HDFC Diners Club Black Metal Edition Review: Unlimited Lounges, ₹10,000 Fee

HDFC Bank's Diners Club Black Metal Edition is the top-tier HDFC card you can apply for without an invitation: ₹10,000 plus GST a year, waived on ₹8 lakh of spends, with unlimited lounge access for primary and add-on members. It earns 5 Reward Points per ₹150, doubled on weekend dining at standalone restaurants, and runs on the Diners Club network.

By Pankaj Pandey · Content Writer Updated 5 November 2026 Reviewed by BankCreds Financial Experts

Key facts

Joining fee: ₹10,000 + GST
Annual fee: ₹10,000 + GST. Spend ₹8 lakh or more in a year before the renewal date to get the renewal fee waived.
Base reward: 5 Reward Points per ₹150 (implied by the T&C: 2X = 10 Reward Points per ₹150)
Best category: Weekend dining at standalone restaurants, Saturday and Sunday, non-EMI, minimum ₹150: 2X Reward Points i.e. 10 Reward points per Rs. 150
Lounge: Domestic: Unlimited lounge access (1,300+ lounges in India and abroad) for primary and add-on card members International: Unlimited, via the Diners Club card (lounge list in the Diners Travel Tool app)
Forex markup: 2% of the amount
Network: Diners Club

Apply on HDFC Bank's site

Opens the bank's own page for this card. Approval and the credit limit are the bank's decision.

In short

A strong choice for high earners who spend ₹8 lakh or more a year, dine out on weekends and redeem on SmartBuy, but too costly for anyone who cannot reach the waiver.

Best for

Salaried applicants with net monthly income above ₹2.5 lakh
Frequent flyers who want unlimited lounges for themselves and an add-on member
People who dine out at standalone restaurants on weekends

Skip it if

Your yearly spending is well below ₹8 lakh, so the ₹11,800 fee with GST stays
You want to pay by UPI on your credit card, as this is not a RuPay card
You prefer cashback, since HDFC publishes no value outside SmartBuy

Highlights

₹10,000 plus GST, waived on ₹8 lakh a year
5 Reward Points per ₹150, 10 on weekend dining
Unlimited lounge access for primary and add-on members
Interest of 1.99% a month
10,000 bonus points for each quarter with ₹4 lakh of spends

The Diners Club Black Metal card in short

Think of this as the top HDFC Bank card that anyone with the income can apply for. Infinia sits above it but comes by invitation; Diners Club Black Metal Edition has a public form, a published income floor and nearly the same base earning. It is active, it runs on the Diners Club network, and it isn't a RuPay card, so it doesn't work on UPI.

The pitch is simple. Unlimited lounges in India and abroad for primary and add-on members, more than 1,300 as HDFC count them. 5 Reward Points per ₹150, doubled on weekend restaurant meals. 1.99% monthly interest. And a ₹10,000 fee that goes on ₹8 lakh a year.

Recent changes

1 July 2025: points on insurance payments capped at 5,000 a month.
15 May 2026: HDFC's notice moved most cards to earning per ₹200 but left Diners Black Metal at per ₹150, unchanged. What it did add was a 1.75% markup on rupee payments abroad and a ₹3,500 fee to reissue a metal card.

Neither change touched the fee or the base earn rate, which is more than you can say for most of HDFC's range. The base rate itself is only stated indirectly: HDFC's terms describe weekend dining as 2X, that is 10 points per ₹150, which put the base at 5.

Fees and charges on Diners Club Black Metal

The joining fee and the yearly renewal are both ₹10,000, and GST comes extra. With 18% GST each payment is ₹11,800 (₹10,000 plus ₹1,800). HDFC raises the first-year bill, GST included, 120 days after issuing the card, and add-on cards costs nothing.

For the waiver you need ₹8 lakh of spends in the year before renewal. Monthly that is about ₹66,667, since ₹8,00,000 divided by 12 is ₹66,666.67. People who move their household spending here clear it; people who keep it only for travel usually don't, and then the fee become a real cost, because HDFC lists no renewal points for this card the way it does for Infinia.

Interest, late fee and cash

Revolving is charged at 1.99% a month, or 23.88% a year, plus GST. A ₹40,000 balance carried for 25 days cost about ₹654 in interest (25 times ₹40,000 times 23.88%, divided by 365). Unlike Infinia, this card is inside HDFC's normal late fee table: ₹600 on a bill of ₹1,001 to ₹5,000, ₹900 on ₹10,001 to ₹25,000, ₹1,300 above ₹50,000, GST extra, after 3 grace days. Cash advance is 2.5% or ₹500, whichever is higher, plus interest from the day you withdraw.

Travel and usage fees

Spending in dollars, euros or any foreign currency: 2% plus GST. Paying in rupees to a merchant abroad or registered overseas: 1.75%.
No fuel surcharge waiver, and fuel don't earn points.
HDFC's 1% usage fees: rent, education paid via apps, monthly wallet or gaming loads past ₹10,000, monthly utilities past ₹50,000, and any one fuel transaction over ₹15,000. The cap on each is ₹4,999.
Over-limit 2.5%, minimum ₹550, only if you opted in. Replacing the metal card costs ₹3,500. Redemptions are free.

Diners Club Black Metal: fees and charges

Joining fee	₹10,000 + GST
Annual or renewal fee	₹10,000 + GST
Annual fee waiver	Spend ₹8 lakh or more in a year before the renewal date to get the renewal fee waived.
Add-on card fee	Nil
GST	Charged on top of the fees and charges listed
In the bank’s words	Joining Fee: ₹10,000 plus Applicable Taxes; Renewal Fee: ₹10,000 plus Applicable Taxes
Interest on unpaid balances	Up to 1.99% a month (23.88% a year)
Late payment fee	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 the amount withdrawn or ₹500, whichever is higher, plus finance charges at the revolving rate from the date of withdrawal until full payment.
Over-limit fee	2.5% of the over-limit amount, minimum ₹550, only with the cardholder's explicit consent.
Forex markup	2% of the amount
Other fees	Rent payments: 1% of the transaction amount on any applicable merchant, capped at ₹4,999 per transaction (w.e.f. 1 Jul 2025). Fuel: 1% on the whole amount of a fuel transaction above ₹15,000 (consumer cards), capped at ₹4,999 per transaction. Utilities: 1% on total utility spends when they exceed ₹50,000 in a calendar month, capped at ₹4,999 per month (insurance is not treated as utility). Education: 1% on payments through third-party apps such as CRED, NoBroker, Cheq, capped at ₹4,999 per transaction; direct payments to the school or college website or POS and international education are not charged. Wallet loading (excluding PayZapp): 1% on total wallet loads when they exceed ₹10,000 in a calendar month, capped at ₹4,999 per month (w.e.f. 1 Jul 2025). Online skill-based gaming: 1% on total gaming spends when they exceed ₹10,000 in a calendar month, capped at ₹4,999 per month (w.e.f. 1 Jul 2025). Railway ticket purchases: 1% of the transaction amount + GST (all cards other than IRCTC). Dynamic currency conversion markup: 1.75% on transactions in Indian rupees at an international location or with merchants located in India but registered overseas (w.e.f. 15 May 2026). Card reissue (lost, stolen, damaged or network change): ₹199 for non-metal cards; ₹3,500 for metal cards (w.e.f. 15 May 2026). Payment return: 2% of the payment amount, minimum ₹450. Cash processing fee: ₹100 for card payments deposited in cash at HDFC Bank branches or ATMs. Balance transfer processing: 1% of the amount or ₹250, whichever is higher. EasyEMI processing fee at merchants: up to ₹299 (w.e.f. 1 Aug 2024).

Points on Diners Club Black Metal, with three examples

Every ₹150 of eligible spend earns 5 Reward Points, in multiples of ₹150, so a ₹290 bill earns on ₹150 only. On Saturday and Sunday, meals at standalone restaurants (MCC 5812, 5813 and 5814) earn 2X, 10 points per ₹150, on non-EMI bills of at least ₹150; HDFC publishes no cap for it. Booking through SmartBuy give 10X on hotels and 5X on flights, but the caps for those are not published either.

On SmartBuy a point is worth up to ₹1, and points may cover up to 70% of a flight or hotel booking, within 75,000 points a month. HDFC don't give a value for any other redemption. Points last 3 years and there is no redemption fee.

Insurance earns at most 5,000 points a month; grocery, utilities and telecom at most 2,000 each; and one statement cycle can't go past 75,000. The welcome benefit is a year of Club Marriott, Amazon Prime and Swiggy One on ₹1.5 lakh of spends within 90 days. Each calendar quarter with ₹4 lakh of spends adds 10,000 bonus points.

Monthly spend	Light ₹45,000	Typical ₹81,000	Heavy ₹1,50,000
Weekend dining at 2X	₹6,000: 400 points	₹9,000: 600 points	₹15,000: 1,000 points
Grocery	₹7,500: 250 points	₹12,000: 400 points	₹18,000: 600 points
Utilities	None	₹4,500: 150 points	₹6,000: 200 points
SmartBuy hotel at 10X	None	None	₹15,000: 5,000 points
Other eligible spends	₹31,500: 1,050 points	₹55,500: 1,850 points	₹96,000: 3,200 points
Points in a year	20,400	36,000	1,60,000 with quarterly bonus
Fee with GST	₹11,800	Waived	Waived

Points are spend divided by 150, times 5, or times 10 for weekend dining. Real totals come out slightly lower because each bills are rounded down to a ₹150 multiple. Values use the up-to-₹1 SmartBuy rate.

Light: 1,700 points a month (400 plus 250 plus 1,050) make 20,400 a year, up to ₹20,400. Yearly spend is ₹5.4 lakh (₹45,000 times 12), under ₹8 lakh, so the ₹11,800 fee leaves at most ₹8,600.

Typical: 600 plus 400 plus 150 plus 1,850 is 3,000 points a month, 36,000 a year, up to ₹36,000. ₹9.72 lakh a year (₹81,000 times 12) waives the fee, but quarters of ₹2.43 lakh (₹81,000 times 3) miss the ₹4 lakh bonus.

Heavy: if 10X means ten times the base, the ₹15,000 hotel earns 100 blocks times 50, or 5,000 points. Monthly points are 1,000 plus 600 plus 200 plus 5,000 plus 3,200, or 10,000, so 1,20,000 a year, and quarters of ₹4.5 lakh (₹1,50,000 times 3) add four 10,000 bonuses, so 1,60,000 in all, up to ₹1,60,000.

Diners Club Black Metal: higher-reward categories

Category	Rate	Cap
Weekend dining at standalone restaurants (MCC 5812, 5813, 5814), Saturday and Sunday, non-EMI, minimum ₹150	2X Reward Points i.e. 10 Reward points per Rs. 150	No cap found
SmartBuy hotels / flights	10X rewards on hotels and 5X on flights when booked via SmartBuy	Cap not found (SmartBuy rules page refused the fetch)

Diners Club Black Metal: how rewards work

Earned as	Reward Points
Base rate	5 Reward Points per ₹150 (implied by the T&C: 2X = 10 Reward Points per ₹150); points earned on multiples of ₹150
Minimum spend rules	Reward points earned on transaction amounts in multiples of ₹150
No rewards on	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 Smart EMI / Dial an EMI
Lower rewards on	Insurance: capped at 5,000 RP per month (from 1 Jul 2025) Grocery: capped at 2,000 RP per month Utility and telecom: each capped at 2,000 RP per calendar month (from 1 Sep 2024)
Value of a point	SmartBuy redemptions: Redeem Reward Points on SmartBuy at up to 1:1 ratio; flights and hotels up to 70% of booking; max 75,000 RP a month for flights and hotels
Redemption fee	No processing fee for any redemption request on Diners Black / Diners Black (Metal Edition)
Expiry	Reward points valid for 3 years from accumulation
Welcome benefits	Annual memberships of Club Marriott, Amazon Prime and Swiggy One on net retail spends of ₹1.5 lakh within 90 days of card issuance
Milestone benefits	10,000 bonus Reward Points on spends of ₹4 lakh or more in a calendar quarter Renewal fee waived on ₹8 lakh annual spends
Lounge access	Domestic: Unlimited lounge access (1,300+ lounges in India and abroad) for primary and add-on card members International: Unlimited, via the Diners Club card (lounge list in the Diners Travel Tool app) Condition: None stated
Fuel surcharge waiver	Fuel surcharge waiver not applicable; fuel earns no reward points
Insurance cover	HDFC ERGO group policy (23 Jul 2026 to 22 Jul 2027) for 'Super Premium' cards: air accident USD 125,000 (activated when tickets are bought with the Diners card), emergency medical abroad USD 18,750, card liability ₹9,00,000. The document does not list which cards count as 'Super Premium'.

Who qualifies for Diners Club Black Metal

Unlike Infinia, this card has published rules. Salaried applicants should be 21 to 60 years old with net income above ₹2.5 lakh a month. For the self-employed it's 21 to 65 years and a filed return showing more than ₹30 lakh a year. Only Indian nationals can apply, and you don't need to have held a credit card before, HDFC says prior card ownership isn't mandatory.

A separate document list for this card isn't published. Go by HDFC's general rule of proof of identity, address and income; if you already bank with HDFC you may not have to resubmit. You can apply online through the card page or by visiting at an HDFC Bank branch.

What decides the answer

Your income. The RBI's 2025 card Directions require an independent credit-risk check on your own means, with limits set after counting cards and loans elsewhere.
Your credit record. CRIF considers above 700 good and Experian above 750, both on a 300 to 900 scale. With no history at all, CRIF gives an 'NH' report instead of a score.
The bank's judgement. Approval is at HDFC's discretion, and if it says no it has to give the specific reasons in writing.

Before signing, read the one-page Key Fact Statement the RBI require with every application, it lists the interest and charges in one place.

Diners Club Black Metal: eligibility and documents

Age (salaried)	21 to 60 years
Age (self-employed)	21 to 65 years
Income (salaried)	Net Income (Monthly) > ₹2.5 lakh per month
Income (self-employed)	Income Tax Return (ITR) greater than ₹30 lakh per annum
Other conditions	Indian nationals only; approval at the bank's discretion; prior card ownership not mandatory.
Documents	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
How to apply	Online at applyonline.hdfc.bank.in (Apply Now on each card page), or at an HDFC Bank branch; FD-backed Pixel cards can be applied for in the PayZapp app. HDFC's FAQ says a branch visit is not mandatory.
Card customer care	1800 1600 / 1800 2600 (toll-free in India); +91 22 6160 6161 from outside India

These are the bank's published conditions. Meeting them does not guarantee a card: approval and the credit limit are the bank's decision.

How Diners Club Black Metal compares

Three cards worth looking at side by side: HDFC's own top card, Axis Bank's flagship and HDFC's cheaper Regalia Gold. Point values differs, so compare what you would actually redeem.

HDFC INFINIA Metal Edition

Infinia Metal earns the same 5 points per ₹150 and charges the same 1.99% interest, but costs ₹12,500 plus GST, waived at ₹10 lakh, and is invite-only. Its 12,500 renewal points on fee payment and higher limits (2,00,000 points a cycle, 1,50,000 a month for travel) make it better for very heavy spender who get the invite.

Axis Bank Magnus

Magnus costs ₹12,500 plus GST and needs ₹25 lakh a year for a waiver. Its EDGE points come at 12 per ₹200 on the first ₹1.5 lakh of a month and 35 per ₹200 beyond, and 5 of them buy 2 partner miles. Lounges are unlimited, though domestic visits depend on ₹50,000 of spend in 3 months.

HDFC Regalia Gold

Regalia Gold costs ₹2,500 plus GST, waived on ₹4 lakh, and earns 5 points per ₹200 worth up to ₹0.65. Lounges are limited to 3 domestic a quarter, on ₹60,000 of spend in the quarter before, and 6 Priority Pass visits a year. Income needed is ₹1.5 lakh a month gross.

Which one fits

Diners Club Black Metal: ₹8 lakh-plus spenders who want unlimited lounges and can apply on income.
Infinia: the same profile, if HDFC invite you and you redeem heavily on travel.
Magnus: spenders well above ₹1.5 lakh a month who transfer to airlines.
Regalia Gold: anyone spending ₹4 lakh to ₹8 lakh a year.

For the full lineup open our HDFC Bank page; for service, the HDFC Bank helpline numbers; for other banks, the credit cards section.

Diners Club Black Metal against similar cards

Term	Diners Club Black Metal Edition Credit Card This card	INFINIA Metal Edition Credit Card	Axis Bank Magnus Credit Card	Regalia Gold Credit Card
Bank	HDFC Bank	HDFC Bank	Axis Bank	HDFC Bank
Joining fee	₹10,000 + GST	₹12,500 + GST	₹12,500 + GST	₹2,500 + GST
Annual fee and waiver	₹10,000 + GST. Spend ₹8 lakh or more in a year before the renewal date to get the renewal fee waived.	₹12,500 + GST. Spend ₹10 lakh or more in a year before the renewal date to get the renewal fee waived.	₹12,500 + GST. Annual fee waived on eligible spends of INR 25 lakh in the preceding card anniversary year (rent, wallet, utilities, government, EMI conversions, cash, reversals, fees, insurance, gold/jewellery, fuel and gift cards excluded). Lifetime free (Nil fees) for customers with a Burgundy Salary Account opened on or after 1 July 2026 with net monthly salary of INR 2 lakh or more.	₹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	5 Reward Points per ₹150 (implied by the T&C: 2X = 10 Reward Points per ₹150)	5 Reward Points for every ₹150 spent	12 EDGE REWARD Points per INR 200 on eligible spends up to INR 1.5 lakh in a...	5 Reward Points for every ₹200 spent on eligible retail spends
Best category	Weekend dining at standalone restaurants, Saturday and Sunday, non-EMI, minimum ₹150: 2X Reward Points i.e. 10 Reward points per Rs. 150	SmartBuy: Up to 10X Reward Points (limited-period programme governed by SmartBuy T&C)	Monthly eligible spends above INR 1.5 lakh: 35 EDGE REWARD Points per INR 200	Myntra, Nykaa, Reliance Digital, Marks & Spencer: 5X Reward Points
Lounges	Domestic: Unlimited lounge access (1,300+ lounges in India and abroad) for primary and add-on card members International: Unlimited, via the Diners Club card (lounge list in the Diners Travel Tool app)	Domestic: Unlimited complimentary lounge access in India for primary and add-on cardholders International: Unlimited lounge access outside India through Priority Pass for primary and add-on cardholders	Domestic: Unlimited complimentary visits at select domestic airport lounges (card, not Priority Pass, from 28 Aug 2026); 4 guest visits a calendar year International: Unlimited complimentary visits with Priority Pass, plus 4 guest visits per year	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	2% of the amount	2% of the amount	2% of the amount	2% of the amount
Network	Diners Club	Not stated by the bank	Mastercard	Not stated by the bank
Published minimum income	₹2,50,000 a month	Not published by the bank	₹2,00,000 a month	₹1,50,000 a month
Status	Taking applications	Taking applications	Taking applications	Taking applications

Frequently asked questions

What is the HDFC Diners Club Black Metal annual fee?

It is ₹10,000 a year plus GST, so ₹11,800 at 18%, and the same amount is charged to join. Spending ₹8 lakh or more in the year before your renewal date, roughly ₹66,667 a month, cancels the next renewal fee. There is no charge for add-on cards, and HDFC lists no renewal points when the fee is paid.

How much are Diners Club Black Metal reward points worth?

HDFC says points can be redeemed on SmartBuy at up to a 1:1 ratio, so up to ₹1 a point, with flight and hotel redemptions capped at 75,000 points a month. HDFC publishes no value for other options. Points stay valid for 3 years, with no redemption fee.

What income do I need for HDFC Diners Club Black Metal?

If you are salaried, HDFC asks for an age of 21 to 60 and net income above ₹2.5 lakh a month. If you are self-employed, the range is 21 to 65 with an income tax return above ₹30 lakh a year. The card is for Indian nationals, earlier card ownership is not required, and approval remains at HDFC's discretion.

Does Diners Club Black Metal give unlimited lounge access?

Yes. HDFC lists unlimited access to more than 1,300 lounges in India and abroad for primary and add-on card members, and its pages set no spend condition for it. Abroad, purchases in foreign currency attract a 2% markup plus GST, while paying in rupees overseas has attracted a 1.75% markup since 15 May 2026.

Did the 15 May 2026 HDFC changes affect Diners Club Black Metal?

The earn rate did not change. HDFC's notice confirmed no change to Reward Points accrual for Diners Black Metal, which still earns per ₹150 rather than per ₹200. The card did pick up the new 1.75% markup on rupee transactions abroad, and replacing the metal card now costs ₹3,500.

Can I use Diners Club Black Metal on UPI?

No. Only RuPay credit cards can be linked to UPI, according to NPCI's September 2025 FAQ, and HDFC issues this card on the Diners Club network with no RuPay variant. If you want credit card payments on UPI, you would need a separate RuPay credit card, such as the RuPay variant of HDFC's Tata Neu Infinity card.

Sources

HDFC Bank: Part I Key Fact Statement cum Most Important Terms and Conditions (MITC), English, Version 4.18; HDFC Bank Diners Club Black Metal Edition Credit Card Terms and Conditions; Diners Club Black Metal Edition Credit Card Fees & Charges; Diners Club Black Metal Edition Credit Card Fees & Charges (FAQ); Diners Club Black Metal Edition (product page); HDFC Bank Ltd group insurance benefits, policy period 23 July 2026 to 22 July 2027 (HDFC ERGO); Diners Club Black Metal Edition Eligibility; How to Get a Credit Card in 3 Easy Steps (HDFC Bank blog); Credit Card Customer Care Number & Support

Last verified: 5 November 2026

Written by Pankaj Pandey, reviewed by BankCreds Financial Experts

BankCreds does not sell cards or take applications. Fees and rewards change; the bank's own terms on the day you apply are what count, and approval is the bank's decision.