SBI Credit Card: Rules will change in the new year, find out how much you will have to pay in charges now..

SBI Credit Card Lounge Access Rules: If you're also enjoying lounge access at the airport with your SBI credit card, here's some important news for you. From the new year, specifically January 10, 2026, SBI Cards is changing its lounge access rules. Users will still get entry as before, but the process will be slightly different. Now, your card will be swiped at the lounge, and a small fee of ₹2 (for VISA/RuPay) or a temporary charge of ₹25 (for Mastercard) will be applied.

Why did SBI make such a big change?

The fact is, a large number of passengers are now taking advantage of "free lounge" access at airports. SBI considered how to provide convenience to cardholders while also maintaining the system's integrity. This led to the creation of two sets—Set A (VIP Zone for premium cards) and Set B (Grand Zone for Prime/Platinum cards).

Set A: The Golden Pass for Premium Cardholders

These lounges are exclusively for SELECT, OCTANE, Club Vistara, and similar premium cards. Think of it this way—it's a place with fewer crowds and more comfortable seating.

Set B: A Wider World for PRIME and Platinum Cardholders
Set B includes almost all the lounges from Set A, along with several additional cities. These include Bhubaneswar, Chandigarh, Jaipur, and Visakhapatnam. Therefore, this is considered a good upgrade for PRIME cardholders.

How will you get entry to the lounge?
Previously, the lounge staff would simply check your card and grant entry. Now, the process will be as follows:

⦁ The card will be swiped on a POS machine.
⦁ The system will check if you have any free visits remaining.
⦁ Then a small "entry charge" will be applied:
1. VISA & RuPay: ₹2 (Non-refundable)
2. Mastercard: ₹25 (Temporary hold, which will be released later)

Which cards are subject to the new rules?
These lounge programs will apply only to cards with an annual fee of ₹1,499 (PRIME) and ₹2,999 (SELECT). The other basic cards don't offer lounge benefits anyway, so there's no problem.

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