From Swipe to Flight: 10 Best Credit Cards in Singapore for Miles

Credit cards make spending money easier and more convenient. Plus, they are particularly handy when you are travelling abroad because they offer extra security when making payments. If you’re a travel enthusiast, you might want to consider credit cards that offer air miles. These cards work like this: whenever you shop, dine, or pay bills, you earn miles. These miles can then be used to book flights and explore new places around the world for free. Not only that, you can enjoy access to exclusive airport lounges, get free travel insurance, avail discounts in various online and physical stores. In our Best of Lifestyle series, we bring you the 10 Best Credit Cards in Singapore for Miles.

This post was last updated on 23 August 2023.

10 Best Credit Cards in Singapore for Miles

1. HSBC Revolution  

Best for: contactless payments and online shopping

The HSBC Revolution is one of the best credit cards in Singapore, mainly because of its flexibility. You can use it in just about anything, plus, it allows you to offset your spending with Reward points or split your purchases into monthly instalments. The best thing about HSBC Revolution is having the chance to secure up to 10 times the standard Reward Points when engaging in online and contactless payments via platforms such as payWave, Apple Pay, and Google Pay. This translates to a compelling equivalence of 4 miles or an impressive 2.5% cashback for every dollar spent. There is no cap on the Reward for other purchases as well. 

Annual fee: Waived
Supplementary cards: Free

2. UOB Preferred Platinum Visa

Best for: Contactless payments and online transactions 

Elevate your rewards game with the UOB Preferred Platinum Visa Card, accelerating your accumulation with a compelling rate of up to UNI$10 per S$5 spent on online transactions, regardless of whether you shop local or overseas. Shop everything from apparel, bags, shoes, accessories, and electronics to grocery orders, dining indulgences, food deliveries, drugstore purchases, and even entertainment and ticketing expenditures. And the perks don’t stop there. This card unleashes an additional avenue of rapid rewards, with up to UNI$10 per S$5 spent (4mpd) on Mobile Contactless Transactions. 

Annual fee: S$192.60 yearly (first-year fee is waived)
Supplementary cards: Free first card, free first year. After which an annual fee of S$96.30 will be charged.

3. UOB Visa Signature 

Best for: Overseas transactions and Petrol 

Maximise your rewards with the UOB Visa Signature Card, where you can earn an impressive 10X UNI$ for every S$5 spent on overseas transactions (including online) and petrol, as well as for contactless transactions. This converts to around 4mpd. For each statement period, you are set to earn these rewards with a minimum overseas spend of S$1,000 and local spend of S$1,000, both capped at UNI$4,000. Moreover, experience seamless travel with a range of benefits, including Public Conveyance Personal Accident coverage of S$500,000 and Emergency Medical Assistance, Evacuation & Repatriation coverage up to S$50,000 due to accidents or illness, including instances of COVID-19. You may also enjoy Complimentary Travel Insurance for your trip (must apply at least 5 working days before your departure).

Annual fee: S$214 yearly (first-year fee is waived)
Supplementary cards: Free first card, S$107 yearly subsequent card

4. UOB Lady’s Card

Best for: Your preferred category

The UOB Lady’s Card empowers you to tailor your rewards to your passions, whether it’s Fashion, Dining, Travel, Beauty and Wellness, Family, Transport, or Entertainment. UOB also understands how your passions could change from time to time as you continue to evolve, so it allows you to also switch your preferred categories per quarter. Earn 15X UNI$ (equivalent to 6 miles per S$1) for every S$5 spent in your chosen category, whether you are shopping online or in stores, locally or abroad, with no minimum spend required. Meanwhile, other categories offer UNI$1 per S$5 spent (0.4 miles per S$1) on all other purchases, ensuring you make the most of every swipe while living life on your terms.

Annual fee: S$194.40 yearly (first-year fee is waived)
Supplementary cards: Free first card, S$97.20 yearly subsequent card

5. UOB Lady’s Solitaire

Best for: Your preferred category

As the First Contactless World Elite Mastercard Metal Card in Southeast Asia, a sense of royalty and splendour awaits with the UOB Lady’s Solitaire. This exclusive invitation-only premium credit card for miles allows you to earn 15X UNI$ per S$5 spent (equivalent to 6 miles per S$1) from your preferred category at no minimum spend. Elevating your travel experiences even further, the UOB Lady’ Solitaire provides you access to an extensive network of over 1,000 lounges across 500 airports worldwide, accompanied by exclusive offerings in airport dining, retail, and spa services through Mastercard® Airport Experiences by LoungeKey™. You can also experience the luxury of complimentary airport transfers at more than 50 global locations.

Annual fee: S$593.50# yearly (inclusive of 8% GST)
Supplementary cards: Free for life
Eligibility: Exclusive invitation

6. Citi Rewards 

Best for: Shopping

If you are a shopping enthusiast, the Citi Rewards Card should be at the top of your list. This credit card emerges as your ultimate ally, showering you with a generous 10X Points boost (converts to 4mpd) for a wide array of online purchases, spanning from food deliveries and ride-hailing apps to virtual grocery shopping and beyond, as well as in-store shopping purchases. You can also get 1x Points from other purchases, so you can essentially use this card for everything. On top of getting air miles, you may also receive complimentary travel insurance when you charge your plane ticket to the Citi Rewards Card.

Annual fee: S$194.40 inclusive of 8% GST (first year waived)

7. OCBC Titanium Rewards 

Best for: Shopping

Another best credit card for miles for huge shoppers is the OCBC Titanium Rewards. Earn 10 times the usual OCBC$ (or 4 air miles) for every S$1 spent in certain retail categories – both online and in stores. You can even use it for overseas shopping! But that’s not all – your rewards journey continues with unlimited OCBC$ and up to 120,000 bonus OCBC$ a year. You can then exchange OCBC$ for vouchers, products, and hotel loyalty points in addition to air miles. 

Annual fee: S$194.40 inclusive of 8% GST a year (waived for the first 2 years)
Supplementary cards: S$97.20 inclusive of 8% GST a year (waived for the first 2 years)

8. DBS Woman’s Credit Card 

Best for: Shopping

A credit card that knows what women truly want, the DBS Woman’s Credit Card allows you to get up to 10X DBS Points (4 miles per S$1 spent) on your online purchases.  Plus, receive complimentary e-Commerce Protection for your online purchases. If you frequently shop overseas, you will receive up to 3X DBS Points (1.2 miles per S$1) for your purchases. 

Annual fee: S$162 (waived for first year)
Supplementary cards: S$81 yearly for each Supplementary Card

9. AMEX HighFlyer Card 

Best for: General spending

Also known as the American Express® Singapore Airlines Business Credit Card, the AMEX HighFlyer Card is the best credit card for business owners in Singapore. Upon approval, you will automatically be entitled to Accor Plus Membership, valued at S$418, offering a free night’s stay every year. Earn 5,000 HighFlyer points when you spend S$500 within the first 12 months and 15,000 HighFlyer points when you spend S$10,000 annually with the Singapore Airlines Group. Furthermore, with every transaction, AMEX HighFlyer Cardholders earn 1.8 HighFlyer points (or 1.8 mile) for every S$1 spent in both Singapore Dollars and foreign currency. This 1.8 mpd is already a great deal, most especially since this credit card also comes with various travel benefits like priority pass membership, complimentary Hertz Gold status, and so on.

Annual fee: S$301.80 (inclusive of 8% GST)
Supplementary cards: S$99.92 each (inclusive of 8% GST)
Eligibility: Applicant should be a business owner and/or person with executive authority of a Company/Business with a valid UEN

10. UOB PRVI Miles 

Best for: Travel and General spending

If you are a frequent flyer, then the UOB PRVI Miles Card is the most perfect credit card for you. Enjoy up to 6 miles per S$1 spent on your hotel and airline bookings. You may also earn miles with your everyday purchases such as bills, rent and taxes when you pay with UOB Payment Facility. Navigating your everyday transportation becomes a breeze too, with an exclusive S$20 off on Grab rides tailor-made for UOB PRVI Miles Mastercard and Visa Cardmembers. On top of that, you may also get complimentary travel insurance. This includes S$500,000 Public Conveyance Personal Accident benefit, alongside Emergency Medical Evacuation & Repatriation coverage, including instances of illness due to COVID-19, ensuring your travels remain secure and stress-free.

Annual fee: S$259.20 yearly (first year fee waived)
Supplementary cards: First card free, S$129.60^ yearly subsequent card

Best Credit Card for Miles in Singapore: FAQ

Where can you use these credit cards?

You can use these credit cards for all your purchases, whether local or overseas, whether bills or your everyday essentials. However, do note that the air miles or rewards you get vary from every swipe, depending on which credit card you use. 

How can you get your own credit cards for miles?

Once you decide on which credit cards for miles you want to apply for, you can check their websites for the requirements you need to submit. You can apply for a credit card if you are 21 years and older. For Singaporeans and permanent residents, most credit cards for miles require you to have at least $30000 in income annually, while foreigners are required to have at least $40000 yearly income.

How do I earn air miles?

Earning air miles is as straightforward as making your everyday purchases with your credit card. With each swipe or usage, your air miles balance grows. These air miles can subsequently be redeemed to secure complimentary flights to your dream destinations across the globe

How to effectively use these credit cards for miles?

You may think that the more credit card for miles you have up in your arsenal, the more air miles you get. However, It is more complicated than that; collecting air miles is a bit like playing chess, you have to strategise with the right card moves. It is not just about having a stack of cards – you have to be clever about which card to whip out in each situation to score bigger miles. 

How do I use my air miles to book a flight?

Most credit card companies in Singapore allow you to convert your reward points to KrisFlyer Miles, which you can then use to book a flight via Singapore Airlines, Scoot, and other partner airlines. If you have not signed up yet, the first thing to do is sign up for a KrisFlyer membership. You can then proceed to claim your free or “award” flights via your preferred airline website, though do note that you will still have to pay for taxes and miscellaneous charges on top of the free airfare. If you do not have enough KrisFlyer Miles to avail of a free flight to your dream destination, you may still use your existing miles to upgrade your seat class on a paid flight, elevating your travel experience to the next cabin tier.

What should you consider before getting a credit card for miles?

Ultimately, this depends on knowing what type of spender you are. If you travel often, get a credit card for miles with higher miles earnings for foreign transactions. Meanwhile, those who spend heavily in specific categories should lean towards cards that cater to those areas. Bottomline is, it is best to evaluate your preferred credit card if it aligns with your financial spending habits.

While making your decision, do not overlook crucial factors such as annual fees and interest rates, along with any minimum spending prerequisites – especially if you are aiming to capitalize on card perks. Beyond air miles, consider the card’s complementary advantages as well. Think travel insurance, airport lounge access, and concierge services, which can elevate your card experience significantly. If not a frequent traveller, some credit cards also offer perks such as discounts on petrol, ride-hailing apps, and other vouchers. In essence, understanding your lifestyle and objectives is essential before you apply for a credit card for miles. 

Conclusion

Credit cards for miles are truly valuable tools whether it is about embarking on adventures or navigating everyday expenses. We hope that our guide on the 10 Best Credit Cards in Singapore for Miles will help you score a free flight (and more) to your dream destination. Please share this with your friends if you have found this useful.

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