7.5 EDGE Reward Points / ₹100
Strong data Pairwise comparison
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AXIS Reserve vs ICICI Emeralde
Side-by-side comparison of the Axis Bank Reserve and the ICICI Bank Emeralde. Verify fees, lounge access, forex markup, and base rewards before you apply.
The short answer
Head-to-head
- Annual fee Annual fee outcome: Emeralde wins. Emeralde saves ₹38,000/yrReserve ₹50,000 Waivable at ₹35,00,000 spendEmeralde ₹12,000 Waivable at ₹10,00,000 spend
- Forex markup Forex markup outcome: Reserve wins. Reserve saves ~₹500 per ₹1L abroadReserve 1.5%Emeralde 2%
- Domestic lounge Domestic lounge outcome: tie. Reserve UnlimitedEmeralde Unlimited
- Rewards Rewards outcome: insufficient data to compare. conservative base valueReserve ~1.5%Emeralde Not safely INR-comparable
Reward earning explained
6 pts / ₹100
Strong dataExample usage at this monthly spend
At ₹50k/month spend:
- Reserve: ~₹750/month at base rate
- Emeralde: Base earn not clearly specified
Illustrative only, using current base rates before caps.
All fields
| Field | Reserve Axis Bank | Emeralde ICICI Bank |
|---|---|---|
| Lounge Access | ||
| Domestic lounge visits | Unlimited | Unlimited |
| International lounge visits | Unlimited | Unlimited |
| Forex / International Use | ||
| Forex markup Same forex; compare fee and lounge rows. 1.5% vs 2% | 1.5% | 2% |
| Fees | ||
| Recurring annual fee ₹50,000 vs ₹12,000 | ₹50,000 | ₹12,000 |
| Annual-fee waiver ₹35,00,000 vs ₹10,00,000 | ₹35,00,000 | ₹10,00,000 |
| Interest-free period Up to 50 days vs Up to 48 days | Up to 50 days | Up to 48 days |
| Monthly interest rate Only available for Emeralde | Not specified | 3.75% / month |
| Late-payment charge Only available for Emeralde | Not specified | ₹100–₹1,300 depending on outstanding balance |
| Fuel benefit 1% surcharge waiver · ₹400–₹4,000 transactions · ₹400/month waiver cap vs 1% surcharge waiver · up to ₹4,000 transactions · Fuel rewards excluded | 1% surcharge waiver · ₹400–₹4,000 transactions · ₹400/month waiver cap | 1% surcharge waiver · up to ₹4,000 transactions · Fuel rewards excluded |
| Rewards | ||
| Points per ₹100 7.5 EDGE Reward Points / ₹100 vs 6 pts / ₹100 | 7.5 EDGE Reward Points / ₹100 | 6 pts / ₹100 |
| Conservative base value ~1.5% vs Not safely INR-comparable | ~1.5% | Not safely INR-comparable |
| 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 Reserve | ₹0.2 | Not specified |
| Point validity Only available for Emeralde | Not specified | 3 years |
| Insurance — Air accident cover Only available for Emeralde | Not specified | ₹3 crore |
| Insurance — Lost card liability cover Only available for Emeralde | Not specified | ₹50,000 |
| Insurance — Underwriter Only available for Emeralde | 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.
Axis Bank Reserve
Verify with issuer , opens external siteICICI Bank Emeralde
Verify with issuer , opens external site