HDFC Bank Infinia Credit Card is a super premium offering from HDFC Bank targeted towards high net-worth individuals. Being an invite only card, one can’t lay hands on it unless invited by HDFC Bank. The benefits provided on this card are unparalleled in the industry and matchs the luxurious lifestyle of ultra-rich Indians.
HDFC Bank Infinia Credit Card is the best super premium credit card in India currently and is a dream of every credit card enthusiast. The benefits include, but not limited to, great reward rate, unlimited airport lounge access, golf privileges and no pre-set spending limit (!).
HDFC Bank Infinia Credit Card comes in dark blue color with design similar to HDFC Bank Regalia Credit Card. It’s available on Visa Infinite as well as MasterCard World platform and is enabled for contactless transactions.
Eligibility Criteria
Being an invite only card, HDFC has not disclosed the eligibility criteria anywhere officially. However from my personal experience and interaction with other Infinia holders, below may fetch you an invite:
New Customers
- Income
- Salaried: Monthly in-hand income > Rs. 3.75 Lakhs
- Self employed: ITR > Rs. 45 Lakhs
- Fixed deposit > Rs. 10 Lakhs
You may have to open a new HDFC Bank savings account to process the application.
Existing Customers
HDFC Bank relaxes the income criteria for existing customers a little bit if they have:
- Long relationship with HDFC Bank
- Existing credit card with limit in range of Rs. 8 to 10 Lakhs
- Regular and high spends on existing credit card (I spent around 6 Lakhs on my Regalia in 9 Months to get an invite)
- High NRV (investments in Fixed Deposits, Life Insurance, Home Loan, Mutual Funds etc.)
Fees
HDFC Bank Infinia Credit Card comes with following fees:
- Joining fee: Rs. 10,000 + GST
- Renewal fee: Rs. 10,000 + GST
Renewal fee is waived off if cumulative spend on card is more than Rs. 8 Lakhs in previous year. Also joining fee is generally waived off if one is upgrading from an existing HDFC Bank credit card.
Features
HDFC Bank Infinia Credit Card comes with all the bells and whistles a super premium credit card is supposed to have. Let’s look in to each of these benefits in detail.
Welcome & Renewal Benefits
- Complimentary one-year Club Marriott membership, 20% discounts on dining and stay across Marriott properties in APAC region
- Welcome benefit of 10,000 reward points on realization of joining fee, ~ Rs. 10,000
- Renewal benefit of 10,000 reward points on realization of renewal fee, ~ Rs. 10,000
It’s quite evident that HDFC Bank compensates for joining and annual fee by providing reward points of equivalent value. However one ends up loosing the amount paid for GST (~ Rs. 1,800).
Handsome Spending Limits
HDFC Bank Infinia Credit Card features No Pre-set Spending Limit (NPSL), which means credit limit can temporarily be increased if one informs the Infinia support team. This is really an unique feature of Infinia and is not available on any other credit card from HDFC Bank.
- Credit Limit: ~ Rs. 8 Lakhs and above
The credit limit on this card is generally upwards of Rs. 8 Lakhs. However in some exceptional cases, it may be lower, if income criteria is not met.
Reward Points
- 1 reward point = Rs. 1 if used for booking hotels and air tickets at dedicated portal
- 1 reward point = Rs. 0.30 if redeemed for cash
- 1 reward point ~ Rs. 0.40 if used for redeeming from reward catalogue
- 5 reward points per Rs. 150 spent, 3.3% reward rate
- 10X rewards on Smartbuy (Amazon, Flipkart, Instant Vouchers, Train Tickets, Hotels & Flights), 33% reward rate
- Maxcap on bonus reward points at SmartBuy: 15,000
- 2X rewards on dining, 6.6% reward rate
- Minimum transaction: Rs. 150
- Maxcap on dining reward points: None
- Maxcap reset: Calendar month
- Reward points can be converted to AirMiles across InterMiles & Singapore Airlines (KrisFlyer Miles) in 1:1 ratio
- Rewards Points are valid only for 3 years from the date of accumulation.
10X rewards, though temporary, keeps on getting extended every month. 33% reward rate is unbeatable and this alone makes this card stand out from the crowd.
Airport Lounge Access
- Unlimited Airport lounge access to 1300+ Lounges in India and worldwide using Priority Pass
- 4 complimentary domestic airport lounge access per quarter through Visa/MasterCard Lounge program
- Lounge access is complimentary for both primary and add-on card holders
Unlike other HDFC Bank credit cards, Priority Pass won’t be charged even for domestic airport lounge access in case of Infinia. If you don’t have Priority Pass handy, you can always swipe your Infinia credit card to gain access to domestic airport lounges using Visa/MasterCard Card Lounge program. However complimentary access is limited to 4 per quarter in this case.
Complimentary lounge access for primary and add-on card members is definitely a boon as it lets you and your family enjoy free food, drinks, wi-fi and relaxing space during long hauls.
Golf Program
- Unlimited complimentary golf games at leading courses across India and select courses across the world
- Access to exclusive restaurants at select golf clubs
- Green fee waiver in only applicable for the primary card holder
Complimentary golf games not only in India, but abroad also, is a great privilege on this card.
Rewarding International Spends
- Foreign Currency Markup: 2% + GST (~2.36%)
- 1% cashback (limited to Rs. 1,000 per month) on international transactions using Global Value Program (annual fee of Rs. 199)
With a reward rate of 3.3%, Infinia card holders can enjoy a net benefit of 0.94% on foreign spends. If you enroll in to Global Value program, the net reward rate pushes to 1.94% which is truly awesome. Solely due to this reason, this card tops the list of best Indian credit card for international travel and spends.
Concierge
24/7 Concierge Services for following requests any where in the world:
- Golf Course Referral and Reservation Assistance
- Car Rental and Limousine Referral and Assistance
- Hotel Referral and Reservation Assistance
- Dining Referral and Reservation Assistance
- Business Services
- Flower and Gift Delivery Assistance
- Courier Service Assistance
- Events
Priority Customer Service
HDFC Bank Infinia Card members can easily each out to a human over dedicated customer support line. This line is shared with HDFC Diners Club Black Credit Card and I have found them knowledgeable. Almost always they have been able to resolve the queries & issues to my satisfaction and have even guided me to maximize the benefit from my card.
I personally feel this is the best part of owing an Infinia as I don’t have to waste my precious time talking to clueless customer support agents.
Comprehensive Protection
- Accidental Air Death cover: Rs. 3 Crores
- Emergency overseas hospitalization cover: Rs. 50 Lakhs
- Credit Shield Cover: Rs. 9 lakhs
The emergency hospitalization cover while traveling abroad is a huge relief and keeps you protected in case of medical emergencies.
Other Benefits
- 1% fuel surcharge waiver at all fuel stations across India on transactions between Rs. 400 and Rs. 1,00,000
- 15% discount at partner restaurants using Good Food Trail dining program
Drawbacks
Though the benefits on Infinia are really great, some recent developments has left Infinia members in a bitter-sweet mood.
- No monthly & annual benefits: Recently HDFC Bank has introduced monthly and annual benefits on HDFC Diners Club Black Credit Card on meeting the spend targets. Not sure, why HDFC Bank has left Infinia behind given that they position Infinia a step above Diners Club Black. HDFC Bank must introduce the equivalent benefits on Infinia if it wants to retain its current status.
- Lack of premium look & feel: Infinia lacks the premium look and feel which puts me off a little bit. Given that it’s a super premium credit card, HDFC Bank should replace the plastic card with metal card just like American Express Platinum Charge Card or Axis Burgundy Private Credit Card. This is more of a wishlist item than a drawback.
Verdict
Needless to say HDFC Bank Infinia Credit Card is currently one of the best credit cards one can get in India. 33% reward rate using 10X program is really phenomenal. Unlimited lounge access worldwide, golf privileges across the globe and a dedicated support line to quickly talk to a human are cherries on the top. If you get invited for this card by HDFC Bank, just accept it without giving a second thought. This card will pay you back, many times the annual fee charged, within no time.
Though getting invited for Infinia is tough, it’s not impossible. My personal upgrade journey to Infina spans across a period of 11 years. If you’re finding it hard to get hold of Infinia, consider going for Diners Club Black. With recent updates, it has become even better than Infinia in some aspects, however it’s international acceptance is still questionable.
What is your “Infinia Story”? How you got hold of Infinia? Let me know in comments below.
