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HDFC Regalia Gold Credit Card vs ICICI Emeralde Private Metal

A head-to-head comparison of HDFC Regalia Gold Credit Card and ICICI Emeralde Private Metal across fees, rewards, and spending categories to help you decide which card suits your wallet better.

PremiumCard A

HDFC Regalia Gold Credit Card

Mid-Premium Lifestyle

Annual Fee
₹2,500
Reward Rate
5 RP per ₹200 (~1.625% effective, from May 2026)
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PremiumCard B
Annual Fee
₹12,499
Reward Rate
3% base (6 pts per ₹200) + Unlimited Lounge & Golf
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Feature comparison

FeatureHDFC RegaliaICICI Emeralde
Annual Fee₹2,500 + GST (Waived on ₹4L spend)₹12,499 (Waived on ₹10L spend)
Reward Rate5 RP per ₹200 (~1.625% effective, from May 2026)3% base (6 pts per ₹200) + Unlimited Lounge & Golf
Best ForMid-Premium LifestyleGolf Enthusiasts
First-Card Friendly
Lounge Access
Zero Forex Markup

Spending category coverage

Which categories does each card reward?

CategoryHDFC RegaliaICICI Emeralde
Domestic travel
International travel
Everyday spending
Airport lounge access

Quick verdict

Choose HDFC Regalia Gold Credit Card if:

  • Lower annual fee (₹2,500 vs ₹12,499)
  • You spend heavily on everyday spending
  • You spend heavily on domestic travel

Choose ICICI Emeralde Private Metal if:

  • You spend heavily on international travel
  • You spend heavily on concierge service

Full pros & cons

HDFC Regalia Gold Credit Card

What's good
  • 12 domestic + 6 international lounge visits per year via Priority Pass
  • Milestone rewards up to ₹16,000/year: ₹1,500 per ₹1.5L quarterly + ₹5,000 each at ₹5L and ₹7.5L annual spend
  • New Travel Edge benefit: upload boarding passes to unlock spa, Uber vouchers, ITC dining, and hotel upgrades
Watch out for
  • From May 2026, reward rate drops to 5 RP per ₹200 (1.625%) — spends under ₹200 earn zero points
  • From July 2026, domestic lounge access requires ₹60,000 quarterly spend to unlock 3 visits
  • Forex markup of 2% + GST (~2.36%) is uncompetitive for international travel
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ICICI Emeralde Private Metal

What's good
  • Unlimited airport lounge and spa access via Priority Pass globally
  • Low flight cancellation and rescheduling charges
  • Complimentary golf rounds at premium courses monthly
Watch out for
  • Reward point value is lower than HDFC Infinia
  • ₹3,500 one-time fee for new add-on cards (since January 2026)
  • DCC fee raised to 2% on international transactions using INR conversion
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