ICICI Bank British Airways Classic Credit Card – Benefits, Fees & Eligibility

Introduction

The ICICI Bank British Airways Classic Credit Card, issued by ICICI Bank in collaboration with British Airways, is a co-branded credit card designed for frequent travelers, particularly those who prefer British Airways. This card, which is now discontinued, offered exclusive travel benefits and rewarded users with Avios, redeemable against hotel/flight bookings and various other travel & lifestyle-related spends. A unique feature was its availability in both MasterCard and American Express variants, providing diverse earning opportunities.

Welcome Benefits

• You receive 3,500 bonus Avios as a welcome gift.
• You can earn an additional 25,000 Avios when you book a British Airways return flight from India to England within the first three months of your card activation. This offers an opportunity to earn up to 28,500 Avios within the initial three months.

Fees

• Joining Fee: NIL
• Annual Fee: Rs. 3,500 + GST
• Spend-Based Waiver: Not applicable; the renewal fee cannot be waived off.
• Rewards Redemption Fee: Rs. 99 per redemption request.
• Foreign Currency Markup: 3.5%
• Interest Rates: 3.40% per month
• Fuel Surcharge: 1% fuel surcharge waiver at all HPCL fuel stations for transactions up to Rs. 4,000.
• Cash Advance Charges: 2.5% of the amount withdrawn or a minimum of Rs. 300.

Rewards

The card rewards users in the form of Avios, which can be redeemed for various travel and lifestyle expenses.

American Express Variant

• Regular retail spends: Earn 2 Avios on every Rs. 100 spent.
• Accelerated Regular retail spends: Earn 4 Avios on every Rs. 100 spent after spending a minimum of Rs. 2.25 lakhs in a month.
• British Airways flight bookings & in-flight shopping: Earn 2.5 Avios on every Rs. 100 spent.
• Accelerated British Airways flight bookings & in-flight shopping: Earn 5 Avios on every Rs. 100 spent after spending a minimum of Rs. 2.25 lakhs in a month.

Mastercard Variant

• Earn 0.5 Avios on every Rs. 100 spent on the ICICI Bank British Airways Classic Mastercard Credit Card.
• No accelerated Avios are earned on British Airways flight bookings with the Mastercard variant.

Rewards Redemption Guide

The Avios earned using your card can be redeemed against flight/hotel bookings, car rentals, and other travel-related spends on the British Airways official website. You can also use your earned Avios for partial payment of British Airways flight tickets and other travel-related expenses.

Here are examples of Avios required to book a one-way flight to specific destinations:

• Paris: 29,500 Avios
• New York: 45,000 Avios
• London: 25,000 Avios
• Sao Paulo: 55,000 Avios
• Rome: 32,500 Avios

Card Review

The ICICI Bank British Airways Classic Credit Card was best suited for frequent flyers, particularly those who preferred British Airways. It offered exciting welcome benefits, providing an opportunity to earn up to 28,500 Avios within the first three months, which could be sufficient for a flight to London. Cardholders could earn up to 5 Avios on every Rs. 100 spent, and these Avios were redeemable against various travel-related expenses, offering significant savings for those who travel frequently with British Airways.

Important Product Details

• The card is discontinued.
• Enjoyed the benefits of two card variants (MasterCard & American Express) with a single account.
• Welcome bonus of 3,500 Avios.
• Earn 25,000 Avios on booking a British Airways return flight from India to England within the first three months of card activation.
• Earn up to 4 Avios on every regular spend of Rs. 100 (with Amex variant after monthly spend threshold).
• Earn up to 5 Avios on British Airways tickets and in-flight shopping spend of Rs. 100 (with Amex variant after monthly spend threshold).
• Redeem earned Avios against flight/hotel bookings, car rentals, etc.
• 1% fuel surcharge waiver at all HPCL fuel stations for transactions up to Rs. 4,000.
• Annual fee of Rs. 3,500 + GST, which cannot be waived off.
• Rewards redemption fee of Rs. 99 per request.
• Foreign currency markup of 3.5%.
• Interest rate of 3.40% per month.
• Cash advance charges of 2.5% of the amount withdrawn or a minimum of Rs. 300.

Other Details

• The Mastercard variant does not offer accelerated Avios on flight bookings, unlike the AmEx variant which can earn up to 5 Avios per Rs. 100.
• Earned Avios can be utilized for partial payment of British Airways flight tickets and other travel-related expenditures.