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ICICI Bank Emeralde Credit Card vs SBI AURUM Credit Card vs SBI ELITE Credit Card

A detailed, side-by-side look at 3 leading credit cards. Analyze the features that matter most to you and make an informed choice.

Features

ICICI Bank Emeralde Credit Card
ICICI Bank Emeralde Credit Card
SBI AURUM Credit Card
SBI AURUM Credit Card
SBI ELITE Credit Card
SBI ELITE Credit Card

Fees & Charges

Joining Fee
₹12,000 + GST
₹9,999 + GST
₹4,999 + GST
Renewal Fee
₹12,000 + GST
₹9,999 + GST
₹4,999 + GST
Spend Based Waiver
Annual fee waived on ₹10-15 lakh annual spends; monthly fee waived on ₹1 lakh monthly spends.
Annual fee waived on achieving annual spends of ₹12,00,000 in the previous anniversary year.
Annual renewal fee waived on achieving annual spends of Rs. 10 lakh or more.
Foreign Transaction Fees
2% of the transaction amount (some sources indicate 1.5%).
1.99% of the transaction amount.
1.99% of the transaction amount on international usage.
Interest Rate (APR)
General finance charges: 3.75% or 3.40% per month. Cash advance: 3.75% or 1.99% per month.
3.75% per month (45% per annum).
3.75% Per Month (equivalent to 45% Per Annum).

Rewards & Benefits

Welcome Bonus
American Express Cardholders receive a shopping voucher from TATA CLiQ worth ₹5,000 on their birthday.
40,000 AURUM Reward Points (₹10,000), plus Club Marriott, WSJ, Mint, and IPV memberships.
Welcome e-Gift Voucher worth Rs. 5,000, redeemable across select travel and lifestyle brands.
Rewards Rate
Earn 4 Reward Points on every ₹100 domestic/international spend; 1 RP on Utility/Insurance.
Earn 4 ARP on every ₹100 non-fuel spend (1 ARP = ₹0.25), a 1% reward rate.
5X RPs (10 RPs/Rs.100) on Dining, Dept. Stores, Groceries; 2 RPs/Rs.100 on other spends.
Reward Type
Reward Points
Reward Points
Reward Points
Reward Redemption Fee
₹99 + GST per reward redemption request.
₹99 + applicable taxes per redemption request.
Rs. 99 + GST

Travel & Lifestyle

Domestic Lounge Access
Unlimited complimentary domestic airport lounge access for the primary Cardholder.
4 complimentary domestic lounge accesses per quarter for primary & add-on cardholders + spa access.
2 complimentary Domestic Airport Lounge visits every quarter in India.
International Lounge Access
Unlimited complimentary international airport lounge access for the primary Cardholder.
Unlimited international lounge access via Dreamfolks program, with 1 complimentary guest visit per quarter.
Complimentary Priority Pass membership; 6 international lounge visits/year (max 2/quarter).
Travel Benefits
Unlimited complimentary international and domestic airport lounge access; travel cancellation protection.
Flight cancellation cover of ₹3,500 (refundable) / ₹3,000 (non-refundable), up to 2 times yearly.
Complimentary lounge access, discounts on hotels (Lalit) & car rentals (Hertz, Avis), luxury hotel privileges.
Movie Benefits
Buy one get one up to ₹750 off on movie/event tickets via BookMyShow, up to 4 times monthly.
4 complimentary BookMyShow movie tickets (₹250 each) every month, max 2 tickets per booking.
Free movie tickets worth Rs. 6,000 every year (max Rs. 250/ticket, 2 tickets/booking/month).
Dining Benefits
Minimum 15% discount on dining bills at partnered restaurants through the Culinary Treats Programme.
5X RPs on dining. Up to 25% off at partner restaurants & 15% off at Lalit Hotels.
Golf Benefits
Up to 4 complimentary golf rounds or lessons monthly, based on eligible previous month's spends.
16 complimentary golf rounds (4/quarter) and 12 golf lessons per calendar year.
4 complimentary green fees, up to 50% off golf games, 1 free golf lesson/month (Mastercard).
Fuel Surcharge Waiver
1% waiver on fuel transactions up to ₹4,000 at any fuel station across India.
1% waiver (₹500-₹4,000 transactions, max ₹250 waiver/cycle) across all petrol pumps.
1% waiver on fuel (Rs. 500-4000), capped at Rs. 250/month.

Security & Other

Insurance Benefits
₹3 Crore Air Accident Insurance, ₹50,000 Credit Shield, and comprehensive international travel insurance.
₹1 Lakh travel insurance, ₹3.5 Crore air accidental death, ₹10 Lakh lost card & fraud protection.
Complimentary Rs. 1 lakh fraud liability cover. Air accident cover (Rs. 1 Cr) discontinued 15 July 2025.
Cash Advance Charges
Nil cash advance charges, but interest rates apply immediately from the transaction date.
2.50% of withdrawn amount, minimum charge of ₹500.
2.5% of transaction amount, subject to a minimum charge of Rs. 500.
Best valueHigher costHighlights apply to Joining Fee and Renewal Fee only.

ICICI Bank Emeralde Credit Card

SBI AURUM Credit Card

SBI ELITE Credit Card

Who is it for?

Who is it for?

Who is it for?

Pros

Key benefits and features.

Unlimited complimentary domestic & international airport lounge access for primary cardholder.

Get up to 4 free golf rounds/lessons monthly, based on your previous month's retail spends.

Attractive 'Buy One Get One' movie/event ticket offers via BookMyShow and dining discounts.

Comprehensive travel insurance, including ₹3 Crore air accident cover & cancellation waivers.

Choose between annual/monthly plans with spend-based fee waivers for financial flexibility.

Pros

Key benefits and features.

Generous welcome benefit of 40,000 Reward Points (equivalent to ₹10,000).

Attractive milestone benefits offer premium brand vouchers like Tata CLiQ Luxury, Taj, and Apple.

Exclusive complimentary memberships to Club Marriott, WSJ, Mint, and the Angel Investor Network (IPV).

Extensive travel benefits with unlimited international and domestic lounge access, plus spa access.

Comprehensive insurance coverage for travel, accidental death, and fraud protection.

Pros

Key benefits and features.

Provides significant welcome benefits worth Rs. 5,000, offsetting the first-year annual fee.

Generous complimentary lounge access: 2 domestic/quarter, 6 international/year via Priority Pass.

Accelerated rewards on dining, groceries, and departmental store spends.

Versatile credit card with privileges across diverse categories, ideal for luxury lifestyle & travel.

The annual fee can be waived upon achieving an annual spend milestone of Rs. 10 lakhs.

Cons

Key drawbacks and limitations.

Significant joining and annual fees, though waivable with high annual spending thresholds.

Very high-income criteria restrict access, making this card exclusive to high earners.

A charge of ₹99 + GST is applied for every request to redeem reward points.

Concierge services are restricted to major metropolitan cities in India only.

Discrepancies exist in reported foreign currency markup and interest rates across sources.

Cons

Key drawbacks and limitations.

A 1% standard reward rate is basic for a super-premium card with such a high annual fee.

Discontinuation of valuable prior subscriptions like Amazon Prime, Zomato Gold, and Discovery Plus.

Being an invite-only card significantly limits its accessibility, even for eligible high-income applicants.

Cons

Key drawbacks and limitations.

Base reward rate of 0.5% on general expenditures is low compared to rival premium cards.

High annual fee of Rs. 4,999 may be a disadvantage if waiver criteria aren't met or benefits underutilized.

Specific benefits like golf or dining offers are often limited to certain card variants.

Ready to Choose?

Based on your comparison, select the credit card that best matches your spending habits and financial goals.