What’s the best card to use for Kris+?

Kris+ is an essential tool for any miles chaser. Here's the best credit cards to pair with the app for maximum miles.

Kris+ is Singapore Airlines’ lifestyle rewards app that allows users to earn and redeem KrisFlyer miles at participating merchants in Singapore and Australia, as well as enjoy special discounts and privileges .

Miles earned on Kris+ can be transferred instantly to KrisFlyer at a 1:1 ratio with no conversion fees, so it’s an excellent way of topping up your account for an award redemption.

S$5 for new Kris+ Users
Get S$5 (in the form of 750 KrisPay miles) when you sign-up with code W644363 and make your first transaction

In Singapore, Kris+ now has more than 400 merchants, with earn rates ranging from 0.5-9 mpd. This includes popular merchants such as Audio House, Challenger, Esso, Harvey Norman, iStudio, Paradise Group, and Tung Lok. 

📱 Summary: Kris+ Merchants
Kris+ Earn Rate
Number of Merchants
9 mpd138
6 mpd170
5 mpd2
4 mpd9
3 mpd104
2 mpd5
1.5 mpd1
1 mpd17
0.5 mpd1
Total447

Keep in mind, the rates above are before factoring in credit card miles, which can yield an additional 3-6 mpd.

In this post, we’ll look at the best cards for pairing with Kris+.

💳 What’s the Best Card for…
❓ Overall Guide
✈️ Air Tickets
🌎 Amaze 💗 Charity
🍽️ Dining
🏫 Education🥡 Food Delivery
🏨 Hotels☂️ Insurance
📱 Kris+
⚕️ MedicalPetrol🚍 Public Transport
🛒 Supermarkets🚰 Utilities 

What card should I use with Kris+?

Here’s a brief reminder of the ground rules for Kris+:

  • All Kris+ payments must be made in-app, via Apple Pay or Google Pay
  • All Kris+ transactions code as online
  • Kris+ transactions generally retain the original MCC of the underlying transaction (with some limited exceptions)

This means you should either use:

  • a card that explicitly awards bonuses for Kris+
  • a card that awards bonuses for online spending
  • a card which bonus categories match the underlying MCC

If you’re uncertain about the MCC, here’s three ways you can check it before making a purchase.

MethodEase of UseReliability
HeyMax●●●
📱 Instarem app●●●●
🤖 DBS digibot
●●●

For a detailed guide, refer to the following article.

How to check Merchant Category Codes (MCCs) before making a purchase

All Kris+ transactions

💳 Best Cards for Kris+ (All Categories)
CardEarn RateRemarks
DBS WWMC
Apply
4 mpdMax. S$2K per c. month*
Citi Rewards + Amaze
Apply
4 mpdMax. S$1K per s. month. Do not use Citi Rewards Card alone- no bonuses
KrisFlyer UOB Card
Apply
3 mpdNo cap
*Cut to S$1.5K per c. month from 1 March 2024
C. Month= Calendar Month | S. Month= Statement Month

If you want a fuss-free solution that will work regardless of MCC, then any of the above cards will do the job. 

The DBS Woman’s World Card earns 4 mpd on Kris+ transactions, capped at S$2,000 per calendar month (cut to S$1,500 from 1 March 2024), by virtue of the fact they code as online.

While the Citi Rewards Card will only earn 0.4 mpd on Kris+ transactions (because of the exception clause for in-app Apple/Google Pay payments) pairing it with the Amaze Card will circumvent the restriction. This allows you to earn 4 mpd on the first S$1,000 per statement month.

However, do remember that Apple Pay does not support Amaze, so this is only a solution for Android users (while Apple users can download Google Pay, they cannot use it for in-app transactions).

Finally, the KrisFlyer UOB Credit Card was enhanced in November 2022 to offer an uncapped 3 mpd on all Kris+ transactions, with no minimum spend required. 

Kris+ Dining

🍴 Best Cards for Kris+ Dining
CardEarn RateRemarks
UOB Lady’s Card
Apply
6 mpd*Max. S$1K per c. month. Must choose Dining as bonus category
UOB Lady’s Solitaire
Apply
6 mpd*
Max. S$3K per c. month. Must choose Dining as bonus category
HSBC Revolution
Apply
4 mpdMax. S$1K per c. month
UOB Pref. Plat. Visa
Apply
4 mpdMax. S$1.1K per c. month
*Reduced to 4 mpd from 1 April 2024
C. Month= Calendar Month | S. Month= Statement Month
These cards are in addition to those mentioned in the Kris+ (All Categories) table above

If you’re paying with Kris+ at a restaurant, then the UOB Lady’s Card or UOB Lady’s Solitaire, with dining selected as the quarterly bonus category, will earn 6 mpd on the first S$1,000 or S$3,000 per calendar month. Be advised that the rate will be reduced to 4 mpd from 1 April 2024, when UOB’s year-long promotion draws to a close

Alternatively, you can go with the HSBC Revolution or UOB Preferred Platinum Visa for 4 mpd on the first S$1,000 or S$1,110 per calendar month. 

Do note that the “safest” card to use for dining would still be the HSBC Revolution or UOB Preferred Platinum Visa, since they have the broadest definition of dining. 

🍽️ Dining Card MCC Coverage
 
 HSBC Revo
UOB Lady’s
UOB PPV
5811
Caterers
5812
Restaurants
5813
Bars & Nightclubs
  
5814
Fast Food
5441
Candy, Nut, Confectionary Stores
 
5462
Bakeries
 
5499
Misc. Food Stores

Kris+ Shopping

🛍️ Best Cards for Kris+ Shopping
CardEarn RateRemarks
UOB Lady’s Card
Apply
6 mpd*Max. S$1K per c. month. Must choose Fashion as bonus category
UOB Lady’s Solitaire
Apply
6 mpd*
Max. S$3K per c. month. Must choose Fashion as bonus category
HSBC Revolution
Apply
4 mpdMax. S$1K per c. month
UOB Pref. Plat. Visa
Apply
4 mpdMax. S$1.1K per c. month
OCBC Rewards
Apply
4 mpdMax. S$1.1K per c month
*Reduced to 4 mpd from 1 April 2024
C. Month= Calendar Month | M. Year= Membership Year
These cards are in addition to those mentioned in the Kris+ (All Categories) table above

Shopping is a bit of a tricky category because of the sheer number of possible MCCs involved. 

You’ll need to compare the MCC (here’s how to find it before making a transaction) against the T&Cs for your card, but generally speaking the HSBC Revolution and UOB Preferred Platinum Visa cover the widest range.

CardShopping MCCs
HSBC Revolution
4816, 5045, 5262, 5309, 5310, 5311, 5331, 5399, 5611, 5621, 5631, 5641, 5651, 5655, 5661, 5691, 5699, 5732 to 5735, 5912, 5942, 5944 to 5949, 5964 to 5970, 5992, 5999
OCBC Rewards5309, 5311, 5611, 5621, 5631 ,5641, 5651, 5655, 5661, 5691, 5699, 5941, 5948
UOB Lady’s Card
5311, 5611, 5621, 5631, 5651, 5655, 5661, 5691, 5699, 5948
UOB Lady’s Solitaire
UOB Pref. Plat Visa4816, 5262, 5306, 5309, 5310, 5311, 5331, 5399, 5611, 5621, 5631, 5641, 5651, 5661, 5691, 5699, 5732-5735, 5912, 5942, 5944-5949, 5964-5970, 5992, 5999

For shopping, the UOB Lady’s Card or UOB Lady’s Solitaire, with Fashion selected as the quarterly bonus category, will earn 6 mpd on the first S$1,000 or S$3,000 per calendar month (reduced to 4 mpd from 1 April 2024).

Alternatively, you can go with the HSBC Revolution, OCBC Rewards or UOB Preferred Platinum Visa for 4 mpd on the first S$1,000 (Revolution) or S$1,110 (Rewards, Preferred) per calendar month.

❓ What about the UOB Visa Signature?
The UOB Visa Signature will only earn 0.4 mpd on Kris+ transactions, since it does not award bonuses for online spending. While it earns 4 mpd on Apple/Google Pay transactions, that only applies to in-store transactions

Transfer your miles immediately!

Here’s the standard Kris+ PSA: whenever you earn any miles through the Kris+ app, be sure to transfer them to your KrisFlyer account immediately. There’ll be a big blue “transfer to KrisFlyer” button that pops up after payment; you can’t miss it.

If you wait more than seven days, or spend any of the miles earned on a given transaction via the Kris+ app, the remaining balance will be stuck in Kris+ where it can only be spent at a paltry rate of 150 miles = S$1, with a six-month expiry.

Don’t forget Challenges

Kris+ Challenges, for the uninitiated, are simple tasks that award extra KrisPay miles. You can find the Challenges section at the top of the Kris+ home screen (you may need to swipe to the left to see it).

Do make a point of registering for all the Challenges you see, in the off chance you trigger the reward criteria inadvertently!

For instance, the most recent Challenge awarded 3,750 KrisPay miles (worth S$25) to Kris+ users who spent at least S$100 in a single payment with a Mastercard. While miles earned from Challenges cannot be transferred to KrisFlyer, it’s still free!

Earn extra miles for restaurant bookings

Don’t forget that the Kris+ Makan+ platform offers 100 KrisPay miles for each restaurant reservation made via the app. 

To book restaurants, simply tap the Reserve A Table button at the top of the homepage. 

This isn’t a huge reward, but it costs you nothing extra to earn, and the selection is pretty substantial since it’s powered by Chope. You might even find restaurants here that aren’t Kris+ earn partners, but let you clock the 100 miles nonetheless. 

Earn 100 KrisFlyer miles per restaurant reservation with Makan+

Conclusion

S$5 for new Kris+ Users
Get S$5 (in the form of 750 KrisPay miles) when you sign-up with code W644363 and make your first transaction

Kris+ is an easy way of earning up to an extra 9 mpd on your spending, which can be further stacked with 3-6 mpd from the right credit card.

For a fuss-free solution, the DBS Woman’s World Card or KrisFlyer UOB Credit Card is your go-to. But if you’re willing to spend some time figuring out the MCC, then the UOB Lady’s Card offers an unbeatable 6 mpd, until 31 March 2024 at least.

Be sure to browse the Kris+ app periodically because they also run limited-time flash deals with certain merchants that offer upsized miles or in-store discounts. 

Aaron Wong
Aaron Wong
Aaron founded The Milelion to help people travel better for less and impress chiobu. He was 50% successful.

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Tiak

From 5 May to 30 Jun, there is an enhanced 12 miles promotion for selected restaurants.

Do you know if AMEX Love Dining can be used with Kris+, for example at Mikuni?

Matt

Cannot. You need to present the card to use it.

Charles

I have been using the Citi Rewards + Amaze combo (new to the miles game so thanks very much!).

I want use the Kris+ app to pay at a 9mpd restaurant (via the in-app pay function, which requires the use of Apple Pay). Can I check how am I meant to use Amaze to get the full 4mpd, since its not on Apple Pay?

Also, does this mean I get 9mpd + 4mpd at the end of this transaction?

Sorry if these are very basic questions, or if I am overlooking something.

Jonathan

The Amaze question was covered in the article above and Apple users are unable to utilise it. (However, do remember that Apple Pay does not support Amaze, so this is only a solution for Android users (while Apple users can download Google Pay, Kris+ won’t let you use it if you’re an iPhone user).)

Yes, you will get 9 mpd (kris+) + 4 mpd (cc).

OJW

Aaron, could you also do a similar article for the likes of ShopBack Pay and FavePay? Always find it challenging to remember the differences for each digital wallet. Thanks!

noob

I second this. I never use any of the other wallets; shopeepay, grabpay, etc because i’m afraid I won’t get my standard CC miles / cashback

Ben

Will stacking a cashback card like Citi Cashback which provides 6% cashback for purchases deemed as food still provide me the cashback if I use it on food merchants via the Kris+ app?

Handsomeboy2000

Hi, can check why HSBC Revolution is not part of the first sections on “all Kris+ transactions”? Since all Kris+ are online spend, HSBC Revolution should give 4mpd as well? subject to the 1k/month cap

Miles

You can pair your uob ladys with amaze and use amaze card on kris+ app right?

Acdc

Why is UOB visa signature not mentioned? I thought it gets 4 miles for contactless transactions?

JLL

i paid for my meal at Lenu with Kris+ using the DBS Woman’s World card but somehow DBS awarded me 0.4 miles per dollar rather than the expected 4 miles per dollar. Any idea why?

JLL

Ok just realised the 9x bonus will come at the end of the following calendar month. lol

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