The news desk
Updates, decoded.
What changed and whether it matters — grounded in the numbers, not the press release. Subscribe via RSS →
249 of 249 tracker events have stories — the desk publishes hourly. Too fast? Pulse is the monthly rollup →
Starwood launches SPG — 0 blackout dates
Starwood Preferred Guest launched with no blackout dates in 1999, but this does not affect Indian credit cards. The impact is minimal for Indian cardholders.
SBI Card launched — 1 lakh users in 10 months
SBI Card was launched in 1998 with 1 lakh cardholders in 10 months, marking the beginning of its journey to become India's largest pure-play card issuer. This development had a significant impact on the credit card market in India.
Marriott Rewards replaces Honored Guest Awards
On 6 May 1997 Marriott folded its 14-year-old Honored Guest Awards into Marriott Rewards — the first multi-brand, multi-tier hotel programme, spanning 1,000 hotels in 30 countries with 9 million members across 6 brands.
Air India debuts Flying Returns — India's 1st FFP
Air India introduced Flying Returns in 1994, India's first frequent flyer programme, allowing Indians to earn and burn miles. This move marked the beginning of loyalty programmes in the Indian airline industry.
Jet Airways pioneers private FFP — 1994
Jet Airways launched JetPrivilege in 1994, introducing the first private-airline frequent flyer programme in India. This programme had a lasting impact on the country's loyalty landscape.
Jet Airways takes off — 1993
Jet Airways launched its first flight in 1993, marking the beginning of full-service private aviation in India. This event had a lasting impact on the industry, including loyalty programmes and co-brand cards.
Amex enters India — 1993
American Express entered India's card market in 1993 with premium charge cards. This marked the beginning of Amex's presence in the country, introducing the Membership Rewards program.
HSBC installs India's first ATM in Mumbai
HSBC gave India its first ATM in 1987, in Andheri, Mumbai — replacing the teller queue with 24x7 cash from a machine. Roughly 1,500 ATMs followed over the next decade.
Andhra Bank issues India's first Visa-branded credit card
A year after Centralcard, Andhra Bank launched India's first Visa-branded credit card in 1981, plugging Indian plastic into a global network brand for the first time. Merchant acceptance finally started to widen.
Centralcard launches — India's first credit card
Central Bank of India launched Centralcard in 1980, India's first credit card, marking the start of revolving credit on plastic in the country. This launch paved the way for future credit card issuance in India.
Diners Club enters India — 20 years ahead
Diners Club launched in India in 1961, nearly two decades before the first Indian bank-issued card, with invitation-only charge cards. This marked the beginning of the credit card era in India.