Who this is for

SBI Card MILES (base) is the cheapest entry into SBI's 25-partner travel transfer ecosystem. Suits someone spending ₹25–₹40K/month with modest travel, wanting flexibility over closed loyalty systems. If your travel spans multiple airlines rather than one carrier, this structurally beats single co-brands.

Reward structure

• Travel spend (airlines, hotels, OTAs): 2 TC per ₹200 = 1% at 1:1 airline transfer
• Other spend: 1 TC per ₹200 = 0.5%
• Welcome: 1,500 TC on ₹30,000 spend in 60 days
• ₹5L milestone: 5,000 bonus TC
• Lounge milestones: +1 domestic visit per ₹1L spent (cap 8)
• TC expiry: 24 months from earn date

The 25 transfer partners

Travel Credits convert at varying ratios. The sweet spot is the 9 airlines and 4 hotels at 1:1:

• Airlines (1:1): Air India Maharaja Club, Air Canada Aeroplan, Flying Blue (Air France/KLM), Qatar Privilege Club, Etihad Guest, and others
• Hotels (1:1): IHG, Wyndham, Accor, Marriott (current list; verify with SBI)
• Other partners: 2:1 ratio (less useful unless you're targeting a specific sweet spot)

Lounges & other perks

• Complimentary base airport lounge access (no minimum spend)
• +1 domestic lounge per ₹1 lakh annual spend (cap 8 extra)
• 1% fuel surcharge waiver (₹500–₹4,000, max ₹250/month)
• Forex markup: 3.5%

Compared with Miles Prime / Elite

Should you apply?

Apply if: Travel 3–5 times a year across multiple airlines, want transfer flexibility over closed loyalty, spend ₹3L–₹6L annually. A solid first travel card.

Skip if: Travel is concentrated on one airline (co-brands win), or spend is >₹8L — jump to Miles Prime.