Which air miles programme is best?

For most Singaporeans, air miles are synonymous with KrisFlyer miles. But, while Singapore Airlines' KrisFlyer frequent flyer programme is definitely the most popular here, Cathay Pacific's Asia Miles programme may also be worth considering. Of course, Singapore Airlines has the most destinations, but if you like to visit East Asia, Cathay Pacific operates a good number of direct flights as well.

How much are miles worth?

The value of a mile is a subjective matter, and you will find entire blogs dedicated to arguing about it. Generally, most miles chasers are not willing to pay more than S$0.01 per mile when paying the annual fee. After that point, you may find yourself paying enough to afford the air fare in cash.

How many air miles do I need to fly for free?

Miles award charts vary from frequent flyer programme to frequent flyer programme. For KrisFlyer miles, you should aim for at least 50,000 miles in order to redeem a free Economy flight to anywhere a good distance away. For example, it takes 50,000 miles to fly to Japan and 56,000 to fly to Sydney. If you want to fly Business class, expect about double the number of miles.

Best Credit Cards with Miles Promotions in Singapore (2025)

Why Should You Get An Air Miles Card

Besides getting to earn miles on your big ticket items’ purchases or even on your everyday spending, there are a myriad of benefits which you can enjoy and these include

Benefits Of Getting An Air Miles Credit Card

Complimentary seat selection
Booking flexibility waiver
Priority boarding and check-in
Flexibility in redemption
Additional baggage allowance
Complimentary access to airport lounges regionally or worldwide
Perks through reward points or cashback
Express upgrade of exclusive airline class

Best Credit Cards To Collect Air Miles

Credit Cards	BEST FOR	MILES EARN RATE
Credit Cards Citi PremierMiles Card	BEST FORMiles that don’t expire	MILES EARN RATEUp to 10 miles for every $1 spent on selected online hotel bookings
Credit Cards OCBC 90°N Card	BEST FORMiles that don’t expire	MILES EARN RATE Up to 7 miles for every $1 spent on Agoda accommodations 2.1 miles for every $1 spent on foreign currency spending 1.3 miles for every $1 spent locally
Credit Cards AMEX SIA KrisFlyer Ascend Card	BEST FORKrisFlyer Miles for frequent flyers	MILES EARN RATE 2 miles for every $1 spent on foreign currency spending 1.2 miles for every $1 spent locally 3.2 miles for every $1 spent on Grab locally (up to $200 per month)
Credit Cards Maybank Horizon Card	BEST FOREveryday local spending	MILES EARN RATE 2.8 miles for every $1 spent on air tickets and in foreign currencies (minimum spend of $800 per month) 1.2 miles for every $1 spent on hotel bookings, cruise & travel packages and other eligible local retail spend (no minimum spend required)
Credit Cards UOB PRVI VISA Miles Card	BEST FORHighest mile per dollar spend ratio	MILES EARN RATE 6 miles per $1 spent on online hotel and flight bookings 2.4 miles per $1 spent overseas 1.4 miles per $1 spend locally
Credit CardsDBS Vantage Visa Infinite Card	BEST FOR25,000 bonus miles upon payment of annual fee	MILES EARN RATE 2.2 miles for every $1 spent overseas 1.5 miles for every $1 spent locally
Credit CardsUOB KrisFlyer Card	BEST FOREveryday local spending	MILES EARN RATE 3 KrisFlyer miles for every $1 spent on dining, online shopping, online travel and transport (including those on SIA, SilkAir, Scoot and KrisShop) 1.2 KrisFlyer miles on every $1 spent on other categories
Credit Cards HSBC TravelOne Card	BEST FORMiles that don’t expire	MILES EARN RATE Up to 2.4 miles for every S$1 spent overseas Up to 1.2 miles for every S$1 spent locally Complimentary airport lounge visits for primary cardholders

Miles Earn Rate

While some airline-specific cards will credit your earned miles directly into an established frequent flyer programme, certain miles credit cards award points in other types of “currency” such as DBS points or Citi Miles. Converting these points into an actual air ticket will take a longer time and may cost more.

Miles Redemption Programmes

Cathay Pacific’s Asia Miles programme and Singapore Airlines’ KrisFlyer programme are some of the more popular ones in Singapore whereby you can earn miles with your regular spending through credit cards and redeem flights or even accommodation for free. So, if you fly often via a preferred airline, do remember to tap on such perks to offset some of your travel expenses.

Frequent flyer programme T&Cs

Always, always check the T&Cs of any frequent flyer programme for any unsavoury details the credit card issuer would rather you not know. These include when your miles will expire and whether there is a cap on the miles you can earn.

Annual fees

Most credit cards including airline-specific cards charge annual fees which are usually for the convenience of using the card to make your purchases as well the administrative costs of maintaining your credit card account.

You often get a free credit card replacement if your card is lost or stolen, or if it's damaged and you need a new one. All these costs add up and your annual fee is what goes into paying for them.

Many banks do offer a waiver of your annual fee but you'll need to call them up to make this request.

Conversion fees

There are often charges for converting the miles on your card into miles with a frequent flyer program and these are known as conversion fees. Several cards like Citi PremierMiles Card and UOB PRVI Miles Card have a conversion fee of $25 per conversion while other cards charge different rates.

Most credit cards are linked to more than just one frequent flyer program, so you'll get to pick from a wider range of countries to travel to.

Lifespan of earned miles

Cards like Citi PremierMiles Card, DBS Altitude Visa Signature Card and OCBC 90°N card offer earned miles that don't expire, which is a benefit that is important given uncertain situations like the COVID-19 pandemic that made travelling impossible at times.

If your card requires you to accumulate and then convert miles, remember to check the expiry date so you can convert them as late as possible.

Should you pay the credit card annual fee for miles?

If you are frustrated with how long it takes to accrue enough miles to redeem a free flight, it may be tempting to just pay your credit card’s annual fee to get hold of your bonus miles. Before you do so, it is worthwhile to compare the options. Since there is intense competition among miles cards in Singapore, do check out what other banks have to offer.

Credit card issuers typically offer better sign-up promotions and bonus miles “packages” for newcomers or those who have not owned a credit card for at least a year. If, after considering the options, you are still keen to pay the annual fee, do some simple maths to find the cost per mile and decide if it is worth it. This is of course a subjective decision, but many air miles bloggers deem that each mile should cost well under 2 cents. Any more than that, and you might as well pay for the flights with cash.

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Frequently Asked Questions

Which air miles programme is best?: For most Singaporeans, air miles are synonymous with KrisFlyer miles. But, while Singapore Airlines' KrisFlyer frequent flyer programme is definitely the most popular here, Cathay Pacific's Asia Miles programme may also be worth considering. Of course, Singapore Airlines has the most destinations, but if you like to visit East Asia, Cathay Pacific operates a good number of direct flights as well.
How much are miles worth?: The value of a mile is a subjective matter, and you will find entire blogs dedicated to arguing about it. Generally, most miles chasers are not willing to pay more than S$0.01 per mile when paying the annual fee. After that point, you may find yourself paying enough to afford the air fare in cash.
How many air miles do I need to fly for free?: Miles award charts vary from frequent flyer programme to frequent flyer programme. For KrisFlyer miles, you should aim for at least 50,000 miles in order to redeem a free Economy flight to anywhere a good distance away. For example, it takes 50,000 miles to fly to Japan and 56,000 to fly to Sydney. If you want to fly Business class, expect about double the number of miles.

Best Miles Credit Card Promotions in Singapore (2025)