• Hey there! Welcome to TFC! View fewer ads on the website just by signing up on TF Community.

Infinia My First Credit Card Infinia Metal and Comprehensive Guide on How to Use It

Dear TF Family,

1. My Infinia Metal Credit Card Journey. I have received the 1st credit card of my life - Infinia Metal - and have activated it on 1st May 2024. My Infinia journey was quite short and sweet. The process started when I finally decided to go in for a credit card which I was so far avoiding due to various reasons. I just requested my RM to give me the Infinia Metal and he took about 2-3 days and then informed me that I was eligible, and the process started. My eligibility was possibly based on these factors - I have an ITR of Rs 50 L plus and have an Imperia account since June 2019. It is not my salary account. I have some FDs in the bank and some savings. I never had any credit card ever in my life and was using mainly debit cards, cash or PhonePe for my daily transactions. I had taken two loans - one a home loan way back in 2010 which finished in 2015 due to pre-payment by me. The other was a car loan again way back in 2014 which again finished in 2021. My CIBIL score (which I checked on 7th May 2024 after getting the Infinia) showed NH (i.e. No History). I also have a demat account in HDFC Securities with a portfolio of about Rs 6-8 L (it keeps on fluctuating based on the market upheavals). This will give an idea to the readers on the eligibility requirements for Infinia. With due procedures, I finally received the card along in a few days' time along with two Priority Pass cards and one Add-on card. The Add-on card holder is also having an HDFC Imperia Account with some savings in it and a demat account in HDFC Securities with a portfolio of about Rs 4-5 L. The Add-on card had a different number and CVV from the primary card. My Infinia Metal Credit Cards - Primary and Add-on both were based on Mastercard World.

2. How to Use Infinia. In the time period between the start of the issue process and receipt of the card, I scoured numerous sites to see how to use Infinia in the best possible manner. I also came across numerous threads on the TF site wherein numerous facets of Infinia were discussed thread bare. So, I decided to compile a comprehensive guide on how to use Infinia. Accordingly, I collated all relevant aspects of Infinia from myriad sites and compiled all the data in a guide.

3. Contents of the Guide. The contents of the guide are tabulated below:-


Chapter​
TopicPage
1Earning Reward Points (RPs)3
2Cappings on Earning RPs14
3Redeeming RPs16
4Cappings on Redeeming RPs23
5Transferring RPs24
6Card Offers and Benefits26
7Add On Cards36
8Priority Pass (PP) Cards37
9Lounge Access39
10Other Card Details42
11Fees and Charges45
12Credit Card Statement49
13Bill Payments51
14Miscellaneous Tips57
15Customer Support71
16References
72​

4. References. I have used numerous websites and my own personal experiences in the last 2-3 months for making this guide. Some important references are given below:-

5. My Own Infinia Experience. As my Infinia Metal Credit Card was activated on 1st May 2024 coupled with the fact that it is the 1st credit card ever of my life, I am still learning to optimize its usage, as I am new to this realm. However, based on my research so far, Infinia is definitely an excellent card even today, despite its devaluation over the years. Some experts on the subject may have a different perspective, based on their personal usage and experiences.

6. Comprehensive Guide on Infinia Metal Credit Card. I am attaching the PDF format of the guide. It is having about 72 pages. This guide is updated as on 1st July 2024. This guide may be of some use to some people who are using Infinia or planning to obtain Infinia. I have tried my best to include all aspects of Infinia and have also included some related issues like MCC, MDR, Credit Score, et al. I have used only information available on various websites/open sources available and have spiced up some aspects based on my personal experiences. I have not re-worded the information and have merely copy - pasted the same with some minor editing. I have given the references at the end of the guide.

7. Disclaimer. All the data in this guide has been sourced, collected and collated from open sources like various blogs, articles, threads, news, bank websites, etc. and/or through Infinia concierge/customer care/personal experiences. These details/data may change from time to time. All information in this guide is for mere reference and user guidance only for Infinia Metal Credit Card users.

I am sharing my own perspectives through this thread and am also attaching the comprehensive guide on Infinia Metal Credit Card in the PDF format for easy reference. I sincerely hope that it is of some use to the reader i.e. you.

Best wishes. 🙂
 

Attachments

Just a Thought
Having used Infinia for the last 1 year, I have a hypothesis which I am outlining below.

Hypothesis
The Reward points (RPs) on Infinia will never be fully exhausted/used by the user. Ever. 30% of RPs will always be left behind.

Illustration 1
Let us assume that through Infinia, one accrues say 100 RPs. Assuming I redeem @ 1:1 (the best redemption rate possible), I can redeem only 70% (as that is the capping) and hence 70 RPs will be used and 30 RPs will be left behind.
So, the next time I redeem these balance Infinia RPs, only 70% of 30 will be used i.e. 21 RPs will be used and 9 RPs will be balance.
Similarly, next time I can only use 70% of 9 RPs i.e. 6.3 and 2.7 RPs will be balance.
Next time, only 70% of 2.7 can be used i.e. 1.89 can be used and 0.81 will be balance.
And so on. The cycle continues. Indefinitely.

Illustration 2
In case I buy flight tickets with RPs, I can use only 70% of 100 RPs (@ 1:1 redemption rate), i.e. 70 RPs can be utilised and balance payment has to be done through Infinia, wherein I again accrue some RPs (for simplicity say X RPs gained on this balance payment). So, now the balance RPs is (30+X). Next time, I can use only 70% of (30+X) and balance 30% of (30+X) will again be left behind. And this cycle continues.

Summary
So, mathematically, nobody will ever be able to redeem 100% of Infinia RPs ever. The balance 30% of RPs + RPs accrued on this 30% will always be left behind as balance. The Infinia RPs balance will never be zero, never ever.

Conclusion(s)
The aforesaid discussion implies that,
* One - I can earn all the RPs that I can but can expend only 70% RPs. So, 30% of RPs will never be utilised. Never ever.
* Two - If the base reward rate of earning RPs is 3.3%, I can only expend 70% of 3.3 i.e. 2.31% RPs. Which effectively means the base reward rate of utilising Infinia RPs is only 2.31%.

Comments and counter points are welcome. 🙂
Only people who are considering an Infinia card closure should even bother with this hypothesis. Also, as your hypothesis clearly shows, the cycle does continue indefinitely but a few iterations into the cycle you are left with a handful of points. Forfeiting zero points versus a few hundreds is not something to lose sleep over especially if you are the kind of a person who had an Infinia in the first place.
 
Dear TF Family,

1. My Infinia Metal Credit Card Journey. I have received the 1st credit card of my life - Infinia Metal - and have activated it on 1st May 2024. My Infinia journey was quite short and sweet. The process started when I finally decided to go in for a credit card which I was so far avoiding due to various reasons. I just requested my RM to give me the Infinia Metal and he took about 2-3 days and then informed me that I was eligible, and the process started. My eligibility was possibly based on these factors - I have an ITR of Rs 50 L plus and have an Imperia account since June 2019. It is not my salary account. I have some FDs in the bank and some savings. I never had any credit card ever in my life and was using mainly debit cards, cash or PhonePe for my daily transactions. I had taken two loans - one a home loan way back in 2010 which finished in 2015 due to pre-payment by me. The other was a car loan again way back in 2014 which again finished in 2021. My CIBIL score (which I checked on 7th May 2024 after getting the Infinia) showed NH (i.e. No History). I also have a demat account in HDFC Securities with a portfolio of about Rs 6-8 L (it keeps on fluctuating based on the market upheavals). This will give an idea to the readers on the eligibility requirements for Infinia. With due procedures, I finally received the card along in a few days' time along with two Priority Pass cards and one Add-on card. The Add-on card holder is also having an HDFC Imperia Account with some savings in it and a demat account in HDFC Securities with a portfolio of about Rs 4-5 L. The Add-on card had a different number and CVV from the primary card. My Infinia Metal Credit Cards - Primary and Add-on both were based on Mastercard World.

2. How to Use Infinia. In the time period between the start of the issue process and receipt of the card, I scoured numerous sites to see how to use Infinia in the best possible manner. I also came across numerous threads on the TF site wherein numerous facets of Infinia were discussed thread bare. So, I decided to compile a comprehensive guide on how to use Infinia. Accordingly, I collated all relevant aspects of Infinia from myriad sites and compiled all the data in a guide.

3. Contents of the Guide. The contents of the guide are tabulated below:-


Chapter​
TopicPage
1Earning Reward Points (RPs)3
2Cappings on Earning RPs14
3Redeeming RPs16
4Cappings on Redeeming RPs23
5Transferring RPs24
6Card Offers and Benefits26
7Add On Cards36
8Priority Pass (PP) Cards37
9Lounge Access39
10Other Card Details42
11Fees and Charges45
12Credit Card Statement49
13Bill Payments51
14Miscellaneous Tips57
15Customer Support71
16References
72​

4. References. I have used numerous websites and my own personal experiences in the last 2-3 months for making this guide. Some important references are given below:-

5. My Own Infinia Experience. As my Infinia Metal Credit Card was activated on 1st May 2024 coupled with the fact that it is the 1st credit card ever of my life, I am still learning to optimize its usage, as I am new to this realm. However, based on my research so far, Infinia is definitely an excellent card even today, despite its devaluation over the years. Some experts on the subject may have a different perspective, based on their personal usage and experiences.

6. Comprehensive Guide on Infinia Metal Credit Card. I am attaching the PDF format of the guide. It is having about 72 pages. This guide is updated as on 1st July 2024. This guide may be of some use to some people who are using Infinia or planning to obtain Infinia. I have tried my best to include all aspects of Infinia and have also included some related issues like MCC, MDR, Credit Score, et al. I have used only information available on various websites/open sources available and have spiced up some aspects based on my personal experiences. I have not re-worded the information and have merely copy - pasted the same with some minor editing. I have given the references at the end of the guide.

7. Disclaimer. All the data in this guide has been sourced, collected and collated from open sources like various blogs, articles, threads, news, bank websites, etc. and/or through Infinia concierge/customer care/personal experiences. These details/data may change from time to time. All information in this guide is for mere reference and user guidance only for Infinia Metal Credit Card users.

I am sharing my own perspectives through this thread and am also attaching the comprehensive guide on Infinia Metal Credit Card in the PDF format for easy reference. I sincerely hope that it is of some use to the reader i.e. you.

Best wishes. 🙂
Congratulations 🎉 on First CC(Infinia Metal)
Wonderful thread...more than 10k views..
Just a Thought
Having used Infinia for the last 1 year, I have a hypothesis which I am outlining below.

Hypothesis
The Reward points (RPs) on Infinia will never be fully exhausted/used by the user. Ever. 30% of RPs will always be left behind.

Illustration 1
Let us assume that through Infinia, one accrues say 100 RPs. Assuming I redeem @ 1:1 (the best redemption rate possible), I can redeem only 70% (as that is the capping) and hence 70 RPs will be used and 30 RPs will be left behind.
So, the next time I redeem these balance Infinia RPs, only 70% of 30 will be used i.e. 21 RPs will be used and 9 RPs will be balance.
Similarly, next time I can only use 70% of 9 RPs i.e. 6.3 and 2.7 RPs will be balance.
Next time, only 70% of 2.7 can be used i.e. 1.89 can be used and 0.81 will be balance.
And so on. The cycle continues. Indefinitely.

Illustration 2
In case I buy flight tickets with RPs, I can use only 70% of 100 RPs (@ 1:1 redemption rate), i.e. 70 RPs can be utilised and balance payment has to be done through Infinia, wherein I again accrue some RPs (for simplicity say X RPs gained on this balance payment). So, now the balance RPs is (30+X). Next time, I can use only 70% of (30+X) and balance 30% of (30+X) will again be left behind. And this cycle continues.

Summary
So, mathematically, nobody will ever be able to redeem 100% of Infinia RPs ever. The balance 30% of RPs + RPs accrued on this 30% will always be left behind as balance. The Infinia RPs balance will never be zero, never ever.

Conclusion(s)
The aforesaid discussion implies that,
* One - I can earn all the RPs that I can but can expend only 70% RPs. So, 30% of RPs will never be utilised. Never ever.
* Two - If the base reward rate of earning RPs is 3.3%, I can only expend 70% of 3.3 i.e. 2.31% RPs. Which effectively means the base reward rate of utilising Infinia RPs is only 2.31%.

Comments and counter points are welcome. 🙂
Product are designed in such a way to keep Customer engaged...
A continuation of heavy usage in span of many years...than calculate... rewards
 
Just a Thought
Having used Infinia for the last 1 year, I have a hypothesis which I am outlining below.

Hypothesis
The Reward points (RPs) on Infinia will never be fully exhausted/used by the user. Ever. 30% of RPs will always be left behind.

Illustration 1
Let us assume that through Infinia, one accrues say 100 RPs. Assuming I redeem @ 1:1 (the best redemption rate possible), I can redeem only 70% (as that is the capping) and hence 70 RPs will be used and 30 RPs will be left behind.
So, the next time I redeem these balance Infinia RPs, only 70% of 30 will be used i.e. 21 RPs will be used and 9 RPs will be balance.
Similarly, next time I can only use 70% of 9 RPs i.e. 6.3 and 2.7 RPs will be balance.
Next time, only 70% of 2.7 can be used i.e. 1.89 can be used and 0.81 will be balance.
And so on. The cycle continues. Indefinitely.

Illustration 2
In case I buy flight tickets with RPs, I can use only 70% of 100 RPs (@ 1:1 redemption rate), i.e. 70 RPs can be utilised and balance payment has to be done through Infinia, wherein I again accrue some RPs (for simplicity say X RPs gained on this balance payment). So, now the balance RPs is (30+X). Next time, I can use only 70% of (30+X) and balance 30% of (30+X) will again be left behind. And this cycle continues.

Summary
So, mathematically, nobody will ever be able to redeem 100% of Infinia RPs ever. The balance 30% of RPs + RPs accrued on this 30% will always be left behind as balance. The Infinia RPs balance will never be zero, never ever.

Conclusion(s)
The aforesaid discussion implies that,
* One - I can earn all the RPs that I can but can expend only 70% RPs. So, 30% of RPs will never be utilised. Never ever.
* Two - If the base reward rate of earning RPs is 3.3%, I can only expend 70% of 3.3 i.e. 2.31% RPs. Which effectively means the base reward rate of utilising Infinia RPs is only 2.31%.

Comments and counter points are welcome. 🙂
Seems like a confusion:
For flight and hotel bookings, HDFC Bank Diners Club Black card members can redeem upto maximum of 70% of booking value through

Reward Points. Rest will have to be paid via Credit Card

So you utlisie all points untill its less than 70% booking value..So if you have 70 points and flight price is 100,u can use all points and get 10% back for 30 rs remaining
 
Back
Top