ICICI Times Black Has INSANE Returns (Unboxing and Review)

13m · local · 183s to generate

ICICI Times Black Has INSANE Returns (Unboxing and Review)

Source: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QNMsPPc1r4o
Duration: 13:20
Summarised by: local (qwen2.5:7b)

TL;DR

The video discusses ICICI Times Black Credit Card, highlighting its significant upfront fee of approximately 23,600 rupees but emphasizing its substantial rewards through the ICI I Shop portal. Users can earn up to 12% back on hotel bookings and vouchers, and 6% back on flights and vouchers. The card also offers several milestone benefits such as travel vouchers, data, and resort vouchers upon reaching certain spending thresholds. While not competitive with other cards like HDFC Infinia or HSBC Premier in terms of regular reward rates, the accelerated rewards through ICI I Shop make it an attractive option for high spenders.

Body

Introduction and Unboxing

The video begins with a detailed unboxing of the ICICI Times Black Credit Card. The card itself is described as sleek, featuring only the cardholder's name on its front. Inside the box, there are several items: an authenticity certificate, a Priority Pass (with a hidden number), and a one-page document outlining the benefits. The card costs 20,000 rupees plus GST, making it expensive for most users.

Card Benefits

The speaker outlines various benefits of the ICICI Times Black Credit Card:

Welcome Benefits: A 10,000 rupee eMyTrip voucher and a Visa benefit worth 10,000 rupees.
Corum Club Membership Discount: A 20% discount on Corum Club membership fees or dining at their restaurants. Additionally, users get a Zomato Gold membership.
Tony & Guy Vouchers: Users receive a 3,000 rupee voucher for haircuts.
InterFlora Gift Voucher: A 1,000 rupee gift voucher.

Reward Rates and Accelerated Benefits

The card offers a regular reward rate of 2% on domestic spends and 2.5% on international spends. However, the real draw is through the ICI I Shop portal:

Accelerated Rewards: Users can earn up to 6X points for flights, vouchers, and hotel bookings.
Cap on Accelerated Points: The maximum spend to earn accelerated rewards is 50,000 rupees per month. For higher spending, the IC Emerald Private Metal card offers even better benefits.

Specific Examples

The speaker provides a detailed example of earning rewards through ICI I Shop:

If you spend 10 lakh rupees on hotel bookings and vouchers via ICI I Shop, you can earn up to 6X points (38,400 points), which equates to a 24% return.
For flights and vouchers, the maximum spend of 50,000 rupees per month allows users to earn 12% back.

Comparison with Other Cards

The speaker compares the ICICI Times Black Card to other premium cards:

HDFC Infinia: Offers a regular reward rate of 3.3%, making it more competitive in terms of daily spending.
HSBC Premier: Provides a higher reward rate of 3% on all spends, including utilities and government payments.

Redemption of Points

Points can be redeemed at a value of 1 rupee per point for hotels and flights, making it equivalent to earning up to 24% back on these expenses. For Amazon Pay vouchers, the redemption rate is lower, offering only 7.2% back.

Specific Example

The speaker provides an example of redeeming points:

If you spend 10 lakh rupees on hotel bookings and vouchers via ICI I Shop, you can earn up to 38,400 points (equivalent to a 24% return).
For flights and vouchers, the maximum spend of 50,000 rupees per month allows users to earn 12% back.

Milestone Benefits

The card offers several milestone benefits:

2 Lakh Rupees Spend: A CL voucher worth 10,000 rupees.
5 Lakh Rupees Spend: Airport transfer or helicopter ride (worth 10,000 rupees).
10 Lakh Rupees Spend: Data click vouchers worth 10,000 rupees.
20 Lakh Rupees Spend: Ayatana Resort vouchers worth 20,000 rupees.

Evaluation

The speaker evaluates the card by assuming a user spends 10 lakh rupees entirely on the ICI I Shop portal, resulting in total benefits of 38,000 rupees. This amounts to a net return of 13.4%, considering both the welcome benefits and accelerated rewards.

Other Features

The card provides unlimited lounge access for the primary and add-on cardholders. However, guest access is not included, requiring users to purchase additional cards. The foreign currency markup is lower than HDFC Infinia (1.5% plus GST), saving around 0.6% compared to Infinia.

Evaluation and Recommendation

Conclusion

The ICICI Times Black Credit Card is recommended for high spenders who frequently travel or need specific vouchers. While it has a steep upfront cost, its accelerated reward rates make it an attractive option compared to other cards like HDFC Infinia. The card's milestone benefits further enhance its value. Users are encouraged to consider this card if they have an ICICI account and meet the spending requirements.

Actionable takeaways

Evaluate your spending habits: Determine if you frequently travel or need specific vouchers that can be redeemed through the ICI I Shop portal.
Consider the upfront cost: Weigh the 23,600 rupee fee against the potential rewards and benefits.
Monitor the card's performance: Keep track of your spending to maximize the accelerated reward rates.