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Updated Oct 2026·By Arun, Chartered Accountant·4 min read·Cross-checked vs issuer MITC & RBI·How we research
Verified October 2026 against the issuer’s current product page, terms and notices: Joining and annual fees ₹12,000 + GST each; the annual fee is waived for the next year on spends over ₹10 lakh. 4 reward points per ₹100 on domestic and international retail spends and 1 per ₹100 on utilities and insurance; none on fuel, rent or wallet reloads; points expire after 36 months. Unlimited domestic and international lounge access for the primary cardholder with no spend condition, up to 4 golf rounds a month, and a BookMyShow offer up to ₹750 (needs ₹25,000 prior-quarter spend from April 2026). Forex 2%; interest 3.75% a month.
Note: This covers the ICICI Bank Emeralde. ICICI’s newer flagship is the metal Emeralde Private Metal — a separate, higher tier.
Verified against ICICI Bank (October 2026): Super-premium card. Joining and annual fee ₹12,000 + GST (annual fee waived on ₹10 lakh spend). Unlimited domestic & international lounge access for the primary cardholder (international via Priority Pass; no spend condition as of June 2026). 4 reward points per ₹100 on domestic and international retail spends (1 per ₹100 on utilities and insurance; none on fuel); points redeem via ICICI’s rewards catalogue and iShop, where the value per point is shown at checkout. BookMyShow buy-1-get-up-to-₹750-off (4x/month; from 1 Apr 2026 needs ₹25,000 prior-quarter spend). Golf: 1 round/lesson per ₹50,000 monthly retail (max 4/month). No reward points on fuel, rent or e-wallet reloads. Confirm terms on icici.bank.in before applying.
ICICI Bank Emeralde Credit Card Review
ICICI Bank · Super-premium · Mastercard / American Express
Our score: 8.0 / 10
Fee: ₹12,000 (waivable)
Unlimited lounges
Value shown at checkout on iShop
Golf
The ICICI Bank Emeralde is a super-premium card built around unlimited lounges, golf and high redemption value through ICICI’s iShop. It earns even on usually-excluded categories — though fuel, rent and wallet reloads earn nothing. Here is the verified review.
TL;DR: A ₹12,000 super-premium card (waived at ₹10 lakh spend) with unlimited domestic and international lounge access, up to 4 RP per ₹100 (worth ₹1 each via iShop, with 6X/12X on iShop flights/hotels), golf, and a generous BookMyShow BOGO (up to ₹750). The catch: no points on fuel, rent or wallet reloads, and the movie BOGO now needs ₹25k prior-quarter spend. Excellent for high spenders who redeem via iShop. (The metal Emeralde Private is the newer flagship.)
What we like
Unlimited domestic & international lounge access (primary)
Up to 4 RP per ₹100 — incl. utilities & insurance
₹1/point value via iShop (6X flights / 12X hotels)
Generous BookMyShow BOGO (up to ₹750)
Golf rounds/lessons on spends
Fee waived at ₹10 lakh spend
Watch out for (2026)
No points on fuel, rent or wallet reloads
Movie BOGO now needs ₹25k prior-quarter spend
Point value varies by redemption
High ₹12,000 fee
Newer Emeralde Private Metal is a separate flagship
Fees & rewards
Item
Detail
Annual fee
₹12,000 (waived on ₹10 lakh spend)
Rewards
Up to 4 RP per ₹100 (incl. utilities/insurance)
Point value
Varies by redemption
iShop
Check iShop offers
Lounge
Unlimited domestic & international (primary)
2026 exclusions
No points on fuel, rent or wallet reloads
Eligibility & documents
Tier
Super-premium
Income
₹1,50,000/month salaried or ₹18 lakh/year self-employed; age 21–65
Network
Visa
Best redemption
iShop
Best for
High spenders who use iShop & lounges
Documents
PAN, Aadhaar, income & address proof
Who this card is for
Best fit: high spenders who travel, golf and redeem via iShop for ₹1/point value.
Skip if: much of your spend is now-excluded (fuel/rent/tax) or you won’t redeem via iShop.
How to apply & how to cancel
Apply: via icici.bank.in. Cancel: call ICICI after clearing dues; redeem via iShop first.
Final verdict
The ICICI Emeralde is a strong super-premium card — unlimited lounges, golf, a rich BookMyShow BOGO and ₹1/point value via iShop. The exclusions (no points on fuel, rent or wallet reloads) and the iShop-dependent value are the caveats; for high spenders who travel and redeem smartly, it’s excellent. Note ICICI’s newer metal Emeralde Private is the higher flagship.
Frequently asked questions
How much lounge access?
Unlimited domestic and international lounge access for the primary cardholder (international via Priority Pass).
What is a reward point worth?
Value varies by redemption; ICICI shows the value per point at checkout on iShop and the rewards catalogue.
What changed in 2026?
No reward points are earned on fuel, rent or wallet reloads; the movie BOGO now needs ₹25,000 prior-quarter spend.
Is this the metal Emeralde?
No — this is the Emeralde. ICICI’s newer flagship is the metal Emeralde Private.
Data current as of October 2026, cross-checked against ICICI Bank official information. Reward rules changed in 2026 — confirm current terms on icici.bank.in before applying.
Opens ICICI Bank’s official website. Check current fees & eligibility before applying.
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ArunChartered Accountant
Arun is a Chartered Accountant with 14 years in finance leadership. He writes and maintains every review and calculator on CreditSmart, cross-checking each figure against issuer MITC documents, RBI notifications and official rate sheets before publication. He accepts no commissions or payments from card issuers.
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