HDFC Bank Titanium Times Credit Card – Benefits, Fees & Eligibility

HDFC Bank Titanium Times Credit Card

Introduction

The HDFC Bank Titanium Times Credit Card is a co-branded offering by HDFC Bank in partnership with the Times Group, designed primarily for individuals who frequently engage in dining and entertainment activities, especially movie buffs. This entry-level credit card provides a 25% discount on movie tickets, accelerated Reward Points on weekday dining spends, and a complimentary Times Prime membership as a welcome benefit, making it a rewarding choice for those seeking lifestyle and entertainment perks.

Welcome Benefits

• Complimentary annual Times Prime Membership (worth ₹999).
  • This membership can be activated after performing 3 transactions within a calendar quarter of card issuance.
  • For Lifetime Free (LTF) cardholders, the Times Prime membership is provided only for the first year, given the criteria are met and the card is issued after July 2022.
  • Times Prime Membership includes offers and subscriptions on brands such as Gaana Plus, TOI+, Myntra, SonyLIV, Chaayos, and Uber.
• Welcome e-vouchers worth ₹5,000 across various categories like shopping, apparel, and dining.
• To avail welcome benefits, customers need to activate the card within 30 days from the card open date.

Fees

• Joining Fee: Nil
• Renewal Fee: ₹500 plus applicable taxes.
• Spend-Based Waiver: The renewal fee is waived off on expenditure of ₹1,50,000 or more in an anniversary year.
• Rewards Redemption Fee: ₹99 plus applicable taxes per redemption request.
• Foreign Currency Markup: 3.5% of the transaction amount plus applicable taxes.
• Interest Rates: 3.6% per month (or 43.2% per annum).
• Fuel Surcharge Waiver: 1% fuel surcharge waiver on transactions between ₹400 and ₹4,000 at all fuel stations across India.
  • Maximum waiver capped at ₹250 per statement cycle/month.
• Cash Advance Charges: 2.50% or ₹500, whichever is higher.
• Rental Transactions Fee: A 1% fee will be applicable on rental transactions from the second rental transaction of the calendar month, effective 1st January 2023.
• DCC Transactions Markup: A 1% mark-up will be applicable on Dynamic Currency Conversion (DCC) transactions, effective 1st January 2023.
• Add-on Card Fee: There is no add-on card fee.

Rewards

• Reward Type: Reward Points.
• General Spends: Earn 2 Reward Points on every ₹150 spent on all retail transactions.
• Dining Spends: Earn 5 Reward Points on every ₹150 spent on dining transactions on weekdays.
  • Only transactions classified under the ‘Restaurant’ Merchant Category Code (MCC) by VISA/MasterCard are eligible for bonanza Reward Points. Transactions under ‘Hotel’ categories do not qualify.
• Movies: 25% off on movie tickets booked via BookMyShow.
  • A cardholder can purchase a maximum of 4 discounted tickets per card per month.
  • A maximum discount of ₹350 can be availed per transaction.
  • A discount of ₹50 on Food and Beverage can be availed only once by the user.
  • The BookMyShow offer has been restored.
• Dining Offers:
  • Complimentary 6 months EazyDiner Prime membership, offering 5% to 50% discount at premium bars and restaurants, and 2x EazyPoints on each spend.
  • Extra discount of up to ₹1,500, which is a maximum of 10% of your bill, when using the HDFC Bank Times Card via PayEazy on Eazydiner.
  • Up to 35% discount on select restaurants on dining bills via the Dineout app.
• Shopping & Lifestyle Offers:
  • Up to 20% off on online and offline shopping, wellness, and hotel stays at selected partners.
  • City-wise and GPS location-based offers are available daily.
• Cashback Offers (Additional Features):
  • Up to 5% Cashback on utility bills through SmartPay.
  • Up to 5% Cashback on shopping through SmartBuy.
  • Cashback is capped at ₹50 per month for these benefits.
• Reward Point Exclusions and Caps:
  • EasyEMI and e-wallet loading transactions will not accrue Reward Points (effective 1st July 2017).
  • Reward Points accrued will be reversed if a retail transaction is converted into SmartEMI (effective 1st July 2017).
  • Reward Points accrued for Insurance transactions will have a maximum cap of 2,000 per day (effective 1st July 2017).
  • Reward Points will not be accrued for fuel transactions (effective 1st July 2017).
  • Reward Points earned on Utility transactions will be capped at 2,000 Reward Points per calendar month (effective 1st September 2024).
  • Reward Points earned on Telecom & Cable transactions will be capped at 2,000 Reward Points per calendar month (effective 1st September 2024).
  • Education payments made through third-party apps (e.g., CRED, Cheq, MobiKwik) will NOT earn Reward Points. However, education payments made directly through college/school websites or their POS machines will earn Reward Points (effective 1st September 2024).
  • Rewards on grocery transactions will be capped at 1,000 Reward Points per month (effective 1st January 2023).
• Lounge Access: No domestic or international lounge access benefits are provided with this card.
• Golf Benefits: No golf benefits are provided with this card.
• Travel Benefits: No specific travel benefits are provided with this card.
• Insurance Benefits: No specific insurance benefits are provided with this card.

Rewards Redemption Guide

• Reward Points can be redeemed against the outstanding balance on the card.
  • The minimum amount required for redemption is ₹500.
  • The redemption rate is 1 Reward Point = ₹0.1.
• Reward Points can also be redeemed for products, gift vouchers, and discounts from the MyRewards Catalogue/HDFC Rewards Catalog.
• The accumulated Reward Points are valid only for 2 years from the date of accumulation.
• A reward redemption fee of ₹99 is charged per redemption request.

Card Eligibility Criteria

• For Salaried Indian Nationals:
  • Age: 21 years to 60 years
  • Net monthly income: ₹25,000 and above
• For Self-Employed Indian Nationals:
  • Age: 21 years to 65 years
  • Annual Income: ₹6,00,000 and above
• Documents Required:
  • Identity Proof: Aadhar Card, Voter’s ID, Passport, Driving License, PAN Card, etc.
  • Address Proof: Latest months’ electricity/telephone/water bills, Aadhar Card, Passport, Ration Card, etc.
  • Income Proof:
    • For salaried individuals: Latest bank statements/salary slips.
    • For self-employed individuals: Latest audited Income Tax Returns (ITR).

Card Review

The HDFC Bank Titanium Times Credit Card is an excellent choice for individuals whose spending habits predominantly include movies and dining. It offers substantial benefits in these categories, such as a 25% discount on movie tickets and accelerated reward points on weekday dining. While it is an entry-level card with a nominal annual fee of ₹500, it manages to provide a decent reward rate on other spending categories as well. A key highlight is the complimentary Times Prime annual membership, which adds significant value. However, a notable drawback is the lack of travel benefits, including domestic and international lounge access. Despite this, its strong focus on entertainment and dining, coupled with its low fee, positions it as a highly competitive option in the entertainment and dining credit card segment.

Important Product Details

• Complimentary Annual Times Prime Membership as a welcome benefit.
• Welcome e-vouchers worth ₹5,000.
• Earn 5 Reward Points for every ₹150 spent on dining on weekdays.
• Earn 2 Reward Points for every ₹150 spent on all other retail expenditures.
• Enjoy 25% off (up to ₹350 per transaction) on movie tickets booked via BookMyShow.
• Complimentary 6 months EazyDiner Prime membership, offering 5% to 50% dining discounts.
• Additional discount of up to ₹1,500 (max 10% of bill) on Eazydiner via PayEazy.
• Up to 20% off on online and offline shopping, wellness, and hotel stays at selected partners.
• Renewal fee of ₹500 plus applicable taxes, waived upon spending ₹1,50,000 in an anniversary year.
• 1% fuel surcharge waiver for transactions between ₹400 and ₹4,000, capped at ₹250 per month.
• Reward Points are not accrued for fuel transactions, e-wallet loading, or transactions converted to SmartEMI.
• Reward Points are capped for insurance (2,000/day), grocery (1,000/month), utility (2,000/month), and telecom & cable (2,000/month) transactions.
• Reward Points are valid for 2 years from the date of accumulation.
• No domestic or international lounge access.
• A reward redemption fee of ₹99 is applicable.

Other Details

• The card supports contactless payments for fast, convenient, and secure transactions at retail outlets.
  • In India, contactless payments are allowed for a maximum of ₹5,000 per single transaction without a PIN. For transactions equal to or higher than ₹5,000, the PIN must be entered.
• The card offers a SmartEMI option to convert large spends into EMIs after purchase.
• For cards sourced starting 1st November 2020, the bank reserves the right to cancel the card if it remains inactive for a continuous period of 6 months, after prior written notice.
• To avail welcome benefits, the card must be activated within 30 days of the card open date.
• Applying for the card can be done online through the HDFC Bank's official website or offline by visiting a nearest HDFC branch with the necessary documents.