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Devaluation Now Minimum Spends required for Lounge Access on Rupay Debit cards too w.e.f 01/01/2025

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hedgehog2122 said:
A very welcoming news for premium card holders.
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Not enough. Debit cards should not have any lounge access at all except perhaps a few rare ones where a high TRV is required and even then, there should be some further conditions based on spends. Entry level credit cards should not have any lounge access. Mid level ones should have a spend based fee reduction like spend 20k per month and the bank would subsidize 1 lounge visit by 50% and the customer pays something like Rs 350. Only top cards should have lounge visits but again with a minimum 50k per month spending per card with a similar requirement for each add on card. Unlimited visits, where available, should require a minimum 1 lakh per month spend. International lounge visit should also require a minimum 50k spend AND the ticket should have been purchased via that same card. Why should a customer give business to another bank for buying the ticket and expect a different bank to pay for his or her lounge visit?
This is just the beginning. Expect the spend based requirements to become higher and higher to the point where only elite customers would get lounge access. The lounge operators might start their own promos where you can directly purchase a visit for 250 to 500 or the airline offers it when buying a ticket. After all people pay 500 to 750 to choose a seat.
 
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Lobogris said:
Not enough. Debit cards should not have any lounge access at all except perhaps a few rare ones where a high TRV is required and even then, there should be some further conditions based on spends. Entry level credit cards should not have any lounge access. Mid level ones should have a spend based fee reduction like spend 20k per month and the bank would subsidize 1 lounge visit by 50% and the customer pays something like Rs 350. Only top cards should have lounge visits but again with a minimum 50k per month spending per card with a similar requirement for each add on card. Unlimited visits, where available, should require a minimum 1 lakh per month spend. International lounge visit should also require a minimum 50k spend AND the ticket should have been purchased via that same card. Why should a customer give business to another bank for buying the ticket and expect a different bank to pay for his or her lounge visit?
This is just the beginning. Expect the spend based requirements to become higher and higher to the point where only elite customers would get lounge access. The lounge operators might start their own promos where you can directly purchase a visit for 250 to 500 or the airline offers it when buying a ticket. After all people pay 500 to 750 to choose a seat.
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₹250 to ₹500 is still a killer deal 🤝🏻 for 3 hrs unlimited food and beverages.

But it's too low. It will start with minimum ₹1,000 or more
 
Anupama_Jha said:
₹250 to ₹500 is still a killer deal 🤝🏻 for 3 hrs unlimited food and beverages.

But it's too low. It will start with minimum ₹1,000 or more
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I meant as a promotion, not the normal rate. Perhaps as per time of day at off peak or to get people in like restaurants do sometimes.
 
Swastik said:
Plenty won't pay even measly 250-500, this will filter a lot
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Enough people are buying coffee for 300+ and food for 500+ and seats for even more; 250-500 will filter nothing. At best, it may replace people who are using lounge (with cards) now with people who can easily afford rs 250-500 then. 🙂

At airport like Bangalore, there will be 5000 to 10000 passengers at anytime. To fill a 200 seater lounge, 2 to 4% of people should be afford 500. We will get way more than that.

India has changed so much in last 6 to 8 years. Folks were earlier looking for no frill flights. Now, roughly 30% of people order food and beverages in Indigo. Indigo revenue from food sale was about 760 cr in Fy 23 and had 70% margin. If 30% of people are buying food for 2 hour flight, certainly 10% of people can afford 500 rs lounge at airport.

If we want to keep current lounges empty, my guess will be a Rs 1000 entry fees or more with or without cards. Obviously there are other alternatives to solve this. Banks have no intention to solve this.

This discussion feels like deja vu.
 
tachniki said:
Enough people are buying coffee for 300+ and food for 500+ and seats for even more; 250-500 will filter nothing. At best, it may replace people who are using lounge (with cards) now with people who can easily afford rs 250-500 then. 🙂

At airport like Bangalore, there will be 5000 to 10000 passengers at anytime. To fill a 200 seater lounge, 2 to 4% of people should be afford 500. We will get way more than that.

India has changed so much in last 6 to 8 years. Folks were earlier looking for no frill flights. Now, roughly 30% of people order food and beverages in Indigo. Indigo revenue from food sale was about 760 cr in Fy 23 and had 70% margin. If 30% of people are buying food for 2 hour flight, certainly 10% of people can afford 500 rs lounge at airport.

If we want to keep current lounges empty, my guess will be a Rs 1000 entry fees or more with or without cards. Obviously there are other alternatives to solve this. Banks have no intention to solve this.

This discussion feels like deja vu.
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Only thing people will not pay for is to pay 500+gst for a CC but prefer to wait forever in hope of getting LTF.
 
Credit_Cards said:
Only thing people will not pay for is to pay 500+gst for a CC but prefer to wait forever in hope of getting LTF.
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There are folks on both side. There will be like 5 to 10% of folks who will pay for lounges. 20 to 25% who will pay for good seat. 5% of travellers will pay for 5 star stay. Similarly 1% of folks who will pay 10k for a premium card. And these numbers are only growing. People will pay if they find value for their spend. Value can have different dimensions. (all numbers are made up but could possibly be close. 😁)
 
tachniki said:
There are folks on both side. There will be like 5 to 10% of folks who will pay for lounges. 20 to 25% who will pay for good seat. 5% of travellers will pay for 5 star stay. Similarly 1% of folks who will pay 10k for a premium card. And these numbers are only growing. People will pay if they find value for their spend. Value can have different dimensions. (all numbers are made up but could possibly be close. 😁)
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agree . .
 
Is there any way to check the available lounge access unlocked for rupay platinum dc, without swiping at the lounge POS machine?

Anything similar to dreamfolks app/website?
 
RAMESH BABU N said:
My take on this. Many may not agree.

I see no reason why entry level CCs should provide airport lounge access.

Similarly, LTF CCs and DCs also should not provide this feature.

Only PAID CCs, Premium CCs n Exclusive CCs should provide this feature.

Then, and only then, one can really enjoy that benefit. Nowadays, the lounges are so very crowded, it is better to sit outside.

Except for free food, there is hardly any exclusivity even in international lounges.

You can't find seats to sit. Most of the food trays are empty. You need to stand in a queue like a begger to get into the lounge. Cleaning n clearing the used glasses n plates takes a bloody looooong time. Toilets are horribly maintained. At times, outside toilets are better maintained.

Old charm is gone. Exclusivity is gone.
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Adding to this if you make any paid card ltf will also remove lounge access then it will definitely reduce most of premiums too😅
 
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