SBI Cards launched Etihad Guest SBI Card in partnership with the UAE-based airline, Etihad Airways in 2019. It is the lower version of the more premium Etihad Guest SBI Premier Card (also launched at the same event) which offers better benefits and carries a substantially higher annual fee of Rs. 4,999 whereas this card has an annual fee of Rs. 1,499. We have already covered the Premier variant in one of our earlier posts. These cards were launched when the travel industry was at an all time high and travel-related expenses accounted for a substantial portion of the total credit card spends. The card earns you AirMiles at quite a high reward rate on Etihad Airways bookings; you earn decent reward points on other spends as well. Apart from these AirMiles benefits, you also get many other travel-related privileges with this card. To learn more about this card by SBI cards and Etihad Airways keep reading.
- Joining Fee- Rs. 1,499 (plus applicable taxes)
- Renewal Fee- Rs. 1,499 (plus applicable taxes)
- Best Suited For- Travel
Reward Type- Reward Points - Welcome Benefits- 2,500 Etihad Guest Miles, Etihad Guest Silver tier status, 1 complimentary wifi voucher on first booking for Etihad Airways
Rewards and Benefits
- Movie & Dining- N/A
- Rewards Rate- 3 Etihad Guest Miles per Rs. 100 you spend on Etihad.com, 2 Etihad Guest Miles per Rs. 100 you spend on International transactions, 1 Etihad Guest Mile on other Rs. 100 spends.
- Reward Redemption- Etihad Guest Miles earned redeemable for booking flights, hotels and renting cars from participating travel partners, and for purchasing products from etihadguest.com or its travel partner services. Etihad Miles can also be used to pay for purchases made using the credit card.
- Travel- Etihad Guest Silver tier status, 2,500 Etihad Guest Miles, free wifi voucher on first Etihad Airways booking, 10% discount on business class and 3% discount on economy class tickets on direct Etihad Airways bookings, up to 5% discount on reward miles redemption, complimentary domestic lounge access, complimentary Priority Pass membership
- Golf- N/A
- Domestic Lounge Access- 8 complimentary access to domestic lounges annually (max 2/quarter)
- International Lounge Access- Complimentary Priority Pass membership worth USD 99
- Insurance Benefits- Overseas air accident cover of Rs. 25 lakh, fraud liability cover worth Rs. 50,000, lost baggage cover of up to USD 1,000
- Zero Liability Protection- Fraud liability cover of Rs. 50,000 applicable on the lost card from 48 hours prior to reporting and 7 days post reporting.
Fees & Charges
- Spend based Waiver- Annual membership fee waived off (2nd year onwards) on minimum spends of Rs. 3 lakh in the previous year
- Rewards Redemption Fee- Nil
- Foreign Currency Markup- 3.5% (plus applicable taxes)
- Interest Rates- 3.5% per month (or 42% annually)
- Fuel Surcharge- 1% fuel surcharge waiver applicable at all fuel stations in India for purchases between Rs. 500 and Rs. 4,000 (max benefit capped at Rs. 250 per payment cycle)
- Cash Advance Charge- 2.5% of the withdrawn amount (subject to a minimum charge of Rs. 500)
- Add-on Card Fee- Nil.
Product Details
- Welcome benefit of 2,500 Etihad Guest Miles.
- Complimentary Etihad Guest Silver tier status.
- 1 free wifi voucher on first Etihad Airways booking.
- 3 Etihad Guest Miles per Rs. 100 you spend on Etihad.com.
- 2 Etihad Guest Miles per Rs. 100 spent on international spends.
- 1 Etihad Guest Mile for every Rs. 100 on other spends (with a few exceptions).
- 10% discount on business class ticket bookings directly from Etihad Airways.
- 3% discount on economy class ticket bookings directly from Etihad Airways.
- 1 companion voucher on achieving the milestone spends of Rs. 10,00,000.
- 5,000 Etihad Guest Miles on annual spends of Rs. 5 lakh.
- Annual membership fee reversal (2nd year onwards) on spending Rs. 3 lakh in the previous year.
- 8 complimentary domestic lounge access annually (max 2/quarter).
- Complimentary Priority Pass membership worth USD 99.
- Personal overseas air accident cover worth Rs. 25 lakh.
- Complimentary fraud liability insurance cover worth Rs. 50,000.
- Complimentary insurance against loss of baggage worth USD 1,000.
- 1% fuel surcharge waiver on transactions between Rs. 500 and Rs. 4,000. Maximum waiver capped at Rs. 250 in a month.
Etihad Guest SBI Card Features and Benefits
Welcome Benefits
- Complimentary Etihad Silver tier status.
- Complimentary 2,500 Etihad Guest Miles on card set up (to be credited within fifteen days of the card’s annual fee payment).
- 1 complimentary wifi voucher emailed within 15 days of the first ticket booking on Etihad Airways.
Milestone Benefits
- 1 companion voucher on achieving the milestone of spends of Rs. 10,00,000.
- 5,000 Etihad Guest miles on annual spends of Rs. 5 lakh.
Spends Based Fee Reversal
Annual membership fee is reversed (2nd year onwards) on the minimum annual expenditure of Rs. 3 lakh with the Etihad Guest SBI Card.
Travel Benefits:
- Welcome gift of 2,500 Etihad Guest Miles.
- Complimentary Etihad Silver tier status.
- 1 free wifi voucher on first Etihad Airways booking.
- 3 Etihad Guest Miles per Rs. 100 you spend on Etihad.com
- 2 Etihad Guest Miles per Rs. 100 you spend on International spends
- Complimentary domestic lounge access under the Visa Lounge Program.
- Complimentary Priority Pass membership.
Airport Lounge Benefit:
- 8 complimentary domestic lounge access annually (maximum 2 every quarter) with the Visa Lounge Program.
- Complimentary Priority Pass membership worth $99.
Insurance Benefits:
- Complimentary overseas personal air accident insurance worth Rs. 25 lakh.
- Complimentary lost baggage insurance cover worth USD 1,000.
- Complimentary fraud liability cover worth Rs. 50,000 applicable from 48 hours prior and 7 days after reporting the loss of card.
Fuel Surcharge Waiver:
The 1% surcharge applicable on fuel purchases can be waived at all fuel pumps all over India for fuel purchases between Rs. 500 and Rs. 4,000 (maximum cap on waiver of Rs. 250 per statement cycle).
Etihad Guest SBI Card Rewards
- 3 Etihad Guest Miles per Rs. 100 you spend on Etihad.com.
- 2 Etihad Guest Miles per Rs. 100 on International spends.
- 1 Etihad Guest Mile for every Rs. 100 spent on other spends (except fuel transactions).
Reward Redemption:
- Reward Points earned as Etihad Guest Miles.
- These miles are redeemable on etihadguest.com for flight tickets, hotel reservations and car rentals from the participating travel partners and also for purchasing the products available on the Etihad Guest portal.
- There is no limit to the number of Miles that can be redeemed on etihadguest.com or their travel partners.
Etihad Guest SBI Credit Card Eligibility
SBI has not explicitly specified any clear eligibility criteria to apply for the Etihad Guest SBI card. But, they do have a portal, Simplyfier to help you with recommending the best credit card suitable for you.
How to Apply For Etihad Guest SBI Card
The simplest way to apply for the Etihad Guest SBI Card is to submit the application for the card online. All you need to do is visit the SBI’s official website, select the Etihad Guest Premier card from the list of available cards and upload the documents required for KYC. Also, you may dial SBI’s helpline at 39020202 (prefix STD code) or visit the nearest SBI branch and submit the application to the bank officials.
Customer Care:
SBI offers 24×7 customer care support to the credit cardholders. If you want to report the loss of a card or in case you need any assistance, dial on the toll-free helpline number 1800 180 1290 1860 or 180 1290. You can also dial 39020202 (prefix STD code). If you want to block your SBI credit card just send an SMS – BLOCK <last 4 digits of the card> to 5676791.
Conclusion:
Given the high reward rate (particularly on Etihad Airways bookings) and other travel-related benefits like Priority Pass membership and air accident cover, Etihad Guest SBI Credit Card seems to be a very attractive option for frequent flyers who travel regularly to middle-east places like Dubai (also get accelerated AirMiles benefit on Etihad Airways bookings regardless of the destination). However, before making your mind, do check out our review of the Premier edition of this credit card. What are your views on this offering by SBI Cards and Etihad Airways? And how, in your opinion, does it stack up against the Premier version of the card? Let us know in the comment section below. If you already hold the card, do share your experience.
