I will also transfer the 300k pts++ pts I have in my SCB Card account ASAP.
Probably, I will not use it anymore for overseas and some local travel agent transactions. A pity though....

I thought it's HKD4 to 1 AM for the DBS Black Card Overseas Spending? So, 50k HKD = 12.5k AM + No Service Fee. It's similar to the Cathay Pacific AMEX and Citibank PremierMiles.

thanks to all of you for being so alert. i didn't even see it coming! i'm usually really good at reading the fine print. was the change of conversion to HK$15 = 1 mile ever sent to us in a flyer with our credit card statements?

i've just converted >2 million points from my SC amex to asia miles. i've never converted points before with SC (i've just allowed my account to accumulate for the past 3 years), so i was quite shocked at the $100 for 10000 miles thing. i'll be paying $2500 for my 250,000 asia miles!

I am about to convert ~3m points into 250k AM too. When I call I will also tell them why I won't be using the card from now. When I applied for the card 6-8 months ago it was 12:1 for a fixed fee ($300?) regardless of how many miles are converted. Then they changed to $100/10,000miles and now 15:1 on the conversion!

no, in fact, u're paying $2200 for 50000 AM :), on top of the $300 for 200000

I think it's quite funny - somehow I think most others including the SCB agents don't really understand how we value miles here.

I also have a few million points scattered across 5 SCB cards (I must have converted some 10 million points from HSBC, AmEx, SCB this year already). anyway, last week when the SCB agent talked to me, she said, Mr tedhl, for example, you have ~1.2M points on this one card - so you either do (1) 100k miles + HKD 1000 or (2) 80k + HKD 300 flat. I'm sure 80k + HKD 300 is better value, right...for the difference of HKD 700 you can buy what 20k miles is worth easily - in that case why would you want to convert now ?

well of course I think 20k miles is worth well more than HKD 700...

Sorry, I don't follow.

The problem is, we frequent flyers who are also avid miles collectors are really a minority. Most of my family and friends (including colleagues who are DM) are not really clued up on which cards offer most value in terms of points/miles and even when i inform them, they don't seem to care too much.

I'm another one that has converted all their SCB miles and can't see myself using those cards again much.

Psychiatrist has two choices
1) flat fee of HK$300 and 200k miles or
2) HK$2500 and 250k miles

For the incremental 50k miles, he's paying HK$2200 more in fees, which is still reasonable if you use your miles for upgrades and biz class tickets. Probably not as good a deal if you used the points for a coach award at a time of high fuel surcharges.

Thanks fallinasleep! :) Although I don't agree paying an additional $2200 for 50k is reasonable!! Not when I am spending on average HK$100k on the card each month and already generating an income of ~$4,000 for them.

Can someone confirm whether I am right here. Like I mentioned in my previous post, I think HK$40k of Overseas Transactions is equivalent to 10k AM using the DBS Black Card and NOT 13.3k as posted by ChrisLi. I think he's using 4 Bonus Points to HK$1 of overseas transactions is not the right figure for the Black Card. It should only be 3 Bonus Points/HK$1.

This is from the DBS Website, the Black Privileges:
HK$6 Local Spending = 1 Mile /
HK$4 Overseas Spending = 1 Mile

My own take on the new rate for the SCB AMEX:
For local transaction, unless you are buying tickets from certain travel agents (which still gives 6 Bonus Points for HK$1), use the DBS Black Card or Citibank PremierMiles or Cathay Pacific AMEX.

For overseas transactions, I am still inclined towards the SCB Amex since it's still offering 6 BP for HK$1, which will be equivalent to HK$2.5 for 1 AM, way much better than HK$4 for 1 AM offered by other cards. Also, I tend to reedem in big amounts (at least 30k AM one time). Since I am paying HK$300 dollar (or more) right now anway, HK$300 for 1 bulk transaction may seem to be okay still.

Examples:
to earn 50k AM, under the SCB AMEX, I need to spend HK$125k of overseas transactions and fork out $300 for the handling fee.

to earn similar amount under the Black Card or Citibank PremierMiles or Cathay Pacific AMEX, I need to spend a HK$200k of overseas transactions with no handling fee.

It's still a no brainer that the SCB is still favorable for bulk miles (>30k miles), except that the amount of miles you will earn will be less but you pay a flat fee (as compared to $100 per 10k miles at the moment).

Correct me if I am wrong here.

So these changes also apply to the Priority Banking credit card? I just applied for this card thinking I would get $6 = 1 mile, but now I'm thinking it's not worth the hassle.

With changes to cards lately, does anyone have an updated list of what the best Hong Kong credit cards are best to use for local or overseas transactions?

Thanks.

For local, the DBS Black Card should be the best (2x bonus points), while for overseas, I am still inclined to use the SCB Amex.

i must be being too lazy, but i'm just wondering if there is an alternative method besides online redemption with SCB? My mum is not a big fan of online XXX unless there's no alternatives. All I've found on the website is online rewards. So, any help? Thanks.