This Article was fact checked and last updated for accuracy on November 17, 2024 by Mani Karthik
Are you the type of guy who flashes your mobile phone at Starbucks checkout, flies around internationally, plays golf to meet friends and need concierge services to move around? Well, hello there. SBI Elite is your credit card!
As if the name “Elite” wasn’t a clue, right? Well, SBI’s Card Elite is its premium card. What the term “premium” means is debatable, but boy, it sure looks premium (check out the design). And features too, this card is custom made for the super-rich in India. There, I said it.
It has everything from an NFC chip (the stuff that lets you pay without showing your card), an initial sign up bonus of vouchers from top global brands worth Rs.5000 (whether you can buy anything for Rs.5,000 at these stores is another question) to free complimentary movie tickets worth Rs.6,000 every year, 5X rewards points on international spends, free Golf course access etc. You know, the kind of things Anil or Mukesh Ambani’s son would like (or would he? I don’t know). Here’s a full wrap up.
SBI Elite Card Features & Benefits
- An NFC compatibility so you can pay without showing your card at a checkout.
- International acceptance. (Unless you always fly to the North pole or something..)
- Get a 2.5% fuel surcharge waiver when you hit fuel for Rs. 500 – Rs. 4,000.
- Get free addon cards for your family members (not your kid though, must be 18)
- Pay electricity, insurance, telephone and other utility bills with Easy pay facility.
- Transfer outstanding balances of other credit cards to this card for a lower interest rate and EMIs.
- On Annual spends of 3, 4, 5 and 8 Lakhs, get reward points of 10,000, 10,000, 15,000 and 15,000 respectively.
- All the regular bells and whistles like complimentary card replacement, Rs. 1 Lakh card liability if stolen etc..
I like two features of this card really well. One, the balance transfer facility. Although SBI is not clear about what the balance transfer percentage would be, they’re offering a lower interest for all those amounts you can bring over from other credit cards. Sweet deal, if you have multiple credit cards and unclear balances on one or few of them.
Flexipay – This is an unique feature, where after you buy something on this card (for above Rs.2,500) you can activate Flexipay on it (should be activated online within 30 days of purchase), which will let you pay for the amount in easy EMIs of 9, 12 and 24 months.
If I was flying around country-country all the time, lounge to lounge, looking for concierge services, proudly flashing my credit card at global brand stores, then I would take this card without even blinking. Until I get there, I’ll skip it (unless SBI decides to gift me one).
If you don’t like this card, there are many others to choose from here.
Pls call me