The Best Air Miles Credit Cards in Singapore for 2017

Use the best air miles credit cards in Singapore to get free flights, hotel discounts, and complimentary travel insurance for your next holiday.

Updated 28 June 2017.

Air miles credit cards are a must have if you like to take a vacation every now and then. Just put your everyday spending on this card, and redeem free flights, seat upgrades and even hotel stays. Yes, please!

Even better, the right credit card can save you up to 8% off at Agoda.com, give you free airport lounge access, or complimentary travel insurance when you use it to book your flight tickets.

If these travel cards aren’t the best things since sliced bread, we don’t know what is. Here are our top 3 picks for the best air miles credit cards in Singapore for 2017.

Best for Frequent Travellers: DBS Altitude Visa Signature Card

Living up to its name, the DBS Altitude Visa Signature Card is a credit card that will help you fly far and high. You’ll get a respectable 1.2 miles on the dollar for your local spending, and 2 miles per S$1 for foreign transactions.

But what’s even better is the 3 miles you’ll earn for every S$1 when you book flights and hotels online; each holiday you take with this card helps pave the way for your next one!

And don’t forget the pair of complimentary airport lounge passes bundled with your credit card, ideal for when you need some extra pampering.

Throw in the friendly eligibility requirements (starting from S$30,000 per annum), and you really have no reason not to make this your go-to travel credit card.

Qualifying Criteria and Card Fees

Before applying for this card, check the eligibility requirements and card fees below.

What We Like

• 3 miles per S$1 spent on online flights and hotel bookings
• 2 miles per S$1 spent on foreign transactions
• 1.2 miles per S$1 spent locally
• Points never expire
• 2 complimentary airport lounge passes per year
• Up to S$1 million travel accident insurance

What We Don’t Like

• S$25 conversion fee

Get This Card If You...

• Often book hotels and flights online. At 3 miles per S$1, you have every reason to offer to book vacations on behalf of the entire extended family. Even with the S$5,000 cap, you can earn a cool 15,000 air miles per month.

• Travel frequently. The more you charge to this card, the more you’ll be able to travel.

Best for Widest Range of Airline Partners: Citi PremierMiles Visa Card

The Citi PremierMiles Visa Card is another travel credit card that offers a great earn rate. You’ll get 1.2 miles per dollar spent locally, and 2 miles per S$1 spent for foreign currency transactions.

On top of that, you’ll also find opportunities to boost your base earn rate, such as the ongoing Agoda promo that gives you 8 miles per S$1 for your travel bookings.

Where the Citi PremierMiles Visa Card shines is in its wide partner network, which allows you to redeem your miles with no less than 10 frequent flyer programmes around the world. (In contrast, most air miles credit cards allow you to choose from between Asia Miles and KrisFlyer only.)

This is no doubt appealing for travellers who have specific carriers in mind. Another possible advantage is the ability to pick the route that costs the least air miles.

Qualifying Criteria and Card Fees

Before applying for this card, check the eligibility requirements and card fees below.

What We Like

• 8 miles per S$1 spent on Agoda (until 31 May 17 only)
• 2 miles per S$1 spent on foreign transactions
• 1.2 miles per S$1 spent locally
• Points never expire
• 2 complimentary airport lounge passes per year
• Up to S$1 million travel accident insurance, and S$1,000 travel inconvenience insurance

What We Don’t Like

• S$25 conversion fee

Get This Card If You...

• Want to choose who you fly with. With relatively high eligibility requirements, and a significantly larger FFP partner network, this is an air miles card designed for the discerning traveller.

Best for Fans of Singapore Airlines: American Express Singapore Airlines KrisFlyer Credit Card

If you can’t get enough of your KrisFlyer miles, you’ll likely find the American Express Singapore Airlines KrisFlyer Credit Card a worthy addition to your passport holder.

Apart from its decent air miles earn rate of 1.1 miles per S$1 for all transactions locally or overseas, this card also provides ample avenues for you to earn bonus miles. From up to 15,000 bonus welcome miles, and 20,000 bonus miles for referring friends, to 2 miles per S$1 when when booking an SQ flight and more, you’ll be filling up your KrisFlyer account in no time.

And because this is a co-branded card, you’ll be earning KrisFlyer miles directly, which are automatically deposited into your KrisFlyer account. You won’t have to bother with converting your miles, nor pesky conversion fees.  

Qualifying Criteria and Card Fees

Before applying for this card, check the eligibility requirements and card fees below.

What We Like

• 2 miles per S$1 spent on singaporeair.com, silkair.com, KrisShop and at SilkAir SkyShop, both in-flight and online
• 1.1 miles per S$1 spent locally and overseas
• 30% off Plaza Premium lounge access at selected airports
• No air miles conversion fee

What We Don’t Like

• KrisFlyer miles expire after 3 years

Get This Card If You...

• Love hassle-free rewards. Perhaps the best feature of this credit card is the automatic deposit of KrisFlyer miles into your account. No hassle, no conversion fees.

Prefer a different card? Use SingSaver.com.sg's free comparison tools to compare travel credit cards.

Read This Next:

5 Credit Cards That Give Free Access to Airport Lounges

KrisFlyer vs AsiaMiles: Which is the Better Frequent Flyer Programme?

By Alevin Chan

A Certified Financial Planner with a curiosity about what makes people tick, Alevin's mission is to help readers understand the psychology of money. He's also on an ongoing quest to optimize happiness and enjoyment in his life.