on realization of the joining fee
Card Details +
ICICI Bank Diamant Credit Card is a super-premium credit by the bank. The card comes with a hefty joining fee of Rs. 1,25,000, while an annual membership fee of Rs. 10,000 is payable second year onwards. Being a premium credit card, it comes with a plethora of benefits and privileges including a complimentary Macbook Air as a welcome gift.
ICICI Diamant Credit Card, although does not allow conversion of Reward Points into Taj InnerCircle Points, you do get a complimentary Taj Epicure Plus and Taj InnerCircle Gold Tier membership with the card which entitle you to hospitality and dining benefits including a 25% discount on dining bills at participating restaurants, happy hours at participating restaurants any evening throughout the week, complimentary room upgrades, preferential room rates, etc.
Features and Benefits of NeuCoins Earned with NeuPass
The Taj Inner Circle membership has been reframed as Neupass. Now you will earn NeuCoins for transactions done with the NeuPass. The process of earning the coins is the same as before. Moreover, now with NeuPass, you can upgrade your membership to Silver, Gold, and Platinium Tiers based on your eligibility.
- Earn NeuCoins on all spends: You can earn NeuCoins with the NeuPass on all spends, including Hotel stays, Food & beverages, Laundry, and much more.
- Tons of Redemption options: The NeuCoins earned can be redeemed for a wide variety like Food and Beverage bills, Telephone, Gift Vouchers, Room Charges, Spa, and much more. The value of 1 NeuCoin is equal to Rs. 1.
- Validity: The Neucoins earned are valid for a period of 1 year from the date of accumulation.
The NeuPass comes with different Membership Tiers which can be upgraded on the basis of your spends or your night stays at Taj Hotels. The following table summarizes the benefits and reward rates of all NeuPass Membership Tiers:
| Platinum Tier | Gold Tier | Silver Tier | Copper Tier | |
| Reward Rate | 8 NeuCoins per Rs. 100 | 7 NeuCoins per Rs. 100 | 5 NeuCoins per Rs. 100 | 4 NeuCoins per Rs. 100 |
| Benefits |
Early Check-in and late check-out (subject to availability) Unlimited complimentary room upgrade (up to standard suite) Applicable for a stay of up to 5 nights 4 Complimentary Taj Club room upgrade vouchers Applicable for a stay of up to 5 days. Transfers not included) 24×7 Dedicated Platinum Concierge services Special Welcome Amenity High-Speed Internet |
Early Check-in, Late Check-out 9subject to availability) 20 complimentary room upgrades (up to standard suite) Applicable for a stay of up to 5 nights 2 Complimentary Taj Club rooms upgrade vouchers. Applicable for a stay of up to 5 days. |
Late Check-out subject to availability | |
| Eligibility | 80 nights or Rs. 8 Lakhs spent in a 1-year period | 40 nights or Rs. 4 Lakhs spent in a 1-year period | 10 nights or Rs. 1 Lakh spent in a 1-year period | Basic Tier |
Benefits of Taj Epicure Membership
Some credit cards also offer complimentary Taj Epicure membership, which comes with various benefits as mentioned below:
- Get a 20% discount on F&B purchases at Banquets.
- Get a 25% discount on F&B purchases at SeleQtions, Taj, and Vivanta Hotels at domestic and International locations.
- Get flat 20% off on food orders via the Qmin mobile app.
- Get a flat 20% discount on Salon Experiences and Spa Treatments at Jiva Spas.
The above-mentioned benefits are provided with the complimentary Taj Epicure membership with some of the best credit cards in India. However, the benefits provided with the complimentary membership are limited compared to the Paid version of the Taj Epicure membership.
The Taj Epicure Membership if not provided on your credit card, can be bought with Epicure Privileged Card at Rs. 25,000 or Epicure Preffered Card at Rs. 17,000. Following are the benefits that are provided with these memberships over and above the aforementioned complimentary Taj Epicure membership:
- Complimentary Stay at Participating Hotels.
- Complimentary Room Upgrade for One Night.
- Complimentary Set-Lunch for Two Persons.
- Exclusive Access to The Taj Club Lounge.
- One-time Access to the Pool, with Set Lunch & Wine.
- Complimentary Celebration Cake in Member’s Birthday Month, and much more.
Which Credit Card Gives Taj Vouchers in India?
As Taj Hotels are among the most premium hotel brands in India, lots of people prefer these hotels for stays when out of the station. Keeping this in mind, various credit card issuers offer discounts/deals on Taj hotel bookings, complimentary Taj Epicure memberships, or Taj vouchers. Some of these cards are listed below:
- Citi Prestige Credit Card: You get welcome gift Vouchers worth Rs. 10,000 from the Taj group.
- ICICI Diamant Credit Card: You get complimentary Taj Epicure membership under which you also get Taj hotels discount vouchers.
- American Express Platinum Credit Card: With this card, you get SeleQtions, Taj, and Vivanta Hotels vouchers worth Rs. 45,000 (combined) as a welcome benefit.
Reward Rates
For a quick reference, we have summarised the Reward Points earning rate, conversion rate, and effective reward rate (for redemption against Taj InnerCircle Points) of the aforementioned credit cards in the table below-
| Credit Cards | Reward Points Earning Rate | Points Conversion | Effective Reward Rate (for redemption against Taj InnerCircle Points) |
| Citi Prestige Credit Card | 2 Reward Points per Rs. 100 on international spends and 1 Reward Point per Rs 100 on domestic spends | 1 Reward Point = 1 Taj InnerCircle Point (1:1 conversion ratio) | 2% (considering the Reward Points earning rate on international spends) |
| Citi PremierMiles Credit Card | 10 Miles per Rs. 100 on airline spends and 4 Miles per Rs 100 on all other spends | 2 Miles = 1 Taj InnerCircle Point (2:1 conversion ratio) | 2% (considering the Miles earning rate on normal spends) |
| HSBC Premier MasterCard Credit Card | 2 Reward Points per Rs. 100 spent with the card | 1,000 Reward Points = 1,000 Taj InnerCircle Points (1:1 conversion ratio) | 2% (for redemption against Taj InnerCircle Points) |
| HSBC Visa Platinum Credit Card | 2 Reward Points per Rs. 150 spent with the card | 1,000 Reward Points = 1,000 Taj InnerCircle Points (1:1 conversion ratio) | 1.33% (for redemption against Taj InnerCircle Points) |
Bottom Line:
Taj InnerCircle is one of the best-suited frequent guest loyalty programs for Indian frequent travelers who don’t want to compromise with their comfort and luxury while they are outstation. Taj InnerCircle Points can be redeemed for travel-related expenses at Taj and partner hotels, restaurants and spas. If you’re a frequent traveler and looking for a credit card that can help reduce your spends, the aforementioned credit cards by Citibank and HSBC Banks are certainly worth looking at. Most of these cards offer a decent reward rate of 2% in terms of conversion of Reward Points into Taj InnerCircle Points, i.e. you get 2 Taj InnerCircle Points for every Rs. 100 spent with most of these credit cards (1.33 in case of HSBC Visa Platinum Credit Card).
FAQs:
The NeuPass, formerly Taj InnerCircle is a hotel loyalty program by Taj Hotels, which is one of the most premium hotel brands in India. Taj InnerCircle Points can be redeemed at Taj (and partner) hotels, restaurants and spas.
Citibank and HSBC Bank allow conversion of Reward Points earned on their credit cards into Taj InnerCircle Points.
Taj InnerCircle Points can be redeemed for various types of spends at Taj (and partner) hotels, restaurants, resorts and spas.
No, Reward Points earned only two of Citibank credit cards- Citi Prestige Credit Card and Citi Premier Miles can be converted into Taj InnerCircle Points.
The Rewards Points to Taj InnerCircle Points conversion ratio for HSBC Bank Credit Cards is 1:1 (1,000 Reward Points = 1,000 Taj InnerCircle Points).
The Reward Points to Taj InnerCircle Points conversion ratio for Citi Prestige Credit Card is 1:1 (1 Reward Point = 1 Taj InnerCircle Point) and for Citi PrmierMiles Credit Card is 2:1 (2 Reward Points = 1 Taj InnerCircle Point).
The fee of the Taj Epicure Preferred membership is INR 17,500 plus taxes, and that of the Taj Privileged membership is Rs. 25,000 plus taxes.
Taj Epicure membership is an exclusive program under which you can avail of exciting deals and discounts across the Taj, SeleQtions, and Vivanta hotels all across the globe.
Yes, the Taj Epicure membership is totally worth it for those who are frequent travelers and prefer the Taj hotels for stays. This membership allows you to save a lot on your hotel, dining, and lifestyle spends and hence it is worth it if one knows how to maximize its benefits.
Compare India’s most rewarding credit cards under one roof and pick the one that works for you the best.
1 Comment
Looks like HSBC stopped taking requests for tan inner circle for visa platinum. Could you please confirm