KrisFlyer SBI Card Apex vs AU Traverse Credit Card Compared
Which credit card suits you? Side by side on the numbers that decide it. A blank means the provider has not published that figure, not that it is zero. Data last verified: 11 October 2026.
| Feature | KrisFlyer SBI Card ApexState Bank of India2 recent changes → | AU Traverse Credit CardAU Small Finance Bank4 recent changes → | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rewards by spend | |||
| Rewards | 1.5% base, up to 2% on foreign spends | 0.5% base, up to 1% on foreign spends | |
| UPI payments (scan and pay)same | Earns nothing | Earns nothing | |
| Online shopping | 1.5% | 0.5% | |
| Dining and food delivery | 1.5% | 0.5% | |
| Groceries | 1.5% | 0.5% | |
| Travel: flights, hotels, trains | 1.5% | 0.5% | |
| Fuelsame | Earns nothing | Earns nothing | |
| Bills and recharges | Earns nothing | 0.25% | |
| Rentsame | Earns nothing | Earns nothing | |
| Insurance premiums | 1.5% | 0.5% | |
| School and college fees | 1.5% | Earns nothing | |
| Wallet top-ups | Earns nothing | 0.5% | |
| Taxes and government paymentssame | Earns nothing | Earns nothing | |
| Spend abroad or in a foreign currency | 2% | 1% | |
| Everything else | 1.5% | 0.5% | |
| Card identity | |||
| Card typesame | International | International | |
| Network | Mastercard | Visa | |
| Card tier | Super premium | Premium | |
| Fees | |||
| Joining fee | ₹9,999 + GST | ₹4,999 + GST | |
| Annual fee | ₹9,999 + GST | ₹4,999 + GST | |
| Fee waived at | - | ₹6,00,000 | |
| Eligibility | |||
| Min age | - | 18 years | |
| Max age | - | 75 years | |
| Employment typesame | BOTH | BOTH | |
| Rewards | |||
| Reward type | Air miles | Reward points | |
| Point value | ₹1 | ₹0 | |
| Fuel surcharge | |||
| Fuel surcharge waiversame | Yes | Yes | |
| Fuel waiver cap | - | ₹250 | |
| Lounge access | |||
| Domestic lounge visitssame | 8 | 8 | |
| International lounge visitssame | 8 | 8 | |
| Lounge programme | PRIORITY_PASS | - | |
| Priority Pass | Yes | No | |
| Lounge condition | 8 complimentary domestic lounge visits a year (2 per quarter) plus Priority Pass (worth $99) with 8 international visits a year (max 2 per quarter). Membership is primary-cardholder only and complimentary for 2 years; a $27 usage fee applies per visit bey | 2 complimentary domestic and international airport lounge visits per quarter | |
| Forex and international | |||
| Forex markup | 3.5% | 0.99% | |
| Interest and charges | |||
| Interest rate (monthly) | - | 3.75% | |
| Interest rate (annual) | - | 45% | |
| Page content | |||
| Documents needed | PAN card Aadhaar / address proof Income proof (salary slips or ITR) Recent passport-size photograph | Passport and valid visa / NRI status proof PAN card or Form 60 NRE banking account and NRE Fixed Deposit account with AU Small Finance Bank Overseas / Indian address proof | |
| Apply | Apply Now | Apply Now | |
Worth in Rupees at ₹20,000 a Month
- Rewards a year
- ₹3,900
- Fee a year
- - ₹11,799
- You keep
- - ₹7,899
- Rewards a year
- ₹1,500
- Fee a year
- - ₹5,899
- You keep
- - ₹2,622
At this spend, AU Traverse Credit Card comes out ₹5,277 a year ahead of KrisFlyer SBI Card Apex. Worked out from each card's published reward rate, caps and fee, on ₹20,000 a month. Your own spend changes the answer: try the rewards calculator.
Best For
- Foreign spends: 2% back
- Flyers: 16 airport lounge visits a year
- Foreign spends: 1% back
- Spending ₹50,000 or more a month: the ₹5,899 fee is waived
- Flyers: 16 airport lounge visits a year
- Spending abroad: 0.99% markup, most cards add 3.5%
Watch-Outs
- Skip it if you spend less than ₹66,000 a month: below that the ₹11,799 fee costs more than the rewards
- Skip it if most of your spending is fuel, utility bills, rent or wallet top-ups: those earn nothing on this card
- Skip it if you pay mostly by UPI: a Visa or Mastercard card cannot pay by UPI
- Skip it if you often pay in foreign currency: 3.5% is added to every foreign spend
- Skip it if you spend less than ₹50,000 a month (₹6,00,000 a year, rent and wallet loads not counted): the ₹5,899 fee is then charged
- Skip it if most of your spending is fuel, rent, education or government payments: those earn nothing on this card
- Skip it if you pay mostly by UPI: a Visa or Mastercard card cannot pay by UPI
- Skip it if you rarely spend on foreign spends: the 1% rate applies only there, everything else earns 0.5%
Card data sourced via CardAdvisor.in (KrisFlyer SBI Card Apex, AU Traverse Credit Card), India Credit Card Facts, CC BY 4.0, adapted by SkyloFin.
Questions People Ask
Which has the lower annual fee, KrisFlyer SBI Card Apex or AU Traverse Credit Card?
AU Traverse Credit Card. AU Traverse Credit Card: ₹4,999; KrisFlyer SBI Card Apex: ₹9,999. Check whether a spend-based waiver applies before you decide.
Which is better for spending abroad?
AU Traverse Credit Card has the lowest forex markup. AU Traverse Credit Card: 0.99%; KrisFlyer SBI Card Apex: 3.5%. The markup is charged on every foreign-currency transaction, before GST.
Which earns more on everyday spending?
On spends outside any bonus category: KrisFlyer SBI Card Apex 1.5%, AU Traverse Credit Card 0.5%. Bonus categories, rates limited to named merchants and monthly caps change the picture, so compare the rewards by spend too.
Which gives airport lounge access?
KrisFlyer SBI Card Apex: 8 domestic lounge visits a year; AU Traverse Credit Card: 8 domestic lounge visits a year. Some cards need a minimum spend in the quarter before a visit counts, so check the lounge terms.
Can I hold more than one of these cards?
Usually yes, if each bank approves you. Many people keep one card for everyday spending and another for a specific use such as travel. Each application is a separate credit check.
Work Out the Numbers
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