SBI Card MILES Credit Cards launched for earning miles on travel

SBI Card, India’s second-largest credit card issuer, has borrowed a trick or two from the world of Axis Bank and launched a bunch of airline-agnostic travel credit cards in Mumbai on April 23, 2024. The card issuer registered trademarks in December 2023.

SBI Card MILES range launched

SBI Card launched three variants of its first travel-focused core credit card, ‘SBI Card MILES’. The card brings along the ability to convert “travel credits” earned with the card over to 20 airline and hotel brands, including Air Vistara, Air India, Spicejet, Air France-KLM, Etihad Airways, Air Canada, Thai Airways, Qantas Airways, ITC Hotels, IHG Hotels & Resorts, and Accor among others.

Here is the list of transfer partners:

Airlines Air Arabia AA Rewards (2:1) Air Asia AirAsia Rewards (1:1) Air Canada Aeroplan (1:1) Air France-KLM Flying Blue (1:1) Air India Flying Returns (1:1) Air Vistara Club Vistara (1:1) Etihad Airways Etihad Guest (1:1) Ethiopian Airlines ShebaMiles (2:1) Japan Airlines JAL Mileage Bank (2:1) Saudia AlFursan (2:1) Spice Jet SpiceClub (1:1) Thai Airways Royal Orchid Plus (1:1) Turkish Airlines Miles&Smiles (2:1) United Airlines United MileagePlus (2:1) Qantas Frequent Flyer (1:1) Qatar Airways Privilege Club (2:1)

Hotels Accor ALL (2:1) IHG One Rewards (1:1) Club ITC (2:1) Orchid Hotels Rewards (1:1) Wyndham Rewards (1:1) Shangri-La Circle (6:1)

You can also use the points to book tickets on the SBI Card white-labelled portal for travel at INR 0.50 per point. The three cards now available are SBI Card MILES, SBI Card MILES PRIME, and SBI Card MILES ELITE. The joining fees of the cards are INR 1,499, INR 2,999, and INR 4,999 (plus GST), respectively.

SBI Card MILES

This is the entry-level version of the SBI Card MILES range and costs INR 1,499 + Taxes per annum. In exchange, you get 1500 Travel Credits (the version of reward points) on spending INR 30,000 within 60 days of card approval. You earn 2 Travel Credits for every INR 200 spent on travel-related expenses and 1 Travel Credit for every INR 200 spent on other purchases. Additionally, if you spend INR 500,000 annually, you get an additional 5000 bonus Travel Credits. When you spend INR 600,000 annually, you also get the annual fee reversed. You can also earn one bonus lounge voucher for every 100,000 you spend on the card within the year, up to 8 per annum.

SBI Card MILES Prime This is the mid-level version of the SBI Card MILES range and costs INR 2,999 + Taxes per annum. In exchange, you get 3000 Travel Credits (the version of reward points) on spending INR 60,000 within 60 days of card approval. You earn 4 Travel Credits for every INR 200 spent on travel-related expenses and 2 for every INR 200 spent on other purchases. Additionally, if you spend INR 8,00,000 annually, you get an additional 10,000 bonus Travel Credits. When you spend INR 10,00,000 annually, you also get the annual fee reversed. Another perk included is the ability to get six free cancellations of your tickets for any reason, with each one being limited to INR 3,500. You can also earn one bonus lounge voucher for every 100,000 you spend on the card within the year, up to 12 per annum.

SBI Card MILES Elite

This is the top-level version of the SBI Card MILES range and costs INR 4,999 + Taxes per annum. In exchange, you get 5000 Travel Credits (the version of reward points) on spending INR 100,000 within 60 days of card approval. You earn 6 Travel Credits for every INR 200 spent on travel-related expenses and 3 for every INR 200 spent on other purchases. Additionally, if you spend INR 12,00,000 annually, you get an additional 20,000 bonus Travel Credits. When you spend INR 15,00,000 annually, you also get the annual fee reversed. Another perk included is the ability to get six free cancellations of your tickets for any reason, with each one being limited to INR 3,500. You can also earn one bonus lounge voucher for every 100,000 you spend on the card within the year, up to 15 per annum.

What transactions count and what don’t?

SBI Card has pulled gotchas on people over the past year, so it helps to know what counts as what. The following MCC codes count as travel spending for SBI Card MILES cards:

4511 (Air Carriers, Airlines–not elsewhere classified)

3020 (Air India)

3026 (Emirates)

3034 (Etihad)

3005 (British Airways)

3008 (Lufthansa)

3075 (Singapore Airlines)

3136 (Qatar Airways)

3007 (Air France)

3010 (KLM)

3047 (Turkish Airlines)

4722 (Travel Agencies and Tour Operators)

4784 (Bridge and Road Fees, Tolls)

4131 (Bus Lines)

4111 (Transportation–Suburban and Local Commuter Passenger, including Ferries)

4121 (Taxicabs and Limousines)

7512 (Automobile Rental Agency–Not Elsewhere Classified)

4789 (Transportation Services Not Elsewhere Classified)

4214 (Motor Freight Carriers, Trucking – Local/Long Distance, Moving and Storage Companies, Local Delivery)

7011 (Lodging–Hotels, Motels, Resorts–not elsewhere classified)

3640 (Hyatt)

3509 (Marriott)

3649 (Radisson)

3501 (Holiday Inn)

As you can see, buses, travel agencies, and so on are the parts that are usually not classified as travel expenses elsewhere.

It is the exclusion list that should be of interest.

Is it a sound card offering?

I’m still determining. Even in its watered-down version, Axis Bank Atlas should be able to beat this card hands down. But what is interesting to note is that travel agent spending gets the same accelerated rewards as airline and hotel spending. More number crunching needs to be done around that.

Bottomline

SBI Cards has launched not one but three travel-focused credit cards under the name SBI Card MILES. For the suite of cards they have tied up with over 20 miles and hotel points partners. You get double points for spending on these categories (uncapped).

What do you think of the SBI Card MILES range of cards?

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