InterMiles HDFC Bank Signature Credit Card – Benefits, Fees & Eligibility

Introduction

The InterMiles HDFC Bank Signature Credit Card, issued by HDFC Bank, was a co-branded travel-focused credit card designed to offer exclusive spend-based InterMiles, along with various travel and dining benefits. Key features included complimentary airport lounge access, a Priority Pass membership for international lounges, and exclusive Dineout Passport membership. With a joining fee of ₹2,500 plus GST, it provided welcome benefits of up to 8,000 bonus InterMiles and offered a spend-based renewal fee waiver and fuel surcharge waiver. Please note that this credit card has been discontinued, and all existing customers have been migrated to the HDFC Diners Millennia Credit Card.

Welcome Benefits

• InterMiles Silver Membership for the first year.
• Up to 8,000 bonus InterMiles:
  • 3,000 InterMiles upon spending ₹6,000 within the first 30 days of card receipt.
  • 5,000 InterMiles on total retail spends of ₹90,000 and above within 90 days of card receipt.
• Flight discount vouchers worth ₹750 for the first year.
• Hotel discount vouchers worth ₹2,000 for the first year.

Fees

• Joining Fee: ₹2,500 plus applicable taxes.
• Annual Fee: ₹2,500 plus applicable taxes.
• Spend-Based Waiver: The renewal fee will be waived off if you spend ₹3 lacs or more in the previous year.
• Rewards Redemption Fee: ₹99 plus applicable taxes on every redemption request.
• Foreign Currency Markup: 2% on all foreign currency spends.
• Interest Rates: 3.6% per month (43.8% annually) for revolving credit.
• Fuel Surcharge: 1% fuel surcharge waiver at all fuel stations across India on a minimum transaction of ₹400, with a maximum waiver capped at ₹500 every billing cycle. GST charges on fuel surcharge are non-refundable.
• Cash Advance Charges: 2.5% of the transacted amount or ₹500, whichever is higher.
• Rental Transactions: A 1% fee will be applicable on rental transactions from the second rental transaction of the calendar month (effective January 01, 2023).
• DCC Transactions: A 1% mark-up will be applicable on DCC transactions (effective January 01, 2023).
• Card Inactivity: For cards sourced from November 1, 2020, the bank retains the authority to cancel the card if it remains inactive and is not used for any transactions for a continuous period of 6 months after prior written notice.

Rewards

• Rewards Rate:
  • Earn 6 InterMiles for every ₹150 spent on retail purchases.
  • Earn 12 InterMiles for every ₹150 spent on flight tickets booked on www.intermiles.com/flights.
  • Earn 12 InterMiles for every ₹150 spent on hotel bookings made on interbook.intermiles.com.
  • Only retail purchases above ₹150 qualify for InterMiles.
  • Transactions like cash advances, fuel purchases, e-wallet reloadings, and EasyEMI will not accrue any InterMiles.
  • InterMiles accrued for Insurance transactions will have a maximum cap of 2,000 miles per day.
  • InterMiles accrued will be reversed if a retail transaction is converted into SmartEMI.
  • Grocery capping of 1,000 Reward Points in a month (effective January 01, 2023).
• Travel Benefits:
  • 16 complimentary domestic lounge access per year (4 per quarter) through the VISA Lounge Program / MasterCard Lounge Program.
  • Complimentary Priority Pass membership, offering up to 5 free annual visits to International Lounges for the primary cardholder.
  • Lounge visits within India using a Priority Pass are charged at US $27 + GST per person per visit.
  • Lounge visits outside India exceeding the 5 complimentary visits are charged at US $27 + GST per person per visit.
  • Guest visits using a Priority Pass are charged at US $27 + GST per visit per guest.
  • Earn 15 InterMiles for Etihad Airways tickets booked through https://flights.intermiles.com.
  • Get a 5% discount on Etihad Airways Economy Class tickets booked through https://flights.intermiles.com.
  • Get a 10% discount on Etihad Airways Business Class tickets booked through https://flights.intermiles.com.
  • Complimentary one-year InterMiles Silver Tier membership.
• Dining Benefits:
  • Exclusive Dineout Passport membership, offering:
    • An assured discount of 25% at over 2000 premium restaurants.
    • An additional discount of 10% on using your InterMiles HDFC Signature credit card.
    • 1+1 on the buffet at more than 200 restaurants.
    • Early access to several events and festivals.
  • Up to 20% discount on dining bills paid through Dineout Pay via your InterMiles Credit Card (15% Dineout Discount plus an additional 5% HDFC Bank Discount).
  • Maximum discount per transaction capped at ₹1,000.
  • Maximum discount per customer per month capped at ₹1,000.
• Renewal Benefits:
  • 6,000 InterMiles on spending over ₹6,000 within 30 days after card renewal.
  • Flight discount vouchers worth ₹750.
  • Hotel discount vouchers worth ₹1,000.

Rewards Redemption Guide

• The InterMiles earned can be redeemed easily against flight/hotel bookings through the website www.intermiles.com.
• The InterMiles HDFC Bank Signature credit card charges a reward redemption fee of ₹99 plus applicable taxes on every redemption request.
• InterMiles, once credited, cannot be converted to Reward Points.

Card Eligibility Criteria

• For Salaried Employees:
  • Age: Minimum 21 years and maximum 60 years.
  • Net Monthly Income: Minimum ₹90,000 per month.
• For Self-Employed Individuals:
  • Age: Minimum 21 years and maximum 65 years.
  • Income: Minimum ₹12,00,000 per annum (as per ITR).
• Applicants are required to have a good credit score. The bank may also have internal eligibility criteria.

Documents Required

• Identity Proof: Aadhar Card, PAN Card, Voters’ Id, Passport, etc.
• Address Proof: Utility bills, Aadhar Card, PAN Card, Driving Licence, Ration Card, Passport, etc.
• Income Proof: Latest salary slips, latest bank statements, or the latest copy of ITR.

Card Review

The InterMiles HDFC Bank Signature credit card was ideal for individuals who frequently traveled, offering significant savings on flight and hotel bookings. It provided InterMiles for spends, exclusive discounts on Etihad Airways, and complimentary domestic and international airport lounge access. Its low foreign currency markup fee of 2% was also a notable advantage. While the welcome benefits were exciting and it offered a variety of travel and dining perks, a key limitation was that InterMiles could only be redeemed on the InterMiles website, which might be restrictive for users seeking more flexible redemption options. Overall, it was considered a good choice for frequent travelers looking for exclusive benefits.

Pros

• InterMiles as welcome benefits and reward points.
• Complimentary domestic and international airport lounge access with Priority Pass.
• Low forex markup fee of 2% of the transaction amount.
• Exclusive Dineout Passport membership and dining discounts.

Cons

• InterMiles can only be used for travel bookings on the InterMiles website.
• Other travel credit cards might offer more diverse redemption options.

Important Product Details

• Welcome benefit of up to 8,000 InterMiles.
• Earn 6 InterMiles on every spend of ₹150 on retail purchases.
• Earn 12 InterMiles on every spend of ₹150 on flight and hotel bookings on the intermiles website.
• Complimentary Priority Pass membership.
• 16 complimentary domestic lounge visits per year.
• 5 free visits to International lounges every year through the Priority Pass membership.
• Exclusive Dineout Passport membership.
• Renewal fee is waived off on spending ₹3 lacs or more in the previous year.
• 1% fuel surcharge waiver.
• Low foreign currency markup fee of 2%.
• Zero Liability Protection on fraudulent transactions if reported immediately to the 24-hour call center.
• Up to 50 days of free credit period from the date of purchase (subject to the submission of the charge by the merchant).
• Can avail up to 3 add-on cards for immediate family members (over 18 years). Card features only apply to the Primary Card Holder, not add-on card holders.

Other Details

• Card Discontinuation: The InterMiles HDFC Bank Signature Credit Card has been discontinued. Sourcing of this credit card has stopped, and all existing customers were notified via SMS/email in January-February 2023 and migrated to other cards (specifically, HDFC Diners Millennia Credit Card) after 30 days. Existing customers will continue to enjoy the benefits until migration.
• Credit Limit: The credit limit is determined based on various factors such as income, credit history, and bank policies. While not explicitly disclosed, it is most probably more than ₹2 lakhs and may vary for cardholders.
• Application Process: New applications for this card are currently not being accepted.
• Application Status Check: You can track the status of your application via the HDFC Bank application tracking page, by contacting HDFC Bank credit card customer care, or by visiting your nearest HDFC branch.
• Card Activation and PIN Generation: PIN can be generated via internet banking, at an ATM, or by contacting customer care.
• Bill Payment Methods:
  • HDFC Bank BillDesk page.
  • Internet banking (under 'Credit Card Payment' section).
  • NEFT from an account in a different bank.
  • Digital payment apps like Paytm, PhonePe.
  • Offline via cheque drop at an HDFC Bank ATM or cash/cheque at a branch.
• Internet Banking Registration: Register on the HDFC Bank's official website under 'Ways to Bank' > 'Online banking' > 'Credit Card Internet Banking'.
• Customer Care:
  • 24*7 helpline number: 1800 266 4332 for emergency assistance.
  • Email: customerservices.cards@hdfcbank.com.
• Card Management & Controls: Various channels are available for managing card controls (online, contactless, international usage, transaction limits) including Netbanking, Mobile Banking App, MyCards portal, PayZapp app, WhatsApp Banking (7070022222), and IVR (toll-free numbers: 1800 1600 or 1800 2600, overseas travel assistance: 022-61606160).
• Terms and Conditions: The Most Important Terms and Conditions for banking offerings feature specific terms and conditions that govern their use, which should be thoroughly reviewed.