HDFC Bank Times Points Debit Card – Benefits, Fees & Eligibility

Introduction

The Times Points Debit Card, issued by HDFC Bank, is positioned as a digital loyalty program designed to offer a unique currency of Times Points. It caters to customers seeking benefits across online shopping, dining, and grocery categories. Key differentiating benefits include a welcome bonus of 500 Times Points, a 10% discount on various online transactions, and the ability to earn 2 Times Points for every ₹150 spent. Please note that new issuances of this Debit Card variant are currently unavailable, but existing customers will continue to enjoy its benefits.

Welcome Benefits

• Earn 500 Times Points on your first shopping transaction at a Point of Sale (POS) or online merchant establishment.
• Receive a one-time offer of 500 bonus Times Points.
• Choose one offer from a bouquet of up to 20 welcome offers.

Fees

• Annual Fee: ₹650 plus applicable taxes.
• Replacement / Reissuance Charges: ₹200 plus applicable taxes (effective from December 1, 2016).
• Usage Charges:
  • Railway Stations: ₹30 per ticket plus 1.80% of the transaction amount.
  • IRCTC: 1.80% of the transaction amount.
• Penalty for Declined Transactions: ₹25 plus applicable taxes per declined transaction.
• Cross-Currency Markup Fee: 3.5% of the transaction amount.
• PIN Generation: No fee.
• Insurance Coverage: No fee.

Rewards

Shopping & Dining Benefits

• Avail a 10% discount on online transactions in categories such as lifestyle, entertainment, grocery shopping, and dining.
• Earn 2 Times Points for every ₹150 spent, excluding transactions on fuel, jewellery, and business services.
• Earn up to 5% CashBack on transactions made through HDFC Bank PayZapp and SmartBuy.

Travel Benefits

• Enjoy complimentary airport lounge access at airports across India.
• Complimentary lounge access is limited to 1 per calendar quarter.
• To avail complimentary lounge access, a minimum spend of ₹5,000 in the previous calendar quarter is required.
• Effective January 10, 2026, complimentary lounge access will be granted only if a minimum of ₹10,000 is spent in the calendar quarter, and upon displaying an SMS/Email carrying the voucher code at the lounge reception.

Banking Benefits

• Higher Debit Card Limits:
  • Daily Domestic ATM withdrawal limit: ₹1 lakh.
  • Daily Domestic Shopping limit: ₹3.5 lakh.
  • Cash withdrawal facility at merchant establishments: Maximum ₹2,000 per transaction, with a maximum monthly limit of ₹10,000.
  • Dynamic ATM Withdrawal Limits:
    • For the first 6 months from account opening date: Capped at ₹0.5 Lakhs per day and ₹10 Lakhs per month.
    • For accounts older than 6 months: Capped at ₹2 Lakhs per day and ₹10 Lakhs per month.
• Contactless Payments: The card is enabled for contactless payments at retail outlets. For transactions up to ₹5,000, no PIN is required. For transactions equal to or higher than ₹5,000, the Debit Card PIN must be entered for security reasons.
• EMI Conversion: Convert big purchases above ₹5,000 into EMIs, including no-cost EMIs in select categories. To check your pre-approved eligible amount, SMS "MYHDFC" to 5676712.
• Fuel Surcharge Waiver: Enjoy fuel surcharge waiver at government petrol pumps nationwide.

Security & Insurance Benefits

• Zero Liability: You will not have any liability for fraudulent Point of Sale transactions on the debit card that occur up to 90 days prior to reporting the card loss.
• Accelerated Personal Accident Death Cover: Up to ₹10 lakh.
  • Base Personal Accident Death Cover by Air/Road/Rail for a sum assured of ₹5 lakh.
  • Additional Accelerated Personal Accident Death Cover up to a maximum of ₹5 lakh, subject to minimum transactions at merchant locations/online.
  • To keep the free Personal Death Insurance cover active, the Debit Card must be used at retail or online stores at least once every 30 days.
• International Air Accident Cover: Additional flat ₹1 crore on purchase of air tickets using your Debit Card.
  • If the insured person has multiple cards, the insurance policy applies only to the card with the highest POS amount.
• Fire & Burglary Protection: Sum assured of ₹2 lakh for items purchased using the Debit Card (up to 6 months).
• Checked Baggage Insurance: Sum of ₹2 lakh, applicable for travel outside India, covering the intrinsic value of accompanied personal baggage lost due to fire, theft, burglary, and accident of the travelling vehicle.
• If an account holder has two cards on the same account eligible for insurance cover, the lower of the insurance amounts offered as a feature on the cards will be paid out.

Rewards Redemption Guide

• Times Points are a digital loyalty program currency earned through card usage.
• Minimum of 10 Reward Points must be accumulated for redemption.
• There is no maximum capping on redeeming accumulated points.
• Cashback Points are earned on eligible Merchant Category Codes (MCCs).
• Credit Card BillPay transactions made through the Debit Card will not earn any CashBack points.
• Unredeemed Times Points are valid for 12 months from the date of accrual.
• All promotional CashBack points earned on your Debit Card have a validity of 3 months, after which they will expire (effective February 2020).
• Customers are not eligible for redemption of CashBack points upon account closure.
• Redemption Process:
  • Visit the official Times Points website (www.timespoints.com).
  • Login to your account using your registered email ID.
  • Click on the "redeem" tab to view offers.
  • Select an offer, click "Redeem," enter delivery location with pin code verification, mention contact details, and confirm your order.
  • A confirmation will be sent to your registered email ID upon successful redemption.
  • A "Quick Redeem" button is also available on the Homepage for users with sufficient points.
• You will be notified about the expiry of your Times Points by email from Times Internet Limited (TIL).
• If you get a new card (reissue), all your Times Points will be carried forward to the new card.

Card Eligibility Criteria

• Who Can Apply (for existing cardholders, as new applications are not accepted):
  • Non-Resident (External) Account Holders.
  • Resident Indians who hold one of the following accounts: Savings Account, Current Account, SuperSaver Account, Loan Against Shares Account (LAS), Salary Account, Individual Account Holders (Savings Account, Corporate Salary Accounts & Senior Citizens).
• The HDFC Bank Times Points Debit Card is available to both Resident Indians and Non-Resident (External) Account Holders.
• Important Note: HDFC Bank is currently not accepting new applications for the Times Points Debit Card.

Card Review

The HDFC Bank Times Points Debit Card offers a robust set of benefits, particularly for those who frequently engage in online shopping, dining, and grocery purchases, thanks to its 10% discount and accelerated reward points. The comprehensive insurance coverage, including significant personal accident and international air accident covers, along with zero liability protection, adds a strong layer of security. Complimentary airport lounge access, though subject to spend criteria, enhances the travel experience. The option to convert large purchases into EMIs provides financial flexibility.

However, a significant drawback is that new applications for this card are no longer being accepted, making it exclusive to existing cardholders. The varying spend requirements for lounge access (₹5,000 currently, changing to ₹10,000 from Jan 2026) and the shorter 3-month validity for promotional CashBack points compared to the 12-month validity for regular Times Points are points to note. Overall, for existing users, it remains a valuable card for everyday spends and offers substantial security and lifestyle perks.

Important Product Details

• No new Debit Card issuances are available for the Times Points Debit Card variant; existing customers continue to enjoy benefits.
• Welcome benefit of 500 Times Points on first shopping transaction.
• 10% discount on online lifestyle, entertainment, grocery, and dining transactions.
• Earn 2 Times Points for every ₹150 spent (excluding fuel, jewellery, and business services).
• Up to 5% CashBack on PayZapp & SmartBuy transactions.
• Complimentary airport lounge access (1 per calendar quarter), currently requiring ₹5,000 spend in the previous quarter, changing to ₹10,000 spend in the calendar quarter effective January 10, 2026.
• Fuel surcharge waiver at government petrol pumps.
• Comprehensive insurance coverage: Personal Accident Death Cover up to ₹10 lakh, International Air Accident Cover of ₹1 crore, Fire & Burglary Protection of ₹2 lakh, and Checked Baggage Insurance of ₹2 lakh.
• Zero Liability protection against fraudulent POS transactions up to 90 days prior to reporting card loss.
• Daily Domestic ATM withdrawal limits: ₹1 lakh (general), with dynamic limits of ₹0.5 Lakhs/day for first 6 months and ₹2 Lakhs/day thereafter (monthly cap ₹10 Lakhs).
• Daily Domestic Shopping limit: ₹3.5 lakh.
• Cash withdrawal at POS: Maximum ₹2,000 per transaction, ₹10,000 per month.
• EMI conversion available for purchases above ₹5,000.
• Annual Fee: ₹650 plus taxes.
• Replacement / Reissuance Charges: ₹200 plus applicable taxes.
• Cross-currency markup fee: 3.5% of the transaction amount.
• Times Points are valid for 12 months from accrual; promotional CashBack points are valid for 3 months.

Other Details

• Card Management & Controls: A unified platform is available for efficient management of HDFC Bank products and services, including spends tracking and viewing/redeeming reward points.
• MyCards Platform: A mobile-based service platform for all Debit Card needs, facilitating convenient activation and management of your Times Points Debit Card on the go. Features include:
  • Debit Card Registration & Activation
  • Set up Card PIN
  • Manage Card Controls (Online Spends, Contactless Transactions, etc.)
  • View Transactions / Download e-Statements
  • Check Reward Points
  • Block/Re-Issue Card
  • Apply for an Add-on Card, Manage, Set PIN and Card Controls for Add-on card
• RBI Guidelines for Debit Cards (effective October 1, 2020): All Debit Cards are by default enabled only for Domestic usage (PoS & ATM) and disabled for Domestic (E-commerce & contactless) and international usage. Customers can enable or modify Domestic & International transaction limits on ATM / PoS / E-commerce / Contactless via MyCards, NetBanking, Mobile Banking, WhatsApp Banking (70-700-222-22), Ask Eva, or by calling the Toll-free Number 1800 1600 / 1800 2600. For overseas travel, customers can call 022-61606160.
• Times Points Program: Times Points is a unique loyalty program where points are earned by using the debit card for offline/online spends and can be redeemed for offers from timespoints.com.
• Account Registration: As an HDFC Bank Times Points Debit Card holder, you are auto-registered for the Times Points loyalty program. An auto-generated email will be sent to your bank registered email ID with a link to set up your account and password. If your existing Times Points account email ID matches your HDFC Bank registered email, you will not need to register again.
• Merging Accounts: It is not possible to merge two Times Points IDs. Your HDFC Bank Times Points Debit Card linked account will be tied to your HDFC Bank registered email ID.
• Customer Support: For doubts, queries, or issues related to merchant offers or products purchased using Times Points, contact CS@timespointsdebit.com.
• Terms and Conditions: The Most Important Terms and Conditions for banking offerings are available digitally and should be reviewed thoroughly.