Earlier, eligible customers could enter airport lounges by swiping their physical HDFC debit card.
This option has now been discontinued.
Under the new system, lounge access will be provided only through digital vouchers.
Once a customer meets the required spending criteria, HDFC Bank will send an SMS or email with a voucher claim link.
Customers must complete OTP verification using their registered mobile number.
After verification, a voucher code or QR code will be issued.
This code must be shown at the lounge for entry.
Minimum Spending Requirement Has Increased
HDFC Bank has doubled the minimum quarterly spend needed for complimentary lounge access on most debit cards.
Customers now need to spend at least Rs 10,000 per calendar quarter.
Earlier, the requirement was Rs 5,000.
The spending can be done through one or multiple transactions, both online and offline.
The only exception is the Infiniti Debit Card, which continues to offer lounge access without any minimum spending condition.
Number of Free Lounge Visits Remains the Same
While the spending requirement has gone up, the number of complimentary lounge visits has not changed.
It still depends on the debit card variant:
Millennia Debit Card: 1 visit per quarter
Platinum Debit Card: 2 visits per quarter
Times Points Debit Card: 1 visit per quarter
Business Debit Card: 2 visits per quarter
GIGA Debit Card: 1 visit per quarter
Infiniti Debit Card: 4 visits per quarter
Only purchase transactions made using the debit card are counted towards the quarterly spend.
Transactions That Do Not Count
Some transactions are excluded from the spending calculation.
These include:
ATM cash withdrawals
UPI or wallet payments such as GPay, PhonePe or Paytm
Credit card bill payments made using a debit card
Debit card EMI transactions
New debit cardholders will also need to meet the Rs 10,000 quarterly spend to qualify for lounge access.
Voucher Validity And Lounge Conditions
Once issued, lounge vouchers remain valid until the end of the next calendar quarter.
For example, a voucher generated in January will remain valid until June 30.
Lounge entry will continue to depend on availability, with most lounges allowing stays of two to three hours. Lounges can also deny entry due to capacity, safety or operational reasons.
What This Means For Customers
HDFC Bank’s updated lounge access rules place more focus on higher card usage and digital verification.
Customers who frequently use lounge benefits will need to track their quarterly spending carefully and remember that physical debit card swipes will no longer work for lounge entry.
Planning ahead and claiming vouchers in advance will now be essential to enjoy complimentary airport lounge access.
