For a fuss-free miles card, the American Express Singapore Airlines KrisFlyer card seems to fit the bill.
Linked to your KrisFlyer account, this card automatically turns spending into miles with zero conversion fees. Add that to the generous welcome offers with lots of bonus miles and we think this card is worth a look.
But how does it actually compare to other miles-focused cards on the market, and how do you maximise your miles earning rate with this card?
Let’s plough through the details to see if it’s the right fit for you:
- Eligibility requirements
- Miles earning rate and other benefits
- How to maximise KrisFlyer miles
- AMEX Singapore Airlines KrisFlyer vs other Krisflyer cards
- Who would benefit most from this card?
Eligibility
| Min. Age | 21 years for main applicant; 18 for supplementary cardholders |
| Annual Income | At least S$30,000 for Singaporeans and PRs; S$45,000 for foreigners |
Using Singpass MyInfo is the fastest way to apply for the card, though you also have the option of manually sending in your info and supporting documents.
Be sure to have a copy of your ID, proof of residence, and proof of income handy for the application.
AMEX KrisFlyer Card Miles Earning Rate & Other Benefits
You can earn KrisFlyer miles through the following:
- Grab Singapore transactions: 3.1 miles per dollar spent, capped at S$200 spent per month. If you max this out, it’s 620 miles every month.
- Purchases on SIA and KrisShop: 2 miles per dollar spent. No cap.
- Foreign currency/overseas purchases: 2 miles per dollar spent in June and December. 1.1 miles per dollar in other months. No cap.
- Local currency/spend: 1.1 miles for every S$1 spent. No cap.
- Singapore Airlines Instalment Plans: 0.5 miles for every S$1 spent. No cap.
These miles are automatically credited into your linked KrisFlyer account (no conversion needed) and typically expire after three years.
Other than that, new applicants will enjoy the following welcome offers:
- 22,000 Krisflyer miles when you spend S$2,000 within the first 3 months
- 2,200 miles at the usual earn rate of 1.1MPD for spending S$2,000 for the 22,000 bonus miles above
- First year annual fee waiver for both principal and supplementary cardholders
American Express KrisFlyer Card vs Other Miles-Focused Cards
| Credit Card | Local Spend | Overseas Spend |
|---|---|---|
| American Express KrisFlyer Card | S$1 = 1.1 Miles S$1 = 3.1 Miles on Grab transactions | S$1 = 1 Mile. Increases to 2 Miles in June and December |
| DBS Altitude American Express Card | S$1 = 1.2 Miles | S$1 = 2 to 10 Miles S$1 = 3 Miles on online flight and hotel transactions, capped at S$5,000 monthly |
| Citi PremierMiles Visa Card | S$1 = 1.2 Miles | S$1 = 2 Miles |
Local Spending
At 1.1 MPD, the AMEX KrisFlyer Card is at the lower end of the range in the market. The one exception is if you use Grab regularly since the 3.1 MPD rate is higher than almost every other card.
Overseas Spending
Again, the AMEX KrisFlyer is a lot less competitive here — though it might be because the DBS Altitude and Citi PremierMiles Card have higher annual fees.
This is especially so when you consider that the AMEX KrisFlyer restricts the 2 MPD overseas earn rate to June and December, whereas other cards don’t have such a strange requirement.
Who Should Use the AMEX KrisFlyer Card?
The AMEX KrisFlyer blue card isn’t the most well-rounded travel credit card, but it can come in handy in certain cases. We’d recommend the card for:
- Those who spend at least S$200 on Grab services per month
- Those who anticipate big purchases in the next 6 months (especially travel-related spending)
- Those eyeing the AMEX KrisFlyer Ascend Card, since you can get a free upgrade with a minimum of S$10,000 spend within 12 consecutive months