ICICI Credit Card Update: New MAD Formula, ₹75,000 Spend Needed For Lounge Access

ICICI Bank is tightening credit card rules. Minimum Amount Due may rise from March 2026 statements, while lounge access gets a ₹75,000 quarterly spend gate.

ICICI Bank credit card users are facing 2 major rule updates that can change monthly cash outflow and airport lounge planning. The bank is revising the Minimum Amount Due (MAD) method for statements generated from March 2026 onwards. 

Separately, ICICI is tightening complimentary airport lounge access on select cards from July 1, 2026, linking eligibility to a quarterly spend threshold.  While full-bill payers may not feel an immediate hit, revolvers and frequent lounge users will need closer tracking of charges and spend cycles.

What Is The Issue?

ICICI’s upcoming changes target 2 common behaviours: paying only the minimum due and using complimentary lounge entries without tracking eligibility spends. From March 2026 statements, MAD can include more components and can rise sharply when finance charges or EMIs exist. 
 

From July 1, 2026, complimentary lounge access on select cards is being linked to ₹75,000 spending in the preceding calendar quarter, with access unlocked for the next quarter.

Minimum Due Formula Gets Tighter From March 2026

Reports say the revised MAD framework will factor in GST, EMI principal + EMI interest, fees and other charges, overlimit amount, unpaid MAD from the previous statement, and at least 5% of retail spends, cash advances and finance charges. 

A key risk for revolvers is the treatment of finance charges. Business Standard notes that ICICI will compare 5% of total spends (including finance charges) with the finance charge component, and the higher value can influence the minimum payable. In such cases, high charges from late payment or cash withdrawals can push MAD up fast.

Here is how the shift looks at a practical level for most users.
 

ICICI’s own MITC already explains that MAD is centred on 5% of outstanding, and it can include EMI instalment due, fee and GST, overlimit, and any unpaid MAD.

The MITC illustration shows a closing balance of ₹26,958.20 leading to total MAD of ₹5,258.49, rounded to ₹5,260.00, after adding items like EMI principal ₹200, EMI interest ₹20, and 5% on remaining balance ₹1,142.09. 

Business Standard also cites a bank illustration where MAD rose above ₹20,000 on a ₹1,00,000 retail spend when finance charges were high.

If the new MAD formula increases your monthly outgo, especially if you’re carrying revolving balances or EMIs, you may want to restructure high-interest card dues into a single, lower-cost repayment. 

LoansJagat works as a loan consolidation marketplace, helping you compare offers from multiple RBI-regulated banks/NBFCs and explore options like a credit card consolidation loan (single EMI) so you can reduce interest stress and get more predictable monthly payments.

Lounge Access Will Need Spend Tracking From July 1, 2026

On lounge access, ICICI’s official “upcoming changes” page states that complimentary domestic lounge access for eligible ICICI credit cards is linked to spending ₹75,000 in the preceding calendar quarter, unlocking access for the subsequent quarter. 

Business Standard and Angel One report that from July 1, 2026, this ₹75,000 prior-quarter spend requirement will apply to complimentary lounge access conditions on select cards.

Previous Development On This

ICICI has been gradually tightening benefits and defining eligibility more strictly. On lounge access, its official page spells out not just the ₹75,000 threshold, but also what does not qualify as “spends”. Exclusions include rent payment, government payment, education payment, joining/annual fee, late payment fee, interest charges, EMI transactions, reversals and other similar items. 
 

The same page also lists certain premium variants as exceptions for the spend-linked lounge rule.

There is also visible variation across public explainers, which is why users must check their specific card terms. ICICI’s own blog page has referenced ₹35,000 per quarter as a lounge access spend figure in the past, reflecting that rules can differ by product or period. (Wise) Meanwhile, LoansJagat guide, dated Sep 23, 2025, details the ₹75,000 prior-quarter spend trigger and shows a quarterly eligibility calendar approach for lounge access planning.

On the broader industry context, The Economic Times has reported that issuers including ICICI have been tightening reward policies and benefit milestones, including lounge access and card perks, as cost control becomes a priority. Zee Business has also reported on ICICI’s MAD calculation update and the linked lounge access changes in February 2026 coverage.

For lounge users, the calendar window is now the deciding factor.
 

The spend exclusions are crucial. A cardholder doing large rent or government payments may still miss eligibility because those categories are not counted in “total spends” for the lounge trigger.

Statements By Stakeholders

ICICI’s official communications state that lounge access eligibility is linked to ₹75,000 spends in the preceding quarter, and it lists excluded transaction types that will not be counted.

Market-facing coverage from Angel One and Business Standard frames the MAD change as one that can raise minimum payable for revolvers from March 2026 statements and links the lounge rule change to July 1, 2026. Industry commentary in The Economic Times points to a wider trend of card issuers tightening benefits and milestones.

Conclusion

From March 2026 statements, minimum payers should expect MAD to be more charge-sensitive, especially with EMIs and finance charges. From July 1, 2026, lounge users will need disciplined quarterly spend tracking to retain complimentary access.