Is the HSBC Taj Credit Card Worth It?
Enter what you spend where this card pays more, and the benefits you would use. See what it is worth to you in rupees, after its fee.
- 207Cards to check
- FreeCost
- Travel card
- Needs ₹3,00,000 a month income
- ₹1,29,800 fee a year (with GST)
- 1.01% on most spends; 3.35% only at partner merchants
- Unlimited lounge visits
- Pays in reward points
- travel only at Taj, SeleQtions, Gateway, Vivanta, amã Stays & Trails: 3.35% back
- frequent flyers: unlimited airport lounge visits
- you hope rewards alone will pay the ₹1,29,800 fee: on everyday spend they never do
- most of your spending is fuel, utility bills, rent or insurance: those earn nothing on this card
- you pay mostly by UPI: a Visa or Mastercard card cannot pay by UPI
- you rarely spend on Taj, SeleQtions, Gateway, Vivanta, amã Stays & Trails: the 3.35% rate applies only there, everything else earns 1.01%
- you often pay in foreign currency: 3.5% is added to every foreign spend
- you sometimes pay only the minimum due: interest of 3.75% a month (45% a year) outweighs any reward
Your spend a month, by kind
Terms on the normal rate: 1.5 reward points per ₹100 on all other eligible spends (1.5 RP = ₹1, redeemable only within the IHCL ecosystem, rooms, dining, spa, or as Taj Experience Gift Cards); fuel, wallets, rent, utilities, insurance, education and government spends earn nothing
Also earns nothing on: Wholesale clubs, Money transfers, Financial institutions.
Total on the card: ₹0 a month
Abroad and benefits
Every rate on this card, and what your spend earns
| Spend category | Rate | Monthly cap | Where it applies | Your spend earns |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| UPI payments (scan and pay) | Earns nothing | - | a Visa or Mastercard card cannot pay by UPI | - |
| Online shopping | 1.01% | No cap | The card's normal rate | - |
| Dining and food delivery | 1.01% | No cap | The card's normal rate | - |
| Groceries | 1.01% | No cap | The card's normal rate | - |
| Travel: flights, hotels, trains | 1.01% | No cap | Anywhere else in the category | - |
| Travel: flights, hotels, trains, only at listed merchants | 3.35% | No cap | Only at: Taj, SeleQtions, Gateway, Vivanta, amã Stays & TrailsTerms: 5 reward points per ₹100 at Taj, SeleQtions, Gateway, Vivanta and amã (KFS list, Ginger earns the base card rate), PLUS 8 NeuCoins per ₹100 (4 at Ginger) earned via Taj InnerCircle NeuPass Platinum | - |
| Fuel | Earns nothing | - | earns nothing on this card | - |
| Bills and recharges | Earns nothing | - | earns nothing on this card | - |
| Rent | Earns nothing | - | earns nothing on this card | - |
| Insurance premiums | Earns nothing | - | earns nothing on this card | - |
| School and college fees | Earns nothing | - | earns nothing on this card | - |
| Wallet top-ups | Earns nothing | - | earns nothing on this card | - |
| Taxes and government payments | Earns nothing | - | earns nothing on this card | - |
| Spend abroad or in a foreign currency | 1.01% | No cap | The card's normal rate | - |
| Everything else | 1.01% | No cap | The card's normal rate | - |
Card data sourced via CardAdvisor.in, India Credit Card Facts, CC BY 4.0, adapted by SkyloFin.
Common Questions
When is a credit card worth its annual fee?
When the rewards you actually earn in a year are more than the fee plus 18% GST, or when you spend enough for the bank to waive the fee. This calculator works out both from the card's own published terms.
Why is GST added to the fee?
Card fees carry 18% GST, so a ₹1,000 fee costs ₹1,180. Where the bank already quotes the fee with GST, it is not added twice.
What does 'capped' mean?
Many cards limit the reward you can earn in a month in a category. Spending above the cap earns nothing extra, so the calculator stops counting there.
Is a lifetime free card always better?
Not always. A paid card with higher rewards can leave you with more once you spend enough. The break-even line shows the monthly spend where that starts.
