DBS Altitude Miles Review

DBS Altitude Miles Review (2022): Best for New Grads & Young Adults

DBS Altitude Miles Card is an excellent entry-level travel credit card for beginner miles collectors. It is trendy among fresh graduates and young working people, mainly for two reasons – low minimum income criteria and miles that do not expire. No wonder it received a rave review and was named the best travel credit card by TripZilla.

 

At a Glance:

Why Avail of DBS Altitude Card Why Choose Another Card
Bonus miles on flight and hotel transactions Miles purchase option is not so competitive
Points earned do not expire Average travel insurance coverage
Plenty of promotions on online travel bookings
Complimentary lounge visits to airports worldwide

 

How DBS Altitude Miles Card Works

DBS Altitude Card comes in two offerings:

  • DBS Altitude Visa Signature Card
  • DBS Altitude American Express Card

Choosing between the two cards comes down to a matter of preference. On miles or points earned, there is no difference. Most consumers tend to select Visa Altitude Card because it is more widely accepted.

 

DBS Altitude Card Promotions for New Applicants

S$200 Worth of Lazada Vouchers. Apply via the digibank app or Myinfo with Singpass using “DBSLAZ” promo code. Receive the vouchers via DBS PayLah! app within 30 days from the card approval date.

 

1. DBS Altitude Visa Signature Card Exclusive Offers

  • Visa eCommerce Purchase Protection. Non-delivery, wrong or incomplete delivery, and physical damages result in loss of money. DBS Altitude Card, however, provides up to S$200 per claim per annum coverage to protect you from losses.
  • Complimentary Lounge Access. Cardholders can avail of up to 2 VIP lounge visits in over 1,300 airport lounges worldwide through the Digital Priority Pass membership.
  • Earn Air Miles from Bus and Train Rides. Earn 1.2 miles per S$1 on rides by charging the fares to your card on the TransitLink SimplyGo website or mobile app.
  • Visa Concierge. Avail of 24/7 personal assistant and lifestyle guide. Get recommendations and help make reservations on dining, activities, attractions, and more.
  • Visa Airport Transport Service. Discounted prices on airport transfer service.

 

2. DBS Altitude American Express Card Exclusive Offers

Live the World. Enjoy up to 50% discounts on hotel accommodations, dining, shopping, and activities.

Key Features:

  • Earn up to 3 miles per S$1 spend on online flight and hotel transactions
  • Earn up to 3 miles per S$1 spend on online shopping
  • Accelerate earning rate up to 10 miles per S$1 spend on online purchases with exclusive travel partners
  • DBS points earned have no expiry
  • Bump up the interest rate of your DBS Multiplier account from 0.05% up to 0.90%

Pros:

  • Air Miles Do Not Expire. DBS Altitude Air Miles Card is among the few travel cards in which the points earned have no expiry date. This feature is especially beneficial to casual or occasional travelers. Instead of being forced to redeem for lower rewards as the expiry date approaches, they can keep earning and redeem for higher rewards.
  • 10 miles per S$1 Spend. If 3 miles per S$1 spend is not enough, you can increase the rate by transacting with exclusive partners. Booking hotel rooms through Kaligo, for example, gives you 10 miles per dollar spent.
  • 6 miles per S$1 Spend. Not all transactions with exclusive partners will earn you 10 miles per dollar spent. Nonetheless, making 6 miles is still very impressive on sites like Expedia.
  • Annual Fee Waiver. The first year is free. By spending a minimum of S$25,000 on your DBS Altitude Visa Signature or AMEX Card, you can have the renewal fee for the following year waived.

Cons:

  • Miles Conversion Fee. As the points earned accumulate over time, you can convert them to KrisFlyer miles or Asia miles. However, each conversion costs S$25. For that reason, you may want to keep earning more miles before converting to save on the fee.
  • No Bonus Miles Due to Fee Waiver. After the first year, you have to pay an annual fee for each subsequent year. If you meet the minimum spend required and opt for an annual fee waiver, you can no longer earn the 10,000 bonus air miles per paid annual renewal.

 

How DBS Altitude Card Compares with Other Air Miles Credit Cards

DBS Altitude Card Citi PremierMiles Card OCBC 90°N UOB KrisFlyer Card Maybank Horizon Card
Annual Fee S$192.60 S$192.60 S$193 S$193 S$180
Interest Rate 26.80% 26.90% 26.88% 25.90% 25.90%
Minimum Income Requirement S$30,000 for Singaporean/Permanent Resident

S$45,000 for foreigner

S$30,000 for Singaporean/Permanent Resident

S$42,000 for foreigner

S$30,000 for Singaporean/Permanent Resident

S$45,000 for foreigner

S$30,000 for Singaporean/Permanent Resident

S$40,000 for foreigner

S$30,000 for Singaporean/Permanent Resident

S$60,000 for foreigner

Minimum Monthly Payment 3% or S$50, whichever is higher 1% plus 1% of any outstanding unbilled installment amounts plus interest charges plus late payment charge, or S$50, whichever is higher 3% or S$50, whichever is higher 3% or S$50, whichever is higher 3% or S$20, whichever is higher
Miles/Rewards 1.2 miles per S$1 local spend

2 miles per S$1 overseas spend

3 miles per S$1 spend on online flight and hotel transactions

10 miles per S$1 spend on online hotel bookings via Kaligo

6 miles per S$1 spend on flight and hotel bookings via Expedia

1.2 miles per S$1 local spend

2 miles per S$1 overseas spend

10 miles per S$1 on online travel bookings via Kaligo or Agoda

1.2 miles per S$1 local spend

2.1 miles per S$1 overseas spend

4 miles per S$1 on selected airlines, entertainment, and shopping

8 miles per S$1 on selected travel and hotel partners

3 KrisFlyer miles per S$1 on everyday spend categories

3 KrisFlyer miles per S$1 on Singapore Airlines, SilkAir, Scoot, and KrisShop purchases

1.2 KrisFlyer miles per S$1 on all other spends

3.2 miles per S$1 on dining, petrol, taxi fares, and hotel bookings at Agoda/Horizon

2 miles per S$1 on air tickets, travel packages, and foreign currency transactions

 

What We Think of DBS Altitude Miles Card

Is the DBS Altitude Miles Card for you? That depends on what and how much you spend monthly. Air miles credit cards provide one thing exceptionally well – give you miles on all eligible spends. But the better travel cards are those that provide you with bonus miles on travel-related transactions.

For travel expenses, the miles earned on DBS Altitude Card can go up to 3 miles, provided you spend S$2,500 in a month. On these bases, UOB Krisflyer Card and Maybank Horizon Card appear to be strong competitors. Both, incidentally, have 1% lower financing charges.

Where DBS Altitude Miles Card shines is the miles you can earn by transacting with exclusive partners. Up to 10 miles per S$1 spent on Kaligo and 6 miles per S$1 spent on Expedia.

As can be expected of an excellent entry-level travel card, DBS Altitude Card excels at providing you no-expiry miles. In travel spendings, you can expect to earn higher rewards. And, to make the most miles to the dollar, transact with DBS exclusive partners.

 

Credit Card Details

How to Apply for DBS Altitude Miles Card

Applying for a DBS credit card is easy. You can do it on their website. Alternatively, you can download and apply for an Altitude Card using the digibank mobile app.

Required documents:

  • Photocopy of NRIC, Passport, or Employment Pass (front and back)
  • For salaried employees:
    • Past 12 months CPF statement (Singaporean/PR); or latest copies of Income Tax Notice of Assessment and original computerized payslip
  • For self-employed individuals:
    • Latest copies of Income Tax Notice of Assessment and original computerized payslip

 

Eligibility:

Age 21 years and above
Minimum Income Criteria S$30,000 and above per annum (Singaporean and PR)

S$45,000 and above per annum (Foreigner)

 

Fees and Other Charges:

Annual Fees S$192.60 (principal card)

S$96.30 (supplementary card)

Annual Fee Waiver 1 year
Interest Rate on Payments 26.80%
Interest-Free Period 25 days
Interest on Cash Advance 28% (minimum charge of S$2.50)
Cash Advance Transaction Fee 8% or S$15 (whichever is higher)
Foreign Currency Transaction Fee 3.25%
Minimum Monthly Payment 3% or S$50 (whichever is higher)
Overlimit Fee S$40
Late Payment Fee S$100
Lost/Stolen Card Liability Limited to S$100

 

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

1. Can you still earn points even if not traveling?

Yes. You can still earn 1.2 miles per S$1 spent on eligible local spending.

2. Is there a limit to how much you can earn?

The maximum amount on which you can earn points is S$5,000 per month. Any amount after that would no longer qualify for DBS points.

3. How do you earn the 10,000 bonus miles?

While the first year is free, DBS will charge you an annual fee for each subsequent year. You can earn 10,000 bonus air miles each time you pay.

4. How do you redeem your DBS points?

You can redeem points on the DBS website, DBS PayLah! app, digibank app, or pay with points on-site and online on participating merchants.

 

DBS Altitude Card Merits Serious Consideration

This review concludes that the DBS Altitude Card is one of the best travel cards for beginner air miles collectors. You can earn as much as 10 miles per S$1 online spend on exclusive travel partner sites. Even better, the miles earned do not expire.

Why You Will Love the DBS Altitude Miles Card:

  • Points do not expire, which means you have the luxury of accumulating more to redeem for better rewards without worrying about losing them.
  • You can get accelerated miles earnings on online spending with partner sites like Kaligo and Expedia.
  • S$25,000 annual spend gives you the option of earning 10,000 bonus miles or using it to waive the annual fee.

Credit cards are excellent for easing the financial burden of personal and family expenditures. But, if managing your finances hits a bump on the road, you can always rely on Instant Loan to get the best interest rates starting at 1%. Send us a request to receive your free loan quotes today. 

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