InterMiles ICICI Bank Sapphiro Credit Card – Benefits, Fees & Eligibility

InterMiles ICICI Bank Sapphiro Credit Card

Introduction

The InterMiles ICICI Bank Sapphiro Credit Card is a co-branded travel credit card offered by ICICI Bank in partnership with the InterMiles frequent flyer program. Available in both Visa and American Express variants, the card earns users InterMiles on all spending. While it previously offered benefits on Jet Airways, it now provides special privileges on Etihad Airlines flight bookings, reflecting Etihad's significant stake in the former airline. This card is designed to reward frequent travelers with InterMiles that can be redeemed for flight and hotel bookings.

Welcome Benefits

• Complimentary InterMiles Silver Tier membership for the first year.
• 10,000 bonus InterMiles as a welcome gift.
• For the AmEx variant: A discount voucher worth Rs. 750 on flight bookings and Rs. 1,500 on hotel bookings.
• For the Visa variant: A discount voucher worth Rs. 500 on flight bookings and Rs. 1,000 on hotel reservations.
• Additional benefit for the Visa variant: A flight discount voucher worth Rs. 750 and a hotel discount voucher worth Rs. 1,500 upon spending Rs. 60,000 within the first three months of card setup.

Fees

• Joining Fee: Rs. 5,000 + GST
• Renewal Fee: Rs. 5,000 + GST
• Rewards Redemption Fee: Rs. 99 (plus applicable taxes) per redemption request.
• Foreign Currency Markup: 3.5% of the transaction amount.
• Interest Rates: 3.5% per month (equivalent to 42% annually).
• Fuel Surcharge: 1% fuel surcharge waived off at all fuel stations across India.
• Cash Advance Charges: 2.5% of the transacted amount, subject to a minimum of Rs. 300.

Rewards

• Reward Rate

  • American Express Variant:
    • 5 InterMiles per Rs. 100 on domestic spends.
    • 7 InterMiles per Rs. 100 on international spends.
    • 12.5 InterMiles per Rs. 100 for Etihad Airways ticket bookings made on the InterMiles website.
    • 10 InterMiles per Rs. 100 for all other flight and hotel spends made on the InterMiles website.
  • Visa Variant:
    • 4 InterMiles per Rs. 100 on domestic spends.
    • 5 InterMiles per Rs. 100 on international spends.
    • 10 InterMiles per Rs. 100 for Etihad Airways ticket bookings made on the InterMiles website.
    • 8 InterMiles per Rs. 100 for all other flight and hotel spends made on the InterMiles website.
  • You earn 2X InterMiles on your spends on the InterMiles website.
  • No InterMiles are earned on fuel purchases.
  • Only 1 InterMile per Rs. 100 spent on insurance premiums and utility bill payments for both variants.
  • A maximum of 60,000 InterMiles can be earned in a card anniversary year. To earn InterMiles beyond this limit, an uncapping fee of Rs. 7,500 is required.

• Annual/Milestone Benefits

  • 5,000 bonus InterMiles every year upon card membership renewal.
  • A flight discount voucher worth Rs. 500 and a hotel discount voucher worth Rs. 1,000 every anniversary year.
  • Additional flight discount voucher of Rs. 500 and hotel discount voucher of Rs. 1,000 on spending Rs. 60,000 within three months of the card anniversary date.

• Movies

  • Buy one movie ticket and get up to Rs. 500 off on the second ticket on BookMyShow, available a maximum of two times per month.

• Dining

  • Exclusive dining benefits through the ICICI Bank Culinary Treats program.

• Travel

  • Reward points are earned as InterMiles.
  • Accelerated InterMiles are awarded on booking flights/hotels from the InterMiles website.
  • Complimentary Dreamfolks membership is provided, which includes limited domestic and international lounge access and complimentary domestic spa visits.

• Domestic Lounge Access

  • 2 complimentary domestic lounge accesses per quarter with both Visa and AmEx variants, provided a minimum of Rs. 5,000 was spent in the previous calendar quarter.

• International Lounge Access

  • 2 complimentary international lounge accesses every year under the Dreamfolks membership.

• Golf

  • 1 complimentary round of golf per month for every Rs. 50,000 spent in the previous month, allowing for up to 4 complimentary rounds each month.

• Etihad Airways Discounts

  • 5% discount on Etihad Airways economy class tickets.
  • 10% discount on Etihad Airways business class tickets.

Rewards Redemption Guide

• The InterMiles earned on your card can be redeemed for booking air tickets and for hotel reservations on the InterMiles official portal.
• Redemptions can be made from partner airlines and hotel chains available on the InterMiles portal.

Card Review

The InterMiles ICICI Bank Sapphiro Credit Card is a strong offering for frequent travelers, particularly those flying to destinations in the Middle East like Dubai. It consistently earns InterMiles on all expenditures, with accelerated rewards on specific categories and when making bookings through the InterMiles website. While both Visa and American Express variants provide a good reward rate, the American Express variant generally offers slightly superior benefits. This card provides significant value through its welcome benefits, annual renewal perks, and a comprehensive suite of travel and lifestyle privileges.

Important Product Details

• Provides complimentary InterMiles Silver Tier membership for the first year and 10,000 bonus InterMiles as a welcome gift.
• Offers differential reward rates for American Express (5 domestic, 7 international InterMiles/Rs. 100) and Visa (4 domestic, 5 international InterMiles/Rs. 100) variants.
• Accelerated InterMiles earning on bookings made via the InterMiles official website, including specific rates for Etihad Airways tickets.
• Includes a complimentary DreamFolks membership, offering 2 complimentary international lounge visits and 2 complimentary domestic airport spa visits annually.
• Grants 2 complimentary domestic lounge accesses per quarter with both card variants, contingent on a minimum spend of Rs. 5,000 in the previous quarter.
• Features a "Buy One Get One" offer on BookMyShow movie tickets, up to Rs. 500 off on the second ticket, twice monthly.
• Provides one complimentary round of golf for every Rs. 50,000 spent in the prior month, allowing up to 4 rounds monthly.
• Includes dining benefits through the Culinary Treats program and a 24x7 concierge service (i-Assist).
• Offers a 1% fuel surcharge waiver at all fuel stations across India.
• InterMiles are not earned on fuel purchases, and a reduced rate of 1 InterMile per Rs. 100 is applied to insurance premiums and utility bill payments.
• There is an annual cap of 60,000 InterMiles, beyond which an uncapping fee of Rs. 7,500 is charged to continue earning.

Other Details

• The card is available in two variants: Visa and American Express, with slight differences in the benefits offered.
• The card provides special privileges on Etihad Airlines flight bookings.
• A 24x7 concierge service, named i-Assist, is available to cardmembers. This service can be contacted at 1800 26 70731 or 022 6787 2016 for various assistance, including:
  • Restaurant and hotel reservations
  • Flight ticket booking
  • Car rental and limousine services
  • Flower and gift assistance
  • Booking and delivery of movie tickets
  • Medical concierge privileges
  • Emergency auto assistance across India
• InterMiles Platinum Tier members are exempt from paying any joining or renewal fees for the card.