5 pts / ₹150 · Up to 25 pts / ₹150 on Amazon through HDFC SmartBuy
Strong data Pairwise comparison
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HDFC Infinia vs ICICI Emeralde
Side-by-side comparison of the HDFC Bank Infinia and the ICICI Bank Emeralde. Verify fees, lounge access, forex markup, and base rewards before you apply.
The short answer
Pick Emeralde for a lower fee.
Emeralde costs ₹500 less a year.
Head-to-head
- Annual fee Annual fee outcome: Emeralde wins. Emeralde saves ₹500/yrInfinia ₹12,500 Waivable at ₹10,00,000 spendEmeralde ₹12,000 Waivable at ₹10,00,000 spend
- Forex markup Forex markup outcome: tie. Infinia 2%Emeralde 2%
- Domestic lounge Domestic lounge outcome: tie. Infinia UnlimitedEmeralde Unlimited
- Rewards Rewards outcome: insufficient data to compare. conservative base valueInfinia ~1%Emeralde Not safely INR-comparable
Reward earning explained
6 pts / ₹100
Strong dataExample usage at this monthly spend
At ₹50k/month spend:
- Infinia: ~₹500/month at base rate
- Emeralde: Base earn not clearly specified
Illustrative only, using current base rates before caps.
All fields
| Field | Infinia HDFC Bank | Emeralde ICICI Bank |
|---|---|---|
| Lounge Access | ||
| Domestic lounge visits | Unlimited | Unlimited |
| International lounge visits | Unlimited | Unlimited |
| Forex / International Use | ||
| Forex markup | 2% | 2% |
| Fees | ||
| Recurring annual fee ₹12,500 vs ₹12,000 | ₹12,500 | ₹12,000 |
| Annual-fee waiver | ₹10,00,000 | ₹10,00,000 |
| Interest-free period Up to 50 days vs Up to 48 days | Up to 50 days | Up to 48 days |
| Monthly interest rate Only available for Emeralde | Not specified | 3.75% / month |
| Late-payment charge | ₹100–₹1,300 depending on outstanding balance | ₹100–₹1,300 depending on outstanding balance |
| Fuel benefit 1% surcharge waiver · ₹400+ transactions · ₹1,000/month waiver cap · Fuel rewards excluded vs 1% surcharge waiver · up to ₹4,000 transactions · Fuel rewards excluded | 1% surcharge waiver · ₹400+ transactions · ₹1,000/month waiver cap · Fuel rewards excluded | 1% surcharge waiver · up to ₹4,000 transactions · Fuel rewards excluded |
| Rewards | ||
| Base earn 5 pts / ₹150 vs 6 pts / ₹100 | 5 pts / ₹150 | 6 pts / ₹100 |
| Conservative base value ~1% vs Not safely INR-comparable | ~1% | Not safely INR-comparable |
| Earn ceiling 15,000 points per month; at 25 pts / ₹150, this lane reaches the cap at ₹90,000 of eligible spend vs Not stated | 15,000 points per month at 25 pts / ₹150, this lane reaches the cap at ₹90,000 of eligible spend | Not stated |
| Point value (headline channel) Issuer headline rate at the travel/SmartBuy channel — not the lowest redemption option. Only available for Infinia | ₹1 | Not specified |
| Insurance — Air accident cover | ₹3 crore | ₹3 crore |
| Insurance — Emergency medical cover Only available for Infinia | ₹50 lakh | Not specified |
| Insurance — Lost card liability cover ₹9 lakh vs ₹50,000 | ₹9 lakh | ₹50,000 |
| Insurance — Underwriter Insured by HDFC ERGO General Insurance Company Limited vs Insured by ICICI Lombard General Insurance Company Limited | Insured by HDFC ERGO General Insurance Company Limited | Insured by ICICI Lombard General Insurance Company Limited |
Notes
- Card benefits change frequently. Always verify current terms on the issuer's official website or app before applying.
HDFC Bank Infinia
Verify with issuer , opens external siteICICI Bank Emeralde
Verify with issuer , opens external site