Best Credit Cards with Air Miles for Paying Your Annual Fee (2023)
Paying the annual fee on your credit card to get bonus miles seems like an easy way to chalk up your KrisFlyer miles quickly. But is it worth it? Take a look at how much you are actually paying per mile.
5 Best Credit Cards with Air Miles for Paying Your Annual Fee
These miles cards offer bonus air miles when you pay the annual fee. Is it ever worth it?
5 Best Credit Cards with Air Miles for Paying Your Annual Fee
Standard Chartered X Card
Standard Chartered X Card
- on Local Spend
- S$1 = 1.2 Miles
- on Overseas Spend
- S$1 = 2 Miles
- when you activate your X card within 30 days from approval date
- 30,000 Air Miles
On the other hand, you get 60,000 miles for paying the annual fee, provided you meet the minimum spending requirements within the first few months. This works out to a reasonable 1.2 cents per mile.
AMEX KrisFlyer Ascend Card
American Express Singapore Airlines KrisFlyer Ascend Credit Card
- Local Spend
- S$1 = 1.2 Miles
- Overseas Spend
- S$1 = 2 Miles
- on Eligible Grab transaction, capped at $200 per month
- S$1 = 3.2 Miles
And like the Standard Chartered X Card, it has a non-waivable annual fee that kicks in from the first year. However, if you pay the $337.05 annual fee and meet the minimum spending requirements, you can net 20,000 miles. That works out to 1.7 cents per mile.
Note that American Express also has an entry-level version of this card, the Amex KrisFlyer Card, which has an annual fee waiver for the first year. This credit card also offers welcome miles for hitting a minimum spend, but without the need to pay the annual fee.
DBS Altitude Card
DBS Altitude Visa Signature Card
- Local Spend
- S$1 = 1.2 Miles
- Overseas Spend
- S$1 = 2 Miles
- Staycation bookings
- S$1 = 10 Miles
It has a first-year annual fee waiver, but if you choose to pay the annual fee of S$192.60 from the second year, you can get 10,000 miles in return. That works out to 1.9 cents per mile.
You can also opt to get a second year fee waiver if you are eligible, but you will naturally miss out on the 10,000 bonus miles.
Should you pay the credit card annual fee for miles?
Frequently Asked Questions
Which air miles programme is best?
- For most Singaporeans, air miles are synonymous with KrisFlyer miles. But, while Singapore Airlines' KrisFlyer frequent flyer programme is definitely the most popular here, Cathay Pacific's Asia Miles programme may also be worth considering. Of course, Singapore Airlines has the most destinations, but if you like to visit East Asia, Cathay Pacific operates a good number of direct flights as well.
How much are miles worth?
- The value of a mile is a subjective matter, and you will find entire blogs dedicated to arguing about it. Generally, most miles chasers are not willing to pay more than S$0.01 per mile when paying the annual fee. After that point, you may find yourself paying enough to afford the air fare in cash.
How many air miles do I need to fly for free?
- Miles award charts vary from frequent flyer programme to frequent flyer programme. For KrisFlyer miles, you should aim for at least 50,000 miles in order to redeem a free Economy flight to anywhere a good distance away. For example, it takes 50,000 miles to fly to Japan and 56,000 to fly to Sydney. If you want to fly Business class, expect about double the number of miles.
