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

Introduction

The Times Points Debit Card, issued by HDFC Bank, is a feature-rich card designed for existing customers who hold various account types including Savings, Current, SuperSaver, Loan Against Shares, Salary, and Individual Accounts for Resident Indians, as well as Non-Resident (External) Accounts. While new issuances for this card variant are currently unavailable, existing cardholders continue to enjoy a suite of benefits. Key differentiating features include welcome Times Points, significant online shopping discounts, a robust rewards program on spends, complimentary airport lounge access, high transaction limits, and comprehensive insurance coverage.

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 benefit from a bouquet of up to 20 offers.

Transaction Limits & Usage

• Daily Domestic ATM Withdrawal Limit:
  • ₹1 lakh for accounts older than 6 months.
  • ₹50,000 per day and ₹10 lakh per month for the first 6 months from account opening date.
• Daily Domestic Shopping Limit: ₹3.5 lakh.
• Cash Withdrawal at Merchant Establishments (Cash at POS):
  • Maximum upper limit of ₹2,000 per transaction.
  • Maximum Cash at POS limit of ₹10,000 per month.
• Dynamic Limits: Card limits can be changed (increased or decreased) via NetBanking up to the permissible limits.
• Contactless Payments:
  • Enabled for retail outlets.
  • Maximum of ₹5,000 for a single transaction without requiring a Debit Card PIN in India.
  • For transactions equal to or higher than ₹5,000, the Debit Card PIN must be entered for security reasons.
• Domestic and International Usage (RBI Guidelines effective 1st Oct 2020):
  • All Debit Cards issued are enabled only for Domestic usage (PoS & ATM) by default.
  • Domestic (E-commerce & contactless) and international usage are disabled by default.
  • These limits and usage types can be enabled or modified via MyCards, NetBanking, Mobile Banking, WhatsApp Banking (70-700-222-22), Ask Eva, or by calling the Toll-free Number (1800 1600 / 1800 2600).
  • Customers traveling overseas can contact 022-61606160.

Fees and Charges

• Annual Fees: ₹650 plus applicable taxes.
• Replacement / Reissuance Charges:
  • ₹200 plus applicable taxes (effective from 1st December 2016).
  • ₹240 plus applicable taxes (effective from 1st May 2026).
• Usage Charges (Railway Stations): ₹30 per ticket plus 1.80% of the transaction amount.
• Usage Charges (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.
• Debit Card PIN Generation: Free of charge.
• Insurance Coverage: Provided free of charge to cardholders.
• Fuel Surcharge Waiver: Available at government petrol pumps nationwide.

Rewards & Offers

• Welcome Benefits:
  • Earn 500 Times Points on your first shopping at a POS or online merchant establishment.
  • One-time offer of 500 bonus Times points.
  • Choose one from a bouquet of up to 20 offers.
• Shopping Benefits:
  • Avail 10% discount on online transactions in categories like lifestyle, entertainment, grocery shopping, and dining.
• Times Points Program:
  • Earn 2 Times Points for every ₹150 spent through the card (except on fuel, Jewellery & Business Services).
  • Earn up to 5% CashBack on HDFC Bank PayZapp and SmartBuy transactions.
  • Cashback Points are earned on eligible Merchant Category Codes (MCCs).
  • Minimum of 10 Reward points need to be accumulated for redemption.
  • No maximum capping on redeeming accumulated points.
  • Unredeemed CashBack points will expire/lapse after 12 months of accumulation.
  • All promotional CashBack points earned on your Debit Card will have a validity of 3 months, post which the accumulated points will expire (effective February 2020).
  • Credit Card BillPay transactions made through Debit Card will NOT earn CashBack points.
  • Redemption can be done through NetBanking (Login >> Pay >> Cards >> Debit Cards >> Debit Cards Summary >> Actions >> Redeem Reward Points) or via the official Times Points website (www.timespoints.com).
• Airport Lounge Access:
  • Enjoy complimentary lounge access at airports across India.
  • 1 complimentary lounge access per Calendar Quarter.
  • Current Eligibility: To enjoy free airport lounge access, you must spend a minimum of ₹5,000 in the previous calendar quarter (in a single or multiple transactions).
  • Future Eligibility (Effective 10th January 2026): Complimentary lounge access will be allowed only if you have spent a minimum of ₹10,000 in a calendar quarter and display the SMS/Email carrying the voucher code at the lounge reception.
• Debit Card EMI:
  • Enjoy no-cost EMI on leading brands across electronics, furniture, apparels, smartphones, and more.
  • Convert any purchases above ₹5,000 into EMI.
  • To check your pre-approved eligible amount, SMS "MYHDFC" to 5676712 from your Bank Registered mobile number.
• Insurance Coverage:
  • 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.
    • Additionally, eligible for an 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, Debit Card holders are required to use their Debit Card at retail OR online stores at least once every 30 days (effective 1st July 2014).
  • International Air Accident Cover: Flat ₹1 crore on purchase of air ticket using your Debit Card.
    • If the Insured Person(s) has multiple Cards issued by the Insured, the Insurance Policy shall be applicable only for the Card which has the highest POS amount.
  • Fire & Burglary Protection: ₹2 lakh.
    • Insured for items purchased using the Debit Card (up to 6 months).
  • Checked Baggage Insurance: ₹2 lakh.
    • Applies if the insured is traveling on tour and/or holidays outside India, to the intrinsic value of the accompanied personal baggage lost due to fire, theft, burglary, and accident of the traveling vehicle.
  • Zero Liability: No liability for fraudulent Point of Sale transactions on the debit card that occur up to 90 days prior to reporting the card loss.
  • If an account holder has two cards on the same account eligible for insurance cover, the lower of the insurance amount offered as a feature on the card will be paid out.

Account & Eligibility Criteria

• Eligible Account Holders (for existing cards, as new applications are not accepted):
  • Non-Resident (External) Account Holders.
  • Resident Indians who hold one of these accounts: Savings Account, Current Account, SuperSaver Account, Loan Against Shares Account (LAS), Salary Account, Individual Account Holders (Savings Account, Corporate Salary Accounts & Senior Citizens).
• Minimum Purchase for EMI Conversion: ₹5,000.

Debit Card Review

The HDFC Bank Times Points Debit Card is a valuable offering for its existing cardholders, particularly those who frequently engage in online shopping, travel, and seek comprehensive insurance protection. Despite the discontinuation of new issuances, the card continues to provide substantial benefits. Its strengths lie in the generous welcome points, a high 10% discount on various online categories, a decent reward rate of 2 Times Points for every ₹150 spent, and up to 5% cashback on PayZapp & SmartBuy. The high daily transaction limits and complimentary airport lounge access (with a spend condition) enhance its utility. Furthermore, the extensive insurance coverage, including personal accident, international air accident, fire & burglary, and checked baggage, along with zero liability, offers significant peace of mind. The option to convert large purchases into EMIs adds financial flexibility. However, existing users should be mindful of the annual fee, the specific spend requirements for lounge access (which will increase in 2026), and the expiry of Times Points (3 months for promotional, 12 months for accumulated). Overall, it remains a strong card for its current user base, offering a blend of rewards, discounts, and security features.

Important Product Details

• Positive Highlights:
  • Welcome benefit of 500 Times Points and a choice from up to 20 offers.
  • 10% discount on online transactions in lifestyle, entertainment, grocery, and dining categories.
  • Earn 2 Times Points for every ₹150 spent (excluding specific categories).
  • Up to 5% CashBack on HDFC Bank PayZapp and SmartBuy transactions.
  • High daily domestic ATM withdrawal limit of ₹1 lakh (up to ₹2 lakh for older accounts) and shopping limit of ₹3.5 lakh.
  • Complimentary airport lounge access (1 per calendar quarter, subject to spend criteria).
  • Comprehensive insurance coverage including Personal Accident (up to ₹10 lakh), International Air Accident (₹1 crore), Fire & Burglary (₹2 lakh), and Checked Baggage (₹2 lakh).
  • Zero liability protection against fraudulent POS transactions.
  • Debit Card EMI option for purchases above ₹5,000.
  • Fuel surcharge waiver at government petrol pumps.
  • Free PIN generation and insurance coverage.
• Negative Highlights:
  • No new Debit Card issuances are available for this variant.
  • An annual fee of ₹650 plus taxes applies.
  • Specific spend criteria for complimentary airport lounge access (currently ₹5,000 per quarter, increasing to ₹10,000 per quarter from Jan 10, 2026).
  • Promotional CashBack points expire after 3 months, and unredeemed points expire after 12 months.
  • Certain Merchant Category Codes (MCCs) like fuel, jewellery, and business services are excluded from earning Times Points.
  • Credit Card BillPay transactions made through Debit Card do not earn CashBack points.
• Card Network: Merchant Category Codes (MCCs) are categorized based on card Networks (Visa/Mastercard/Rupay), indicating compatibility with major networks.

Other Details

• Card Management & Controls (via MyCards):
  • A unified platform for efficient management of HDFC Bank products and services.
  • User-friendly interface for tracking transactions and banking activities.
  • View and redeem reward points.
  • Facilitates Debit Card Registration & Activation, setting up Card PIN, managing Card Controls (Online Spends, Contactless Transactions), viewing transactions/downloading e-Statements, checking Reward Points, blocking/re-issuing cards, and applying for/managing add-on cards.
• Times Points Loyalty Program:
  • A digital loyalty program offering Times Points as a unique currency.
  • Cardholders are auto-registered for the program and receive an email to set up their account.
  • Times Points can be redeemed for discount offers across categories via www.timespoints.com.
  • If a new card is reissued, all accumulated Times Points will be carried forward.
  • If an existing Times Points member, the account will be linked to the HDFC Bank registered email ID, and a new account will be created if email IDs do not match.
  • Notifications about Times Points expiry will be sent by email from Times Internet Limited (TIL).
• Important Note on RBI Guidelines: All Debit Cards issued effective 1st Oct 2020 are enabled only for Domestic usage (PoS & ATM) and disabled for Domestic (E-commerce & contactless) and international usage by default. These can be enabled/modified by the customer.
• Commercial Agreement: HDFC Bank has a commercial agreement with Times Internet Pvt Ltd. for program administration, involving revenue sharing.
• Terms and Conditions: Most Important Terms and Conditions for banking offerings are available digitally and should be reviewed thoroughly.
• Customer Support: For doubts, queries, or issues related to merchant offers or products purchased using Times Points, contact CS@timespointsdebit.com.