Airport Facilites : Rules changed for Rupay, BOB ,credit cards from January 1, 2025

From January 1, 2025, RuPay credit card holders will get tier-based lounge access. Bank of Baroda (BOB) credit card holders access to domestic airport lounges will be dependent on a minimum spend in the previous calendar quarter

Rupay credit card tier-based lounge access

The National Payments Corporation of India (NPCI) has introduced tier-based standards for special RuPay lounge access from January 1, 2025. The RuPay lounge is the first of its kind and is located in Terminal 3 of Delhi's Indira Gandhi International Airport.

Access to RuPay exclusive Lounge will only be offered to select credit card holders, typically based on their spending patterns.

"RuPay has set up an exclusive Lounge at T3 departure terminal of Indira Gandhi International (IGI) Airport. This is the first exclusive lounge of RuPay at Departure Pier 11, T3D, near Boarding Gate number 41. RuPay exclusive lounge offers a wide spread of food, drinks and entertainment that differentiates it from other lounges in T3 Departure at IGI Airport. RuPay exclusive lounge promises pleasant stay, excellent spread of menu and first of its kind entertainment experience for their patrons…" said NPCI in a circular dated October 18, 2024.

Bank of Baroda (BOB) credit card lounge access

According to the BOBCARD website, the change in access to domestic lounges will be effective from January 1, 2025. Here are the changes:

• Access to domestic airport lounges will be based on a minimum eligible spend in the previous calendar quarter as mentioned below.
• In the case of a newly-issued card, the minimum spend criteria is waived for the calendar quarter of card issuance for lounge utilisation.
• This relaxation is applicable only in the case of fresh cards issued during the calendar quarter and not applicable for upgrade from one card to another card during the calendar quarter.
• Credit cards such as Eterna, ICAI Exclusive, ICMAI One, Tiara, ICSI Dimond and Varunah Premium will require a minimum spend of Rs 40,000, while mid-range and other credit cards such as Varunah Plus, The Sentinel, Rakshamah, Yoddha, Corporate, HPCL, and Premier will require a minimum spend of Rs 20,000 in the previous calendar quarter for free airport lounge access