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Axis Bank Reserve Credit Card vs HDFC Bank Infinia Metal Credit Card
On net annual value, HDFC Bank Infinia Metal beats Axis Bank Reserve in all four spend profiles we model, by ₹48,946 to ₹61,462 a year. Axis Bank Reserve and HDFC Bank Infinia Metal are both issued by invitation only. Axis Bank Reserve charges 1.5% on foreign-currency spend against 2%. HDFC Bank Infinia Metal costs ₹12,500 a year against ₹50,000. Figures as of .
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Who comes out ahead — by how you spend
Estimated net annual value for four typical spend profiles: the rewards each card earns on that spend (a merchant or portal bonus only on the share of spend it plausibly reaches), plus the perks and milestone bonuses that spender would use, less any annual fee the spend does not waive (with GST) and the forex markup on spending abroad. Lounge access carries no rupee value here. Where the fee is charged, a card’s renewal points are counted too.
| Spender | Axis Bank Reserve Credit Card | HDFC Bank Infinia Metal Credit Card |
|---|---|---|
Everyday spender ≈ ₹40k/mo across groceries, bills, dining and fuel | −₹26,960/yr | ₹24,103/yr✓ +₹51,063/yr |
Online shopper ≈ ₹60k/mo, mostly e-commerce and subscriptions | −₹18,920/yr | ₹40,339/yr✓ +₹59,259/yr |
Frequent traveller ≈ ₹1.2L/mo with heavy travel and forex spend | ₹22,820/yr | ₹71,766/yr✓ +₹48,946/yr |
High spender ≈ ₹2.5L/mo across every category | ₹69,260/yr | ₹1,30,722/yr✓ +₹61,462/yr |
Not in these numbers: both include airport lounge access — real perks that can outweigh a small gap.
Illustrative profiles, not a personalised result — your categories decide the real winner. Run these two on my spending →
What your points are actually worth
A point's headline value means little without the earn rate behind it. Here's the real math — the value of a point by how you redeem it, the resulting return by category, and the net rupees for your own spend.
| Value of one point, by route | Axis Bank Reserve Credit CardAxis EDGE Reward Points | HDFC Bank Infinia Metal Credit CardHDFC Reward Points |
|---|---|---|
| Cash / statement credit | ₹0.20 | ₹0.30 |
| Gift vouchers | ₹0.20 | ₹0.30 |
| Travel portal | ₹0.20 | ₹0.50 |
| Airline / hotel transfer | ₹0.405:2BEST | ₹1.001:1BEST |
Return by categoryearn rate × point value
Headline reward rate per category, before monthly caps. Switch the redemption strategy above to see how the picture shifts.
Your spend, head to head
Enter your monthly spend — net value is the annual rewards after the card fee, at each card's best realistic redemption (our recommender's model, caps and fee-waivers included).
Total ₹60,000/mo · ₹7,20,000/yr
Want the money-first pick across your whole wallet? Run the recommender →
| Axis Bank Reserve Credit Card | HDFC Bank Infinia Metal Credit Card | |
|---|---|---|
| Fees | ||
| Joining fee | ₹50,000 | ₹12,500 |
| Annual fee | ₹50,000/yr | ₹12,500/yr ✓ |
| Annual fee — all-in (incl. 18% GST) | ₹59,000 | ₹14,750 ✓ |
| Fee waiver at | ₹35,00,000/yr spend | ₹10,00,000/yr spend |
| Welcome benefit | ~₹6,000 | ~₹12,500 |
| Rewards | ||
| Best everyday reward | 6% on International ✓ | 3.3% on Groceries |
| Groceries | 3% | 3.3% ✓ |
| Insurance | — | 3.3% |
| International | 6% ✓ | 3.3% |
| Online Shopping | 3% | 3.3% ✓ |
| Base rate — other spends | 3% | 3.3% ✓ |
| Travel | 3% | 3.3% ✓ |
| Utility Bills | — | 3.3% |
| Charges | ||
| Forex markup | 1.5% ✓ | 2% |
| Finance charge | 3% p.m. | 1.99% p.m. |
| Cash advance | — | — |
| Add-on card | — | — |
| Perks | ||
| concierge | ✓ · Dedicated relationship manager and 24x7 lifestyle concierge with curated travel, dining and spa privileges | ~₹5,000/yr · 24x7 lifestyle and travel concierge service |
| fuel waiver | ~₹1,200/yr · 1% fuel-surcharge waiver on transactions between ₹400 and ₹4,000, capped at ₹400 per statement cycle — note that fuel itself earns no EDGE Reward Points on this card | — |
| golf | ~₹40,000/yr · Up to 50 complimentary golf rounds a year at select courses in India and abroad | ~₹20,000/yr · Unlimited complimentary golf games and lessons, with a 100% green fee waiver at leading courses across India and select courses worldwide |
| hotel membership | ~₹25,000/yr · Complimentary Club ITC Culinaire, Accor Plus and Club Marriott Asia Pacific memberships, plus 15% savings at Postcard Hotels (Oberoi hotel offers were discontinued 1 October 2025) | ✓ · Complimentary Club Marriott membership for the first year, giving discounts on dining and stays across Marriott properties in Asia-Pacific |
| insurance | — | ~₹3,000/yr · Accidental air death cover of ₹3 crore, emergency overseas hospitalisation up to ₹50 lakh, and credit liability cover up to ₹9 lakh |
| lounge access | ~₹24,000/yr · Unlimited domestic and international airport lounge access for primary and add-on cardholders, plus 12 complimentary guest visits a year. From 28 Aug 2026 Priority Pass no longer opens Indian domestic lounges — show the card and boarding pass. | ~₹24,000/yr · Unlimited domestic and international lounge access via complimentary Priority Pass membership, for the primary cardholder and add-on cardholders alike |
| movie ticket | ~₹3,000/yr · Complimentary BookMyShow tickets, plus complimentary EazyDiner Prime and Swiggy One memberships and handpicked experiences through extraordinaryweekends.com | — |
| Eligibility | ||
| Min income | — | — |
| Min age | — | — |
| UPI linked | — | — |
| Expert rating | 4.2 / 5 | 4.9 / 5 ✓ |
Reward rates above are the realistic value you keep — points earned × what a point is worth at each card's own best redemption, before monthly caps — so cards with different point values compare fairly. Bank-portal accelerators (earned only by booking through the issuer's own portal, on a slice of spend) are bounded upside, listed separately here rather than blended into the everyday rates.
Bonus via the bank's own portal
- 5X Reward Points on SmartBuy flights and buses (~16.5%), 10X on hotels (~33%); 1 point = ₹1. HDFC caps the accelerated points at 15,000 a month across all SmartBuy, vouchers included; base points keep earning. Brand vouchers have their own row.
- 5X Reward Points on GyFTR/Woohoo brand vouchers bought on SmartBuy (~16.5%). The accelerated points cap at 3,000 a month, inside the 15,000 SmartBuy cap; base points keep earning after that.
Which should you pick?
Choose the Axis Bank Reserve Credit Card if you want strong rewards on international. Consider the HDFC Bank Infinia Metal Credit Card if you spend more on groceries and prefer a lower fee. Your actual best card depends on how you spend — run your numbers below.
Axis Bank Reserve Credit Card vs HDFC Bank Infinia Metal Credit Card — FAQs
Which has a lower annual fee, Axis Bank Reserve Credit Card or HDFC Bank Infinia Metal Credit Card?
As of 24 Oct 2026, HDFC Bank Infinia Metal has the lower annual fee: ₹12,500 (₹14,750 with 18% GST), against ₹50,000 (₹59,000 with 18% GST) on Axis Bank Reserve. Axis Bank Reserve waives it after ₹35,00,000 of spend in a card year, HDFC Bank Infinia Metal after ₹10,00,000.
Do Axis Bank Reserve Credit Card and HDFC Bank Infinia Metal Credit Card offer airport lounge access?
As of 24 Oct 2026, Axis Bank Reserve and HDFC Bank Infinia Metal both list unlimited domestic and international airport lounge access. For spending abroad, Axis Bank Reserve adds 1.5% in forex markup against 2% on HDFC Bank Infinia Metal.
Which card has lower forex markup, Axis Bank Reserve Credit Card or HDFC Bank Infinia Metal Credit Card?
As of 24 Oct 2026, Axis Bank Reserve has the lower forex markup: 1.5%, against 2% on HDFC Bank Infinia Metal. With 18% GST on the markup, ₹1,00,000 spent abroad costs about ₹1,770 extra on Axis Bank Reserve and ₹2,360 on HDFC Bank Infinia Metal, a ₹590 difference.
For a frequent traveller, is the Axis Bank Reserve Credit Card or HDFC Bank Infinia Metal Credit Card better value?
On figures as of 24 Oct 2026, HDFC Bank Infinia Metal comes out ahead for a frequent traveller (about ₹1.2 lakh a month with heavy travel and forex spend), with a net annual value (rewards, perks and milestones, less the annual fee and forex markup) of ₹71,766 against ₹22,820 on Axis Bank Reserve, a ₹48,946 gap. That figure includes the forex markup on this traveller's spend abroad, where Axis Bank Reserve charges 1.5% against 2% on HDFC Bank Infinia Metal.
For everyday spending, which returns more: Axis Bank Reserve Credit Card or HDFC Bank Infinia Metal Credit Card?
On figures as of 24 Oct 2026, HDFC Bank Infinia Metal comes out ahead for an everyday spender (about ₹40,000 a month across groceries, bills, dining and fuel), with a net annual value (rewards, perks, milestones and renewal points, less the annual fee and forex markup) of ₹24,103 against −₹26,960 on Axis Bank Reserve, a ₹51,063 gap. Best everyday rates: 6% on international spends for Axis Bank Reserve, 3.3% on everyday spends for HDFC Bank Infinia Metal.
Which is better, Axis Bank Reserve Credit Card or HDFC Bank Infinia Metal Credit Card?
As of 24 Oct 2026, Axis Bank Reserve earns 6% on international spends at best, paid as Axis EDGE Reward Points, and HDFC Bank Infinia Metal earns 3.3% on everyday spends outside merchant or portal bonuses, paid as HDFC Reward Points. HDFC Bank Infinia Metal comes out ahead on net annual value in all four spend profiles we model. You can't apply for either today: Axis Bank Reserve and HDFC Bank Infinia Metal are both issued by invitation only.