If you frequently travel by air and avail airport lounge access through debit or credit card, then this news is very important for you. From January 2026, the country’s three big card issuing banks SBI, HDFC and ICICI are going to make major changes in their card rules. These changes will have a direct impact on your lounge access, spending terms, reward points and certain fees. If you do not understand these new rules in time, you may face inconvenience at the airport.
ICICI Bank Credit Card: New rules from January 15
ICICI Bank has announced the implementation of new rules for its select credit cards from January 15, 2026. Under these changes, the reward structure, entertainment benefits and charges related to foreign exchange (Forex) transactions have been revised. Additionally, new charges have also been imposed on certain types of payments. The bank says that the purpose of these changes is to make transactions more transparent, but cardholders will now need to be more cautious than before.
SBI Card: Expansion of lounge network
SBI Card has made changes to its Domestic Airport Lounge Access Program with effect from January 10, 2026. Now SBI Credit Card users will get access to multiple airport lounges across the country under Set-A and Set-B categories depending on the card type. However, it will be mandatory to validate the card at the POS machine before entering the lounge. This facility is especially applicable on those cards whose annual fee is Rs 1499 or Rs 2999.
HDFC Bank: New conditions for debit card users
HDFC Bank has changed the spending limit related to airport lounge access for its debit card customers. Under the new rules applicable from January 10, 2026, the bank has now started a voucher-based system. This means that to get free lounge access, customers will have to spend a minimum amount over a period of time, which has been almost doubled as compared to before.
Why is it important to know this update?
With the increase in the number of air passengers, the demand for airport lounges has also increased rapidly. Keeping this in view, banks are now linking free facilities with expenses. In such a situation, if you reach the airport relying on old rules, you may be disappointed.
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