SBI AURUM Credit Card: Fees, Rewards & Real Value
The SBI AURUM is SBI Card’s super-premium, invitation-only credit card positioned against HDFC Infinia and ICICI Emeralde Private Metal. It combines a competitive fee with one of the most generous milestone voucher programmes in Indian super-premium card segment. Here’s the 2026 breakdown.
Key Fees and Charges
- Joining fee: ₹9,999 + GST (effective ~₹11,800)
- Annual fee: ₹9,999 + GST (charged yearly)
- Foreign currency markup: 1.99% (among the lowest on any Indian super-premium card)
- Verify current annual fee waiver terms on SBI Card’s official page
Welcome Benefit (Recovers most of the fee)
40,000 AURUM Reward Points on paying joining fee — worth ₹10,000 at 1 ARP = ₹0.25.
Reward Structure
- Base earning: AURUM Reward Points on all spends (refer to current earning rates on SBI Card)
- No expiry on AURUM Reward Points — a rare privilege
- No redemption fee — unlike many SBI cards, AURUM redemptions are free
Milestone Voucher Programme
- Monthly: ₹1 lakh spend → ₹1,500 TATA CLiQ e-Gift voucher
- Annual (₹5 lakh): ₹5,000 TATA CLiQ Luxury e-Gift voucher
- Annual (₹10 lakh): ₹10,000 TAJ Experiences e-Gift voucher
- Annual (₹20 lakh): ₹20,000 Apple Premium Reseller Gift Card
For a user hitting ₹20 lakh in annual spending with ₹1 lakh+ monthly, total milestone value can exceed ₹53,000/year.
Travel and Lifestyle Benefits
- Airport lounge access to 1,000+ lounges worldwide via Priority Pass
- Marriott Hotel membership (India & Asia-Pacific) — 20-25% off on dining, hotel stays, and spa
- Low forex markup of 1.99% (vs standard 3.5% on most Indian cards)
- Concierge services and travel assistance
- Air accident and travel insurance coverage
Real-World Value Example
- Ultra-heavy user (₹20 lakh+ annually): ₹60,000-₹80,000 total value (milestones + rewards + lounges + forex savings + Marriott benefits)
- Heavy user (₹10-15 lakh): ₹30,000-₹45,000 value
- Moderate user (₹5-7 lakh): ₹15,000-₹22,000 value
- Light user (below ₹5 lakh): Welcome bundle covers fee, ongoing value thin
Who Should Get the AURUM
- High spenders (₹10 lakh+ annually) who can unlock the ₹10L and ₹20L milestone vouchers
- International travelers — the 1.99% forex markup is best-in-class
- SBI Card premium customers seeking an upgrade path from ELITE or PRIME
- Users who value non-expiring points and fee-free redemption
When to look elsewhere
- Annual spend below ₹5 lakh — milestone bundle under-utilised, fee not recovered
- You want metal card status — AURUM is traditional plastic; consider ICICI Emeralde Private Metal or HDFC Infinia Metal
- You can’t secure invitation — AURUM is typically invitation-only for SBI Card premium tier customers
SBI AURUM vs HDFC Infinia vs ICICI Emeralde Private Metal
- AURUM: ₹9,999 fee, strongest milestone voucher bundle, 1.99% forex, Marriott membership
- Infinia: ₹12,500 fee, 10X SmartBuy accelerator, unlimited lounges, 2% forex
- Emeralde Private Metal: ₹12,499 fee, 12X iShop hotels, unlimited lounges + golf, 2% forex, Taj Epicure
AURUM wins for milestone-driven heavy spenders; Infinia for SmartBuy-routed travel; Emeralde for hotel-heavy luxury spenders.
How to Apply
AURUM is typically by invitation to SBI Card premium tier customers. Improve your chances by maintaining ELITE/PRIME card usage with high spend, CIBIL 800+, and strong SBI banking relationship.
Final Verdict
SBI AURUM is one of the most mathematically rewarding super-premium cards in India for users hitting ₹10-20 lakh annual spend. The milestone voucher stack, no-expiry points, fee-free redemption, and low 1.99% forex make it genuinely competitive with Infinia and Emeralde Private Metal — often with a lower effective fee. The main constraint is its invitation-only access path.
See also: HDFC Infinia review and super-premium comparison.
Last updated: April 2026. Verify current terms on SBI Card’s official AURUM page before applying.