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AXIS Primus vs ICICI Times Black

Side-by-side comparison of the Axis Bank Primus and the ICICI Bank Times Black. Verify fees, lounge access, forex markup, and base rewards before you apply.

Primus
Times Black

The short answer

Pick Primus for spending abroad.

Times Black costs ₹2,80,000 less a year but waives only at ₹25,00,000 spend, Primus at Not offered.

Head-to-head

  • Annual fee Annual fee outcome: tie.
    Primus ₹3,00,000 Annual-fee waiver not offered
    Times Black ₹20,000 Waivable at ₹25,00,000 spend
    ₹2,80,000/yr apart · waiver gates differ
  • Forex markup Forex markup outcome: Primus wins.
    Primus 0%
    Times Black 1.49%
    Primus saves ~₹1,490 per ₹1L abroad
  • Domestic lounge Domestic lounge outcome: tie.
    Primus Unlimited
    Times Black Unlimited
  • Rewards Rewards outcome: insufficient data to compare.
    Primus Not safely INR-comparable
    Times Black ~0.8%
    conservative base value
    Primus: Strong data Times Black: Strong data

Reward earning explained

Primus

1 EDGE Miles / ₹100

Strong data
Times Black

2 pts / ₹100

Strong data

Example usage at this monthly spend

At ₹50k/month spend:

  • Times Black ICICI Bank: ~₹400/month at base rate
  • Primus: Base earn not clearly specified

Illustrative only, using current base rates before caps.

All fields

Field Primus Axis Bank Times Black ICICI Bank
Lounge Access
Domestic lounge visits Unlimited Unlimited
International lounge visits Unlimited Unlimited
Forex / International Use
Forex markup
Source agreement differs — verify both.
0% vs 1.49%
0% 1.49%
Fees
Recurring annual fee
₹3,00,000 vs ₹20,000
₹3,00,000 ₹20,000
Annual-fee waiver
Not offered vs ₹25,00,000
Not offered ₹25,00,000
Interest-free period
Up to 50 days vs Up to 48 days
Up to 50 days Up to 48 days
Monthly interest rate
1% / month vs 3.75% / month
1% / month 3.75% / month
Late-payment charge
Only available for Times Black ICICI Bank
Not specified ₹100–₹1,300 depending on outstanding balance
Fuel benefit
1% surcharge waiver · ₹400–₹10,000 transactions vs 1% surcharge waiver · up to ₹4,000 transactions
1% surcharge waiver · ₹400–₹10,000 transactions 1% surcharge waiver · up to ₹4,000 transactions
Rewards
Points per ₹100
1 EDGE Miles / ₹100 vs 2 pts / ₹100
1 EDGE Miles / ₹100 2 pts / ₹100
Conservative base value
Not safely INR-comparable vs ~0.8%
Not safely INR-comparable ~0.8%
Earn ceiling Not stated Not stated
Point value (headline channel)
Issuer headline redemption rate — see each card page for the full channel grid.
Only available for Times Black ICICI Bank
Not specified ₹0.4
Point validity
Only available for Times Black ICICI Bank
Not specified 3 years
Insurance — Air accident cover
Only available for Times Black ICICI Bank
Not specified ₹3 crore
Insurance — Lost card liability cover
Only available for Times Black ICICI Bank
Not specified ₹50,000
Insurance — Underwriter
Only available for Times Black ICICI Bank
Not specified Insured by ICICI Lombard General Insurance Company Limited

Notes

  • Card benefits change frequently. Always verify current terms on the issuer's official website or app before applying.