The ICICI Bank Emeralde Credit Card is a premium card for high spending customers. It provides a wide range of lifestyle benefits, including unlimited domestic and international lounge access through Priority Pass and DreamFolks, complimentary memberships like Taj Epicure and EazyDiner Prime, and free golf rounds and lessons. The card also provides offer of a Buy 1 Get 1 free movie offer on BookMyShow (twice a month, up to ₹750). The main highlighted financial features are for late payment fee, no over-limit fee, and no cash advance fee. The card carries a membership fee of ₹12,499 including GST, which is waived on annual spends of ₹10 lakh or more.
ICICI Bank Emeralde Credit Card Welcome Benefits
As a preferred cardholder, you are treated to the Taj Epicure membership, a high-end hospitality initiative of Taj Hotels. This consists of a free night stay, 25 percent off on dining and drinks, and 20 percent off on spa and salon treatments at participating Taj hotels. On top of that, you get a free EazyDiner Prime membership, which opens up up to a 50 percent discount at more than 3000 highest-rated restaurants in India and Dubai.
ICICI Bank Emeralde Credit Card Lounge Access
Cardholders get unlimited free access to specific domestic airport lounges in India. Both the primary cardholder and add-on cardholder are eligible for this facility, providing convenience and comfort to family members or traveling companions over an extended period. For international travel, the card allows unlimited free access to more than 1,400 international lounges across the globe via Priority Pass and DreamFolks membership. The offer also covers add-on cardholders, which simplifies access to global lounge amenities without any limitations for card members as well as their families. Such lounges usually feature pleasant seating, complimentary Wi-Fi, refreshments, drinks, and office facilities, which provide a high-end travel experience.
There is no spend requirement or usage limit associated with the lounge benefit, access is unrestricted as long as the card remains valid. This is consistent with the card’s positioning as a high-end product for heavy travelers seeking hassle-free and refined airport experiences.
Entertainment Benefits
Regular movie lovers can get a Buy 1 Get 1 offer on free movie tickets on BookMyShow, which is available twice in a month with an offer of a maximum discount of ₹750 on the second ticket. This is a good option for families and couples who go out frequently.
Golf Access
The ICICI Bank Emeralde Credit Card offers one complimentary round or lesson of golf for every ₹50,000 spent in the previous calendar month, capped at 4 rounds or lessons per month. Access is available at select golf courses in India and abroad. Eligible criteria limit the possibilities of getting these benefits monthly; the criteria might be on the lower side, towards a 30K spend.
Birthday Benefits
The ICICI Bank Emeralde Credit Card offers a birthday benefit exclusively for the American Express variant. Cardholders receive a ₹5,000 Tata CLiQ shopping voucher during their birthday month. This benefit is not available with the Mastercard variant.
Card Varients
The ICICI Bank Emeralde Credit Card is available in three variants: Visa, Mastercard, and American Express. All the main features across all variants remain the same, the American Express variant provides offer of a ₹5,000 Tata CLiQ voucher during the birthday month. Cardholders can choose the variant at the time of application as per their preference.
Reward Points Structure and Redemption
The ICICI Bank Emeralde Credit Card provide 4 reward points per ₹100 on all retail spends, and just 1 point per ₹100 on fuel, utilities, and insurance. Points can be redeemed through the ICICI Rewards portal or converted to Air India Miles at a 1:1 ratio. A conversion fee of ₹99 + GST applies per request, and points will be valid for 3 years.
While the low reward rate, when the card’s come with premium fees, makes it less rewarding compared to other high-end credit cards. For custmers with higher annual spending, other competitive cards providing better reward rates.
Fees & Charges
The ICICI Bank Emeralde Credit Card provides options for its fee-paying structure, allowing applicants to choose between two membership plans, that is, monthly and annual. Under the monthly plan, cardholders are charged ₹1,000 plus GST per month, which is waived if the user spends ₹1 lakh or more in that billing cycle. Alternatively, the annual plan carries a ₹12,000 plus GST yearly fee, waived on achieving ₹10 lakh annual spending.
Monthly Joining/Annual fee paying option is good as compared to yearly.
| Fee Type | Charges |
|---|---|
| Joining Fee | ₹12,499 + GST( monthly – 1000, Annually – 12000 ) |
| Annual Fee | ₹12,499 + GST (waived on ₹10 lakh spend/year) |
| Interest Rate (Revolving Credit) | 3.49% – 3.99% per month |
| Cash Advance Fee | Nil |
| Late Payment Fee | Nil |
| Over-limit Fee | Nil |
| Foreign Currency Markup Fee | 1.5% of transaction value |
| Reward Redemption Fee | ₹99 + GST per redemption |
| Duplicate Statement Charges | ₹100 per statement |
| Cheque Bounce Charges | ₹750 per cheque |
Eligiblity
To be eligible for this credit card, salaried individuals should have a net monthly income of at least ₹3 lakh. Self-employed applicants must have filed income tax returns showing an annual income of ₹30 lakh or more. Additionally, existing ICICI Bank Global Private Client customers can also apply for this card.
ICICI Bank Emeralde Credit Card Review
ICICI Bank Emeralde Credit Card is a premium card for high-income individuals. With the joining and annual fee of ₹12,000 with taxes, which is waived if you spend ₹10 lakh a year, it is the perfect card for big spenders. The main benefit is unlimited access to airport lounges, and it is highly beneficial for regular flyers. It also provides features of no late payment, cash advance, or over-limit fee, offering flexibility and security.
However, the low reward rate is a significant drawback, especially when contrasted with other premium cards that cost around the same. For individuals who like rewards or cashback, this might be able to reduce the overall value of the card.
Overall, this card is ideal for heavy spenders who will be able to utilize its travel benefits. However, rework the reward program to make it justified for the premium fees and keep up with the trend in this segment.
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