Emirates Skywards ICICI Bank Sapphiro Credit Card – Benefits, Fees & Eligibility

Introduction

The Emirates Skywards ICICI Bank Sapphiro Credit Card is a premium travel credit card issued by ICICI Bank in collaboration with Emirates airlines. Positioned for luxury travel and lifestyle, it offers a range of benefits including earning Skywards Miles on spends, complimentary airport lounge access, and an exclusive Emirates Skywards Silver Tier status. Key differentiating benefits include a Buy One Get One offer on BookMyShow movie tickets and discounts on Emirates flight bookings.

Welcome Benefits

• Receive 5,000 bonus Skywards Miles.
• Get a complimentary Emirates Skywards Silver Tier membership.

Fees

• Joining Fee: ₹5,000 + GST
• Annual Fee: ₹5,000 + GST
• Spend-Based Waiver: Not applicable for annual fee waiver.
• Rewards Redemption Fee: Nil
• Foreign Currency Markup: 3.5% on all international transactions.
• Interest Rates:
  • 3.75% per month (45% annually) on ATM withdrawals and if minimum due is paid.
  • Finance charges are 3.75% per month or 45% annually. (Note: An FAQ mentions 3.40% per month, but 3.75% is stated elsewhere).
• Fuel Surcharge Waiver: 1% fuel surcharge waiver on fuel purchases between ₹400 and ₹4,000 at all fuel stations in India.
• Cash Advance Charges: 2.5% of the amount or ₹500, whichever is higher.
• Late Bill Payment: Ranging from ₹100 to ₹1,300.
• Add-on Card Fee: ₹250.

Rewards

• Rewards Rate: Earn 1.5 Skywards Miles on every ₹100 spent on both international and domestic retail spends.
• Exclusions: No Skyward Miles on cash withdrawals, government, utility, insurance, education, fuel transactions, and EMI transactions.
• Travel Benefits:
  • Complimentary Emirates Skywards Silver Tier membership as a welcome benefit.
  • Option to upgrade to Emirates Skywards Gold Tier membership on achieving an annual spend of ₹5 lakhs in an anniversary year.
  • To retain Silver Tier status in subsequent years, an annual spend of ₹5 lakhs is required.
  • Save up to 10% on Emirates flight bookings using promo code INICI26 via Emirates.com or the Emirates App.
• Lounge Access:
  • International Airport Lounge Access:
    • Get 2 complimentary international airport lounge accesses annually for the primary cardholder.
    • For cards applied on or after November 15, 2024: Complimentary Priority Pass Membership for the primary cardholder, offering access to 1,400+ lounges worldwide.
    • For cards applied before November 15, 2024: DreamFolks Membership, offering access to 650+ lounges worldwide.
  • Domestic Airport Lounge Access: Get 2 complimentary domestic lounge accesses per calendar quarter on a minimum spend of ₹75,000 in the preceding calendar quarter.
• Movie & Dining Benefits:
  • BookMyShow Offer: Book one movie ticket and get up to ₹500 off on the second ticket, twice every month.
  • Eligibility for Movie Offer: Starting April 1, 2026, to avail this offer, a minimum spend of ₹25,000 or more on the Emirates Sapphiro Credit Card is required within the preceding spends quarter. This entitles eligibility for the following calendar quarter.
    • Example: Spend ₹25,000 between Dec 26, 2025, and Mar 25, 2026, to get the movie offer benefit between Apr 01, 2026, and June 30, 2026.
  • Customers with Credit Cards on dual networks (Mastercard & Amex | Visa & RuPay) can avail one movie offer per month, per variant.
  • Add-on/Plus card members need to individually spend ₹25,000 in the preceding spends quarter to be eligible for the offer in the subsequent calendar quarter.
  • Dining Discounts: Exclusive discount offers and deals on dining with the Culinary Treats Programme.

Rewards Redemption Guide

• Your earned Skywards Miles will be automatically credited to your Emirates Skywards account at the end of the billing cycle.
• Miles in your Emirates Skywards account can be redeemed for flights, upgrades, hotel stays, and more with Emirates and its partners by logging into your Emirates account or via the Emirates website.

Card Eligibility Criteria

• Age:
  • Primary cardholder must be an Indian citizen over 21 years of age.
  • Supplementary cardholder should be 18 years or above.
• Employment Status: Applicant should either be a salaried employee or self-employed.
• Income:
  • Salaried employee with a monthly income of ₹1,50,000.
  • Self-employed with an annual income of at least ₹18,00,000.
• Credit Score: The applicant’s credit score should be well maintained.

Documents Required

• Proof of Identity: Voters’ ID, Driving License, PAN Card, Aadhaar Card (any one).
• Proof of Address: Utility bills, Passport, Aadhaar Card, Driving License (any one).
• Income Proof: Latest salary slips/bank statements, or Latest ITR.

Card Review

The Emirates Skywards ICICI Bank Sapphiro Credit Card is best suited for individuals who frequently travel, especially with Emirates airlines, and wish to earn Skywards Miles on their spending. It offers compelling travel benefits including complimentary Emirates Skywards Silver Tier membership, opportunities to upgrade to Gold Tier, and access to both domestic and international airport lounges. Beyond travel, it provides significant entertainment perks like the Buy 1 Get 1 Free movie ticket offer on BookMyShow.

Pros:

• Generous Skywards Miles earning rate on all retail spends.
• Complimentary Emirates Skywards Silver Tier membership and potential upgrade to Gold.
• Extensive airport lounge access (domestic and international).
• Valuable Buy 1 Get 1 Free movie ticket offer.
• Discounts on Emirates flight bookings.
• Dining benefits through the Culinary Treats Programme.

Cons:

• High joining and annual fees (₹5,000 + GST).
• Movie and domestic lounge benefits are spend-based, requiring quarterly spends to unlock.
• Reward redemption is limited to Emirates and its partners, which might not suit all travelers.
• No Skyward Miles on certain transaction categories like fuel, utilities, and government payments.
• High foreign currency markup fee.

Verdict: While the card comes with a relatively high annual fee, its benefits can easily outweigh the cost for frequent Emirates flyers and high-spenders who can meet the spend-based waiver conditions for movie and lounge access. It's a strong contender for those seeking premium travel and lifestyle perks tied to the Emirates Skywards program.

Important Product Details

• Welcome benefit of 5,000 bonus Skyward Miles.
• Complimentary Emirates Skywards Silver Tier membership.
• Earn 1.5 Skyward Miles per ₹100 spent.
• Complimentary access to domestic & international airport lounges (conditional).
• Buy 1 Get 1 Free movie tickets via BookMyShow (conditional).
• Exciting discounts on dining bills with the Culinary Treats Programme.
• 1% fuel surcharge waiver.
• Joining and annual fee of ₹5,000 + GST.
• Finance charges of 3.75% per month.
• Foreign currency markup fee of 3.5%.
• Cash advance fee of 2.5% or ₹500 (whichever is higher).

Other Details

• The card is one of three co-branded travel credit cards issued by ICICI Bank in collaboration with Emirates airlines, alongside the Emirates ICICI Emeralde Credit Card and Emirates ICICI Rubyx Credit Card.
• Cashback offers on the Amex variant for movie tickets have been revoked effective from January 1, 2025.
• Customers can extend benefits to loved ones with ICICI Bank Plus Cards.
• Refer to the Most Important Terms & Conditions (MITC) for other charges and applicable Terms and Conditions (T&Cs).