Upgrading from Regalia Gold to DCB Metal - Acceptance for Offline POS in India? (Seeking Suggestions)

[s4techco]

Hi everyone,

I'm currently considering upgrading my HDFC Bank Regalia Gold credit card to the Diners Club Black (DCB) Metal variant. Before I proceed, I'd really appreciate some insights and suggestions from those who use or have experience with the DCB Metal, particularly regarding its acceptance in India.

My primary concern revolves around the card's network acceptance. While I'm aware of the SmartBuy portal benefits, my spending habits are such that I'll be utilizing very little in SmartBuy, vouchers, or other online-specific redemptions. My major spending is predominantly through offline POS (Point of Sale) transactions – basically, swiping at physical stores.

Therefore, my main question is:

Will the Diners Club network credit card be widely accepted on normal swiping machines (POS terminals) across various merchants in India?

Thanks in advance for your valuable suggestions!

 

[thanix]

For whatever it's worth, Casinos in Goa don't accept Diners but they accept Visa and Mastercard 😋

I am using DCB for 3 years, most offline places accept it but you will always have a doubt on back of your mind whether it will be accepted or not. This should be the least of the worry to any card holder.

Online is a mess. Many don't accept. An year ago, even Emirates in India didn't accepted Diners. I was booking 3L worth tickets but you can't use. To hell with Diners. Now they started accepting. But Appollo hospitals app still doesn't accept it.

So if you are not embarrassed with your face turning red, when swipe doesn't work and this is not your only card in the wallet, it is okay to go for it. By the way, the tap and pay never worked properly in Diners. It always worked in other cards.

 

[y2k]

I guess I bought from Amazon or some online site due to available discount.

You mean you bought a voucher from Amazon and added it to your Playstore account to use that as a payment mode for in-app purchase?

 

[y2k]

For whatever it's worth, Casinos in Goa don't accept Diners but they accept Visa and Mastercard 😋

I am using DCB for 3 years, most offline places accept it but you will always have a doubt on back of your mind whether it will be accepted or not. This should be the least of the worry to any card holder.

Online is a mess. Many don't accept. An year ago, even Emirates in India didn't accepted Diners. I was booking 3L worth tickets but you can't use. To hell with Diners. Now they started accepting. But Appollo hospitals app still doesn't accept it.

So if you are not embarrassed with your face turning red, when swipe doesn't work and this is not your only card in the wallet, it is okay to go for it. By the way, the tap and pay never worked properly in Diners. It always worked in other cards.

To each their own but I would say it is way too expensive to have to go through all that. Am glad people are being honest in giving out the cons despite ownership as mostly what I get to read is the pro due to the fixated focus of using it as a step to something considered more premium.

The use case of healthcare is just not possible to be ignored while that of expensive flight tickets also brings a sense of rage when you are spending a hefty amount and they don't enable you to do so. Inexcusable in my opinion.

 

[ashwinikumar900]

Yes, there are acceptability issues, there is no point in denying that.

But we all are missing one most important point/logic behind opting for this card that is the fact that as long as you are not eligible for Infinia, it’s not a bad option. It’s not that I guess anybody (most people) would choose DCB METAL over Infinia.

I am using DCB METAL till I am eligible for Infinia. Additionally I am using BIZ BLACK (again on Diners) too for business purposes, since there is no better card then this for business.

As long as you have a backup card, which we all have there is no harm in using DCB METAL, again these are just my opinion.

 

[y2k]

Yes, there are acceptability issues, there is no point in denying that.

But we all are missing one most important point/logic behind opting for this card that is the fact that as long as you are not eligible for Infinia, it’s not a bad option. It’s not that I guess anybody (most people) would choose DCB METAL over Infinia.

I am using DCB METAL till I am eligible for Infinia. Additionally I am using BIZ BLACK (again on Diners) too for business purposes, since there is no better card then this for business.

As long as you have a backup card, which we all have there is no harm in using DCB METAL, again these are just my opinion.

While most of what you said applies to a lot of people, I feel the point of a backup is justified when you are fairly confident that your preferred will work and then backup is just supposed to be a backup. If hospitals, google, Microsoft and major international airlines like Emirates don't accept it then how does anybody have enough spends to qualify for Infinina? By spending on Amazon and Swiggy? Pantaloons and purchasing a car? I don't know.

However, from your message, given you use BIZ Black for business purpose which criteria are you still awaiting to fulfil - expenditure within 6 months or credit limit? It just feels you should probably already have Infinia since it feels you already qualify for it.

 

[ashwinikumar900]

While most of what you said applies to a lot of people, I feel the point of a backup is justified when you are fairly confident that your preferred will work and then backup is just supposed to be a backup. If hospitals, google, Microsoft and major international airlines like Emirates don't accept it then how does anybody have enough spends to qualify for Infinina? By spending on Amazon and Swiggy? Pantaloons and purchasing a car? I don't know.

However, from your message, given you use BIZ Black for business purpose which criteria are you still awaiting to fulfil - expenditure within 6 months or credit limit? It just feels you should probably already have Infinia since it feels you already qualify for it.

I have a limit of 6.21L limits, currently using DCB METAL (upgraded from Regalia-6 years old) and almost 3 months back got BIZ BLACK. As far as i know you should have the limit of atleast 8L for Infinia. So waiting for that.

 

[y2k]

I have a limit of 6.21L limits, currently using DCB METAL (upgraded from Regalia-6 years old) and almost 3 months back got BIZ BLACK. As far as i know you should have the limit of atleast 8L for Infinia. So waiting for that.

Thats great. I am in the same boat except I am not on RG yet, although I meet the CL criteria - not sure if that is all required for it. My expense can meet the eligible amount as people mention here (8L/9L) but not in 6 months. Especially because I just discovered that and some of my spends is on my Yes Bank CC as well. Hopefully I will find out by next week. Or if not then a round of escalation.

Thread 'Should I close my oldest CC HDFC Times Platinum with 12L+limit?'

Jun 17, 2025

I need advice specific to my scenario. Been stressing over it for many days now.

My oldest credit card (from 2016), HDFC Times Platinum (Mastercard) is also my first and only HDFC credit card. I can't seem to get any core HDFC card due to it. Reading into forums here and elsewhere I have realized that the only way to move forward is to close this card and re-apply for a core card after a few (3-6?) months.

The current limit on this card is 12L+ and I am planning to reach out to the corporate spoc once and if that doesn't work then the credit card email once asking for a direct upgrade...

• y2k
• cibil close hdfc oldest card platinum super premium times card timesprime
• Replies: 15
• Forum: HDFC Bank Credit Card

•