Privileges such as lounge access are not just for the frequent flyers with the full-service airlines. Your access to the Oasis of Calm, as I refer to lounges, could also come to you by way of holding a particular credit card, more specifically a MasterCard issued in India.
In operation for a few years now, the MasterCard Lounge Access program was recently renewed for another year and is now valid till December 2012. Under this program, all premium MasterCard holders from various banks get free access to the Clipper and Plaza Premium lounges in India on domestic as well as international flights. The unstated fact I can tell you also is that add-on cards also get this benefit, on swiping their cards on the designated Mastercard electronic terminals.
I’ve personally used this privilege when flying around on low-cost carriers such as Indigo which do not offer lounge access or status as a part of the flying package. The offer is valid at the following lounges across India:
International Airports
- Mumbai – Clipper lounge – Terminal 2B (Mezzanine Floor)
- Delhi – Plaza Premium Lounge – Terminal T3 (Fourth Floor)
- Delhi – Premium Lounge – Terminal T3 (Mezzanine Floor)
- Kolkata – Clipper lounge (Ground Floor)
- Chennai – Clipper lounge (First Floor)
- Hyderabad – Plaza Premium Lounge (E Level)
Domestic Airports:
- Delhi – Plaza Premium Lounge – Terminal T3 (Mezzanine Floor)
- Delhi – Plaza Premium Lounge – Terminal T1(D) (First Floor)
- Kolkata – Top Desk Restaurant and Bar (First Floor)
- Kolkata – Clipper Lounge-Located in the departure area of the Domestic terminal
- Hyderabad – Plaza Premium Lounge – Arrival Dom. & Int. – (C Level)
- Mumbai – Clipper Bar & Restaurant – Terminal 1(A)
- Hyderabad – Plaza Premium Lounge – Departures Dom. – (E Level)
While I don’t have a complete list of banks offering this program to their members, I for sure know out of experience that the following cards offer this privilege to their members:
- HSBC Premier
- Citigold World Debit Card
- Citibank Titanium/ World MasterCards
- Axis Bank Titanium MasterCard / Gold Maestro Debit Card
- HDFC Bank Titanium/World MasterCard/ Titanium Debit Cards
- Standard Chartered Titanium MasterCard
- LIC Titanium
If there are other cards which you know of, please leave a note in the comments below and I will add them to the list.
You get access to the F&B, internet (complimentary) and all facilities available to the regular visit of the lounge. At the international lounges, this also includes access to the alcohol if that counts as a benefit for you.
How does it work?
- The Program is available only till 31st December 2012
- The program is applicable in select Clipper & Plaza Premium Lounges in India
- Access at the lounge would be given upon successful authorization of the MasterCard card on the electronic terminals placed at the lounges
- An authorization for an amount (Rs 25/-) will be taken on the card for validation purposes only and it will not be charged to cardholder’s account.
- Program is open only for card holders carrying a valid MasterCard card issued in India. Only one entry per cardholder will be permitted
Do share your experiences with the MasterCard lounge access program in the past or in the future…
Related Posts:
- Clipper Lounge, Mumbai CSI Airport Terminal 2
- Jet Airways cuts lounges across India w.e.f. Jan 1, 2012
- Check-in: Delhi Airport Terminal 3 on the way to Mumbai on Jet Airways & Lounging at the Plaza Premium Lounge
- The Lounge that went missing at Mumbai Airport Terminal 1B
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Very cool, too bad I don’t have any of these cards, seems I am down to one regular MasterCard, but plenty of Visas and AmEx.
@RTC, AX should do the trick, or you could try your MC anyways
MC has stopped the clipper lounge access at Mumbai domestic airport
Many ICICI bank cards like the kingfisher co-branded, HDFC titanium card offer the lounge access facility . I am not sure about the facility being extended to add-on card members too
@hibernatingcrab, it is available on an empty looking lounge in basement of T1A in Mumbai. Add-on cards do get the facility, personal experience. All cards you mention are offering the facility under the Mastercard offer itself
I tried in Hyd and Delhi airports using Citi Jet Platinum Mastercard and it worked well when I was flying non Jet Airways airlines. I am based in BLR and look forward to Plaza opening up in BLR
.
Is there news on plaza opening at BLR? I am usually at the food court when in BLR! No lounge. Could you share the good news?
The Citibank Jet Titanium Mastercard (credit card), even if a Mastercard not eligible for lounge access in any aiport. So the list given above should be amended. Can anyone please suggest which Citibank Card eligible for lounge access?
@Sabyasanchi, Here is how the program works with Citi. http://www.online.citibank.co.in/products-services/banking/suvidha/suvidha-pdf/Offer.pdf
Take note only specific lounges are accessible. have you tried those?
I have recently got the SBI Spicejet MC and was informed at DEL T3 Premium Plaza that was welcome.
used at delhi, cool many thanks for information
Citibank has withdrawn the airport lounge access from its platinum card w.e.f 1st Aug 2012and is now offering it on the Premier Miles Card. The Premier Card is a”Fee” Based Card.
@Sunil, Citibank is one of the participating banks in the MasterCard and Visa Lounge programs, so as long as you have an eligible tier of MasterCard or Visa issued in India you would be granted access. Visa Platinum is not in the list, only Signature and Infinite are offered this priviledge
@AJ.. I know about the VISA card not being eligible for lounge access. I am talking about CITIBANK PLATINUM MASTER CARD. The access to the lounge will be discontinued from 1st August. I have receieved SMS, as well as Email to this effect.
I have use my Platinum Master Card Many times….at differnt lounges all over India.. but now it will be a problem…
@Sunil Maybe time to switch to another card from Citibank?
How about Platinum MC issued by issuer in the US or AmEx Gold card. I don’t even mind paying for the access if they will let me use the lounge as I have 5+ hours to kill at Mumbai Airport.
Anyone knows? Please let me know.
@Sam64 a non-indian credit card won’t help. for paid access, you could use the Clipper Lounge if you had a Priority Pass.
SBI Debit cards / credit cards issued by Mastercard are also accepted. Please update. Any mastercard of SBI in the category of Gold card or above are accepted in these lounge
There has been changes in airport lounge access of Mastercard. Citibank Mastercard Premiercard will give access to six complimentary visits/calendar quarter from 1 Oct 2012. You can check it up at:
http://www.premiermiles.co.in/Offers/Travel/default.aspx
Mastercard has withdrawn access to Plaza Premium Arrival lounge in Hyderabad and New Delhi from 20 Aug 2012.
List of Mastercard lounges as on date are given below:
City Name of the Lounge Terminal Intl/ Domestic Location (Floor) Landmark
Chennai Clipper Lounge International First Floor Located in Departure Area (Before Security Check) Behind Flemingo Duty Free Shop
Delhi Plaza Premium Lounge T1 (D) Domestic Departures First Floor Left hand side of Mezzanine Level, after security
Delhi Plaza Premium Lounge T3 Domestic Departures Mezzanine Follow “Lounges” sign from G/F. Take escalator on your right.
Delhi Plaza Premium Lounge T3 International Departures Fourth Floor Follow “Lounges B” sign, take the lift to 4th Floor. Near Guardian Pharmacy
Delhi Premium Lounge T3 International Departures Mezzanine 5 min walk from Security.
Follow Lounges A sign and take escalator on your left.
Hyderabad Plaza Premium Lounge NA Domestic Departures E Level
Hyderabad Plaza Premium Lounge NA International Departures E Level Near Gate 32A
Kolkata Clipper Lounge International Ground Floor Located in Departure Area (Before Security Check)
Kolkata Top Desk Restaurant and Bar Domestic First Floor Located in the Departure Area (Before Security Check)
Kolkata Clipper Lounge Domestic Ground Floor Located in the Departure Area (Before Security Check)
Mumbai Clipper Lounge 2B International Mezzanine Floor
Offer valid till 31st Dec, 2012
From 1st Oct 2012, six Airport Lounge visits/calendar quarter are complimentary for PremierMiles Mastercard Cardholders. For additional visits, please contact the respective airport lounge desk for applicable charges.
*The program mechanics if changed during the course of the year, will be communicated accordingly.
Valid only for PremierMiles MasterCard cardholders
Access to Visa cards are given below.
With regard to Mastercard the first five digits of your card will decided your access. In India, for confirmation you can call Mastercard at 18001026263 or +91-22-42006396.
Irrespective of the bank, the first five digits decide if you have access or not.
Hong Kong Plaza Premium Lounge Travelers Lounge – East Hall & West Hall
Hyderabad Plaza Premium Lounge Domestic Departures – Near Gate 28
Hyderabad Plaza Premium Lounge International Departures – Near Gate 32A, Level E
International Arrivals- Level C
Johore Plaza Premium Lounge Senai Int’l Airport, 1st Floor, Passenger Terminal Building
Kuala Lumpur Plaza Premium Lounge LCCT
Mezzanine Floor, Satellite Building
Mumbai Carnations Lounge Domestic Terminal 1C
Mumbai Celebrations Lounge International Terminal 2C
Muscat Plaza Premium Lounge International Departures
New Delhi Plaza Premium Lounge Terminal T1D
Domestic Departures – Mezzanine level
New Delhi Plaza Premium Lounge Terminal 3
International Departures – Lounge A area & Lounge B area
Domestic Departures – Mezzanine level
International Arrivals – Meeters & Greeters area after baggage reclaim
Domestic Arrivals – Meeters & Greeters area after baggage reclaim
Singapore Plaza Premium Lounge The Green Market, Terminal 2 (Departures Level)
Vancouver Plaza Premium Lounge International Departures
Domestic Departures
Note: Limited to 20 visits per quarter per card.
Valid only for PremierMiles VISA cardholders.
Offer valid till 30th Sep 2012.
Thanks for the information friends, used SBI Titanium Gold Master card to get access @ Plaza Premier Langue, T3 Delhi…It worked without any problem
Gaurav: Was it complimentary or chargeable?
Citibank Premier MIles card: Is not working from 1 Oct 2012.
@Cancer Kumar: Citibank Premier Miles WORKED for me on 10 Oct 2012 at the Delhi Plaza Premium Lounge (T3 domestic).
hey i am coming from canada and final destination is Chandigarh. i have 8 hours stay at terminal 1b(domestic airport). how can i book clipper lounge? how does it work. i have all Canadian cards but i am ready to pay if needed too.
@Avtar you havent specified which airport are you going to be landing at.
i m landing at mumbai international airport but have connecting flight from domestic.
I am afraid there is no lounge on terminal 1B anymore. With 8 hours on hand the best to do Is to head to a hotel next door to domestic terminal and kill time there.
any suggestions for the hotel that is less thhen 5 mins from airport
domestic airport*
Sahara star on the high end, orchid and ibis on the mid end.
@Cancer Kumar: It was complimentry
Hi my wife has a Standard Chartered Titanium mastercard. Will she get lounge access at Chennai airport? She has a domestic trip and an international trip( seperate trips) coming up in Dec.
@HRS027, Domestic no, international yes.
Is central bank visa platinum card accepted at Mumbai international terminal.
Is central bank visa platinum card accepted at Mumbai airport.
It works with ICICI Titanium credit as well as Debit Card (MASTER only )at Delhi T3 plaza premium. I used it ….works well….
IDBI Mastercard debit card does not work at Kolkata. I tried there only. Rest places I do not know.
Hi, does a HDFC Bank Platinum PLus Mastercard give access to the Plaza lounge at the Delhi Airport T3 terminal?
Hi,
Does any of the lounges located in Delhi Airport (International & Domestic) allow to access Visa Platinum card holders issued by State Bank of India.
Your reply will be highly appreciated.
Regards
Sam
Being an HSBC Premier credit card (master card) holder tried accessing Plaza lounge at T3 of IGI T3 Delhi (international) but unfortunately was denied the access coz of the card and the reason provided was that “the MASTERCARD has withdrawn the offer from 7th of November 2012″…..
Hence Had to let it go….
Thereafter called the MASTERCARD people at 1800-102-6263 / 022-42006396 and came to know that the Plaza Lounge people were reported misbehaving with the customers and there were many complaints about the Premium Plaza Lounge Staff, hence the offer has been withdrawn from the Plaza Lounge and now has been shifted to the ITC Green Lounge right opposite to the Premium Plaza Lounge with much better services…..
Hope this information helps
I got a Jet Privilege HDFC Platinum Mastercard (credit card) recently,but it was not accepted in Clipper Lounge mastercard programme. Can any one please suggest a valid mastercard which will work in airport lounge programme in India?
@sabyasachi: now see this is the problem when people like you are not patient enough to read the previous posts….
)
Read the previous post(to get your reply)…
Else try calling MasterCard at the numbers mentioned there in n tell them with first five digits of your card n they’ll tell you if or not you have an access on your card and if yes so which lounge will honor the offer….
Have a happy n a safe flight Cheers
I have Yes Banks Gold Debit card. Which airport lounges I can access.
@ Ramesh Patel this is not an official forum which is obliged to answer any and every query…. Please have etiquettes on how to behave and be polite on the public forums….
Learn to ask questions politely.
And to answer your question for the movement :- go n find out yourself somewhere else.
is the word globe master card offer at these lounges still valid?
@Anil can you rephrase your query with more details? thanks
Which card can give access to Plaza Premium T-3, New Delhi on 31st May 2013 and what would be the Cost?
Regards
Nipun
I have learnt from Master that RBS titanium card is valid in ITC Green, Can someone advice whats the cost I need to pay?
@Nipun if the RBS card is valid in ITC Green, then you don’t need to pay anything for it.
They will just make a dummy transaction of INR 25/- which will actually not be chargeable (just to verify if the card is working or not).
@Hemant – exactly!
Not only in India, Mastercard gave me the opportunity to access the MasterCard lounge with free WiFi internet as well as I-Pad access in the John F Kennedy Airport in New York. That is how I could spend my 8 hours long stay there.
@Avik, could you share more about this? I remember the first time I landed at JFK a few years back without status and I had to hang around the terminal. would be of help.
Does anyone know if the lounge at the new CCU terminal is operational already? Also, can I access the same using my ICICI or SBI Titanium mastercard.
Thanks.
This blog is really helpful. Thanks to all. Can anyone tell me if I can use this facility by any Titanium card (I have CITI and Stan Chart Titanium Master Card)at Hyderabad Domestic Departure area on 26th Apirl 13. Also is it open 24/7 ? Thanks a alot
@ Milton- you can call MASTERCARD people at 1800-102-6263 / 022-42006396 give them the first 5 digits of your card to check if the card is eligible or not
)
Have a safe n a happy flight
Ok…..i have the answer to my own question. The lounge at CCU (international) is operated by the port authority. They do not accept any credit card for entry. Only priority pass and first/business class. Also, the new terminal is quite a put off. Very small and filthy loos. Small terminal…1 duty free shop…1 snack shop.
All in all… please avoid reaching the terminal early if you are flying out of Kolkata.
Reply to Nipun… you can use the Citibank PremierMiles card to access Plaze Premium at New Delhi apart form any other card which may be eligible. I have used the lounge at T1 as well as T3 on domestice side. Must say that both Lounges are very good ones with good ambience.
The only thing I would suggest Mastercard authorites to have something at Bangalore airport as well as I travel frequently between Bengaluru and Delhi
On a serious note, they shall have something at Bengalure as it one of the important cities.
Can one of the experienced travellers help me? I arrive in Delhi T3 by a domestic flight on May 31 in the morning and have almost 12 hrs. to kill for an international flight from T3 at night. Assuming that my HDFC Bank World Master Card allows me access to one of the lounges in Delhi T3, will have access to it some time in the morning, or do I have to wait till after international check-in, immigration and security check? In any case, is there a limit on the time one can spend in the lounge? Thanks in advance.
@Ajay, the only premier plaza lounge in Delhi now available for Citi PM mastercard users is at Terminal 1D. Withdrawn Terminal 3.
@Saurabh, Though I am not completely sure, but I’d try and use the transit gate to go over to international. if you succeed, then the plaza premium lounge should be accessible. Else you’ll need to be waiting outside. Reason I say not sure is because I’ve never had such a long layover at Delhi so never had the opportunity to try.
Thanks for the reply. Another question I have is about the add-on card. At least two persons above have confirmed that add-on card is eligible for entry. When I called the Lounge Access program information to confirm if my card is valid (HDFC Bank World card), I asked about the add-on card. The gentleman said that free entry is not permitted for the add-on card. Since I plan to travel with my wife, who has an add-on card bearing the same number, I am not now sure if both of us can get free entry. If not, do you now what it would cost to use the lounge for the accompanying person?
Just came from singapore travelling to Chennai via Kolkata ,wanted to spend some some time in Clipper lounge in Kolkata Domestic new terminal …..but denied entry as having ANZ Grindlays masterCard….grow up Calcutta
@Anirban just that your card issuer never tied up for lounge access. So maybe time to switch cards
Hi,
I have standard chartered platinum master credit card, I have used it in chennai international lounge access. Now I have got information from SCB that effective 1 june 2013 this card will not be accepted for lounge access
does anyone know that this rule is only for SCB or for all banks issing master cards?
Like if I get a new card from SBI will I get access how to find out these details?
Please give your feedback
Regards