Amazon Pay ICICI Credit Card Review 2026

The Amazon Pay ICICI Bank Credit Card remains the undisputed king of entry-level credit cards in India. It is a Lifetime Free (LTF) card, meaning zero joining fees and zero annual fees forever. Its headline feature is the unlimited 5% cashback for Amazon Prime members on shopping, and in a recent update, travel bookings via Amazon Pay. Non-Prime members earn 3%. Recently, the card slashed its forex markup fee to 1.99%, making it a budget-friendly option for international travelers. However, airport lounge access has become tougher, now requiring a quarterly spend of ₹75,000 to unlock. This card is best for anyone who shops on Amazon even occasionally, but power users will extract the most value.

Disclaimer: The information provided in this article is for educational and informational purposes only and does not constitute financial advice. Credit card terms, interest rates, and reward structures are subject to change by the bank at any time. I am not a financial advisor. Please read the Most Important Terms and Conditions (MITC) document from ICICI Bank carefully before applying.

Amazon Pay ICICI Credit Card

Let’s be real for a second. If you open the wallet of any financially savvy Indian millennial or Gen Z shopper today, you are almost guaranteed to find a sleek, black card with a little orange smile on it. It’s the Amazon Pay ICICI Bank Credit Card.

Why is this piece of plastic so ubiquitous? It’s not because it’s made of titanium (it’s not) or because it gets you into exclusive golf clubs (it won’t). It’s because it does one thing better than almost anyone else: it puts cold, hard cash back into your pocket without making you jump through hoops.

In a world where credit card companies love to confuse you with “Reward Points” that are worth 0.25 paisa and expire in three months, this card is like a breath of fresh air. It’s simple. It’s boring. And that is exactly why it’s brilliant.

But the financial landscape has changed. Competitors have devalued their cards, and even this card has seen some massive updates recently (hello, cheaper international spends!). Is it still the “no-brainer” option it used to be? Or have the new lounge access restrictions killed the vibe?

Grab a coffee, because we are going deep. This is the only review you will ever need to read to decide if this card belongs in your pocket.

What Actually Is This Card?

Think of the Amazon Pay ICICI Card as a “co-branded” baby born from a partnership between the e-commerce giant Amazon and the banking titan ICICI.

Usually, when banks launch co-branded cards, they attach a hefty fee. They assume you will pay for the privilege of earning extra points. This card flipped the script. From Day 1, it has been Lifetime Free. That means:

• No joining fee.
• No annual fee.
• No hidden “spend ₹1 lakh to waive the fee” conditions.

You could get this card, put it in a drawer, never use it, and it wouldn’t cost you a single rupee. But trust me, you won’t want to leave it in a drawer.

The Headline Features: Why Everyone Loves It

Let’s talk about the “meat” of the sandwich. Why do people actually apply for this?

The 5% Cashback Engine

If you have an Amazon Prime membership, this card is essentially a permanent 5% discount coupon on almost everything you buy on Amazon.

• Prime Members: 5% Cashback on Amazon. in shopping.
• Non-Prime Members: 3% Cashback on Amazon. in shopping.
• Imagine buying a new smartphone for ₹50,000.
• If you use a standard bank card, you might get some reward points worth ₹200.
• With this card (as a Prime member), you get ₹2,500 back. Instantly. Well, at the end of the billing cycle, but you get the point.

The Best Part? No Upper Limit.

Most cashback cards have a “cap.” They might say “5% cashback up to ₹500 per month.” That is the fine print that ruins the fun. The Amazon Pay ICICI card has no cap. Whether you buy a toothbrush for ₹50 or a gaming laptop for ₹2 lakhs, you get your full 5%.

The New Travel Perks

For years, people complained that this card was only good for shopping. ICICI heard you. Recently, they rolled out a massive upgrade targeting travelers.

• Travel Cashback: Prime members now earn 5% cashback on flight and hotel bookings made via the Amazon Pay travel section.
• Forex Markup Slashed: This is huge. The foreign currency markup fee was dropped from the industry standard of 3.5% to 1.99%.

Why does this matter?

If you travel abroad and swipe your card for an equivalent of ₹1,00,000:

• Old Card/Standard Card: You pay ₹3,500 + GST in fees.
• Updated Amazon Pay Card: You pay ₹1,990 + GST.

You save over ₹1,500 just by using this card. It’s not a “zero forex” card like some niche fintech products, but for a free card, 1.99% is stellar.

The “Everywhere Else” Cashback

You can’t shop on Amazon for everything. What happens when you use this card at your local Starbucks, to pay your electricity bill, or at the grocery store?

• Amazon Pay Partner Merchants: 2% Cashback (e.g., swiping on apps that use the Amazon Pay gateway).
• Offline/Other Online Spends: 1% Flat Cashback.

This 1% might sound low, but remember: it is unlimited. And unlike other cards, the “exclusion list” (things that earn 0%) is relatively small, though it has grown recently (more on that in the “Gotchas” section).

Visualizing the Earnings: A Real-Life Scenario

Let’s take a hypothetical user named Arjun. Arjun is a 28-year-old software engineer living in Bangalore. He is a Prime member. Here is what his monthly spending looks like:

Arjun just earned nearly ₹3,000 in a single month. That pays for his internet bill, his Netflix, and a few coffees. And he didn’t have to “redeem” points or convert miles. The money just sits in his Amazon Pay wallet, ready to be used for the next Uber ride or Zomato order.

The “Gotchas”: It’s Not All Sunshine and Rainbows

I promised you an honest review, so I am not going to sugarcoat the bad stuff. ICICI Bank has tightened its belt in a few areas lately.

The Lounge Access Devaluation

This is the biggest pain point for frequent flyers.

• Old Rule: Easy access to domestic airport lounges.
• New Rule: You must spend ₹75,000 in the previous calendar quarter to unlock complimentary lounge access for the current quarter.

What does this mean?

If you are a light user who only spends ₹10,000 a month, you will not get lounge access. You will walk up to the lounge reception, they will swipe your card, and they will politely tell you that you are eligible for “paid access only.” It’s embarrassing, so keep track of your spending. If you are a heavy spender, this won’t affect you, but for the casual user, the lounge benefit is effectively dead.

Rent Payments are Dead Weight

Do not, I repeat, do not use this card to pay your rent on platforms like CRED, NoBroker, or Housing.com.

• No Rewards: You earn 0% cashback on rent.
• Extra Fees: ICICI charges a 1% processing fee on rent transactions (plus GST).

So, paying rent with this card actually costs you money.

No “Statement Credit”

This is a minor gripe, but valid. The cashback you earn is not subtracted from your credit card bill. Instead, it is added to your Amazon Pay Balance.

• Scenario: You have a credit card bill of ₹50,000. You earned ₹2,000 cashback. You still have to pay the bank ₹50,000 from your bank account. The ₹2,000 sits in your Amazon account.
• Why it matters: You are forced to spend that money within the Amazon ecosystem (Amazon shopping, utility bills, Swiggy/Zomato/Uber via Amazon Pay). You can’t transfer it to your bank account. For most people, this is fine (we all use Amazon), but cash is always king, and this isn’t quite cash.

The User Experience: Using the Card Day-to-Day

Managing this card is a breeze because you have two ways to do it:

• The Amazon App: There is a dedicated dashboard inside the Amazon app. It shows you your total cashback earned (lifetime), your last statement, and your available limit. It’s gamified and fun to watch that cashback number grow.
• The iMobile App: ICICI’s native banking app is excellent. It allows you to control limits, block the card temporarily (great for safety), and enable/disable international transactions with a toggle.

The “Apply” Process

The application process is legendary for its speed. Since I already had a relationship with ICICI, my card was generated instantly.

• I clicked “Apply Now” on the Amazon banner.
• It fetched my CIBIL score.
• I did a Video KYC (showed my PAN card to an agent on a video call).
• Within 20 minutes, the digital card was active in my Amazon app.
• The physical card arrived via BlueDart 3 days later.

No physical paperwork. No guy is coming to my house to collect signatures. Seamless.

Comparison: Amazon Pay ICICI Credit Card Vs. Flipkart Axis Bank Credit Card

Is it still the best? Let’s compare it to its arch-rival, the Flipkart Axis Bank Credit Card.

The Verdict?

If you shop on Flipkart, get the Axis card. If you shop on Amazon, get the ICICI card. But the Amazon Pay card wins on two fronts:

• It is truly Lifetime Free (no stress about annual fees).
• The lower forex rate (1.99%) makes it a better general-purpose card for the modern user who might buy software from US sites or travel occasionally.

Who is this card for?

• The Student/Fresher: If this is your first credit card, grab it. It builds your credit history for free and rewards you for the books and gadgets you buy anyway.
• The Family CFO: If you buy groceries, diapers, and household items on Amazon Fresh or Pantry, the 5% savings are significant. It beats inflation.
• The Lazy Optimizer: You don’t want to track “rotating categories” or “milestone benefits.” You just want to swipe and know you got a good deal.

Who is this card NOT for?

• The Luxury Traveler: If you want business class upgrades, concierge service, and unconditional lounge access, look at the HDFC Infinia or Amex Platinum. This is a mass-market card, not a luxury lifestyle product.
• The “Cash is King” Purist: If you absolutely hate being tied to the Amazon ecosystem and want cashback directly in your bank account, the SBI Cashback Card or Flipkart Axis might suit you better.

FAQ (Frequently Asked Questions)

1. Is the Amazon Pay ICICI Credit Card really free for life?

Yes. There are no joining fees and no renewal fees. You don’t have to spend a minimum amount to keep it free. It is unconditionally free.

2. Do I need an existing ICICI bank account to get this card?

No. You do not need a savings account with ICICI. However, if you are an existing ICICI customer, the approval process is often faster (sometimes instant).

3. Does the cashback expire?

No. The cashback is added to your Amazon Pay balance as “Gift Card” credits. These specific credits usually have a very long validity (often 10 years or effectively unlimited depending on current regulations), but practically speaking, you will spend them long before they ever expire.

4. Can I use this card for UPI payments?

Generally, no, unless you have the RuPay variant. Most Amazon Pay ICICI cards are issued on the Visa network. However, you can use the Amazon Pay wallet (where your cashback goes) to pay at many UPI QR codes that accept wallet payments.

5. Why was my application rejected?

Common reasons include a low CIBIL score (below 750), a history of defaulted payments, or simply because your location is not serviceable. Since it is an “invite-only” program (technically), Amazon’s algorithm decides who sees the application banner.

6. Is the 5% cashback applicable to EMI transactions?

No. If you convert a purchase into EMI (Equated Monthly Installments), you do not earn the 5% cashback. You only get cashback on full payments. This is a crucial distinction to remember before you click “Buy Now.”

Conclusion

In the current market, the Amazon Pay ICICI Bank Credit Card stands tall as a rare product that has aged like fine wine. While other cards have stripped away benefits and added fees, this card has actually improved its value proposition for travelers with the new 1.99% forex rate and travel cashback, all while keeping the “Lifetime Free” promise intact.

Sure, the lounge access is harder to get now, but let’s be honest: you aren’t getting this card for the lounge access. You are getting it because it is the most efficient, low-stress way to save money on the shopping you are already doing. It is the “Honda Civic” of credit cards, reliable, low maintenance, and it gets the job done perfectly.

If you have Prime and you don’t have this card yet, you are literally leaving money on the table every time you check out. Go apply.