The best cards for MILES

By Adele Chan

I’ve been using the DBS Altitude Visa for years, and I charge everything to it — my groceries, shopping, dining, and anything to do with travel, like plane tickets and hotels. DBS calls it, “Singapore’s fastest-earning miles card“. But is it? While it has given me good mileage, I keep wondering if there’s a better card out there where I can earn more miles. Since I’ve been doing much research on this, I thought I’d share my comparison table here :

CARD	Miles earned for local spend	Miles earned for overseas spend	Miles Bonuses	Minimum Salary Requirement (Singaporeans/PRs)	Annual Fee
UOB Prvimiles Visa	S$1 = 1.4 miles	S$1 = 2.4 miles	10,000 miles when you sign up if you apply by 31 July 2018. 20,000 miles every year with minimum spend of S$50,000 in a year	S$30,000 per annum	S$256.80
DBS Altitude Visa	S$1 = 1.2 miles	S$1 = 2 miles	10,000 miles when you pay the annual fee of S$192.60	S$30,000 per annum	S$192.60
Maybank Horizon Visa Signature	S$1 = 0.4 miles S$1 = 3.2 miles on dining, petrol, taxis and hotels	S$1 = 2 miles	None	S$50,000 per annum	S$180
Citi Premiermiles Visa	S$1 = 1.2 miles	S$1 = 2 miles	10,000 miles when you pay the annual fee of S$192.60	S$50,000 per annum	S$192.60
American Express Singapore Airlines KrisFlyer Ascend	S$1 = 1.2 miles	S$1 = 2 miles	5,000 miles the first time you charge to the card. Additional 2,000 miles if you apply by 30 June 2018. Additional 15,000 miles upon spending S$6,000 in the first 3 months.	S$50,000 per annum	S$337.05
OCBC Voyage Visa Infinite	S$1 = 1.2 miles on retail S$1 = 1.6 miles on dining	S$1 = 2.3 miles	15,000 miles when you pay an annual fee of S$488. 150,000 miles when you pay an annual fee of S$3,210.	S$120,000 per annum	S$488
HSBC Visa Infinite	Year 1: S$1 = 1.2 miles Year 2: S$1 = 1.25 miles (with yearly spend of more than $50,000 in previous year)	Year 1: S$1 = 2 miles Year 2: S$1 = 2.25 miles (with yearly spend of more than $50,000 in previous year)	Welcome gift of 35,000 miles	S$120,000 per annum	S$650 / S$488 for HSBC Premier customers
Standard Chartered Visa Infinite	S$1 = 1.4 miles	S$1 = 3 miles	Welcome gift of 35,000 miles	S$30,000 per annum for Priority / Private Banking customers S$150,000 per annum for everyone else	S$588.50
American Express Singapore Airlines Solitaire PPS	S$1 = 1.3 miles S$1 = 1.5 miles for amount spent above $3,800 per month	S$1 = 1.3 miles S$1 = 2.4 miles for amount spent above $3,800 per month	5,000 miles the first time you charge to the card. Additional 2,000 miles if you apply by 30 June 2018. Additional 20,000 miles upon spending S$6,000 in the first 3 months.	S$30,000 per annum for existing Singapore Airlines Solitaire PPS members	S$551.05

S$30,000 per annum salary

At a glance, it’s clear that the more you qualify for (i.e. the cards with a higher income requirement), the more miles you can earn on your dollar. (Yes, the rich get richer.) If you only qualify for cards with an annual income requirement of S$30,000, the DBS Altitude Visa is very decent. It matches the miles earned with many of the other cards that need a minimum income of S$50,000 per year, and that have much higher annual fees.

UPDATE (25 Jun 2018): Get the UOB PRVIMILES card. No contest.

S$50,000 per annum salary

If you earn S$50,000 per annum, I’d definitely go for the Maybank Horizon Visa Signature card. Their earn rate of 3.2 miles for dining, petrol and taxis is generous, and the highest of all earn rates across all the cards featured. Do take note though, shopping in other categories (like groceries and retail) earns just 0.4 miles per dollar. So only if you eat out a lot and drive, this is the card for you.

S$80,000 and above per annum salary

If you’re a high earner taking home S$120,000 and above per year, sign up for the HSBC and Standard Chartered cards just for the free welcome miles (but still only use the UOB one for daily purchases — the bonus miles renew yearly, assuming you charge at least S$50,000 to the card in the previous year).

Safe trips, everyone.  🛫