KrisFlyer UOB Credit Card—MoneySmart Review
KrisFlyer miles chasers, the KrisFlyer UOB Credit Card might be the easiest, most fuss-free miles card for you. This card lets you earn KrisFlyer miles directly with no conversion fee (unlike miles cards like the UOB PRVI Card we also reviewed).
The bonus earn rates are also generous, at up to 3 KrisFlyer miles per dollar (mpd) spent on Singapore Airlines, Scoot, KrisShop and Kris+ purchases. You can get the same rate on dining, food delivery, online shopping and travel, and transport expenses—that is, if you spend at least $800 annually on Singapore Airlines, Scoot and KrisShop.
Out of all the air miles credit cards out there, is the KrisFlyer UOB Credit Card the right card for you? We review its earn rates, travel privileges, spending requirements, and more.
KrisFlyer UOB Credit Card Review—Is it MoneySmart? | ||
Overall: ★★★★☆ (3.8) | ||
Category | Our rating | The deets |
Earn rates: KrisFlyer Miles | – $1 = 3 KrisFlyer Miles for spend on dining, food delivery, online shopping and travel, and transport spend with min. S$800 annual spend on Singapore Airlines, Scoot and KrisShop | |
Earn categories | ||
Annual fees and charges | ★★★★☆ | S$194.40 annual fee (first year waived) |
Accessibility | ★★★★☆ | Minimum income requirement: $30,000 (Singaporeans and PRs) / $40,000 (Non-Singaporeans) |
Extras/periphery rewards | ★★★★★ | – S$15 off ChangiWiFi |
Sign-up bonus | ★★☆☆☆ | Sign-up reward: Get up to 31,000 miles plus first year annual fee of S$194.40 (inc GST) waived |
See our credit card ranking rubric to find out how we rank credit cards.
Don’t miss our ultimate list of credit card reviews for the low-down on credit cards in Singapore.
KrisFlyer UOB Credit Card—MoneySmart Review
1. KrisFlyer UOB Credit Card: Summary
MoneySmart Exclusive
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KrisFlyer UOB Credit Card
MoneySmart Exclusive:
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Stand to receive a Apple MacBook Air 15-inch M2 Chip 256GB (worth S$1,899) or a Google Pixel 8 Pro, 128GB (worth S$1,549) or a Sony PlayStation®5 Disc Console (worth S$799) when you sign up through MoneySmart and meet the eligibility criteria! T&Cs apply.
PLUS Get up to 31,000 Miles plus first year annual fee of S$194.40 (inc GST) waived when you spend a min. of S$2,000 within 60 days from card approval date. T&Cs apply.
Valid until 30 Nov 2023
More Details
Air Miles Features
Enjoy 3 KrisFlyer miles per S$1 spend on Singapore Airlines, Scoot, KrisShop and Kris+ purchases
Enjoy 3 KrisFlyer miles per S$1 spend on dining, food delivery, online shopping, online travel and transport spend with min. S$800 annual spend on Singapore Airlines, Scoot and KrisShop
Enjoy 1.2 KrisFlyer miles per S$1 spend on all other spend
5,000 KrisFlyer miles with first eligible spend (min. S$5)
10,000 KrisFlyer miles with payment of annual renewal fee
Up to additional 6 KrisFlyer miles per S$1 spend when you open a KrisFlyer UOB Deposit Account
No miles conversion fee
Exclusive offers on KrisShop, Grab rides, Scoot privileges and more!
The KrisFlyer UOB Credit Card is an entry-level miles card that earns you KrisFlyer miles directly. Its fees and interests are similar to most other entry-level credit cards. Here’s a quick look:
KrisFlyer UOB Credit Card | |
Annual fee & waiver | $194.40 (waived for 1 year) |
Supplementary annual fee | First 1 supplementary card free, subsequently $97.20 |
Interest free period | 21 days |
Annual interest rate | 26.90% |
Late payment fee | $100 |
Minimum monthly repayment | 3% or $50, whichever is higher |
Foreign currency transaction fee | 3.25% |
Cash advance transaction fee | 8% |
Overlimit fee | $40 |
Minimum income | $30,000 (Singaporean) / $40,000 (non-Singaporean) |
Card association | MasterCard |
Wireless payment | MasterCard Contactless, Apple Pay, Samsung Pay, Android Pay, UOB Mighty Pay |
2. KrisFlyer UOB Credit Card: Eligibility
An entry-level miles card, the KrisFlyer UOB Credit Card has average age and income requirements. It’s open to both Singaporeans and foreigners aged 21 years old and above.
These are its income requirements:
For Singapore Citizens and Permanent Residents
Minimum annual income of $30,000; OR
Fixed Deposit collateral of minimum $10,000
For Foreigners:
Minimum annual income of S$40,000; OR
Fixed Deposit collateral of minimum S$10,000
3. KrisFlyer UOB Credit Card: Earn rates
The KrisFlyer UOB Credit Card earns you miles in the form of KrisFlyer miles directly. That’s good news when it comes to miles conversion fees—they don’t exist!
There are 3 main earn rate tiers for the KrisFlyer UOB Credit Card.
The first lets you earn 15 KrisFlyer miles for every S$5 spent on Singapore Airlines, SilkAir, Scoot, KrisShop and Kris+ purchases. That works out to be 3 KrisFlyer Miles per $1. This tier’s earn rate is given to you straight up, with no minimum spend required,
The second is also a rate of 15 KrisFlyer miles per S$5 / 3 KrisFlyer Miles per $1 spent, this time on dining, food delivery, online shopping and travel, and transport spend. The catch is, you have to spend a minimum of $800 each year on Singapore Airlines, Scoot and KrisShop to qualify for this bonus rate.
Finally, for all other purchases, you earn a base rate of 6 KrisFlyer miles per S$5 / 1.2 KrisFlyer Miles per $1 spent.
If you open a KrisFlyer UOB Deposit Account and deposit your salary in there, you can also earn up to 6 miles per S$1 spend, capped at 5% of your monthly average balance.
Do note that these KrisFlyer miles are earned per $5 spent, not per every $1. We talk about miles per dollar ($1) for easy understanding and comparison across other miles cards.
On top of these earn rates, UOB will give you 5,000 welcome miles after you make your first transaction (min. $5) on your shiny new KrisFlyer UOB Credit Card.
When it’s that time of the year to renew your card, UOB will give you 10,000 renewal bonus miles for paying the annual fee.
KrisFlyer miles expire after 3 years. Read our KrisFlyer Miles Redemption Guide to ensure you make the most of yours.
4. KrisFlyer UOB Credit Card: Spend exclusions
You will not earn KrisFlyer miles for spending in categories like the following:
Wire transfer or remittance
Utility bills
Insurance
Rentals
Stored value card purchase/load
Medical services, hospitals, and doctors
Gambling
Education
Charitable, social service, political, religious organisations
Court costs
Fines
Tax payments
Government services
SPC service stations
EZlink
YouTrip
PayPal
For the full list, check out Clause 1.9 of the KrisFlyer UOB Credit Card’s terms and conditions.
5. KrisFlyer UOB Credit Card: Benefits and privileges
As its name suggests, the KrisFlyer UOB Credit Card comes with quite a few KrisFlyer-related privileges. These include:
S$20 off KrisShop regular-priced items (excluding brand exclusions) with min. S$120 nett spend with the promo code KFUOBKS2023. You get to enjoy this rebate once per calendar year.
Complimentary tier upgrade to KrisShopper Insider with no minimum spend required. All you have to do is fill up the KrisShopper Registration Form, and you’ll be upgraded within 3 months. As a KrisShopper Insider, you’ll earn 5.5 KrisFlyer miles for every Singapore One Dollar (S$1) spent on all KrisShop purchases made inflight on Singapore Airlines and on KrisShop.com using your card.
S$10 Sign Up Bonus on Kris+ when you input the code KPUOB2324 during your first login. This is valid till 31 Dec 2024.
Fast track to KrisFlyer Elite Silver status if you spend a minimum of S$5,000 on Singapore Airlines Group-related transactions within your first year. If successful, you’ll be upgraded within 6 weeks from the last month of your first card membership year.
On the ground, your KrisFlyer UOB Credit Card will also get you:
2 x $15 off ChangiWiFi each year (once in Jan-Jun, another in Jun-Dec). To get your e-redemption code, SMS “KFUOBCC<space>16-digit card number” to 77862. Valid till 31 Mar 2024.
2 x $15 off Grab rides to or from the airport each year (once in Jan-Jun, another in Jun-Dec). Use the promo code: KFUOBCC, and do note that this is limited to the 1,000 redemptions per month.
Scoot privileges for KrisFlyer UOB cardmembers include priority check-in and boarding, additional baggage allowance, standard seat selection, and booking flexibility waiver. To enjoy these benefits, you’ll need to make your booking through the dedicated KrisFlyer UOB site.
All in all, the KrisFlyer UOB Credit Card isn’t scant when it comes to the benefits and privileges it can offer cardmembers. The only thing is they’re pretty much all Kris/Scoot/travel-related, so don’t expect dining deals or spa discounts.
There’s one thing UOB cards are great for though, based on 2023’s track record so far—concert ticket pre-sales! First Coldplay, then Taylor Swift, and now Ed Sheeran too.
6. KrisFlyer UOB Credit Card: Sign-up promotion
From now till 31 Dec 2023, you can get up to 31,000 KrisFlyer Miles plus your first year annual fee of S$194.40 waived when you sign up for a KrisFlyer UOB Credit Card as a new-to-UOB cardmember.
To get this welcome gift, spend a minimum of S$2,000 within 60 days from your card approval date on your new KrisFlyer UOB Credit Card.
7. Should I get the KrisFlyer UOB Credit Card?
Obviously, the KrisFlyer UOB Credit Card is a miles card meant for globetrotters. If you don’t fly that frequently in the first place, you might be better off with a cashback credit card. If you fly frequently, but just not with SQ/Scoot, you might be better off with another miles card.
Still reading? We’re gonna assume you do travel on SQ/Scoot pretty often. Here’s a list of pros and cons of the KrisFlyer UOB Credit Card for you to decide if it’s the right card for you.
KrisFlyer UOB Credit Card | |
Pros | Cons |
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8. Alternatives to the KrisFlyer UOB Credit Card
Was the KrisFlyer UOB Credit Card kinda what you were looking for? But only kinda? Here are some alternative credit cards.
American Express Singapore Airlines KrisFlyer Ascend Credit Card: The obvious competitor to the KrisFlyer UOB Credit Card. This card has a sightly lower base rate of 1.1 miles per $1 local spend, and a lower earn rate for Singapore Airlines Group spending (2 mpd). On the plus side, it comes with 2 mpd overseas spend and 3.1 mpd spend on Grab.
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Convenience & Perks for Frequent Flyers
American Express Singapore Airlines KrisFlyer Ascend Credit Card
New American Express cardholder can get up to 34,000 KrisFlyer miles (enough to redeem a Return Trip to Bali for 2*) when you pay the card's annual fee and spend a min. of S$3,000 within the first 3 months of card approval.
Existing cardholders can get up to 24,000 KrisFlyer Miles (enough to redeem a One-Way Business Class ticket to Bangkok*) when you pay the card's annual fee and spend a min. of S$3,000 within the first 3 months of card approval. T&Cs apply.
Valid until 28 Feb 2024
More Details
Air Miles Features
1.2 KrisFlyer miles = S$1 for all eligible card spend, with no cap
2 KrisFlyer miles = S$1 equivalent in foreign currency spent on eligible purchases in June & Dec with no cap
2 KrisFlyer miles = S$1 for eligible purchases made on singaporeair.com, SingaporeAir mobile app and KrisShop (in-flight and online) with no cap
3.2 KrisFlyer miles = S$1 for eligible Grab Singapore transactions, capped at S$200 per calendar 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$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
No conversion fee, all KrisFlyer miles earned are conveniently credited directly into your KrisFlyer account
Up to S$1 million Travel Inconvenience & Travel Accident Benefits
Standard Chartered Journey Credit Card: Earn 3 mpd on Transportation, Food Delivery & Online Grocery merchants, plus 2 mpd on eligible foreign spend. You’ll earn in the form of 360 Reward Points that never expire.
MoneySmart Exclusive
Annual Fee Waived
Standard Chartered Journey Credit Card
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 31 Dec 2023
More Details
Air Miles Features
Earn 3 miles per S$1 spent on Online Transactions: Transportation, Grocery and Food Delivery Merchants
Earn 2 miles per S$1 for Foreign Spends
Earn 1.2 miles per S$1 for Local Spends
Flexibility of redemption: choice of Air Miles, Cash Rewards or Shopping Vouchers with your 360 Rewards Points
360 Rewards Points do not expire
UOB PRVI Card: One of the highest miles earn rates out there, and not limited to Singapore Airlines Group transactions.
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UOB PRVI MASTERCARD Miles Card
MoneySmart Exclusive:
[MoneySmart Exclusive]
Stand to receive a Apple MacBook Air 15-inch M2 Chip 256GB (worth S$1,899) or a Google Pixel 8 Pro, 128GB (worth S$1,549) or a Sony PlayStation®5 Disc Console (worth S$799) when you sign up through MoneySmart and meet the eligibility criteria! T&Cs apply.
PLUS get up to 50,000 miles from UOB 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 30 Nov 2023
More Details
Air Miles Features
Earn 1.4 miles per S$1 local spend (UNI$3.5 per S$5 spend)
Earn 2.4 miles per S$1 overseas spend (UNI$6 per spend) including online shopping on overseas websites
Earn 6 miles per $1 spend (UNI$15 per S$5 spend) on major airlines and hotels booked through Expedia, UOB Travel, and Agoda
Earn 1.4 miles per S$1 spend (UNI$3.5 per S$5 spend) on bus and train rides
No minimum spend and no cap on earned miles
Complimentary travel insurance coverage of up to S$500,000. T&Cs apply.
Citibank PremierMiles Card: Miles that never expire, and with priority pass lounge access, travel insurance, and more.
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Alternatively, you can also choose S$300 Cash via PayNow. T&Cs apply
Valid until 15 Nov 2023
More Details
Air Miles Features
Citi Miles never expire so you can accumulate them over time
Citi Miles conversion rate: 10,000 Miles miles for 10,000 airline miles/hotel points
Citi Miles redemption via Citi ThankYouSM Rewards allows you to transfer miles earned to 11 airline partners, including Singapore Airlines’ Krisflyer miles program. Subject to S$25 + prevailing GST per Points Transfer
1.2 Citi Miles per S$1 local spend. No minimum spend, although general exclusions such as insurance, educational institution fees etc., do apply
2 Citi Miles per S$1 overseas spend on foreign currency. Subject to 3.25% admin fee per transaction
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
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 |
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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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