Till not too long ago, an ICICI Financial institution bank card in your pockets was your golden ticket to plush airport lounges throughout India. Many cardholders cherished the small luxurious—escaping airport chaos for a quiet espresso, a plug level, and cushioned seating. However that clean experience has hit little bit of turbulence. Beginning Jan 1, 2025, ICICI launched a spend-based eligibility mannequin for complimentary home lounge entry. And in case you thought the ₹35,000 per quarter spend rule was steep, maintain on—as a result of currently it doubled to ₹75,000.
So, What precisely modified?
Right here’s the way it works. If you wish to entry a home lounge between, say, Jan and Mar 2025, you could have spent ₹75,000 utilizing your ICICI bank card between Sep and Dec 2024. Miss that mark? Properly, your lounge entry is gone for that quarter.
Spend Interval vs Lounge Eligibility Interval
| Spend Interval (Quarter) | Lounge Entry Interval (Following Quarter) |
| 26 Sep’ 24 – 26 Dec’ 24 | 1 Jan’25 – 31 Mar’25 |
| 26 Dec’24 – 25 Mar’25 | 1 Apr’25 – 30 June’25 |
| 26 Mar’25 – 25 June’25 | 1 July’25 – 30 Sep’25 |
| 26 June’25 – 25 Sep’25 | 1 Oct’25 – 31 Dec’25 |
You’re required to spend ₹75,000 within the above “Spend Interval” to qualify for lounge entry within the “Lounge Entry Interval”.
Additionally learn: These Hidden Credit score Card Prices Are Draining Your Pockets – Know Them Now!
Which Playing cards are Affected?
This spend-linked entry applies to 21 mid-range playing cards, together with:
- ICICI Financial institution Coral Credit score Card
- ICICI Expressions and MINE Playing cards (Visa/Mastercard)
- HPCL Tremendous Saver
- Manchester United Platinum
- MakeMyTrip Platinum
- SPEEDZ, Parakram, CSK Credit score Card
- Enterprise Blue Benefit, MMT Enterprise Platinum
Who nonetheless Enjoys Limitless Entry?
Excessive-net-worth people nonetheless fly firstclass—figuratively. For those who personal:
- ICICI Emeralde Credit score Card
- Emeralde Personal Metallic Card
- Diamant Credit score Card
- You proceed to get pleasure from limitless lounge entry, irrespective of your spend.
The Hidden Cost: DCC Price
Now let’s speak about what catches many off-guard—Dynamic Foreign money Conversion (DCC). It sounds useful: while you’re overseas, the service provider affords to invoice you in INR as an alternative of {dollars} or euros. However in actuality, DCC nearly all the time means a poor change price. And now, ICICI has began charging a 1% DCC price, efficient Feb 5, 2024, on such transactions. So it’s finest to all the time choose to pay within the native forex when overseas.
Different quiet rollbacks it is best to know
ICICI additionally made just a few delicate adjustments:
- Discontinued spa entry (sure, even on premium playing cards)
- Eliminated reward factors on pockets loading and lease funds
- Imposed ₹199 annual price on all supplementary playing cards
Closing Boarding Name
ICICI’s message is evident: in order for you the perks, you could be an energetic cardholder. Swipe properly, monitor your spends, and don’t assume yesterday’s advantages apply right now. The lounge remains to be accessible—it could nevertheless, simply take a bit extra effort now. Subsequent time you pack to your flight and dream of that free cappuccino within the lounge, test in case you’ve cleared ₹75,000 within the final quarter. As a result of on the earth of upgraded journey, each rupee you swipe would possibly simply earn you a seat in luxurious.
Written by Roshni Mohinani
