HDFC Infinia Credit Card (Metal Edition)
HDFC's flagship invite-only metal card built for high spenders. You earn a flat, generous reward rate on almost everything, get unlimited airport lounge visits worldwide, and a concierge that actually picks up. If you can clear the eligibility bar, it's one of the most rewarding cards in India.
Why it ranks
- Exceptional reward value, especially through SmartBuy
- Unlimited worldwide lounge access for you and add-on cards
- Low 2% forex markup for a super-premium card
- 6 complimentary golf games per quarter
What holds it back
- Invite-only with a very high income requirement
- Steep annual fee if you don't spend enough to waive it
- Reward caps now apply to some categories like utilities and education
Advertiser disclosure: we may be paid if you apply through our links. Ratings are editorial. Confirm today's terms on the issuer's site — offers change.
Why the HDFC Infinia Credit Card (Metal Edition) ranks where it does
Infinia is the strongest everyday rewards card in India if HDFC invites you and you redeem through SmartBuy. The base rate is 5 Reward Points per ₹150, and HDFC prices a point at ₹1 against flights, hotels, Apple products and Tanishq vouchers booked on SmartBuy, which works out to about 3.3% back on ordinary spending. Push the same points into products and vouchers and HDFC gives up to ₹0.30 each, so the card quietly falls to around 1%.
The fee is ₹12,500 plus taxes, returned as 12,500 Reward Points when it is charged, and waived entirely once you spend ₹10 lakh in the 12 months before renewal. For anyone who redeems for travel the fee is close to neutral, because the renewal points cover it at ₹1 each. The harder limits are the caps: SmartBuy accelerated points stop at 15,000 a month, and flight and hotel redemptions at 1.5 lakh points a month.
Who wins: households putting ₹80,000 or more a month on one card, travelling a few times a year, and happy to book through HDFC's portal. The 2% forex markup and unlimited lounge access for primary and add-on members make it a reasonable card abroad too.
Good fit if
- High spenders with an HDFC relationship who can get the invitation
- Travellers who will redeem points for flights and hotels on SmartBuy at ₹1 each
- Families who want unlimited lounge access on add-on cards
Skip it if
- Anyone who prefers statement credit or vouchers, where points are worth far less
- Spenders under ₹10 lakh a year who will not use the renewal points on travel
Assume ₹10 lakh of eligible retail spend in a year, none of it through SmartBuy. At 5 Reward Points per ₹150, that is 10,00,000 ÷ 150 × 5 = 33,333 points, and the ₹10 lakh total means the renewal fee is waived. Valued at ₹0.30 a point, the most HDFC gives for products and vouchers and our conservative figure, the points are worth about ₹10,000, or 1% back. Redeemed for SmartBuy flights or hotels at ₹1, the same 33,333 points cover ₹33,333 of travel, or 3.3%. The gap between those two numbers is the whole case for the card.
How it stacks up
Against the HDFC Diners Club Black Metal, Infinia costs ₹2,500 more a year before waivers but runs on Visa, which far more merchants accept than Diners Club, and its waiver threshold is ₹10 lakh against ₹8 lakh. The Axis Magnus pays more per rupee above ₹1.5 lakh a month, yet needs ₹25 lakh a year to waive its ₹12,500 fee. For most invited cardholders, Infinia is the simpler card to get value from.
HDFC's flagship invite-only metal card built for high spenders. You earn a flat, generous reward rate on almost everything, get unlimited airport lounge visits worldwide, and a concierge that actually picks up. If you can clear the eligibility bar, it's one of the most rewarding cards in India.
HDFC Infinia Credit Card (Metal Edition) at a glance
| Issuer | HDFC Bank |
| Card network | Visa |
| Annual fee | ₹12,500 |
| Welcome bonus | 12,500 bonus Reward Points on fee payment |
| Rewards rate | 3.3% base value, up to 33% on SmartBuy bookings |
| Intro APR | N/A |
| Regular APR | Around 23.88% per annum (1.99% per month) |
| Foreign transaction fee | 2% markup on foreign currency transactions |
| Credit needed | Excellent |
| Best for | High-net-worth spenders who want top-tier travel and luxury perks |
| Airport lounge access | Yes |
Rewards & benefits
- 5 Reward Points for every Rs.150 spent on retail
- Up to 10X Reward Points on flights, hotels and more via SmartBuy
- Complimentary annual golf games at courses across India and the world
- 1 Reward Point = up to Rs.1 when redeemed for flights and hotels
- Complimentary nights at participating ITC hotels
Eligibility & who it suits
- Indian resident with a strong CIBIL score, ideally 750+
- High annual income (salaried or self-employed) per HDFC's invite criteria
- Typically extended to existing premium HDFC relationship customers
- Valid PAN and KYC documents
How to apply
Check current rates on HDFC Bank’s official site →
This opens the issuer’s official application page in a new tab. We may earn a commission if you are approved — it never changes the terms you receive.
Rates, fees, welcome offers and benefits are provided for general information, can change at any time, and may not reflect current terms. Always confirm the latest details on the issuer’s official site before applying. This is not financial advice.
How it ranks against similar India cards
| Rank | Card | Annual fee | Rewards | Welcome offer | Foreign fee | Who qualifies | Score |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | HHDFC BankHDFC Infinia Metal Edition₹12,500/yr · IN HDFC Infinia Credit Card (Metal Edition)High-net-worth spenders who want top-tier travel and luxury perks |
₹12,500/yr | 3.3% base value, up to 33% on SmartBuy bookings | 12,500 bonus Reward Points on fee payment | 2% markup on foreign curre… | Excellent | |
| 2 | HHDFC BankHDFC Diners Club Black Metal₹10,000/yr · IN HDFC Diners Club Black Metal Credit CardFrequent flyers who want luxury perks on the Diners network |
₹10,000/yr | 3.3% base, up to 33% via SmartBuy | Club Marriott, Amazon Prime and Swiggy One (3 months) on spe… | 2% markup on foreign curre… | Excellent | |
| 3 | AAxis BankMagnus₹12,500/yr · IN Axis Bank Magnus Credit CardPoints maximizers who transfer rewards to airline miles |
₹12,500/yr | Around 4.8% base value, higher via partner transfers | Large bonus EDGE Points or voucher on spend milestone | 2% markup on foreign curre… | Excellent | |
| 4 | IFIDFC FIRST BankIDFC FIRST WealthNo annual fee · IN IDFC FIRST Wealth Credit CardHigh earners who want a free premium card with lounge, golf and a 1.5% forex markup |
None | 10X Reward Points on monthly spends above ₹20,000 and 3X up to ₹20,000 (1X = 1 p… | See issuer for the current offer | 1.5% forex markup | Annual income of ₹36 lakh or mor… |
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