It’s been a year since I got the SBI Air India Signature Credit Card, and overall I’m disappointed. The card didn’t deliver meaningful benefits for me. I never managed to use the complimentary business class upgrade voucher (which is reportedly not currently being issued). When I tried to redeem the voucher, the business cabin was full. On top of that, the card was downgraded multiple times over the past two years.
My most frustrating problem was the long-running issue with SBICards and Air India that prevented activating the Flying Returns account that came with the card, so I couldn’t transfer points. I escalated through several levels of support and finally had to approach the CEO of SBI Cards. The issue was resolved only after about 10 months from card issuance.
Renewal of Air India SBI Signature Credit Card
Because this is a co-branded card, getting a fee waiver is difficult. I didn’t want to keep paying Rs. 5,000 plus taxes for a card that offered me no benefit, so I transferred all my points to my Air India Flying Returns account and requested a product change to the SBI Simplyclick credit card.
I was told approval for the downgrade was not guaranteed. After about a week I received confirmation that the downgrade was approved, and the new card arrived the following week. Here’s how it looks — I like the design. What do you think?
SBI Simplyclick credit card
Why Simplyclick?
There wasn’t a single decisive reason for choosing Simplyclick. My goal was to keep a credit relationship with SBI while minimizing the annual fee and retaining a reasonable rewards rate. Simplyclick fit those needs. I now have a lower-fee card that still earns points at a fair rate.
Meanwhile, I have a healthy balance of Air India miles in my Flying Returns account and I’m planning to redeem them for a one-way business class ticket in the near future. One route that looks attractive for value is Chennai to Dubai, though I still need to explore Air India’s Flying Returns booking system to confirm availability and book a seat.
If it were your miles, where would you redeem Air India Flying Returns miles for the best value per mile? Share your suggestions in the comments below.