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ICICI Bank Emeralde Credit Card Review 2026: Fees, Rewards & Benefits

Explore the ICICI Bank Emeralde Credit Card. Get details on unlimited lounge access, 1.5% forex markup, golf rounds, and the ₹15 Lakh fee waiver requirement.

Vyaya Team · Mar 2026
5 min read
Value Score
8.2 / 10
Annual Fee
₹12,000
Best For
Frequent International Traveler, Luxury Lifestyle Seeker
Network
Mastercard
Expert Verdict

The ICICI Bank Emeralde is a solid super-premium card for those who value travel convenience and lifestyle perks over raw reward points. Its standout features are the unlimited lounge access and the unique trip cancellation insurance, though its base reward rate lags behind industry leaders.

ICICI Bank Emeralde Credit Card credit card by ICICI Bank - Mastercard network
REWARD SUMMARY
0.25% Base Rewards
Experience Premium Privileges and Unmatched Luxury
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The Bottom Line

The ICICI Bank Emeralde Credit Card is the ICICI Bank Emeralde is a solid super-premium card for those who value travel convenience and lifestyle perks over raw reward points. Its standout features are the unlimited lounge access and the unique trip cancellation insurance, though its base reward rate lags behind industry leaders. With a ₹12,000 annual fee that is waived on ₹15,00,000 yearly spend, it offers 0% rewards on ishop hotels and unlimited lounge access. For anyone researching icici bank emeralde credit card, the verdict is simple: conditional.

It earns a base reward rate of 0.25% and stacks best when your spending lines up with Frequent International Traveler, Luxury Lifestyle Seeker. The renewal fee gets easier to justify once you can hit ₹15,00,000 in yearly spend.

What we like
+Unlimited domestic and international lounge access for the primary cardholder.
+Zero cancellation charges on flight and hotel bookings up to ₹12,000 twice a year.
+High entertainment value with ₹750 off on the second movie ticket via BookMyShow up to 4 times monthly.
+Low foreign currency markup fee of 1.5% to 2% depending on the variant.
+Complimentary golf rounds (up to 4 per month) based on spending.
What we don't
High annual fee of ₹12,000 with a steep waiver threshold of ₹15 Lakhs.
Base reward rate of 1% is lower than competitors like HDFC Infinia or Axis Magnus.
Strict eligibility criteria requiring very high monthly income or ITR.

Who Should Get This Card

Use this as a quick filter before comparing rewards or fees in detail.

Best fit for

Ideal
+
Frequent International Traveler

Unlimited international lounge access and low forex markup make it highly cost-effective for global trips.

Best value above ₹1,25,000/month
+
Luxury Lifestyle Seeker

Access to premium golf courses, spa sessions, and high-value movie discounts aligns with affluent lifestyle needs.

Best value above ₹1,00,000/month

Probably not for

Skip
Low Spender

The ₹12,000 annual fee is hard to justify without hitting the ₹15 Lakh waiver or utilizing the premium travel perks.

Is It Worth It For You?

Slide to your typical monthly card spend. We'll do the rest.

Calculate Your Value

Adjust your typical monthly spend by category.

🍽️
Dining
05,000Max ₹50k
Est. Returns
✈️
Travel
010,000Max ₹1L
Est. Returns
🛒
Shopping
08,000Max ₹80k
Est. Returns
🥬
Groceries
06,000Max ₹40k
Est. Returns
Annual rewards0
Annual fee-₹12,000
Net Value (Year 1)-12,000
Net Value (Year 2+)-12,000
Progress to fee waiver0%

Spend ₹15,00,000 more to waive annual fee

Sign in for personalized estimates based on your actual spending

Reward Rates

ICICI Bank Emeralde Credit Card offers 0.25% basic reward rate.

Quick Calculator

Estimate earnings for a specific purchase

iShop Hotels
0%
iShop Flights
0%

Welcome Offer

Welcome Benefit

{'brand': 'Trident Hotels', 'value': 7500, 'description': 'Dining voucher on birthday (Amex variant)'} {'brand': 'Tata CLiQ', 'value': 5000, 'description': 'Shopping voucher on birthday (Amex variant)'}

Milestone Benefits

Spend ₹400,000

Bonus Points

Spend ₹800,000

Bonus Points

Fees & Charges

Joining fee₹12,000
Annual fee₹12,000
Fee waiverSpend > ₹15,00,000

Eligibility

  • Min Income: ₹36 Lakhs
  • Min Credit Score: 750
  • Available for salaried individuals with a net monthly income of ₹3 Lakhs+ or self-employed with ITR of ₹30 Lakhs+. Also available to ICICI Bank Global Private Client customers.

Exclusions & Terms

Fuel

  • Fuel surcharge waiver applies instead of reward points

EMI Transactions

  • Standard bank policy excludes EMI from rewards

Compare with Alternatives

Feature
ICICI Bank Emeralde Credit Card by ICICI Bank - credit card comparison
ICICI Bank Emeralde Credit Card
ICICI Bank
Current Card
Axis Bank Magnus Credit Card by Axis Bank - credit card comparison
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SBI Card AURUM by SBI Card - credit card comparison
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Annual Fee
₹12,000
₹12,500
₹9,999
Joining Fee
₹12,000
₹12,500
₹9,999
Reward Rate
0.25%
0.2%
1%
Network
Mastercard
Visa
Visa
Best For
Frequent International TravelerLuxury Lifestyle Seeker
High SpenderFrequent International Traveler
High-Net-Worth IndividualFrequent International Traveler

Frequently Asked Questions

3 data-backed answers from our card database

What is the annual fee for the ICICI Emeralde Credit Card?+

The annual fee is ₹12,000 + GST. It is waived if you spend more than ₹15 Lakhs in the preceding year.

Does ICICI Emeralde offer unlimited lounge access?+

Yes, it offers unlimited complimentary access to both domestic and international airport lounges for the primary cardholder.

What is the reward rate on the ICICI Emeralde card?+

You earn 4 Reward Points per ₹100 on retail spends (1% value) and 1 Reward Point per ₹100 on utilities and insurance.

Ready to apply?

₹12,000 fee. Excellent rewards. Apply now securely.

Apply on ICICI Bank

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