HDFC Regalia Gold vs ICICI Sapphiro vs SBI ELITE – Best Premium Card?
Choosing between HDFC Regalia Gold, ICICI Bank Sapphiro, and SBI Card ELITE depends on your lifestyle priorities and spending patterns. The Regalia Gold excels for premium brand shoppers with 5X rewards on Myntra, Nykaa, and Reliance Digital, plus generous 12 domestic lounge visits annually and milestone vouchers worth ₹10,000. The ICICI Sapphiro targets international travelers with 1% returns on foreign spends, exclusive golf privileges, and lifestyle vouchers worth ₹9,000. The SBI ELITE focuses on everyday premium spending with 5X rewards on dining, groceries, and departmental stores, complemented by complimentary movie tickets. All three cards offer substantial welcome benefits and travel perks but differ significantly in reward structures, annual fees ranging from ₹2,500 to ₹4,999, and eligibility criteria. This comprehensive guide compares features, milestone benefits, lounge access policies, and redemption flexibility to help you select the perfect premium card aligned with your lifestyle.
| HDFC Regalia Gold Credit Card | ICICI Bank Sapphiro Credit Card | SBI ELITE Credit Card |
|---|---|---|
 HDFC Bank |  ICICI Bank |  SBI |
| Card Network | ||
| Mastercard | Amex, Mastercard, RuPay, Visa | Amex, Mastercard, Visa |
| USP | ||
| The HDFC Regalia Gold Credit Card delivers 5X accelerated rewards on premium brands like Myntra, Nykaa, and Reliance Digital, plus milestone vouchers worth up to ₹10,000 annually and extensive lounge access with 12 domestic and 6 international visits per year, making it perfect for lifestyle enthusiasts and frequent travelers seeking premium benefits at a competitive annual fee. | The ICICI Bank Sapphiro Credit Card offers premium rewards with 1% value on international spends and 0.5% on domestic purchases (at ₹0.25 per reward point), plus exclusive golf privileges, lounge access, and lifestyle benefits worth ₹9,000, making it perfect for affluent travelers and premium lifestyle enthusiasts. | The SBI Card ELITE offers 5X reward points on dining, grocery, and departmental store spends, plus complimentary airport lounge access and free movie tickets, making it perfect for lifestyle enthusiasts and frequent travelers seeking premium rewards and travel perks. |
| Annual Fee | ||
| 2500 Plus GST | 3500 Plus GST | 4999 Plus GST |
| Joining Fee | ||
| 2500 Plus GST | 6500 Plus GST | 4999 Plus GST |
| Welcome Benefits | ||
| ₹2,500 voucher on joining fee payment, complimentary Swiggy One membership, complimentary MakeMyTrip Black Elite membership, Club Vistara Silver membership on spending ₹1 lakh in first 90 days | Vouchers worth approximately ₹9,000 from partners like Uber, EaseMyTrip, Tata CLiQ, and Tata Croma | E-gift voucher worth ₹5,000 from lifestyle and travel brands including Yatra, Hush Puppies/Bata, Pantaloons, Aditya Birla Fashion, and Shoppers Stop |
| Lounge Access | ||
| Domestic: 12 per year | International: 6 per year | Domestic: 4 per quarter | International: 2 per year On spends of ₹75,000+ in the last 3 months | Domestic: 2 per quarter | International: 6 per year Maximum 2 international visits per quarter |
| Reward Rate | ||
| 4 reward points per ₹150 spent (2.67% return) on retail, insurance, utility, and education. Earn 20 reward points per ₹150 spent (13.33% return) at Marks & Spencer, Myntra, Nykaa, and Reliance Digital (5X accelerated rewards with capping). Milestone benefits: ₹1,500 vouchers on ₹1.5 lakh quarterly spend, ₹5,000 flight vouchers on ₹5 lakh annual spend, additional ₹5,000 flight vouchers on ₹7.5 lakh annual spend. | Earn 4 reward points per ₹100 (1% value at ₹0.25 per point) on international spends, 2 reward points per ₹100 (0.5% value) on domestic spends except fuel, and 1 reward point per ₹100 (0.25% value) on fuel, utilities, and insurance spends. | Earn 5X Reward Points (10 points per ₹100, worth ₹2.5) on dining, departmental stores, and grocery spends; 2 Reward Points per ₹100 (worth ₹0.50) on international transactions and all other spends except fuel. 4 Reward Points = ₹1 redemption value. |
| Interest Rate | ||
| 3.75% per month (45% per annum) | 3.75% per month (approximately 45% per annum) | 3.5% per month (42% per annum) |
| Best For | ||
| Lounge Access, Online Shopping | Lounge Access | Dinning, Lounge Access |
| Pros | ||
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| Cons | ||
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| Apply Now | Apply Now | Apply Now |
Final Verdict
The HDFC Regalia Gold is ideal for premium brand shoppers who frequently purchase from Myntra, Nykaa, and Reliance Digital, offering maximum rewards through 5X acceleration and generous lounge access with milestone benefits that can offset annual fees. The ICICI Sapphiro suits international travelers and frequent flyers seeking 1% returns on foreign currency spends, golf privileges, and diverse network options across Amex and Visa. The SBI ELITE caters to lifestyle enthusiasts with heavy dining, grocery, and departmental store spending patterns, complemented by movie benefits and highest international lounge access. Choose Regalia Gold for e-commerce and premium brands, Sapphiro for global travel and golf, or SBI ELITE for everyday premium lifestyle spending and entertainment perks.
Frequently Asked Questions
1. Which card offers the best lounge access: Regalia Gold vs Sapphiro vs SBI ELITE?
HDFC Regalia Gold provides the most generous domestic lounge access with 12 complimentary visits per year without spending thresholds. For international travel, SBI ELITE leads with 6 annual visits, while Regalia Gold matches this. ICICI Sapphiro offers 4 domestic and 2 international visits quarterly but requires ₹75,000 spend in the prior quarter. If you travel frequently within India, Regalia Gold is superior.
2. Which premium card is best for international spending and travel?
ICICI Sapphiro excels for international transactions with 1% reward value on foreign currency spends, significantly higher than Regalia Gold’s 2.67% and SBI ELITE’s 0.5%. Sapphiro also offers exclusive golf privileges at international courses. However, if international lounge access matters more than spending rewards, both Regalia Gold and SBI ELITE provide 6 annual international visits compared to Sapphiro’s quarterly capped access.
3. How do milestone benefits compare across these three premium cards?
HDFC Regalia Gold offers the most lucrative milestones: ₹1,500 vouchers quarterly on ₹1.5 lakh spend, ₹5,000 flight vouchers at ₹5 lakh annually, and additional ₹5,000 at ₹7.5 lakh (total ₹10,000). ICICI Sapphiro provides upfront ₹9,000 welcome vouchers but no spending-based milestones. SBI ELITE gives ₹5,000 welcome vouchers but lacks ongoing milestone rewards. For high spenders, Regalia Gold rewards loyalty better.
4. Which card gives better rewards for dining and groceries?
SBI ELITE dominates dining and grocery rewards with 5X points (2.5% value) on all restaurants, supermarkets, and departmental stores. HDFC Regalia Gold only offers 2.67% base rate unless dining at specific premium partners. ICICI Sapphiro provides just 0.5% on domestic dining. If you spend heavily on food and groceries, SBI ELITE delivers significantly higher returns in these everyday categories.
5. Are the annual fees justified for these premium cards?
It depends on spending patterns. Regalia Gold’s ₹2,500 fee is offset by ₹2,500 welcome voucher and memberships. Sapphiro’s ₹3,500 annual fee (₹6,500 joining) is justified by ₹9,000 welcome vouchers. SBI ELITE’s ₹4,999 fee is highest but includes ₹5,000 vouchers and movie tickets. Calculate your category spending to determine if accelerated rewards and milestone benefits exceed annual costs for your usage.
6. Which card offers the best welcome benefits and joining perks?
ICICI Sapphiro provides the highest immediate value with ₹9,000 in vouchers from Uber, EaseMyTrip, and Tata brands, though the ₹6,500 joining fee is steepest. HDFC Regalia Gold offers ₹2,500 voucher plus valuable Swiggy One and MakeMyTrip memberships. SBI ELITE provides ₹5,000 in e-gift vouchers from travel and fashion brands. Sapphiro wins for upfront voucher value, while Regalia Gold excels in membership benefits.
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