ICICI Sapphiro vs HDFC Regalia Gold: Lounges, Points and Real Value

HDFC Bank's Regalia Gold gives more back to most people spending ₹4 lakh to ₹12 lakh a year: its fee is lower, its points have a published value of up to ₹0.65, and its forex mark-up is 2% against 3.5%. ICICI Bank's Sapphiro suits someone who will use its welcome vouchers, golf and 4 domestic lounge visits a quarter, or who clears its ₹75,000 monthly income floor but not Regalia Gold's ₹1.5 lakh.

Rashmi Mandana By Rashmi Mandana · Content Writer Updated 5 November 2026 Reviewed by BankCreds Financial Experts

In short

HDFC Bank Regalia Gold gives more value to most people who spend ₹4 lakh a year or more, while ICICI Bank Sapphiro suits those who want its vouchers, golf and domestic lounges, or who fall short of Regalia Gold's income floor.

Best for

  • Regalia Gold: spenders of ₹4 lakh or more a year who redeem points on the Gold Catalogue or on flights
  • Regalia Gold: travellers abroad, with 2% forex and up to 6 Priority Pass visits a year
  • Sapphiro: earners of ₹75,000 to ₹1.5 lakh a month who want lounges, golf and vouchers

Skip it if

  • You spend less than about ₹33,333 a month and would pay a fee every year
  • You want rewards on fuel or rent, which both cards leave out

Highlights

  • Sapphiro: ₹6,500 + GST to join, ₹3,500 + GST a year, waived on ₹6 lakh
  • Regalia Gold: ₹2,500 + GST a year, waived on ₹4 lakh
  • Regalia Gold: 5 points per ₹200, worth up to ₹0.65 each
  • Forex mark-up: 3.5% on Sapphiro, 2% on Regalia Gold
  • Income floor: ₹75,000 a month for Sapphiro, above ₹1.5 lakh for Regalia Gold

Side by side

Every term from the banks' own pages, last verified 5 November 2026.
Term ICICI Bank Sapphiro Credit Card Regalia Gold Credit Card
Bank ICICI Bank HDFC Bank
Joining fee ₹6,500 + GST ₹2,500 + GST
Annual fee and waiver ₹3,500 + GST. Spend over ₹6 lakh and get your Annual Fee waived off for the next year ₹2,500 + GST. Retail spends of ₹4 lakh within 12 billing cycles of your anniversary year waive the next year's renewal fee
Base reward 2 reward points per ₹100 on domestic spend 5 Reward Points for every ₹200 spent on eligible retail spends
Best category International spend: 4 reward points per ₹100 Myntra, Nykaa, Reliance Digital, Marks & Spencer: 5X Reward Points
Lounges Domestic: 4 domestic airport lounge accesses per quarter (primary) on ₹75,000 spend in the preceding quarter (dual Mastercard and Amex holders: 2 per variant) International: 2 complimentary international lounge accesses a year via Priority Pass (primary) Domestic: 3 complimentary domestic lounge visits per calendar quarter, by swiping the card International: Up to 6 visits per calendar year outside India via Priority Pass, for primary and add-on members
Forex markup 3.5% of the amount 2% of the amount
Network Mastercard, American Express, RuPay Not stated by the bank
Published minimum income ₹75,000 a month ₹1,50,000 a month
Status Taking applications Taking applications
Add-on card fee ₹199 + GST Nil
Earned as ICICI Bank Reward Points Reward Points
Higher-reward categories
  • International spend: 4 reward points per ₹100 (No cap published)
  • Myntra, Nykaa, Reliance Digital, Marks & Spencer: 5X Reward Points (5X Reward points will be capped at 5000 RP per month across all brands combined. Base reward points continue with no capping., calendar month)
No rewards on
  • Cash advances
  • Rent (MCC 6513 and rent MCCs)
  • E-wallet loads
  • Fuel
  • EMI transactions
  • Fees, interest and charges
  • Fuel
  • Rent payments
  • Government related transactions
  • Wallet loads and gift or prepaid card loads (MCC 6540)
  • EasyEMI transactions; points reversed if a purchase is converted to SmartEMI
  • Education payments through third-party apps (from 1 Sep 2024)
  • Online skill-based gaming (from 1 Jul 2025)
  • Cash advances
  • Payment of outstanding balance
  • Card fees and charges
Value of a point
  • ICICI Bank Rewards catalogue: Value per point not published on current issuer pages
  • Exclusive Gold Catalogue (SmartBuy): 1RP = ₹0.65
  • Global flights and hotels: 1RP = ₹0.5; up to 70% of a travel booking; max 50,000 RP a month
  • Airmiles: 1RP = up to 0.5 miles; max 50,000 RP a month
  • Vouchers and catalogue: 1RP = up to ₹0.35
  • Cashback against statement balance: 15 paise per point from 1 Nov 2025; max 50,000 RP a month
Redemption fee ₹99 + GST per redemption (MITC) ₹99 + GST per catalogue redemption request; ₹50 + GST per cashback redemption request
Expiry 3 years from issuance Reward points valid for 2 years from accumulation
Welcome benefits
  • Welcome vouchers worth over ₹13,000 within 45 days of joining-fee payment: Tata CLiQ ₹3,000, EaseMyTrip ₹4,000 (4 x ₹1,000), Da Milano ₹5,000, Croma ₹1,500 (3 x ₹500), EazyDiner Prime 3 months (₹1,095)
  • Complimentary Swiggy One and MMT Black Gold memberships on spends of ₹1 lakh within the first 90 days
Milestone benefits
  • 4,000 reward points on ₹4 lakh spend and 2,000 for every additional ₹1 lakh, up to 20,000 points in an anniversary year
  • ₹1,500 voucher (Marriott, Myntra, Marks & Spencer or Reliance Digital) on ₹1.5 lakh spends in a calendar quarter
  • ₹5,000 SmartBuy flight voucher on ₹5 lakh annual spends, and another ₹5,000 on ₹7.5 lakh
  • Renewal fee waiver on ₹4 lakh annual spends
Fuel surcharge waiver 1% waiver on fuel transactions up to ₹4,000 at all fuel pumps; MITC caps waiver-eligible spends at ₹50,000 per statement cycle Fuel surcharge waiver not applicable (MITC fee table); fuel earns no reward points
Insurance cover Air accident cover ₹3 crore (primary; conditions apply); purchase protection ₹1,40,000, credit shield ₹1 lakh, lost checked baggage ₹84,000, card liability ₹50,000; RuPay variant ₹2 lakh personal accident Primary cardholder: air accident cover USD 125,000; emergency medical expenses abroad USD 18,750; card liability ₹9,00,000; credit shield ₹9,00,000; missed connection and flight delay USD 313 each (group policy 23 Jul 2026 to 22 Jul 2027)
Interest on unpaid balances Up to 3.75% a month (45% a year) Up to 3.75% a month (45% a year)
Late payment fee ₹0 if outstanding below ₹100; ₹100 (₹100 to ₹500); ₹500 (₹501 to ₹1,000); ₹600 (₹1,001 to ₹5,000); ₹750 (₹5,001 to ₹10,000); ₹900 (₹10,001 to ₹25,000); ₹1,100 (₹25,001 to ₹50,000); ₹1,300 (above ₹50,000). Outstanding = Total Amount Due minus payments before due date; levied if MAD unpaid after due date plus 3 days. Late payment charges (excl. GST), basis the bill amount, w.e.f. 1 Aug 2024: nil up to ₹100; ₹100 for ₹101 to ₹500; ₹500 for ₹501 to ₹1,000; ₹600 for ₹1,001 to ₹5,000; ₹750 for ₹5,001 to ₹10,000; ₹900 for ₹10,001 to ₹25,000; ₹1,100 for ₹25,001 to ₹50,000; ₹1,300 above ₹50,000. Charged when the Minimum Amount Due is not paid; account is reported past due and late fee levied only after 3 grace days from the due date.
Cash withdrawal 2.5% of amount, minimum ₹500, plus interest at 3.75% per month from the transaction date 2.5% of the amount withdrawn or ₹500, whichever is higher, plus finance charges at the revolving rate from the date of withdrawal until full payment.
Age (salaried) 21 to 65 years (FAQ) 21 to 60 years
Income (salaried) Monthly income of ₹75,000 Gross monthly income greater than ₹1.5 lakh (government employees: greater than ₹1 lakh)
Income (self-employed) Annual income of ₹9,00,000 Income Tax Return (ITR) greater than ₹18 lakh per annum
Documents
  • Proof of identity
  • Proof of address
  • Income proof
  • Identity proof, address proof and income proof (HDFC Bank general guidance; the card page's document list could not be read)
  • Existing HDFC Bank customers may not need to submit them again
Last verified 5 November 2026 5 November 2026

Two mid-premium cards with different ideas of value

The ICICI Bank Sapphiro Credit Card is a lifestyle card. It costs ₹6,500 plus GST to join and ₹3,500 plus GST a year, and gives back mostly in kind: welcome vouchers worth over ₹13,000, golf, BookMyShow offers and lounges. It come on Mastercard, American Express and RuPay, and the RuPay one works on UPI.

The HDFC Bank Regalia Gold Credit Card is a points card first. It costs ₹2,500 plus GST a year and, from 15 May 2026, gives 5 Reward Points on every ₹200, with vouchers at quarterly and yearly spend milestones and up to 6 Priority Pass visit a year abroad. Lower fee, more points, a value you can actually look up in HDFC's chart.

The verdict in two sentences. For most spenders Regalia Gold returns more: in our three profiles each Sapphiro point would need to be worth ₹0.82 to ₹0.95 just to draw level, and ICICI publishes no point value at all. Sapphiro is the pick when you will really use its vouchers and golf, or when Regalia Gold's income floor of above ₹1.5 lakh a month is out of reach.

Recent changes that shape this comparison

  • Regalia Gold: the new earn rate of 5 points per ₹200 (earlier 4 per ₹150) and Boarding Edge came on 15 May 2026, and from the quarter starting 1 July 2026 domestic lounges need ₹60,000 of spend in the quarter before. Cashback redemption has dropped to 15 paise a point since 1 November 2025, which is very less value.
  • Sapphiro: domestic lounges need ₹75,000 in the previous quarter since 1 January 2025, the DCC fee went to 3.5% on 15 January 2026, transport points were capped at ₹20,000 a cycle from 1 February 2026, and BookMyShow needs ₹25,000 a quarter from 1 April 2026.

Pros and cons

Pros

  • Regalia Gold: points worth up to ₹0.65 on the Gold Catalogue, so base spends return about 1.6%
  • Regalia Gold: 2% forex mark-up and up to 6 Priority Pass visits a year
  • Regalia Gold: ₹2,500 + GST fee, waived on ₹4 lakh of yearly spends
  • Sapphiro: welcome vouchers worth over ₹13,000 and golf rounds linked to monthly spend
  • Sapphiro: 4 domestic lounge visits a quarter and 4 points per ₹100 abroad

Cons

  • Sapphiro: ICICI publishes no rupee value for its points
  • Sapphiro: ₹6,500 + GST to join and ₹6 lakh of spends to waive the ₹3,500 renewal
  • Regalia Gold: salaried applicants need gross income above ₹1.5 lakh a month
  • Regalia Gold: no fuel surcharge waiver, and cashback redemption is only 15 paise a point
  • Both: domestic lounge visits depend on spend in the previous quarter

Frequently asked questions

Which has the lower fee, Sapphiro or Regalia Gold?
Regalia Gold. It costs ₹2,500 plus GST to join and renew, waived once retail spends reach ₹4 lakh in the anniversary year. Sapphiro costs ₹6,500 plus GST to join and ₹3,500 plus GST a year, waived only on ₹6 lakh. With 18% GST the first year is ₹2,950 against ₹7,670, though Sapphiro's welcome vouchers are worth over ₹13,000.
How much is a point worth on each card?
A Regalia Gold point is worth ₹0.65 on HDFC's Gold Catalogue, ₹0.50 on flights and hotels and ₹0.15 as cashback, so 5 points per ₹200 returns about 1.6% at best. ICICI publishes no rupee value for Sapphiro points. In our three spend profiles a Sapphiro point would need to be worth ₹0.82 to ₹0.95 to match Regalia Gold.
Who is eligible for Sapphiro and Regalia Gold?
Sapphiro takes applicants aged 21 to 65 with ₹75,000 a month if salaried or ₹9 lakh a year if self-employed. Regalia Gold wants salaried applicants of 21 to 60 with a gross monthly salary above ₹1.5 lakh (above ₹1 lakh in government jobs), and self-employed applicants of 21 to 65 whose ITR is above ₹18 lakh. The bank decides on approval.
Which card has better lounge access?
It depends where you fly. In India Sapphiro gives 4 domestic visits a quarter after ₹75,000 of spend in the previous quarter, against 3 on ₹60,000 for Regalia Gold. Abroad Regalia Gold is ahead, with up to 6 Priority Pass visits a year for primary and add-on members against 2 for Sapphiro's primary cardholder.
What changed on Regalia Gold in 2026?
From 15 May 2026 Regalia Gold earns 5 Reward Points per ₹200, up from 4 per ₹150, Boarding Edge was added, the markup on rupee payments abroad became 1.75% and a replacement card costs ₹199. From the quarter starting 1 July 2026 its 3 domestic lounge visits a quarter need ₹60,000 of spend in the previous quarter.
Is Sapphiro better than Regalia Gold for spending abroad?
No, on cost. Sapphiro earns 4 points per ₹100 abroad but charges a 3.5% mark-up, while Regalia Gold charges 2%. On ₹1 lakh spent abroad that is ₹4,130 with GST on Sapphiro and ₹2,360 on Regalia Gold, and Regalia Gold's 2,500 points on it are worth ₹1,625 on its catalogue, while Sapphiro's have no published value.

Sources

  • ICICI Bank Limited: Most Important Terms and Conditions (MITC), credit cards; Sapphiro Credit Card; Coverage for ICICI Bank Rubyx, Sapphiro, Emeralde, Emeralde Metal, Diamant and Times Black Credit Card Holders; ICICI Bank RuPay Credit Card
  • HDFC Bank: Part I Key Fact Statement cum Most Important Terms and Conditions (MITC), English, Version 4.18; Rewards Points Program Terms and Condition (Regalia Gold); Regalia Gold Credit Card Fees & Charges; Regalia Gold Credit Card Fees & Charges (FAQ); HDFC Bank Regalia Gold Key Features (microsite); Regalia Gold Credit Card (product page)

Last verified: 5 November 2026

Written by Rashmi Mandana, reviewed by BankCreds Financial Experts

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