{"id":36035,"date":"2025-07-17T20:56:37","date_gmt":"2025-07-17T20:56:37","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/manikarthik.com\/blog\/?p=36035"},"modified":"2025-07-17T20:56:40","modified_gmt":"2025-07-17T20:56:40","slug":"times-black-icici-bank-credit-card-review","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/manikarthik.com\/blog\/times-black-icici-bank-credit-card-review\/","title":{"rendered":"Times Black ICICI Bank Credit Card Review"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Back in December 2024, I kept seeing Times Black ads everywhere.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Full page newspaper ads. LinkedIn sponsored posts. Instagram stories.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The marketing was intense.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

“India’s most exclusive credit card.”<\/p>\n\n\n\n

“Crafted from the metal of Times of India’s first printing press.”<\/p>\n\n\n\n

My curiosity got the better of me.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

I applied. Got instant approval.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Three months later, I’m writing this review with mixed feelings. \ud83d\ude15<\/p>\n\n\n\n

My Times Black Discovery Story \ud83d\udcd6<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

The Marketing Overload<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Moving back from the US in 2017 meant I missed the early credit card revolution in India.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

By 2024, I had premium cards. Infinia. Diners Black. Axis Magnus.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

But Times Black promised something different.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

“Ultra luxury experiences.”<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The marketing reminded me of premium US cards like Amex Centurion.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Application Shock<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Applied online at timesblack.com.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Instant approval within 30 seconds.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

No income verification. No documents.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Just existing ICICI customer status.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

That should have been my first red flag.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Premium cards aren’t supposed to be this easy.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Reality Check Moment<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Card arrived in 7 days. Beautiful metal design.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

First purchase: \u20b9500 coffee at Bangalore airport.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Reward points earned: 10 points.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Value: \u20b910.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Annual fee paid: \u20b923,600 (including GST).<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The math wasn’t adding up.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Times Black At A Glance \u26a1<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

The Super Premium Positioning<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Times Black ICICI Bank Credit Card is a metal card co-branded with Times Internet Ltd. Catering to the lifestyle needs of the premium segment, at an annual fee of Rs. 20,000, it offers some high-end benefits like unlimited lounge access, milestone benefits worth up to Rs. 70,000.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Accessibility Reality<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Despite being marketed to UHNIs, it lacks exclusivity. There’s no strict eligibility requirement, as anyone with an existing ICICI Bank credit card can get instant approval via the Times Black website.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

This is where things get interesting (and concerning).<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Competition Face Off \ud83e\udd4a<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
Feature<\/th>Times Black<\/th>HDFC Infinia<\/th>Axis Magnus<\/th><\/tr><\/thead>
Annual Fee<\/strong><\/td>\u20b920,000 + GST<\/td>\u20b912,500 + taxes<\/td>\u20b912,500 + taxes<\/td><\/tr>
Base Reward Rate<\/strong><\/td>2% domestic, 2.5% intl<\/td>3.33%<\/td>1.2%<\/td><\/tr>
Welcome Benefits<\/strong><\/td>\u20b927,000 value<\/td>\u20b912,500 points<\/td>25,000 points<\/td><\/tr>
Lounge Access<\/strong><\/td>Unlimited global<\/td>Unlimited global<\/td>8 domestic + 8 intl<\/td><\/tr>
Forex Markup<\/strong><\/td>1.49% + GST (1.76%)<\/td>2%<\/td>2%<\/td><\/tr>
Fee Waiver<\/strong><\/td>\u20b925L spend<\/td>\u20b910L spend<\/td>\u20b91.5L spend<\/td><\/tr>
Eligibility<\/strong><\/td>Any ICICI customer<\/td>Invite only<\/td>\u20b915L+ income<\/td><\/tr>
Transfer Partners<\/strong><\/td>None<\/td>19 airlines\/hotels<\/td>15+ airlines<\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

My Take:<\/strong> Times Black charges premium prices for mid tier benefits.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Reward Structure Deep Dive \ud83d\udcb0<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

The Basic Earning Rate<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

2% Reward points on domestic transactions including Insurance, utilities, education & government payments, 2.5% Reward points on International transactions.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

My Annual Spend Analysis<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Category<\/th>Annual Spend<\/th>Points Earned<\/th>Value<\/th><\/tr><\/thead>
Domestic purchases<\/strong><\/td>\u20b98,00,000<\/td>16,000<\/td>\u20b916,000<\/td><\/tr>
International spending<\/strong><\/td>\u20b92,00,000<\/td>5,000<\/td>\u20b95,000<\/td><\/tr>
Capped categories<\/strong><\/td>\u20b93,00,000<\/td>6,000<\/td>\u20b96,000<\/td><\/tr>
Total<\/strong><\/td>\u20b913,00,000<\/strong><\/td>27,000<\/strong><\/td>\u20b927,000<\/strong><\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

The Reality Check<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Annual fee: \u20b923,600 Rewards value: \u20b927,000 Net benefit: \u20b93,400<\/p>\n\n\n\n

That’s 0.26% effective return on \u20b913 lakh spend.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Pathetic for a “super premium” card.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Welcome Benefits Analysis \ud83c\udf81<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

The \u20b927,000 Promise<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Redeem the following joining benefits via the Times Black app up to 1 year from the date you receive the e-mail with their details: EaseMyTrip gift card for luxury stay worth Rs. 10,000, Travel Visa benefits via Atlys and OneVasco worth Rs. 10,000, Toni&Guy and Interflora lifestyle gift cards worth Rs. 4,000.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

My Welcome Benefits Reality<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Benefit<\/th>Stated Value<\/th>My Experience<\/th>Actual Value<\/th><\/tr><\/thead>
EaseMyTrip voucher<\/strong><\/td>\u20b910,000<\/td>Used for Goa trip<\/td>\u20b910,000<\/td><\/tr>
Visa services<\/strong><\/td>\u20b910,000<\/td>Covers only service fees<\/td>\u20b93,000<\/td><\/tr>
Toni & Guy voucher<\/strong><\/td>\u20b93,000<\/td>Never used<\/td>\u20b90<\/td><\/tr>
Interflora voucher<\/strong><\/td>\u20b91,000<\/td>Used once<\/td>\u20b91,000<\/td><\/tr>
Zomato Gold<\/strong><\/td>\u20b93,000<\/td>Good value<\/td>\u20b93,000<\/td><\/tr>
Total<\/strong><\/td>\u20b927,000<\/strong><\/td>Reality<\/strong><\/td>\u20b917,000<\/strong><\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

The visa services are particularly disappointing.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Milestone Benefits Strategy \ud83c\udfaf<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

The Spending Tiers<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Milestone rewards based on annual spending: While these milestone benefits on the Times Black ICICI Bank credit card add some value, they are niche and may not appeal to everyone.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

My Milestone Achievement Plan<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Spending<\/th>Milestone Benefit<\/th>My Usage<\/th>Value<\/th><\/tr><\/thead>
\u20b95L<\/strong><\/td>Helicopter\/cab transfer<\/td>Never used<\/td>\u20b90<\/td><\/tr>
\u20b910L<\/strong><\/td>Klook voucher \u20b910K<\/td>Used for Singapore<\/td>\u20b910,000<\/td><\/tr>
\u20b915L<\/strong><\/td>Travel voucher \u20b915K<\/td>Pending<\/td>\u20b915,000<\/td><\/tr>
\u20b920L<\/strong><\/td>Avanta resort \u20b920K<\/td>Pending<\/td>\u20b920,000<\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Most benefits are location restricted.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The helicopter transfer works only from Bangalore airport.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

I live in Bangalore. Still never used it.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Forex Benefits Reality Check \ud83d\udcb1<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

The International Advantage<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Forex Transactions: 1.49% + GST (1.76% total) markup. With 2.5% reward points, the net effective cost is reduced to 0.7%, making the Times Black ICICI Bank credit card a competitive choice for international spending.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

My 2024 US Trip Calculation<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

    \n
  • Total foreign spend: $3,000 (\u20b92.5L)<\/li>\n\n\n\n
  • Forex markup: \u20b94,400 (1.76%)<\/li>\n\n\n\n
  • Rewards earned: 6,250 points (\u20b96,250)<\/li>\n\n\n\n
  • Net benefit: \u20b91,850<\/strong><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n

    This is actually decent for international spending.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    Better than most premium cards.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    The Lounge Access Experience \ud83d\udeeb<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

    The Unlimited Promise<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

    Times Black ICICI Cardholders can access airport lounges worldwide without paying any lounge charges. Both primary and add-on cardholders can access international airport lounges with a complimentary Priority Pass membership.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    My Family’s Lounge Usage (2024)<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

      \n
    • Domestic lounges: 18 visits<\/li>\n\n\n\n
    • International lounges: 6 visits<\/li>\n\n\n\n
    • Guest access: Not included<\/li>\n\n\n\n
    • Total value: \u20b919,200<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n

      The guest access limitation is annoying.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

      My wife and kids need their own cards for lounge access.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

      The Quorum Club Reality \ud83c\udfdb\ufe0f<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

      The Exclusive Access Promise<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

      Access to Exclusive Quorum Club Events: As a Times Black cardholder, you can attend unique events and networking opportunities at The Quorum Club, even without holding a membership.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

      My Quorum Club Experience<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

      Applied for events in Bangalore.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

      Most events are in Delhi\/Mumbai.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

      Attended one dining event.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

      \u20b95,000 meal with 20% discount.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

      Saved \u20b91,000.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

      Not exactly “ultra exclusive.”<\/p>\n\n\n\n

      The CribLife Concierge Test \ud83d\udcde<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

      The Lifestyle Management Promise<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

      Experience unparalleled Lifestyle Management with CribLife, a chat-based service, thoughtfully designed to suit your busy schedule.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

      My CribLife Usage Attempts<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

        \n
      1. Restaurant reservation<\/strong>: 3 days response time<\/li>\n\n\n\n
      2. Flight booking<\/strong>: “Please book directly”<\/li>\n\n\n\n
      3. Event tickets<\/strong>: “Not available in Bangalore”<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n\n\n\n

        My American Express concierge was better.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

        And that was 10 years ago.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

        The iShop Portal Advantage \ud83d\uded2<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

        The Accelerated Rewards<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

        iShop Portal: ICICI Bank has launched its accelerated rewards portal, iShop. You can book flights, hotels, or purchase gift vouchers on the iShop portal and get up to 24% value back.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

        My iShop Experience<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

        Flight booking: 12% reward rate Hotel booking: 12% reward rate Gift vouchers: 12% reward rate<\/p>\n\n\n\n

        This is actually good.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

        But the portal selection is limited.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

        No Amazon vouchers. No Flipkart vouchers.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

        Mostly travel and premium brand vouchers.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

        The Application Process Shock \ud83d\ude32<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

        The Instant Approval Reality<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

        Application process is super smooth especially for existing ICICI credit card holders, just like how the ICICI Amazon Pay Credit Card application system works. It’s instant approval and you can have the card details immediately as well.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

        My Application Journey<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n