Looking for the best air miles credit cards in Singapore? 2021

If you don’t already have a credit card which is earning you air miles, 2021 might be the time to get one. Bank some travel rewards as you shop, and prepare to use them for those trips we are all dreaming of right now.

This guide covers some of the best miles cards available in Singapore in 2021, as well as some tips to help you choose the right one for you.

Table of contents:
Miles cards - who can benefit, and are there other options? Don’t forget about travel perks when using your credit card ⚠️Credit card fees you should know about Some of the best miles cards in Singapore Best for budget travellers Good all rounders Great for higher spenders

Miles cards - who can benefit, and are there other options?

Let’s start with some basics. Miles cards are a great option for people who love to travel - although you can also often trade your air miles for other perks if you wish. Spend using your miles card, and be rewarded in air miles which you can use to offset the price of trips, hotels and more. You’ll also often find you get better rewards when you spend on travel or when overseas.

It’s worth noting though, that miles cards aren’t the best for all types of spending. Overseas spending with a regular credit card can incur a foreign transaction fee of 2.5%-3.3%.

Beat these fees with a multi-currency account and card from Wise. Wise is a great option for transactions in a foreign currency - whether that’s when you travel, or when you buy online from an international retailer. You can also avoid credit card cash advance fees when you use your Wise card to make ATM withdrawals. Open an account online in just a few simple steps, top up with Singapore dollars, and convert your balance to whichever currency you need using the mid-market exchange rate. There’s just a low, transparent fee for conversion - and then it’s free to spend any currency you hold with no additional foreign transaction fee.

With Wise you can also send, hold and receive multiple currencies, and get your own bank details to get paid fee free like a local in major global currencies. See if you can save with Wise today.

Not sure a miles card is for you?

Check out these other options:

• Best Singapore cards for overseas spending
• Best secured credit card Singapore
• Best credit cards in Singapore - cards for rewards, cash back and more

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Don’t forget about travel perks when using your credit card

Credit cards often provide a range of benefits for their customers which go well beyond shopping and spending. When you’re choosing a card for yourself look out for other perks you might use which can include:

• Free or discounted travel insurance, accident insurance and cancellation insurance
• Benefits for car hire
• Free airport transfers
• Global concierge to help with booking travel
• Exclusive offers for hotels, flights and attractions

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Credit card fees you should know about

Credit doesn’t come for free. When it comes to credit cards, there are fees you’ll need to pay even if you use your card responsibly and repay your balance every month. Here are some costs to watch out for.

Annual and supplementary card fees

Credit cards typically come with annual fees which can run to SGD200 or more. There are also often charges for supplementary cards if you want to share your account with a family member. These fees are frequently waived in the first year - but you’ll want to make sure you take note of the costs for year 2.

Foreign transaction fees

As we mentioned above, foreign transaction fees can add 3% or more to the cost of spending in a different currency - whether you’re at home or abroad. There may also be extra fees added to the credit card exchange rate applied by your bank or card network. Avoid these costs by using a multi currency account and card from Wise.

Cash advance fees

Cash advance fees apply if you use your credit card to withdraw money from an ATM, and can be a significant extra fee. Read the small print before you use your card for a cash advance to avoid nasty surprises.

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Some of the best miles cards in Singapore

Ready to learn more? Here’s a roundup of some of the best Singapore miles cards for different customer needs. See which suits you best.

Best for budget travellers

If you’re travelling on a budget you don’t want to be paying high annual credit card fees - check out these options first.

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HSBC Revolution Credit Card

HSBC offers a credit card with no annual fee, and some pretty good opportunities to earn reward points or air miles. Given the fact there’s no upfront annual fee, you may decide you have nothing to lose. Here’s what you should know:¹

• No annual fee at the time of writing - with supplementary cards also fee free
• Eligibility - employed Singapore citizens and PR must earn SGD30,000/annually, self-employed Singaporean and PR - as well as foreigners - must earn SG40,000/annually
• Earn the equivalent of up to 4 miles per SGD1 spent on selected purchase types
• Use your rewards as miles, or to offset your monthly bills

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Maybank Horizon Visa Signature Card

You’ll get your Maybank Horizon Visa with no annual fee for the first 3 years, and can then have the fee waived with a spend of SGD18,000/year. This then gives you the opportunity to earn reward points or miles both at home and when you travel. Here’s more:²

• Annual fee - SGD180, waived for 3 years. After this, fee can be waived if you charge SGD18,000 to your card each year
• Eligibility - Singapore citizens and PR must earn SGD30,000/annually, Malaysians must earn SGD45,000/annually, other foreigners must earn SG60,000/annually. All non-Singaporean or PR applicants must have been in employment for at least one year
• Earn 3.2 miles per SGD1 spent locally on restaurants, transport or to book holidays through select partners
• Earn 2 miles for every SGD1 spent on flights and all other hotel bookings, as well as on overseas spend

Good all rounders

These cards have a great balance of offers and either lower fees or options to have the annual fees waived without a prohibitive spend. Great all round options for any customer.

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DBS Altitude Card

The Altitude Card from DBS is issued on either the Visa or American Express network. While there are great miles offers which apply to both networks, there are also exclusive offers based on subscribing either to Visa or AMEX. Here are some key facts:³

• Annual fee - SGD192.60. Fee can be waived if you charge SGD25,000 to your card each year, or you’ll receive 10,000 bonus miles if you pay the fee
• Eligibility - Singapore citizens and PR must earn SGD30,000/annually, foreigners must earn SG45,000/annually
• Earn 1.2 miles per SGD1 spent locally, through to 3 miles for every SGD1 spent on flights and hotels
• Visa card holders get hotel deals, access to Visa concierge and offers for luxury airport transfers
• AMEX card holders access up to 50% off partner retailers and dining options
• Points never expire

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American Express Singapore Airlines Krisflyer Credit Card

The American Express Singapore Airlines Krisflyer Credit Card offers a good balance of a slightly lower annual fee, plus lower foreign transaction costs compared to many other options. Here are some details:⁴

• Annual fee - SGD176.55 for principal card (waived for first year), SGD53.50 for supplementary card
• Eligibility - Singapore citizens and PR must earn SGD30,000/annually, foreigners must earn SG60,000/annually
• 2.5% foreign transaction charges⁵ - lower than many cards issued through banks
• Earn 1.1 miles per SGD1 spent locally, to 3.1 miles for every SGD1 spent on Grab Singapore - subject to limits
• Worldwide travel insurance for SGD188/year, free for travel accident insurance
• Benefits for Hertz car hire, new customer offers and referral rates

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Citi PremierMiles Card

The Citi PremierMiles Card offers rewards in the form of miles, points or cashback which makes this a flexible option with an average annual fee. Take a look at the details:⁶

• Annual fee - SGD192.60
• Eligibility - Singapore citizens and PR must earn SGD30,000/annually, foreigners must earn SG42,000/annually
• Welcome gift of 40,000 miles, plus 10,000 on the anniversary of getting you card
• Earn 4 miles per SGD1 on food delivery and entertainment, 2 miles per SGD on foreign currency spending, and 1.2 miles per SGD on everything you spend locally
• Spend your miles on rewards and travel, or get them as a cash rebate
• Miles never expire

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Great for higher spenders

These cards may come with higher annual fees, but could also unlock a better range of benefits which suit higher spenders.

UOB PRVI Miles Card

Want free airport transfers when you travel? Get this and more from the UOB PRVI Miles Card. Here’s what you need to know:⁷ ⁸

• Annual fee - SGD256.80 for principal card (waived for first year), SGD128.40for supplementary card (2 free cards available)
• Eligibility - Singapore citizens and PR must earn SGD30,000/annually, foreigners must earn SGD80,000/annually. Alternatively, a deposit of SGD10,000 can be made
• 1.4 to 2.4 miles per SGD spent - plus opportunities to earn up to 6 miles per SGD with partner travel and hotel services
• Earn up to 12 miles per SGD if you also open a UOB account and deposit your salary there - T&Cs apply
• Free airport transfer and free accident insurance and emergency medical assistance

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Standard Chartered Visa Infinite X

The Visa Infinite X card from Standard Chartered is a prestige card with a high annual fee and luxury perks and rewards. Here’s what you’ll want to know:[9]

• Annual fee - SGD695.50 for principal card, SGD107for supplementary card
• Eligibility - Singapore citizens and PR must earn SGD30,000/annually, foreigners must earn SGD80,000/annually
• Flexible rewards which can be taken as airmiles, reward points or cash. Up to 2 points per SGD spent
• Get complimentary lounge passes for when you travel

Having a credit card can be a smart way to get rewards and perks when you spend. Choose the card which suits your needs best from the broad range of options available - but don’t forget to consider the upfront and additional costs when you sign on the dotted line.

You may find you’re better off combining a credit card with an additional specialist product like the multi-currency account and card from Wise to help you avoid unnecessary fees when you travel, and access currency conversion without extra exchange fees.

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Sources:

1. HSBC Singapore - HSBC Revolution Credit Card
2. Maybank Singapore - Horizon Visa Signature Card
3. DBS Singapore - DBS Altitude Card
4. The American Express® Singapore - Airlines KrisFlyer Credit Card
5. American Express - How to use credit card abroad?
6. Citi PremierMiles Card - Earn Miles
7. UOB - PRVI Miles Card
8. UOB - PRVI Miles Card - Apply
9. Standard Chartered Singapore - Visa Infinite X Credit Card

Sources checked on 20 May 2021