Deep-Dive Review: ICICI Bank MakeMyTrip Credit Card

Community Verdict

[!NOTE] The ICICI Bank MakeMyTrip Credit Card is purpose-built for MakeMyTrip power-users, with 6 myCash per ₹100 on MakeMyTrip hotel bookings (~6% return), 3 myCash per ₹100 on MMT flight/bus/cab, and 1 myCash per ₹100 on all other retail. The killer feature vs most entry-level travel cards is the 0.99% + GST forex markup — far below the industry-standard 3.5%. Joining fee and annual fee are both ₹999 + GST (annual fee waived on ₹3 Lakh annual spend), and the card pays back the joining fee via a ₹1,000 MMT voucher (1-year validity) plus a 1-year MMTBLACK Gold membership. myCash credits to your MakeMyTrip account and never expires, but cannot be encashed or transferred to a bank account — it must be redeemed at checkout on the MakeMyTrip website or app. Domestic lounge access (2 visits/quarter) is gated on ₹75,000 spend in the preceding calendar quarter, and you get 1 international lounge visit per year. Card is dual-network Mastercard + RuPay.

Pros

• Up to 6% myCash on MakeMyTrip Hotels: 6 myCash per ₹100 on MMT hotel bookings — the highest base rate you’ll find on an entry-level ICICI travel card.
• Industry-Low 0.99% Forex Markup: 0.99% + GST vs typical 3.5% on Visa/Mastercard travel cards — significant savings on international spends.
• myCash Never Expires: Rewards don’t lapse after 36 months like most ICICI cards — accumulates indefinitely as long as the account is active.
• Annual Fee Waiver at ₹3 Lakh: Easily achievable with one MMT hotel booking a year (or normal retail spend) — annual fee ₹999 reverses automatically.
• Welcome Bundle Pays Back Joining Fee: ₹1,000 MMT voucher + 1-year MMTBLACK Gold membership on joining fee payment — covers the ₹999 fee in value.
• Annual Fee Renewal Voucher: ₹1,000 MMT hotel voucher (3-month validity) on annual fee payment — recoups the renewal cost.
• Dual Network Choice: Mastercard + RuPay — RuPay unlocks UPI credit and 24x7 concierge; Mastercard variant offers wider acceptance.
• 1 International Lounge/Year: Free International Airport Lounge access for primary cardholder — useful for occasional international travellers.
• 2 Domestic Lounges/Quarter: Up to 8 domestic lounge visits per year (subject to ₹75K quarterly spend gate) for primary cardholder.
• 25% Off on Movies: Up to ₹150 off per ticket on INOX & BookMyShow (max 2 discounts per month).
• 3 Months No-Cost EMI on MMT: Interest-free EMI option for MakeMyTrip bookings.
• 24x7 Concierge on RuPay: Round-the-clock assistance for travel and card-related queries.
• Culinary Treats Dining: Min 15% off at 2,500+ partner restaurants via the Culinary Treats programme.
• 1% Fuel Surcharge Waiver: ₹400–₹4,000 fuel transactions at HPCL pumps.
• Fraud Liability Cover: ₹50,000 counterfeit / account takeover protection.

Cons

• ₹75,000 Quarterly Spend Gate for Domestic Lounge: Heavy gate — must spend ₹75K in preceding calendar quarter to unlock the next quarter’s 2 domestic lounge visits.
• myCash Platform-Locked: Cannot be encashed or transferred to bank account — must be redeemed on MakeMyTrip website/app at checkout.
• No myCash on Rent / Wallet / EMI: Rent (MCC 6513), wallet loads, EMI transactions, balance transfers, and personal loan transactions excluded from myCash.
• No myCash on Cash Advances: Cash withdrawals via ATM earn zero myCash and attract 3.75% monthly interest + ₹500 fee.
• Add-On Cardholders Excluded from Lounge: Lounge access applies only to primary cardholder.
• Annual Fee Not Waived Until You Hit ₹3 Lakh: If you can’t clear the threshold, ₹999 hits every year on renewal.
• Welcome Benefit is a Voucher, Not Cash: ₹1,000 MMT voucher is locked to the MakeMyTrip platform — no cash alternative.
• MMTBLACK Excludes the myCash Benefit: Complimentary membership is a watered-down version — the myCash component of MMTBLACK is excluded.
• 3-Month Validity on Renewal Voucher: The ₹1,000 hotel voucher issued on annual fee payment expires in 3 months — must be used quickly.
• No Bank Transfer for myCash: Unlike statement credit on regular reward cards, myCash is non-convertible to cash — limits redemption flexibility.
• 45% p.a. Cash Advance Interest: 3.75% per month on ATM withdrawals — avoid cash advances entirely.
• Late Payment Fee Up to ₹1,300: Sliding scale on overdue balances.

Reward Spends & Categories

The ICICI Bank MakeMyTrip Credit Card earns myCash (MakeMyTrip’s reward currency, 1 myCash = ₹1 at checkout):

Category Spend	Earning Rate / myCash
🏨 Hotel Bookings on MakeMyTrip	6 myCash per ₹100 (~6% return)
✈️ Flight Bookings on MakeMyTrip	3 myCash per ₹100 (~3% return)
🚌 Bus Bookings on MakeMyTrip	3 myCash per ₹100 (~3% return)
🚖 Cab Bookings on MakeMyTrip	3 myCash per ₹100 (~3% return)
🛒 All Other Retail (offline + online)	1 myCash per ₹100 (~1% return)
🍽️ Dining (Culinary Treats)	Min 15% off at 2,500+ partner restaurants
🎬 Movies (INOX & BookMyShow)	25% off up to ₹150 per ticket (max 2/month)
🛫 International Transactions	0.99% forex markup + GST (industry low)
🏠 Rent Payments (MCC 6513)	0% (Excluded)
💳 Wallet Loads	0% (Excluded)
💳 EMI Conversions (post-conversion)	0% (Excluded)
💰 Cash Advances	0% (Excluded)
⛽ Fuel Transactions	0% (1% surcharge waiver ₹400–₹4,000)
🏛️ Government & Tax Payments	0% (Excluded)
📊 Balance Transfers / Personal Loans on Card	0% (Excluded)

Reward Point Redemption Value

myCash is MakeMyTrip’s closed-loop reward currency and is redeemable only on the MakeMyTrip platform:

• myCash at MakeMyTrip Checkout: 1 myCash = ₹1 (free redemption — no fee)
• Encashment to Bank Account: NOT supported — myCash cannot be converted to cash or transferred out
• Expiry: myCash never expires as long as your MakeMyTrip account is active

[!IMPORTANT] myCash is platform-locked by design. Best value is redeeming against high-value MMT hotel bookings (₹1 = ₹1 directly against your bill). Cash-back style redemption is not available — pick a card like ICICI Coral or Sapphiro if you want statement credit.

Annual Milestones & Welcome Benefit

[!IMPORTANT]

• Welcome Benefit: ₹1,000 MakeMyTrip voucher (1-year validity) + 1-year MMTBLACK Gold membership (excluding the myCash benefit of MMTBLACK) on paying the joining fee.
• Annual Renewal Benefit: ₹1,000 MakeMyTrip hotel voucher (3-month validity) on paying the annual fee.
• Annual Fee Waiver: ₹999 + GST reversed on ₹3,00,000 annual retail spend — typically achievable with a single premium MMT holiday booking or steady monthly spend.
• No Quarterly Milestones: Unlike premium ICICI cards, this card does not publish quarterly milestone vouchers.

Airport Lounge & Travel Perks

[!IMPORTANT]

• Domestic Airport Lounge: 2 complimentary visits per calendar quarter at select Indian airports, gated on ₹75,000 spend in the preceding calendar quarter. Unlocks the benefit in the following quarter.
• International Airport Lounge: 1 complimentary International Airport Lounge access per calendar year (primary cardholder only) — comes via the Signature-tier Priority Pass arrangement.
• Primary Cardholder Only: Both domestic and international lounge benefits apply exclusively to the primary cardholder — add-on / supplementary cardholders are not eligible.
• Priority Pass Membership: Available via the Signature upgrade pathway; standard cardholder gets 1 international lounge/year via Mastercard programme.
• No Railway Lounge: Unlike ICICI Coral/Rubyx/Sapphiro, this card does not publish railway lounge access.

Fees & Charges — Snapshot

Fee / Charge	Amount
Joining Fee	₹999 + GST
Annual Fee (Year 1)	₹999 + GST
Annual Fee (Year 2 onwards)	₹999 + GST (waived on ₹3 Lakh annual spend)
Add-on Card Fee	Nil
Foreign Currency Markup	0.99% + GST (industry low)
Cash Withdrawal Fee	₹500 (flat)
Cash Advance Interest	3.75% per month (45% p.a.)
Reward Redemption Fee	Nil (myCash redemption is free)
Fuel Surcharge	1% (waived ₹400–₹4,000)
Late Payment Fee	Sliding scale ₹100 – ₹1,300
Card Replacement Fee	₹100
Duplicate PIN Fee	Nil
Statement Retrieval Fee	Nil

Who Should Get This Card?

Get it if:

• You’re a frequent MakeMyTrip booker (hotels/flights/buses/cabs) — 3-6% myCash return is the highest you can get on an entry-level ICICI travel card
• You travel internationally and want to escape the 3.5% forex markup — 0.99% saves real money
• You want a ₹999 annual fee card that recoups itself via the joining/renewal vouchers and ₹3L waiver
• You prefer rewards that never expire — myCash accumulates indefinitely
• You watch movies occasionally and value the 25% off BookMyShow/INOX benefit
• You want dual network flexibility — RuPay for UPI credit, Mastercard for wider acceptance

Skip if:

• You don’t book MakeMyTrip hotels/flights — the 6%/3% rates won’t apply and you’ll earn only 1% on regular retail
• You want cash-back / statement credit redemption — myCash is platform-locked
• You want unlimited domestic lounge access — the ₹75K quarterly spend gate is heavy for entry-level cardholders
• You want high reward rates on dining / groceries / utilities — pick ICICI Sapphiro or Coral instead
• You need premium travel insurance — this card has only basic fraud liability cover

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For official terms, interest rates, and applications, refer to the Bank Reference Page.

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