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9 Best Air Miles Credit Cards in Singapore (2023)

best-air-miles-credit-card-singapore
best-air-miles-credit-card-singapore

Ah, the air miles credit card. Clearly the most glamorous of all credit cards. Every time you use one, you’re reinforcing your image as a globetrotting, wanderlusting, jet-setter.

But more importantly, you earn frequent flyer miles at the same time. As you go about planning your next holiday, wouldn’t it be nice to be able to swap your air points for a free air ticket?

Trouble is, if you just sign up for the first air miles card you see and only use it when you remember it exists, chances are you’ll never collect enough points to even make it to KL. Collecting air miles needs to be done strategically with the right card.

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Here are the best credit cards for air miles in Singapore, plus some useful info on how they work so you can game the system.

Contents:

    1. Best air miles cards in Singapore 2023

    2. Citi PremierMiles Card

    3. DBS Altitude Card

    4. OCBC 90°N Card

    5. HSBC Revolution Credit Card

    6. Amex KrisFlyer Card

    7. UOB KrisFlyer Card

    8. Maybank Horizon Card

    9. UOB PRVI Miles Card

    10. Standard Chartered Journey Credit Card

    11. Entry-level vs premium miles cards in Singapore

    12. What are air miles and how do they work?

    13. What should you look out for in a miles card?

    14. MoneySmart tip: Use a rewards credit card as a miles card

 

1. Best air miles cards in Singapore 2023

Best for 

Best air miles credit cards

Miles that don’t expire

Citi PremierMiles, DBS Altitude, OCBC 90°N

Earning KrisFlyer miles

Amex KrisFlyer, UOB KrisFlyer

Everyday spending

UOB KrisFlyer, Maybank Horizon, HSBC Revolution

One-off expenses

UOB PRVI Miles, Amex KrisFlyer

Petrol

Maybank Horizon, DBS Altitude

Dining

UOB KrisFlyer, UOB PRVI Miles

Online shopping

UOB KrisFlyer, OCBC 90°N, HSBC Revolution, Standard Chartered Journey Credit Card

Overseas spending (foreign currency)

UOB PRVI Miles, DBS Altitude

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2. Citi PremierMiles Card

Citibank logo
Citibank logo

MoneySmart Exclusive

EARN SMARTPOINTS | FASTER REWARDS REDEMPTION

Citi PremierMiles Card

Local Spend

S$1 = 1.2 Miles

All Foreign Currency Spend including Retail and Online

S$1 = Up to 2 Miles

Selected Online Hotel Bookings

S$1 = Up to 10 Miles

MoneySmart Exclusive:

Earn and receive 5,100 SmartPoints as fast as 6 weeks* when you apply and spend a min of S$500. Redeem your points for S$300 Cash via PayNow, Apple, Sony, Nintendo products and more! See the best offers on our Rewards Store here. T&Cs apply.

Valid until 16 Aug 2023

Apply Now

More Details

Key Features

  • S$1 = 1.2 Citi Miles on Local spend (no min. spend)

  • S$1 = 2 Citi Miles on Foreign currency spend

  • Annual Fee Applies

  • Earn 10,000 Citi Miles upon renewal of annual membership and payment of annual fee

  • Citi Miles never expire

  • Priority Pass membership gives you access to more than 600 airport lounges twice a year

    ™
  • Priority Pass membership is on application basis and is reserved for the Principal cardmember only, limited to 2 complimentary visits per calendar year

  • Complimentary Travel Accident Insurance up to S$1,000,000 coverage, Medical Assistance Programme and Travel Inconvenience Coverage

  • With Citi PayAll, you can earn and accumulate Citi Miles, Citi ThankYou PointsSM or Cash Back quickly when you pay your big-ticket bills such as rent, insurance premiums, education expenses, taxes, utilities and more

  • At MoneySmart, we strive to keep our information accurate and up to date. This information may be different from what you see when you visit a financial institution, service provider, or specific product site. MoneySmart shall not be liable to compensate the Customer should the information is not as updated as our Partner.

See all card details 

If the thought of spending thousands of dollars in just a couple of months makes you blanch, you need a card with miles that don’t expire so you can take your time to slowly accumulate them. This is especially the case if you’re a fresh grad or a generally frugal person without any big expenses coming up. Enter the Citi PremierMiles Card!

While the earn rate of such cards is typically not that great, the Citi PremierMiles offers a fairly attractive earn rate: 1.2 miles for every $1 of local spending, and 2 miles for every $1 spent on foreign currency spending.

From now till 31 Oct 2023, the card gives you a welcome gift of 30,000 Citi Miles when you apply and spend $800 in 2 months. You’ll also have to pay the annual fee of $194.40, payable from the end of your first year.

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3. DBS Altitude Card

DBS logo
DBS logo

Online Promo

Earn Miles That Never Expire

DBS Altitude Visa Signature Card

Local Spend

S$1 = 1.3 Miles

Overseas Spend

S$1 = 2.2 Miles

On Travel Spend at Expedia & Kaligo

S$1 = Up to 10 Miles

Online Promo:

Get up to 40,000 miles when you apply and charge the min. spend of S$2,000 within 30 days from card approval date. T&Cs apply. Valid till 30 Sep 2023.

Valid until 30 Sep 2023

Apply Now

More Details

Key Features

  • Earn up to 10 miles per S$1 on all your spend

  • Enjoy first year annual fee waiver

  • Receive 10,000 bonus miles upon membership renewal with annual fee payment of S$194.40

  • Earn miles that never expire

  • Miles are awarded in the form of DBS Points which are awarded for every S$5 spent (1 DBS Point = 2 miles) on a per transaction basis.

  • Complimentary digital Priority Pass membership with 2 free lounge visits at over 1,300 airport lounges worldwide within each 12-month period of your membership

  • Enjoy exclusive dining, shopping and travel offers

  • At MoneySmart, we strive to keep our information accurate and up to date. This information may be different from what you see when you visit a financial institution, service provider, or specific product site. MoneySmart shall not be liable to compensate the Customer should the information is not as updated as our Partner.

See all card details 

DBS Altitude is another card that lets you accumulate air miles that never expire. The card rewards you with:

  • 10 miles per $1 spent on online hotel bookings with Kaligo ($5,000/month cap)

  • 6 miles per $1 spent on flight, hotel, and travel bookings with Expedia ($5,000/month cap)

  • 2.2 miles for every $1 spent overseas (at point of sale)

  • 1.3 miles for every $1 spent locally

As you might have guessed, this is a card that is best used for travel bookings and overseas spending rather than locally.

To sweeten the deal, DBS Altitude also has additional card privileges that you can opt in to earn an additional mile on all your expenses. However, you’ll be charged an admin fee of 2% of your expenses. For instance, if you spend $2,000 locally, on top of the 2,400 base miles you’ll earn, you’ll earn an additional 2,000 miles, (bringing your miles earn rate to 2.2 miles per dollar) with a $40 admin fee charge. If you do the math, that equates to paying $0.02 for 1 mile, which is a pretty good deal if you’re looking to clock in those miles quick without increasing your overall expenditure.

One thing we want to point out: You earn miles in the form of DBS Points. These are awarded for every S$5 spent (1 DBS Point = 2 miles) per transaction.

The DBS Altitude Card’s annual fee is $194.40, but can be waived. If you do pay the annual fee and renew your card, you’ll receive a present of 10,000 miles from DBS.

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4. OCBC 90°N Card

OCBC logo
OCBC logo

MoneySmart Exclusive

Earn Miles That Don't Expire

OCBC 90°N Card

on Agoda accommodations worldwide

S$1 = Up to 7 Miles

on Foreign Currency spend

S$1 = 2.1 Miles

on Local spend

S$1 = 1.3 Miles

MoneySmart Exclusive:

Get a Samsung M5 27-inch Smart Monitor (worth S$554) OR a Harman Kardon Aura Studio 3 Bluetooth Speaker (worth S$405) OR an Apple AirPods 3rd Gen (worth S$261.40) or S$250 Cash via PayNow when you apply and spend a min. of S$500 in Eligible Transactions! T&Cs apply.

Valid until 18 Aug 2023

Apply Now

More Details

Key Features

  • 1.3 Travel$ with every S$1 spent on Local Currency

  • Travel$ that do not expire - Convert Travel$ to loyalty points at 9 airline and hotel partner programmes.

  • Get cash rebates at up to 2.1% from your earned Travel$. No minimum spend and no caps

  • All online purchases on your OCBC 90°N Card come with e-Commerce Protection, which safeguards you against non-delivery or defective goods or if the seller fails to reimburse you.

See all card details 

If you’re looking for a non-expiring air miles card to use on overseas online shopping sites, OCBC 90°N card is a good candidate.

In general, you earn 2.1 miles for every $1 spent in foreign currency and 1.3 miles for every $1 spent locally. For bookings made on Agoda, you’ll earn 7 miles per $1 spend in foreign currency, and 6 miles per $1 spend in SGD.

Do note that points are awarded in blocks of $5 spent. That is to say, even if you spent $4.90 locally, you will not earn any points until you meet the $5 minimum spend.

The OCBC 90°N’s annual fee is $54—that’s a lower annual fee than many other cards on this list.

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5. HSBC Revolution Credit Card

HSBC logo
HSBC logo

MoneySmart Exclusive

Earn Points for Everyday Spending

HSBC Revolution Credit Card

on Online Spend and Contactless Payments

S$1= 10X Points

on All Other Spend

S$1= 1X Point

for every 10 Points

Earn 4 Miles

Receive Samsonite Prestige 69cm Spinner Exp with built-in scale (worth SGD670) or SGD150 cashback for new HSBC cardmembers. Existing HSBC cardmembers receive $50 cashback. Min. spends of S$1,000 upon card approval required. T&Cs apply.

Valid until 31 Aug 2023

Apply Now

More Details

Key Features

  • 10X Reward points (equivalent to 4 miles or 2.5% Cashback) on online purchases and contactless payments.

  • 1X Reward point for all other types of spending.

  • No min. spend required.

  • No annual fee

  • Receive complimentary access to ENTERTAINER with HSBC app, with over 1,000 1-for-1 deals on dining, lifestyle and travel worldwide.

  • Cap of 10,000 rewards points per calendar month on eligible purchases. Other terms apply.

See all card details 

Like the DBS Altitude, the HSBC Revolution Credit Card is sort of more like a rewards card than a miles card, in that you earn points not miles. Here’s how it works: You earn 10X Reward points on online purchases and contactless payments, and can then convert these reward points to miles, equivalent to 4 miles. So all in all, you’re earning 4 miles per $1 spend—a very decent earn rate!

Here’s the catch—you need to pay HSBC a fee in order to convert your points to miles. HSBC calls it their Mileage Programme, and you need to pay $40 (before GST) to join the programme for a year. The good thing is that this $40+ fee covers you for unlimited points-to-mile conversions for a full year. Here are the rates:

  • Singapore Airlines Krisflyer: 25,000 HSBC Rewards points = 10,000 SQ Krisflyer miles

  • Cathay Pacific Asia Miles: 25,000 HSBC Rewards points = 10,000 Cathay Pacific Asia Miles

Another plus point of the HSBC Revolution Credit Card is that there is no annual fee. So, assuming you want to use this card for miles, the only “annual fee” you’ll need to pay is the $40 mileage programme fee—still lower than most other miles cards.

Do note that HSBC Reward points come with an expiry date (as do the miles you can redeem them for). HSBC Rewards points earned expire after 37 months.

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6. Amex Singapore Airlines KrisFlyer

American Express logo
American Express logo

Convenience & Perks for Frequent Flyers

American Express Singapore Airlines KrisFlyer Credit Card

Local Spend

S$1 = 1.1 Miles

Overseas Spend

S$1 = 2 Miles

on Eligible Grab transactions, capped at $200 per month

S$1 = 3.1 Miles

Read More

More Details

Key Features

  • 1.1 KrisFlyer miles = S$1 for all eligible card spend

  • 2 KrisFlyer miles = S$1 in foreign currency spent overseas in June & December with no cap

  • 2 KrisFlyer miles = S$1 for eligible purchases made on singaporeair.com, SingaporeAir mobile app and KrisShop with no cap

  • 3.1 KrisFlyer miles = S$1 for eligible Grab Singapore transactions, capped at S$200 per month

  • Receive 5,000 KrisFlyer miles upon first spend on card, applicable for first-time American Express Singapore Airlines Credit Card applicants only

  • Spend S$12,000 or more on eligible purchases on singaporeair.com within the qualifying period and receive S$150 cashback on your next purchase on singaporeair.com

  • First year annual fee waiver

  • Up to S$350,000 Travel Inconvenience & Travel Accident Benefits

  • At MoneySmart, we strive to keep our information accurate and up to date. This information may be different from what you see when you visit a financial institution, service provider, or specific product site. MoneySmart shall not be liable to compensate the Customer should the information is not as updated as our Partner.

See all card details 

The Amex KrisFlyer card is ideal if you’re collecting points for Singapore Airline’s KrisFlyer programme. There’s no need to redeem your points—all miles accumulated each month are automatically credited to your KrisFlyer account. Just be aware that KrisFlyer miles have a shelf-life of 3 years.

The basic earn rate is nothing to shout about. You get 2 miles for every $1 spent in foreign currency on eligible purchases during June and December every year, and 1.1 miles for every $1 spent on eligible local purchases. On the plus side, there’s no cap to these earnings.

What’s interesting is that they also reward you with 3.1 miles for every $1 spent on Grab in Singapore, valid for up to $200 worth of spending per month. That’s an easy way to get a decent earn rate on your commutes, even if the cap is rather low.

The card’s welcome bonuses are also quite attractive—you get 5,000 free miles the first time you use your card. If you charge $12,000 or more to your Card from now till 30 June 2024, you’ll also get $150 cashback at Singapore Airlines.

The annual fee is $178.20, and it can be waived for the first year.

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7. UOB KrisFlyer Card

UOB logo
UOB logo

Online Promo

Earn Miles on Everyday Spending | FLASH DEAL

KrisFlyer UOB Credit Card

on Singapore Airlines, SilkAir, Scoot and KrisShop

S$1 = 3 Miles

on dining, food delivery, online shopping and travel, and transport spend

S$1 = 3 Miles

on all other spend

S$1 = 1.2 Miles

Online Promo:

Get up to 31,000 Miles plus first year annual fee of S$194.40 (inc GST) waived when you successfully apply for a UOB personal KrisFlyer UOB Credit Card and spend a min. of S$2,000 within 60 days from card approval date on their new KrisFlyer UOB Credit Card. T&Cs apply.

Valid until 31 Aug 2023

Apply Now

More Details

Key Features

  • $1 = 3 KrisFlyer Miles for spend on everyday spend categories with S$800 min. annual spend on Singapore Airlines Group

  • $1 = 3 KrisFlyer Miles on Singapore Airlines, SilkAir, Scoot and KrisShop purchases

  • $1 = 1.8 KrisFlyer Miles on Dining, Online Shopping and Travel, and Transport Card Transactions with a min sum of S$500 charged on Singapore Airlines Related Card Transactions in a year

  • $1 = 1.2 KrisFlyer Miles on all other spend

  • At MoneySmart, we strive to keep our information accurate and up to date. This information may be different from what you see when you visit a financial institution, service provider, or specific product site. MoneySmart shall not be liable to compensate the Customer should the information is not as updated as our Partner.

See all card details 

Most air miles cards let you earn more on your travel spending, but the UOB KrisFlyer card is one that offers a decent rate on everyday local spending. This stylish-looking card offers 3 KrisFlyer miles per $1 spent on dining, online shopping, online travel and transport card transactions.

The catch is, to qualify for this earn rate, you must spend at least $800 per year on Singapore Airlines-related transactions (including KrisShop).

You also get 3 miles per $1 spent on Singapore Airlines, Scoot and KrisShop purchases, and 1.2 miles per $1 on other spending.

The card charges an annual fee of $194.40 which can be quite hard to escape. But on the plus side, from now till 30 Sep 2023, you can get the first year’s annual fee waived and receive a welcome gift of up to 31,000 miles.

So while the UOB KrisFlyer card may not have the highest earn rates, they certainly offer lots of bonus miles as incentives.

Back to top

 

8. Maybank Horizon Card

Maybank logo
Maybank logo

Online Promo

Maybank Horizon Visa Signature

on Dining, Petrol, Taxi and Hotel Bookings at Agoda

S$1 = 8X Points

on Air Tickets, Travel Packages and Foreign Currency Spend

S$1 = 5X Points

Rewards to Miles Conversion for Selected Airline Partners

1 Point = 0.4 miles

Online Promo:

Get $200 cash credit OR an Apple AirPods 3rd Generation (worth S$261.40) OR a pair of American Tourister Linex 66/24 Luggage TSA (worth S$336) when you successfully apply for an Eligible Maybank Credit Card AND a CreditAble account, and spend a min. of S$600 on Eligible Transactions each month for 2 consecutive months from card approval date. T&Cs apply.

Valid until 31 Aug 2023

Apply Now

More Details

Key Features

  • Earn 3.2 air miles (8X TREATS Points) for every S$1 spent on dining, petrol, taxi fares and hotel bookings at Agoda.com/horizon

  • Earn 2 air miles (5X TREATS Points) for every S$1 spent on air tickets, travel packages and foreign currency transactions

  • Complimentary lounge access with minimum spend of S$1,000 in a single transaction on a retail purchase, accompanying guest(s) enjoys 20% off walk-in rates for lounge access.

  • Complimentary Travel Insurance up to S$1,000,000

  • 3 years annual fee waived

See all card details 

Here’s a card that doesn’t get much attention but is actually excellent for local spending. You earn 3.2 air miles whenever you spend on restaurant dining, petrol, public transport (including Grab and taxi) and hotel bookings at Agoda. And that’s just local spending.

When you are overseas, you’ll earn 2 miles for every dollar spent on air tickets, travel packages and foreign currency transactions. This last category includes foreign currency spending online, which you don’t need to go overseas to indulge in.

The earn rate for overseas spending is so-so, but the card offers one of the best rates for local spending.

The main drawback? You need to spend at least $300 in a calendar month in order to qualify for the miles. That’s a bummer considering most air miles cards don’t have minimum spending requirements.

The card’s annual fee is $180, but waived for 3 years instead of the usual 1 year. If you spend at least $18,000 in a year you can get subsequent annual fee payments waived.

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9. UOB PRVI Miles Card

UOB logo
UOB logo

Online Promo

High Miles Earn Rate

UOB PRVI VISA Miles Card

Local Spend

S$1 = 1.4 Miles

Overseas Spend

S$1 = 2.4 Miles

Selected Online Hotel and Flight bookings

S$1 = 6 Miles

Online Promo:

Get up to 50,000 miles when you successfully apply for a UOB PRVI Miles Card and spend a min. of S$1,000 on their new UOB PRVI credit card for 2 consecutive months from card approval date, pay the first-year annual fee and SMS registration required. T&Cs apply.

Valid until 31 Aug 2023

Apply Now

More Details

Key Features

  • Earn 6 miles with every S$1.00 spent on major airlines and hotels booked through Expedia, UOB Travel, and Agoda

  • Earn 2.4 miles for every S$1.00 spent overseas (including online shopping from overseas websites), and 1.4 miles for every S$1.00 spent locally

  • Choice to redeem for miles, cash rebate or vouchers

  • No minimum spend and no cap on earned miles

  • Complimentary Public Conveyance Personal Accident cover of S$500,000 and up to S$50,000 Emergency Medical Evacuation & Repatriation including illness due to COVID-19. T&Cs apply.

  • At MoneySmart, we strive to keep our information accurate and up to date. This information may be different from what you see when you visit a financial institution, service provider, or specific product site. MoneySmart shall not be liable to compensate the Customer should the information is not as updated as our Partner.

See all card details 

This card offers one of the best rates for general overseas and local spending, at 2.4 miles per $1 spent overseas and 1.4 miles per $1 spend locally. You also get 6 miles per $1 spent on Agoda, Expedia and UOB Travel, as well as 1.4 miles per $1 spend on bus and train rides. All this, with no minimum spend and no cap on the miles you earn.

For specific categories like dining and hotel bookings, you can get better rates from some other cards that offer selected accelerated earning. But as far as general spending goes, the UOB PRVI Miles Card delivers.

This card is a good one to use if you’re anticipating a big expense like a wedding banquet, as the 1.4 mile per $1 rate is among the highest you’ll be able to get on such miscellaneous local spending, with no cap.

Up to 31 Aug 2023, UOB is also rewarding you with up to 50,000 miles for spending at least $1,000/month for 2 consecutive months and paying the annual card fee of $240 (before GST). It’s a pretty steep spending/payment requirement, but also a pretty generous bonus mile reward. If you get the annual credit card fee waived, you can still get up to 30,000 miles with the same spending requirements.

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10. Standard Chartered Journey Credit Card

Standard Chartered logo
Standard Chartered logo

MoneySmart Exclusive

Annual Fee Waived | NOTHING GIVEAWAY

Standard Chartered Journey Credit Card

for every S$1 spend on Transportation, Food Delivery & Online Grocery merchants. Capped at 3,000 Miles in a statement cycle

S$1 = 3 Miles

for all Eligible Foreign Spends

S$1 = 2 Miles

for all Eligible Local Spends

S$1 = 1.2 Miles

MoneySmart Exclusive:

[NOTHING GIVEAWAY] 
Get S$50 Cash via PayNow OR an Apple AirTag 1 Pack (worth S$45.40) AND stand to receive a NOTHING Phone (1) AND NOTHING Ear (2) Earbuds (bundle worth S$1,078)! T&Cs apply!
  
Earn up to 35,000 Miles when you meet the eligible spends AND have your first year Annual Fee waived when you sign up for the Journey Credit Card. T&Cs apply.
  
OR, earn up to 45,000 Miles when you meet the eligible spends and pay your card's first year Annual Fee when you sign up. Click here to apply. T&Cs apply.

Valid until 14 Aug 2023

Earn up to 35,000 Miles when you meet the eligible spends AND have your first year Annual Fee waived when you sign up for the Journey Credit Card. T&Cs apply.

OR, earn up to 45,000 Miles when you meet the eligible spends and pay your card's first year Annual Fee when you sign up. Click here to apply.

Valid until 30 Sep 2023

Apply Now

More Details

Key Features

  • Up to 3 miles for every $1 spent

  • 2 complimentary visits to Priority Pass lounges around the world each year

  • S$0 foreign transaction fee for overseas spend made and posted in June-July, November-December 2023

  • Complimentary travel insurance coverage of up to S$500,000.

  • 360 Rewards Points do not expire

  • S$10 off Grab rides to or from Changi Airport

  • At MoneySmart, we strive to keep our information accurate and up to date. This information may be different from what you see when you visit a financial institution, service provider, or specific product site. MoneySmart shall not be liable to compensate the Customer should the information is not as updated as our Partner.

See all card details 

If you spend regularly on transport and food online, the Standard Chartered Journey Credit Card might be the miles card for you. An entry-level credit card, it offers a high earn rate of 3 miles per S$1 on online transactions for transportation, food delivery and online grocery merchants. This is capped at 3,000 miles, which means you max out the bonus rate at S$1,000.

The SC Journey Credit Card also offers decent earn rates of 2 miles per S$1 foreign spend and 1.2 miles per S$1 local spend, which is comparable to most other air miles cards on this list. All earnings come in the form of 360 Rewards Points, which never expire and can be redeemed for miles, cash rewards, or shopping vouchers.

On top of the card’s promised complimentary travel insurance and 2 complimentary visits to Priority Pass lounges each year, Standard Chartered is also dangling some limited-time carrots to tempt you into getting their miles card. This year, you get to enjoy a S$0 foreign transaction fee for overseas spend made and posted in June-July 2023 and November-December 2023.

From now till 30 Sep 2023, Standard Chartered is awarding up to 45,000 miles if you sign up for the Standard Chartered Journey Credit Card. The only downside is that the requirements to get this welcome bonus are pretty steep—you need to spend $10,000 in total and pay the annual fee of S$194.40.

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11. Entry-level vs premium miles cards in Singapore

All of the above credit cards are entry-level ones, meaning you can sign up once your annual income hits about $30,000.

But premium air miles credit cards for those more well off tend to offer better air miles earn rates and/or sign-up bonuses.

For instance, the American Express The Platinum Card gives you a whopping welcome bonus of 113,750 Membership Rewards points when you sign up for the card. That’s worth a 1-way Business Class trip to Japan or Korea via Singapore Airlines! The catch? You must be prepared to fork out an annual fee of  S$1,728. And while Amex hasn’t disclosed the exact minimum income requirement, you can be assured the usual $30,000 sum won’t cut it.

American Express logo
American Express logo

MoneySmart Exclusive

No Expiry on Membership Rewards® Points

American Express The Platinum Card®

for every S$1.60 spent with Singapore Airlines and Scoot

Earn 5 Membership Rewards® Points

for every S$1.60 spent with 10Xcelerator by Membership Rewards®

Earn 20 Membership Rewards® points

on Membership Rewards® Points

No Expiry Date

Receive a Samsonite Sigma Spinner 76cm Expandable Luggage (worth S$600) AND get up to 62,500 worth of Membership Rewards® points* (equivalent to a one-way trip to Maldives*) from Amex when you apply and spend S$10,000 within the first 3 months of card approval and pay the card's annual fee. T&Cs Apply.

Valid until 14 Aug 2023

Apply Now

More Details

Air Miles Features

  • Access to over 1,400 airport lounges in 650 cities worldwide for you, your Supplementary Members and one guest each.

  • Earn 5 Membership Rewards points for every full S$1.60 spent with Singapore Airlines and Scoot (equates to 1.9 miles per S$1).

See all card details 

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12. What are air miles and how do they work?

Air miles are part of frequent flyer programmes (FFP), the best-known one here being Singapore Airlines’ KrisFlyer programme. KrisFlyer miles can be used on many partner airlines, including all of Star Alliance.

Technically, you can buy miles with cold hard cash. That’s what some people do — buy KrisFlyer miles because they have nothing better to spend their money on.

But why do that when a credit card will help you earn them for free, right? When you spend on an air miles credit card, you can accumulate frequent flyer miles either directly or by earning points (which you then convert to miles).

Once you’ve got your miles, you can put them towards your next holiday’s airfare. Woohoo!

Here’s a look at the bigger and more well-known FFPs in Singapore:

FFP

Airline

Notes

KrisFlyer

Singapore Airlines

Offered by all air miles cards (pay conversion fee).

Possible to earn directly (no conversion fee) with these SQ co-branded cards.

KrisFlyer miles can be used with SQ, Scoot, Star Alliance and SQ partner airlines.

Asia Miles

Cathay Pacific

Offered by many air miles cards (pay conversion fee).

Asia Miles can be used with CX, British Airways, Japan Airlines, Qantas, Lufthansa, Swiss and many others.

Miles & More

Lufthansa

Europe’s largest FFP, not available through air miles cards in Singapore.

But most Miles & More airlines are under Star Alliance, so you can use KrisFlyer miles.

 

how-do-air-miles-credit-cards-work
how-do-air-miles-credit-cards-work

13. What should you look out for in a miles card?

Here are some factors you need to consider when evaluating miles cards:

  • Miles expiry date: Borders may largely be open now, but you never know when the next pandemic wave may hit and if travel restrictions will kick into high gear again. Or, maybe you just don’t travel frequently and need miles that don’t expire, such as those for the Citi PremierMiles Card and DBS Altitude Card. On the other hand, KrisFlyer miles expire in 3 years from the date they are credited to your account. If your card requires you to accumulate and then convert miles, you’ll also want to check the expiry date so you can convert them as late as possible.

  • Flexibility to redeem miles for other rewards: For a while, COVID-19 totally wrecked our ability to travel, and many of us might have started to wonder if we could spend our miles on something else. That’s why checking what else you can redeem miles for in an important consideration. See if you can use them to redeem other rewards or convert them to cashback. If you’re under the KrisFlyer programme, you can use your mile to make purchases at the online KrisShop.

  • Ease of earning miles without travelling: Many cards reward you more handsomely for spending overseas, but earning high rates for local and/or online spending will help you accumulate more miles faster while still in Singapore. The Maybank Horizon Card is a good option for high local spending earn rates.

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14. MoneySmart tip: Use a rewards credit card as a miles card

Before you rush to sign up for an air miles card, you should also know that rewards credit cards are a viable alternative to air miles cards.

So what’s the secret? Well, you actually earn rewards points (rather than miles) with many air miles cards. You can earn those same points with a rewards card as well, and later convert them to miles. In fact, you can think of air miles cards as simply a subset of rewards cards as the points-collecting mechanism is usually the same.

Broadly speaking, air miles cards reward travel-related spending, while rewards cards reward general local spending e.g. shopping and dining.

Good rewards credit cards offer high bonus points for the latter, making it possible to earn air miles more quickly. For example, the HSBC Revolution Credit Card we discussed above earns you the equivalent of 4 miles per $1 on online shopping and contactless payments.

However there are usually reward caps on these—for example, the HSBC Revolution card limits you to 10,000 reward points per month, which may not be a large enough cap for heavier spenders. The best card (or combo of cards) really depends on your actual spending habits.

So if you want to be really thorough, check out some of the best rewards credit cards in Singapore as well.

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Apply for the best air miles credit cards in Singapore and get attractive gifts for certain cards! 

The post 9 Best Air Miles Credit Cards in Singapore (2023) appeared first on the MoneySmart blog.

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Original article: 9 Best Air Miles Credit Cards in Singapore (2023).

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