SBI Card Miles Elite 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.
| Feature | SBI Card Miles EliteState Bank of India4 recent changes → | IDFC FIRST Millennia Credit CardIDFC First Bank7 recent changes → | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rewards by spend | |||
| Rewards | 0.5% base, up to 1.5% on travel | 0.38% base, up to 1.25% on dining | |
| UPI payments (scan and pay)same | Earns nothing | Earns nothing | |
| Online shopping | 0.5% | 0.38% | |
| Dining and food delivery | 0.5% | 1.25% | |
| Groceries | 0.5% | 0.38% | |
| Travel: flights, hotels, trains | 1.5% | 1.25% | |
| Fuelsame | Earns nothing | Earns nothing | |
| Bills and recharges | Earns nothing | 0.13% | |
| Rent | Earns nothing | 0.38% | |
| Insurance premiums | Earns nothing | 0.38% | |
| School and college fees | Earns nothing | 0.38% | |
| Wallet top-ups | Earns nothing | 0.38% | |
| Taxes and government paymentssame | Not stated | Not stated | |
| Spend abroad or in a foreign currency | 0.5% | 1.25% | |
| Everything else | 0.5% | 0.38% | |
| Card identity | |||
| Card type | Travel | Dining | |
| Network | Mastercard | Visa | |
| Card tier | Premium | Entry | |
| Fees | |||
| Joining fee | ₹4,999 + GST | Free | |
| Annual fee | ₹4,999 + GST | Free | |
| Lifetime free | No | Yes | |
| Fee waived at | ₹15,00,000 | - | |
| Eligibility | |||
| Min age | 21 years | - | |
| Max age | 70 years | - | |
| Employment typesame | BOTH | BOTH | |
| Min monthly salary | - | ₹25,000 | |
| Rewards | |||
| Reward type | Air miles | Reward points | |
| Point value | ₹1 | ₹0 | |
| Fuel surcharge | |||
| Fuel surcharge waiversame | Yes | Yes | |
| Fuel waiver cap | ₹500 | - | |
| Lounge access | |||
| Domestic lounge visits | 8 | 0 | |
| International lounge visits | 6 | 0 | |
| Railway lounge visits | - | 16 | |
| Lounge programme | PRIORITY_PASS | - | |
| Priority Pass | Yes | No | |
| Lounge condition | 8 domestic airport lounge visits/year (max 2/quarter) plus Priority Pass with 6 international visits/year. 1 extra domestic visit per ₹1 lakh spend, capped at 15/year. Priority Pass free for first 2 years | Spend Rs 20,000 in the previous month for lounge access | |
| Forex and international | |||
| Forex markup | 1.99% | None | |
| Interest and charges | |||
| Interest rate (monthly) | 3.75% | 0.71% | |
| Interest rate (annual) | 45% | 8.52% | |
| Redemption | |||
| Redemption fee | - | ₹99 | |
| Page content | |||
| Documents needed | PAN card Aadhaar / address proof Income proof (salary slips or ITR) Recent passport-size photograph | PAN card Aadhaar / valid address proof Latest 3 months bank statement Income proof, salary slips (salaried) or ITR (self-employed) Recent passport-size photograph | |
| Apply | Apply Now | Apply Now | |
Worth in Rupees at ₹20,000 a Month
- Rewards a year
- ₹1,800
- Fee a year
- - ₹5,899
- You keep
- - ₹4,099
- Rewards a year
- ₹1,440
- Fee a year
- ₹0
- You keep
- ₹1,440
At this spend, IDFC FIRST Millennia Credit Card comes out ₹5,539 a year ahead of SBI Card Miles Elite. 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
- Frequent domestic and international flyers
- High spenders on travel
- People who pay in foreign currency often
- First-time card users
- Young earners
- UPI payment users
- People who want no annual fee
Watch-Outs
- Rs 15 lakh spend needed for a fee waiver
- About 0.5% back on everyday spends
- Best value only if you redeem credits for travel
- Base earning is only about 0.38%
- Low earning on utility bills
- No airport lounge access
Card data sourced via CardAdvisor.in, India Credit Card Facts, CC BY 4.0, adapted by SkyloFin.
Questions People Ask
Which has the lower annual fee, SBI Card Miles Elite or IDFC FIRST Millennia Credit Card?
IDFC FIRST Millennia Credit Card. IDFC FIRST Millennia Credit Card: no annual fee; SBI Card Miles Elite: ₹4,999. 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%; SBI Card Miles Elite: 1.99%. The markup is charged on every foreign-currency transaction, before GST.
Which earns more on everyday spending?
On spends outside any bonus category: SBI Card Miles Elite 0.5%, 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?
SBI Card Miles Elite: 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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Guides in Plain Words
Short reads that explain how it works before you decide.
- GuidesBest Credit Cards Under ₹500 a Year in India (2026)Credit cards with an annual fee of ₹500 or less (before GST) in 2026, ranked by the reward rate each bank states, with fee waivers.Read the guide →
GuidesNo-Cost EMI: What It Really Costs You, With a Worked ExampleNo-cost EMI is not a trick, but it is rarely free. Here is where the money goes: the discount you give up, the processing fee, and GST on the interest, worked out on a Rs 30,000 phone.Read the guide →- GuidesBest Online Shopping Credit Cards in India (2026)The credit cards that pay the most back on online shopping in 2026, which sites count, the monthly cap and the annual fee.Read the guide →




