Best Airmiles Credit Card Singapore

7 Best Airmiles Credit Cards Singapore for Frequent and Infrequent Flyers (2022)

Frequent traveling may not be possible for our pandemic-stricken world, but it’s still a good idea to bank some travel rewards as you shop. When borders finally start reopening, you’ll be able to use those for trips you’ve been dreaming of.

Today, banks and airlines are offering bonus points and lowering thresholds for faster card approval and cardholders can qualify for more perks. However, not all air miles credit cards are made equal. So strategically collect air miles with the right card.

Here are the best airmiles credit card Singapore, plus a few tips for choosing an air miles card that suits your spending habits.

 

7 Best Air Miles Credit Cards

Card Type Annual Fees Miles Earned

(Locally)

Miles Earned

(Overseas)

Bonus Miles Redemption Fees Best For
American Express Singapore Airlines KrisFlyer S$176.55 S$1= 1.1 KrisFlyer miles (local)

 

 

S$1= 3.1 KrisFlyer miles (on eligible Grab Singapore transactions, up to S$200 spend on each calendar month)

 

 

 

S$1= 2 KrisFlyer miles (overseas during June and December)

 

Receive 5,000 KrisFlyer miles with a minimum spend of S$3,000 on your first 3 months

 

N/A Earning KrisFlyer Miles With No Redemption Fee and Low Annual Fee

 

Citi PremierMiles Card S$192.60 S$1=Up to 1.2 Citi Miles (local)

 

 

S$1=Up to 2 Citi Miles (overseas) Enjoy a renewal bonus of 10,000 Citi Miles every year on your anniversary. S$25 per redemption All-rounded air miles card
DBS Altitude Visa Signature Card S$192.60 S$1= 1.2 miles (local)

 

 

S$1= 3 miles on online flight & hotel transactions (capped at S$5,000 per month)

 

 

 

S$1= 2 miles (overseas)

 

Receive 10,000 bonus miles (5,000 DBS points) when the annual fee of S$192.60 (including GST) is charged to your card. S$26.75 per redemption Online flight and hotel transactions

 

UOB PRVI Miles S$257 S$1= 1.4 miles (local)

 

S$1= 6 miles

(on selected hotel and flight bookings)

 

S$1= 2.4KrisFlyer miles (overseas)

 

Receive 20,000 loyalty miles with min. spend of $50,000 per year S$25 per redemption On flight and hotel bookings
OCBC Voyage S$488 S$1= 1.2 Voyage miles (local)

 

1 voyage mile = 1 KrisFlyer mile

S$1= 2.2 Voyage miles (overseas)

 

15,000 Voyage miles with annual fee payment N/A VIP level perks
HSBC Visa Infinite Card S$650 S$1= 1.25 miles (with min. spend)

 

S$1= 2.25 miles (with min. spend)   S$25 per redemption Complimentary prestige services
Maybank Horizon Visa Signature Card

 

S$180 (3 years fee waiver) S$1= 3.2 miles for dining, petrol, transport, and on Agoda (with min. monthly spend of S$300) S$1= 2 miles (with min. monthly spend of S$300)   S$25 per redemption Everyday spending

 

1. American Express Singapore Airlines KrisFlyer – Best For Earning KrisFlyer Miles

If you want to accumulate KrisFlyer miles, this credit card is one of the best options. It has a 1.1 KrisFlyer miles earn rate for every S$1 spent on local spend and 2 KrisFlyer miles earn rate for every S$1 overseas spend.

On top of that, you can also earn 3.1 KrisFlyer miles for every S$1 spent on Grab Singapore transactions capped at S$200 every month. Lastly, it has the lowest annual fee of S$176.55 among the air miles cards on this list.

Promotions: 

  • Receive S$80 statement credits when you successfully refer a friend. Your friend will also receive S$80 statement credits when they spend S$2,000 in the first 3 months. Refer and receive approval between 1 July and 30 September 2021 to be eligible.

 

2. Citi PremierMiles Card – Best All-Rounded Air Miles Card

Since we don’t know when we can all freely travel again, it would be great to save up on miles that don’t expire. Citi PremierMiles Card is perfect for accumulating air miles. It offers up to 1.2 Citi Miles for every S$1 local spend and up to 2 Citi Miles for every S$1 overseas spend. Lastly, it has a pretty standard annual fee of S$192.60.

Promotion:

  • Renewal bonus of 10,000 Citi Miles on your card anniversary. 

 

3. DBS Altitude Visa Signature Card – Best For Online Flight and Hotel Transactions

If you’re looking to earn miles while shopping online or overseas, then DBS Altitude Visa Signature Card is for you. It offers up to 3 miles per dollar on online shopping, and flight and hotel transactions. On top of that, DBS Points earned never expire. This air miles card charges an annual fee of S$192.60.

The average earn rate for this air miles card is 1.2 miles for every S$1 local spend and 2 miles for every S$1 overseas spend.

Promotions:

  • Apply for your first DBS Altitude Card online via digibank or Myinfo with Singpass and get S$200 worth of Lazada vouchers. Vouchers are to be redeemed on Lazada by 17 November 2021.
  • Get S$200 cashback when you apply online for DBS/POSB Credit Card with the promo code “200CASH”. This promo is valid until 30 September 2021

 

4. UOB PRVI Miles – Best For Flight and Hotel Bookings Online

The UOB PRVI Miles offers the best miles earning rate among the air miles credit cards listed above. It offers up to 6 miles per dollar on major airlines and hotels worldwide. On top of that, it also has an earn rate of 1.4 miles for every S$1 local spend and 2.4 miles per dollar overseas spend.

One of its current promotions is the 4.4 miles earn rate for every dollar spent on online and mobile contactless spend for dining and groceries. This is one of the easiest ways to earn miles during this time. However, it has a higher annual fee of S$257 than the first few air miles cards.

Promotions:

  • Apply now and get S$300 cash credit for the first 100 new-to-UOB customers to successfully apply for a UOB personal credit card from 17 Aug to 30 Sep 2021.
  • Exclusively for UOB PRVI Miles Mastercard: Earn up to 4.4 miles per dollar online, and mobile contactless spend on dining, food delivery, groceries, or at pharmacies.
  • Valid from 1 Sep to 31 Dec 2021, registered Cardmembers will earn a bonus of 3 miles per $1 online and mobile contactless spent on dining, food delivery, groceries, or pharmacies.

 

5. OCBC Voyage Card – Best For VIP Level Perks

Another miles card where the miles never expire. Additionally, you can redeem VOYAGE Miles for flights on any airline, anytime. That said, OCBC Voyage Card is one of the best air miles cards for flexibility in miles redemption.

It also offers 1.2 VOYAGE Miles per S$1 local spend and 2.2 VOYAGE Miles per S$1 overseas spend. But what makes this credit card even more attractive is its travel perks. Cardholders can enjoy unlimited access to airport lounges, free limo transfers, and golfing privileges across SE Asia. The downside is that it charges one of the highest annual fees at S$488.

Promotions:

  • Earn 2.5 VOYAGE Miles for every S$5 when you top up your GrabPay, Singtel Dash, ShopeePay, and Lazada wallet—capped at 10,000 VOYAGE Miles per month. This promo is valid from 1 Aug to 20 Sep 2021.

 

6. HSBC Visa Infinite Card – Best for Complimentary Prestige Services       

If you want an air miles card with lots of complimentary perks, then HSBC Visa Infinite Card is a good option. You can enjoy global travel insurance, unlimited access to VIP airport lounges, dining benefits, and more with this card.

With HSBC Visa Infinite Card, you can earn 1.25 miles per dollar on local spend and 2.5 miles per dollar on overseas spend. This miles card comes with a S$650 annual fee.

Promotions:

  • Receive S$550 worth of Mandarin Oriental, Singapore Vouchers (redeemable for dining, spa, or hotel stays as a welcome gift
  • Get an additional S$30 cashback when you apply online with Myinfo via Singpass

 

7. Maybank Horizon Visa Signature Card – Best For Everyday Spending

With a 3-year annual fee waiver and high miles earn rate, Maybank Horizon Visa Signature Card makes life easier. With a waived annual fee for the first three years, you can save up to S$540. On top of that, you can also earn 3.2 miles per S$1 spent on local dining, petrol, transport, and on Agoda.

What about spending overseas spend? You can earn 2 miles for every S$1 spent on air tickets, travel packages, and foreign currency transactions. To qualify for the miles, you’ll have to spend a minimum of S$300 per month.

Promotions:

  • Welcome gift of S$100 cash credit when you apply for Maybank Horizon Visa Signature Card and a CreditAble account. Valid for the first 2,000 applications T&Cs apply.
  • Receive a Garmin vivomove Style worth S$469 when you apply for Maybank Horizon Visa Signature Card and a CreditAble account. Additionally, you’ll need to spend at least S$300 for 2 consecutive months. Valid for the first 2,000 applications T&Cs apply.

 

Inserting Card Into ATM

What Are Airmiles And How Do They Work?

Air miles or frequent flyer miles serve as a customer loyalty program for those who travel frequently. Airlines reward you with points whenever you fly with them. Once you’ve accumulated enough air miles, you’ll be able to redeem it for free or discounted tickets, seat upgrades, and more.

Air miles are part of Frequent Flyer Programmes (FFP). One of the most popular is Singapore Airlines’ KrisFlyer programme. KrisFlyer miles can be used on partner airlines.

You can accumulate air miles directly or by earning points and converting them to miles with an air miles credit card. Take a look at the table below to find the FFPs and the Airlines they are linked to, as well as where they can be used.

FFP Airline Can be used with
KrisFlyer Singapore Airlines SQ, SilkAir, Scoot, Star Alliance, and SQ partner airlines
Asia Miles Cathay Pacific CX, British Airways, Japan Airlines, Qantas, Lufthansa, Swiss, and many others
Miles & More Lufthansa This is Europe’s largest FFP. However, it is not available through air miles cards in Singapore.

 

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

 

What To Consider Before Signing Up For An Airmiles Credit Card

There are plenty of credit cards in the market that offers different air miles, points, and perks. That said, miles credit cards are not created equal. And with the current situation where we have no idea when traveling will resume normal, it’s important to consider other factors aside from the earn rate.

 

Here are a few things to look out for when choosing the best miles card:

1. Expiry Date of Earned Points

Don’t just choose a credit card with the highest miles earn rate. You must also take into account the expiry date of earned points. Singapore Airlines’ KrisFlyer miles have a shelf life of 3 years from the date they are credited to your account.

That said, if the credit card allows you to accumulate points and then convert them to miles, it’s best to check the expiry date. Convert them as close to the expiry date as possible. Thankfully, there are miles cards like DBS Altitude with no expiry date.

2. Miles Earned Can Be Used To Redeem Other Rewards

If you can’t use your miles for travel for some reason, can you use them to redeem other rewards? There are credit cards where you can convert miles into cashback or points. If you’re under the KrisFlyer programme, you can use the miles to purchase at their online store.

3. Other Ways Of Earning Miles

Some credit cards in Singapore offer higher rewards for overseas spending. However, since you can’t travel abroad, it’s best to find a credit card that offers a good earn rate for online or local spend transactions. 

In fact, some card providers offer bonus miles for Grab Singapore transactions or mobile contactless transactions.

 

Our Tip: Rewards Points Can Be Converted into Miles

Typically, miles cards offer higher air miles rewards for travel-related spending. But since frequent traveling isn’t an option these days, it’s a good idea to consider credit cards that offer alternative rewards.

For one, you can consider using rewards credit cards. You can use rewards cards to accumulate points which you can later convert to miles. The points-collecting system is the same. However, with most rewards cards, you’ll earn more rewards points for general spendings, such as online shopping, dining, and petrol.

So before you sign-up for a miles credit card, consider your lifestyle and spending habits. If you spend more on groceries, online shipping, or food delivery than overseas spending, then rewards cards may be a better option.

 

How To Redeem Airmiles?

Are the airmiles earned from your credit card directly credited to a frequent flyer programme?  You can simply log into the airlines’ website to view your miles.

For example, you earn KrisFlyer miles. Log into your KrisFlyer account to view how many miles you have accumulated. You can also redeem the miles when purchasing a ticket on the website.

 

What if you earn rewards points instead of miles?

You can convert these for airmiles by making the redemption through the methods specified by the card provider. That said, you can redeem it online or over the phone.

Keep in mind that some credit card providers typically allow you to convert points into miles in conversion blocks, such as blocks of 10,000 miles. This means you need to accumulate enough points before you’re able to convert them.

Once you’ve converted to miles, you can view and redeem your miles on the frequent flyer miles programme website.

 

How To Accumulate Air Miles, Fast

1. Set A Goal

How do you want to use your air miles? Do you want to use it to buy a business class ticket to Europe? Focus on how many miles you need to spend to achieve your target.

2. Maximize Spend

You can use a combination of credit cards to accumulate miles. That said, choose a card that best suits your lifestyle and spending habits. But be mindful of your purchases and pay your credit card bills on time.

3. If You Can’t Spend Overseas, Choose An Alternative:

Consider using a miles card that offers bonus miles for online spending or food delivery. Or better yet, consider a rewards card that offers a high earn rate for groceries, petrol, and other local spending.

4. Maximize Sign Up Bonuses:

Planning on getting a credit card? Choose a card that offers high bonus sign-up miles.

 

Conclusion

 Key Takeaways:

  • Air miles credit cards in Singapore allow you to accumulate miles which you can use to redeem for air tickets with a specific airline or its partners.
  • Most air miles cards offer higher earn rates for foreign currency purchases. However, some credit cards offer bonus airmiles for hotel and online bookings.
  • Choose an air miles card that suits your lifestyle and spending habits. Another option is to use rewards cards instead since these cards offer a higher earn rate for groceries, dining, and other local spend.

To accumulate enough air miles, you’ll need to spend. In fact, some credit cards in Singapore have a minimum spend requirement to maximize the reward system. So don’t fall into the trap of blindly chasing rewards. 

That said, you need to be mindful of your spending habits. Remember, failing to pay on time can lead to interest charges. But if you find yourself needing extra cash, you can turn to licensed financial institutions in Singapore.

Compare the best deals from the best financial institutions in Singapore. Instant Loan will help you find the ideal loan with perfect tenure, interest rates, and suitable terms and conditions to fit your needs. Send us a request today! 

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