KrisFlyer SBI Card vs APEX: Which One Should You Get?
SBI Card offers two KrisFlyer co-branded credit cards. One costs Rs. 2,999 a year, the other Rs. 9,999. Here's exactly what the extra Rs. 7,000 gets you.
SBI Card has two credit cards co-branded with Singapore Airlines KrisFlyer. The standard KrisFlyer SBI Card costs Rs. 2,999 a year. The premium KrisFlyer SBI Card APEX costs Rs. 9,999. Both earn KrisFlyer Miles directly into your linked KrisFlyer account on every statement date.
If you want a deep dive into either card individually, with full fee breakdowns, exclusion lists, MCC codes, surcharges, and everything else, check out the detailed reviews linked above. In this article, we're only comparing what's actually different between the two cards and what those differences mean for you.
Side-by-Side: Everything That's Different
Fees and Welcome Benefits
| Feature | KrisFlyer SBI | KrisFlyer SBI APEX |
|---|---|---|
| Annual Fee | Rs. 2,999 + GST | Rs. 9,999 + GST |
| Welcome Benefit | 3,000 KrisFlyer Miles | 10,000 KrisFlyer Miles |
Neither card offers a fee waiver or a separate renewal benefit. The APEX costs Rs. 7,000 more but gives you 7,000 more welcome miles in year one, so the premium essentially pays for itself upfront through the welcome bonus alone.
Earning Rates
| Category | KrisFlyer SBI | KrisFlyer SBI APEX |
|---|---|---|
| Singapore Airlines Group | 5 miles / Rs. 200 | 10 miles / Rs. 200 |
| International spends | 5 miles / Rs. 200 | 8 miles / Rs. 200 |
| All other eligible spends | 2 miles / Rs. 200 | 6 miles / Rs. 200 |
This is where the APEX really pulls ahead. The base earn rate on everyday domestic spending is 6 miles per Rs. 200 on the APEX versus just 2 on the standard card. That's three times more miles on your grocery runs, dining, shopping, subscriptions, and everything else that isn't SQ or international. On Singapore Airlines Group spends it's double (10 vs 5), and on international spends it's 8 vs 5.
Both cards share the same exclusion categories (fuel, rent, utilities, wallets, government, EMI, cash advances). Check the individual reviews for the full exclusion lists.
Milestones and Status Upgrades
| Feature | KrisFlyer SBI | KrisFlyer SBI APEX |
|---|---|---|
| Spend milestone | 3,000 miles on Rs. 3L annual spend | 10,000 miles on Rs. 5L annual spend |
| Second milestone | 3,000 miles on Rs. 10L annual spend | |
| Status upgrade | KrisFlyer Elite Silver on Rs. 2.5L SQ spend | KrisFlyer Elite Gold on Rs. 7.5L SQ spend |
The status upgrade difference is significant. The APEX unlocks KrisFlyer Elite Gold, which is the Star Alliance Gold equivalent. That gives you lounge access on all Star Alliance flights worldwide, priority boarding, extra baggage, and priority check-in. The standard card only gets you to Elite Silver, which is a noticeably less valuable tier.
Both cards restrict the status upgrade milestone to Singapore Airlines bookings made through the SQ app and website only.
Lounge Access
| Feature | KrisFlyer SBI | KrisFlyer SBI APEX |
|---|---|---|
| Domestic visits | 1 per quarter (4/year) | 2 per quarter (8/year) |
| International visits | 1 per quarter (4/year) | 2 per quarter (8/year) |
The APEX doubles your lounge access across the board: 16 total complimentary Priority Pass visits per year compared to 8. Both cards limit access to the primary cardholder only, with post-quota visits costing up to $27 plus taxes.
Insurance
| Type | KrisFlyer SBI | KrisFlyer SBI APEX |
|---|---|---|
| Baggage loss/delay | Rs. 1 lakh | Rs. 1 lakh |
| Fraud loss cover | Rs. 1 lakh | Rs. 10 lakhs |
Baggage cover is the same. The APEX provides 10x higher fraud protection.
What's Identical Between the Two
These features are exactly the same on both cards, so they shouldn't factor into your decision:
- Earning exclusions (fuel, rent, utilities, wallets, government, EMI, cash advances)
- Fuel surcharge waiver (1% on Rs. 500 to Rs. 4,000, max Rs. 250 per cycle)
- Surcharges on utilities, education, wallet loads, and rent
- Forex markup (3.5%)
- Redemption options (KrisFlyer Miles auto-credit, redeem via singaporeair.com)
- Miles expiry (3 years from month earned)
- Add-on card fee (free on both)
- Eligibility criteria and support channels
For the full details on any of these, check the KrisFlyer SBI Card review or the APEX review.
The Verdict
Get the KrisFlyer SBI Card if you spend under Rs. 5 lakhs annually or fly Singapore Airlines occasionally rather than frequently. It's a solid miles card at a low annual cost.
Get the KrisFlyer SBI Card APEX if you spend Rs. 5 lakhs or more annually and want to maximise KrisFlyer Miles earning. The 3x higher base earn rate alone generates enough extra miles to justify the premium. Add in the Gold status pathway and double lounge access, and it's a clear upgrade for high spenders.
You can check how your existing credit cards stack up for transferring points to airlines, including KrisFlyer, on the Magnify app. It shows all transfer partners with current ratios in one place.
