American Express Membership Rewards Credit Card (MRCC) vs SBI Card MILES ELITE
A field-by-field comparison of fees, reward rates, accelerated categories, caps, exclusions, lounge access and forex markup, using each issuer's own published terms. Affiliate payout never decides the verdict.
Short answer
American Express Membership Rewards Credit Card (MRCC) and SBI Card MILES ELITE differ first on recurring cost: American Express Membership Rewards Credit Card (MRCC) has an annual fee of ₹4,500 + GST against ₹4,999 + GST for SBI Card MILES ELITE, so American Express Membership Rewards Credit Card (MRCC) is cheaper to hold. On rewards, American Express Membership Rewards Credit Card (MRCC) earns 1 Membership Rewards point per ₹50 on eligible spend while SBI Card MILES ELITE earns 2 Travel Credits per ₹200 on eligible other spend. SBI Card MILES ELITE has the lower forex markup at 1.99%. Neither card wins outright: the better choice depends on which accelerated categories match your spend, the monthly caps, the exclusions and issuer approval fit.
Source: CardMasters issuer-evidence catalogue, release 2026-08-01. Confirm final terms with the issuer.
| Feature | American Express Membership Rewards Credit Card (MRCC) | SBI Card MILES ELITE |
|---|---|---|
| Issuer | American Express | SBI Card |
| Joining fee | ₹1,000 + GST | ₹4,999 + GST |
| Annual fee | ₹4,500 + GST | ₹4,999 + GST |
| Fee waiver | ₹1,50,000 annual eligible spend | ₹15,00,000 annual eligible spend |
| Base rewards | 1 Membership Rewards point per ₹50 on eligible spend | 2 Travel Credits per ₹200 on eligible other spend |
| Accelerated routes | None recorded | travel spends (air/rail/hotels/OTAs) |
| Reward exclusions | fuel, insurance, utilities, cash advance, emi | fuel, wallet load, rent, education, utility, insurance, quasi cash, cash advance, financial charges, disputed transactions, encash, atm withdrawal, flexipay, merchant emi |
| Forex markup | 3.5% | 1.99% |
| Domestic lounge | none | 8/yr (maximum 2/quarter), plus 1 additional visit per cumulative ₹1 lakh spend; additional visits capped at 8/membership year |
| International lounge | none | 6/yr through Priority Pass; paid thereafter |
| Card networks | Amex | Mastercard, RuPay |
| Best suited to | disciplined monthly spender, points collector | miles transfer, travel, low forex |
| Issuer evidence | Checked 2026-07-30 | Checked 2026-08-01 |
Frequently asked questions
Is the American Express Membership Rewards Credit Card (MRCC) better than the SBI Card MILES ELITE?
Neither is universally better. American Express Membership Rewards Credit Card (MRCC) charges ₹4,500 + GST a year and earns 1 Membership Rewards point per ₹50 on eligible spend; SBI Card MILES ELITE charges ₹4,999 + GST and earns 2 Travel Credits per ₹200 on eligible other spend. The better card is the one whose accelerated categories, caps and exclusions match your actual spending, after subtracting the annual fee and GST.
Which of the two has the lower annual fee, American Express Membership Rewards Credit Card (MRCC) or SBI Card MILES ELITE?
American Express Membership Rewards Credit Card (MRCC) has the lower recorded annual fee at ₹4,500 + GST. A spend-based waiver may reduce the effective cost of the other card, so check the waiver threshold before deciding.
Which is better for international spending, American Express Membership Rewards Credit Card (MRCC) or SBI Card MILES ELITE?
SBI Card MILES ELITE publishes the lower forex markup at 1.99% versus 3.5%. Also confirm whether international transactions earn rewards, since some issuers exclude them.
Can I hold both cards together?
Yes, provided each is approved on its own merits and you can pay both statements in full. Holding both makes sense only when their accelerated categories do not overlap; otherwise the second card adds an annual fee without adding rewards.