Infinia Infinia worthiness

[VGisHere]

I went through Infinia Metal Card review and noted some points.

Pros -
1. Unlimited lounge access (domestic, international) for both primary, add-on (up to 3) card holders! (Big pro, need not keep track or multiple cards)!
2. Unlimited Golf games/coaching (not sure how many people actually claim, but would still keep it)!
3. Some ITC hotels tie-up benefits!
4. Insurance cover (definitely worthy)


Reward Rate Structure -
1. 3.3% RP on normal/every transaction.
Redemption - 1% for statement credit, 1.65% for smartbuy shopping, 3.3% for Smartbuy (Apple, Tanishq, Flights, Hotels) + AirMiles conversion.

2. 33% RP for flights/hotels on Smartbuy.
Redemption - 10% for statement credit, 16.5% for smartbuy shopping, 33% for Smartbuy (Apple, Tanishq, Flights, Hotels) + AirMiles conversion.

3. 16.5% RP for Smartbuy (Amazon, Gift voucher)
Redemption - 5% for statement credit, 8.25% for smartbuy shopping, 16.5% for Smartbuy (Apple, Tanishq, Flights, Hotels) + AirMiles conversion.

4. 9.9% RP for Smartbuy (Flipkart, Train booking)
Redemption - 3% for statement credit, 5% for smartbuy shopping, 9.9% for Smartbuy (Apple, Tanishq, Flights, Hotels) + AirMiles conversion.


Cons -
1. High Fees (12.5k + GST) = Rs. 14750
2. Welcome/Renewal Benefit = 12.5k points (recovered only if used on Smartbuy for Apple/Tanishq/Flights/Hotels OR Airmiles conversion) (big con)
3. Capping of payment up to 70% of the price with RPs
4. Very high NRV eligibility criteria (filters out big chunk)
5. Capping for Smartbuy transactions (15k per month) (so if you book hotel/flights for 45k, that's it!)
6. Forex markup - 2% + GST (higher than bunch of cards in market)
7. High fee waiver criteria (10L)
8. Capping for insurance transactions (5k per day, i.e., 1.5L spend)
9. Rent payment RP (Not eligible) + charges 1% extra
10. Redemption capping - 1.5L RP for flights/hotels; 50k for Tanishq per month; 50k against statement balance


So, after all these Cons, I'm wondering why are some people still going for Infinia card?
Is it only the unlimited domestic/international lounge access for self and add on card holders?
Or am I missing something basic here?
What strategies do people use to maximise benefit out of this card?
For people holding Axis Magnus, does this card make sense at all (except for lounge access)?

 

[manumaniac]

Yes, how do you utilize your Infinia points whereas Magnus is not useful for you?? Just curious to know because Axis has the best transfer partners in Hotels and Flights.

Talking about hotels and flights, The problem with magnus points may be converted to very specific brands.
If you want to take a hotel in places like kasauli or dharamshala where the brands do not exist, it is a dud. If you want to book indigo or spicejet flights, it is a dud again. With infinia points though; you can book any hotel, any flight!

 

[CC-Muncher]

@bonheur and @bvc19296 , if someone is not into travelling and vacation, then converting the RP to monetary benefits makes more sense. 1:1 conversion in Infinia to Tanishq and Apple products is used by many.

However, if someone is into travel and vacation, then Magnus wins. Magnus is not good for monetary benefits on RP. It shines only when we convert RP to travel points.

Having said that, one more point that I am considering these days a lot is that Infinia doesn't give any RP on income tax payments, so Magnus or SC Smart is what I am looking to get a hand on. I also need a bank locker for securing gold and SC doesn't has any branch in my city so Axis Magnus is what I finally look for. However, the monthly 1L minimum to get that milestone RP and fee waiver is tough in some months and hence feels as if forced upon us (also monthly bonus RP can be taken away by Axis at any time).

Then Which card is best for monetary benefits if not into travelling

 

[BVCBVC is verified member.]

I understand everyone's view on Magnus and Infinia. @Akio @manumaniac

But let me tell you reality facts.

1. Magnus fees is typically waived off with voucher and same case with Infinia with reward points.
2. There is no capping on ER's earning on Axis unlike HDFC & you earn bonus of 25000 ER's every month.
3. Magnus benefits are meant to be utilized on travel and experiences only for maximum benefit as many prefer Magnus for travel purposes only. Please go through the below link for my travel experience for a mix of Magnus ER's and Vistara Infinite

Westin Rishikesh Himalayas - Beautiful Experience

I wish to share my personal travel experience using points earned on my Axis Magnus and Axis Vistara Infinite. I travelled for Rishikesh and stayed there for 4N from Chennai (Nearest Airport) for me. 80% of my travel and expenditure was covered under the CV points, Business class tickets earned...

www.technofino.in

4. We can monetize the benefits you earn on Magnus but you can't match HDFC. (Depends on individual usage and preferences).
5. You can redeem you earned ER's at Rs. 0.2 on travel edge for Indigo, Spicejet and other airlines and you can purchase vouchers also.

Every experience and every persons view is different on each card. Overall both Infinia and Axis Magnus are great cards in their own way. But any day with this reward rate Axis Magnus is goto card for me.

 

[Dai]

If you are person who plan's international travel in advance and want's to fly by biz class tickets and stay in big hotels then magnus is best one

If you are person who travels domestic by booking tickets then infinia

 

[Mohur]

Then Which card is best for monetary benefits if not into travelling

For monetary benefits, Infinia works for all kinds of spends except for income tax payments on the IT portal. And its for the IT payment that I need to look for one more card.
For all govt spending which is excluded on Infinia directly, use AGV.

 

[VGisHere]

Another thing I noticed, there is daily capping of 7500 points on Infinia Smartbuy portal!
So, that really limits the option of booking amount under INR 45k to avail max benefit, which as mentioned above is better in case of domestic flights!

But as mentioned previously, I'm seeing a difference in price of almost 35% on Smartbuy (cheaper) vs Travel Edge, as there are more options available on Smartbuy.

So, how should a person proceed whose planning international travel in economy class

 

[CC-Muncher]

Another thing I noticed, there is daily capping of 7500 points on Infinia Smartbuy portal!
So, that really limits the option of booking amount under INR 45k to avail max benefit, which as mentioned above is better in case of domestic flights!

But as mentioned previously, I'm seeing a difference in price of almost 35% on Smartbuy (cheaper) vs Travel Edge, as there are more options available on Smartbuy.

So, how should a person proceed whose planning international travel in economy class

It really depends.. sometimes smart buy is costlier than the prices shown on skyscanner by 30-40%

With infinia what are domestic flight options for booking? With and without reward points?

 

[Dai]

It really depends.. sometimes smart buy is costlier than the prices shown on skyscanner by 30-40%

With infinia what are domestic flight options for booking? With and without reward points?

Specific flights doesn't matter you can book any flights available in route with points

 

[vina]

I think just like DCB, the salary criteria and some other criteria will be there too.. apart from just the college degree..

Nobody calls someone with a summer course "IITian"

You need a 4yr undergrad or 2yr post grad degree

 

[eatpepsi]

While I don't disagree, curious to know how do you usually redeem your Infinia points? Since the best redemptions are on travel, do you not think that Magnus transfers to travel partners gives equivalent if not better value?

for me, the challenge with Magnus is the elaborate planning and exchanges required to achieve an end goal. It's the mental and mathematical gymnastics that I fear if I have to indulge in to plan a trip on a certain flight to a certain destination to stay in a certain hotel.
All of this requires me to make an elaborate plan and hope every point transfers in time to get there. If I don't get the transfers in time or I don't find the flight or the seat I need, I will either have to pay or reschedule...
With Infinia it's all just so simple, just choose the flight and the hotel like a non-savvy normal person and use your points to make the purchase...

I really wish I could spare the time to understand Magnus better because I have more than 1 lac ER point, but unfortunately, I don't have any idea or plan to extract good value out of them... I have another 1lac point in Infinia, and if I were to ever make a plan to go anywhere in the country (domestic flight) I will just simply make a purchase with my points, and viola, I am done...

 

[bonheur]

@eatpepsi Can't agree more! The saying is "high risk = high rewards" and for credit cards it is more like "high risk and anxiety = high rewards". On one end of the spectrum are cashback cards that give the least amount of anxiety with fixed returns, while cards like Magnus on the other end not only make redemption complicated due to variable return rates where timing also plays a huge role, but they can also cause high levels of anxiety around hitting monthly milestones. It's for this reason only that the latter kind are more rewarding because their product managers know that they are super complicated for the vast majority of people to fully understand and extract max value out of, without doing a lot of hard work. It's only due to forums like these that people have really begun to understand the true potential of Magnus, which otherwise may not have been discovered, and that's why you see the large number of threads dedicated to dissecting how Magnus works.

But you'll hardly find such threads for Infinia because it's just so easy to use! Infinia sits comfortably between the above two ends and you can make it work either way depending on your needs. Even if you don't want to bother with gift vouchers and accelerated RP (and therefore monthtly Smartbuy caps), you can just keep using it as a cashback card with 3.3% flat returns (with very few exclusions) and redeem whenever you are ready. If you were to use Magnus this way without all the hassle and the bother, you'd only get 1.2% returns. So Infinia is a lot more rewarding for people who like to keep things simple.

 

[PavanPavan is verified member.]

@eatpepsi Can't agree more! The saying is "high risk = high rewards" and for credit cards it is more like "high risk and anxiety = high rewards". On one end of the spectrum are cashback cards that give the least amount of anxiety with fixed returns, while cards like Magnus on the other end not only make redemption complicated due to variable return rates where timing also plays a huge role, but they can also cause high levels of anxiety around hitting monthly milestones. It's for this reason only that the latter kind are more rewarding because their product managers know that they are super complicated for the vast majority of people to fully understand and extract max value out of, without doing a lot of hard work. It's only due to forums like these that people have really begun to understand the true potential of Magnus, which otherwise may not have been discovered, and that's why you see the large number of threads dedicated to dissecting how Magnus works.

But you'll hardly find such threads for Infinia because it's just so easy to use! Infinia sits comfortably between the above two ends and you can make it work either way depending on your needs. Even if you don't want to bother with gift vouchers and accelerated RP (and therefore monthtly Smartbuy caps), you can just keep using it as a cashback card with 3.3% flat returns (with very few exclusions) and redeem whenever you are ready. If you were to use Magnus this way without all the hassle and the bother, you'd only get 1.2% returns. So Infinia is a lot more rewarding for people who like to keep things simple.

Everything is fine but cashback value of infinia is 1% and with magnus we can never have statement redemption

 

[jack333]

Everything is fine but cashback value of infinia is 1% and with magnus we can never have statement redemption

Magnus also we can redeem in statement cash 1.2% value

 

[PavanPavan is verified member.]

Magnus also we can redemm in statement cash 1.2% value

Think no only vouchers

 

[jack333]

Its 4.8% for miles transfer and 1.2% for statement cash. Still better than infinia

 

[PavanPavan is verified member.]

Its 4.8% for miles transfer and 1.2% for statement cash. Still better than infinia

thanks for this i wasn't aware of statement credit i will redeem few

 

[jack333]

thanks for this i wasn't aware of statement credit i will redeem few

Are you serious bro because no one does that

 

[PavanPavan is verified member.]

Are you serious bro because no one does that

am not much in to travel. Mostly travel within india and i use my contacts for booking neevr got to use the points
I was buy Apay vouchers for few amount

 

[jack333]

am not much in to travel. Mostly travel within india and i use my contacts for booking neevr got to use the points
I was buy Apay vouchers for few amount

You'll get value of 0.20 rs per er

 

[BVCBVC is verified member.]

Redeeming for vouchers/statement credit is the most minimum value to extract from Magnus. If you are not into travel then you don't seem to have any option. Just try other ways like using it for your friends or family to extract maximum value.