⚠ Verify with issuer (June 2026): Reward rates, fees, transfer partners and waiver criteria change without notice. Cross-check the latest Most Important Terms & Conditions (MITC) on the official SBI Card website before applying.

SBI Card MILES Review (2026)

The entry variant of SBI’s airline-agnostic travel family. You earn Travel Credits that transfer to 25+ airline and hotel partners — useful only if you actually redeem for travel.

Travel / MilesAirline-agnosticTravel CreditsEntry Travel

Joining Fee

₹1,499 + GST

Annual Fee

₹1,499 + GST

Welcome

1,500 Travel Credits

Travel Value-back

~1%

Credit Value

1 TC = ₹1 (to partners)

Transfer Partners

25+ airlines/hotels

In one line: SBI MILES is a low-cost entry into transferable travel rewards, but the base earn rate is modest — it pays off only if you redeem Travel Credits for partner miles/points rather than cash.

Fees and charges at a glance

Charge	Amount
Joining fee	₹1,499 + GST
Annual (renewal) fee	₹1,499 + GST
Annual fee reversal	On meeting the published high-spend threshold (commonly cited near ₹6 lakh) — confirm on MITC
Forex markup	Lower than standard cards on the Miles range — verify exact rate

How Travel Credits work

Instead of generic reward points, the Miles range earns Travel Credits. On the base MILES card the effective value-back on travel spends is about 1%, with a lower rate on everyday categories. Each Travel Credit converts at up to 1:1 to miles or hotel points across SBI’s 25+ travel transfer partners.

Strong point: Airline-agnostic flexibility. You are not locked to one airline’s programme — you decide which partner to transfer to when you redeem.

Redeem for travel, not cash: Travel Credits are designed for partner transfers. Redeeming them as statement credit usually carries a much poorer value, which erodes the whole point of the card.

Welcome benefit

Spend ₹30,000 within 60 days of issuance to receive 1,500 Travel Credits (worth about ₹1,500 when transferred to partners) — roughly the joining fee back in travel value.

Where this card falls short

Low base earn: ~1% on travel is unremarkable; heavy travellers will out-earn it quickly with the Prime or Elite variant.

Value only on travel redemption: If you do not transfer to partners, the rewards are worth little.

Eligibility and documents

Indian resident, typically 21–60, salaried or self-employed with a healthy credit profile (around 750+ CIBIL helps). Documents: PAN, ID/address proof, income proof.

How it compares

MILES sits below SBI Miles Prime (₹2,999, ~2% travel value-back, lounge access) and SBI Miles Elite (₹4,999, ~3%, low forex, richer lounge). Pick the base card only if your travel spend is light; otherwise the higher variants pay for their fee through better earn rates and milestone credits.

Bottom line 3.3 / 5

A reasonable first transferable-miles card at a low fee, best for occasional travellers who will actually use partner transfers. Frequent flyers should step up to Miles Prime or Elite.

Frequently asked questions

Is 1 Travel Credit worth 1 rupee?

When transferred to airline/hotel partners, yes — up to 1:1. Cash-style redemptions are worth much less.

Which is better, SBI MILES or PRIME?

MILES is for travel rewards via transfers; PRIME is a lifestyle card for dining/groceries. They serve different goals.