If you are using your HDFC credit card directly on merchant websites or apps, you are probably leaving a lot of free rewards, flights, and hotel stays on the table. Most HDFC Bank cardholders earn just 1–3% rewards on their day-to-day spends, but the same transactions can earn 5%–33% returns when routed via HDFC SmartBuy, the bank’s accelerated rewards portal.
What Is HDFC SmartBuy?
HDFC SmartBuy is HDFC Bank’s dedicated rewards and offers platform where cardholders can earn accelerated reward points or cashback on travel bookings, instant vouchers, and partner shopping offers. Instead of going directly to a brand or travel website, you first go to SmartBuy, click through to the partner, and pay using your HDFC credit card to unlock higher rewards.
In simple terms, SmartBuy acts as a rewards marketplace and aggregator that boosts your existing credit card benefits by offering 3X–10X points or higher cashback, depending on the card variant and category. Many premium HDFC cards can reach effective reward rates of up to about 33% on select SmartBuy categories when you combine base points and accelerated multipliers.
Direct Spend vs SmartBuy Spend
Here is how most users currently spend:
- You pay directly on Swiggy, Amazon, MakeMyTrip, or other sites and earn around 1–3% back in rewards.
- You redeem those points later, usually without maximizing value.
Now compare that with using the same HDFC credit card via SmartBuy:
- You start from SmartBuy, choose Flights, Hotels, Vouchers, or partner brands, and complete the payment using your HDFC card.
- On eligible categories, you can earn 5X–10X reward points or higher cashback, pushing your effective return into the 5%–33% range on select premium cards.
Example: Instead of directly paying ₹2,000 on Swiggy, you buy a Swiggy instant voucher through SmartBuy and then use that voucher on Swiggy. On compatible card variants, this can convert a boring 1–3% return into multiple times higher rewards, depending on the multiplier and point value of your specific card.
Everyday Categories Covered On SmartBuy
HDFC SmartBuy covers a wide range of everyday spends so you can accelerate rewards without changing your lifestyle too much.
Key categories include:
- Flights: Book via partners like EaseMyTrip, Yatra, Cleartrip, Goibibo, etc.
- Hotels: Book via MakeMyTrip, Yatra, Cleartrip, and other listed partners.
- IRCTC Trains: Rail ticket bookings routed via SmartBuy travel section.
- Instant Vouchers: Amazon, Swiggy, Croma, Puma, Levi’s, and 100+ more brands through Instant Vouchers / Gift Cards.
- Shopping and pharma: Partner platforms like Myntra, Nykaa, Pharmeasy, and more (offers and partners may change, so always check the SmartBuy page for current categories).
By routing these spends through SmartBuy, you convert regular bills and shopping into accelerated reward points or cashback that can later be redeemed for flights, hotels, vouchers, or statement credit, depending on your card.
How Different HDFC Cards Benefit On SmartBuy
The exact reward rate depends heavily on which HDFC credit card you hold. Premium cards usually earn reward points with high value per point, while entry-level cards earn straightforward cashback or lower-value points.
Below is a simplified overview (exact offers and partners change over time, so always verify current accelerated earn rules on the SmartBuy site before transacting):
HDFC Infinia: The Premium Rewards Beast
- Pharmeasy – 10X → ~33%
- Jockey – 10X → ~33%
- Flights – 5X → ~16.5%
- Hotels – 10X → ~33%
- Vouchers (Amazon, Swiggy, Croma, Puma…) – 5X → ~16.5%
Diners Club Black / Biz Black
- Flights – 5X → ~16.5%
- Hotels – 10X → ~33%
- Vouchers – 3X → ~10%
- Jockey – 10X → ~33%
- Myntra – 5X → ~16.5%
- Pharmeasy – 10X → ~33%
Mid-Tier HDFC Cards: Regalia, Regalia Gold, Diners Privilege
Here 1 RP = ₹0.50
- Nykaa – 5X → 6.6%
- Myntra – 5X → 6.6%
- Jockey – 10X → 13.3%
- Flights – 5X → 6.6%
- Hotels – 10X → 13.3%
- Pharmeasy – 10X → 13.3%
- Vouchers – 5X → 6.6%
Entry-Level / Beginner Cards: MoneyBack+, Millennia & Others
Earns cashback instead of points
- Flights – 5%
- Hotels – 5%
- Vouchers – 5%
- Pharmeasy – 10%
- Myntra / Nykaa – 5%
- Jockey – 10%
- IRCTC – 1%
Not bad at all when you’re starting out.
Important Limits, Caps, and Best Practices
Key points to remember:
- Monthly caps: Accelerated reward points or cashback via SmartBuy are usually capped per calendar month, especially on premium cards like Infinia and Diners Black (for example, Infinia SmartBuy accelerated rewards have a monthly upper limit, after which only base points accrue).
- Voucher fees: Some instant vouchers may have convenience or platform fees, so factor those into your effective reward calculations.
- Price comparison: Flight and hotel prices via SmartBuy partners can sometimes be slightly higher or lower than booking directly, so always compare across portals before deciding where to book.
- Redemption hierarchy: Typically, the best value for your HDFC reward points is achieved when redeeming for flights and hotels, followed by brand vouchers, and finally for products or statement cashback, where the per-point value may be lower.
Following these basics ensures your “accelerated” rewards do not get diluted by higher pricing, extra fees, or low-value redemptions.
