With 2026 approaching, credit card devaluations were inevitable. While many expected issuers to roll out changes with the new year, ICICI Bank has acted early, announcing a series of revisions to its credit card benefits. These updates, effective soon, span the entire portfolio—from super-premium cards to entry-level variants. Calling this a New Year surprise would be generous; for most users, it’s clearly a downgrade.

Spend-Linked BookMyShow Benefit

ICICI Bank is retaining BookMyShow offers, but with a significant twist. To unlock complimentary movie ticket benefits, cardholders will now need to spend at least ₹25,000 in the previous quarter. This reduces the appeal for light users, though regular spenders should still be able to access movie and event discounts.

The shift effectively turns a free perk into a spend-based reward—less generous, but still achievable. Notably, this model, once limited mainly to airport lounge access, may now become a trend across issuers.

This revised BookMyShow condition applies to:

• ICICI Bank Emeralde Credit Card
• ICICI Bank Emeralde Private Credit Card
• ICICI Bank Adani One Platinum Credit Card
• ICICI Bank Adani One Signature Credit Card
• ICICI Bank Sapphiro Credit Card
• ICICI Bank Rubyx Credit Card
• ICICI Bank Secured Rubyx Credit Card
• ICICI Bank HPCL Platinum Chip Credit Card
• ICICI Bank HPCL Coral Platinum Credit Card
• ICICI Bank HPCL Coral Contactless Credit Card
• ICICI Bank HPCL Super Saver Credit Card
• ICICI Bank Coral Credit Card
• ICICI Bank NRI Coral Credit Card

BookMyShow Benefit Discontinued

The complimentary BookMyShow movie ticket benefit will be completely withdrawn for:

• ICICI Bank Instant Platinum Chip Credit Card
• ICICI Bank Instant Platinum Credit Card

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Cap on Reward Earnings for Transport Spends

Reward Points will continue to be earned on transportation-related spends such as railways, buses, taxis, tolls, and transit services (MCC 4111, 4112, 4131, and 4784). However, rewards will now be capped at ₹20,000 per month in these categories. Any spend beyond this limit will not earn points.

This cap applies to select cards, including:

• ICICI Bank Rubyx Credit Card (including Secured and Lead the New variants)
• ICICI Bank Sapphiro Credit Card (including Lead the New variant)
• ICICI Bank Emeralde and Emeralde Private Credit Cards

Reward Exclusions & Add-On Charges on ICICI Emeralde Metal

Emeralde Metal cardholders will continue to earn 6 Reward Points per ₹200 on regular retail spends. However, reward earnings have now been excluded on categories such as government services, fuel, property management, rent, tax payments, and third-party wallet transactions. While everyday purchases remain rewarding, high-value mandatory or utility-type spends will no longer contribute to points.

Additionally, from 15 January 2026, a one-time fee of ₹3,500 will be charged for all new Plus (add-on) cards issued on or after this date.

ICICI Bank has rolled out sweeping changes across much of its credit card lineup. Cardholders are strongly advised to review the official communication carefully to understand how these revisions impact their specific card and spending patterns.

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