Infinia 🌟 My Journey to the HDFC Infinia Metal Card: A Story of Persistence

[Samrock90]

I think you should use INFINIA for
1. Hotels 10x (both domestic and international) for 33.33% return on spends upto Rs.49950 per day or month for 1665 (1x) + 14985 (9x) points
2. Amazon pay for 16.66-2.95=13.71% return.
3. Pharmeasy 10x for 33.33% return on spends upto Rs.49950 per day or month for 1665 (1x) + 14985 (9x) points

And use Magnus Burgundy for
1. Flights 5x (both domestic and international) for 24% return below 2 lacs/month + 14% return on balance amount above 2 lacs/month
2. Education fee for 4.8% return below 1.5 lacs/month, 14% return above 1.5 lacs/month. Also no fee.
3. Large expenses over 1.5 lacs in a month for 14% return
4. Eazydiner 30% discount 900 to 1000 on 3000 to 3333

Any more use cases for both these cards?

Any way to pay education fee directly to bank account

 

[Dr.Anand456]

View attachment 65279

• College Days: I’ve always been fascinated by credit cards, starting with my first one with icici salary account , an ICICI Platinum with a 30k limit, which I got in February 2020. It wasn’t much, but it felt like a big deal at the time.
• Chasing the Millennia: A bit later, I set my sights on the HDFC Millennia card. @TechnoFino suggested I open a Max Savings Account with HDFC, so I did. But just as I was ready to apply, HDFC stopped issuing new cards due to RBI guidelines. Talk about bad timing!
• Finally, Some Progress: After waiting for what felt like forever (8-9 months), early 2021 arrived, and I finally got a pre-approved offer for the Millennia card with a limit between 50k-1 lakh. It was a chargeable card, but I managed to spend enough within the first 90 days to get it converted to a lifetime free card. That felt like a win.
• New Job, New Hopes: In July 2022, I started a new job with a decent salary (around 1.5-2.5L in hand). Feeling pretty confident, I approached my BM to see if I could get the Infinia card. Unfortunately, they said my salary wasn’t high enough. That was a bit of a letdown.
• Not Giving Up: I wasn’t ready to give up, so I escalated my request to the grievance team and even sent them my last three months’ salary slips. They still said no to the Infinia LTF but offered me a Diners Black card instead. After some back-and-forth, I accepted the Diners Black as an LTF card.
• Reality Hits: I quickly realized that the Diners Black card was a hassle—so many merchants, both online and offline, didn’t accept it. I contacted the grievance team again, asking for an upgrade to the Infinia card, but they declined.
• Persistence Pays Off: After spending nearly 13 lakh on the Diners Black card over a year, I tried one more time to get the Infinia, but grievance team denied my requests.
• A Lucky Break: Then, something lucky happened. A new HDFC branch opened near my home, and the BM there was someone I knew. I explained my situation, and he agreed to help. Normally, to upgrade to Infinia, you need to spend at least 7.5 lakhs in 6 months and have a 10 lakh limit on your Diners Club Black. I didn’t meet the second criteria, but the BM decided to push my request to the higher-ups anyway, based on my banking relationship, a 5 lakh FD, and regular account maintenance(preferred Group).
• The Final Win: After a few weeks of waiting, they offered me the Infinia card—not LTF, but chargeable. I accepted, and after another month of waiting, the Infinia Metal card finally arrived at my home.

Final Thoughts: Holding that card was surreal. It had been a long journey with its fair share of ups and downs, but in the end, I got what I wanted. It just goes to show that persistence really does pay off.

Bro, if a salary of around 2 lakhs is considered decent, I wonder what qualifies as a good salary. The effort you've put in to achieve this is commendable. However, I’d like to point something out. If everyone with a decent salary, like yours, keeps chasing these kinds of cards, it will become very difficult for the general public to obtain them in the future. You don't need this card; it's the card and the bank that need people like you.

 

[rounakbhowmik]

Bro, if a salary of around 2 lakhs is considered decent, I wonder what qualifies as a good salary. The effort you've put in to achieve this is commendable. However, I’d like to point something out. If everyone with a decent salary, like yours, keeps chasing these kinds of cards, it will become very difficult for the general public to obtain them in the future. You don't need this card; it's the card and the bank that need people like you.

It totally depends on a bunch of things: your lifestyle, where you live, your responsibilities, and family situation. Like, someone making 50k in a village might be chill and cover all their needs, while another dude earning 2 lakh in Mumbai could be struggling. It’s not just about the salary, man; it’s about whether you love what you’re doing.

And getting a card without investing big in the bank? That’s a skill, bro. I didn’t nail it on my first try, but if you’re really into it, you’ll get there. It’s all about sticking with it and knowing how to play the game.

 

[iampqq]

The only thing that worth reading was hike in your salary
Rest was waste of time

 

[Dr.Anand456]

It totally depends on a bunch of things: your lifestyle, where you live, your responsibilities, and family situation. Like, someone making 50k in a village might be chill and cover all their needs, while another dude earning 2 lakh in Mumbai could be struggling. It’s not just about the salary, man; it’s about whether you love what you’re doing.

Absolutely, it's not just about the numbers on your paycheck. Your lifestyle, location, and personal responsibilities play a huge role. Someone in a smaller town might be comfortable with a modest income, while living in a big city could stretch even a high salary thin. But at the end of the day, what really matters is whether you enjoy what you do. If you're passionate about your work, that's what truly makes a difference.

But bro, the discussion isn’t about which salary is sufficient for which location. The point is, if someone earning 2 lakhs per month tries to downplay their salary as 'decent' to appear modest, it can make those who are actually earning a decent amount feel undervalued. They might start seeing themselves as less than they are. And let’s be honest, how many people in India earn 2 lakhs per month? I think less than 0.1% of the population might be in that bracket. If you're earning that much, it means you’re in the top 1% of India. So, the issue isn’t about how much you’re earning; it’s about downplaying your salary in a way that makes others feel small, which I believe is wrong.

And getting a card without investing big in the bank? That’s a skill, bro. I didn’t nail it on my first try, but if you’re really into it, you’ll get there. It’s all about sticking with it and knowing how to play the game.

I 100% agree with you—getting a credit card without making a big investment in the bank is a skill, bro. I’ve also managed to get several credit cards without investing an extra rupee. But you’re saying you didn’t make any investments here, right? Let me explain. You’ve made a 5 lakh FD with the bank and spent around 14 lakh rupees on a particular card in just one year. And the biggest investment, in my opinion, is the time and effort you’ve put in over the years to get this card, and the struggle you’ve gone through. That’s the real investment.

And if you think you’ve won the game with the bank, let me tell you that even people with lower salaries have managed to get this card for free for a lifetime. If you had gotten this card for free after all that struggle, it would have been praiseworthy. But getting the paid version isn’t something to brag about.

It’s not about how many cards you’ve taken or how premium they are; what’s more important is how much you can save each year using those cards. If you have to struggle this much to get a card and still can’t save much after getting it, then there’s no point in having it, my brother. Now, if you’re spending at least 15 lakhs annually on this card, maybe you can save something, given that it’s a paid card. But if you’re spending that much on this card every year, you won’t be able to use your other cards much anyway.

But it’s your decision, your call. If anything I said offended you, I’m sorry. I’m just sharing my opinion here. Thanks for reading.

 

[raghav17]

View attachment 65279

• College Days: I’ve always been fascinated by credit cards, starting with my first one with icici salary account , an ICICI Platinum with a 30k limit, which I got in February 2020. It wasn’t much, but it felt like a big deal at the time.
• Chasing the Millennia: A bit later, I set my sights on the HDFC Millennia card. @TechnoFino suggested I open a Max Savings Account with HDFC, so I did. But just as I was ready to apply, HDFC stopped issuing new cards due to RBI guidelines. Talk about bad timing!
• Finally, Some Progress: After waiting for what felt like forever (8-9 months), early 2021 arrived, and I finally got a pre-approved offer for the Millennia card with a limit between 50k-1 lakh. It was a chargeable card, but I managed to spend enough within the first 90 days to get it converted to a lifetime free card. That felt like a win.
• New Job, New Hopes: In July 2022, I started a new job with a decent salary (around 1.5-2.5L in hand). Feeling pretty confident, I approached my BM to see if I could get the Infinia card. Unfortunately, they said my salary wasn’t high enough. That was a bit of a letdown.
• Not Giving Up: I wasn’t ready to give up, so I escalated my request to the grievance team and even sent them my last three months’ salary slips. They still said no to the Infinia LTF but offered me a Diners Black card instead. After some back-and-forth, I accepted the Diners Black as an LTF card.
• Reality Hits: I quickly realized that the Diners Black card was a hassle—so many merchants, both online and offline, didn’t accept it. I contacted the grievance team again, asking for an upgrade to the Infinia card, but they declined.
• Persistence Pays Off: After spending nearly 13 lakh on the Diners Black card over a year, I tried one more time to get the Infinia, but grievance team denied my requests.
• A Lucky Break: Then, something lucky happened. A new HDFC branch opened near my home, and the BM there was someone I knew. I explained my situation, and he agreed to help. Normally, to upgrade to Infinia, you need to spend at least 7.5 lakhs in 6 months and have a 10 lakh limit on your Diners Club Black. I didn’t meet the second criteria, but the BM decided to push my request to the higher-ups anyway, based on my banking relationship, a 5 lakh FD, and regular account maintenance(preferred Group).
• The Final Win: After a few weeks of waiting, they offered me the Infinia card—not LTF, but chargeable. I accepted, and after another month of waiting, the Infinia Metal card finally arrived at my home.

Final Thoughts: Holding that card was surreal. It had been a long journey with its fair share of ups and downs, but in the end, I got what I wanted. It just goes to show that persistence really does pay off.

What's the mail id you used for upgrading to DCB ltf and only salary slips were given or something else as well?

 

[devsfinance]

View attachment 65279

• College Days: I’ve always been fascinated by credit cards, starting with my first one with icici salary account , an ICICI Platinum with a 30k limit, which I got in February 2020. It wasn’t much, but it felt like a big deal at the time.
• Chasing the Millennia: A bit later, I set my sights on the HDFC Millennia card. @TechnoFino suggested I open a Max Savings Account with HDFC, so I did. But just as I was ready to apply, HDFC stopped issuing new cards due to RBI guidelines. Talk about bad timing!
• Finally, Some Progress: After waiting for what felt like forever (8-9 months), early 2021 arrived, and I finally got a pre-approved offer for the Millennia card with a limit between 50k-1 lakh. It was a chargeable card, but I managed to spend enough within the first 90 days to get it converted to a lifetime free card. That felt like a win.
• New Job, New Hopes: In July 2022, I started a new job with a decent salary (around 1.5-2.5L in hand). Feeling pretty confident, I approached my BM to see if I could get the Infinia card. Unfortunately, they said my salary wasn’t high enough. That was a bit of a letdown.
• Not Giving Up: I wasn’t ready to give up, so I escalated my request to the grievance team and even sent them my last three months’ salary slips. They still said no to the Infinia LTF but offered me a Diners Black card instead. After some back-and-forth, I accepted the Diners Black as an LTF card.
• Reality Hits: I quickly realized that the Diners Black card was a hassle—so many merchants, both online and offline, didn’t accept it. I contacted the grievance team again, asking for an upgrade to the Infinia card, but they declined.
• Persistence Pays Off: After spending nearly 13 lakh on the Diners Black card over a year, I tried one more time to get the Infinia, but grievance team denied my requests.
• A Lucky Break: Then, something lucky happened. A new HDFC branch opened near my home, and the BM there was someone I knew. I explained my situation, and he agreed to help. Normally, to upgrade to Infinia, you need to spend at least 7.5 lakhs in 6 months and have a 10 lakh limit on your Diners Club Black. I didn’t meet the second criteria, but the BM decided to push my request to the higher-ups anyway, based on my banking relationship, a 5 lakh FD, and regular account maintenance(preferred Group).
• The Final Win: After a few weeks of waiting, they offered me the Infinia card—not LTF, but chargeable. I accepted, and after another month of waiting, the Infinia Metal card finally arrived at my home.

Final Thoughts: Holding that card was surreal. It had been a long journey with its fair share of ups and downs, but in the end, I got what I wanted. It just goes to show that persistence really does pay off.

Thanks @rounakbhowmik for this post on my request. But can you elaborate a bit on how you got DCB LTF? I am guessing through Alumni offer? Or just some request and response to grievance and they offered DCB LTF instead of Infinia? I am in a similar discussion with my BM may be your inputs can help me DCB.(Sorry if you have already answered this currently going through this whole thread)

 

[Hemang]

Yahi bhai ne agar ye likha hota ki meri high salary (1.5-2.5 lac per month) ya moti salary ya highly paying job likhta tab bhi kuch logo ko bura lagta ki show off kar raha hai ye apni salary ka.
He tried to be modest in writing salary for the sake of explaining the whole procedure because without quoting it also we won't get the whole picture of getting to Infinia.
Salary jyada hai kam hai, ye subjective hai, it changes according to people expectation, our experience, our profession, timeline of economy currently going. So jo hai vo bhai ne likh diya, we should appreciate the fact that he whole heartedly shared his journey throughout, for that only we all from different sections of society have clubbed here to enjoy the path with earning maximum rewards for our necessary spends.

 

[rounakbhowmik]

Absolutely, it's not just about the numbers on your paycheck. Your lifestyle, location, and personal responsibilities play a huge role. Someone in a smaller town might be comfortable with a modest income, while living in a big city could stretch even a high salary thin. But at the end of the day, what really matters is whether you enjoy what you do. If you're passionate about your work, that's what truly makes a difference.

But bro, the discussion isn’t about which salary is sufficient for which location. The point is, if someone earning 2 lakhs per month tries to downplay their salary as 'decent' to appear modest, it can make those who are actually earning a decent amount feel undervalued. They might start seeing themselves as less than they are. And let’s be honest, how many people in India earn 2 lakhs per month? I think less than 0.1% of the population might be in that bracket. If you're earning that much, it means you’re in the top 1% of India. So, the issue isn’t about how much you’re earning; it’s about downplaying your salary in a way that makes others feel small, which I believe is wrong.

I 100% agree with you—getting a credit card without making a big investment in the bank is a skill, bro. I’ve also managed to get several credit cards without investing an extra rupee. But you’re saying you didn’t make any investments here, right? Let me explain. You’ve made a 5 lakh FD with the bank and spent around 14 lakh rupees on a particular card in just one year. And the biggest investment, in my opinion, is the time and effort you’ve put in over the years to get this card, and the struggle you’ve gone through. That’s the real investment.

And if you think you’ve won the game with the bank, let me tell you that even people with lower salaries have managed to get this card for free for a lifetime. If you had gotten this card for free after all that struggle, it would have been praiseworthy. But getting the paid version isn’t something to brag about.

It’s not about how many cards you’ve taken or how premium they are; what’s more important is how much you can save each year using those cards. If you have to struggle this much to get a card and still can’t save much after getting it, then there’s no point in having it, my brother. Now, if you’re spending at least 15 lakhs annually on this card, maybe you can save something, given that it’s a paid card. But if you’re spending that much on this card every year, you won’t be able to use your other cards much anyway.

But it’s your decision, your call. If anything I said offended you, I’m sorry. I’m just sharing my opinion here. Thanks for reading.

1. The word ‘decent’: I get that the word ‘decent’ can mean different things to different people. When I said a salary of 1.5-2.5 lakhs was decent, I was just speaking from my own experience and situation. I know it’s a wide range, and what feels decent to me might not be the same for someone else. Sorry if that came across the wrong way.
2. The 5 Lakh FD: Just to set the record straight, the FD wasn’t for getting the Infinia card. I actually got the Diners Black LTF without needing an FD. The FD is more about keeping an emergency fund—it wasn’t really about the card.
3. 15 Lakh Spends: I hear you on the spending part. It’s true that banks care more about things like NRV (like ULIPs, home loans, FDs) than how much you spend. The spending part usually just helps with fee waivers, not so much with getting the premium cards.

As for reward points, I’m all about optimizing and getting the most out of them, but I don’t want to burn a lot of time on it. If it comes naturally, that’s great, but if not, I’m not going to stress over it.

 

[rounakbhowmik]

Thanks @rounakbhowmik for this post on my request. But can you elaborate a bit on how you got DCB LTF? I am guessing through Alumni offer? Or just some request and response to grievance and they offered DCB LTF instead of Infinia? I am in a similar discussion with my BM may be your inputs can help me DCB.(Sorry if you have already answered this currently going through this whole thread)

Already mentioned in the main post, I received approval from the grievance team.

 

[dexter_greycells]

For anyone dreams about getting an Infinia please note that Infinia is NOT a credit card suitable for everyone. It is a rewards points-based card geared towards travel. If you rarely take flights or book hotels the card is almost useless for you. It would be like getting a Lamborghini to ride on the pot-holed roads of Mumbai. Instead, general purpose cards like HDFC Millennia, SBI Cashback and Axis Ace are generally suitable for all.

 

[rounakbhowmik]

For anyone dreams about getting an Infinia please note that Infinia is NOT a credit card suitable for everyone. It is a rewards points-based card geared towards travel. If you rarely take flights or book hotels the card is almost useless for you. It would be like getting a Lamborghini to ride on the pot-holed roads of Mumbai. Instead, general purpose cards like HDFC Millennia, SBI Cashback and Axis Ace are generally suitable for all.

We can use for Tanishq vouchers as well

 

[dexter_greycells]

Congratulations on Infinia.Im pretty much in the same situation. Being offered DCB black , but I'm not sure if it's widely accepted.
What were your challenges in acceptance of DCB?

In 1.5 yrs of using DCB, I have had just one offline acceptance issue with DCB at a old yet popular and very local restaurant (Vinay Health Home near Thakurdwar in South Mumbai). Otherwise, I have swiped it at numerous restaurants and shopping places in Mumbai, Varanasi, Allahbad, Khajurao, Bhopal, Ahmedabad and Hyderabad with zero issues. In Australia the Diners Club network does not work. So that's that. When it comes to online, I haven't been able to use it for Tata Play recharges, some recharges via PayTM, La Pino's Pizza and TwidPay / Pay With Rewards. It works on every major site that I have tried it on besides those.

DCB, especially the plastic one, is a better fit for some people because of its lower annual-fee waiver criteria of 5L, OLA/BMS vouchers worth Rs 1000 on monthly spends of Rs 80k, 2X reward points (6.66% returns) on swipes at restaurants on weekends (Sat-Sun). I am one of those rare people who was offered the Infinia Metal but willingly chose DCB. The only Infinia perk that I really miss in DCB is the 5X reward points on Gyftr vouchers via SmartBuy vs 3X on DCB. I use a family member's Infinia for that though.

 

[dexter_greycells]

We can use for Tanishq vouchers as well

This is highlighted a lot but we got a lot of jewellers in our community and no one ever buys anything from Tanishq ever since it is priced much higher than other jewellary places we know. I know people worry about purity but no right minded jeweller with a decent shop / showroom is going to risk cheating you by say giving you 21K when you paid for 24K. Personally, I hate the emotional attachment with gold. I don't mind seeing it as an investment instrument.

 

[rounakbhowmik]

This is highlighted a lot but we got a lot of jewellers in our community and no one ever buys anything from Tanishq ever since it is priced much higher than other jewellary places we know. I know people worry about purity but no right minded jeweller with a decent shop / showroom is going to risk cheating you by say giving you 21K when you paid for 24K. Personally, I hate the emotional attachment with gold. I don't mind seeing it as an investment instrument.

I get where you're coming from, but Tanishq's pricing reflects their brand and the trust they offer. It really depends on personal preference—some people prefer established brands, while others stick to local shops for their purchases. It’s all about what gives you peace of mind.

As for the card being mainly for travelers, that’s not entirely accurate. You can redeem the points in other ways, and Tanishq is a good option in my opinion. It’s a smart way to use the points rather than spending them all on a luxury trip . Of course, everyone will have different opinions, but I see this as a solid alternative.

 

[devsfinance]

Already mentioned in the main post, I received approval from the grievance team.

Grievance provided approval for free DCB? Can you please DM what you wrote and where you sent the mail?

 

[Hemang]

I get where you're coming from, but Tanishq's pricing reflects their brand and the trust they offer. It really depends on personal preference—some people prefer established brands, while others stick to local shops for their purchases. It’s all about what gives you peace of mind.

As for the card being mainly for travelers, that’s not entirely accurate. You can redeem the points in other ways, and Tanishq is a good option in my opinion. It’s a smart way to use the points rather than spending them all on a luxury trip . Of course, everyone will have different opinions, but I see this as a solid alternative.

bhai mujhe bhi DM kar dena aisa kya likhke bheja tha apne grievance team ko

 

[Martyn Singh]

Congratulations Dude. The infinia metal is indeed the no 1 credit card in india and the best card to own. Just holding the card makes people notice you bcz it's strictly invite only. I completely echo your emotions because I too own one and the feeling is awesome what's more it was my first ever credit card. Enjoy this card , walk into any lounge like a King and the lessons are awesome

 

[Centurion_wala]

Congratulations Dude. The infinia metal is indeed the no 1 credit card in india and the best card to own. Just holding the card makes people notice you bcz it's strictly invite only. I completely echo your emotions because I too own one and the feeling is awesome what's more it was my first ever credit card. Enjoy this card , walk into any lounge like a King and the lessons are awesome

Wait till you witness the Ulip deals going on everywhere

 

[Firewing224]

Infinia is a travel luxury cc not because of redemption options but on how you can effectively earn points. Gyftr Amazon, swiggy etc has caps of 10k. Either your earn or your redemption will be linked to travel.

Also, my salary qualifies for infinia but without travel, my expenses don't cross 50k-75k / month. Not talking about people spending on behalf of a full family as of course school fees etc will be higher. Also, everyone I know who earns this salary qualifying them for infinia, SPENDS on vacations and holidays. So infinia is suitakble for them. If you don't holiday / go on vacation, then other cards might be better for you.

Don't get infinia cuz of herd mentality. If you do millenia -> regalia gold -> DCB -> infinia, you'll lose out much more than you gain. ULIPs also are not recommended. People are comparing direct MF vs through advisor.... ULIPs are much worse than regular MF. Provided you have financial knowledge on which to investment and how to spread your investment