Standard Chartered Ultimate credit card

Standard Chartered Ultimate

Standard Chartered · Mastercard

Standard Chartered Ultimate is India is best flat-rate cashback premium card — 3.3% cashback on ALL spends, unlimited domestic lounge access, and 2 international lounge visits per year. The Rs.5,000 annual fee is waived at Rs.5 Lakh spend. No categories, no portals, no conversions — pure cashback on every rupee you spend.

Annual Fee

₹5,000

Joining Fee

₹5,000

Base Reward Rate

3.3X

₹1/pt

Min CIBIL

720

₹6L+ income

Key Features

3.3% cashback on ALL spends — no category restrictions
Unlimited complimentary domestic lounge access
2 international lounge visits per year
Annual fee waived at Rs.5 Lakh spend
Rs.5,000 cashback on first transaction
Golf access at select courses in India
Air accident cover Rs.1 Crore

Welcome Benefits

✓

Rs.5,000 Cashback

Receive Rs.5,000 cashback on your first transaction — effectively recovering the entire annual fee instantly.

Reward Rates by Category

Dining

3.3X

Travel

3.3X

Online

5X

Shopping

3.3X

Grocery

3.3X

Fuel

1X

Utilities

1X

Other

3.3X

Partner Earn Rates

PartnerCategoryEarn Rate
All MerchantsAll Spends3.3X

Milestone Benefits

₹5.0 L

Annual Fee Waiver

Spend ₹5 lakhs to waive the ₹5,000 annual fee for the following year

Annual

₹10.0 L

15,000 Bonus Reward Points

Earn 15,000 bonus reward points on crossing ₹10 lakh annual spend

Annual

Airport Lounge Access

Domestic

0 visits/year

International

4 visits/year

Insurance & Protection

Air Accident Cover

Accidental death while travelling by air.

Rs.1 Crore

Emergency Overseas Medical

Medical emergencies while travelling internationally.

Rs.15 Lakh

Eligibility Criteria

Age

21–65 years

Salaried Income

₹12.0 L+ per year

Self-Employed

₹15.0 L+ ITR

Min CIBIL Score

750+

Salaried: Rs.12 Lakh annual income. Self-employed: Rs.15 Lakh ITR. Standard Chartered has selective approval. Strong credit history and income documentation required. SC bank customers may have advantage.

Pros

  • 3.3% cashback on all spends — highest flat rate among Indian premium cards
  • Unlimited domestic lounge access
  • 2 complimentary international lounge visits per year
  • Annual fee waived at Rs.5 Lakh spend
  • Rs.5,000 cashback on first spend — recovery of joining fee in one step
  • No categories, no exclusions on cashback
  • Golf privileges at select courses

Cons

  • Cashback capped at Rs.1 Lakh per month (Rs.3 Lakh monthly spend limit for 3.3%)
  • Rs.5,000 annual fee waiver requires Rs.5 Lakh spend
  • Standard Chartered has fewer branches and ATMs in India than HDFC or SBI
  • 3.5% foreign transaction fee
  • Only 2 international lounge visits — less than HDFC Regalia Gold

Redemption Options

Statement credit

Direct cashback₹1/pt

Frequently Asked Questions

Is Standard Chartered Ultimate 3.3% cashback really on all spends?+
Yes — 3.3% on every transaction at every merchant. Amazon, Flipkart, dining, fuel, groceries, travel, EMIs, utility bills — everything earns 3.3%. The only cap is Rs.3 Lakh per month (above which no additional cashback). This is genuinely unique among Indian credit cards.
How does SC Ultimate compare to SBI Cashback Card?+
SBI Cashback gives 5% online (capped at Rs.1L/month) + 1% offline. SC Ultimate gives 3.3% on everything. SC Ultimate wins for mixed spenders (offline, travel, high-ticket items). SBI Cashback wins for pure online shoppers with high online spend concentration.
Is the Rs.5,000 joining fee refunded?+
The Rs.5,000 is a welcome cashback, not a fee refund. But the effect is the same — you pay Rs.5,000 joining fee and receive Rs.5,000 cashback on your first transaction. Net year-one cost is zero if you spend above the fee waiver threshold (Rs.5L).
Does SC Ultimate give unlimited lounge access?+
Unlimited domestic lounge access via Standard Chartered partner lounges. 2 international lounge visits per year via Priority Pass. The domestic access is genuinely unlimited with no monthly cap.
What is the Standard Chartered Ultimate annual fee waiver condition?+
Annual fee of Rs.5,000 is waived on spending Rs.5 Lakh or more in the card anniversary year — Rs.41,667 per month. The 3.3% cashback on Rs.5L spend = Rs.16,500, comfortably more than the fee even without the waiver.

Ready to apply?

Apply on the Standard Chartered website. Usually takes 10 minutes.

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Standard Chartered Ultimate

₹5,000/yr · 3.3X rewards