# Credit card changes in India, January 2026 · Brief January 2026: 7 changes to Indian credit cards, 3 of them devaluations, across 11 cards from 4 banks. Every change dated January 2026, by the day it takes effect, each with its grade, its source and the day it was last checked. 7 changes · current to 22 October 2026 ## [Accor → Qatar fast-track is Gold-only now, quota-capped, likely its final year](https://getbrief.cards/changes/accor-qatar-2026) Devaluation · 1 January 2026 From 1 January 2026 the Accor ALL to Qatar Privilege Club fast-track tops out at Gold (= oneworld Sapphire); the Platinum/Emerald path was discontinued. Qatar Airways Privilege Club ✓ official · checked 14 June 2026 · Source: https://www.qatarairways.com/en/Privilege-Club/terms-and-conditions/accor-account-linking.html ## [AU Zenith reward rates slashed; premium tier moves to Zenith+](https://getbrief.cards/changes/au-zenith-deval-2026) Devaluation · 1 January 2026 Around 1 January 2026 AU cut the Zenith reward rates: dining from 20 to 5 points per ₹100, international and grocery from 10 to 5, other spends from 5 to 3 (utility stays at 1). [AU Zenith](https://getbrief.cards/cards/au-zenith) verified · checked 21 October 2026 · Source: https://www.au.bank.in/personal-banking/credit-cards/zenith-credit-card ## [SBI Card MILES PRIME moves to the Set B lounge list from 10 Jan 2026](https://getbrief.cards/changes/sbi-miles-prime-lounge-jan26) Lounge gating · 10 January 2026 From 10 January 2026 MILES PRIME uses the Set B list of domestic airport lounges. [SBI Card MILES PRIME](https://getbrief.cards/cards/sbi-miles-prime) ✓ official · checked 2 October 2026 · Source: https://www.sbicard.com/en/personal/benefits/airport-lounge-access.page ## [ICICI Sapphiro lounge and movie access tightened to quarterly spend gates](https://getbrief.cards/changes/saph-lounge-gate) Lounge gating · 15 January 2026 From 15 January 2026 Sapphiro domestic lounge access requires ₹75,000 spend in the preceding calendar quarter. [ICICI Bank Sapphiro](https://getbrief.cards/cards/icici-sapphiro) verified · checked 16 June 2026 · Source: https://www.icici.bank.in/personal-banking/cards/credit-card/sapphiro-credit-card ## [Emirates Skywards ICICI earn rates cut across all 3 tiers](https://getbrief.cards/changes/es-icici-deval-jan26) Devaluation · 15 January 2026 From 15 January 2026 ICICI cut earn on the Emirates Skywards cards: Emeralde from 2.5 to 2 miles per ₹100, Sapphiro from 2 to 1.5, and Rubyx from 1.5 to 1. [Emirates Skywards ICICI Bank Rubyx](https://getbrief.cards/cards/es-icici-rubyx), [Emirates Skywards ICICI Bank Sapphiro](https://getbrief.cards/cards/es-icici-sapphiro), [Emirates Skywards ICICI Bank Emeralde](https://getbrief.cards/cards/es-icici-emeralde) ✓ official · checked 2 October 2026 · Source: https://www.icici.bank.in/content/dam/icicibank/india/managed-assets/revamp-page-images/docs/pdf/emiratescredit-card-charges-updated-notice.pdf ## [Etihad’s India credit-card co-brand moved from SBI to BOBCARD](https://getbrief.cards/changes/etihad-bobcard) Improvement · 30 January 2026 On 30 January 2026 Etihad announced BOBCARD, Bank of Baroda’s card company, as its new India co-brand partner. [BOBCARD Etihad Guest Premium](https://getbrief.cards/cards/bobcard-etihad-guest-premium) ✓ official · checked 22 October 2026 · Source: https://www.etihad.com/en/news/etihad-guest-takes-off-across-india-with-massive-partner-expansion ## [AU cards no longer convert to Air India Maharaja Points](https://getbrief.cards/changes/au-maharaja-ended-2026-01) Partner removed · 31 January 2026 Air India ended its Maharaja Club partnership with AU Bank on 31 January 2026. [AU Zenith+](https://getbrief.cards/cards/au-zenith-plus), [AU Zenith](https://getbrief.cards/cards/au-zenith), [AU LIT](https://getbrief.cards/cards/au-lit), [AU Vetta](https://getbrief.cards/cards/au-vetta), [AU Altura Plus](https://getbrief.cards/cards/au-altura-plus), Air India Maharaja Club, Maharaja Points ✓ official · checked 28 September 2026 · Source: https://www.airindia.com/in/en/maharaja-club/updates.html ## Questions this page answers ### What changed on Indian credit cards in January 2026? As of 22 October 2026, 7 changes are on record for January 2026: Accor → Qatar fast-track is Gold-only now, quota-capped, likely its final year; AU Zenith reward rates slashed; premium tier moves to Zenith+; SBI Card MILES PRIME moves to the Set B lounge list from 10 Jan 2026; ICICI Sapphiro lounge and movie access tightened to quarterly spend gates; Emirates Skywards ICICI earn rates cut across all 3 tiers; Etihad’s India credit-card co-brand moved from SBI to BOBCARD and AU cards no longer convert to Air India Maharaja Points. ### Which credit card devaluations are dated January 2026? As of 22 October 2026, 3: Accor → Qatar fast-track is Gold-only now, quota-capped, likely its final year; AU Zenith reward rates slashed; premium tier moves to Zenith+ and Emirates Skywards ICICI earn rates cut across all 3 tiers. ### Which banks changed their credit cards in January 2026? As of 22 October 2026, AU (2), ICICI (2), SBI (2) and BOBCARD (1). ## Other months - [November 2026](https://getbrief.cards/changes/november-2026) - [October 2026](https://getbrief.cards/changes/october-2026) - [September 2026](https://getbrief.cards/changes/september-2026) - [August 2026](https://getbrief.cards/changes/august-2026) - [July 2026](https://getbrief.cards/changes/july-2026) - [June 2026](https://getbrief.cards/changes/june-2026) - [May 2026](https://getbrief.cards/changes/may-2026) - [April 2026](https://getbrief.cards/changes/april-2026) - [June 2025](https://getbrief.cards/changes/june-2025) --- Dates are the issuer’s, not Brief’s. A change that has been announced but has not taken effect yet reads “from” and sits at the top. Where an issuer published no date, the earliest dated confirmation stands in its place, and the entry is marked verified rather than official. Every change, dated: https://getbrief.cards/changes Canonical: https://getbrief.cards/changes/january-2026