SBI Card Miles Prime
Joining Fee: ₹2,999 + GST
Annual Fee: ₹2,999 + GST
Reward Type: Reward points
Welcome Benefit
3,000 Travel Credits on spending ₹60,000 within the first 60 days of card issuance.
Rewards Structure
The SBI Card Miles Prime earns Travel Credits for eligible spends, which can be converted into airmiles or hotel points with partner programs. The reward structure is as follows:
Travel Spends: 4 Travel Credits per ₹200 spent (~2% return)
Other Spends: 2 Travel Credits per ₹200 spent (~1% return)
Excluded Categories: No rewards for fuel, rent, wallets, government, education, utilities, or insurance transactions.
Milestone Benefits
10,000 bonus Travel Credits on reaching annual spends of ₹8 Lakhs, adding an extra 1.25% bonus reward rate.
Reward Redemption Options
The Travel Credits earned with this card can be redeemed in the following ways:
1 Travel Credit = ₹0.50 for travel bookings (flights, hotels, etc.).
1 Travel Credit = ₹0.25 for redemption through the Shop and Smile product catalog.
Airline Transfer Partners
One of the key benefits of the SBI Card Miles Prime is its ability to transfer Travel Credits to various airline loyalty programs. Below are the airline partners and their conversion rates:
- Air Arabia (AA Rewards): 2:1
- Air India (Flying Returns): 1:1
- Air Asia (airasia rewards): 1:1
- Air Canada (Aeroplan): 1:1
- Air France – KLM (Flying Blue): 1:1
- Air Vistara (Club Vistara): 1:1
- Ethiopian Airlines (ShebaMiles): 2:1
- Etihad Airways (Etihad Guest): 1:1
- Japan Airlines (JAL Mileage Bank): 2:1
- Qantas Airways (Qantas Frequent Flyer): 1:1
- Saudia (AlFursan): 2:1
- SpiceJet (SpiceClub): 1:1
- Thai Airways (Royal Orchid Plus): 1:1
- Turkish Airlines (Miles&Smiles): 2:1
- United Airlines (MileagePlus): 2:1
Hotel Transfer Partners
In addition to airlines, cardholders can also transfer their Travel Credits to hotel loyalty programs, which can be used for stays at premium hotels worldwide. The available hotel partners and conversion rates are as follows:
- Accor (ALL – Accor Live Limitless): 2:1
- IHG Hotels & Resorts (IHG One Rewards): 1:1
- ITC (Club ITC): 2:1
- Orchid Hotels (Orchid Rewards): 1:1
- Wyndham Hotels & Resorts (Wyndham Rewards): 1:1
- Shangri-La Group: 6:1
Airport Lounge Access
The SBI Card Miles Prime provides access to both domestic and international airport lounges, making it an attractive option for frequent travelers.
Domestic Airport Lounge Access: 2 complimentary visits per quarter.
International Airport Lounge Access: 4 complimentary visits per year.
Additionally, cardholders can earn extra domestic lounge visits based on their spending, with 1 additional domestic lounge visit granted for every ₹1 Lakh spent, up to 12 extra visits per year. These extra visits are available to both the primary cardholder and one guest.
Fuel Surcharge Waiver
1% waiver on fuel surcharge for transactions between ₹500 and ₹4,000.
Maximum waiver of ₹250 per statement cycle.
Forex Markup
2.5% + GST (~2.95%) on foreign currency transactions.
Summary
The SBI Card Miles Prime is a mid-tier travel credit card with a ₹2,999 annual fee, designed for travelers who seek rewards in the form of Travel Credits. Cardholders earn 4 Travel Credits per ₹200 on travel spends (2% return) and 2 Travel Credits per ₹200 on other spends. While it offers complimentary domestic (2 visits per quarter) and international (4 visits per year) lounge access, and the ability to transfer credits to various airline and hotel partners, the overall reward rate of 1% to 2% may not justify its annual fee. Additionally, many categories like fuel and rent are excluded from earning rewards.
Though it offers milestone benefits (10,000 Travel Credits on ₹8 Lakhs annual spends), and the ability to transfer points to airline and hotel loyalty programs, cards like Axis Atlas may offer better earn rates and value. The 2.5% Forex markup and 1% fuel surcharge waiver are added benefits for travelers, but the card is best for moderate spenders who can fully utilize the travel-focused perks.