If you’re a regular SIA flyer, the KrisFlyer Elite Gold membership is a status symbol that comes with certain conveniences – namely, priority check-in, priority baggage handing, and lounge access.
The American Express KrisFlyer Ascend Card offers a shortcut to the Elite Gold tier.
But does the card have anything to offer besides that? Is it worth the higher annual fees?
We’ll take a closer look at:
- Eligibility requirements
- Annual fees and charges
- Miles-per-dollar rates and other benefits
- Whom this card is best for
Eligibility Requirements
| Residential Status | Singaporean / PRs / Foreigners |
| Age | 21 and above |
| Income Required | At least S$50,000 per year for Singapore Citizens and Permanent Residents; S$60,000 per annum for Foreigners based in Singapore |
You’ll notice from the income requirement that this isn’t an entry-level card – it’s one tier up from the American Express KrisFlyer blue card.
If you’re set on the AMEX KrisFlyer Ascend but don’t meet the income requirement, you can go for the blue card instead and get an upgrade from there.
Annual Fees and Charges
| Annual Fees | S$340.20 for principal card and S$81 for supplementary card with first year fee waiver (inclusive of GST) |
| Effective Interest Rate | 26.90% per annum |
| Late Payment Charges | S$90 per month |
| Minimum Monthly Payment | S$50 or 3% of the balance, whichever is higher |
| Lost or Stolen Card Liability | S$100 |
| Foreign Currency Conversion Fee | 2.95% |
| Cash Advance Interest and Charges | 5% of withdrawal amount + 26.90% per annum |
Miles-Per-Dollar (MPD) Rates and Other Benefits
Here’s a breakdown of the KrisFlyer Ascend’s miles earning rates:
| Local Spend | 1.2 MPD 3.2 MPD on Grab transactions, capped at S$200 monthly |
| Overseas Spend | 2 MPD (June and December only) 1.2 MPD for all other months |
| Other | 2 MPD for Singapore Airlines and KrisShop 0.5 MPD on Singapore Airlines Instalment Plans 500 Bonus KrisFlyer Miles on first telco recurring bill spend |
Compared with other air miles cards, the AMEX Krisflyer Ascend offers subpar MPD rates for the annual fees it charges.
The one exception is the 3.2 MPD on Grab transactions. Even this is capped at S$200 per month.
And this card seems to have been designed for parents with school-going kids, given that you can only earn the 2 MPD on overseas spend in June and December. Other cards offer 2 MPD and above all year round.
Travel Privileges
This card gives you perks like:
- 4 complimentary lounge passes every year (for any participating SATS Premier Lounge in Singapore and Plaza Premium Lounge globally)
- Complimentary one night stay each year at participating Asia-Pacific Hilton Properties and complimentary upgrade to Hilton Honours Silver membership tier
- Travel accident insurance coverage up to S$1 million when you purchase your tickets with the card
- Discounts on portable WiFi router rentals, Hertz, annual travel insurance, and overseas merchants
Other than that, the general travel perks are fairly standard – even below average considering this is supposed to be a mid-tier card.
Accelerated Upgrade to KrisFlyer Elite Gold Membership
You usually have to chalk up 50,000 Elite Miles to qualify for Elite Gold, but the American Express KrisFlyer Ascend Card is an accelerated path toward the coveted tier.
With at least S$15,000 eligible spend on Singapore Airlines within a year, you can qualify for the KrisFlyer Elite Gold Membership tier. (Check out the benefits here.)
But if you want to continue with your Elite Gold status afterwards, you can’t spend another $15k the next year – you have to requalify by accumulating 50,000 Elite miles during the membership period.
That little snag (combined with the lack of an attractive renewal bonus) makes the card less attractive past the first year, in our opinion.
This Card is Best For…
- SIA frequent flyers who spend – or anticipate spending – at least S$15,000 on the airline in a year for KrisFlyer Elite Gold membership
- Those who use Grab regularly to maximise the boosted 3.2 MPD rate
- Those expecting big purchases coming up in the next year
But unless you’ve got your heart set on that Elite Gold tier, the drawbacks of this card currently outweigh the benefits.
With where it currently stands, this card needs a dramatic revision to its perks to regain a competitive edge in the market.