Air India SBI Platinum Card Review
★ 2.5 / 5
At a Glance
| Joining Fee | ₹1,499 + GST (₹1,769 all-in) |
| Annual Fee | ₹1,499 + GST, with no spend-based waiver |
| Best Suited For | Frequent Air India flyers who spend ₹3 lakh a year on the card |
| Reward Type | Reward Points, converted 1:1 into Air India Maharaja Points |
The Air India SBI Platinum Card is the entry rung of SBI’s Air India co-brand pair, sitting below the ₹4,999 Signature. Its case rests on three things: 5 Reward Points per ₹100 on Air India tickets, up to 15,000 bonus points a year at spending milestones, and a 1:1 conversion into Air India Maharaja Points. What makes it a harder sell than it once was is the March 2025 rate cut, which took the Air India ticket rate from 15 points per ₹100 down to 5, and a ₹1,499 renewal fee with no spend-based waiver. You pay it every year, whatever you spend.
Rewards & Benefits
Reward rate and earn structure
| Spend category | Earn rate |
|---|---|
| Air India tickets | 5 Reward Points per ₹100 |
| All other spends, domestic and international | 2 Reward Points per ₹100 |
| Fuel, rent, government, wallet loads, EMI | Nil |
The accelerated rate applies to Air India tickets booked through the website, app, booking offices and call centres, and now covers Super Saver tickets bought for other people as well as yourself, on primary and add-on cards alike. That widening is the good half of the March 2025 change; the bad half is the rate itself, cut from 15 points per ₹100 to 5. There is no published monthly cap.
The exclusion list is long, and it matters. No points accrue on cash advances, balance transfers, Flexipay, merchant EMI or fuel. E-wallet loads have earned nothing since July 2020, rent payments stopped earning in April 2024, and government transactions stopped in July 2024. On a card with no fee waiver, every excluded rupee is one that does nothing to pay back the ₹1,769.
Redemption and point value
Reward Points convert into Air India Maharaja Points at 1 point to 1 Maharaja Point, credited within 7 working days of the request. Redemption starts at 5,000 points and moves in multiples of 5,000. The conversion is one-way: once points become Maharaja Points they cannot be turned back, and unlike SBI’s core Reward Points they cannot be used against your card bill.
Neither SBI Card nor Air India publishes a fixed rupee value for a Maharaja Point, because it depends on the award seat you book, so the only honest way to judge this card is on the point count. Two deadlines set the frame: points transferred to Air India are valid for 12 months and lapse on the last day of the 12th month, and unconverted SBI Reward Points expire after 24 months.
Welcome, anniversary and milestone benefits
The welcome benefit is 5,000 Reward Points on payment of the joining fee, credited within 15 days of the fee posting, plus complimentary Air India Maharaja Club membership. Redeeming Maharaja Points for yourself needs one flight accrual after enrolling; redeeming for family or friends needs five.
| Annual spend | Bonus Reward Points |
|---|---|
| ₹2 lakh | 5,000 |
| ₹3 lakh | 10,000 |
| Every card anniversary | 2,000 |
Milestones run on a 12-month cycle from your account creation date, not the financial year, and stop at ₹3 lakh. Spending beyond that earns the base rate and nothing more.
Worked example. On ₹3 lakh a year, with ₹50,000 of that on Air India tickets and ₹2.5 lakh elsewhere, you earn 2,500 accelerated points, 5,000 base points, 15,000 across both milestones and 2,000 on the anniversary: 24,500 points a year. Against the ₹1,769 all-in fee, each Maharaja Point needs to be worth about 7.2 paise for you to break even. In year one the 5,000 welcome points lift the total to 29,500, which drops the break-even to roughly 6 paise a point.
At ₹1 lakh a year with no Air India bookings you collect just 4,000 points against the same ₹1,769, so each would need to be worth about 44 paise. Below the ₹2 lakh milestone this card does not work.
Lounge access and other privileges
| Benefit | Detail |
|---|---|
| Domestic lounge access | 4 complimentary visits a year, maximum 1 per quarter |
| International lounge access | None |
| Fuel surcharge waiver | 1% on transactions of ₹500 to ₹4,000, capped at ₹250 per statement cycle |
| Lost card liability cover | ₹1 lakh, valid up to 7 days after you report the loss |
| Add-on cards | Free, for parents, spouse, children or siblings above 18 |
| Flexipay EMI | Available on transactions of ₹2,500 and above |
| Acceptance | Visa, over 2 million outlets worldwide |
One domestic lounge visit a quarter is modest, and an unused quarter does not roll forward. There is no international lounge access, no air accident cover and no travel insurance, a notable gap on an airline card at ₹1,499.
Fees & Charges
| Charge | Amount |
|---|---|
| Joining fee | ₹1,499 + GST (₹1,769 all-in) |
| Renewal fee, per annum | ₹1,499 + GST, no spend-based reversal |
| Add-on card fee | Nil |
| Foreign currency markup | 3.5% |
| Dynamic currency conversion | 3.5% |
| Finance charges | 3.75% per month, 45% per annum |
| Cash advance fee | 2.5% of the amount or ₹500, whichever is higher |
| Late payment charge | Nil up to ₹100 outstanding, then ₹100, ₹500, ₹750, ₹950, ₹1,100, rising to ₹1,300 above ₹50,000 |
| Overlimit fee | 2.5% of the overlimit amount or ₹600, whichever is higher |
| Payment dishonour fee | 2% of the payment amount, minimum ₹500 |
| Rent payment processing fee | ₹199 per transaction |
| Utility payment fee | 1% if utility spends cross ₹50,000 in a billing cycle |
| Wallet load fee | 1% on every wallet load above ₹1,000 |
| Education payment fee | 1% of the transaction amount |
| Card replacement fee | ₹100 to ₹250 |
| Fuel surcharge waiver | 1% on transactions of ₹500 to ₹4,000, capped at ₹250 per statement cycle |
There is no waiver to hit. SBI publishes no spend-based reversal for this card’s renewal fee, so ₹1,769 leaves your account every year whether you spend ₹1 lakh or ₹10 lakh. Almost every core SBI card at this price carries a waiver; this one does not. Your annual target is therefore the ₹3 lakh milestone, not a waiver threshold.
The charge that catches people out. Rent, utilities, wallet loads and government payments are not only excluded from rewards, they carry fees of their own: ₹199 per rent transaction, 1% once utility spends cross ₹50,000 in a cycle, and 1% on wallet loads above ₹1,000. Routing those through this card costs you money twice, once in fees and once in the milestone progress you fail to make.
Eligibility & Documents Required
SBI Card does not publish a fixed minimum income for this card. Its own product record places it in the ₹50,000 to ₹99,000 monthly income band, a clear step above the entry-level cards in the range. There is no secured variant of the Air India Platinum.
| Criterion | Requirement |
|---|---|
| Age | 18 years and above |
| Nationality | Indian resident |
| Income | No fixed minimum published; positioned for the ₹50,000 to ₹99,000 monthly band |
| Credit score | No published minimum; a clean repayment record improves your odds |
Documents: PAN, identity proof such as Aadhaar or passport, address proof, and income proof in the form of salary slips, Form 16, or audited returns if you are self-employed. Approval is at SBI Card’s discretion.
Pros & Cons
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
| Up to 15,000 bonus points a year at ₹2 lakh and ₹3 lakh | No spend-based fee waiver, so ₹1,769 is a fixed annual cost |
| 5,000 welcome points plus 2,000 every anniversary | Air India ticket rate cut from 15 to 5 points per ₹100 in March 2025 |
| Accelerated rate now covers add-on cards and tickets bought for others | No published rupee value for a Maharaja Point |
| 1:1 conversion into Air India Maharaja Points | Transferred points lapse 12 months after they reach Air India |
| Complimentary Air India Maharaja Club membership | Only 4 domestic lounge visits, capped at 1 a quarter, none international |
| ₹250 fuel surcharge waiver cap, higher than SBI’s entry cards | Rent, fuel, utilities, wallet loads and government spends earn nothing |
Air India SBI Platinum vs Competitors
| Air India SBI Platinum | Air India SBI Signature | IndiGo SBI Card | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Annual fee | ₹1,499 + GST | ₹4,999 + GST | ₹1,499 + GST |
| Fee waiver | None | None | None |
| Airline earn rate | 5 points / ₹100 | 10 points / ₹100 | 3 BluChips / ₹100 |
| Base earn | 2 points / ₹100 | 4 points / ₹100 | 1 BluChip / ₹100 |
| Welcome benefit | 5,000 points | 20,000 points | 2,500 BluChips |
| Milestones | 15,000 points at ₹2 lakh and ₹3 lakh | Up to 1,00,000 points to ₹20 lakh | 2,500 BluChips each at ₹2, ₹4 and ₹6 lakh |
| Anniversary bonus | 2,000 points | 5,000 points | None |
| Domestic lounge | 4 visits, 1 per quarter | 4 visits, 1 per quarter | 4 visits, 1 per quarter, on ₹50,000 spend in the previous quarter |
The Platinum is the right pick only in a narrow band. Below ₹3 lakh of annual spending the Signature cannot repay its ₹5,899 fee, and the Platinum’s milestones are within reach. Above ₹5 lakh the Signature’s double base rate and much longer milestone ladder pull decisively ahead. If your flying is on IndiGo rather than Air India, the IndiGo SBI Card costs the same ₹1,499 and pushes its milestones out to ₹6 lakh, though its lounge visits carry a ₹50,000 quarterly spend condition the Air India cards do not.
How to Apply
SBI Card’s record for this card carries no direct online application link, unlike its core cards, so the routes below are the ones SBI itself lists.
- Call the SBI Card helpline on 1860 180 1290, 1860 500 1290, or 39 02 02 02 with your city STD code prefixed.
- Or apply through SBI Card’s ILA chatbot on sbicard.com.
- Or visit your nearest State Bank of India branch.
- Keep your PAN, identity proof, address proof and income proof ready.
- Complete video KYC, or wait for an SBI Card representative to arrange verification in person.
- Note the application reference number and track it on sbicard.com.
Once approved, pay the joining fee to trigger the 5,000 welcome points, and enrol in the Air India Maharaja Club so your accruals are captured from the start.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is the Air India SBI Platinum annual fee waived on spending? No. SBI publishes no spend-based reversal for this card, so the ₹1,499 + GST renewal fee is payable every year no matter how much you spend. Plan around the ₹3 lakh milestone instead.
How many reward points does the Air India SBI Platinum give on Air India tickets? Five Reward Points per ₹100, down from 15 since March 2025. The rate now applies to bookings through the website, app, booking offices and call centres, on primary and add-on cards, including Super Saver tickets bought for other people.
How many lounge visits does the Air India SBI Platinum give? Four complimentary domestic airport lounge visits a year, capped at one per quarter. Unused quarters do not carry over, and there is no international lounge access.
What is one Air India Maharaja Point worth? Neither SBI Card nor Air India publishes a fixed rupee value, because it depends on the award seat you redeem against. Your Reward Points convert 1:1 into Maharaja Points, and redemption starts at 5,000 points in multiples of 5,000.
What is the minimum salary for the Air India SBI Platinum Card? SBI Card does not publish a fixed income requirement. Its own product data places the card in the ₹50,000 to ₹99,000 monthly income band. You need to be an Indian resident aged 18 or above with income proof.
Do my points expire? Yes, twice over. SBI Reward Points expire 24 months after they are earned, and once transferred to Air India the Maharaja Points are valid for only 12 months and lapse on the last day of the 12th month. Convert close to when you intend to book.
Bottom Line
The Air India SBI Platinum works for one person: someone who flies Air India regularly, puts ₹3 lakh a year through the card, and clears both milestones. At that level you collect roughly 24,500 Maharaja Points a year, and each needs to be worth about 7.2 paise to cover the ₹1,769. Anyone who hits the milestones and actually books award seats will clear that comfortably. The March 2025 cut to the ticket rate has narrowed the case, but the milestones, not the earn rate, were always where this card made its money.
Skip this card if you spend under ₹2 lakh a year, if you do not fly Air India, or if your spending is concentrated in rent, fuel, utilities or government payments, since none of those earn a single point here. With no fee waiver to fall back on, a low spender pays ₹1,769 a year for almost nothing. Frequent IndiGo flyers should take the IndiGo SBI Card at the same fee, and anyone spending above ₹5 lakh a year on Air India should step up to the Signature.