| Particulars | ICICI Emeralde | ICICI Emeralde Private |
|---|---|---|
| Annual Fee | Rs. 12,000
(waived off on annual spends of Rs. 10 Lakh) |
Rs. 12,499
(waived off on annual spends of Rs. 10 Lakh) |
| Reward Earning | 1 point per Rs. 100 on utilities and insurance categories/4 points per Rs. 100 on other retail spends | 6 points per Rs. 200 including grocery, education, insurance and utilities transactions |
| Per Reward Value | Rs. 0.25 | Up to Rs. 1 |
| Reward Rate | 1% | 3% |
| Redemption Option | Rewards catalogue | Flights,hotel and selected brand vouchers; rewards catalogue and statement credit |
| Reward Rate (iShop) | Flight/Voucher: 6% Hotel Bookings: 12% |
Flight/Voucher: 18% Hotel Bookings: 36% |
| Travel Benefits | ||
| Lounge Access | Unlimited | Unlimited |
| Forex Markup Fee | 2% | 2% |
| Others | Travel Cancellation Cover | Travel Cancellation Cover |
| Lifestyle Benefits | ||
| Movies | Up to Rs. 750 off on the 2nd ticket on BookMyShow bookings (4 times in a month) | Up to Rs. 750 off on the 2nd ticket on BookMyShow bookings (twice a month) |
| Golf | 4 rounds/lesson every month | Unlimited golf lessons or rounds every month |
| Other |
|
|
ICICI Bank
ICICI Bank Emeralde Credit Card
Travel
Movies
Reward Points
1st Year Fee: ₹12,000* Plus Applicable Taxes
Movies
Buy 1 Get 1 Offer via BookMyShow
Lounge Access
Unlimited airport lounge access
International Use
Low forex markup fee of 2%
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About ICICI Emeralde Credit Card
The ICICI Emeralde Credit Card is a premium offering that caters to the lifestyle needs of the high-income groups. Though the card now has an upgraded variant in the metal edition—the ICICI Emeralde Private, Emeralde still holds a good return to offer to the consumers who seek overall lifestyle benefits in a single card. Cardholders can earn up to 4 reward points per Rs. 100, including the often excluded transactions like utilities and insurance, free movie tickets via BookMyShow, complimentary golf rounds, shopping vouchers, unlimited lounge access, and much more.
In comparison to Emeralde Private and other premium cards like HDFC Diners Club Black, HDFC Infinia, etc., Emeralde offers a very low per-redemption value of Rs. 0.25 and limited redemption options. However, now the launch of the iShop portal has somewhat compensated for this low reward rate. Card users can earn an accelerated 6% reward rate on flights and voucher purchases and 12% on hotel bookings, enhancing the overall value-back potential for frequent shoppers and travelers. If you don’t mind sticking to iShop for your travel bookings and shopping via vouchers, you can easily maximize the reward benefits on the card. But users seeking straightforward reward benefits with a good value-back can consider other options like HDFC Diners Club Black, ICICI Emerald Private, etc.
Note: This Card is not available on Paisabazaar.com. The content on this page is for information only.
Reward Structure & Travel Benefits
Rewards Program:
- 4 reward points for every Rs. 100 spent on retail transactions1
- 1 reward point for every Rs. 100 spent on utilities and insurance categories
- Value of 1 reward point = Rs. 0.25
Travel Benefits:
- Unlimited domestic airport lounge access
- Unlimited international airport lounge access with Priority Pass membership
- Low forex markup fee of 2%
- Travel Cancellation cover with refund up to Rs. 12,0002
Other Lifestyle Privileges
Movies: Buy one movie/non-movie ticket and get up to Rs. 750 off on a second ticket on BookMyShow, up to four times every month.
Golf: 4 complimentary rounds/lesson every month (1 per Rs. 50,000 spent in the previous month)
Birthday Benefit: Complimentary shopping voucher worth Rs. 5,000 from Tata CLiQ.3
Concierge Service: 24×7 concierge service for reservation at restaurants, hotels and flights; booking movie tickets; car rentals; gift delivery, etc.4
Dining: Dining discount via ICICI Bank Culinary Treats Programme
Fuel: 1% fuel surcharge waiver across all fuel stations in India.
Insurance: The card offers comprehensive insurance cover as follows:
ICICI Emeralde Credit Card: Fees & Charges
| Fee Type | Amount | ||||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Joining Fee | Rs. 12,000 + Taxes | ||||||||||||||||||
| Annual Fee | Rs. 12,000 + Taxes | ||||||||||||||||||
| Card Replacement Fee | Rs. 200 | ||||||||||||||||||
| Finance Charges | 3.75% p.m. | 45% p.a | ||||||||||||||||||
| Cash Withdrawal Charges | Nil | ||||||||||||||||||
| Late Payment Charges |
|
Things to Know Before you apply
Get this card if:
You own other credit cards with a good reward rate
You do not mind shifting to iShop for your travel and shopping spends
You prefer reward redemption against product catalogue instead of airmiles or statement credit
You can spend around Rs. 10 Lakh every year to avail the fee waiver
Eligibility Requirements:
Age: Minimum 21 to 65 years
For Salaried: Rs. 1.5 Lakh per month
For Self-employed: Annual ITR of Rs. 18 Lakh and above
Paisabazaar Review
What do we like about this card?
Among all premium cards, Emeralde holds a place for itself due to its lifestyle benefits around golf, travel, movies, shopping, and concierge. The card offers a low reward rate but includes some often restricted categories in its rewards program, such as utilities and insurance. Additionally, it holds good perks to match the preferences of frequent travelers, such as low forex markup and unlimited lounge access. To maximize the lifestyle benefits, you can also consider getting this card if you already own an entry-level reward credit card with a good reward rate.
Pros
- Unlimited lounge access
- Inclusion of utility and insurance in rewards program
- Low forex markup fee
- Benefit on movie tickets via BookMyShow
Cons
- Low redemption value
- High spend threshold for complimentary golf benefits
- Birthday benefits limited to American Express cards
- Limited redemption options/No miles conversion benefit
Frequently Asked Questions
Everything you need to know about this credit card
The annual fee of Rs. 12,000 is waived off on annual spends of Rs. 10 Lakh in the previous year.
The ICICI credit card customer care number is 1860 120 7777.
Apart from the regular annual fee charges, the ICICI Bank Emeralde Credit Card is also available on monthly mode pricing code. Instead of a one-time annual fee, a monthly fee of Rs. 1,000 will be applicable on the card, which will be waived off on spends of Rs. 1 Lakh in the previous month.
The cash withdrawal charge on the ICICI Emeralde credit card is waived. However, in general, withdrawing cash using your credit card is not advisable.
Yes, you can earn rewards on insurance spends of up to Rs. 80,000 only.
Footnotes
- Fuel transactions are excluded from the rewards program
- Travel cancellation cover is valid for two transactions every year on movie tickets, and domestic travel bookings (flights and hotels)
- This offer is valid only for American Express Cardholders
- This service is currently available in New Delhi, Mumbai, Bengaluru and Chennai.
Click here to know More Terms and Conditions
Megha Khanna
Megha is an experienced writer with a specialization in credit cards and personal finance. With a keen eye for detail and a passion for helping readers make informed financial choices, she creates engaging content that demystifies the complexities of credit cards, from rewards and benefits to interest rates and fees.
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