ICICI Bank Parakram Credit Card

The lounge visit costs ₹75,000 a quarter

Parakram lists complimentary domestic lounge access, and that line is what most people notice first. The catch is the condition: you get 1 domestic visit a quarter, and only if you spent ₹75,000 on the card in the previous quarter. That is ₹25,000 every month. Older Reddit threads quote ₹35,000, from ICICI's 2024 round of lounge cuts; the figure on ICICI's page for this card is now ₹75,000.

So treat the lounge as a bonus you will rarely see. Parakram is still worth a look for one group: defence personnel who want a free card that earns extra at CSD and gets them into ICICI's sale discounts.

Who can apply

ICICI describes Parakram as "specially designed for Defence personnel". Our record does not list the exact groups it covers (serving, retired, families) or the documents ICICI accepts as proof, and those are the two things users ask about most. Ask ICICI before you apply, including whether civilians qualify at all.

Our CMS lists Parakram as lifetime free, with no joining or annual fee, and users describe it the same way. Older listings show a ₹500 fee, so check that your sanction letter says lifetime free.

What the CSD run earns

All rates are per ₹100:

• Groceries, department stores and the Canteen Stores Department (CSD): 5 Reward Points, up to 1,000 points a month.
• Other eligible domestic spends: 1 point.

You hit the 1,000-point cap at ₹20,000 of grocery, department store and CSD spend. A typical month of ₹15,000 across CSD and grocery stores earns 750 points; ₹25,000 still earns 1,000. Our record does not give a fixed rupee value for these points, so check the redemption rate in the ICICI app rather than assuming one.

There is also a 1% fuel surcharge waiver, with a ₹250 cap in our record. Users also flag ICICI-wide changes in 2026 that limit reward points on insurance spends for entry and affinity cards, Parakram included.

Where users say the value really is

The most common reason people hold Parakram is not points. It is ICICI's instant discounts during Amazon, Flipkart and Tata CLiQ sales, which a free card lets you use at no cost. Users also mention ICICI's iShop portal for higher multipliers on travel and hotel vouchers; compare the final price before you book. Some defence holders pair Parakram with Shaurya SBI Card so they are covered for both banks' sale offers.

If your CSD and grocery spend is large, look at Parakram Select, ICICI's higher tier, before you settle.

Our call on Parakram

Yes, if you are eligible defence personnel, shop at CSD every month, and want a free ICICI card for sale discounts and a clean credit history. No, if you want a strong everyday rewards card or easy lounge access; 1 point per ₹100 on general spends will not get you there.

Credit Card Information Compiled by: Abhijeet Kumar | Reviewed by: Anmol Ratan Sachdeva