Until recently, an ICICI Bank credit card in your wallet was your golden ticket to plush airport lounges across India. Many cardholders loved the small luxury—escaping airport chaos for a quiet coffee, a plug point, and cushioned seating. But that smooth ride has hit a good bit of turbulence. Starting Jan 1, 2025, ICICI introduced a spend-based eligibility model for complimentary domestic lounge access. And if you thought the ₹35,000 per quarter spend rule was steep, hold on—because lately it doubled to ₹75,000.
So, What exactly changed?
Here’s how it works. If you want to access a domestic lounge between, say, Jan and Mar 2025, you must have spent ₹75,000 using your ICICI credit card between Sep and Dec 2024. Miss that mark? Well, your lounge access is gone for that quarter.
Spend Period vs Lounge Eligibility Period
| Spend Period (Quarter) | Lounge Access Period (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 are required to spend ₹75,000 in the above “Spend Period” to qualify for lounge access in the “Lounge Access Period”.
Also read: These Hidden Credit Card Charges Are Draining Your Wallet – Know Them Now!
Which Cards are Affected?
This spend-linked access applies to 21 mid-range cards, including:
- ICICI Bank Coral Credit Card
- ICICI Expressions and MINE Cards (Visa/Mastercard)
- HPCL Super Saver
- Manchester United Platinum
- MakeMyTrip Platinum
- SPEEDZ, Parakram, CSK Credit Card
- Business Blue Advantage, MMT Business Platinum
Who still Enjoys Unlimited Access?
High-net-worth individuals still fly first class—figuratively. If you own:
- ICICI Emeralde Credit Card
- Emeralde Private Metal Card
- Diamant Credit Card
- You continue to enjoy unlimited lounge access, no matter your spend.
The Hidden Charge: DCC Fee
Now let’s talk about what catches many off-guard—Dynamic Currency Conversion (DCC). It sounds helpful: when you’re abroad, the merchant offers to bill you in INR instead of dollars or euros. But in reality, DCC almost always means a poor exchange rate. And now, ICICI has started charging a 1% DCC fee, effective Feb 5, 2024, on such transactions. So it’s best to always opt to pay in the local currency when abroad.
Other quiet rollbacks you should know
ICICI also made a few subtle changes:
- Discontinued spa access (yes, even on premium cards)
- Removed reward points on wallet loading and rent payments
- Imposed ₹199 annual fee on all supplementary cards
Final Boarding Call
ICICI’s message is clear: if you want the perks, you need to be an active cardholder. Swipe wisely, monitor your spends, and don’t assume yesterday’s benefits apply today. The lounge is still accessible—it would however, just take a little more effort now. Next time you pack for your flight and dream of that free cappuccino in the lounge, check if you’ve cleared ₹75,000 in the last quarter. Because in the world of upgraded travel, every rupee you swipe might just earn you a seat in luxury.
Written by Roshni Mohinani
