HSBC Revolution vs Citi PremierMiles vs SCB Journey: Best Air Miles Credit Cards

Rewards earn structure

Up to 20X Reward Points (8 miles) per $1 on eligible contactless & online spends in dining, shopping, travel, ride-hailing, taxis, and subscriptions (gym, streaming, etc.). Pair with HSBC Everyday Global Account for max rate.

Otherwise, up to 10X Reward Points per $1

1X Reward Points on all others

1.2 miles per $1 on eligible local spend

2.2 miles per $1 on eligible overseas spend

Up to 10 miles per $1 with Kaligo and 7.2 miles per $1 via Agoda (via Citi portal)

Up to 3 miles per $1 on eligible transport, food delivery, online groceries (capped at $1,000 per month)

1.2 miles per $1 on eligible local spend and 2 miles per $1 on eligible overseas spend

Annual fee & waiver

No annual fee

$196.20 (1st year waiver)

No annual fee

Minimum annual income

$65,000 (General)

$30,000 / $40,000 if you have $50,000+ total relationship balance (TRB) with HSBC

$30,000 (Singaporeans / PRs)

$42,000 (Foreigners)

$30,000 (Singaporeans / PRs)

$90,000 (Foreigners)

Caveats

Points expire after 37 months

Bonus miles earn capped at $1,500 per month (For 20X rate)

Requires $50,000 EGA balance for max earn rate

3.25% foreign transaction fee

Annual fee applies from 2nd year onwards

3.25% foreign transaction fee

$27.25 miles transfer fee per conversion

Bonus miles earn capped at $1,000 spend per month

3.25% foreign transaction fee

High $90,000 annual income requirement for foreigners

⭐ Best for

Frequent online / contactless spenders keen on flexible rewards and no annual fee

Regular travellers who value evergreen (non-expiring) miles and want higher overseas earn

$1,000/month spenders on everyday essentials like transport, groceries, and food delivery; budget-conscious travellers seeking bonus categories

Quasi-cash & gambling

6050, 6051, 7511, 7995, 9754

❌

❌

❌

Money transfers & prepaid/e-wallet top-ups

4829, 6529, 6530, 6532–6538, 6540

❌  

❌

❌

Insurance

5960, 6300

❌

❌

❌

Education

8211, 8220, 8241, 8244, 8249, 8299

❌

❌

❌

Utilities

4900

❌

❌

❌

Hospitals

8062

❌

❌

❌

Government services & taxes

9211, 9222, 9223, 9311, 9399, 9402, 9405

❌

❌

❌

Charitable & political organisations

8398, 8651

❌

❌

❌

Cleaning & janitorial services

7349

❌

❌

❌

Parking & real estate/rental

7523, 6513

❌

❌

✅

AXS & SAM transactions

6532, 6533 (and named merchants)

❌

❌

❌

Balance transfers, cash advances & card fees

6010, 6011, 6012

❌

❌

❌

Foreign exchange transactions

6051 (forex-specific)

❌

✅

✅

Professional services (Google Ads, Facebook Ads, AWS)

7399, 8999

❌

✅

✅

Religious organisations

8661

❌

✅

✅

Cigar stores

5993

✅

❌

✅

Named transit merchants (SimplyGo, TransitLink, BUS/MRT, YouTrip)

4111 (and named merchants)

✅

❌

✅

Securities & financial institution transactions

6211

✅

❌

✅

1

Check eligibility requirements

Verify that you meet the minimum application criteria for your chosen card:

• Min. 21 years old
• Min. annual income:
  • HSBC Revolution: $65,000 (or $30k / $40k with $50k EGA balance) for all
  • Citi PremierMiles: $30,000 for Singaporeans / PRs; $42,000 for foreigners
  • SCB Journey: $30,000 for Singaporeans / PRs; $90,000 for foreigners

2

Gather required documents

Prepare all necessary documentation before starting your application.

For Singaporeans/PRs:

• NRIC (front & back)
• Latest computerised payslip OR 3-6 months CPF contribution statement
• Income Tax Notice of Assessment (self-employed or commission-earners)

For foreigners:

• Passport (min. 6 months’ validity)
• Employment Pass or S Pass
• Latest payslip (3 months) OR salary crediting bank statement
• Proof of address (utility bill, tenancy agreement, bank statement)

3

Apply via MoneySmart

Start your application by clicking the "Apply Now" button via MoneySmart for any of the three cards.

Upon application, your Singpass MyInfo will be accessed to verify your identity and retrieve income details (for Singapore residents). This significantly speeds up approval.

Once successfully submitted, the approval-in-principle page should appear within a few minutes.

4

Wait for approval

After accurately entering your personal details on the bank's online portal and uploading your documents, wait for the bank to approve your application.

Credit card applications with Singpass MyInfo may be approved instantly or take up to 3 working days. Meanwhile, manual uploads may take between 5–7 days.

5

Receive and activate your card

Once approved, receive access to your digital card within 24 hours via the bank app and activate it to start earning miles on it immediately!

Your physical card will arrive in 3–5 working days via registered mail. Overseas card use can also be activated on each bank's app directly.

6

Bonus: Meet minimum spend to claim sign-up gifts

Most cards require a minimum spend within a specified timeframe (typically 30-60 days) to unlock welcome bonuses.

Check MoneySmart’s card comparison tool for current exclusive promotions offering cash rebates, SmartPoints, bonus miles, or lucky draw entries for new cardholders. These offers often include:

• Cash rebates or reward points
• Bonus airline miles
• Lucky draw entries
• Enhanced earn rates for initial period

Log into your MoneySmart account after meeting the minimum spend requirement to claim your welcome bonus within the stipulated deadline (typically 60-90 days post-approval).

Exceeding monthly caps

Credit cards cap their monthly bonus miles / points earn rate at different spend thresholds. For e.g.

• HSBC Revolution = $1,500 per month (with $50k EGA balance) = 24,000 points
• SCB Journey = $1,000 per month (3,000 miles)

Any excess only earns the base 1X rate.

Track spend via spending or bank app.

Switch to Citi PremierMiles after hitting other cards’ caps—it has no limit on earning bonus miles.

Using cards on excluded categories

Insurance, SimplyGo top-ups, government payments, and utilities earn no miles or points.

Check your card’s MCC exclusions before any large payments.

Use unlimited cashback cards (broader MCC eligibility) or direct debit for excluded categories.

Letting HSBC Points expire

HSBC Points expire after 37 months. 50,000 points = ~$500 value lost if forgotten / unredeemed.

Set a reminder at month 30.

Redeem in batches or switch to Citi PremierMiles (Citi Miles never expire).

Paying foreign transaction (FX) fees overseas

Despite being miles or travel credit cards, all 3 cards still incur a 3.25% FX fee.

Consider using a multi-currency card or switching to another credit card with no FX charge (e.g. UOB EVOL or Cashback Card by Trust)

Ignoring annual fees in calculations

Citi PremierMiles’ $196.20 annual fee requires ~S$10,000 in overseas spend to break even.

Use a miles credit card with no annual fee like HSBC Revolution to enjoy more value per mile