ICICI Bank Times Black vs Yes Bank Marquee
A field-by-field comparison of fees, reward rates, accelerated categories, caps, exclusions, lounge access and forex markup, using each issuer's own published terms. Affiliate payout never decides the verdict.
Short answer
ICICI Bank Times Black and Yes Bank Marquee differ first on recurring cost: ICICI Bank Times Black has an annual fee of ₹20,000 + GST against ₹4,999 + GST for Yes Bank Marquee, so Yes Bank Marquee is cheaper to hold. On rewards, ICICI Bank Times Black earns 2 ICICI Bank Reward Points per ₹100 on eligible domestic spend while Yes Bank Marquee earns 18 YES Rewardz Points per ₹200 on eligible offline and other non-accelerated retail spend. Yes Bank Marquee has the lower forex markup at 1%. Neither card wins outright: the better choice depends on which accelerated categories match your spend, the monthly caps, the exclusions and issuer approval fit.
Source: CardMasters issuer-evidence catalogue, release 2026-08-01. Confirm final terms with the issuer.
| Feature | ICICI Bank Times Black | Yes Bank Marquee |
|---|---|---|
| Issuer | ICICI Bank | Yes Bank |
| Joining fee | ₹20,000 + GST | ₹9,999 + GST |
| Annual fee | ₹20,000 + GST | ₹4,999 + GST |
| Fee waiver | ₹25,00,000 annual eligible spend | ₹10,00,000 annual eligible spend |
| Base rewards | 2 ICICI Bank Reward Points per ₹100 on eligible domestic spend | 18 YES Rewardz Points per ₹200 on eligible offline and other non-accelerated retail spend |
| Accelerated routes | international spends · utility, insurance, education and government payments | online travel & airline spends · utility spend |
| Reward exclusions | fuel, rent, emi | fuel, rent, wallet load, government, marketing advertising, cash advance, fees, post purchase emi, emi on call, instant emi, insurance, education, railway, toll, ferry |
| Forex markup | 1.49% | 1% |
| Domestic lounge | unlimited | 6/quarter (₹1L quarterly spend condition), incl add-on |
| International lounge | unlimited via Priority Pass for primary and Plus Cardholders | unlimited for primary + add-on |
| Card networks | Visa Infinite | Mastercard World Elite |
| Best suited to | travel, luxury, high spender, low forex | international lounge, movies, low forex |
| Issuer evidence | Checked 2026-08-01 | Checked 2026-08-01 |
Frequently asked questions
Is the ICICI Bank Times Black better than the Yes Bank Marquee?
Neither is universally better. ICICI Bank Times Black charges ₹20,000 + GST a year and earns 2 ICICI Bank Reward Points per ₹100 on eligible domestic spend; Yes Bank Marquee charges ₹4,999 + GST and earns 18 YES Rewardz Points per ₹200 on eligible offline and other non-accelerated retail spend. The better card is the one whose accelerated categories, caps and exclusions match your actual spending, after subtracting the annual fee and GST.
Which of the two has the lower annual fee, ICICI Bank Times Black or Yes Bank Marquee?
Yes Bank Marquee has the lower recorded annual fee at ₹4,999 + GST. A spend-based waiver may reduce the effective cost of the other card, so check the waiver threshold before deciding.
Which is better for international spending, ICICI Bank Times Black or Yes Bank Marquee?
Yes Bank Marquee publishes the lower forex markup at 1% versus 1.49%. Also confirm whether international transactions earn rewards, since some issuers exclude them.
Can I hold both cards together?
Yes, provided each is approved on its own merits and you can pay both statements in full. Holding both makes sense only when their accelerated categories do not overlap; otherwise the second card adds an annual fee without adding rewards.