ICICI Emeralde Private Metal vs HDFC Infinia Metal
When it comes to premium credit cards in India, ICICI Emeralde Private Metal and HDFC Infinia Metal are often seen as the top two options. Both cards cater to a similar audience of high spenders and offer a strong mix of rewards, travel benefits, and lifestyle privileges.
With HDFC continuing to push SmartBuy offers and ICICI strengthening its iShop platform, the gap between these two cards has narrowed. Choosing between them depends largely on how and where you spend.
Eligibility Criteria
Both of these cards are by invitation only and usually require high income levels or a strong banking relationship. HDFC Infinia is often offered as an upgrade based on your existing credit limit and spending history, while ICICI Emeralde Private is more relationship-driven.
The key difference lies in how upgrades work. HDFC Infinia can often get access through upgrades if you already hold a premium HDFC card and meet internal spend and credit limit benchmarks. ICICI Emeralde Private, on the other hand, is more relationship-driven and usually extended to ICICI’s private banking customers.
Joining & Annual Fees Comparison
The fee structure for both cards is quite similar and clearly reflects their premium positioning. The good part is that the annual fee can be waived on both cards if you meet the required spending threshold.
| Parameters | ICICI Emeralde Private Metal | HDFC Infinia Metal |
|---|---|---|
| Joining Fees | ₹12,499 + GST | ₹12,500 + GST |
| Annual Fees | ₹12,499 + GST | ₹12,500 + GST |
| Annual Fees Reversal | Spends ₹10 lakhs or above for waiver of annual membership fees | Spends ₹10 lakhs or above for waiver of annual membership fees |
| Complimentary Add-on Card | Enjoy up to 3 add-on cards for free | Free, but no. of cards not specified |
Welcome Benefits & Joining Rewards
Both cards offer valuable welcome benefits that align well with luxury travel and dining.
| Parameters | ICICI Emeralde Private | HDFC Infinia |
|---|---|---|
| Welcome Benefits |
Complimentary 1 year Taj Epicure Membership with exclusive benefits like
complimentary night stay, discounts, perks and much more.
On top of this, get a complimentary 12-month EazyDiner Prime Membership. |
Complimentary Club Marriott membership for a year that offers up to 20% discounts for Dining and Stay across Asia Pacific region. |
| Joining and Annual Bonus (if fees is charged) | Get 12,500 ICICI Reward Points. | Receive a welcome benefit of 12,500 reward points upon fee payment. |
Reward Points Structure
HDFC Infinia offers a slightly higher base reward rate on regular retail spends. ICICI Emeralde Private, however, offers better returns on travel and partner spends through iShop. Both cards also differ in category-wise reward capping.
| Parameters | ICICI Emeralde Private | HDFC Infinia |
|---|---|---|
| Regular Retail Spends | Earn 6 Reward Points for every ₹200 spent (3% reward rate) | Earn 5 Reward Points per ₹150 spent (3.3% reward rate) |
| Flights via SmartBuy/iShop | 6X Points (18% return) | 5X Points (16.5% return) |
| Hotels via SmartBuy/iShop | 12X Points (36% return) | 10X Points (33% return) |
| Shopping Voucher via SmartBuy/iShop | 6X Points (18% return) | 5X Points (16.5% return) |
| Category Capping |
iShop - 18,000 RPs per month Grocery - 1,000 RPs per month Utilities - 1,000 RPs per month Education - 1,000 RPs per month Telecom - N/A Insurance - 5,000 RPs per month |
Smartbuy - 15,000 RPs per month Grocery - Maximum 2,000 RPs per month Utilities - 2000 RPs per month Telecom - 2000 RPs per month Insurance - 5,000 RPs per day |
| Milestone Benefit | Get ₹6,000 in EaseMyTrip vouchers (₹3,000 each) with annual spends of ₹8 lakh. Receive the 1st voucher on ₹4 lakh spend and the 2nd on ₹8 lakh spend in an anniversary year (extra 1% reward rate) | N/A |
| Exclusions | No RP on government services, fuel, rent and tax payments. | No RP on education payments made through third-party apps, rent, property services, fuel, government, EasyEMI and e-wallet. |
| Reward Points Validity | N/A | 3 years from the date of accrual |
| Overall Maximum RPs Capping | N/A | Maximum RPs that can be earned in a statement cycle is 2 lakhs. |
Reward Points Redemption
Both cards allow strong redemption value, especially for travel bookings, though the redemption rules vary slightly.
| Parameters | ICICI Emeralde Private | HDFC Infinia |
|---|---|---|
| Flights Redemption | 1RP = ₹1 (100% payable via reward points) | 1RP = ₹1 (70% payable via reward points, and balance via credit card) |
| Hotel Redemption | 1RP = ₹1 (90% payable via reward points, and balance via credit card) | 1RP = ₹1 (70% payable via reward points, and balance via credit card) |
| Apple and Tanishq Voucher | 1RP = ₹1 |
1RP = ₹1 (For Apple, the cap is one product per calendar quarter, while for Tanishq,
the cap is set at 50,000 RP per quarter)
On top of this, 70% payable via reward points, and the balance via credit card |
| Tumi, Coach, Brooks Brothers, Emporio Armani, Jimmy Choo, G-Star Raw, Canali and Mother Care Vouchers | 1RP = ₹1 | N/A |
| Airline and Hotel Transfer Partner | AirIndia 1:1 (Airline Transfer Partner Ratio) | Multiple partners (typically 1:1 or 1:2 ratio) |
| Rewards Catalogue - Other products | 1RP = ₹0.6 (50% payable via reward points, and balance via credit card) | 1RP = ₹0.2-0.5 |
| Statement Credit or Cashback Redemption | 1RP = ₹0.4 (capped at 50,000 RPs per calendar month) | 1RP = ₹0.3 (capped at 50,000 RPs per calendar month) |
Travel Benefits
Both cards offer unlimited domestic and international lounge access, Priority Pass membership, and golf benefits. ICICI Emeralde Private also offers zero cancellation charges on select travel, hotel, and movie bookings.
| Parameters | ICICI Emeralde Private | HDFC Infinia |
|---|---|---|
| Domestic Lounge Access | Unlimited (including add-on cardholders) | Unlimited (including add-on cardholders) |
| International Lounge Access | Unlimited worldwide via Priority Pass (including add-on cardholders) | Unlimited worldwide via Priority Pass (including add-on cardholders) |
| Golf Access | Unlimited golf games and rounds across the world, but only available for primary cardholders. | Unlimited golf games across the world, but unlimited golf coaching at select golf courses across India |
| No cancellation charges | Zero charges on Air Travel, Hotel and Movie Bookings cancellation, the maximum limit per transaction per card per year is ₹12,000 | N/A |
| Fuel Waiver | 1% waiver on all transactions, with a maximum capping of ₹1,000 per month on transactions up to ₹4000. GST will not be waived and it will be applicable. | 1% waiver on transactions between ₹400 and ₹1,00,000 (max waiver ₹1,000 per cycle) with applicable GST. |
| Forex Charge | 2% of transaction value + GST (overall 2.36%) | 2% of transaction value + GST (overall 2.36%) |
Lifestyle Benefits
While both cards offer concierge services, ICICI Emeralde Private provides BookMyShow offers, whereas HDFC Infinia focuses more on hotel dining and stay benefits through partner hotels.
| Parameters | ICICI Emeralde Private | HDFC Infinia |
|---|---|---|
| BookMyShow | Get up to ₹750 off on the second ticket. Valid twice a month for movies, sports, theatre, or concerts | N/A |
| Hotel and Dining Benefit | N/A | Book stay for 3 nights and pay for two and 1+1 complimentary buffet at participating ITC hotels |
| Concierge Services | Global Personal Concierge 24X7 | Global Personal Concierge 24X7 |
Which One Works Better for You?
If your spending is spread across multiple categories and you value a strong base reward rate along with a wide range of airline and hotel transfer partners, HDFC Infinia is likely to be a better fit.
On the other hand, if your spends are more travel-focused, especially on hotels, and you prefer higher bonus rewards, flexible redemptions, and added lifestyle and entertainment benefits, ICICI Emeralde Private stands out.
Both ICICI Emeralde Private Metal and HDFC Infinia Metal sit at the top of India’s premium credit card space. Understanding how their rewards, redemptions, and benefits align with your spending habits will help you choose the card that fits your lifestyle.
Keeping track of all your credit card rewards can be simple. SaveSage app acts as a perfect credit card manager that brings all your cards, reward points, and offers into one app and uses AI guidance and updates to help you understand things clearly and decide better.
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