RuPay Cardholders to Face Major Changes from April 1, 2026: Lounge Access and Rewards to Be Restructured
RuPay Cardholders to Face Major Changes from April 1, 2026: Lounge Access and Rewards to Be Restructured
Starting April 2026, significant changes are set to reshape the benefits attached to RuPay debit and credit cards across India. With banks revising their reward structures and new directives coming into force, cardholders may notice a clear shift in how premium perks like airport lounge access are offered. These updates are expected to affect a large number of users, particularly those who frequently rely on complimentary travel benefits.
One of the most notable changes comes from new guidelines issued by the National Payments Corporation of India (NPCI). Under these revised rules, complimentary lounge access provided on RuPay Platinum debit cards will be completely discontinued from April 1, 2026. This means cardholders will no longer be able to use these cards to access airport lounges—whether domestic or international—or railway lounges without paying.
Several banks have already begun notifying their customers about this development. Punjab National Bank has confirmed that domestic lounge access on its RuPay Platinum debit cards will come to an end from the effective date. Similar announcements have also been made by HDFC Bank, Punjab & Sind Bank, and ESAF Small Finance Bank, all of which will withdraw this benefit in line with the new guidelines.
However, not all RuPay cards will lose lounge access entirely. For RuPay Select debit cardholders, the facility will continue but under revised conditions. Instead of being complimentary, access will now depend on how much the cardholder spends. In practical terms, customers will need to meet a minimum spending threshold in a given quarter to qualify for lounge visits in the following period. For instance, Punjab National Bank has specified that users must spend at least ₹5,000 in a quarter to become eligible for lounge access in the subsequent cycle.
The impact of these changes is not limited to debit cards. Credit card users will also see adjustments in their benefits. Axis Bank has announced that its Airtel Axis Bank Credit Card will no longer offer four complimentary domestic airport lounge visits starting April 12, 2026. Despite this, the card will continue to provide cashback benefits on Airtel-related payments, ensuring that some value remains intact for users.
At the same time, there are updates to the cashback structure. Cardholders will still receive 25% cashback on Airtel mobile, broadband, and DTH payments, along with 10% cashback on utility bill payments. However, the way cashback limits are calculated is changing. Instead of having a fixed cap, the maximum cashback will now be linked to the total spending within a billing cycle. Currently, users can earn up to ₹250 per month in these categories, but this cap may vary under the new system.
Axis Bank has also revised its partner reward offerings. Previously, customers could enjoy 10% cashback on platforms like Swiggy, Zomato, and BigBasket. Going forward, this structure will be replaced with a value-back system on select platforms such as Zomato, Blinkit, and District Movies. Another key difference is in how these rewards are credited—rather than being reflected directly in the credit card statement, the benefits will now be added to the respective partner wallets.
These changes come at a time when the use of airport lounges has surged significantly, increasing the operational costs for banks and card networks. To manage these expenses more effectively, many institutions are shifting toward spend-based models. This approach ensures that customers who actively use their cards continue to receive benefits, while also making the system more sustainable.
