Last edit by: lifeonthego_k
I'm going to update this first post as more info flows in to create a 'master list' of all credit cards that offer a decent way of accruing miles - so please help out!
If you know of and/or use any other cards (or the ones already mentioned), please share your thoughts.
***ALL VALUES BELOW IN SINGAPORE DOLLARS (SGD)***
============
In no particular order (apart from personal preference in terms of good-mileage opportunities):
============
1. UOB PRVI Miles VISA, MasterCard, AMEX
VISA:
http://www.uob.com.sg/personal/cards...iles_visa.html
MasterCard:
http://www.uob.com.sg/personal/cards...astercard.html
Amex:
http://www.uob.com.sg/personal/cards...amex_card.html
http://www.uob.com.sg/personal/cards...ard/microsite/
Mileage accrual:
The earn rate will be 1.4 miles for every $1 spent in multiples of S$10 (every multiple of S$5 gives 6 to 7 miles due to 3.5 UNI$ rounding off, every S$10 gives 14 miles), and 2.4 miles for every $1 spent OVERSEAS (every $5 gives 12 miles).
Requirements: min. income $80,000 (not strict).
Cost: First year free, then S$256.80 for main, first two supplementary always free. Annual fee waiver for Amex card if you charge $50,000 or more in a year.
Miles conversion fee: $25 per conversion. UNI$ are combined in 1 cardholder's name/FIN Number/NRIC together for all UOB cards which earn UNI$.
Pros: Best mileage accrual rates for overseas spend only. 20,000 bonus miles and annual fee waiver with spend of $50,000 per year (both only for Amex card). $45 1-way airport transfer voucher for $1,000 overseas spend in a given quarter (Amex only).
Cons: AMEX not always accepted by merchants. Points allocated on every $5 spent, rounded down to next $5. Transfer in blocks of 5000 UNI$ points = 10,000 miles. Points are valid for 2 years (transfer before expiry and they will subsequently be valid for a further 3 years from the date of transfer to KrisFlyer).
2. UOB Preferred Platinum Visa
http://www.uob.com.sg/personal/cards..._platinum.html
http://www.uob.com.sg/personal/cards...visa_card.html
Mileage accrual: Earn 4 miles for every $1 spent using ONLY MOBILE CONTACTLESS every $5 gives 10 UNI$ which equal 20 miles). Same incredible mileage-earning ratio for internet shopping with certain restrictions (travel-related, utilities, etc.). Earn 0.4 mile for every $1 for regular, signature-based payments AND ORPHAN SPEND DUE TO $5 ROUNDING OR EXCEEDING THE BONUS U$2000 SPEND (every $5 gives 1 UNI$ which equal 2 miles).
Earning 4 miles/$ is limited to the first S$1110 spent during the per calendar month (via Mobile Contactless). 2,000UNI$ refers to the extra 9UNI$ and does not include the normal 1UNI$.(Stop when you notice you earn 3UNI$ (1 + bonus 2) for the last S$5 transaction. ($1110/5)x9=1998UNI$, hence the last S$5 transaction will earn 2 bonus UNI$. The total bonus UNI$ awarded to you from qualifying spend on Selected Online Transactions and Mobile Contactless Transactions is capped at UNI$2,000 for each calendar month. THE CAP IS ON THE 9 UNI$ BONUS NOT 10UNI$ TOTAL YOU GET WITH BASE OF U$1 PER $ SPEND
Keep in mind that some merchants offer different, non-mileage accruing awards with UOB cards which are called SMART$. Some popular merchants include Cold Storage, Guardian and Giant Supermarket, ToastBox and Starbucks. A full list of merchants where Mobile contactless transactions will NOT earn miles can be found here: http://www.uob.com.sg/personal/cards...smartclub.html
Requirements: min. income $30,000 ($60,000 for foreigners).
Cost: First year free, then $192.60 for main and $96.30 for supplementary. Annual fee waived off easily.
Miles conversion fee: $25 per conversion, in blocks of 5000 UNI$=10,000 miles. UNI$ are combined in 1 cardholder's name for all UOB cards.
Pros: Incredible mileage accrual rates for Paywave transactions (not all merchants - some give SMART$ instead which are different rewards!) as well as internet transactions (some restrictions apply).
Cons: Points allocated on every $5 spent, rounded down to next $5. Transfer in blocks of 5000 UNI$ points = 10,000 miles. Points are valid for 2 years (transfer before expiry and they will subsequently be valid for a further 3 years from the date of transfer to KrisFlyer).
3. Citi PremierMiles MasterCard
https://www.citibank.com.sg/credit-cards/travel/premiermiles-card/?ecid=PSGONSGCCAENPM
Mileage accrual: Earn 1.2 miles for every $1 spent. Earn 2 miles for every $1 spent OVERSEAS. 10,000 bonus miles for each annual membership renewal.
Requirements: min. income $50,000 for VISA. Principal cardholder must be at least 21 years of age.
Cost: First year free, then $192.60 for VISA main, supplementary always free. Annual fee waiver available in exchange for forfeiting the 10,000renewal bonus.
Miles conversion fee: $25 per conversion.
Pros: Decent all-rounder, good for overseas spend. Points never expire. Bonus miles for annual card renewal. 11 frequent flyer programs & 3 hotel programs to choose from, including EVA Air - only 25,000 miles for 1 way Business Class within Asia!!
Cons: No miles awarded for EZ-Link & Transitlink transactions. Miles awarded per S$1. Cents not included. 1.2 miles/S$1. Transfer in blocks of 10,000 miles.
4. DBS Altitude VISA/AMEX
http://www.dbs.com/sg/personal/cards...e/default.aspx
http://www.dbs.com/sg/personal/cards...e/default.aspx
Mileage accrual: Earn 1.2 miles for every $1 spent (every $5 gives 3 DBS points which equal 6 miles). Earn 2 miles for every $1 spent OVERSEAS.
Requirements: min. income $80,000.
Cost: First year free, then $180 for main and $90 for supplementary. Annual fee waiver if you charge $25,000 or more in a year.
Miles conversion fee: S$26.75 per transfer, redeem 1700 DBS points to waive off.
Pros: Points never expire. No rounding down transaction amount to nearest $5 (calculation is done as follows: DBS points = 'transaction amount' divided by 5, multiply by 3, after that round down to nearest whole number. Minimum spend is S$1.67. Each DBS point = 2 miles). Earn 3 miles per S$1 spent on all online Flight and Hotel transactions (capped at S$5,000 per month). 10,000 miles renewal bonus if you have to pay card renewal fees.
Cons: All local spend now down to 1.2 miles/$ (since Dec 1, 2013). AMEX not always accepted by merchants. Transfer in blocks of 5000 DBS points = 10,000 miles (on the plus side points don't expire). Per transfer of S$26.75, redeem 1700 DBS points to waive off.
5. Maybank Horizon Platinum Visa
http://info.maybank2u.com.sg/persona...visa-card.aspx
Earn 3.2 air miles (8X TREATS Points) with every dollar spent on dining, petrol, taxi fares and hotel bookings at Agoda.com/horizon
Earn 2 air miles (5X TREATS Points) with every dollar spent on air tickets, travel packages and foreign currency transactions, with a minimal S$300 in a calendar month
Earn 0.4 mile for every $1 spent elsewhere (1 mile for every $2.50 spent).
Requirements: min. income $30,000 ($80,000 for foreigners).
Cost: $150 for main, supplementary always free. Unsure of any annual fee waiver conditions.
Miles conversion fee: In blocks of 5,000 points to 2000 Asia Miles or KrisFlyer. S$26.75 fee applies.
Pros: Great for ticket purchases and overseas spend. Complimentary access to selected VIP airport lounges when you charge a minimum of S$400 in a single transaction on air tickets or travel packages to your Card 3 months prior to the date of travel.
Cons: Great ONLY for ticket purchases and overseas spend. Points are valid for 1 year only, expire either on 30 June or 31 December of the same year if not Rewards Infinite member.
6. Singapore Airlines KrisFlyer Ascend AMEX
https://www.americanexpress.com/sg/s...nd-credit-card
Mileage accrual: Earn 1.2 KrisFlyer miles for every S$1 spent on all your eligible purchases with your Card
Earn 2 KrisFlyer miles for every S$1 equivalent in foreign currency spent overseas on eligible purchases during June and December
Requirements: min. income $50,000 ($60,000 for foreigners). Principal cardholder must be over 21 years of age.
Cost: First year free, otherwise $256.80 for main, 2 supplementary cards always free (more available at $80.25 each). Annual fee cannot be waived unless you spend alot.
Miles conversion fee: None - your KrisFlyer miles are transferred to your account directly with no conversion fees or charges.
Pros: None, except for welcome offers (4 complimentary airport lounge access vouchers, one complimentary night with Millennium Hotels and Resorts).
Cons: Simply nothing special - there are better cards available for all types of purchases, including flight tickets, even with all of the bonuses above applied. AMEX not always accepted by merchants.
7. Citibank Rewards Card
http://www.citibank.com.sg/gcb/credi...CACRENCCHOCALM
Earn 10X Rewards (10 Rewards Points or 4 Miles for every S$1 spent) when you shop for clothes, bags and shoes or at departmental stores or online shopping websites, including SingTel & M1 online bill payment!
Pros: Transfer to 11 FFPs & 3 Hotel programs in blocks of 25,000 points=10,000 miles; S$25 fee.
Cons: Points awarded per S$1 spend. Cents not included. Cannot combined Thank You Points across cards.
8. DBS Woman's World MasterCard® Card
http://www.dbs.com.sg/personal/cards...astercard-card
10X Rewards for Online Retail Purchases
T&C Here: https://www.dbs.com.sg/iwov-resource...s_card_tnc.pdf
Pros: Men also can get this card!! DBS points are combined in 1 cardholder's name. No rounding down transaction amount to nearest $5 (calculation is done as follows: DBS points = 'transaction amount' divided by 5, multiply by 10, after that round down to nearest whole number. Minimum spend is S$1. Each DBS point = 2 miles).
Cons: DBS points are valid for 1 year based on card anniversary date. The additional 9X DBS Points for online retail spend in a calendar month will be awarded on the 16th of the next calendar month. If the above days are not working days, the Points will be awarded on the next working day. The additional 9X DBS Points are only applicable to the first S$2,000 online retail spend every calendar month.
9. OCBC Titanium Rewards Card
https://www.ocbc.com/personal-bankin...astercard.html
10x OCBC$ on your shopping Local & Overseas Shopping Transactions, Local & Overseas Department Store Transactions and Local & Overseas Online Transactions.
The remaining 9 OCBC$ will be posted to the Card Account by the end of the next calendar month
https://www.ocbc.com/assets/pdf/card...ons.pdf?rand=1
10,000 KrisFlyer miles requires OCBC$ 25000, For each conversion of OCBC$ to KrisFlyer miles a fee of S$25 will be charged
10. UOB Lady's Card
https://www.uob.com.sg/personal/card...ard/index.page
============
If you know of and/or use any other cards (or the ones already mentioned), please share your thoughts.
***ALL VALUES BELOW IN SINGAPORE DOLLARS (SGD)***
============
In no particular order (apart from personal preference in terms of good-mileage opportunities):
============
1. UOB PRVI Miles VISA, MasterCard, AMEX
VISA:
http://www.uob.com.sg/personal/cards...iles_visa.html
MasterCard:
http://www.uob.com.sg/personal/cards...astercard.html
Amex:
http://www.uob.com.sg/personal/cards...amex_card.html
http://www.uob.com.sg/personal/cards...ard/microsite/
Mileage accrual:
The earn rate will be 1.4 miles for every $1 spent in multiples of S$10 (every multiple of S$5 gives 6 to 7 miles due to 3.5 UNI$ rounding off, every S$10 gives 14 miles), and 2.4 miles for every $1 spent OVERSEAS (every $5 gives 12 miles).
Requirements: min. income $80,000 (not strict).
Cost: First year free, then S$256.80 for main, first two supplementary always free. Annual fee waiver for Amex card if you charge $50,000 or more in a year.
Miles conversion fee: $25 per conversion. UNI$ are combined in 1 cardholder's name/FIN Number/NRIC together for all UOB cards which earn UNI$.
Pros: Best mileage accrual rates for overseas spend only. 20,000 bonus miles and annual fee waiver with spend of $50,000 per year (both only for Amex card). $45 1-way airport transfer voucher for $1,000 overseas spend in a given quarter (Amex only).
Cons: AMEX not always accepted by merchants. Points allocated on every $5 spent, rounded down to next $5. Transfer in blocks of 5000 UNI$ points = 10,000 miles. Points are valid for 2 years (transfer before expiry and they will subsequently be valid for a further 3 years from the date of transfer to KrisFlyer).
2. UOB Preferred Platinum Visa
http://www.uob.com.sg/personal/cards..._platinum.html
http://www.uob.com.sg/personal/cards...visa_card.html
Mileage accrual: Earn 4 miles for every $1 spent using ONLY MOBILE CONTACTLESS every $5 gives 10 UNI$ which equal 20 miles). Same incredible mileage-earning ratio for internet shopping with certain restrictions (travel-related, utilities, etc.). Earn 0.4 mile for every $1 for regular, signature-based payments AND ORPHAN SPEND DUE TO $5 ROUNDING OR EXCEEDING THE BONUS U$2000 SPEND (every $5 gives 1 UNI$ which equal 2 miles).
Earning 4 miles/$ is limited to the first S$1110 spent during the per calendar month (via Mobile Contactless). 2,000UNI$ refers to the extra 9UNI$ and does not include the normal 1UNI$.(Stop when you notice you earn 3UNI$ (1 + bonus 2) for the last S$5 transaction. ($1110/5)x9=1998UNI$, hence the last S$5 transaction will earn 2 bonus UNI$. The total bonus UNI$ awarded to you from qualifying spend on Selected Online Transactions and Mobile Contactless Transactions is capped at UNI$2,000 for each calendar month. THE CAP IS ON THE 9 UNI$ BONUS NOT 10UNI$ TOTAL YOU GET WITH BASE OF U$1 PER $ SPEND
Keep in mind that some merchants offer different, non-mileage accruing awards with UOB cards which are called SMART$. Some popular merchants include Cold Storage, Guardian and Giant Supermarket, ToastBox and Starbucks. A full list of merchants where Mobile contactless transactions will NOT earn miles can be found here: http://www.uob.com.sg/personal/cards...smartclub.html
Requirements: min. income $30,000 ($60,000 for foreigners).
Cost: First year free, then $192.60 for main and $96.30 for supplementary. Annual fee waived off easily.
Miles conversion fee: $25 per conversion, in blocks of 5000 UNI$=10,000 miles. UNI$ are combined in 1 cardholder's name for all UOB cards.
Pros: Incredible mileage accrual rates for Paywave transactions (not all merchants - some give SMART$ instead which are different rewards!) as well as internet transactions (some restrictions apply).
Cons: Points allocated on every $5 spent, rounded down to next $5. Transfer in blocks of 5000 UNI$ points = 10,000 miles. Points are valid for 2 years (transfer before expiry and they will subsequently be valid for a further 3 years from the date of transfer to KrisFlyer).
3. Citi PremierMiles MasterCard
https://www.citibank.com.sg/credit-cards/travel/premiermiles-card/?ecid=PSGONSGCCAENPM
Mileage accrual: Earn 1.2 miles for every $1 spent. Earn 2 miles for every $1 spent OVERSEAS. 10,000 bonus miles for each annual membership renewal.
Requirements: min. income $50,000 for VISA. Principal cardholder must be at least 21 years of age.
Cost: First year free, then $192.60 for VISA main, supplementary always free. Annual fee waiver available in exchange for forfeiting the 10,000renewal bonus.
Miles conversion fee: $25 per conversion.
Pros: Decent all-rounder, good for overseas spend. Points never expire. Bonus miles for annual card renewal. 11 frequent flyer programs & 3 hotel programs to choose from, including EVA Air - only 25,000 miles for 1 way Business Class within Asia!!
Cons: No miles awarded for EZ-Link & Transitlink transactions. Miles awarded per S$1. Cents not included. 1.2 miles/S$1. Transfer in blocks of 10,000 miles.
4. DBS Altitude VISA/AMEX
http://www.dbs.com/sg/personal/cards...e/default.aspx
http://www.dbs.com/sg/personal/cards...e/default.aspx
Mileage accrual: Earn 1.2 miles for every $1 spent (every $5 gives 3 DBS points which equal 6 miles). Earn 2 miles for every $1 spent OVERSEAS.
Requirements: min. income $80,000.
Cost: First year free, then $180 for main and $90 for supplementary. Annual fee waiver if you charge $25,000 or more in a year.
Miles conversion fee: S$26.75 per transfer, redeem 1700 DBS points to waive off.
Pros: Points never expire. No rounding down transaction amount to nearest $5 (calculation is done as follows: DBS points = 'transaction amount' divided by 5, multiply by 3, after that round down to nearest whole number. Minimum spend is S$1.67. Each DBS point = 2 miles). Earn 3 miles per S$1 spent on all online Flight and Hotel transactions (capped at S$5,000 per month). 10,000 miles renewal bonus if you have to pay card renewal fees.
Cons: All local spend now down to 1.2 miles/$ (since Dec 1, 2013). AMEX not always accepted by merchants. Transfer in blocks of 5000 DBS points = 10,000 miles (on the plus side points don't expire). Per transfer of S$26.75, redeem 1700 DBS points to waive off.
5. Maybank Horizon Platinum Visa
http://info.maybank2u.com.sg/persona...visa-card.aspx
Earn 3.2 air miles (8X TREATS Points) with every dollar spent on dining, petrol, taxi fares and hotel bookings at Agoda.com/horizon
Earn 2 air miles (5X TREATS Points) with every dollar spent on air tickets, travel packages and foreign currency transactions, with a minimal S$300 in a calendar month
Earn 0.4 mile for every $1 spent elsewhere (1 mile for every $2.50 spent).
Requirements: min. income $30,000 ($80,000 for foreigners).
Cost: $150 for main, supplementary always free. Unsure of any annual fee waiver conditions.
Miles conversion fee: In blocks of 5,000 points to 2000 Asia Miles or KrisFlyer. S$26.75 fee applies.
Pros: Great for ticket purchases and overseas spend. Complimentary access to selected VIP airport lounges when you charge a minimum of S$400 in a single transaction on air tickets or travel packages to your Card 3 months prior to the date of travel.
Cons: Great ONLY for ticket purchases and overseas spend. Points are valid for 1 year only, expire either on 30 June or 31 December of the same year if not Rewards Infinite member.
6. Singapore Airlines KrisFlyer Ascend AMEX
https://www.americanexpress.com/sg/s...nd-credit-card
Mileage accrual: Earn 1.2 KrisFlyer miles for every S$1 spent on all your eligible purchases with your Card
Earn 2 KrisFlyer miles for every S$1 equivalent in foreign currency spent overseas on eligible purchases during June and December
Requirements: min. income $50,000 ($60,000 for foreigners). Principal cardholder must be over 21 years of age.
Cost: First year free, otherwise $256.80 for main, 2 supplementary cards always free (more available at $80.25 each). Annual fee cannot be waived unless you spend alot.
Miles conversion fee: None - your KrisFlyer miles are transferred to your account directly with no conversion fees or charges.
Pros: None, except for welcome offers (4 complimentary airport lounge access vouchers, one complimentary night with Millennium Hotels and Resorts).
Cons: Simply nothing special - there are better cards available for all types of purchases, including flight tickets, even with all of the bonuses above applied. AMEX not always accepted by merchants.
7. Citibank Rewards Card
http://www.citibank.com.sg/gcb/credi...CACRENCCHOCALM
Earn 10X Rewards (10 Rewards Points or 4 Miles for every S$1 spent) when you shop for clothes, bags and shoes or at departmental stores or online shopping websites, including SingTel & M1 online bill payment!
Pros: Transfer to 11 FFPs & 3 Hotel programs in blocks of 25,000 points=10,000 miles; S$25 fee.
Cons: Points awarded per S$1 spend. Cents not included. Cannot combined Thank You Points across cards.
8. DBS Woman's World MasterCard® Card
http://www.dbs.com.sg/personal/cards...astercard-card
10X Rewards for Online Retail Purchases
T&C Here: https://www.dbs.com.sg/iwov-resource...s_card_tnc.pdf
Pros: Men also can get this card!! DBS points are combined in 1 cardholder's name. No rounding down transaction amount to nearest $5 (calculation is done as follows: DBS points = 'transaction amount' divided by 5, multiply by 10, after that round down to nearest whole number. Minimum spend is S$1. Each DBS point = 2 miles).
Cons: DBS points are valid for 1 year based on card anniversary date. The additional 9X DBS Points for online retail spend in a calendar month will be awarded on the 16th of the next calendar month. If the above days are not working days, the Points will be awarded on the next working day. The additional 9X DBS Points are only applicable to the first S$2,000 online retail spend every calendar month.
9. OCBC Titanium Rewards Card
https://www.ocbc.com/personal-bankin...astercard.html
10x OCBC$ on your shopping Local & Overseas Shopping Transactions, Local & Overseas Department Store Transactions and Local & Overseas Online Transactions.
The remaining 9 OCBC$ will be posted to the Card Account by the end of the next calendar month
https://www.ocbc.com/assets/pdf/card...ons.pdf?rand=1
10,000 KrisFlyer miles requires OCBC$ 25000, For each conversion of OCBC$ to KrisFlyer miles a fee of S$25 will be charged
10. UOB Lady's Card
https://www.uob.com.sg/personal/card...ard/index.page
============
The 'Best credit cards for KF miles accrual' master thread
#2806
Join Date: Aug 2013
Location: Singapore, Macau/HK
Programs: SQ *G, SPG Plat, IHG Plat, Le Accor Silver, Marriott Plat
Posts: 87
For the free limousine svc from UOB do you guys tip the drivers? What is a good gauge on what to tip?
Also no problem for a guy to actually own a DBS Womans card? Wow.
Also no problem for a guy to actually own a DBS Womans card? Wow.
#2807
Join Date: Nov 2008
Programs: SQ QPP1, HYATT DIA, SPG GOLD, HH GOLD, IHG GOLD
Posts: 656
Nah....will pass this card.
#2808
Join Date: Nov 2008
Programs: SQ QPP1, HYATT DIA, SPG GOLD, HH GOLD, IHG GOLD
Posts: 656
#2809
Join Date: Jun 2006
Location: NYC/SIN
Programs: CX DM, SQ KF
Posts: 2,167
As to the DBS card - why not!! The T&Cs dont say anything and :P
#2811
Join Date: Aug 2013
Location: Singapore, Macau/HK
Programs: SQ *G, SPG Plat, IHG Plat, Le Accor Silver, Marriott Plat
Posts: 87
UOB Amex Privi will hit you with the AMEX FX fee ( 3.5%?) for your overseas spend, although you will earn 2.5 SQ KF miles per S$ 1 spent overseas.
Many people are using
UOB Preferred Plus PayWave for certain online and paywave to earn 4 miles per S$
DBS Woman's Mastercard for certain online
UOB AMEX Privi
ANZ Travel Visa as the visa alternative
Many people are using
UOB Preferred Plus PayWave for certain online and paywave to earn 4 miles per S$
DBS Woman's Mastercard for certain online
UOB AMEX Privi
ANZ Travel Visa as the visa alternative
Summary: I use only my DBS Altitude card. I expense appx $12,000SGD/month (3k online, 3k local, 6k overseas)
New Plan:
DBS Womans Worldcard (Guys eligible): Use for online purchases (mainly flights) up to $2,000SGD (Overseas or local currency both)
Q:
-Womans World Card Points expires after 12 months right?
-I am enrolled in the DBS Frequent Flyer Program while using my Altitude. Does this mean I do not have to pay for any conversion of points from the Womans World Card too? (Nice!)
For spending on online purchases (mainly flights or prepaid hotel bookings) after the $2,000SGD:
-> Should I consider the ANZ Travel Visa Signature card or should I just revert back to my Altitude card. Main questions listed right at bottom.
-> Other alternatives or go back to my DBS Altitude?
UOB PRVI Miles Platinum: Use for local (Singapore) spending both online and physical.Eg. Restaurants, drinks/parties, However avoid any purchase that transacts in foreign currency due to 3.5%? (Is this for ANY foreign currency transaction or just for overseas spend? Eg. online purchase of air ticket EX-Paris is transacted on card as Euro. Is this considered an "overseas spend" and incur 3.5%?)
UOB Preferred Plus PayWave: Transactions with payWave below $100SGD locally: Eg. Supermarketing at NTUC Fairprice, Coldstorage etc. Also use for online eg Mcdonald, movie tickets etc. -> Do not use for airline, travel etc.
What card should I use for my Overseas spend? Stick with my Altitude card? Most of my overseas spending are dining+entertainment & hotel charges. Also air tickets if purchase from local Singaporeairlines website is considered as "overseas transactions" if tickets are issued by overseas ticket office.
Really on the fence about the ANZ Travel Visa card.
Questions:
- Hotel bookings through its selected partners gives me points but pretty sure I lose out on points with the hotel loyalty memberships eg. SPG (Starwood). Definitely not worth it or am I wrong?
- How is the forex exchange rate + any hidden additional charge for overseas purchase similar to UOB PRVI 3.5%?
- Book direct with airlines gives 2.8 air miles for every $1 spent. Does this include purchases of tickets from overseas ticketing offices? Eg. Not the Singapore ticketing office of SQ but perhaps Paris ticketing office (they charge in their local currency)
- Any spending limits similar to the DBS Womans World Card? Did not find any but just in case.
- Charges for converting points to miles = $15sgd/conversion request. Worth it? How long do points on ANZ Travel Visa card last before expiry?
Also really curious on how credit cards recognize hotel payments. I've made "pre-paid" hotel bookings on websites and I am not sure how the credit card companies recognize this charge. Will the hotel site charge my card as a overseas transaction physical or online?
Sorry for all the questions I am truly green at this and have spent the entire day to try understand all these various perks + T&Cs. Hopefully with your help I can choose the best cards to maximize the accrual of miles for my KF account. ^
#2812
Join Date: Oct 2011
Posts: 143
UOB Visa Signature - 4 miles/$ on all overseas charges, minimum $1k maximum $2k per month
UOB Preferred Platinum Amex - 4 miles/$ on all F&B charges; ie restaurants, etc
Re: hotel bookings
This depends on your travel profile. If you travel frequently (which seems to be the case based on your post) and are able to stick to one or two chains, it is definitely better to book directly with the hotel for the points and status. With status, you get perks like free internet, free breakfast, or even just free bottled water!, which helps save money in the long run.
ANZ Travel Visa is a good card for general use at places that do not accept Amex (those that do, use the PRVI Miles Amex). It's also a source of cheapish miles for income tax, and if you can hit the spending requirements, the processing fee for income tax payment is waived. So, that's worth considering.
#2813
Join Date: Feb 2010
Programs: IHG SPG KF OW Marco Polo
Posts: 48
Paypal Txns and UOB Uni $
Seems DBS Woman's is the best for earning bonus points on Paypal txns.
Am wondering if I should try with CB Rewards card but I think they might be quite sticky like UOB.
Just spent some time talking to a UOB CSO and found out the following:
1. VBox payments for Starhub bills are not eligible for bonus points
2. Challenger payments also don't earn bonus points
3. Quite a few eateries don't qualify for the PP AMEX 10 times Uni$.
Am wondering if I should try with CB Rewards card but I think they might be quite sticky like UOB.
Just spent some time talking to a UOB CSO and found out the following:
1. VBox payments for Starhub bills are not eligible for bonus points
2. Challenger payments also don't earn bonus points
3. Quite a few eateries don't qualify for the PP AMEX 10 times Uni$.
#2814
Join Date: Sep 2005
Location: SIN
Programs: SQ, UA, Delta, BMI(RIP), Marriott Lifetime Titanium, Hilton Diamond (Thanks Amex) Hyatt Discov
Posts: 1,942
Is OCBC Titanium Mastercard a good card for Overseas spend?
This card apparently gives 2.5 miles per S$ spend for overseas spend
http://www.ocbc.com.sg/personal-bank...astercard.html
Pluses
1. It is mastercard, so fx charges hopefully lower than UOB AMEX which also gives 2.5 miles for $ spend overseas
2. 2.5 miles per $
Minuses
1. must spend $1500 in the month to get this 2.5 miles per $ spend
2. Annual fee $192.5 - but may be they waive it?
http://www.ocbc.com.sg/personal-bank...astercard.html
Pluses
1. It is mastercard, so fx charges hopefully lower than UOB AMEX which also gives 2.5 miles for $ spend overseas
2. 2.5 miles per $
Minuses
1. must spend $1500 in the month to get this 2.5 miles per $ spend
2. Annual fee $192.5 - but may be they waive it?
#2815
Join Date: May 2012
Location: SIN
Programs: JL GC | Marriott LT Silver | Global Entry | SQ Silver
Posts: 6,819
Seems DBS Woman's is the best for earning bonus points on Paypal txns.
Am wondering if I should try with CB Rewards card but I think they might be quite sticky like UOB.
Just spent some time talking to a UOB CSO and found out the following:
1. VBox payments for Starhub bills are not eligible for bonus points
2. Challenger payments also don't earn bonus points
3. Quite a few eateries don't qualify for the PP AMEX 10 times Uni$.
Am wondering if I should try with CB Rewards card but I think they might be quite sticky like UOB.
Just spent some time talking to a UOB CSO and found out the following:
1. VBox payments for Starhub bills are not eligible for bonus points
2. Challenger payments also don't earn bonus points
3. Quite a few eateries don't qualify for the PP AMEX 10 times Uni$.
#2818
Join Date: May 2004
Location: SIN (LEJ once a year)
Programs: SQ, LH, BA, IHG Diamond AMB, HH Gold, SLH Indulged, Accor Gold, Hyatt Discoverist
Posts: 7,723
Depends if you think the cost for the miles using ANZ for example is worth it. Given DBS made the silly move to get rid of one the most favorable features of the Altitude Visa I have now applied for Giro and the 12-months installment plan with the IRAS instead as that is interest free and allows one to work a bit longer with the money and earn some returns instead.
#2819
Join Date: Apr 2014
Posts: 4
Depends if you think the cost for the miles using ANZ for example is worth it. Given DBS made the silly move to get rid of one the most favorable features of the Altitude Visa I have now applied for Giro and the 12-months installment plan with the IRAS instead as that is interest free and allows one to work a bit longer with the money and earn some returns instead.
For ANZ, there is a 0.7% fee which will add up to about $800+ for about 48k miles. Not attractive at all
#2820
Join Date: Sep 2010
Programs: AZ FA+, A3 G, AB G | IHG RA, HGP D, FPC P, Accor P, BW D, HH D, Eleva, GHA P, 1862 Voyager
Posts: 1,852
If you want to maximise your miles earn, consider the following cards.
UOB Visa Signature - 4 miles/$ on all overseas charges, minimum $1k maximum $2k per month
UOB Preferred Platinum Amex - 4 miles/$ on all F&B charges; ie restaurants, etc
Re: hotel bookings
This depends on your travel profile. If you travel frequently (which seems to be the case based on your post) and are able to stick to one or two chains, it is definitely better to book directly with the hotel for the points and status. With status, you get perks like free internet, free breakfast, or even just free bottled water!, which helps save money in the long run.
ANZ Travel Visa is a good card for general use at places that do not accept Amex (those that do, use the PRVI Miles Amex). It's also a source of cheapish miles for income tax, and if you can hit the spending requirements, the processing fee for income tax payment is waived. So, that's worth considering.
UOB Visa Signature - 4 miles/$ on all overseas charges, minimum $1k maximum $2k per month
UOB Preferred Platinum Amex - 4 miles/$ on all F&B charges; ie restaurants, etc
Re: hotel bookings
This depends on your travel profile. If you travel frequently (which seems to be the case based on your post) and are able to stick to one or two chains, it is definitely better to book directly with the hotel for the points and status. With status, you get perks like free internet, free breakfast, or even just free bottled water!, which helps save money in the long run.
ANZ Travel Visa is a good card for general use at places that do not accept Amex (those that do, use the PRVI Miles Amex). It's also a source of cheapish miles for income tax, and if you can hit the spending requirements, the processing fee for income tax payment is waived. So, that's worth considering.
Thanks for this. I did see someone talk about the VS card when it was reintroduced with new benefits but didn't think much about it.
But then now I realise I do frequently clock more than $1K in foreign currency. In fact when traveling the hotels are the ones that I charge mostly to PRVI (due to mostly booking rates that are non prepaid).
I just looked up my unbilled transactions for my PRVI card and I think I should channel part of the spend to this card.
So new strategy - clock any that are travel related and above $500 to the PRVI to get the limo ride. Then anything else charge it to the VS until it hits 2K then switch back to PRVI card.
If done right, on top of the extra 3K miles per month, you'll save almost $20 as the Visa forex fee is about 1% less than Amex + Much more access to use the card.