Mumbai: SBI Card has launched its first travel-focused core credit card, ‘SBI Card MILES’, in three variants.The card features include conversion of travel credits to air miles and hotel points, accelerated rewards on every travel booking, and airport lounge access among others.SBI Card has partnered with over 20 airline and hotel brands, including Air Vistara, Air India, Spicejet, Air France-KLM, Etihad Airways, Air Canada, Thai Airways, Qantas Airways, ITC Hotels, IHG Hotels & Resorts, and Accor, among others.“The strong economic growth and robust consumption landscape has acc1entuated India’s position globally. Even in the the travel sector, today, India is considered amongst the key source markets for outbound travel in many countries, including Asia and Europe,” said Dinesh Kumar Khara, Chairman, State Bank of India. He added that the new cards have been designed to elevate these experiences through curated travel benefits.”Indian travellers are large global spenders and naturally, with increased and more robust travel plans, consumers are looking for curated benefits to enhance their travel experiences. Our endeavour is to offer customers the best of all the travel benefits,” said Abhijit Chakravorty, MD & CEO of SBI Card .The ELITE variant offers Priority Pass membership. Using the card, cardholders can enjoy up to 8 complimentary domestic lounge visits and up to six international airport lounge visits in a year. What’s more, the card also enables users to earn additional domestic lounge access. Every time a cardholder achieves a cumulative spend of Rs 1 lakh, cardholders will receive 1 gift voucher for lounge access that can be used by either the cardholder or the guest.The ELITE cardholders will also enjoy a low foreign transaction mark up of 1.99% and travel insurance cover. The card will be available on Mastercard and RuPay network. The joining and annual fees of the ELITE variant are Rs 4,999 plus applicable taxes, while SBI Card MILES PRIME and SBI Card MILES have a fee of Rs 2,999 and Rs 1,499 plus applicable taxes, respectively.The Elite cards have accelerated travel credits of 6 Travel Credits per Rs 200 on every travel spend, cardholders can swiftly accumulate rewards for their journeys. Moreover, the card offers a welcome bonus of 5000 Travel Credits upon reaching spends of Rs 1 lakh within 60 days of enrollment. Milestone benefits such as 20,000 Travel Credits upon reaching a spends milestone of Rs 12 lakh and an annual fee reversal upon reaching the spends milestone of Rs 15 lakh further sweeten the deal.The PRIME variant offers a balance of rewards and benefits suitable for travellers with moderate spending habits. With 4 Travel Credits per Rs 200 on every travel spend and a welcome bonus of 3000 Travel Credits for spends of Rs 60,000 within 60 days of enrollment, this card provides substantial rewards without the high spending requirements of its elite counterpart. Milestone benefits include 10,000 Travel Credits upon reaching spends of Rs 8 lakh and an annual fee reversal for spends of Rs 10 lakh, catering to cardholders who value a mix of affordability and perks in their credit card experience.For those seeking a more entry-level option, the MILES variant offers basic travel rewards and benefits at a lower cost. With two travel credits per Rs 200 on every travel spend and a welcome bonus of 1500 Travel Credits for spends of Rs 30,000 within 60 days of enrollment, this card provides a modest yet accessible way to start earning rewards on travel expenses. Milestone benefits include 5,000 Travel Credits upon reaching spends of Rs 5 lakh and an annual fee reversal for spends of Rs 6 lakh, making it a suitable choice for occasional travellers or those looking for a budget-friendly option.