Ever since money has been digitized, credit cards have held a special place in our finances. However, talking about the credit cards without an annual fee (or the cards that are offered as lifetime free) in specific, they provide excellent deals on entertainment, fuel, dining, hotel reservations, etc. Let’s understand what the concept of lifetime free is and how does it work on credit cards.
Basic Features Of A Lifetime Free Credit Card
- The process to apply is straightforward and trouble-free.
- It gets rid of all the annual charges on credit cards.
- It comes with several deals and discounts.
- It offers exciting deals on fuel, dining, hotel reservations, movies, dining, entertainment, etc.
- Multiple tasks can be done with just one card.
- It can be replaced by other cards.
- It offers amazing reward programs.
The lifetime free credit card offered by HDFC comes with outstanding benefits and features. Here is a detailed information on it:
Eligibility Criteria & Documentation Of A Lifetime Free Credit Card
The eligibility criteria for availing the HDFC lifetime credit card are:
For the salaried employee:
- The minimum age requirement is 21 years.
- The maximum age requirement is 60 years.
For the self-employed:
- The minimum age requirement is 21 years.
- The maximum age requirement is 65 years.
Documents required for Lifetime Free Credit Card
The mandatory documents required for applying an HDFC lifetime-free credit card are:
- A copy of the PAN card.
- A copy of the ID proof.
- A copy of the address proof.
- A copy of the salary slips for the last 6 months.
- A copy of Form 16.
- A passport-size photograph.
Currently, HDFC offers three types of credit cards that come with the lifetime free scheme. These are:
- HDFC Regalia Credit Card
- HDFC Regalia First Credit Card
- HDFC Diners Club Rewards Credit Card
- HDFC Moneyback Credit Card
- HDFC Freedom Credit Card
Note: The option of “lifetime free” can be availed only when it is directly applied via HDFC bank. In fact, the scheme is not even applicable if you apply from the official website of HDFC or any of the thirty party websites.
The key features and benefits offered by the HDFC lifetime free credit card are as follows:
HDFC Regalia Credit Card
Features of lifetime free HDFC Regalia Credit Card
- It offers a complimentary membership in Club Vistara for the first year.
- It offers 9 Club Vistara reward points for every 100 rupees that are spent on a Vistara flight.
- It offers an additional baggage allowance of 5 kg.
- It offers priority waitlist clearance and check-in at the airport.
- It gives complimentary lounge access via Priority Pass Membership at more than 1000 airport lounges in the world. However, charges apply on this. It is $27 & GST for each person.
- It offers two complimentary lounge access on a quarterly basis within India.
Benefits of of lifetime free HDFC Regalia Credit Card
- For every 150 rupees that are spent, you earn 4 reward points.
- The accumulated reward points can be redeemed for travel bookings, air miles, or other exciting gifts. Make a note that the reward points are valid only for 2 years. Hence, ensure that they are redeemed before the expiry date.
- It offers exclusive privileges on dining at one of the best and premium hotels in India.
- It offers Contactless Payment Technology in India for an amount of Rs.2000. However, anything exceeding Rs.2000 will prompt for the credit card PIN.
HDFC Regalia First Credit Card
Features of lifetime free HDFC Regalia First Credit Card
- It offers a free Priority Pass Membership with which there is a preferential access at more than 1000 airport lounges in the world.
- The add-on credit card member is also eligible for the Priority Pass Membership.
- Both the add-on member and the primary cardholder can together avail for three complimentary access outside India. However, the lounge visits in India are charged at $27 with the GST for each person.
Benefits of lifetime free HDFC Regalia First Credit Card
- It offers luxurious ambiance and delicious meals at more than 3000 premium restaurants.
- It gives the option to customize the travel experience with the Travel Concierge Assistance. Whether you are booking a hotel room or making airline reservations, the concierge service is there to do it for you.
- For every 150 rupees that you spend, you earn 4 reward points on the card.
- The accumulated reward points can be redeemed for air miles or exciting gifts. The reward points are valid only for 2 years. So, make sure to redeem them before they expire.
HDFC Diners Club Rewardz Credit Card
Features of lifetime free HDFC Diners Club Rewardz Credit Card
- It offers assistance in booking hotels and flight tickets at more than 150 airlines & hotels. This includes both international and domestic. The list of hotels and airlines are mentioned at their official page: hdfcbankdinersclub.com
- It offers free lounge access via Exclusive Airport Lounge Program at more than 25 airports in India.
- It offers 24×7 concierge assistance (in multiple languages) to customize your travel plan.
Benefits of lifetime free HDFC Diners Club Rewardz Credit Card
- It offers 10 reward points on international spends.
- You can earn 3 reward points on every 150 rupees that you spend.
- The accrued reward points can be redeemed for hotel bookings and air tickets both domestically & internationally.
- The daily limit on the credit card can be upgraded for international spends easily via HDFC net banking.
- The gathered reward points have to be redeemed within 2 years from the date of possession. Else, they expire.
HDFC Moneyback Credit Card
Features of lifetime free HDFC Moneyback Credit Card
- There is 1% surcharge waived on the fuel transactions. However, the minimum transaction has to be at least Rs.400.
- This is an important and useful feature. The moment you lose the credit card, you have to report it within 24 hours to the HDFC call center. The customer support will assist you throughout the process and will block the card. In doing so, you will not have any liabilities on any kind of fraudulent transaction made with your credit card.
- The lifetime free credit card also comes with an interest-free duration of 50 days, starting from the purchase date. Hence, any payment done within this time frame will not incur any interest rate on the credit card.
Benefits of lifetime free HDFC Moneyback Credit Card
- For every Rs.150 that you spend, you will earn 2 reward points. The accumulated rewards can be either redeemed as cashback on the outstanding credit amount or redeemed for amazing services, gift vouchers, or air miles. As per the HDFC norms, the reward points won’t be accumulated for fuel transactions. It is only for retail purchases. Any transaction amount that is less than Rs.150, doesn’t accrue reward points either.
- The earned reward points are valid for two years, starting from the accumulation date. So, ensure to redeem before they expire.
- The HDFC credit card under the free lifetime scheme also gives valid reasons to make online purchases. The more the online transactions, the more the reward points. In fact, each time you spend online, it is twice rewarding. They will credit excess rewards in the next statement cycle.
HDFC Freedom Credit Card
Features of lifetime free HDFC Freedom Credit Card
- It offers a bonus of 500 rewards as a welcome gift.
- It offers zero liability on the lost/stolen/reissue card.
- The revolving credit can be enjoyed at a minimum interest rate.
- It offers an interest-free period of 50 days, starting from the date of possession.
Benefits of lifetime free HDFC Freedom Credit Card
- You can earn 25× rewards on birthday spends (3000 maximum capping reward points).
- You can earn 10× rewards on SmartBuy & PayZapp spends (1500 maximum capping reward points for every statement cycle).
- You can earn 1 reward point on every 150 rupees that are spent.
- The accrued rewards can be exchanged for cash back or gift vouchers or exciting gifts.
- If you spend Rs.60,000 in the last year, then you get a waiver of the renewal fee for the current year.