Here’s a comparison between the HDFC Diners Club Black Metal Credit Card and the HDFC Infinia Credit Card, focusing on their features, benefits, and how they might suit different user profiles:
Overview:
- HDFC Diners Club Black Metal is a premium card aimed at providing high rewards and travel benefits.
- HDFC Infinia is an ultra-premium, invite-only card known for its luxury perks and extensive rewards.
Eligibility:
- Diners Black Metal: Typically requires a high income or credit limit, around ₹5 lakh limit or more.
- Infinia: Invite-only, often requiring a very high income (around ₹5 lakh monthly for salaried or ₹60 lakh ITR), a significant credit limit, and a strong relationship with HDFC Bank.
Annual Fee:
- Diners Black Metal: ₹10,000 + GST, waived on spending ₹8 lakh in the previous year.
- Infinia: ₹12,500 + GST, waived on spending ₹10 lakh in the previous year.
Rewards Program:
- Diners Black Metal:
- 5 reward points per ₹150 spent across all categories.
- Up to 10,000 bonus reward points quarterly on spending ₹4 lakh per quarter.
- 10X points on spends through SmartBuy, capped at 10,000 per month.
- Infinia:
- 5 reward points per ₹150 spent across all categories.
- No quarterly cap on bonus points for SmartBuy, with higher monthly limits for accelerated points (up to 15,000 per month).
- 10X points on select categories through SmartBuy.
Travel Benefits:
- Diners Black Metal:
- Unlimited airport lounge access, domestic and international.
- 6 complimentary golf games per quarter.
- 2% forex markup fee.
- Infinia:
- Unlimited airport lounge access, domestic and international.
- Unlimited complimentary golf games.
- 2% forex markup fee.
- More extensive concierge services.
Welcome & Milestone Benefits:
- Diners Black Metal:
- Welcome: Complimentary memberships like Club Marriott, Amazon Prime, Swiggy One on spending ₹1.5 lakh within 90 days.
- Milestones: Quarterly bonuses for high spends.
- Infinia:
- Welcome: 12,500 reward points and complimentary Club Marriott membership on fee realization.
- Milestones: Renewal benefits include 12,500 points if fee not waived.
Insurance:
- Both offer similar insurance benefits, including:
- Accidental air death cover (Infinia up to ₹3 crore, Diners up to ₹2 crore).
- Emergency overseas hospitalization.
- Lost card liability coverage.
Other Perks:
- Diners Black Metal:
- No specific renewal bonus points, but strong quarterly bonuses.
- Infinia:
- Exclusive dining benefits at ITC hotels.
- More extensive concierge support.
User Profiles:
- Diners Black Metal might be better for:
- Those who can’t get the Infinia due to its invite-only status but still want premium benefits.
- Individuals with significant spending, especially through SmartBuy, but who might not hit the spending for Infinia’s fee waiver.
- Infinia is ideal for:
- High-net-worth individuals looking for the ultimate in luxury credit card perks.
- Frequent travelers who want unlimited golf games and a more comprehensive concierge service.
- Those who can meet the high spending threshold for both maximizing rewards and fee waiver.
Conclusion:
Both cards offer luxurious travel and lifestyle benefits, but the Infinia provides a step up in exclusivity, with slightly better rewards on SmartBuy and no cap on golf games. The Diners Black Metal is still an excellent choice with its own set of elite perks and a somewhat more accessible entry point. Your choice would depend on whether you can secure an invitation for Infinia, your spending habits, and how much you value the specific perks of each card.