Yahoo Finance Citi PremierMiles Card Review—Citi Miles That Never Expire
The Citi PremierMiles Card used to be in the spotlight for the longest time: It was considered one of the most popular Citibank credit cards, and once upon a time, some even regarded it as the best miles credit card in Singapore. It was an accessible, entry level card, has decent earn rates, and most importantly, came with one of the best sign-up bonuses in town of 45,000 miles.
Earning miles on an air miles credit card takes a painfully long time, and one way to work around that is to get a credit card with a big sign-up bonus so you can get a sizeable bump in your miles. But with the days of a 45,000 miles present behind us, is the Citi PremierMiles Card still worth getting? Let’s find out.
Citi PremierMiles Card Review—Is it MoneySmart? | ||
 Overall: ★★★★☆ | ||
Category | Our rating | The deets |
Earn rates: 360 Rewards Points |  | – Citi Miles never expire! |
Earn categories | | |
Annual fees and charges | ★★★★☆ | S$194.40 principal fee / No fee for supplementary cards |
Accessibility | ★★★★☆ | Minimum income requirement: $30,000 (Singaporeans) / $42,000 (non-Singaporeans) |
Extras/periphery rewards | ★★☆☆☆ | – 2 complimentary visits every year to Priority Pass airport lounges worldwide |
Sign-up bonus | ★★★★☆ | Spend $500 within 30 days of card approval to receive one of the following: |
See our credit card ranking rubric to find out how we rank credit cards.
Contents:
1. Citi PremierMiles Card: Essential information
MoneySmart Exclusive
Faster Gift Redemption | UPSIZED CASH REWARD
Citi PremierMiles Card
MoneySmart Exclusive:
[FLASH DEAL]
Get an upsized S$300 + S$50 Cash via PayNow OR an Apple iPad 10.2’ 64GB 9th Gen (worth S$503.65) OR an ErgoTune Supreme V3 Ergonomic Chair (worth S$599) OR an Apple AirPods Pro 2nd Gen (worth $362.35), as fast as 6 weeks* when you apply and spend a min of S$500. T&Cs apply.
Valid until 31 Jul 2023
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.
The Citi PremierMiles Card is a good entry level miles card for the casual miles chaser. The earn rates are competitive, and we love that Citi Miles never expire. That means that you can take your time to accumulate them, and the card works for you even if you aren’t a very frequent flyer.
Here’s a quick overview of the fees and rates of the Citi PremierMiles Card:
Citi PremierMiles Card | |
Annual fee | $194.40 |
Supplementary annual fee | Complimentary |
Interest free period | 25 days |
Annual interest rate | 26.90% |
Late payment fee | $100 |
Minimum monthly repayment | Whichever is higher: |
Foreign currency transaction fee | 3.25% |
Cash advance transaction fee | 6% or $15, whichever is higher |
Overlimit fee | $40 |
Minimum income | $30,000 (Singaporean/PR) / $42,000 (non-Singaporean) |
Card association | Mastercard |
Wireless payment | MasterCard PayPass, Samsung Pay, Apple Pay, Citi Pay |
2. Citi PremierMiles Card: Eligibility
The Citi PremierMiles card is about as accessible as miles card gets. Here are its eligibility conditions and income requirements:
Minimum income for Singaporeans: S$30,000
Minimum income for non-Singaporeans: S$42,000
Minimum age: 21 years
So if you’re a Singaporean adult (even if just barely one), you can apply for this card as long as you earn $2,500 a month.
3. Citi PremierMiles Card: Earn rates
The Citi PremierMiles card earns you 1.2 Citi Miles per S$1 local spend and 2 Citi Miles per S$1 foreign currency spend. That’s pretty much the base rate for entry level miles cards—the Standard Chartered Journey Credit Card and DBS Altitude Visa Signature Card have the exact same earn rates for these spend types.
Some entry level cards edge past the Citi PremierMiles Card. The UOB PRVI MASTERCARD Miles Card, for example, earns you 1.4 miles per S$1 local spend (UNI$3.5 per S$5 spend) and 2.4 miles per S$1 overseas spend (UNI$6 per S$5 spend).
On top of the regular earn rates for general local and foreign spend, you’ll also earn extra for certain travel bookings:
7 Citi Miles per S$1 overseas spend with Agoda
10 Citi Miles per S$1 overseas spend with Kaligo
But the biggest draw of the Citi PremierMiles Card? You don’t get with many miles cards is the fact that Citi Miles have eternal life. Yup, that’s right—these miles never expire!
4. Citi PremierMiles Card: Sign-up promotion
The Citi PremierMiles Card comes with a pretty generous sign-up promotion if you apply via MoneySmart:
Apple iPad 10.2′ 64GB, 9th Gen (worth S$503.65) OR
ErgoTune Supreme V3 Ergonomic Chair (worth S$599) OR
Apple HomePod 2nd Gen (worth S$429) OR
S$300 Cash via PayNow
And the spending requirement to redeem the welcome gifts also isn’t too difficult to meet: spend $500 within 30 days of card approval.
5. Who should use the Citi PremierMiles Card?
The Citi PremierMiles Card is fantastic for making travel bookings and big purchases. Both the overseas and local earn rates lose to its biggest competitor the UOB PRVI Miles Card ($1 = 2.4 miles for foreign currency spend, and $1 = 1.4 miles for local spend, no minimum).
That said, you may get quite a bit of utility out of the Citi PremierMiles Card if you make most (if not all) your bookings via travel aggregators Agoda and Kaligo, thanks to the current travel promotions and bonus earn rates.
The Citi PremierMiles Card also comes with Priority Pass membership for the Principal cardmember only (on application basis, 2x airport lounge visits per year) and complimentary travel insurance coverage of up to $1,000,000.
6. Alternatives to the Citi PremierMiles Card
I mentioned earlier that the Citi PremierMiles has poorer earn rates than its main competitor, the UOB PRVI Miles Card. Let’s compare it against similar credit cards on the market:
UOB PRVI Miles Card: Better earn rates than the Citi PremierMiles, at $1 = 1.4 miles (local) and 2.4 miles (overseas), hence a better credit card for day-to-day use. It also has a competitive travel booking promotion with $1 = up to 6 miles (Agoda, Expedia, UOB Travel).
Online Promo
High Miles Earn Rate
UOB PRVI VISA Miles Card
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, payable first-year annual fee and SMS registration required. T&Cs apply.
Valid until 31 Jul 2023
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.
American Express Singapore Airlines KrisFlyer Ascend Credit Card: Poorer overall earn rates than the Citi PremierMiles Card, but has bonus accrual for Grab rides capped at $200 (3.2 KrisFlyer miles = S$1). Its welcome offer is also less attainable: You’ll only get your 21,500 worth of KrisFlyer Miles after you spend at least S$1,000 within the first month of card approval and pay the annual fee of S$340.20.
MoneySmart Exclusive
Convenience & Perks for Frequent Flyers
American Express Singapore Airlines KrisFlyer Ascend Credit Card
Get up to 21,500 worth of KrisFlyer Miles (worth a return trip to Bali or 1-way trip to Perth/Darwin via Singapore Airlines) from Amex when you apply. Min. spends of S$1,000 within first month of card approval and payable annual fee required. T&Cs Apply.
Valid until 31 Jul 2023
More Details
Key Features
1.2 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
3.2 KrisFlyer miles = S$1 for eligible Grab Singapore transactions, capped at S$200 per month
Complimentary one night stay at particpating Hilton properties and 4 complimentary access each year to any participating SATS Premier Lounge in Singapore and Plaza Premium Lounge around the world.
Receive 5,000 KrisFlyer miles upon first spend on card, applicable for first-time American Express Singapore Airlines Credit Card applicants only
Spend S$15,000 or more on eligible purchases on singaporeair.com within the qualifying period to be rewarded with a Double KrisFlyer Miles Accrual Voucher
Spend S$15,000 or more on eligible purchases on singaporeair.com within first 12 months of Card approval and get an accelerated upgrade to KrisFlyer Elite Gold Membership
Up to S$1 million 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.
Maybank Horizon Visa Signature Card—With high bonus earn rates ($1 = 3.2 miles) on local dining, petrol and taxis, it’s hard to beat this one for getting miles on your daily expenses. There is a $300 minimum spend, which is reasonably low. Rewards are capped at 30,000 TREATS points per month.
Online Promo
Maybank Horizon Visa Signature
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 Jul 2023
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
All in all, the Citi PremierMiles Visa Card has a decent, no-strings-attached welcome bonus, and is a decent entry level miles card. Its main spend category for bonus miles is travel booking sites, but even for those, you’re better off with the UOB PRIVI Miles card’s more attractive earn rates.
If you want to earn miles while swiping for day-to-day stuff like meals and transport instead, then the Maybank Horizon Visa Signature is a much, much better choice.
P.S. Here’s our MoneySmart credit card ranking rubric
In case you’re wondering, here’s how we decide on our credit card rankings.
Is that credit card MoneySmart? Our MoneySmart credit card ranking rubric | |
Category | Our rating |
Overall | The average rating for the credit card on the whole, calculated from the ratings for the individual categories below. Plus, we’ll give you a one-liner on who we think the credit card is best suited for. |
Earn rates: Air miles / Cashback / Rewards points | Air miles / Cashback / Rewards points . This category looks at the depth rather than breadth of earn rates.  
|
Earn categories | This category looks at the breadth rather than depth of your earnings.
|
Annual fees and charges |
|
Accessibility | Minimum income requirements:
Exclusivity: We dock 1-2 stars if there is/are another category/categories that make the card exclusive and very specific to a certain clientele. |
Extras/periphery rewards | These include:
We count the number of benefits and award between 0.5 to 2 stars for each, depending on how good the perk is. |
Sign-up bonus |
|
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