Some of the best travel cards giving the most miles per dollar are for high spenders. UOB Visa Signature Card helps you accumulate miles on petrol and contactless payments. You can earn plenty of miles overseas, especially on foreign currency transactions.
Key Features
- One of only a few travel cards that reward you generously for charging foreign currencies overseas
- Get rewarded for petrol and mobile contactless transactions
- Quickly accumulate UNI$ that you can redeem for air miles
- Cashback on retail spend when shopping or dining with UOB participating merchants
- Earn UNI$ on all spending, outside of 10X accelerated earnings
UOB Visa Signature Cardholder Benefits
1. 10X UNI$
UOB 10X UNI$ is not that complicated to understand.
Total Monthly Local Spend | Total Monthly Overseas Spend | |
Petrol and Contactless Transactions | $1,000 | N/A |
Overseas Using Foreign Currency | N/A | S$1,000 |
UNI$ Earned | UNI$2,000 | UNI$2,000 |
The potential UNI$ earned separated as local and overseas may seem confusing. You can avoid misunderstanding by keeping these things in mind.
- The UNI$ you earn is per S$5 blocks.
- The 10X UNI$ requires you to spend at least a combined $1,000 per statement period.
- The most UNI$ you can earn has a cap of UNI$4,000.
- UNI$4,000 requires you to spend at least S$2,000 minimum local spend in a statement period.
- For local spending, the eligible transactions are petrol and contactless payments effected at Visa payWave readers. These include Apple Pay, Android Pay, Samsung Pay, Google Pay, and Fitbit Pay.
- As for overseas spending, the 10X UNI$ is only valid if you charge a foreign currency to the UOB Visa Signature Card. Otherwise, you can only earn UNI$1 if it is in Singaporean dollars.
2. Petrol Savings
Petrol is one of the highest expenditures of owning and operating a vehicle. As UOB Visa Signature cardholders, car owners and drivers can cut down fuel expenses.
SHELL
At any Shell petrol station in Singapore, you can save up to 14%.
Here is a sample computation of Shell fuel savings, based on S$100 petrol spend.
Gross Fuel Spend | S$100 |
Site Discount | S$5 |
Shell Escape Card Discount | S$5 |
UOB Visa Signature Card Discount | S$4 |
Net Spend (less site and Escape discounts) | $86 |
Total Effective Savings | S$14 (14%) |
SPC
For more petrol savings, the Visa Platinum Card lets you save up to 20%.
Here is a sample computation of SPC fuel savings, based on S$60 petrol spend.
Gross Fuel Spend | S$60 |
SPC&U Card Discount | S$6 |
UOB Visa Signature Card Discount | S$3 |
Net Spend (less site and Escape discounts) | $51 |
UOB Credit Cards Additional S$3 Discount for Every S$51 Spend | S$3 |
Total Effective Savings | S$12 (20%) |
3. UOB Visa Signature Card Travel Insurance
Complimentary travel insurance is a standard fixture with all travel cards. Although the amount of coverage is below average, it is not that bad.
Public Conveyance Personal Accident Coverage | S$500,000 |
Emergency Medical Assistance Coverage | S$50,000 |
Evacuation Coverage | S$50,000 |
Repatriation Coverage | S$50,000 |
One thing to remember is that you have to activate the cover five days before the scheduled travel.
4. UOB$ Cashback Programme
UOB$ Programme lets you save more money, as much as 10% off your dining and retail spending.
Earning a cashback is simple. Shop and dine at participating merchants and pay with your Visa Signature Card. You can use the accumulated UOB$ to offset the next bill with the same merchant.
5. FavePay Contactless Payment Savings
Cashless mobile payments are safe, secure, and convenient. Besides Visa payWave, you can also use FavePay.
FavePay is not as widely available as Visa. Still, they have over 13,000 participating merchants. Shop or dine at any of their partners, and you may receive up to 10% cashback.
UOB Visa Signature Credit Card Promotions for New Applicants
UOB has a policy on new-to-bank customers. Card Holders applying for a credit card for the first time with the bank can receive a sign-up bonus.
From 1 to 30 November 2021, be one of the first 100 applicants and get S$150 cash credit. But to qualify, you would need to spend at least S$1,500 within 30 days from the credit card approval date.
Pros
- 10X Rewards. UOB Visa Signature cardholders can earn bonus miles in UNI$9 on top of the standard UNI$1 per S$5 spends.
- Foreign Currency. Anywhere outside Singapore, earn 10X UNI$ for making minimum foreign currencies spend.
- Earn up to UNI$4,000 per Month. You can earn up to UNI$2,000 on both local and overseas spending. Since each UNI$1 is equivalent to 2 miles, that means you can accumulate as much as 8,000 air miles every month.
- Better than Average Fuel Savings. For an air miles card, UOB Visa Signature Card provides decent fuel savings. You can save more by filling up at SPC stations, but discounts are also available at Shell.
Cons
- Minimum Spend Required for 10X. Cardholders to spend a combined S$1,000 per month to receive the highest rewards rate.
- No Extra Travel Privileges. UOB Visa Signature Card does not offer perks such as complimentary hotel nights, limousine services, and green round fees. Although it provides free travel insurance, the coverage is well below S$1 million offered by other miles cards.
How UOB Visa Signature Card Compares with Other Air Miles Credit Cards
UOB Visa Platinum Card | UOB KrisFlyer Debit Card | DBS Altitude Card | Maybank Horizon Card | OCBC 90°N Card | |
Annual Fee | S$214.00 | S$192.60 | S$192.60 | S$180 | S$193 |
Interest Rate | 26.90% | 26.90% | 26.80% | 25.90% | 26.88% |
Minimum Income Requirement | S$50,000 for Singaporean/Permanent Resident
S$80,000 for foreigner |
S$30,000 for Singaporean/Permanent Resident
S$80,000 for foreigner |
S$30,000 for Singaporean/Permanent Resident
S$45,000 for foreigner |
S$30,000 for Singaporean/Permanent Resident
S$60,000 for foreigner |
S$30,000 for Singaporean/Permanent Resident
S$45,000 for foreigner |
Minimum Monthly Payment | 3% 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 | 3% or S$50, whichever is higher |
Miles/Rewards | Up to UNI$10 per S$5 on overseas foreign currency spend and contactless payments
Up to 10% cashback per S$5 spend on selected transactions |
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 |
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 |
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 |
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 |
Minimum Spend | S$1,000 per month | Maintain at least S$1,000 balance on the debit card | N/A | S$300 per month | None |
Monthly Cap | UNI$4,000 | Cap based on the average monthly balance of the debit card | Capped at S$5,000 per month | Capped at 30,000 Bonus TREATS per month | None |
Verdict: What We Think of UOB Visa Signature Credit Card
UOB has quite a few travel/air miles rewards cards. The Visa Signature, in particular, offers plenty of UNI$. You can use the rewards earned to offset future purchases or redeem for miles.
Although it is not for high-spenders, the monthly income required to apply is high. While most other cards need only S$30,000, the UOB Visa Signature Card requires S$50,000. At any rate, a hefty rewards scheme awaits all applicants who meet the annual income requirement.
Like most credit cards, the rewards come with conditions. For example, you need to spend a total of S$1,000 per month. Also, the cap limit is UNI$4,000.
For most consumers, the limitations are not much of an issue. If it is, then OCBC 90°N, with no minimum spend or cap, should make for a better alternative.
Outside of the limitations, if your spending habits fit within the accelerated UNI$ scheme of UOB, then the Visa Platinum Card is a worthy choice.
How to Apply for UOB Visa Signature Card
The most convenient way to apply for UOB credit cards is to use MyInfo. It takes only 2 to 3 minutes to complete the process as you no longer need to provide personal details.
Required documents
1. Copy of NRIC, Passport, or Employment Pass (front and back)
2. For salaried employees:
- Copy of the past 12 months CPF statement (Singaporean/PR); or the latest Income Tax Notice of Assessment and original computerized payslip
3. For self-employed individuals:
- Latest Income Tax Notice of Assessment and original computerized payslip
Eligibility
Age | 21 years and above |
Minimum Income Criteria | S$50,000 and above per annum (Singaporean and PR)
S$80,000 and above per annum (Foreigner) |
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
1. What are the fees and charges?
Annual Fees | S$214 (principal card)
S$107 (supplementary card) |
Annual Fee Waiver | 1 year |
Interest Rate on Payments | 26.90% |
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$100 |
2. Can you combine UOB$ and UNI$ rewards schemes?
UOB$ lets you earn up to 10% cash rebates. The UNI$ you accumulate, on the other hand, can be for redemption of special offers or miles. But do not assume that UOB is giving you double rewards.
Any transaction you make that qualifies for a UOB$ cash rebate nullifies UNI$.
3. What mobile payment gateway can you use?
Apart from the Visa network, you can also make contactless payments through any payWave reader. It allows online transactions through Apple, Samsung, Android, Google, and Fitbit pay services. You can also transact with merchant partners of FavePay.
4. What happens if you make Singapore dollar transactions in another country?
If you pay in Singapore dollars overseas, the reward is only UNI$1 instead of UNI$10 using foreign currencies.
Closing
UOB has several competitive cards in Singapore. Compared to others in our credit card reviews, The Visa Signature Card is no exception, offering up to 10X UNI$ per S$5 spend. Converting UNI$ to miles is also easy using the UOB TMRW app.
Why You Will Love the UOB Visa Signature Card:
- On travels overseas, you are more likely to transact in a foreign currency. This credit card gives you a chance to earn accelerated rewards.
- 10X UNI$ is a quick way to earn points that you can convert for miles.
- Petrol savings help you reduce your monthly car expenses.
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