SBI Card MILES vs PRIME vs ELITE: Which Travel Card Should You Get?
All three SBI Miles cards transfer to the same 14 airlines. The difference is in fees, earn rates, lounge access, and forex. Here's how to pick.
Three Cards, One Transfer Platform, 14 Airlines
Airlines (1:1 Ratio)
| Airline Program | Ratio | Min Transfer |
|---|---|---|
| Air India Maharaja Club | 1:1 | 1,000 |
| Aeroplan (Air Canada) | 1:1 | 1,000 |
| AirAsia Rewards | 1:1 | 1,000 |
| Asia Miles (Cathay Pacific) | 1:1 | 1,000 |
| Avios (British Airways) | 1:1 | 1,000 |
| Etihad Guest | 1:1 | 1,000 |
| Flying Blue (Air France-KLM) | 1:1 | 1,000 |
| Qantas Frequent Flyer | 1:1 | 1,000 |
| Royal Orchid Plus (Thai Airways) | 1:1 | 1,000 |
| SpiceClub Points (SpiceJet) | 1:1 | 1,000 |
Airlines (2:1 Ratio)
| Airline Program | Ratio | Min Transfer |
|---|---|---|
| AirRewards | 2:1 | 1,000 |
| Alfursan (Saudia) | 2:1 | 1,000 |
| Avios (Iberia) | 2:1 | 1,000 |
| Emirates Skywards | 2:1 | 1,000 |
| JAL Mileage Bank | 2:1 | 1,000 |
| Miles&Smiles (Turkish Airlines) | 2:1 | 1,000 |
| MileagePlus (United Airlines) | 2:1 | 1,000 |
| ShebaMiles (Ethiopian Airlines) | 2:1 | 1,000 |
Hotels
| Hotel Program | Ratio | Min Transfer |
|---|---|---|
| IHG Rewards Club | 1:1 | 1,000 |
| Orchid Rewards (Orchid Hotels) | 1:1 | 1,000 |
| Wyndham Rewards | 1:1 | 1,000 |
| Accor Live Limitless | 2:1 | 1,000 |
| ITC Club (ITC Hotels) | 2:1 | 1,000 |
| Jumeirah One | 2:1 | 1,000 |
| Golden Circle (Shangri-La) | 6:1 | 1,200 |
That is 25 transfer partners in total: 10 airlines and 3 hotels at 1:1, 8 airlines and 3 hotels at 2:1, and 1 hotel at 6:1. The 1:1 airline partners are where the best value lives. Aeroplan gives you access to the entire Star Alliance network with excellent award chart sweet spots. Flying Blue is great for Europe via Air France and KLM, especially during their regular promo awards. Asia Miles and Qantas open up Oneworld redemptions. Avios (British Airways) is useful for short-haul flights where distance-based pricing works in your favor.
On the hotel side, IHG Rewards and Wyndham Rewards at 1:1 offer decent value for domestic hotel stays in India.
The 2:1 partners are less compelling since you lose half your credits in the transfer, but Emirates Skywards can still deliver good value for premium cabin redemptions on Emirates routes from India.
All three SBI Miles cards (MILES, MILES PRIME, and Miles ELITE) share the same 25 transfer partners and ratios. The difference is in how fast you earn credits, not where you can send them.
For the latest transfer ratios and any active bonuses, check the Magnify app.
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Feature | MILES | MILES PRIME | Miles ELITE |
|---|---|---|---|
| Annual Fee | Rs. 1,499 + GST | Rs. 2,999 + GST | Rs. 4,999 + GST |
| Fee Waiver Threshold | Rs. 6 lakh spend | Rs. 10 lakh spend | Rs. 15 lakh spend |
| Welcome Benefit | 1,500 TC on Rs. 30K in 60 days | 3,000 TC on Rs. 60K in 60 days | 5,000 TC on Rs. 1L in 60 days |
| Travel Earn Rate | 2 TC per Rs. 200 (1%) | 4 TC per Rs. 200 (2%) | 6 TC per Rs. 200 (3%) |
| Other Earn Rate | 1 TC per Rs. 200 (0.5%) | 2 TC per Rs. 200 (1%) | 2 TC per Rs. 200 (1%) |
| Transfer Partners | 14 (13 at 1:1, 11 at 2:1, 1 at 6:1) | Same 14 | Same 14 |
| Domestic Lounge | 8/year (2/quarter) | 8/year (2/quarter) | 8/year (2/quarter) |
| International Lounge | Priority Pass ($99, 2 years) | 4/year via Priority Pass | 6/year via Priority Pass |
| Spend-linked Lounge Visits | +1 per Rs. 1L (max 8) | +1 per Rs. 1L (max 12) | +1 per Rs. 1L (max 15) |
| Milestone Bonus | 5,000 TC at Rs. 5L | 10,000 TC at Rs. 8L | 20,000 TC at Rs. 12L |
| Forex Markup | 3.0% | 2.5% | 1.99% |
| Insurance | Fraud liability only | Flight cancellation + baggage + fraud | Air accident Rs. 1Cr + flight + baggage + fraud |
| Card Network |
Fees and Fee Waivers
The fee ladder is straightforward: Rs. 1,499, Rs. 2,999, and Rs. 4,999 (all plus GST). Each card waives the annual fee if you hit a spend threshold during the year.
- MILES: Fee waived at Rs. 6 lakh annual spend
- MILES PRIME: Fee waived at Rs. 10 lakh annual spend
- Miles ELITE: Fee waived at Rs. 15 lakh annual spend
If you are already spending Rs. 10 lakh or more per year on your card, the PRIME becomes effectively free. At Rs. 15 lakh, even the ELITE costs you nothing in fees. The real question is whether the higher-tier benefits justify paying the fee when you are below the waiver threshold.
Earning Rates: Where the Real Difference Lives
This is where the three cards separate themselves most clearly.
On travel spends (flights, hotels, travel portals), the earn rates are:
- MILES: 2 TC per Rs. 200 spent (effectively 1%)
- MILES PRIME: 4 TC per Rs. 200 spent (effectively 2%)
- Miles ELITE: 6 TC per Rs. 200 spent (effectively 3%)
On all other spends, the rates are:
- MILES: 1 TC per Rs. 200 (0.5%)
- MILES PRIME: 2 TC per Rs. 200 (1%)
- Miles ELITE: 2 TC per Rs. 200 (1%)
Notice that PRIME and ELITE have the same base earn rate of 1% on non-travel spends. The ELITE only pulls ahead on travel categories, where it earns 3% compared to PRIME's 2%. If most of your spending is on non-travel categories, the jump from PRIME to ELITE gives you less incremental value than the jump from MILES to PRIME.
Milestone Bonuses
Each card offers a one-time bonus when you cross a spend milestone during the year:
- MILES: 5,000 TC when you spend Rs. 5 lakh
- MILES PRIME: 10,000 TC when you spend Rs. 8 lakh
- Miles ELITE: 20,000 TC when you spend Rs. 12 lakh
The ELITE milestone is the most generous in absolute terms, but it requires Rs. 12 lakh in annual spend to trigger. The MILES milestone, while smaller, kicks in at just Rs. 5 lakh, making it more accessible for moderate spenders.
Lounge Access
Domestic lounge access is identical across all three cards: 8 visits per year, capped at 2 per quarter, through SBI Card's domestic lounge program.
The international lounge benefit is where they differ:
- MILES: You get a Priority Pass membership at a discounted rate of $99 for two years. Lounge visits are not complimentary; you pay per visit.
- MILES PRIME: 4 complimentary international lounge visits per year through Priority Pass.
- Miles ELITE: 6 complimentary international lounge visits per year through Priority Pass.
All three cards also offer additional lounge visits linked to spending: one extra visit for every Rs. 1 lakh spent, up to a cap of 8 (MILES), 12 (PRIME), or 15 (ELITE) additional visits per year.
If you travel internationally more than a couple of times a year, the PRIME or ELITE cards offer meaningfully better lounge access than the base MILES card.
Forex Markup
Foreign currency transaction fees vary across the lineup:
- MILES: 3.0%
- MILES PRIME: 2.5%
- Miles ELITE: 1.99%
The ELITE's 1.99% markup is competitive for an Indian credit card. Most cards in this market charge 3.5% or more. If you spend frequently in foreign currencies, whether on international travel or online purchases billed in USD/EUR/GBP, the savings on forex markup alone can offset a portion of the higher annual fee.
For perspective, on Rs. 5 lakh of annual forex spending, the difference between MILES (3.0%) and ELITE (1.99%) is roughly Rs. 5,050 saved per year. That nearly covers the ELITE's annual fee by itself.
Insurance Coverage
Insurance is the area with the starkest differences:
- MILES: Credit card fraud liability protection only. No travel insurance.
- MILES PRIME: Flight cancellation coverage, lost baggage protection, and fraud liability.
- Miles ELITE: Air accident cover up to Rs. 1 crore, plus flight cancellation, lost baggage, and fraud liability.
The ELITE's Rs. 1 crore air accident cover is a significant addition. However, dedicated travel insurance policies typically offer broader coverage. The card insurance works best as supplementary protection rather than your primary travel insurance.
Which Card Should You Get?
Pick the MILES if you are a budget-conscious traveler
The base MILES card works best if your annual card spend is under Rs. 6 lakh. At Rs. 1,499 per year, the fee is modest, and the card still gives you access to all 25 transfer partners. You will earn Travel Credits more slowly, but if you are patient about accumulating miles and do not travel internationally often enough to need Priority Pass visits, this card covers the basics without a high fee commitment.
Read the full SBI Card MILES review
Pick the MILES PRIME if you are a regular traveler
The PRIME hits a sweet spot for cardholders spending between Rs. 6 lakh and Rs. 12 lakh per year. You get double the travel earn rate compared to MILES, 4 complimentary international lounge visits, better forex at 2.5%, and meaningful insurance coverage. The fee waiver kicks in at Rs. 10 lakh, which is achievable if you route most household expenses through the card.
Read the full SBI Card MILES PRIME review
Pick the Miles ELITE if you are a frequent international traveler
The ELITE makes the most sense for cardholders with annual spend above Rs. 12 lakh, particularly those with significant travel and forex spending. The 3% travel earn rate, 1.99% forex markup, 6 Priority Pass visits, and Rs. 1 crore air accident insurance all add up. If you travel internationally 3 or more times a year and your combined travel and forex spending exceeds Rs. 3 lakh annually, the ELITE's extra benefits over the PRIME will more than justify the Rs. 2,000 fee difference.
Read the full SBI Card Miles ELITE review
DID YOU KNOW?
You can earn airline miles without a credit card. Mag Miles by Magnify lets you earn miles to Air India Maharaja Club, AirAsia Rewards, and more, just by shopping for gift cards, using the Chrome extension, or booking through the app. No annual fee, no minimum spend.
Transfer Partners: Same Across All Three
It is worth emphasizing that the transfer partner lineup is identical regardless of which Miles card you hold. All three give you access to the same 25 transfers through Magnify:
1:1 Transfer Partners (8): Air India Maharaja Club, Singapore Airlines KrisFlyer, Air France-KLM Flying Blue, Aeroplan, Etihad Guest, Turkish Airlines Miles&Smiles, Japan Airlines Mileage Bank, Ethiopian Airlines ShebaMiles
2:1 Transfer Partners (6): British Airways Avios, Qatar Airways Privilege Club, Emirates Skywards, Cathay Pacific Asia Miles, United MileagePlus, American Airlines AAdvantage
Your choice of card affects how quickly you accumulate Travel Credits, not where you can send them. A MILES cardholder and an ELITE cardholder can both transfer to KrisFlyer or Flying Blue; the ELITE cardholder simply earns Travel Credits faster.
Compare transfer rates, check your Travel Credits balance, and find the best airline redemptions on the Magnify app.
