• Hey there! Welcome to TFC! View fewer ads on the website just by signing up on TF Community.

ICICI Bank Emeralde Private Metal Credit Card Launched

ICICI Bank has launched the Emerald Private Metal Credit Card, which offers all the benefits of the ICICI Emerald Credit Card along with a few additional benefits.

Welcome Benefits:
  1. Taj Epicure membership for the first year. [You'll get one stay voucher with this]
  2. Receive 12,500 bonus reward points after annual fee payment each year.
  3. EazyDiner Prime membership (renewed annually).
Main Benefits:
  1. Unlimited golf games/lessons for the primary cardholder.
  2. Unlimited domestic airport lounge access using the Emerald Private Metal Credit Card for both the primary and add-on cardholders.
  3. Unlimited international airport lounge access using Priority Pass for both the primary and add-on cardholders.
  4. Buy one, get one free movie/event ticket from BookMyShow twice per month. Maximum Discount: Rs. 750 per ticket.
  5. Up to Rs. 12,000 refund for a maximum of 2 transactions per year on tickets booked exclusively with the Emeralde Private Metal Credit Card.
  6. Discounted markup fees: 2%.
  7. 1% fuel surcharge waiver for all transactions up to Rs. 4000. Maximum surcharges waiver - Rs. 1000 per statement cycle.
  8. No Extra Charges/Penalty For: Cash Withdrawal, Over limit, Late payment.
  9. You can get 3 complimentary add-on cards
Reward System:
Earn 6 reward points for every Rs. 200 spent.
No reward points on Tax Payment, Rent payments, EMI and Fuel purchases.

Reward Points Value:
Flight/Hotel Booking: 1 reward point = Rs. 1
Gift Vouchers*: 1 reward point = Rs. 1
Rewards Catalogue [other products]: 1 reward point = Rs. 0.60
Statement Credit: 1 reward point = Rs. 0.40

*Brands' Gift Vouchers available under the 1:1 redemption ratio include:
  • Travel Category: MakeMyTrip, EaseMyTrip, Yatra, ClearTrip, Hyaat, Marriott International, ITC Hotels, Taj Hotels.

    View attachment 36109
  • Electronics: Apple
  • Luxury Brands: Tanishq, Mothercare [Luxe], G-Star Raw [Luxe], Giorgio Armani [Luxe], Emporio Armani [Luxe], Canali [Luxe], Coach [Luxe], Tumi [Luxe], Scotch & Soda [Luxe], Jimmy Choo [Luxe]
There are lots of other brand vouchers available, but for those, you'll get a value of 1 reward point = Rs. 0.60. I think you have a decent option available under the 1:1 redemption category. ITC, Hyatt, Marriott, Taj, and other travel-related vouchers are worth considering. So, in terms of redemption options, I must say this is a decent card. And I think this is better than HDFC SmartBuy portal flight or hotel booking redemption system. The main downside of SmartBuy portal flight or hotel booking redemption is that you can't use 100% reward points. However, in the case of ICICI Emeralde Private Metal Card, you can just get an MMT voucher or any other travel voucher and book your flights or hotels.

Reward Rate:
Flight/Hotel Booking: 3%
Gift Vouchers: 3%
Rewards Catalogue: 1.8%
Statement Credit: 1.2%

Reward Redemption:
You can redeem your ICICI Bank Reward Points across Catalogues, from movie and travel vouchers to lifestyle products, mobiles, appliances, statement credit and more.
Redemption of Reward Points against statement balance (cashback redemption) is capped at 50,000 Reward Points per Statement cycle.

Reward Capping:
  • Reward Points earned on Insurance transaction will be capped at 5,000 Reward Points per statement cycle. [Spends required to reach maximum reward- Rs. 1,66,800]
  • Reward Points earned on grocery transaction will be capped at 1,000 Reward Points per statement cycle. [Spends required to reach maximum reward- Rs. 33,400]
  • Reward Points earned on Utilities transaction will be capped at 1,000 Reward Points per statement cycle. [Spends required to reach maximum reward- Rs. 33,400]
  • Reward Points earned on Education transaction will be capped at 1,000 Reward Points per statement cycle. [Spends required to reach maximum reward- Rs. 33,400]

Milestone Benefits:
Spend Rs. 8 lakhs per year and receive 2 air travel vouchers worth Rs. 3000 each (total Rs. 6000) from EaseMyTrip. Reward Rate: 0.75%.
Spends 4 Lakhs and get first EaseMyTrip voucher worth Rs. 3000/-​
Spends 8 Lakhs and get your second EaseMyTrip voucher worth Rs. 3000/-​

Charges:
Joining Fee: Rs. 12,499 + GST.
Annual Fee: Rs. 12,499 + GST.
Annual Fee Reversal Criteria: Spend Rs. 10 lakhs in the next card membership year to have your annual fee reversed.

Card Replacement Fees: Rs. 3500/-

Opinion:
The ICICI Bank Emeralde Private Metal Credit Card is the flagship credit card of ICICI Bank. When considering the reward rate, I must say this card offers decent value back on spending. The main drawback is that ICICI Bank does not offer a reward points transfer feature like HDFC Bank or Axis Bank.
Typically, credit cards of this nature provide the option to transfer points. However, in this case, we can only redeem our reward points for brand gift vouchers. I hope ICICI Bank will address this issue and introduce some transfer partners soon. You'll receive 12,500 reward points worth Rs. 12,500 on joining, so mathematically you'll only need to pay the GST (Approx. Rs. 2250/-) each year, similar to the SC Ultimate credit card. Additionally, you'll receive Taj Epicure membership for the first year with this card, allowing you to enjoy a complimentary stay at a Taj hotel. This benefit can help offset your card's joining fees effectively.
Overall, this is a good credit card, unlike other gemstone cards, as it offers a better reward rate. If you are seeking a premium credit card but don't plan to redeem your reward points for airline miles and instead prefer gift vouchers, then this credit card is for you.
 
Last edited:
This is TnC of the Emeralde metal card. CardsAcademy video also mentioned 3% cashback but I see against statement its 40p and not 1/- per RP. I guess I will give this card a miss. 14500 fees = 12500 RPs = 5000/- cash or 12500/- against flight/hotel booking.

Infinia has same catch as the 3.3% returns on offline spend (5 RP per 150/-) convert to 30P per RP. On Emeralde Metal credit card page, they say 1 RP=1/- but in the attached TnC, against statement credit its just 40p.
I guess Amazon vouchers is part of Rewards Catalogue - other products at 0.6 per point. So it will not be worth as well.

I didn't see it earlier 3-4 days back. Maybe they added it recently.

My guess is they will soon cover other loopholes too like no points for wallet load and no free night on Taj.
 
Now I guess this card is good ONLY for its non-spend benefits:

1. Unlimited international and domestic lounge access
2. Golf benefits
3. Taj epicure membership and 1 night stay
4. 750/- BMS movie ticket
5. EazyDiner membership for a year

If you can convert your RPs you get on Fees to flight/hotel vouchers, it becomes free and then enjoy benefits for 11 months. Cancel the card as 2nd year onwards, you cannot recover the fees unless they give you equal RPs.

This is dead on arrival for someone who already has Magnus/Infinia/DCB
 
It just says Amazon voucher as redeemable option. I doubt it says you get 1:1 on Amazon voucher.
I think Amazon Voucher will be redeemable at 0.6

So basically 1.8% RR. Add another 1% of HDFC BillPay, around 2.8% return.

Only good for offline transactions and wallet loads (big if) then... 😀

खोदा पहाड़ निकली चुहिया 😆
 
I think Amazon Voucher will be redeemable at 0.6

So basically 1.8% RR. Add another 1% of HDFC BillPay, around 2.8% return.

Only good for offline transactions and wallet loads (big if) then... 😀

खोदा पहाड़ निकली चुहिया 😆
True. DOA for me. Makes no sense to use this instead of Infinia. ICICI has no accelerated rewards system so 3% cashback was the only ace I thought they have but its only 1.2% which even Infinia has.
 
Saw upgrade offer in app and went through. Digital card generated in 10 seconds, delivery in 7 working days.
 
  • Like
Reactions: SSV
No idea. Have not seen the redeem portal of ICICI. Current users can throw some light. M very disappointed after looking at 1RP=40p.

I have pinged my CC agent to confirm this. Mostly I will stick to my Infinia+APay+SBI Elite combo. I was planning to replace Elite with this but the fee is too much for what it offers considering I already get most of non spend benefits on Infinia.

Any idea which hotel and flight vouchers this is referring to?
 
Do you still think it's good to upgrade considering the first year cost of owning the card is ₹7250 (taking Amazon Vouchers at 0.6)
For the first year you get Taj voucher and 12500 points which can be converted to even hotel points or miles. And anyways he is existing Emeralde user and this card is way far better than that.

Even for renewal we get the points considering that it's still not a bad card compared to existing Emeralde.
 
Do you still think it's good to upgrade considering the first year cost of owning the card is ₹7250 (taking Amazon Vouchers at 0.6)
The way I look at this is:
We need to compare this to last version of Emeralde.. The main USP of this card is “Unlimited International Lounge” same as previous version card..
but with some betterment..
1) Annual renewal benefit of 7,500 (12,500@.60 AGV)
So half of annual fee recovered)
2) Annual Eazydiner membership
3) Joining benefits of Taj Epicure
3) Better rewards compared to plastic version
4) Milestone benefits…
5) Lower annual fee waiver criteria..

This is a far better proposition than plastic version
( lost spa visits though)…


it is not your daily go to card..
It is a lifestyle card for frequent travellers..

If you already have Infinia / DCB , this may not be required depending upon your spend appetite..


My 2 cents
 
Last edited:
It is a lifestyle card for frequent travellers..
I was also thinking the same thing. I'm not into travel much. Also, the renewal benefits only include Eazydiner Membership. The maximum price of movie ticket in my area is ₹500 for which my Sapphiro is sufficient. So the cost of owning from second year is ₹7500.

Also, I only use like 2-3 lounge visits a year for which I have other cards. So I think I'll take a pass if and when I'm offered an upgrade. If it had given 3% statement credit, it was a no-brainer.
 
I was also thinking the same thing. I'm not into travel much. Also, the renewal benefits only include Eazydiner Membership. The maximum price of movie ticket in my area is ₹500 for which my Sapphiro is sufficient. So the cost of owning from second year is ₹7500.

Also, I only use like 2-3 lounge visits a year for which I have other cards. So I think I'll take a pass if and when I'm offered an upgrade. If it had given 3% statement credit, it was a no-brainer.
Yes, it is definitely mainly for travellers.. as you can see the redemption also at 100% for hotels and flights only…this is not for daily regular usage..
There are better cards for that purposes..
 
a 3% reward transferrable at 1:1 to ffp partners is very good if compared to amex,infinite and Magnus wo burgundy
assuming they meant ffp partners by flights
otherwise if it turns out like travel edge where prices are inflated then not at all worth it
lets see the ffp partners
and as of now wallet loads isnt excluded so reaching 10 Lakh milestone is a no brainer here
 

Similar threads

Back
Top