ICICI Bank Emeralde Private Metal Credit Card vs Times Black ICICI Bank Credit Card
Last verified 20 Oct 2026 · how we compare
Side by side
| Feature | ICICI Bank Emeralde Private Metal Credit Card | Times Black ICICI Bank Credit Card |
|---|---|---|
| Issuer | ICICI Bank | ICICI Bank |
| Joining fee | ₹12,499 | ₹20,000 |
| Annual fee | ₹12,499 | ₹20,000 |
| Fee waiver | From the second year, the ₹12,499 annual fee is reversed if you spend ₹10 lakh or more in the card year. Rent, government, education and EMI payments don't count towards it. ICICI's product page says the waiver applies to the next year's fee; its terms say the fee for the year in which you reach ₹10 lakh is reversed when that year ends. Paying the joining fee, and each annual fee, brings 12,500 bonus reward points plus Taj Epicure Plus and EazyDiner Prime memberships. | From the second year, the ₹20,000 annual fee is waived if you spent ₹25 lakh or more in the previous card year. Rent, government, education and EMI payments don't count towards it. Paying the joining fee within the first two statements unlocks the welcome benefits: a ₹12,000 Lohono or ₹10,000 EaseMyTrip stay voucher, ₹10,000 of visa services (Atlys and OneVasco), Toni&Guy and Interflora vouchers (₹3,000 and ₹1,000) and a year of Zomato Gold. |
| Everyday spends (value back) | 3% | 2% |
| Online shopping (value back) | 3% | 2% |
| Fuel (value back) | 0% | 0% |
| Groceries (value back) | 3% | 2% |
| Travel (value back) | 3% | 2% |
| Bills and utilities (value back) | 3% | 2% |
| Dining and food delivery (value back) | 3% | 2% |
| Rewards in short | 6 reward points per ₹200 on most spends: about 3% back if you use the points for flight and hotel vouchers or select brand vouchers (₹1 a point), 1.8% on catalogue products (₹0.60 a point) or 1.2% as statement credit (₹0.40 a point). 12,500 bonus points each time the joining or annual fee is paid, EaseMyTrip flight vouchers worth ₹6,000 at ₹8 lakh of yearly spend, and buy-one-get-one BookMyShow tickets (up to ₹750 off, twice a month). Fuel, rent, government, tax and wallet payments earn nothing. | 2% back in reward points on spends in India and 2.5% abroad, if you use the points where ICICI values them at their best (up to ₹1 a point). Taken as statement credit a point is worth ₹0.40, so 0.8% in India and 1% abroad. Milestone rewards worth ₹10,000 each at ₹2 lakh, ₹5 lakh and ₹10 lakh of yearly spend (Klook, airport transfers or WeWork passes, Tata CLiQ Luxury) and a ₹20,000 luxury stay at ₹20 lakh. Fuel and rent earn nothing. |
| Works on UPI | No | No |
| Airport lounge | Unlimited lounge visits in India by swiping the card and unlimited visits abroad through Priority Pass, for the primary cardholder and add-on cardholders, with no spend condition. Guests pay $29 plus GST a visit abroad. | Unlimited lounge visits in India by swiping the card and unlimited visits abroad through Priority Pass, for the primary cardholder and add-on cardholders, with no spend condition. Guests pay $29 plus GST a visit abroad. |
| Forex markup | 2% | 1.49% |
| Fuel surcharge waiver | 1% waiver at all petrol pumps on fuel payments of up to ₹4,000 each, up to ₹1,000 of waiver (₹1 lakh of fuel) per statement cycle. GST on the surcharge isn't refunded at non-HPCL pumps, and fuel payments above ₹10,000 carry a 1% fee. | 1% waiver at all petrol pumps, up to ₹1,000 of waiver per statement cycle under the card's own terms. ICICI's general fee schedule limits all-pump waivers to ₹50,000 of fuel spend a cycle (₹500 of waiver), so the lower limit may apply. GST on the surcharge isn't refunded at non-HPCL pumps, and fuel payments above ₹10,000 carry a 1% fee. |
| Card network | Not published by the bank | Visa |
| Minimum income (salaried) | Not published by the bank | ₹2,00,000 a month |
Value back is the % of spend you get at the bank's published redemption value. “–” means the bank doesn't publish it. Fees exclude GST.
Which one to pick
Pick the ICICI Bank Emeralde Private Metal Credit Card if
your ICICI relationship manager offers it and you want the higher return for a lower fee
₹12,499 joining, ₹12,499 a year
Pick the Times Black ICICI Bank Credit Card if
you can't get an invitation, or you spend a lot abroad and value Times Black's vouchers and milestones
₹20,000 joining, ₹20,000 a year
CreditParakh is not a bank or lender. Approval, limits and final terms are decided by the issuer.
Questions people ask
Which earns more, Emeralde Private Metal or Times Black?
On spends in India, Private Metal: 6 points per ₹200 at ₹1 a point on flight, hotel or select brand vouchers is about 3%, against Times Black's 2% when points are used where ICICI values them at up to ₹1. As statement credit, Private Metal returns 1.2% and Times Black 0.8%. Abroad, Times Black earns 2.5% at its best value and charges 1.49% forex, against Private Metal's 2% markup.
Can I apply for either card?
Times Black, yes: ICICI's Apply button leads to the Times Black website, and you need to be an Indian citizen aged 21 or over with an income of ₹2 lakh a month (salaried) or ₹24 lakh a year (self-employed). Emeralde Private Metal is by invitation only: you can't apply on ICICI's website and must ask your ICICI relationship manager. ICICI can downgrade or withdraw it if you don't keep a minimum relationship value, which it doesn't publish.
What do they cost, and what do you get back?
Private Metal costs ₹12,499 a year and gives 12,500 points (₹12,500 on vouchers) plus Taj Epicure Plus and EazyDiner Prime each time the fee is paid; the fee is reversed from the second year at ₹10 lakh of spend. Times Black costs ₹20,000 a year, waived from the second year at ₹25 lakh of spend. Paying its joining fee unlocks a ₹12,000 Lohono or ₹10,000 EaseMyTrip stay voucher, ₹10,000 of visa services and other vouchers, and it gives milestone rewards worth ₹10,000 each at ₹2 lakh, ₹5 lakh and ₹10 lakh of yearly spend, plus a ₹20,000 stay at ₹20 lakh.
Do they earn on bills and government payments?
Times Black earns on utility bills, insurance, education and government payments, up to 5,000 points a statement cycle across all four. Private Metal earns on utilities up to 1,000 points a cycle, education up to 1,000 and insurance up to 5,000, but nothing on government or tax payments. Neither earns on fuel, rent or wallet loads.
Full details: ICICI Bank Emeralde Private Metal Credit Card · Times Black ICICI Bank Credit Card · find the card that fits your spending
Last verified 20 Oct 2026 on each issuer's official page. Fees and rewards change; check the issuer's terms before you apply.