Spend Rs 10,000 first: ICICI Bank updates debit card lounge access rule

Starting October 1, 2024, ICICI Bank customers who spend Rs. 10,000 in the preceding calendar quarter will receive two complimentary airport lounge accesses.

ICICI Bank has introduced a new requirement for complimentary domestic airport lounge access for its debit cardholders, effective from October 2024.

Key Change:

Spending Requirement: Cardholders must spend a minimum of Rs. 10,000 in the preceding calendar quarter to qualify for complimentary lounge access in the subsequent quarter. This means that your spending habits in one quarter will determine your eligibility for lounge access in the next.
 

Example:

To enjoy complimentary lounge access in October-November-December 2024, you need to have spent at least Rs. 10,000 in July-August-September 2024.

This new policy is part of ICICI Bank's strategy to encourage more active use of its debit cards and ensures that only regular spenders can avail of the lounge benefit. Not all transactions will count toward this Rs 10,000 spending threshold. According to ICICI Bank's guidelines:

 

Eligible Transactions: E-commerce purchases and Point of Sale (POS) transactions made at retail outlets will be counted.

Ineligible Transactions: ATM transactions, cash withdrawals, and any other non-purchase transactions will not be included. 

This distinction  implies that cardholders will need to use their debit cards for shopping, dining, travel bookings, and other similar expenses to reach the spending limit.

How to Access Complimentary Airport Lounges 

Present Your Card: At the lounge entrance, show your valid, unexpired ICICI Bank debit card that meets the eligibility criteria. 

Show Your Ticket: You must present a valid air ticket or boarding pass for travel on the same or the next day to be granted access.

 Here's a breakdown of how this works: 

• October-December 2024 Quarter: Eligibility depends on having spent Rs 10,000 between July-September 2024. 
• January-March 2025 Quarter: Eligibility depends on spending Rs 10,000 between October-December 2024. 
• This rolling system ensures that only active card users who frequently use their debit cards for purchases can take advantage of the complimentary lounge access. 

Who is impacted by this change?

 This updated policy applies specifically to selected ICICI Bank debit card variants. If you have any of the following cards, these new rules will be relevant to you: 

ICICI Bank Coral Paywave Debit Card 

ICICI Bank Expressions Business MasterCard Debit Card 

ICICI Bank Rupay Coral Debit Card 

ICICI Bank Expressions MasterCard Debit Card 

ICICI Bank Coral Business MasterCard 

ICICI Bank Expressions Paywave Debit Card

ICICI Bank Coral Business Debit Card 

ICICI Bank Expressions Business Debit Card 

ICICI Bank Coral MasterCard 

ICICI Bank Paywave Expressions Debit Card

 ICICI Bank Coral Paywave Business Debit Card 

ICICI Bank Expressions Coral Business MasterCard Debit Card 

ICICI Bank Coral Chip Debit Card 

ICICI Bank Expressions Coral MasterCard Debit Card 

ICICI Bank Rubyx Debit Card 

ICICI Bank Expressions Business Coral Debit Card 

ICICI Bank Rupay Rubyx Debit Card 

ICICI Bank Expressions Coral Debit Card 

ICICI Bank Rubyx MasterCard Debit Card