Bengaluru, 28th October 2026: Air India, India’s leading global airline, and SBI Card, India’s largest pure-play credit card issuer, today announced having entered a partnership to develop a new co-brand Visa-powered credit card program that will offer a rewarding suite of travel and lifestyle benefits to members of Air India’s Maharaja Club loyalty programme.
The partnership combines the complementary strengths of three leading organisations across airlines, credit cards, and payment network, to create a compelling proposition for Air India’s fast-growing base of frequent flyers and loyalty members.
As India’s flag carrier, Air India has a long and distinguished history of connecting India to the world. SBI Card brings trusted credit card expertise, deep experience of serving Indian customers, and a strong understanding of their evolving payment needs. With over four decades of presence in India, Visa combines its technology leadership with the scale of its global payments network and an extensive experience in building successful co-brand partnerships around the world.
Nipun Aggarwal, Chief Commercial Officer, Air India, said, “As we transform every aspect of the customer journey with Air India, from a modernising fleet and world-class cabin products to an expanding global network, we are also building one of India’s most compelling loyalty ecosystems with Maharaja Club. We see a tremendous opportunity to create a co-brand credit card that is unmatched in its ability to reward customers for both their everyday earning and their travel & lifestyle aspirations. Together with SBI Card and Visa, our goal is to build India’s most compelling travel credit card programme and make Maharaja Club the loyalty currency of choice for millions of Indians.”
Salila Pande, Managing Director & Chief Executive Officer, SBI Card, said, “As travel aspirations evolve and customers seek experiences that offer greater value and convenience, we see a significant opportunity to redefine the role of credit cards in their travel journeys. At SBI Card, our focus remains on developing differentiated credit card propositions that are aligned with evolving customer preferences, unique spending needs, and lifestyle aspirations. Through this strategic partnership, we aim to create a compelling travel-focussed credit card that delivers rewarding experiences to customers. This partnership marks another significant step towards delivering innovative payment solutions for customers and expanding customer choice.”
Suresh Sethi, Group Country Manager, India and South Asia, Visa, said, “Our partnership with Air India and SBI Card reflects a shared ambition to shape the next generation of payment experiences – where every transaction adds greater value to the journey. By bringing together Visa’s trusted global network and decades of co-brand expertise, we aim to create a compelling proposition that elevates travel for Air India and SBI Card customers in India and around the world.”
With a simplified structure, a host of customer-friendly features, renamed tiers, and an updated identity, Maharaja Club has added over five million new members since the programme was redesigned in 2024. Maharaja Club members are now able to earn and redeem Maharaja Points on flights operated by Air India and Air India Express to and from 104 destinations across North America, Europe (including the UK), Australia, Middle East, Africa, Southeast Asia, South Asia, in addition 25 other Star Alliance member airlines. Maharaja Club’s partnerships with over 100 other brands across categories, including hospitality, retail, lifestyle and financial services, enables members to earn Maharaja Points across a broad range of travel and everyday spends.
