SBI Credit Card Airport Lounges: A Complete Guide

Airports can be hectic. Crowded terminals, overpriced food, ever-occupied charging points, and that one person who just can't stop talking on their phone. It can all be a bit annoying. But you can avoid all this just like 85 lakh travellers did in FY2023. 

How? The answer is simple; by accessing airport lounges. A quiet, peaceful place where you can relax, eat free snacks, and recharge before your flight. And all it takes is the right credit card. 

In this article we will be covering the Best SBI Credit Card Airport lounge accesses because we want you to make the best of your airport experience. Ready? Let's find the perfect card for you!

Table of Contents

• Benefits of Airport Lounge Access
• Best SBI Cards for Lounge Access
  • SBI Prime Credit Card
  • Reliance SBI PRIME Credit Card
  • SBI Aurum Credit Card
  • BPCL SBI Octane Credit Card

Benefits of Airport Lounge Access

Before diving into the best SBI cards for lounge access, let's take a moment to understand why it is the best travelling hack:

• Escape: Airport terminals are often noisy, crowded, and uncomfortable. With lounge access, you get to kick back in a calm, quiet space away from the chaos.
• Free food: Say goodbye to overpriced (maybe even stale) airport food! Lounges offer snacks, sandwiches, fresh coffee, and other beverages like fresh juice, all for free.
• Fast Wi-Fi: If you're trying to get some work done or just catch up on Netflix, lounges provide fast, free Wi-Fi, without the annoying lag you get in crowded terminals.
• Comfort: No more fighting for a seat or standing awkwardly next to a charging station. Lounges have comfy chairs, sofas, and sometimes even recliners where you can stretch out and relax before your flight.
• Peace: Nobody wants to sit in a cramped, cold metal chair next to the person scrolling insta on full speaker mode because they forgot to bring their earphones, or next to the couple, with a screaming baby, especially if your flight has been delayed. Lounges give you the option to avoid all that.
• Priority boarding: Some lounges even offer priority boarding. This means you can skip the long lines at the gate and board first. Now that's VIP treatment.

Now, do you agree that lounges may be the best thing at an airport? Moving on to how you can enjoy all these benefits, you can do so with an SBI card for lounge access.

Best SBI Cards for Lounge Access

Let's explore lounge access on SBI credit cards, which will upgrade your airport experience. Whether you're a frequent flyer or just looking for a little extra luxury, there's an option for everyone.

1. SBI Prime Credit Card

If you're someone who travels often, you need a credit card that gives you more than just the basics. The SBI Prime Credit Card is here to do just that. It gives you access to both domestic and international lounges, plus it brings a host of other exciting benefits. But the card itself is not free:

Particulars	Amount
Joining fee	₹2,999 + taxes
Annual fee	₹2,999 + taxes

Key Features:

• Welcome gift: e-Gift voucher worth ₹3,000 from top brands like Bata, Hush Puppies, Pantaloons, Aditya Birla Fashion, Shoppers Stop, or Yatra.com.
• Lounge access: 4 complimentary visits per year to international priority pass lounges and 8 visits to domestic lounges in India.
• Reward points: 10 reward points for every ₹100 spent on dining, groceries, department stores, and movies.
• E-voucher: Spend ₹50,000 in a calendar quarter and receive a ₹1,000 Pizza Hut e-voucher.
• No renewal fee: Waive your renewal fee with annual spending of ₹3 lakh.
• Annual spend reward: Get a ₹7,000 e-Gift voucher from Yatra.com/Pantaloons upon spending ₹5 lakh annually.
• Birthday reward: 20 reward points per ₹100 spent on your birthday (spending capped at 2,000 points, applicable one day before, on, and after your birthday).

Pros:

• 4 international lounge visits and 8 domestic lounge visits annually
• Earn reward points on your daily spend
• Milestone benefits like gift vouchers and fee waivers

Cons:

• The annual fee of ₹2,999 can be high for casual travellers
• Lounge access is limited to 2 visits per quarter

Perfect for: Frequent flyers who want both international and domestic lounge access, plus a heap of reward points and milestone benefits.

2. Reliance SBI Card PRIME

For those with a combined love of shopping and travelling, the Reliance SBI Card PRIME comes with a bonus shopping voucher and domestic lounge access, making it an excellent choice to satisfy your travel and retail cravings. And it costs the same as the SBI Prime Credit Card.

Particulars	Amount
Joining fee	₹2,999 + taxes
Annual fee	₹2,999 + taxes

Key Features:

• Welcome benefits: ₹3,000 Reliance Retail voucher on paying the joining fees.
• No renewal fee: Waived with annual spends of ₹3 lakh at Reliance Retail stores.
• Voucher: ₹1,500 Reliance Retail voucher with annual spending of ₹75,000 at participating Reliance Retail stores.
• Reward points: 10 reward points for every ₹100 spent at participating Reliance Retail stores.
• BookMyShow: 1 movie ticket worth ₹250 per month.
• Lounge benefits: Free visits to 8 domestic and 4 international airport lounges per year.
• Fuel surcharge: 1% fuel surcharge waiver on transactions between ₹500 and ₹4,000 at all petrol pumps in India.

Pros:

• 8 domestic and 4 lounge visits per year
• Reward points on shopping at Reliance Retail
• Additional fuel surcharge waivers and movie benefits

Cons:

• Joining and annual fees can be considered high
• Lounge access is limited to 2 per quarter

Perfect for: Those who love to shop and need domestic and international lounge access without spending a fortune. 

3. SBI Aurum Credit Card

If you're looking to spoil yourself while travelling, then the SBI Aurum Credit Card is for you. Not only do you get unlimited international lounge access but also an exclusive set of memberships that add a touch of luxury to your travel experience. However, this one might be a little on the expensive side.

Particulars	Amount
Joining fee	₹9,999 + taxes
Annual fee	₹9,999 + taxes

Key Features:

• Welcome gift: ₹10,000 worth of AURUM reward points (40,000 ARP, 1 ARP = ₹0.25) upon payment of joining fee.
• Complimentary memberships: 
  • 1-year Club Marriott membership for premium benefits
  • 1-year digital subscription to The Wall Street Journal and Mint
  • 1-year membership to Inflection Point Ventures (IPV), worth ₹29,382
• Travel perks: DreamFolks membership for unlimited access to 1,000+ international airport lounges, plus one free guest visit per quarter.
• Domestic lounge access: 4 complimentary domestic airport lounge visits per quarter.
• Spa access: Get one free spa visit at select Indian airports each quarter.
• Golf perks: 16 free golf rounds and 12 no-cost golf lessons per year.
• Movie tickets: Receive 4 complimentary movie tickets worth ₹1,000 per month on BookMyShow.com.

Pros:

• Unlimited international lounge access
• 16 domestic lounge visits per year
• Access to premium memberships like Club Marriott
• Golf privileges and movie tickets

Cons:

• The annual fee is quite high at ₹9,999
• Limited domestic lounge access 

Perfect for: Those who want luxury travel perks with premium memberships.

4. BPCL SBI Octane Credit Card

The BPCL SBI Octane Credit Card is ideal for those who need domestic lounge access and also want rewards on fuel purchases. This card is one of the most affordable options while still offering great lounge benefits.

Particulars	Amount
Joining fee	₹1,499 + taxes
Annual fee	₹1,499 + taxes

Key Features:

• Welcome gift: 6,000 bonus reward points (₹1,500 value) after paying annual fees.
• Fuel benefits: 25X reward points at BPCL pumps, max. 2,500 points/month), and a 1% surcharge waiver on BPCL transactions (up to ₹4,000).
• Reward points: 25 points per ₹100 spent on the BPCL website/app and 10 points per ₹100 spent on dining, grocery, and movies (up to 7,500 points/month).
• Lounge access: 4 free visits/year to domestic VISA lounges (1 per quarter).
• Milestone reward: Spend ₹3 lakh/year for ₹2,000 e-Gift vouchers (Aditya Birla Fashion, Yatra, Bata, or Hush Puppies).
• Fee waiver: Renewal fee waived next year on annual spends of ₹2 lakh.

Pros:

• Affordable fees and fuel benefits
• 4 domestic lounge visits per year
• Earn reward points on fuel and shopping

Cons:

• Domestic-only lounge access
• Lounge visits are limited to 1 visit per quarter

Perfect for: Budget-conscious travellers who want to enjoy lounge access while travelling domestically.

Conclusion

Picking the right SBI credit card for lounge access doesn't have to be hard. Whether you're a frequent flyer or just want to chill in a lounge during your next trip, there's an SBI credit card made just for you! 

But if you're still stuck on which one to pick, don't sweat it! You can compare other credit cards quickly with Finology Select's Credit Card Genie. It lets you filter through over 90 credit cards based on the benefit you want most from your credit card: lounge access, rewards, cashback, dining, fuel or shopping.

So, if you're ready to kick back and enjoy your travels with some lounge luxury, your perfect card is just a few clicks away with Finology Select. 

FAQs

Q1: Which SBI card is eligible for lounge access?

Cards like the SBI Prime Credit Card, SBI Aurum Credit Card, and Reliance SBI Prime Credit Card are eligible for lounge access, with varying benefits depending on the card type.

Q2: How do I check if my SBI card has lounge access?

You can check your card's benefits either via the official SBI Card website or app. Alternatively, you can call the customer service team to confirm eligibility for your SBI credit card lounge access.

Q3: How do I check if my credit card is eligible for lounge access?

Lounge access eligibility is typically mentioned in the card's benefits section. Look for mentions of programs like VISA Lounge Access or Mastercard Lounge Access.

Q4: Does the SBI Max card have lounge access?

The SBI Max Card does not provide lounge access as one of its primary features, making it less ideal for travellers seeking that benefit.