HDFC Bank INFINIA Credit Card Metal Edition vs ICICI Bank Emeralde Private Metal Credit Card
Last verified 19 Oct 2026 · how we compare
Side by side
| Feature | HDFC Bank INFINIA Credit Card Metal Edition | ICICI Bank Emeralde Private Metal Credit Card |
|---|---|---|
| Issuer | HDFC Bank | ICICI Bank |
| Joining fee | ₹12,500 | ₹12,499 |
| Annual fee | ₹12,500 | ₹12,499 |
| Fee waiver | Renewal fee waived if you spend ₹10 lakh or more in the 12 months before your renewal date. Paying the joining fee, and each renewal fee, earns 12,500 reward points (worth ₹12,500 on HDFC SmartBuy flights and hotels). No joining fee waiver is offered. | From the second year, the ₹12,499 annual fee is reversed if you spend ₹10 lakh or more in the card year. Rent, government, education and EMI payments don't count towards it. ICICI's product page says the waiver applies to the next year's fee; its terms say the fee for the year in which you reach ₹10 lakh is reversed when that year ends. Paying the joining fee, and each annual fee, brings 12,500 bonus reward points plus Taj Epicure Plus and EazyDiner Prime memberships. |
| Everyday spends (value back) | 3.33% | 3% |
| Online shopping (value back) | 3.33% | 3% |
| Fuel (value back) | 0% | 0% |
| Groceries (value back) | 3.33% | 3% |
| Travel (value back) | 3.33% | 3% |
| Bills and utilities (value back) | 3.33% | 3% |
| Dining and food delivery (value back) | 3.33% | 3% |
| Rewards in short | 5 reward points per ₹150: about 3.3% back if you use the points for flights and hotels on HDFC SmartBuy (₹1 a point), or up to 1% as statement credit (up to ₹0.30 a point). Up to 10 times the points on travel and shopping through SmartBuy, within 15,000 bonus points a month. Fuel, rent, wallet loads and government payments earn nothing. | 6 reward points per ₹200 on most spends: about 3% back if you use the points for flight and hotel vouchers or select brand vouchers (₹1 a point), 1.8% on catalogue products (₹0.60 a point) or 1.2% as statement credit (₹0.40 a point). 12,500 bonus points each time the joining or annual fee is paid, EaseMyTrip flight vouchers worth ₹6,000 at ₹8 lakh of yearly spend, and buy-one-get-one BookMyShow tickets (up to ₹750 off, twice a month). Fuel, rent, government, tax and wallet payments earn nothing. |
| Works on UPI | No | No |
| Airport lounge | Unlimited lounge visits in India by swiping the card and unlimited visits abroad through Priority Pass, for the primary cardholder and each add-on cardholder, with no spend condition. Add-on cardholders need their own Priority Pass abroad, and guests pay $27 plus GST a visit. | Unlimited lounge visits in India by swiping the card and unlimited visits abroad through Priority Pass, for the primary cardholder and add-on cardholders, with no spend condition. Guests pay $29 plus GST a visit abroad. |
| Forex markup | 2% | 2% |
| Fuel surcharge waiver | 1% waiver on fuel transactions of ₹400 to ₹1 lakh, capped at ₹1,000 per statement cycle. Fuel earns no points, and HDFC Bank charges a 1% fee on single fuel transactions above ₹15,000. | 1% waiver at all petrol pumps on fuel payments of up to ₹4,000 each, up to ₹1,000 of waiver (₹1 lakh of fuel) per statement cycle. GST on the surcharge isn't refunded at non-HPCL pumps, and fuel payments above ₹10,000 carry a 1% fee. |
| Card network | Not published by the bank | Not published by the bank |
| Minimum income (salaried) | Not published by the bank | Not published by the bank |
Value back is the % of spend you get at the bank's published redemption value. “–” means the bank doesn't publish it. Fees exclude GST.
Which one to pick
Pick the HDFC Bank INFINIA Credit Card Metal Edition if
HDFC Bank has invited you and you redeem points for flights and hotels on SmartBuy
₹12,500 joining, ₹12,500 a year
Pick the ICICI Bank Emeralde Private Metal Credit Card if
you bank with ICICI, prefer statement credit, or book movies on BookMyShow often
₹12,499 joining, ₹12,499 a year
CreditParakh is not a bank or lender. Approval, limits and final terms are decided by the issuer.
Questions people ask
How do I get Infinia or Emeralde Private Metal?
Neither can be applied for online. HDFC Bank says Infinia is offered by invitation and that it tells customers personally if they qualify; it publishes no income or age criteria. ICICI Bank asks you to contact your ICICI relationship manager for Emeralde Private Metal and gives only an age range of 21 to 65. Both depend on your relationship: Infinia needs ₹18 lakh of card spend a financial year or ₹50 lakh of balances with HDFC Bank, and ICICI can downgrade or withdraw Emeralde if you fall below a relationship value it doesn't publish.
Which earns more, Infinia or Emeralde Private Metal?
Infinia, slightly: 5 points per ₹150 against Emeralde's 6 per ₹200, both at ₹1 a point on travel bookings or vouchers, so about 3.3% against 3%. As statement credit, Infinia is worth at most 1% and Emeralde 1.2%. Groceries are capped on both: 2,000 points a calendar month on Infinia and 1,000 a statement cycle on Emeralde. Neither earns on fuel, rent, wallet loads or government payments.
Which has better lounge access?
They're nearly the same: unlimited visits in India by swiping the card and abroad through Priority Pass, for primary and add-on cardholders, with no spend condition. Guests pay $27 plus GST a visit on Infinia and $29 plus GST a visit abroad on Emeralde.
How are the fees waived?
Infinia costs ₹12,500 a year and Emeralde ₹12,499, and each gives 12,500 points when the fee is paid (Emeralde adds Taj Epicure Plus and EazyDiner Prime memberships). Infinia's renewal fee is waived at ₹10 lakh of spend in the 12 months before renewal. Emeralde's fee is reversed from the second year at ₹10 lakh of spend in a card year, not counting rent, government, education or EMI payments. Emeralde has also charged a one-time ₹3,500 for each add-on card since January 2026.
Full details: HDFC Bank INFINIA Credit Card Metal Edition · ICICI Bank Emeralde Private Metal Credit Card · find the card that fits your spending
Last verified 19 Oct 2026 on each issuer's official page. Fees and rewards change; check the issuer's terms before you apply.