What is the reward rate on the Emirates Emeralde Credit Card?

You earn 2 points per ₹100 on International Spend. Everything else earns 2 points per ₹100. Each point is worth about ₹0.25 when you redeem it well, so ₹10,000 of top category spend gives you 200 points, roughly ₹50, which is about 0.5% back. Fuel, Insurance, Utilities, Cash Advance earn nothing at all.

Does the Emirates Emeralde Credit Card give unlimited airport lounge access?

Yes. The card carries unlimited complimentary domestic and international lounge visits for the primary member, and guest visits are usually chargeable. Lounge access on premium cards is increasingly linked to prior quarter spend, so check your statement page each quarter. This is the single benefit that justifies most of the fee if you fly even once a month.

What changed on the Emirates Emeralde Credit Card recently and is it still worth it in 2026?

Earn 2.5→2 Miles/₹100; category exclusions; ICICI portfolio cuts. The changes are dated Jan 15, 2026. At ₹15L of yearly spend the card returns roughly ₹15,000 at its general rate of about 1%, against a ₹10,000 renewal fee. That clears the fee, but not by much, so it is worth keeping only while your spending stays in the accelerated category.

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Card Details

7438 9806 1166 7329

Emirates Emeralde Credit Card

ICICIMASTERCARD

Monzy Score

5.5/ 10

Decent for lounge-hungry travellers.

The ~₹10,000 fee needs heavy spend to justify; high 3.5% forex markup.

Card Issuer

ICICI Bank

Joining Fee

₹12,000

Annual Fee

₹12,000

Reward Type

Miles

Card Access

Standard

Changes to this card

2 Sep 2026
Added lounge list links, clarified lounge access wording, and updated wording for Emirates Gold Tier and fuel surcharge.

Offers from ICICI Bank

See all

Earn Points

2pts/100

on International spends

2pts/100

on domestic spends

Benefits

Travel

Unlimited international and domestic lounge access

Complimentary Skywards Silver Tier membership
10,000 Skywards miles and Silver tier membership

Dining

ICICI Bank Culinary Treats Program

Entertainment

Offers on movies and events

Reward Calculator

NOTE: Enter your monthly spends to see
projected returns.

Excluded: insurance, utility, government, education, fuel, rent

Total Monthly Spend

Min: ₹5,000Max: ₹2,00,000

Estimated Returns

Domestic & international retail spends

2 Skywards Miles per Rs.100 (reduced from 2.5 effective 15 Jan 2026); no miles on insurance/utility/government/education

₹180

Total Annual Return

₹2,160

0.6% Effective ROI

What Users Are Saying

Community Feed

Jul 2025

Emirates EmeraldeNEUTRAL

“ICICI - Emirates Emeralde card recco”

by r/CreditCardsIndia, Jul 2025

Emirates EmeraldeNEUTRAL

“Icici emirates emeralderarest card I have probably”

by r/CreditCardsIndia, Jul 2025

Emirates EmeraldeNEGATIVE

“Pathetic devaluation of ICICI Emirates Emeralde”

by r/CreditCardsIndia, Dec 2025

Emirates EmeraldeNEUTRAL

“Rant: Emirates Emeralde Eligibility”

by r/CreditCardsIndia, Jul 2025

Emirates EmeraldeNEUTRAL

“ICICI Bank Emeralde Credit Card”

by r/CreditCardsIndia, Jul 2025

Frequently Asked Questions

The Emirates Emeralde Credit Card charges ₹10,000 plus GST as a joining fee and the same ₹10,000 again at renewal. ICICI Bank waives the renewal fee if you spend ₹15L in the previous year, which is about ₹1,25,000 a month. If your card spend sits below that, treat ₹10,000 as a real yearly cost that your rewards have to clear first.

Things to Keep in Mind

Issuance is limited to select existing Emeralde customers (15L/year spends with 50k spent on Emirates bookings)

For any special offers, like BookMyShow tickets, you must spend ₹25,000 or more on your Emirates Emeralde Credit Card within the preceding spends quarter

←

Card Details

7438 9806 1166 7329

Emirates Emeralde Credit Card

ICICIMASTERCARD

Monzy Score

5.5/ 10

Decent for lounge-hungry travellers.

The ~₹10,000 fee needs heavy spend to justify; high 3.5% forex markup.

Card Issuer

ICICI Bank

Joining Fee

₹12,000

Annual Fee

₹12,000

Reward Type

Miles

Card Access

Standard

Changes to this card

2 Sep 2026
Added lounge list links, clarified lounge access wording, and updated wording for Emirates Gold Tier and fuel surcharge.

Offers from ICICI Bank

See all

Earn Points

2pts/100

on International spends

2pts/100

on domestic spends

Benefits

Travel

Unlimited international and domestic lounge access

Complimentary Skywards Silver Tier membership
10,000 Skywards miles and Silver tier membership

Dining

ICICI Bank Culinary Treats Program

Entertainment

Offers on movies and events

Reward Calculator

NOTE: Enter your monthly spends to see
projected returns.

Excluded: insurance, utility, government, education, fuel, rent

Total Monthly Spend

Min: ₹5,000Max: ₹2,00,000

Estimated Returns

Domestic & international retail spends

2 Skywards Miles per Rs.100 (reduced from 2.5 effective 15 Jan 2026); no miles on insurance/utility/government/education

₹180

Total Annual Return

₹2,160

0.6% Effective ROI

What Users Are Saying

Community Feed

Jul 2025

Emirates EmeraldeNEUTRAL

“ICICI - Emirates Emeralde card recco”

by r/CreditCardsIndia, Jul 2025

Emirates EmeraldeNEUTRAL

“Icici emirates emeralderarest card I have probably”

by r/CreditCardsIndia, Jul 2025

Emirates EmeraldeNEGATIVE

“Pathetic devaluation of ICICI Emirates Emeralde”

by r/CreditCardsIndia, Dec 2025

Emirates EmeraldeNEUTRAL

“Rant: Emirates Emeralde Eligibility”

by r/CreditCardsIndia, Jul 2025

Emirates EmeraldeNEUTRAL

“ICICI Bank Emeralde Credit Card”

by r/CreditCardsIndia, Jul 2025

Frequently Asked Questions

Things to Keep in Mind

Issuance is limited to select existing Emeralde customers (15L/year spends with 50k spent on Emirates bookings)

For any special offers, like BookMyShow tickets, you must spend ₹25,000 or more on your Emirates Emeralde Credit Card within the preceding spends quarter

←

Card Details

7438 9806 1166 7329

Emirates Emeralde Credit Card

ICICIMASTERCARD

Monzy Score

5.5/ 10

Decent for lounge-hungry travellers.

The ~₹10,000 fee needs heavy spend to justify; high 3.5% forex markup.

Card Issuer

ICICI Bank

Joining Fee

₹12,000

Annual Fee

₹12,000

Reward Type

Miles

Card Access

Standard

Changes to this card

2 Sep 2026
Added lounge list links, clarified lounge access wording, and updated wording for Emirates Gold Tier and fuel surcharge.

Offers from ICICI Bank

See all

Earn Points

2pts/100

on International spends

2pts/100

on domestic spends

Benefits

Travel

Unlimited international and domestic lounge access

Complimentary Skywards Silver Tier membership
10,000 Skywards miles and Silver tier membership

Dining

ICICI Bank Culinary Treats Program

Entertainment

Offers on movies and events

Reward Calculator

NOTE: Enter your monthly spends to see
projected returns.

Excluded: insurance, utility, government, education, fuel, rent

Total Monthly Spend

Min: ₹5,000Max: ₹2,00,000

Estimated Returns

Domestic & international retail spends

2 Skywards Miles per Rs.100 (reduced from 2.5 effective 15 Jan 2026); no miles on insurance/utility/government/education

₹180

Total Annual Return

₹2,160

0.6% Effective ROI

What Users Are Saying

Community Feed

Jul 2025

Emirates EmeraldeNEUTRAL

“ICICI - Emirates Emeralde card recco”

by r/CreditCardsIndia, Jul 2025

Emirates EmeraldeNEUTRAL

“Icici emirates emeralderarest card I have probably”

by r/CreditCardsIndia, Jul 2025

Emirates EmeraldeNEGATIVE

“Pathetic devaluation of ICICI Emirates Emeralde”

by r/CreditCardsIndia, Dec 2025

Emirates EmeraldeNEUTRAL

“Rant: Emirates Emeralde Eligibility”

by r/CreditCardsIndia, Jul 2025

Emirates EmeraldeNEUTRAL

“ICICI Bank Emeralde Credit Card”

by r/CreditCardsIndia, Jul 2025

Frequently Asked Questions

Things to Keep in Mind

Issuance is limited to select existing Emeralde customers (15L/year spends with 50k spent on Emirates bookings)

For any special offers, like BookMyShow tickets, you must spend ₹25,000 or more on your Emirates Emeralde Credit Card within the preceding spends quarter