Priority Pass
State Bank of India
Air India Signature
The Air India SBI Signature is 2026’s premier choice for Maharaja Club loyalists, offering a massive 30 points per ₹100 on Air India bookings. While the ₹4,999 fee is high, it is one of the few SBI cards exempt from the 2026 redemption caps, making it a powerful, uncapped tool for high-value miles accumulation.
Direct link to the issuer's website. Terms apply — verify current offer with the bank.
Data last updated 31 May 2026.
At a Glance
Annual Fee
₹4,999
Joining Fee
₹4,999
Fee Waiver
N/A
Lounge Access
2 domestic lounge access per quarter + Complimentary Priority Pass Membership
Forex Markup
3.5%
Effective Yield
4% – 10%
Our Take
The Air India SBI Signature is 2026’s premier choice for Maharaja Club loyalists, offering a massive 30 points per ₹100 on Air India bookings. While the ₹4,999 fee is high, it is one of the few SBI cards exempt from the 2026 redemption caps, making it a powerful, uncapped tool for high-value miles accumulation.Amidst the April 2026 SBI restructuring, the Air India Signature emerged as a "protected" asset. While most SBI cards now face a 60,000-point monthly redemption limit and "multiple of 4,000" rules, this card remains exempt from the 60,000-point cap, allowing unlimited transfers to the Maharaja Club at a 1:1 ratio. Beyond the 20,000-point welcome bonus, its real strength lies in the milestone tiers: hitting ₹20 lakh in annual spend triggers a cumulative 1,00,000 bonus points. However, an unbiased review must note the 3.5% forex markup and the $27 fee for international lounges after the first visit, making it a "flight-first" card rather than a global traveler’s primary choice.
Pros
- Elite Maharaja Club Integration: Automatically grants membership to the unified Maharaja Club. Unlike previous years, the 2026 'Maharaja Point' (1:1 conversion) now offers ~30% better value on 80% of domestic routes, with award flights starting as low as 1,500 points.
- Massive Milestone Engine: Earns up to 1,00,000 bonus reward points annually based on spend tiers (20k at ₹5L, 30k at ₹10L, and 50k at ₹20L). For high-spenders, these milestones provide enough points for a round-trip Business Class ticket to Dubai or Southeast Asia every year.
- Superior 10% Ticket Yield: Earns 10 Reward Points per ₹100 (10% value-back) on Air India tickets booked via the website or app. While this was reduced from 30 points in late 2025, it remains the highest direct-earning rate for Air India loyalists in the SBI portfolio.
- Profitable Welcome & Anniversary Kick: Offers 20,000 Reward Points on joining (worth ₹20,000 for travel) and 5,000 points every anniversary. This effectively 'subsidizes' the ₹4,999 fee, making the net cost of the card nearly zero if you fly even once a year.
- Strategic Star Alliance Access: Points earned here can be transferred to the Maharaja Club and then used to book flights across 25+ Star Alliance partners including Singapore Airlines, Lufthansa, and United. This provides 'Global' utility that simple cashback cards cannot match.
Cons
- No Automatic Tier Status: Unlike the Axis Vistara Infinite which gave 'Gold' status, the SBI Signature only gives 'Membership.' You must still fly the required 20+ segments to reach Silver or 45+ for Gold, which is a major letdown for a ₹5,000 fee card.
- Manual Transfer Friction: Points are not automatically 'swept' into your airline account. You must manually initiate the transfer via the SBI app (minimum 5,000 points), and as of 2026, these transfers can take up to 7 working days to reflect.
- New 2026 'Utility' Block: In line with SBI’s unified policy, no reward points are earned on Rent, Insurance, Utilities, and Education. Crucially, these 'big-ticket' spends no longer count toward your ₹5L/₹10L/₹20L milestone calculations.
- The 1.25% 'Forex Loss': While it has a Priority Pass, the card carries a heavy 3.5% + GST forex markup. Even with the 2% reward rate on international spends, you lose ~1.25% on every swipe, making it inferior to the AU Zenith+ or Scapia for overseas shopping.
- Priority Pass 'Usage Fee' Trap: While the Priority Pass membership is free ($99 value), every international lounge visit is charged at $27. For a 'Signature' card, the lack of even 2 complimentary international visits is a significant competitive weakness in 2026.
Earning & Redemption
How You Earn
| Category | Reward rate | Yield % | Cap |
|---|---|---|---|
| Air India Direct (App/Web) | 10 Reward Points (RP) per ₹100 | 10.00% - 15.00% | No Upper Cap on base earning |
| Everyday Retail Spends | 4 RP per ₹100 | 4.00% - 6.00% | No Upper Cap |
| Excluded Categories | No Points Earned | 0.0% | — |
Milestone Rewards
| Spend | Benefit | Value | Summary |
|---|---|---|---|
| ₹5 Lakh | Bonus Points20,000 pts | ₹20,000 (Travel Value) | Earn 20,000 bonus RP upon hitting ₹5 Lakhs annual spend. |
| ₹10 Lakh | Bonus Points30,000 pts | ₹30,000 (Travel Value) | Earn an additional 30,000 RP (Total 50,000 bonus points). |
| ₹20 Lakh | Bonus Points50,000 pts | ₹50,000 (Travel Value) | Final milestone of 50,000 RP (Total 1,00,000 bonus points annually). |
Redemption Value
| Channel | Value per point | Verdict |
|---|---|---|
| Maharaja Club (Award Flights) | ₹1.00 - ₹1.50 per RP1:1 Ratio | Best Value (New 2026 rates start flights at just 1,500 points) |
| Statement Credit (Cash) | ₹0.25 per RP4:1 Ratio | Flexible (Exempt from the 60k/month cap; redeem any amount) |
What You Need to Know
Voucher Discontinuation
As of March 31, 2025, milestone flight vouchers are no longer issued.
Impact: The card has transitioned from 'free tickets' to a high-volume 'point machine'.
New Education/Wallet Fees
1% fee on Education (3rd party apps) and Wallet loads >₹1,000.
Impact: Increases costs for milestone hunters using these categories; use direct portals instead.
The 'Prospect' Rule
You cannot convert RP to Maharaja Points until you complete one flight activity with Air India.
Impact: New cardholders must take one paid flight before they can use their 20,000 welcome points.
Priority Pass Usage Fee
Membership is free, but every visit (domestic or intl) costs $27 via Priority Pass.
Impact: Users should only use the physical card for domestic lounges to keep it free.
Essential Fine Print
Reward Exclusions
Excluded Transactions: Fuel, Cash Advance, Balance Transfer, Encash, and Flexipay transactions do not earn reward points.
Welcome Offer
Welcome Reward Points
20,000 Reward Points credited as a welcome gift upon payment of the joining fee.
Air India Maharaja Club Membership
Complimentary membership of Air India Maharaja Club - Air India Maharaja Points.
Lounge Access
Priority PassDomestic Lounge Access
8 complimentary visits per year to domestic Visa lounges in India (maximum 2 visits per quarter).
International Lounge Program
While the card provides a complimentary Priority Pass membership (which would normally cost $99 annually), this membership only grants you the ability to enter the lounges in the Priority Pass network. It does not include free visits.
Travel Benefits
High Reward Rate on Air India Bookings
Earn 30 Reward Points for every ₹100 spent on Air India tickets booked through the Air India website or mobile app for self.
Bookings for Others
Earn 10 Reward Points for every ₹100 spent on Air India tickets booked for others.
Reward Point Conversion
Reward points can be converted into Air India Miles at a ratio of 1 Reward Point = 1 Air India Mile.
Milestone Benefits
Anniversary Gift
5,000 Reward Points credited annually upon payment of the renewal fee.
Spend Milestones
Earn up to 1,00,000 bonus reward points annually: 20,000 points on ₹5 Lakh spend, 30,000 points on ₹10 Lakh spend, and 50,000 points on ₹20 Lakh spend.
Additional Features
Flexipay
Convert transactions of ₹2,500 or more into easy monthly installments.
Worldwide Acceptance
Accepted at over 24 million outlets globally, including 3,25,000 outlets in India.
Fees & Charges
| Fee Type | Amount / Details |
|---|---|
| Joining Fee | ₹4,999 |
| Annual / Renewal Fee | ₹4,999 |
| Fee Waiver Threshold | N/A |
| Forex Markup | 3.5% |
| Reward Redemption Fee | ₹99 per redemption |
| Fuel Surcharge Waiver | 1% surcharge |
Eligibility Criteria
Age Requirement
Primary cardholder must be between 18 and 70 years of age.
Occupation
Available to both salaried and self-employed individuals with a stable income.
Applications paused for Air India Signature
This card is not currently accepting new applications. Check back later.
Annual fee
₹4,999
4% – 10% yield