I recently wrote about cashback and reward points systems, showing that typical maximum savings from rewards and cashback hover around 3.3% for premium cards such as HDFC Diners Club Black or HDFC Infinia. However, there’s a limited-time promotion that lets you save up to 33% on retail purchases with participating partners when you use HDFC Diners Club credit cards, subject to the offer terms.
HDFC Bank Diners Club Credit Card presents 10X Reward Points Program
Under this promotion you can earn 10X reward points on purchases made with Diners Club cards at selected partner merchants, effectively boosting the value of your rewards and increasing potential savings substantially.
Participating partners include:
e-Commerce
- Flipkart
- Snapdeal
- Luxehues
Travel
- Cleartrip
- GoIbibo
- Yatra
Entertainment
- BookMyShow
This is a significant, time-limited promotion—run until March 2016 at the time of the offer—which was launched to accelerate Diners credit card adoption in India. If you regularly shop or book travel with the listed partners, this promotion can produce meaningful rewards.
How the 10X Reward Points Work on HDFC Diners Club Cards
Earn 10X Reward Points with Diners Club Credit Cards
To earn 10X reward points, simply use your Diners Club card at one of the participating merchants and the additional reward points are added automatically. Reward accumulation and point value differ by card. At the time of this promotion, the earning rates were as follows:
- HDFC Diners Black – 50 reward points for every Rs.150 spent (approx. 1 RP = Rs.1)
- HDFC Diners Premium – 40 reward points for every Rs.150 spent (approx. 1 RP = Rs.0.75)
- HDFC Diners Rewardz – 30 reward points for every Rs.150 spent (approx. 1 RP = Rs.0.75)
HDFC Diners Club Black offers the highest effective value, though it is more difficult to obtain. Diners Premium and Diners Rewardz are generally easier to qualify for and still benefit significantly from this promotion.
Savings Example
Here’s an example to visualize the impact. If you spend Rs.1,00,000 at participating partners during the promotion, the effective savings in equivalent reward value are approximately:
- Diners Black with 10X: ~33% equivalent savings (instead of the usual ~3.3%) — ~Rs.33,000 in points
- Diners Premium with 10X: ~20% equivalent savings (instead of ~2%) — ~Rs.20,000 in points
- Diners Rewardz with 10X: ~15% equivalent savings (instead of ~1.5%) — ~Rs.15,000 in points
During non-promotional periods, the base savings from Diners cards are far lower, but the 10X promotion multiplies those returns for eligible transactions. Points earned can be redeemed for recharges, bills, movie tickets, flights, hotels and similar redemptions depending on the card’s rewards catalog.
Diners Club International says: “When exclusive privileges become an integral part of your life, you belong.”
Tips to Maximize 10X Rewards
If you regularly shop on Flipkart or Snapdeal, this promotion is especially valuable. You don’t need to buy unnecessary items just to earn points; practical strategies include purchasing e-commerce gift vouchers for future use or selling those vouchers to friends at a modest discount—both options let you convert the promotion into a near-cash benefit.
Combine with Travel Offers for Bigger Savings
With frequent heavy-discount promotions on travel portals like GoIbibo, pairing those discounts with Diners Club 10X rewards can make hotel stays and travel bookings much cheaper. By combining portal discounts and enhanced rewards, you can often secure three-star hotel stays at a fraction of their usual price.
Keep in mind Diners Club cards historically have had lower merchant acceptance compared with Visa and MasterCard, so carry an alternate card when traveling. If you spend frequently with participating partners, this promotion is a compelling reason to consider a Diners card. Card issuers sometimes repeat successful promotions, so it’s worth watching for similar offers in the future.
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