Pairwise comparison Compare 3+ cards →

AXIS Reserve vs ICICI Times Black

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.

Reserve
Times Black

The short answer

Pick Reserve for rewards.

Pick Times Black for a lower fee.

Times Black costs ₹30,000 less a year.

Head-to-head

  • Annual fee Annual fee outcome: Times Black wins.
    Reserve ₹50,000 Waivable at ₹35,00,000 spend
    Times Black ₹20,000 Waivable at ₹25,00,000 spend
    Times Black saves ₹30,000/yr
  • Forex markup Forex markup outcome: tie.
    Reserve 1.5%
    Times Black 1.49%
    Tie
  • Domestic lounge Domestic lounge outcome: tie.
    Reserve Unlimited
    Times Black Unlimited
  • Rewards Rewards outcome: Reserve wins.
    Reserve ~1.5%
    Times Black ~0.8%
    conservative base value

Reward earning explained

Reserve

7.5 EDGE Reward Points / ₹100

Strong data
Times Black

2 pts / ₹100

Strong data

Example usage at this monthly spend

At ₹50k/month spend:

  • Reserve: ~₹750/month at base rate
  • Times Black ICICI Bank: ~₹400/month at base rate

Illustrative only, using current base rates before caps.

All fields

Field Reserve Axis Bank Times Black 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 1.49%
1.5% 1.49%
Fees
Recurring annual fee
₹50,000 vs ₹20,000
₹50,000 ₹20,000
Annual-fee waiver
₹35,00,000 vs ₹25,00,000
₹35,00,000 ₹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
Only available for Times Black ICICI Bank
Not specified 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–₹4,000 transactions · ₹400/month waiver cap vs 1% surcharge waiver · up to ₹4,000 transactions
1% surcharge waiver · ₹400–₹4,000 transactions · ₹400/month waiver cap 1% surcharge waiver · up to ₹4,000 transactions
Rewards
Points per ₹100
7.5 EDGE Reward Points / ₹100 vs 2 pts / ₹100
7.5 EDGE Reward Points / ₹100 2 pts / ₹100
Conservative base value
~1.5% vs ~0.8%
~1.5% ~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.
₹0.2 vs ₹0.4
₹0.2 ₹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.