Times Black ICICI Bank Credit Card
Travel
Lounge Access
Shopping
1st Year Fee: ₹20,000* Plus Applicable Taxes
Rewards
Up to 2.5% reward points on card spends
Lounge Access
Unlimited international & domestic lounge visits
International Use
Low forex mark-up fee & exclusive travel offers
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About Times Black ICICI Bank Credit Card
Times Black ICICI Bank Credit Card is a metal card co-branded with Times Internet Ltd. Catering to the lifestyle needs of the premium segment, the card lets the users elevate their lifestyle and travel experiences while availing themselves of exclusive services. At an annual fee of Rs. 20,000, it offers some high-end benefits like unlimited lounge access, milestone benefits worth up to Rs. 70,000, and several lifestyle benefits, including, but not limited to, the lifestyle management service called CribLife, exclusive access to events, dining discounts, and offers on travel and shopping.
Though these benefits are expected from a high annual fee card, noteworthy features of the card are the annual and milestone benefits. Every year, card users can earn benefits up to Rs. 70,000 on meeting the spend threshold of up to Rs. 25 lakh. Though a decent value, the good part is the benefits are scattered around spend milestones ranging from Rs. 2 lakh to up to Rs. 25 lakh. That way, the card has something to offer to both moderate and high spenders. Even the joining perks on the card are good, covering some popular brands like Zomato and EaseMyTrip. The good part is that these perks are offered not just on activation but every year as annual benefits, surpassing the fee of Rs. 20,000 by a good margin.
Rewards & Travel Benefits
- 2% Reward Points: On domestic spends
- 2.5% Reward Points: On international spends
- Capping 1: The combined reward points earned via spends made on utilities, insurance premium, education, and government payments like house and advance tax, fines, court and postal payments, etc. are capped at 5,000 reward points per month.
- Redemption Fee: Nil
- Rewards Redemption: 1 Reward Point = Up to Rs. 1 for products and vouchers, while 1 Reward Point = Rs. 0.40 for cashback
- Lounge Access: Unlimited complimentary international and domestic airport lounge access
- Low Forex Fee: 1.49% forex mark-up charges
- Concierge Services: 24×7 international and domestic concierge services2
Other Features & Benefits
Welcome & Renewal Benefits3:
Redeem the following joining benefits via the Times Black app up to 1 year from the date you receive the e-mail with their details:
- EaseMyTrip gift card for luxury stay worth Rs. 10,000
- Travel Visa benefits via Atlys and OneVasco worth Rs. 10,000
- Toni&Guy and Interflora lifestyle gift cards worth Rs. 4,000
- Zomato Gold annual membership
- Access to The Quorum Club
Milestone Benefits:
- On Rs. 2 lakh annual spends: International experiences and activities by Klook worth Rs. 10,000
Times Black ICICI Bank Credit Card: Fees & Charges
| Fee Type | Amount | ||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Joining/Annual Fee | Rs. 20,000 + applicable taxes | ||||||||||||||||
| Finance Charges | 3.67% p.m. (44% p.a.) | ||||||||||||||||
| Forex Mark-up Fee | 1.49% + applicable taxes | ||||||||||||||||
| Cash Advance Fee | Nil | ||||||||||||||||
| Late Payment Charges |
|
Things to Know Before you apply
Consider this card if:
You are willing to pay a high-annual fee
You won other credit cards with lifetsyle benefits around movies, golf
You can plan your spends around the associated brands for maximum benefits
Other Similar Cards:
HDFC Diners Club Black
ICICI Emeralde Credit Card
Axis Bank Magnus Credit Card
Paisabazaar Review
What do we like about this card?
For a premium credit card, the reward rate on the card is just decent. However, it is compromised well via the inclusion of often excluded categories in the rewards program. Additionally, unlike most cards that offer the milestone benefits on one or two spend thresholds, this card gives users an opportunity to earn it five times (including an annual fee waiver). Additionally, while most cards stick to offering just the activation benefits, here users earn similar perks every year, with a value that surpasses the card fee by a wide margin.
Pros
- Welcome benefits are valid for redemption for a year
- Accelerated rewards, offers and complimentary vouchers for travel
- Multiple milestone benefits worth Rs. 70,000
- No cash withdrawal charges
- Inclusion of utilities, insurance and often excluded categories in the reward program
- 1:1 redemption against product/voucher
Cons
- Low rewards redemption value for cashback redemption
- No redemption against miles conversion
- Milestone Benefits are brand-specific
- Limited Lifestyle Benefits
Conclusion
Though annual and milestone benefits on the card are good, they are mostly brand-centric, which may be restricting for some users. The card also somehow lacks in offering some expected high-end benefits. The redemption options on the card are limited to product/voucher and cash. Thus, no airmile or travel redemption. Slightly disappointing for a card that offers features like rewards on travel and a low forex markup fee. For travel, no benefit is extended on hotel stays—a perk lately seen on many premium cards. Apart from this, the card also misses on offering other lifestyle benefits around movies and golf. Even the reward rate on the card is fairly low in comparison to other cards like HDFC Diners Club that offer 3.33% at a lower annual fee of Rs. 10,000. Thus, ICICI Times Platinum is a suitable card only for people who own multiple cards to cover up for where the card lacks and then avail the maximum value on the annual benefits. Otherwise, at a high annual fee of Rs. 20,00, consumers can definitely find better options.
Footnotes
- Exclusion from rewards program: fuel and rent
- To avail, contact the i-Assist team by calling on 1800 26 70731 (toll free for MTNL/BSNL) or 022 6787 2016
- Subject to payment of joining/annual fee
Click here to know More Terms and Conditions
Megha Khanna
Megha is an experienced writer with a specialization in credit cards and personal finance. With a keen eye for detail and a passion for helping readers make informed financial choices, she creates engaging content that demystifies the complexities of credit cards, from rewards and benefits to interest rates and fees.
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