The “Upgrade from HDFC Millennia to Regalia Gold Credit Card” is a common topic of discussion among HDFC Bank Customers.
Is the HDFC Regalia Gold credit card a significant step up from the popular HDFC Millennia credit card? The answer depends entirely on your spending habits and lifestyle.
HDFC Millennia is a fantastic entry-level option. On the other hand, Regalia Gold is a premium lifestyle and travel-focused card.
Both standout for a different set of user base.
This blog post will cover a detailed Regalia Gold vs Millennia comparison, highlighting the benefits, fees, and the overall value proposition of each card.
Overview Of HDFC Millennia: The Existing Credit Card
| FEATURE | DETAILS |
|---|---|
| Type | Cashback |
| Best For | Online Shopping |
| Reward Rate | 1% – 5% |
| Joining Fee | Rs 1000 + GST |
| Annual Fee | Rs 1000 + GST |
| Annual Fee Waiver | For Annual Spend of Rs 1 Lakh or above |
| Welcome Benefit | 1000 Cashpoints |
The HDFC Millennia credit card is a powerhouse for online shoppers.
You earn 5% cashback on popular online merchants like Amazon, Flipkart, Myntra, Swiggy, and Zomato. This cashback comes as CashPoints, where 1 CashPoint = Rs 1.
For all other regular spending, you get 1% cashback.
But there’s a catch: Your 5% cashback is capped at 1,000 CashPoints per month. Therefore, the optimum spending limit is Rs 20,000 per month for spending on these categories.
The card has a relatively low annual fee of Rs 999 plus GST, which can be waived off if you spend Rs 1 lakh or more in a year.
Overview Of HDFC Regalia Gold Credit Card
| FEATURE | DETAILS |
|---|---|
| Type | Reward |
| Best For | Travel |
| Reward Rate | 1.3% – 6.7% |
| Joining Fee | Rs 2500 + GST |
| Annual Fee | Rs 2500 + GST |
| Annual Fee Waiver | Nil |
| Welcome Benefit | Complimentary Vistara Silver Tier and MMT Black Gold Membership |
The HDFC Regalia Gold credit card is a different kind of tool.
It is a premium offering from HDFC Bank, and is tailored for travelers and high spenders.
It moves away from the cashback model and focuses on a more versatile reward points redemption system.
You earn 20 reward points (5X) on every Rs 150 spent at stores like Myntra, Marks & Spencer, Reliance Digital, and Nykaa.
On all other retail spends, including education, insurance, and utility bills, you earn 4 reward points on every Rs 150.
These reward points can be redeemed against various available redemption options.
But the reward rate is highest when you use them for booking hotels and flights (1 RP = Rs 0.5) at the SmartBuy Portal.
This gives a reward rate of up to 6.7% on 5X reward categories as mentioned above.
However, the redemption rate is lower than Millennia, when you redeem against your statement balance.
Regalia Gold vs Millennia: A Head-to-Head Comparison
| FEATURE | HDFC MILLENNIA CREDIT CARD | HDFC REGALIA GOLD CREDIT CARD |
|---|---|---|
| BEST FOR | Online Shopping | Travel and Lifestyle |
| REWARD RATE | 1% – 5% (Statement Balance) 0.3% – 1.5% (Flights & Hotel bookings at SmartBuy) | ~ 0.5% – 2.7% (Statement Balance) ~ 1.3% – 6.7% (Flights & Hotel bookings at SmartBuy) |
| ANNUAL FEE | ₹1,000 + GST | ₹2,500 + GST |
| RENEWAL FEE WAIVER | On annual spends of ₹1 lakh | On annual spends of ₹4 lakh |
| FOREIGN CURRENCY MARKUP | 3.5% | 2% |
| REDEMPTION OPTIONS | Statement credit, vouchers, and travel bookings via SmartBuy | Gold Catalogue, air miles, and travel bookings via SmartBuy |
| WELCOME BENEFIT | 1000 cashpoints on payment of joining fee | Gift Voucher of ₹2,500 on payment of joining fee |
| MILESTONE BENEFIT | GV worth ₹1,000 on quarterly spend of ₹1 lakh & above | GV of ₹1,500 from Marriott, Myntra & more – ₹1.5 lakhs/quarter Flight voucher worth ₹5,000 – ₹5 lakhs/year Additional flight voucher worth ₹5,000 – ₹7.5 lakhs/year |
| LOUNGE VISITS | Up to 4 domestic lounge visits in a year | 12 domestic lounge visits (within India) 6 international lounge visits using Priority Pass |
How to Upgrade from HDFC Millennia to Regalia Gold Credit Card
Here’s the step-by-step process to upgrade from HDFC Millennia to Regalia Gold Credit Card:
Step 1: Check Your Eligibility
Before anything else, you need to check eligibility.
HDFC Bank usually offers upgrades to customers who have a good spending history and a clean repayment record.
The bank evaluates your credit history, spending patterns, and income to determine if you really need an upgrade.
You might receive a pre-approved offer directly via SMS or email, which makes the process even easier.
If you don’t have an offer yet, you can still check your eligibility at the official channels.
Step 2: The Upgrade Process
The easiest way to proceed is by using HDFC’s NetBanking upgrade option. Here’s a simple step-by-step guide:
- Log in to your HDFC Bank NetBanking account.
- Navigate to the ‘Cards’ section.
- Look for a ‘Request’ or ‘Upgrade’ option.
- If a HDFC Millennia to Regalia Gold upgrade is available for you, you’ll see the option there.
- Follow the on-screen commands to complete the process.
Alternatively, you can also call HDFC Bank’s phone banking service or visit a local HDFC Bank Branch to ask for the upgrade.
What Happens to the HDFC Millennia Credit Card in Case of Upgrade?
When you finally opt to upgrade, your old HDFC Millennia credit card is replaced.
However, you can continue to use Millennia until the upgraded Regalia Gold Credit card is dispatched. Normally, it get delivered within 15 days.
Once you receive the new HDFC Regalia Gold Credit Card, all your existing EMIs, bills, and loans is automatically transferred.
What Happens to Your Reward Points? My Mistake
HDFC Bank customers have a common dilemma on the topic “What happens to my Millennia reward points after upgrade?”
During the upgrade process, all the Millennia CashPoints is transferred to your Regalia Gold account.
However, in case of Millenia, the total no. of points remains the same after the upgrade. But the value of reward points gets adjusted with that of the Regalia Gold Credit Card.
Let me tell you about the mistake I made while the upgrade process.
I had 500 Millenia CashPoints in my account, and as you know each cashpoint is worth Rs 1 when redeem against cash. So, these cashpoints have had total value of Rs 500.
After the upgrade, all the 500 points were transferred to my account.
But the total value came down to Rs 100 when I redeemed against my statement balance.
Therefore, it’s better to redeem your cashpoints before the arrival of upgraded credit card.
But this process is advantageous only when you are serious about using cashpoints against statement balance.
A Note on LTF (Lifetime Free) Offers
There is a lot of discussion, especially on discussion forums like Reddit, about the LTF (Lifetime Free) upgrade to Regalia Gold.
HDFC Bank sometimes offer an upgrade to LTF Regalia Gold Credit card for chosen customers.
If you have a good relationship with the bank or you’re using HDFC Millenia for a long time, it’s worth asking for an LTF upgrade.
You can simply mail and convince them that you deserve the LTF upgrade to HDFC Regalia Gold Credit card.
HDFC Millennia Vs Regalia Gold: Finding The Ideal Customer
The HDFC Millennia credit card is ideal for:
- Online Shoppers: If you spend a lot on e-commerce sites and digital platforms, the 5% cashback model is highly rewarding.
- Budget-Conscious Users: The lower annual fee and easier waiver condition make it a great choice for a beginner with moderate budget.
- Cashback Lovers: If you prefer cashback over the complexities of reward point redemption, then Millennia is an ideal fit.
The HDFC Regalia Gold credit card is a better fit for:
- Traveler: If you take at least 3-4 domestic flights and 1-2 international trips a year, 12 Domestic Lounge and 6 International Lounge Visits via Priority Pass are game-changers. The lower foreign currency markup of 2% also saves you money on every swipe abroad.
- High Spenders: Milestone benefit is the engine of all the benefits of Regalia Gold. Earning flight vouchers worth ₹10,000 for spending ₹7.5 lakh annually is a notable return, lifting travel expenses of your upcoming vacation.
- Premium Shoppers: The 5x reward points on premium brands like Myntra and Marks & Spencer can add up fast, and give you more return than HDFC Millenia.
Should I Upgrade From HDFC Millennia to Regalia Gold Credit Card: The Bottomline
Ultimately, the best credit card is the one that fits your life.
The HDFC Millennia credit card is a fantastic tool for everyday digital spending.
But if higher spending and travelling are an integral part of your lifestyle, the HDFC Regalia Gold credit card can be a far more rewarding option.
You need to evaluate your spending pattern.
If you’re ready to trade “simple cashback” for a world of reward points, lounges, and flight vouchers, then it’s time to upgrade from HDFC Bank Millenia to Regalia Gold Credit Card.
If you’re still comfortable with the cashback model and your spending is moderate, staying with the HDFC Bank Millenia Credit Card might be a smarter choice.
Your credit card journey shouldn’t stop at Regalia Gold.
There are even more premium options available for highest spenders like the HDFC Diners Club Black or HDFC Infinia credit card.
The key is to analyse your personal finance habits and choose the card that gives you the most value.