ICICI Bank has unveiled a set of important updates to its credit card terms and charges, all effective January 15, 2026. Whether you travel, shop online, load wallets, or spend on entertainment, these changes will affect how much you pay and how you earn rewards.
Here’s a clear, no-nonsense breakdown of what’s changing
1. Reward Points Rules Updated
Avios and Rewards
- You will continue to earn Reward Points on eligible retail transactions — 6 points per ₹200 spent on the Emeralde Metal Credit Card.
- Reward earnings exclude Government services, fuel, property management, rent, taxes, and third-party wallets.
2. Transport Category Reward Limits
For certain card families, reward points will now be capped monthly on transportation category spends (MCC: 4111, 4112, 4784, 4131):
Up to ₹20,000/month eligible for points on:
Rubyx & variants
Sapphiro & variants
Emeralde & variants
Up to ₹10,000/month eligible for points on:
Platinum, Coral, Expressions, HPCL & co-branded cards
Reward points earned depend on the MCC.
3. Insurance Spends Reward Cap
On the HPCL Super Saver Credit Card, reward points for insurance spending will continue up to ₹40,000 at current earn rates (MCC: 5960, 6300, 6381, 6399).
4. BookMyShow Benefit Changes
Discontinued (From Feb 1, 2026)
• Complimentary BookMyShow benefit for Instant Platinum Chip & Instant Platinum cards is ending.
Spend-Linked Access (From Jan 15, 2026)
• On most other cards, to use BookMyShow offers:
Spend ₹25,000 or more in the preceding quarter.
Example: To use offers Apr–Jun 2026, spend ₹25,000 from Dec 26, 2025–Mar 25, 2026.
This affects multiple ICICI credit cards — from Coral to Rubyx, Sapphiro, Emeralde, Adani One, MakeMyTrip, Manchester United, Chennai Super Kings, and more.
5. Add-On Card Charges
From Jan 15, 2026:
• New Plus (add-on) cards issued for Emeralde Metal Credit Card will attract a one-time ₹3,500 fee.
6. Dynamic Currency Conversion (DCC) Fee Revision
New DCC fees apply when you use your credit card in foreign currencies:
| Card Type | DCC Fee |
|---|---|
| Times Black | 1.49% |
| Emeralde / Emeralde Metal / Emeralde Private | 2.00% |
| MakeMyTrip Travel Credit Card | 0.99% |
| Amazon Pay ICICI | 1.99% |
| All Other ICICI Cards | 3.50% |
7. New Transaction Fees (All Retail Cards)
2% fee on gaming & fantasy platform transactions
(eg. Dream11, MPL, Rummy Culture, Junglee Games — MCC 5816 or similar MCCs)
1% fee when loading ₹5,000 or more onto third-party wallets
(eg. Amazon Pay, Paytm, MobiKwik, Freecharge, OlaMoney — MCC 6540 or similar)
1% fee on transport category transactions above ₹50,000
(MCC 4111, 4112, 4784, 4131)
8. Cash Payment Charges at ICICI Branches
• Fee for cash payments to clear credit card dues increases from ₹100 → ₹150 per transaction.
9. New UPI ID Format for Credit Card Payments
From Jan 15, 2026, all ICICI retail credit cards will use a new UPI ID format for paying credit card bills:
ccpay.<10-digit mobile number><last 4 digits of card>@icici