PNB Enters the Premium Arena: A Deep Dive into the New PNB RuPay Luxura Metal Credit Card
Punjab National Bank (PNB) has made a bold statement in the premium credit card segment with the launch of its new flagship product: the PNB RuPay Luxura Metal Credit Card. This isn’t just another card; it’s a metal card on the indigenous RuPay network, packed with lifestyle, travel, and dining benefits designed to compete with established players.
Let’s break down what this card offers and see if it earns a place in your wallet.
At a Glance: Key Highlights
- Card Type: Premium, Metal Credit Card
- Network: RuPay
- Joining Fee: ₹9,000 + GST (Waiver available)
- Annual Fee: ₹7,500 + GST (Waiver available)
- Key Benefit: Strong focus on luxury stays, dining experiences (ITC Hotels), and travel.
Eligibility and Fees
The eligibility criteria clearly place this card in the super-premium category, targeting high-net-worth individuals.
- Age: 21-70 years.
- Income:
- Salaried: Gross Monthly Salary of ₹2.5 Lakhs+ (₹30 Lakhs annually).
- Self-Employed: Annual Income of ₹30 Lakhs+.
- Credit Limit: Starts from ₹1 Lakh up to ₹15 Lakhs, based on underwriting.
Fee Structure & Waivers:
- Joining Fee: A hefty ₹9,000 + GST. However, this is waived off if you spend ₹2.5 Lakhs within the first 90 days (3 billing cycles) of card activation.
- Annual Fee: ₹7,500 + GST from the second year onwards. This gets waived off on achieving an annual spend of ₹8 Lakhs.
- Replacement Fee: Being a metal card, a replacement comes at a cost of ₹4,000 + GST.
Rewards and Milestones
The reward structure is decent but not groundbreaking for a super-premium card. The real value lies in the Welcome and Milestone benefits.
- Base Rewards: Earn 4 Reward Points for every ₹100 spent.
- Reward Value: The stated value is 4 Points = ₹1, making the base reward rate a modest 1%.
- Accelerated Rewards: Get 3X Reward Points on Travel & Dining spends. This boosts the reward rate to 3% in these categories, which is respectable.
- Welcome Benefit: A massive 40,000 Reward Points on spending ₹50,000 within the first 90 days. At a value of ₹0.25 per point, this is worth ₹10,000, which more than covers the joining fee if you don’t meet the waiver criteria.
- Milestone Benefit: Earn an additional 10,000 Reward Points (worth ₹2,500) on achieving an annual spend of ₹5 Lakhs.
The Real Luxury: Lifestyle & Travel Benefits
This is where the PNB Luxura card truly tries to justify its “Luxura” tag. The partnerships and perks are impressive.
1. Unmatched Hospitality with ITC Hotels
This is arguably the card’s strongest feature. PNB has partnered with ITC for some incredible ongoing benefits:
- Stay Benefit (2+1 Complimentary Night): Book 2 nights and get the 3rd night free at participating Premium ITC Hotels (excluding Fortune brand). This is applicable throughout the year, any number of times, subject to blackout dates.
- Dining Benefit (1+1 Set Menu): Enjoy a Buy One Get One Free on set menus at signature ITC restaurants like Peshawari, Avartana, and Dum Pukht. This is also applicable throughout the year, any number of times (max one per bill/table).
- Spa Benefit (1+1): Resident guests get a Buy One Get One Free on 60-minute spa sessions at ITC hotels, applicable throughout the year.
For someone who frequents ITC properties for stays or dining, these benefits alone can provide value far exceeding the annual fee.
2. Elite Travel & Memberships
- HoteLux Elite Plus Membership: The card comes with a complimentary HoteLux Elite Plus membership. This luxury travel agent service provides perks like free breakfast, room upgrades, early check-in/late check-out, and up to $200 in hotel credits at luxury chains like Hyatt, Hilton, Marriott, Four Seasons, etc. You also get a one-time use of HoteLux points equivalent to $300.
- Lounge Access:
- Domestic: 2 complimentary visits per quarter (8 per year).
- International: 4 complimentary visits per year.
- Visa Application Services (OneVasco): Get a complimentary lounge for 2 visitors once a year for applicable Visa processes (excluding business visas), plus a 15% discount on fast-track immigration and visa concierge services.
- Forex Markup: A reduced forex markup of 2.50%, which is standard for premium cards but higher than some super-premium competitors offering roughly 2%.
3. Lifestyle and Protection
- Golf: 4 complimentary domestic golf rounds/lessons per year (1 per quarter).
- Movies: Buy 1 Get 1 Free ticket (up to ₹500) once a month on BookMyShow or similar platforms.
- Concierge: 24×7 Domestic and International concierge services.
- Emergency Cash: International emergency cash support of $600.
- Insurance: Comprehensive coverage including ₹1 Crore Air Accidental Insurance and ₹50 Lakhs Personal Accidental Insurance.
| Feature | HDFC Infinia (2025) | PNB Luxura (Dec 2025) | Winner for Infinia Holder? |
|---|---|---|---|
| Annual fee (after waiver) | ₹12,500 (non-waivable joining) | ₹0 (₹8L waiver super easy) | Luxura |
| Domestic lounge | Unlimited (Priority Pass + own network) | Truly unlimited (RuPay EKAA) | Tie (both unlimited) |
| International lounge | Unlimited Priority Pass | Only 4/year | Infinia |
| Reward rate (dining) | 3.33% base, 5–6.66% via Gyftr vouchers | 12 RP/₹100 → 12% | Luxura |
| Reward rate (travel) | 33% via SmartBuy, 3.33% otherwise | 12% | Infinia (SmartBuy) |
| ITC-specific perks | 1+1 buffet once per month + 3-for-2 stay (max 2/room) | Unlimited 2+1 nights (premium ITC) + Unlimited 1+1 dining (signature restaurants) + Unlimited 1+1 60-min spa | Luxura (massive win) |
| Taj/Marriott perks | Strong (Taj Epicure, Marriott Bonvoy Gold) | Zero | Infinia |
| Transfer partners | 20+ airlines & hotels (1:1) | Mainly Air India Maharaja Club (1:1) | Infinia |
| Forex markup | 2% | 2.5% | Infinia |
| Welcome benefit | Almost dead now | 40k RP (₹10k) + 10k milestone | Luxura |
| HoteLux / Virtuoso-style perks | None | Full Elite Plus membership ($200 credit, upgrades, breakfast at 10,000+ luxury hotels) | Luxura |
Our Verdict
The PNB RuPay Luxura Metal Credit Card is a powerful entrant. It doesn’t try to compete on raw reward points like some other cards. Instead, it carves a niche by offering exceptional, tangible benefits in the hospitality and experiential dining space.
- Who is it for? This card is a fantastic choice for high-spenders who love luxury travel and fine dining, particularly patrons of ITC Hotels. The 2+1 stay and 1+1 dining benefits are incredibly valuable if used regularly. The HoteLux membership further sweetens the deal for international luxury stays.
- Who might skip it? If your primary goal is earning reward points for airmiles conversion or if you don’t frequent luxury hotels, you might find better value in other cards with higher base reward rates and lower fees.
Final Take: PNB has created a compelling product that offers genuine luxury. The combination of a metal form factor, RuPay’s growing acceptance, and a unique set of benefits makes the Luxura a card worth considering for the affluent Indian consumer.
