Airport Lounge Access New Rules: Two banks have changed airport lounge access rules, important for users to know

HDFC Bank and credit card issuer SBI Card have announced major changes to their airport lounge access rules. Both new rules will take effect in the new year, January 10, 2026.

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Airport Lounge Access New Rules: There’s important news for credit and debit card users. HDFC Bank, the largest private sector bank, and SBI Card, the credit card issuer, have announced significant changes to airport lounge access rules. The new rules for both will come into effect in the new year, January 10, 2026.

While HDFC Bank has completely changed the lounge entry process for its debit card customers, SBI Card has restructured its domestic airport lounge access program for select credit cards. Let’s understand, one by one, how these changes will directly impact customers.

HDFC Bank has announced a major change in airport lounge access rules for its debit card customers. The bank has clarified that from January 10, 2026, the old method of lounge entry will be completely phased out and replaced with a digital voucher system. This change aims to make the lounge access process more secure, easy, and technology-friendly.

What was the old rule, and what will change now?

Until now, if HDFC Bank debit card customers spent ₹5,000 in a quarter, they could gain direct entry to airport lounges in the following quarter by swiping their physical debit card.

However, starting January 10, 2026, this feature will be discontinued. After this, lounge entry will be available only through digital vouchers or QR codes.

How will lounge access be granted under the new rules?

According to the new system, if a customer spends ₹10,000 or more in a calendar quarter (January–March, April–June, July–September, or October–December), the bank will send an SMS or email within two working days.

This message will contain a link, which the customer can click to claim their lounge access voucher. After claiming the voucher, a 12- to 18-digit alphanumeric voucher code or QR code will be sent to the customer’s registered mobile number and email. This code will be required to be shown upon entry to the airport lounge.

Who will receive free lounge access?

The bank has also clarified that this spending requirement will not apply to Infinity debit card holders. This means they will continue to enjoy airport lounge access even without a minimum spend.

How long will the voucher be valid?

Lounge vouchers will be valid from the date of issue until the last day of the next quarter. For example:

Voucher received on November 15, 2025 – valid until March 31, 2026
Voucher received on January 10, 2026 – valid until June 30, 2026
Voucher received on March 31, 2026 – valid until June 30, 2026

Which airport lounges will offer this service?

Lounge access with HDFC Bank debit cards will be available at the bank’s authorized domestic and international lounge network, including major airports like Bengaluru, Delhi, Mumbai, Chennai, Hyderabad, and Kolkata.

However, the bank has also stated that the lounge list may change based on availability, so it’s important to check the list on the website or voucher link before traveling.

How to get an HDFC Bank lounge voucher? Understand the complete process of claiming it.

If you want to use your HDFC Bank debit card for airport lounge access, it’s no longer a hassle. There are just a few simple steps to follow.

Once you reach a quarterly spending limit of ₹10,000 using your HDFC Bank debit card, you’ll receive a message from the bank on your registered mobile number or email address.

• This message will contain a link to claim the lounge voucher.
• Clicking on this link will require you to log in using your registered mobile number. An OTP will be sent to your mobile number, which you will need to enter to confirm your identity.
• After entering the OTP correctly, the full details of the lounge voucher will appear on your screen. Simply click the “Claim Now” button. Another OTP will then appear, entering which will claim the voucher.
• Once the voucher is successfully claimed, you will receive a 12- to 18-digit voucher code or QR code via SMS or email. You will simply need to show this code or QR code upon entry to the airport lounge.

Meanwhile, SBI Card has announced major changes to its domestic airport lounge access program, which will come into effect on January 10, 2026. Under the new system, lounges are now divided into Set A and Set B, and the type of SBI credit card a customer holds will determine which lounge they are eligible for.

Airport lounges are no longer just a luxury, but a necessity for regular travelers—a place to relax and unwind from the crowds, flight delays, and workload. SBI Card says the new structure will make the lounge network more organized and transparent.

Set A: Lounge Network for Premium SBI Credit Cards

Set A includes lounges available to select and premium SBI credit card holders. These include cards like Apollo SBI Card SELECT, BPCL SBI Card OCTANE, Club Vistara SBI Card, Paytm SBI Card SELECT, and PhonePe SBI Card SELECT.

These cards provide access to premier lounges located at the domestic and international terminals of major airports in the country—including Delhi, Mumbai, Bengaluru, Chennai, Hyderabad, Kolkata, and Pune.

Set B: Lounges for PRIME and Platinum card holders

Set B includes SBI Card PRIME, PRIME Pro, MILES PRIME, Titan SBI Card, KrisFlyer SBI Card, and several bank-co-branded PRIME and Platinum cards.

Eligible Credit Cards (Set B Section Header)
Bank of Maharashtra SBI Card PRIME
Central Bank of India SBI Card PRIME
City Union Bank SBI Card PRIME
Club Vistara SBI Card PRIME
Karnataka Bank SBI Card PRIME
Karur Vyasa Bank SBI Card PRIME
Karur Vyasa Bank SBI Platinum Card
Krisflyer SBI Card
Landmark Rewards SBI Card PRIME
PSB SBI Card PRIME
Reliance SBI Card PRIME
SBI Card MILES PRIME
SBI Card PRIME
SBI Card PRIME Pro
South Indian Bank SBI Card PRIME
South Indian Bank SBI Platinum Card
Titan SBI Card
UCO Bank SBI Card PRIME

Cardholders in this category will enjoy an even wider range of lounge access. This includes airport lounges in cities like Ahmedabad, Bhubaneswar, Chandigarh, Cochin, Jaipur, Srinagar, Vadodara, and Visakhapatnam.

How to gain access to the lounge?

Lounge access will still require validating your credit card at the lounge’s POS machine. However, there will be some charges associated with this—

What will the authorization fee be?

VISA and RuPay SBI cards: A non-refundable authorization fee of ₹2.

Mastercard SBI cards: A temporary authorization fee of ₹25.

(This amount will not be debited from the account; it will only be blocked for validation purposes.)

What happens if the free visit limit is exhausted?

If a cardholder’s free lounge visit limit has been reached, then:

Lounge entry will either be denied

Or the normal lounge entry fee will be charged.

Food and beverages will be charged separately

SBI Card has clarified that:

Food and beverages, especially alcoholic beverages,

and additional services such as spas, massages, and nap rooms

may be charged separately by lounges as per their rules.

Which cards will be subject to these rules?

This new lounge access framework will apply to all SBI credit cards with an annual fee of ₹1,499 or ₹2,999 and whose lounge programs are managed through network partners.

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