Which card has a lower forex fee: Axis Bank Reserve Credit Card or Times Black ICICI Bank Credit Card?

Times Black ICICI Bank Credit Card has lower forex markup (1.49% vs 1.5%).

Which card has a lower annual fee: Axis Bank Reserve Credit Card or Times Black ICICI Bank Credit Card?

Times Black ICICI Bank Credit Card has a lower annual fee (₹20,000 vs ₹50,000).

Which card offers better lounge access?

Axis Bank Reserve Credit Card: Unlimited domestic lounge. Times Black ICICI Bank Credit Card: Unlimited domestic lounge.

Which card has a higher base reward rate?

Times Black ICICI Bank Credit Card has higher base reward value (~2% vs ~1.5%).

Pairwise comparison Add another card →

Axis Bank Reserve vs ICICI Bank Times Black Credit Cards – Fees, Lounge, Forex

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

Rewards ICICI Bank Times Black Low fee ICICI Bank Times Black

Quick comparison

Three core metrics

Reserve Axis Bank

Annual fee ₹50,000 Waivable at ₹35,00,000 spend
Forex markup 1.5%
Domestic lounge Unlimited

Times Black ICICI Bank

Annual fee ₹20,000 Waivable at ₹25,00,000 spend
Forex markup 1.49%
Domestic lounge Unlimited

Reward earning explained

Per card

Reserve

7.5 pts / ₹100 on General spend

Limited data

Times Black

2 pts / ₹100 on General spend

Limited data

Pick based on what matters

6 dimensions

Start with the constraint you care about most: annual fee (Axis Bank Reserve: ₹50,000 vs ICICI Bank Times Black: ₹20,000), forex markup (1.5% vs 1.49%), or lounge access (Unlimited vs Unlimited).

Travel Tie

Both cards are similar for travel

Forex markup is 1.5%.

Reserve: Limited data Times Black: Limited data
Forex markup Tie

Both cards are similar for forex

Forex markup is 1.5%.

Reserve: Limited data Times Black: Limited data
Lounge access Tie

Both cards are similar for lounge access

Domestic lounge access is unlimited.
Rewards ICICI Bank Times Black wins

ICICI Bank Times Black is better for rewards

ICICI Bank Times Black is stronger here. Estimated base reward value is ~2% on base spend.

Reserve: Limited data Times Black: Limited data
Annual fee ICICI Bank Times Black wins

ICICI Bank Times Black is better for fees

ICICI Bank Times Black is stronger here. ICICI Bank Times Black has a lower annual fee (₹20,000 vs ₹50,000).

Reserve: Limited data Times Black: Limited data
upi Tie

Both cards are similar for UPI usage

Mastercard network does not support UPI payments. Visa network does not support UPI payments.

Verify with issuer

All fields

Standard view

Example usage at this monthly spend

At ₹50k/month spend:

Times Black ICICI Bank: ~₹1,000/month at base rate
Reserve: ~₹750/month at base rate

Illustrative only, using current base rates before caps.

Field	Reserve Axis Bank	Times Black ICICI Bank
Lounge Access
Domestic lounge visits	Unlimited	Unlimited
International lounge visits	12/year	12/year
Forex / International Use
Forex markup Source agreement differs — verify both. 1.5% vs 1.49%	1.5%	1.49%
Fees
Annual fee ₹50,000 vs ₹20,000	₹50,000	₹20,000
Joining fee ₹50,000 vs ₹20,000	₹50,000	₹20,000
Fee waiver spend ₹35,00,000 vs ₹25,00,000	₹35,00,000	₹25,00,000
Rewards
Points per ₹100 7.5 pts vs 2 pts	7.5 pts	2 pts
Point cash value ₹0.2 vs ₹1	₹0.2	₹1

Notes

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