5 Things You Didn’t Know Air Miles Can Buy

Make your air miles credit card go the distance for you

We live in busy times. When most things are readily and immediately available literally at our fingertips, the question is no longer “what can I have?”, but “what don’t I need?” To live a life of purpose and live it well, we need to Marie Kondo the crap out of everything from our wardrobe and our minds, to our social life and, yes, our wallets. Do you really need eight shades of pink lip gloss? The same can be asked of credit cards. Identify the one (or two) that is going to go the extra mile for you, and retire the rest.

For us, a credit card that lets us earn air miles has always been essential. Truth is, we are travelling more — for leisure or for work — we could always use extras. Even if you're not getting your passport stamped every month and redeeming your miles for air tickets, flight upgrades, hotels stays or to rent a car overseas, all that mileage could go pretty far in subsidising other aspects of your life. Did you know that you can actually pay for stuff like IT gadgets, household supplies, and even support a good cause with your air miles? Well, now you know.

Hello, Apple Watch

Indeed, say hello to a new Apple watch you have been eyeing. That is one of many tech-y things you may buy with your air miles online. Thanks to KrisFlyer, the frequent flyer programme of Singapore Airlines, you can redeem your air miles at KrisShop. In case you’re wondering, you can make a full redemption or mix your miles and cash. To profit even more, use a KrisFlyer Amex credit card to earn 2 miles for every S$1 spent. As usual, terms and conditions apply.

High On Grocery Shopping

All this talk about air miles may sound fancy schmancy and super atas, but — surprise, surprise — there are actually very grounded ways in which you could use your miles. Bet you didn’t know you could convert KrisFlyer miles into TapForMore points for instant rebates when you shop at Cold Storage, Market Place, Jasons, Giant and even Guardian. See, this is why less is more when it comes to credit cards. The more you use just the one card, the more points you are accumulating, which will save you money even in your every-day essentials.

Do Good — Miles For Smiles

Put a smile on someone’s face with your miles. How? Simple. Donate your miles to a meaningful cause. Whether it’s to help a community, children with life-threatening illnesses, provide better living conditions for the less fortunate, or to promote environmental sustainability, every mile makes a difference. See here for more information on KrisFlyer, and here for Asia Miles.

Chope Your Favourite Things

Asia Miles offers a duty-free pre-flight order service, where you can reserve travel-exclusive items using miles and pick them up on your next Cathay Pacific flight. What a great time to be alive. Some airports and loyalty programs also enable you to redeem airline miles for duty free goods. For instance, you can use Emirates Miles for merchandise at Dubai’s Duty Free stores and Lufthansa Miles & More at participating shops at Munich Airport, or Heinemann duty free shops across countries like Austria, Denmark, Germany and Italy.

Free Flight? Believe It

It’s a no brainer: If you have a favourite airline, stick to it. It literally pays to be a loyal flyer. Together with an affiliate credit card — for example the AMEX KrisFlyer card — you earn every time you spend, and the more you spend, the more you earn. Before you know it, you’re on your next flight out — for free. And if not free, then at least subsidised. Use your KrisFlyer miles to pay for a part or the full airfare on SIA and other partner airlines like Virgin Atlantic. It’s also possible to redeem vouchers for travel on Scoot.

Because Sharing is Caring

The best things in life are shared with someone you love. Eeny, meeny, miny, moe — you may pick anyone to be your redemption nominee, and they, too, could reap the benefits of getting flight upgrades and/or a free air ticket. Terms and conditions here.

Are you thinking of applying for an air miles credit card? Perfect timing! Apply for your preferred card on SingSaver from now until June 18, 2018, and you could stand a chance to win 10,000 miles from your preferred airline loyalty programme (on top of many other perks).

By Alexa Fang

Alexa is a pop-culture vulture. She lives to read, write and travel, and decided long ago that life is stranger than fiction. When she's having croissant, she thinks in French. "31 Rue Cambon" is her favourite address, and she believes that money one enjoyed spending is never money wasted.