SBI credit cards started to issue Air India co-branded credit cards last year, and they are maybe one of the best airline credit cards out there from an Indian perspective. Take an example, if you get the Signature version of the card, you get:
- 20,000 Air India miles to start-up on payment of first year annual fees
- 1 Air India upgrade voucher on sign-up
- 20,000 Air India miles bonus on spending INR 3 lakhs in the year
- 20,000 Air India miles bonus and Air India Silver Club status on spending INR 5 lakhs in the year
- 50,000 Air India miles bonus and Air India Gold Club status on spending INR 10 lakhs in the year
Air India / SBI Cards seems to have recently added one more benefit for customers with the Signature Air India card. This one is a straight up status match if you have status with some other airlines.
The status match is applicable on Jet Airways, Lufthansa, Singapore Airlines, British Airways, Etihad, Qatar, Emirates, Cathay Pacific, Thai Airways and American Airlines as per this chart . Essentially these are airlines whose hubs Air India flies to and see’s major competition for business.
Once you’ve logged into your account, you’ll see instructions for getting a status match on the sidebar.
The instructions are very simple. You have to send your status card scan, along with a statement of activities for the past one month and your Air India membership number. Of course, since SBI Card is facilitating this status match, you are not going to be able to get status matched before having an Air India Signature credit card.
There is also information out there which states that tier-upgrades depend on acceptance of Air India. So, if you are an Air India Signature card holder, maybe you want to look into this status while Air India gets ready to join the Star Alliance. Report back your experiences here.
(H.T. : Parag Mehta)
Related Posts
- Credit Card Review: Air India SBI Visa Signature
- The SBI Air India Signature Card adds an upgrade voucher
- Air India finally gets invited into Star Alliance
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I am a frequent flier ( no. 1031634360) with Air india.
I have not received my present Tier status .
Kindly intimate my tier status urgently, thankyou
Hi AJ,
I got my AI- SBI card. While filling up the application form, I had mentioned my existing Flying Returns number in Bold letters. However upon the receipt of the card I realized that they created a new Frequent Flyer number for me. What is the way out ?
@Krishnakumar I think you should reach out to AI and get them to merge these FFP numbers for you!
Else reach out to SBICards and get your number changed. I found it easier to deal with SBI that AI.
Ajay thanks for the update. Once you get an upgrade to say from XX Airlines Gold to AI FR Golden Edge, is there any time period for the validity or its valid as long as you hold the SBI AI Signature Card?
@JG Valid for 1 year only.
Is the status match option still available for the SBI Air India Signature Card or it was time bound?
@JG it still is available
I was able to do a status match to AI Silver from Qatar Burgundy. Took some 25 days for the match. Received the *A kit.
Dear AJ,
Due to devaluation of Citibank PM card , Iam planning to apply for SBI Signature Card. Can you confirm if the status Match offer is still available?
Thanks
Does this still work ? I cant see the option under service requests on my account.
@Varun do you have the signature card? I saw it a few days back. You can just send an email as per the detailed shared here as well
I have a SBI Spicejet card, guess it will not help in this case?
@AJ Thanks, I have dropped an email to AirIndia team.
AJ can you confirm how to get the upgrade voucher on card sign up? I got the signature version last month but didn’t receive the upgrade voucher. The customer service team is clueless.
@Manish it will be sent separately.
According to the SBI application page for the Signature AI card, you can get the Golden Edge status by spending 10 lakhs on the card in 1 year as well.
@Superflyboy here you get a status match, there you have to earn it