HDFC Infinia Credit Card Users Alert! New Rules Will Reduce Your Voucher Benefits; Here's How

HDFC Infinia credit card users, pay attention! The new rules related to credit card reward points are expected to significantly reduce HDFC Bank's Infinia credit users' reward multipliers. The new HDFC Infinia Credit Card reward points rules have come into effect from Friday, January 16.

The development is expected to significantly cut the effective value that cardholders have usually extracted from the HDFC Infinia credit card multiplier route.

What Will Change For HDFC Infinia Credit Card Holders From January 16?

HDFC Bank's Infinia credit card will soon deliver lower rewards on SmartBuy voucher spends, changing returns for many high-spend customers. From January 16, 2026, the reward multiplier on these voucher purchases drops from 5X to 3X, sharply cutting the effective value cardholders have usually extracted from this route, according to a moneycontrol.com report.

The change brings down the approximate pre-fee reward rate on such voucher spends from nearly 16.67 percent to around 10 percent. For users who relied on stacking accelerated rewards on vouchers to fund travel or big-ticket redemptions, this reduction makes the strategy less rewarding than before.

HDFC Infinia Credit Card Rewards: What Will Change?

The change in HDFC Infinia credit card points multiplier on SmartBuy voucher multiplier will reduce the reward points earned on these expenses. Cardholders still receive 5 reward points for every Rs 150 spent on regular transactions. What shifts is the acceleration on SmartBuy vouchers, which had been one of the most discussed features among those planning large discretionary spends through the card.

Under the earlier structure, Infinia users earned 5 points per Rs 150, then enjoyed a 5X boost on SmartBuy voucher spends. This meant 25 points per Rs 150 before any extra accelerators or caps. With the multiplier now moving to 3X, similar voucher spends will generate 15 points per Rs 150, lowering the upside though still offering boosted rewards compared with plain base earning.

HDFC Infinia Credit Card Changes

This recalibration from HDFC Bank sits within a broader shift in credit card rewards across issuers. Banks are reworking categories, tightening generous offers, and revisiting high-cost benefits. Many have restricted reward earning on specific transaction types, or added fresh conditions on premium perks, as they balance customer expectations with rising programme costs.

ICICI Bank has also outlined major updates to its credit card portfolio, effective from January 2026. The well-known BookMyShow Buy-One-Get-One movie ticket benefit will now carry conditions, rather than remaining an open perk. In addition, a 1 percent charge will apply on wallet loading transactions of Rs 5,000 or more, with these changes rolling out in stages between January and February 2026 for all retail credit card customers.

HDFC Bank has already altered airport lounge access for debit card users, signalling a steady tightening of lifestyle-linked benefits. Instead of simple card swipes at lounges, debit cardholders must now use a voucher-based access process, which also comes with higher minimum spend thresholds. The move highlights how both credit and debit card offerings are being fine-tuned rather than expanded.