OCBC VOYAGE offering 30,000 miles sign-up bonus to CardUp customers

OCBC VOYAGE has launched a new targeted sign-up offer for CardUp customers that’s valid for applications till 31 July 2023. New cardholders who spend S$1,000 on CardUp and pay the first year’s annual fee will receive 30,000 bonus miles. 

Compared to the current public offer (which requires a minimum spend of S$2,500), this is a much lower threshold to meet, and with income tax season coming up, could be worth looking at.

OCBC VOYAGE x CardUp offer

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CardUp members will have received an eDM referring to a “double welcome bonus” for new OCBC VOYAGE customers.

From 20 February to 31 July 2023, CardUp customers who apply for an OCBC VOYAGE Card, pay the S$492.50 annual fee and spend at least S$1,000 on CardUp within 30 days from approval will receive 30,000 miles as follows:

• 15,000 miles for paying the S$492.50 annual fee
• 15,000 miles for spending at least S$1,000 on CardUp within 30 days of approval

This offer is open to both new and existing OCBC cardholders. In other words, holding another OCBC credit card such as the OCBC Titanium Rewards will not disqualify you, in and of itself. 

However, the T&Cs state that only customers who have “received a non-transferable invitation from CardUp inviting you to participate in the Promotion” are eligible. In other words, it’s a targeted offer, though when I examine the application URL, all it seems to add is VOYCUP to the Agent Source Code.

This is probably how OCBC is tracking and bonusing eligible applications, which then suggests that anyone who clicks the link will be eligible. That’s just speculation on my part though, and it’s probably still a good idea to check with CardUp customer service if you didn’t get an eDM.

When will bonus miles be credited?

15,000 miles for paying the annual fee of S$492.50 will be credited upon card account opening.

15,000 miles for spending S$1,000 on CardUp will be credited within three months from the card approval date. 

Terms and Conditions

You can find the full T&Cs of this offer here.

How does this compare to the public offer?

As a reminder, the OCBC VOYAGE is currently offering a public sign-up bonus of 30,000 miles as well, though it’s structured differently from the CardUp offer:

• The CardUp offer requires a minimum spend of S$1,000 on CardUp, while the public offer requires a minimum spend of S$2,500 on any retail transaction
• The minimum spend for the CardUp offer must be done within 30 days from card approval date, while the minimum spend for the public offer must be done within one full calendar month from the card opening month. For example, if a card is opened on 15 March 2023, the cardholder has until 30 April 2023 to spend, which means they will have anywhere from 1-2 calendar months depending on approval date

If you were already planning to use CardUp to pay upcoming bills (like income tax), then this would be a good opportunity to add an OCBC VOYAGE Card and pick up some bonus miles in the process.

Don’t forget: OCBC VOYAGE Cardholders can use the code OCBC18 to make CardUp payments with a 1.8% admin fee, which works out to just 1.36 cents per mile. This is valid for all payments due on or before 3 January 2024, with no limit on the maximum uses. 

T&Cs for this promo code can be found here.

What can you do with VOYAGE Miles?

VOYAGE Miles can be converted into KrisFlyer miles at a 1:1 ratio. Transfers used to be free of charge, but ever since 1 February 2023 a S$25 fee applies. 

Frequent Flyer Programme	Conversion Ratio (VOYAGE Miles: Partner)
	1:1

OCBC plans to add an additional eight transfer partners by the end of March, including five airlines and three hotel loyalty programmes. Transfer ratios have yet to be announced, so stay tuned. 

Alternatively, VOYAGE Cardholders can also use VOYAGE Miles to offset the cost of any seat, on any flight, to any destination. The value per mile depends on the cabin and routing you choose, though in general you’ll receive around 2 cents per mile for Business Class travel.

VOYAGE Miles earned on the OCBC VOYAGE do not expire, so long as the card remains active.

Overview: OCBC VOYAGE Card

Card Review
Income Req.	S$120,000 p.a.	Points Validity	No expiry
Annual Fee	S$492.50	Min. Transfer	1 VOYAGE Mile (1 mile)
Miles with Annual Fee	15,000	Transfer Partners	SIA
FCY Fee	3.25%	Transfer Fee	S$25
Local Earn	1.3 mpd	Points Pool?	No
FCY Earn	2.2 mpd	Lounge Access?	Yes
Special Earn	N/A	Airport Limo?	Yes
Cardholder Terms and Conditions

OCBC VOYAGE Cardholders earn 1.3 mpd on all Singapore dollar spending, and 2.2 mpd on foreign currency spending. Card benefits include unlimited access to Plaza Premium Lounges, complimentary airport limo transfers, as well as periodic invitations to 1-for-1 dining events.

Unfortunately, the limo benefit was nerfed at the start of February. Cardholders now need to spend S$12,000 per quarter to unlock two rides, with the maximum number of free rides cut from 24 to 8 per year. 

As mentioned earlier, free transfers to KrisFlyer are no longer available, though the minimum transfer amount remains at just one mile. 

Conclusion

New OCBC VOYAGE Cardholders can now enjoy 30,000 miles as a welcome gift with payment of the S$492.50 annual fee and a minimum spend of S$1,000 on CardUp.

We’re still waiting to hear the full details of OCBC’s new transfer partners, so those 30,000 miles could be useful for more than just KrisFlyer, depending on the all-important conversion ratios.