If you use an ICICI Bank credit card, this update is important for you. ICICI Bank has announced major changes in credit card charges, reward points, and several popular benefits.
These changes will apply to all retail credit card users and will be implemented in a phased manner between January and February 2026.
New Charges and Limits on Travel Spending
ICICI Bank has introduced changes for high-value travel-related spending. Transportation expenses such as train and bus tickets above ₹50,000 in selected merchant categories will now attract an additional 1% charge.
There is also a cap on reward points for travel expenses:
Premium cards like Emeralde, Sapphiro, and Rubyx will earn reward points only on travel spends up to ₹20,000 per month.
Mid-range cards such as Coral and Platinum will earn rewards only up to ₹10,000 per month on travel expenses.
Changes in Entertainment and BookMyShow Offers
The popular BookMyShow Buy-One-Get-One (BOGO) offer has also been revised. This offer will no longer be available without conditions. To be eligible, cardholders must have spent at least ₹25,000 in the previous three months.
Additionally, the BookMyShow BOGO offer will be completely discontinued for Instant Platinum cardholders from February 2026.
Impact on Emeralde and Super-Premium Card Users
Super-premium Emeralde cardholders will face several changes. The Dynamic Currency Conversion (DCC) fee has been increased to 2%.
For Emeralde Metal cards, reward points will no longer be earned on:
Government services
Tax payments
Fuel purchases
Fare payments
Third-party wallet transactions
In addition, a one-time fee of ₹3,500 will be charged for issuing new add-on cards.
Higher Charges on Wallet Loading and Gaming Transactions
Adding money to digital wallets will also become costlier. A 1% charge will apply when loading ₹5,000 or more into wallets such as Amazon Pay, Paytm, and Mobikwik.
Online gaming transactions on platforms like Dream11 and MPL will attract an additional 2% fee.
Most of these changes will come into effect from January 15, 2026, while some reward and benefit reductions will apply from February 1, 2026.
