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Credit CardsComparisons

AU Bank Zenith+ Credit Card vs ICICI Emeralde Private Metal

A head-to-head comparison of AU Bank Zenith+ Credit Card and ICICI Emeralde Private Metal across fees, rewards, and spending categories to help you decide which card suits your wallet better.

PremiumCard A

AU Bank Zenith+ Credit Card

Super-Premium Lounge Access & International Travel

Annual Fee
₹4,999
Reward Rate
2 RP per ₹100 on travel & dining (~0.5% at standard redemption)
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PremiumCard B
Annual Fee
₹12,499
Reward Rate
3% base (6 pts per ₹200) + Unlimited Lounge & Golf
Apply Now Read full review →

Feature comparison

FeatureAU BankICICI Emeralde
Annual Fee₹4,999 + GST (₹5,000 welcome voucher offsets year-1 fee; year-2+ waived on ₹8L annual spend)₹12,499 (Waived on ₹10L spend)
Reward Rate2 RP per ₹100 on travel & dining (~0.5% at standard redemption)3% base (6 pts per ₹200) + Unlimited Lounge & Golf
Best ForSuper-Premium Lounge Access & International TravelGolf Enthusiasts
First-Card Friendly
Lounge Access
Zero Forex Markup

Spending category coverage

Which categories does each card reward?

CategoryAU BankICICI Emeralde
Domestic travel
International travel
Airport lounge access

Quick verdict

Choose AU Bank Zenith+ Credit Card if:

  • Lower annual fee (₹4,999 vs ₹12,499)
  • You spend heavily on domestic travel

Choose ICICI Emeralde Private Metal if:

    Full pros & cons

    AU Bank Zenith+ Credit Card

    What's good
    • 16 domestic lounge visits/year (4/quarter) + 16 international lounge visits/year via Priority Pass
    • 0.99% forex markup — one of the lowest on any Indian credit card
    • ₹5,000 luxury welcome voucher on activation — effectively makes year-1 fee-free
    • Airport meet-and-assist service on arrival and departure
    • 2 railway lounge visits/quarter (no spend trigger); ₹2 crore air accident insurance
    Watch out for
    • ₹8L annual spend required for fee waiver from year 2 — extremely high bar
    • Standard reward rate (~0.5% effective) is unimpressive for a ₹5K-fee card — reward earning is not the selling point
    • ₹99 + GST redemption fee per transaction reduces effective rewards value
    • Caution: the regular Zenith card underwent a major devaluation in January 2026 — ensure you apply for Zenith+, not the standard Zenith
    Apply Now

    ICICI Emeralde Private Metal

    What's good
    • Unlimited airport lounge and spa access via Priority Pass globally
    • Low flight cancellation and rescheduling charges
    • Complimentary golf rounds at premium courses monthly
    Watch out for
    • Reward point value is lower than HDFC Infinia
    • ₹3,500 one-time fee for new add-on cards (since January 2026)
    • DCC fee raised to 2% on international transactions using INR conversion
    Apply Now
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