All cards / ICICI Bank
ICICI Emeralde
ICICI's flagship super-premium travel card for high spenders — unlimited domestic lounge access bundled with Priority Pass for international lounges, a flat ~4 reward points per ₹100 on general spend, and a competitive 2% forex markup for cardholders who travel internationally. The ₹12,000 fee is steep but waives on ₹10 lakh annual spend, positioning it against cards like the Axis Magnus and HDFC Infinia.
Annual fee
₹12,000
Joining fee
₹12,000
Reward type
points
Base reward rate
4%
Card network
Visa
Card tier
Super-premium
Who this card fits
Best suited to applicants with a credit score of roughly 780+ whose spend is concentrated in travel. Its annual fee waives if you can comfortably clear the spend threshold.
Rewards & benefits
- Movie & dining: Culinary Treats dining discounts at partner restaurants nationwide
- Rewards rate: 4% base rate
- Travel: Dedicated travel concierge and a competitive 2% forex markup for international spend
- Domestic lounge access: Unlimited complimentary domestic lounge access for primary and add-on cardholders
- International lounge access: Priority Pass membership covering 1,400+ international lounges; guest visits chargeable beyond the complimentary quota
- Golf: Complimentary golf rounds/lessons at select courses, tied to monthly spend thresholds
- Insurance benefits: ₹3 crore air accident cover when the flight ticket is purchased on the card, plus baggage loss and delay protection on eligible bookings
Benefits by category
- ✈️ Travel
Unlimited domestic lounge access for primary and add-on cardholders, plus Priority Pass membership covering 1,400+ international lounges (guest visits chargeable beyond the complimentary quota)
- 🛡️ Insurance
₹3 crore air accident cover when the flight ticket is purchased on the card, plus baggage loss and delay protection on eligible bookings
- 🧾 Utilities
1% reward rate
- ⛽ Fuel
1% fuel surcharge waiver on transactions between ₹400 and ₹4,000, capped monthly
- 🌍 Forex / international spend
2% forex markup on international transactions
Eligibility
- Minimum credit score: 780
- Minimum monthly income: ₹1,50,000
- Employment: salaried, self-employed
- Age: 21–65
Fees & charges
- Spend-based waiver: Waived on annual spend of ₹10,00,000
- Rewards redemption fee: Free for redemption as statement credit or ICICI's own reward catalogue vouchers; ₹99 + GST per redemption request for select third-party gift/merchandise catalogue items
- Foreign currency markup: 2%
- Interest rate: 40.8% p.a.
- Fuel surcharge waiver: 1% fuel surcharge waiver on transactions between ₹400 and ₹4,000, capped monthly
- Cash advance charges: 2.5% of the transaction amount or ₹500, whichever is higher, plus applicable GST
Benefits
- Unlimited domestic lounge access for primary and add-on cardholders, plus Priority Pass membership covering 1,400+ international lounges (guest visits chargeable beyond the complimentary quota)
- ₹3 crore air accident cover when the flight ticket is purchased on the card, plus baggage loss and delay protection on eligible bookings
- 1% fuel surcharge waiver on transactions between ₹400 and ₹4,000, capped monthly
Pros
- + Unlimited domestic lounge access plus Priority Pass for international lounges
- + ₹3 crore air accident cover on card-purchased tickets
- + Reduced 2% forex markup, meaningfully lower than entry/mid-tier cards
- + Strong flat ~4% reward rate on general spend, well above typical mid-tier cards
- + Fee fully waived on ₹10 lakh annual spend, achievable for the target income segment
Cons
- − Very high income requirement (₹1.5L/month) locks out most applicants
- − ₹12,000 joining/annual fee is a real commitment even with the waiver path
- − Utility spend earns just 1 point per ₹100, far below the general rate
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