Search Credit Card  

When we talk about some of the best premium credit cards, HDFC Infinia and YES First exclusive are definitely the most preferred choices that come to mind. Starting from the welcome benefits to some exclusive travel rewards, these cards cater to all the categories that one looks for in a premium credit card. So, here we will give our comparison of both the cards and will see who wins when it comes to one of the best premium credit cards in India.

HDFC Infinia Credit Card


Paisabazaar Rating: 4/5

YES First Exclusive Credit Card

Paisabazaar Rating: 4.5/5
Welcome Benefits
Reward Points
Travel Benefits
Other Lifestyle Benefits
Fee and Charges
Welcome Benefits
HDFC Infinia YES First Exclusive
One year hotel membership of Club Marriott with discount up to 20% on dining 50,000 bonus reward points on the first transaction made within 90 days of card issuance

Who wins here?

HDFC Infinia and YES First Exclusive both have annual fee of Rs.10,000. When it comes to the welcome benefits, HDFC Infinia offers complimentary membership of Club Marriott which can be best suited for frequent travelers. For individuals who do not travel much then this welcome gift would not turn out to be helpful.

However, YES First Exclusive comes with 50,000 bonus reward points on cardholder’s very first transaction, so the flexibility increases as the cardholder will have a free hand to utilize the reward points. So here, YES First Exclusive has an edge over HDFC Infinia.

Reward Points
HDFC Infinia  YES First Exclusive 
5 Reward Points on every Rs.150 spent on retail and utility spends, rent and education 12 Reward Points on every Rs.100 spent on Travel and Dining
10 times Reward Points on travel and shopping spends with Smartbuy 6 Reward Points on every Rs.100 spent on all other categories
2 Reward Points on Dining spends On registering with YES PayNow, you will earn 1000 Reward Points

Who wins here?

Excluding fuel and wallet transaction you will earn 5 reward points on every other transaction made with HDFC Infinia credit card. But if we compare it with YES First exclusive, you earn more reward points on dining and travel along with 6 reward points on your daily purchases.

Travel Benefits
HDFC Infinia YES First Exclusive
Cardholders get unlimited complimentary airport lounge access for primary and add-on cardholders at 1000+ airport lounges globally YES First Exclusive also offers complimentary airport lounge access globally but to selected YES customers. In India, the cardholders can avail the lounge access to 25+ airport lounges
Foreign Currency Markup Fee is 2% along with applicable charges YES First Exclusive comes with foreign currency markup fee of 1.75% along with applicable charges

Who wins here?

Frequent travelers can pick any of the two when it comes to experiencing some of the travel benefits not only for them but for add-on members too. HDFC Infinia offers lounge access to more airports globally, though if you are looking for a lower foreign currency markup charges then you can go for YES First Exclusive credit card.

Other Lifestyle Benefits
HDFC Infinia YES First Exclusive
Golf privileges can be availed at select golf courses globally along with complimentary green fee waiver Complimentary golf lesson every month at select golf courses in India along with 3 green fee waiver
1% fuel surcharge waiver at all fuel stations in India on transactions between Rs.400 and Rs.1,00,000. However, no reward points will be earned on any fuel transactions. Fuel surcharge waiver across all the fuel stations in India for fuel transactions between Rs.400 and Rs.5,000
  • Air Accident cover worth Rs.3 crore
  • Emergency overseas hospitalization up to Rs.50 lakh
  • Credit shield cover for upto Rs.9 lakh
  •  Life insurance cover of Rs.3 crore for death due to flight accidents
  • Medical insurance of Rs.50 lakh for emergency hospitalization overseas
  • The primary cardholder gets credit shield cover.
Get up to 20% off at partner restaurants and 2x reward points on other restaurants. Get 25% discount on movie tickets when booking from BookMyShow app or website
No pre-set spending limit, a unique feature of HDFC Infinia which allows you to temporarily increase your credit limit on informing the bank executives. This feature is applicable only on HDFC Infinia credit card The primary cardholder can avail complimentary membership of Taj InnerCircle epicure with benefits on dining and stay at select Taj Hotels on using YES First Exclusive credit card.
Fee and Charges
Fee Details HDFC Infinia YES First Exclusive
Annual Fee Rs.10,000 + applicable taxes Rs.10,000 + applicable taxes
Additional Card Fee Lifetime Free Nil
Cash Advance Limit 40% of the credit limit 30% of the credit limit
Foreign Currency Mark Up Fee 2% + GST 1.75% + GST
Annual Fee Waiver On spending Rs.8 lakh in an annual year, get the next year’s membership fee free Communicated at the time of sourcing
Finance Charges 1.99% p.m. For YES Bank account holders – 1.20% p.m.

For other bank account holders- 1.99% p.m.

The fee and charges of both these credit cards are more or less the same. If we consider the foreign currency markup fee and the advance cash limit, YES First Exclusive again takes the bonus point here.

Read Full Review of HDFC Infinia

Ratings: HDFC Infinia Vs. YES First Exclusive

Parameters HDFC Infinia YES First Exclusive
Annual Fee ★★★
 ★★★
Lounge Access ★★★★
 ★★★
Travel Benefits ★★★★
 ★★★★
Reward Points ★★★
 ★★★
Welcome Benefits ★★★
 ★★★★
Entertainment Benefits ★★
 ★★★★
Overall Rating ★★★★
 ★★★★

Final Verdict

Both YES First Exclusive and HDFC Infinia are premium travel credit cards popular among the travel enthusiasts. However, with its exceptionally rewarding welcome benefits and travel benefits YES First Exclusive becomes a clear winner here. The 2.5% reward rate of YES First Exclusive is far better from other travel credit cards in the market.

On the other hand, despite having some great features like Priority Pass Membership and No Pre-Set Spending Limit, HDFC Infinia falls short of being our favourite as its an invite only card and cannot be applied by everyone. This means, one must depend on the bank for the invitation and wait for approval to make the most of HDFC Infinia credit card benefits.

Thus, YES First Exclusive would be our recommendation as it is not only easier to apply but the travel benefits and reward rate also scores higher than HDFC Infinia credit card.

Let us know in the comment section below if you have any suggestions for the comparison made above.

Leave a Comment or Ask a Question!

Your email address will not be published and will be used to send a reply to your query.

Menu