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KrisFlyer SBI Card Apex vs IDFC FIRST Millennia 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.

KrisFlyer SBI Card Apex versus IDFC FIRST Millennia Credit Card compared
FeatureKrisFlyer SBI Card ApexKrisFlyer SBI Card ApexState Bank of India2 recent changes →
IDFC FIRST Millennia Credit CardIDFC FIRST Millennia Credit CardIDFC First Bank7 recent changes →
Rewards by spend
Rewards1.5% base, up to 2% on foreign spends0.38% base, up to 1.25% on dining
UPI payments (scan and pay)sameEarns nothingEarns nothing
Online shopping1.5%0.38%
Dining and food delivery1.5%1.25%
Groceries1.5%0.38%
Travel: flights, hotels, trains1.5%1.25%
FuelsameEarns nothingEarns nothing
Bills and rechargesEarns nothing0.13%
RentEarns nothing0.38%
Insurance premiums1.5%0.38%
School and college fees1.5%0.38%
Wallet top-upsEarns nothing0.38%
Taxes and government paymentsEarns nothingNot stated
Spend abroad or in a foreign currency2%Earns nothing
Everything else1.5%0.38%
Card identity
Card typeInternationalDining
NetworkMastercardVisa
Card tierSuper premiumEntry
Fees
Joining fee₹9,999 + GSTFree
Annual fee₹9,999 + GSTFree
Lifetime freeNoYes
Eligibility
Employment typesameBOTHBOTH
Min monthly salary-₹25,000
Rewards
Reward typeAir milesReward points
Point value₹1₹0
Fuel surcharge
Fuel surcharge waiversameYesYes
Lounge access
Domestic lounge visits80
International lounge visits80
Railway lounge visits-16
Lounge programmePRIORITY_PASS-
Priority PassYesNo
Lounge condition8 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 beySpend Rs 20,000 in the previous month for lounge access
Forex and international
Forex markup3.5%None
Interest and charges
Interest rate (monthly)-0.71%
Interest rate (annual)-8.52%
Redemption
Redemption fee-₹99
Page content
Documents neededPAN card Aadhaar / address proof Income proof (salary slips or ITR) Recent passport-size photographPAN card Aadhaar / valid address proof Latest 3 months bank statement Income proof, salary slips (salaried) or ITR (self-employed) Recent passport-size photograph
ApplyApply NowApply Now

Worth in Rupees at ₹20,000 a Month

KrisFlyer SBI Card Apex
Rewards a year
₹3,900
Fee a year
- ₹11,799
You keep
- ₹7,899
IDFC FIRST Millennia Credit Card
Rewards a year
₹1,440
Fee a year
₹0
You keep
₹1,440

At this spend, IDFC FIRST Millennia Credit Card comes out ₹9,339 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

KrisFlyer SBI Card Apex
  • Foreign spends: 2% back
  • Flyers: 16 airport lounge visits a year
IDFC FIRST Millennia Credit Card
  • First-time card users
  • Young earners
  • UPI payment users
  • People who want no annual fee

Watch-Outs

KrisFlyer SBI Card Apex
  • 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
IDFC FIRST Millennia Credit Card
  • Base earning is only about 0.38%
  • Low earning on utility bills
  • No airport lounge access

Card data sourced via CardAdvisor.in (KrisFlyer SBI Card Apex, IDFC FIRST Millennia 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 IDFC FIRST Millennia Credit Card?

IDFC FIRST Millennia Credit Card. IDFC FIRST Millennia Credit Card: no annual fee; KrisFlyer SBI Card Apex: ₹9,999. Check whether a spend-based waiver applies before you decide.

Which is better for spending abroad?

IDFC FIRST Millennia Credit Card has the lowest forex markup. IDFC FIRST Millennia Credit Card: 0%; 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%, IDFC FIRST Millennia Credit Card 0.38%. 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; IDFC FIRST Millennia Credit Card: no complimentary lounge visits. 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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