SBI doubles Air India co-brand spend goal — 100% more

SBI Card’s Air India co-brand card has increased its spend threshold for milestone bonuses. Cardholders now need to spend ₹20L to earn 100,000 miles, with 50% of that spend required to be on actual Air India tickets. Previously, cardholders could earn 90,000 miles with a spend of ₹10L. The change also eliminates the easy status-matching that allowed big spenders to reach Silver or Gold status with card spend alone. The new requirements make it more difficult for cardholders who use the card as a general-purpose earner to reach the milestone bonuses. Our take: ₹20L of spend for 100,000 miles, half of it on Air India tickets, is not a milestone — it is a loyalty test with a ₹10L entry fee. The old ₹10L for 90,000 miles was the only reason a non-Air India flyer carried this card, and status-matching on card spend alone died with it. Unless the Maharaja is your default airline, the milestone is now decoration.