Here’s The MileLion’s review of the AMEX KrisFlyer Ascend Card, which launched in 2013 as a premium alternative to the entry-level KrisFlyer Gold Card (now known as the AMEX KrisFlyer Credit Card).
For many years, this was a solid, if unspectacular card. It had little miles-earning potential beyond the welcome offer, but a combination of the free Hilton hotel night, four complimentary lounge visits, assorted AMEX Offers and American Express’ general lack of exclusions made it worthwhile.
Unfortunately, that’s now changed, because in November 2024, American Express “enhanced” the AMEX KrisFlyer Ascend by:
- Removing the four free lounge visits
- Cutting the foreign currency earn rate
- Bumping the annual fee to almost S$400
Needless to say, this isn’t how you win friends and influence people. While there were some marginal enhancements (such as finally rewarding spend on Scoot after ignoring SIA’s low-cost cousin for so long), the changes were overwhelmingly negative.
The upshot is that the AMEX KrisFlyer Ascend has become little more than a “bonus and banish” card: something you get if there’s a good welcome offer, but abandon as soon as the first year’s up.
 AMEX KrisFlyer Ascend |
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| 🦁 MileLion Verdict | |
| First Year | Recurring |
| ☐ Take It ☑ Take It Or Leave It ☐ Leave It |
☐ Take It ☐ Take It Or Leave It ☑ Leave It |
| What do these ratings mean? |
|
| Mediocre earn rates, convoluted benefits and a hefty annual fee mean the AMEX KrisFlyer Ascend is only as good as its welcome bonus. | |
| 👍 The good | 👎 The bad |
|
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Overview: AMEX KrisFlyer Ascend Card
Let’s start this review by looking at the key features of the AMEX KrisFlyer Ascend Card.
|
|||
| Apply | |||
| Income Req. | N/A* | Points Validity | 3 years |
| Annual Fee | S$397.85 |
Min. Transfer |
N/A |
| Miles with Annual Fee |
10,000^ |
Transfer Partners |
1 |
| FCY Fee | 3.25% | Transfer Fee | N/A |
| Local Earn | 1.2 mpd | Points Pool? | Yes |
| FCY Earn | 1.2 mpd |
Lounge Access? | No |
| Special Earn | 2 mpd on SIA, Scoot, KrisShop, Grab, Pelago | Airport Limo? | No |
| Cardholder Terms and Conditions | |||
| *AMEX no longer publishes an official income requirement for this card; the last documented requirement was S$50,000 p.a. | |||
| ^Offered in the form of a Miles Redemption Voucher, which is a rebate on a redemption rather than miles deposited into your account | |||
For context, Singapore Airlines has a total of four Singapore Airlines AMEX cobrand cards.
The AMEX KrisFlyer Ascend is positioned as the more premium of the two cards available to the general public, the other being the AMEX KrisFlyer Credit Card (also known as the “KrisFlyer Blue”). The AMEX PPS and Solitaire PPS Credit Cards can only be held by PPS and Solitaire PPS members respectively.
| Card | Eligibility | Annual Fee |
 AMEX KrisFlyer Credit Card |
All | S$179.55 First Year Free |
| AMEX KrisFlyer Ascend |
S$397.85 | |
 AMEX PPS Credit Card |
PPS Club | S$561.35 First Year Free |
 AMEX Solitaire PPS Credit Card |
Solitaire PPS Club* | S$561.35 First Year Free |
| *Only for principal Solitaire PPS Club members; supplementary members do not qualify |
||
How much must I earn to qualify for an AMEX KrisFlyer Ascend?
American Express no longer publishes minimum income requirements for any of its cards, saying instead that “card application is subjected to customers meeting the regulatory minimum income requirement and internal assessment”.
Prior to this, however, the AMEX KrisFlyer Ascend had an income requirement of S$50,000 per year. In all likelihood, this requirement is no longer strictly enforced, and you should be able to get approved with a minimum income of S$30,000.
Since American Express is not a deposit-accepting bank in Singapore, there is no option to obtain a secured version of this card.
How much is the AMEX KrisFlyer Ascend’s annual fee?
| Principal Card | Supp. Card | |
| First Year | S$397.85 | Free |
| Subsequent | S$397.85 | S$81.75 |
The AMEX KrisFlyer Ascend has an annual fee of S$397.85 for the principal cardholder, and S$81.75 for supplementary cardholders.
The principal cardholder annual fee represents a 16% increase from the pre-November 2024 figure of S$343.35. If your annual fee was billed on or after 1 November 2024, you’ll be subject to the higher charge.
The first year’s annual fee is waived for the first two supplementary cards, but cannot be waived for principal cardholders.
That gives the Ascend the odd distinction of being the only Singapore Airlines cobrand card that does not come with a waiver of the first year’s annual fee. All other cobrand cards, be it the AMEX KrisFlyer Credit Card, AMEX PPS Credit Card, AMEX Solitaire PPS Credit Card or KrisFlyer UOB Credit Card, waive their fees for the first year.
Principal cardholders can request an annual fee waiver for the second and subsequent years, but unless you’ve been using it regularly over the past year (American Express does not define a minimum spend threshold for a fee waiver), or hold a premium card like the AMEX Platinum Charge or AMEX Centurion, you may not be successful.
In my experience, AMEX tends to offer principal cardholders a 50% waiver of the second and subsequent years’ annual fee upon request, on the condition you give up the complimentary hotel night voucher for the upcoming membership year.
What welcome offers are available?
| AMEX KrisFlyer Ascend |
|
| Apply | |
| First Spend | 5,000 miles |
| Spend S$1,000 in FCY (First 60 days) |
24,800 miles |
| Base Miles from S$1,000 spend (@ 1.2 mpd) |
1,200 miles |
| Total Spend | S$1K |
| Total Miles | 31,000 miles |
New-to-AMEX cardholders who apply and receive approval for an AMEX KrisFlyer Ascend by 27 January 2026 will receive 24,800 bonus miles when they pay the annual fee and spend S$1,000 within 60 days of approval.
Cardholders will also earn a further 1,200 base miles from the S$1,000 minimum spend (S$1,000 @ 1.2 mpd).
In addition to this, all first-time American Express KrisFlyer cobrand cardholders will enjoy 5,000 bonus miles on their first spend of any amount. This is a once per lifetime bonus, so if you’ve held an American Express Singapore Airlines cobrand card before, you won’t receive it a second time.
| ❓ New-to-AMEX definition |
|
New-to-AMEX customers are defined as those who:
Do note that American Express has tightened its definition of new-to-AMEX customers, and holding even a supplementary card will now exclude you! |
How many miles do I earn?
| 🇸🇬 SGD Spend | 🌎 FCY Spend | ⭐ Bonus Spend |
| 1.2 mpd | 1.2 mpd |
2 mpd (SIA, Scoot, KrisShop, Pelago, Grab) |
SGD/FCY Spend
AMEX KrisFlyer Ascend Card members earn:
- 1.2 miles for every S$1 spent in Singapore Dollars
- 1.2 miles for every S$1 spent in foreign currency (FCY)
In the past, the FCY earn rate was boosted to 2 mpd in June and December, but that feature has been discontinued ever since 1 November 2024. I don’t think you should shed many tears though, since it was always an underwhelming, highly-restricted rate that was easily bested by other cards on the market.
If you think these earn rates are painfully mediocre, you’d be right. Many people think that the AMEX Singapore Airlines cards enjoy the best earn rates because of the direct relationship with Singapore Airlines, but nothing could be further from the truth.
Here’s how this earn rate compares to other general spending cards.
| 💳 Earn Rates for General Spending Cards (Income Req: S$30K) |
||
| Cards | Local Spend | FCY Spend |
 UOB PRVI Miles CardApply |
1.4 mpd | 3 mpd IDR, MYR, THB, VND 2.4 mpd All Others |
 BOC Elite Miles CardApply |
1.4 mpd | 2.8 mpd |
 HSBC TravelOne CardApply |
1.2 mpd | 2.4 mpd |
 DBS Altitude CardApply |
1.3 mpd | 2.2 mpd |
 OCBC 90°N CardApply |
1.3 mpd | 2.1 mpd |
 Citi PremierMiles CardApply |
1.2 mpd | 2.2 mpd |
 StanChart Journey CardApply |
1.2 mpd | 2 mpd |
| AMEX KrisFlyer Ascend Apply |
1.2 mpd | 1.2 mpd |
 KrisFlyer UOB Credit CardApply |
1.2 mpd | 1.2 mpd |
| AMEX KrisFlyer Credit Card Apply |
1.1 mpd | 1.1 mpd |
When it comes to FCY transaction fees, American Express charges the same 3.25% as most of the market.
| 💳 FCY Fees by Issuer and Card Network |
||
| Issuer | ↓ MC & Visa | AMEX |
| Standard Chartered | 3.5% | N/A |
| American Express | N/A | 3.25% |
| Citibank | 3.25% | N/A |
| DBS | 3.25% | 3% |
| HSBC | 3.25% | N/A |
| Maybank | 3.25% | N/A |
| OCBC | 3.25% | N/A |
| UOB | 3.25% | 3.25% |
| BOC | 3% | N/A |
| CIMB | 3% | N/A |
Using your card overseas therefore means buying miles at 2.71 cents each (3.25%/1.2 mpd), way too expensive for my liking.
2 mpd for Singapore Airlines, Scoot, KrisShop and Pelago
AMEX KrisFlyer Ascend Cardholders earn an uncapped 2 mpd on all transactions made on:
- Singapore Airlines bookings (commercial and award tickets) made through singaporeair.com, mobile app or over the phone
- Scoot bookings (commercial and award tickets) made through flyscoot.com or the mobile app
- KrisShop purchases made onboard Singapore Airlines flights or at krisshop.com
- Pelago bookings made through pelago.com or the Pelago mobile app
Tickets must originate from Singapore and be purchased in Singapore dollars. Do note that the bonuses for KrisShop and Pelago transactions do not apply if you shop via the Kris+ app.
Considering how you could easily earn 4 mpd on these purchases with other credit cards, there’s nothing to get excited about here. And even if you run out of caps on those cards, the KrisFlyer UOB Credit Card offers an uncapped 3 mpd on Singapore Airlines, Scoot, KrisShop and Pelago.
2 mpd for Grab Singapore
AMEX KrisFlyer Ascend Cardholders earn 2 mpd on the first S$200 spent each calendar month on Grab Singapore transactions, including Grab rides, GrabFood, GrabMart and Grab Express.
GrabPay top-ups are not included.
Transaction date or posting date?
The AMEX KrisFlyer Ascend tracks spending based on the posting date, not transaction date.
If you’re accumulating spend towards your welcome bonus, be careful about making transactions towards the end of the qualifying period– anything that posts beyond the deadline will not be included!
Which cards track spending by transaction date vs posting date?
How are KrisFlyer miles calculated?
Here’s how KrisFlyer miles earned on the AMEX KrisFlyer Ascend are calculated:
| Local/FCY Spend | Multiply transaction by 1.2, then round to the nearest whole number |
Notice how the transaction is not rounded down to the nearest S$1; instead, it’s multiplied by 1.2 straight away. This means the minimum spend to earn points is S$0.42.
This beneficial rounding policy allows the AMEX KrisFlyer Ascend to compete favourably with ostensibly higher-earning cards like the UOB PRVI Miles (1.4 mpd), at least where smaller transactions are concerned:
| AMEX KrisFlyer Ascend Earn rate: 1.2 mpd |
 UOB PRVI MilesEarn rate: 1.4 mpd |
|
| S$5 | 6 miles | 6 miles |
| S$9.99 | 12 miles | 6 miles |
| S$15 | 18 miles | 20 miles |
| S$19.99 | 24 miles | 20 miles |
| S$25 | 30 miles | 34 miles |
| S$29.99 | 36 miles | 34 miles |
If you’re an Excel geek, here are the formulas you need to calculate miles:
| Local/FCY Spend | =ROUND (X*1.2,0) |
| Where X= Amount Spent | |
For the full list of formulas that banks use to calculate credit card points, do refer to these articles:
What transactions aren’t eligible for KrisFlyer miles?
The AMEX KrisFlyer Ascend’s full exclusion list can be found below:
Exclusions
a) Charges processed and billed prior to the Enrolment Date or charges prepaid on any Card Account prior to the first billing statement for that Card Account following the Enrolment Date;
b) Cash Advance and other cash services;
c) Express Cash;
d) American Express Travellers Cheque purchases;
e) Charges for dishonoured cheques;
f) Finance charges – including Line of Credit charges and Credit Card interest charges;
g) Late Payment and collection charges;
h) Tax refunds from overseas purchases;
i) Balance Transfers;
j) Instalment plans;
k) Annual Card fees;
l) Amount billed for purchase of KrisFlyer miles to top-up your miles balance;
m) Bill payments and all transactions via SingPost (e.g. SAM kiosks, mobile app, online portal);
n) Payments to insurance companies (except payments made for insurance products purchased through American Express authorized channel);
o) Payments to Singapore Petroleum Company Limited (SPC) service stations;
p) Payments for public transit in Singapore, including transactions on public trains and buses, and all transactions bearing the merchant description “BUS/MRT”;
q) Payments for the purpose of stored value card purchase / load / top-ups and/or the topping-up or loading of currency (or equivalent) for digital wallets, including but not limited to GrabPay and ShopeePay (with effect from 30 September 2025);
r) Payments to utilities merchants;
s) Payments to public/restructured hospitals, polyclinics and other public/restructured healthcare institutions and facilities;
t) Transactions relating to education and other non-profit purposes (including charitable donations);
u) Charges at merchants or establishments that are excluded by American Express at its sole discretion and notified by American Express to you from time to time.
Historically speaking, the AMEX KrisFlyer Ascend was very liberal with awarding miles, and merchant acceptance was a bigger issue than exclusions. However, in recent times the exclusion list has been growing (though to be fair, it’s no different from what other banks do).
Key exclusions are charitable donations, education, GrabPay top-ups, insurance premiums, SimplyGo rides, SPC transactions, utilities and public hospitals. For the avoidance of doubt, private hospitals, CardUp and government organisations still earn miles, to the extent that AMEX is accepted.
However, American Express imposes certain restrictions on the types of payments that can be made via CardUp, which are explained below.
What do I need to know about KrisFlyer miles?
| ❌ Expiry | ↔️ Pooling | ✈️ Transfer Fee |
| 3 years | N/A | None |
| ⬆️ Min. Transfer | ✈️ No. of Partners | ⏱️ Transfer Time |
| N/A | 1 | Miles batched and credited once a month |
Expiry
KrisFlyer miles earned on the AMEX KrisFlyer Ascend will expire at the end of the month, three years after they were earned. For example, KrisFlyer miles credited to an account from 1-31 July 2024 will expire at the end of the day on 31 July 2027.
Cancelling an AMEX KrisFlyer Ascend has no impact on the miles already in your KrisFlyer account.
Pooling
All miles earned on the AMEX KrisFlyer Ascend will be credited directly to your KrisFlyer account, where they will pool with miles earned from all other sources (be it other credit cards, flights etc.).
Transfer partners & fees
At the risk of stating the obvious, the AMEX KrisFlyer Ascend is a cobrand card which does not give you a choice of where to credit your points. If you want to earn points that can be converted into a range of frequent flyer partners, pick a non-cobrand card instead.
All conversions to KrisFlyer are free of charge.
Transfer times
Miles earned on the AMEX KrisFlyer Ascend are batched and credited to your KrisFlyer account once a month.
You can typically expect to see them credited around the end of your statement period.
While direct crediting avoids conversion fees, it does mean the three year expiry countdown for KrisFlyer miles starts immediately.
Contrast this with non-cobrand cards where you pay conversion fees, but enjoy “two validities”, one on the bank side, and one on the airline side. For example, if I had a UOB PRVI Miles Card:
- My UNI$ are valid for two years
- Once I convert UNI$ to KrisFlyer miles, they’re valid for a further three years
- In total I get five years of validity
This means there’s slightly more time pressure to use your miles, though three years should be plenty for most people.
Other card perks
Miles Redemption Vouchers
When the AMEX KrisFlyer Ascend got “enhanced”, one of the big selling points was a new feature called Miles Redemption Vouchers (MRVs), described as “new benefits specifically for KrisFlyer redemption flights”.
AMEX KrisFlyer Ascend Cardholders can earn a Foreign Spend MRV (18,000 miles) and a Renewal MRV (10,000 miles) by doing the following.
| Qualification | Value | |
| Foreign Spend MRV | Spend S$10,000 in FCY from 1 Nov 24 to 31 Oct 25 | 18,000 miles |
| Renewal MRV | Pay S$397.85 annual fee* | 10,000 miles |
| *Only available from second year onwards |
||
The Foreign Spend MRV is available to cardholders who spend at least S$10,000 in FCY between 1 November 2025 and 31 October 2026 (I assume this benefit will be subsequently extended for future years).
The Renewal MRV is available to cardholders who pay the S$397.85 annual fee. For avoidance of doubt, this MRV is not offered in the first membership year; as the name suggests, it’s for renewing your card.
The most important thing to highlight that MRVs are not credited to your KrisFlyer account as miles. For example, it doesn’t mean that when you earn a Renewal MRV, your KrisFlyer miles balance increases by 10,000.
Instead, they’re used to offset the cost of a redemption booking or redemption upgrade. In other words, you must fly to use it; you can’t spend those miles on KrisFlyer Experiences, KrisShop, Kris+, Pelago or other on-the-ground options (not that these are usually worthy uses of miles, mind you).
Moreover, MRVs come with some very nitpicky rules that limit their usefulness:
- MRVs can only be used for redemption bookings or redemption upgrades on Singapore Airlines operated flights
- MRVs work as rebates, not discounts. For example, if you have a Renewal MRV (10,000 miles) and want to book a ticket that costs 40,000 miles, you must have at least 40,000 miles in your account; 30,000 miles won’t be enough
- While you can earn both the Renewal MRV and Foreign Spend MRV, you can only use one MRV per booking
- MRVs will only be applied to the first eligible passenger in the booking or upgrade
Because of this, I strongly advise you against going out of your way to earn the MRVs. The opportunity cost is just too high, and the MRVs are troublesome to use.
For a detailed rundown on how the MRVs work, refer to the article below.
How do the AMEX KrisFlyer Ascend Miles Redemption Vouchers work?
Free Hilton night certificate
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| Booking Portal |
AMEX KrisFlyer Ascend Card members receive a free one-night stay at selected Hilton properties every year, which covers the room only without breakfast. This is a crucial benefit, because your ability to recover the annual fee depends on how strategically you use it.
There are currently 320 properties where this voucher is accepted, all within Asia Pacific (though more than half are in China).
Obviously, not all hotels represent equal value so you’ll want to choose wisely. As a general guideline, when it comes to brand positioning:
Waldorf > Conrad > Hilton > Doubletree > Hilton Garden Inn
You will not be eligible for Hilton Honors benefits and points on these stays, although some properties may choose to go above and beyond. When I used my voucher at the Conrad Bangkok a couple years back, I was accorded Hilton Gold benefits like free breakfast. This isn’t an entitlement, however, so YMMV.
All bookings must be made with a valid voucher code at least 14 days in advance of arrival via this webpage. Eligible rates will be displayed with a “Confidential Price” label.
Voucher stays follow the hotel’s flexible rate policy, which usually allows for free cancellations at least 24-48 hours before check-in. However, you may need to request a voucher reissuance if you want to cancel and rebook.
| ❓ Don’t have your voucher? |
| If you want to browse rates but don’t have your voucher number handy, you can do a search from the main Hilton page. Just enter the ZAMKF1 in the Group Code field. |
What’s interesting is that the T&Cs say you don’t need to present the physical voucher during check-in, though you will need to show the AMEX KrisFlyer Ascend Card. Based on past experience, however, some properties insist on collecting the voucher, and don’t care what card you use to pay!
Hilton Silver status
 |
| Register Here |
AMEX KrisFlyer Ascend Card members receive complimentary Hilton Silver status, which is valid until 31 March, two calendar years later. For example, if you register on 30 June 2024, your status will expire on 31 March 2026. The general formula to remember is that if you meet the requirements in Year X, your status expires on 31 March X+2.
Subsequently, you’ll need to requalify via the usual criteria. To stretch your validity, apply for the upgrade as early in the year as possible.
Hilton Silver status, in and of itself, isn’t fantastic. It’s just one rung above the entry-level, with no free breakfast, lounge access or room upgrade perks.
But why it matters is because Silver members get the 5th night free on all award redemptions. Hilton sells points several times a year, with prices as low as 0.5 US cents each. You could buy points and redeem them for Hilton’s top-tier properties, saving hundreds of dollars over retail value.
Take for example the Conrad Maldives, where rooms cost 120,000 points per night. If you bought those points at 0.5 US cents each, you’d pay just US$600, significantly less than the asking price. If you’re a Silver member and redeem five consecutive nights, you’d only need to pay 4 x 120,000=480,000 points, or an average of just 96,000 points (US$480) per night!
Fast track to KrisFlyer Elite Gold
AMEX KrisFlyer Ascend Cardholders can enjoy a fast-track to KrisFlyer Elite Gold when they spend at least S$15,000 on Singapore Airlines or Scoot ticket purchases within the first 12 months of card approval.
If you miss that window, you won’t get another chance to try in the following membership year, barring a promotion.
Singapore Airlines or Scoot tickets must be:
- Purchased on the Singapore Airlines or Scoot website or mobile app
- Originating from Singapore
- Charged in Singapore Dollars
Eligible spending includes both commercial tickets and award tickets (whether the award flight is on Singapore Airlines/Scoot or one of its partners).
There is no requirement that the purchased tickets need to be flown by the cardholder. Think about the scenario of someone who often buys air tickets for his entire family. He can’t accrue the Elite miles on their tickets (only the person whose name is on the ticket can), but can nonetheless achieve KrisFlyer Elite Gold through his total card spending.
From time to time, American Express runs promotions that allow you to meet the minimum spend through transactions other than Singapore Airlines/Scoot flight bookings. The most recent offer, which ended in July 2025, required a total spend of S$16,000, of which S$6,000 had to be on Singapore Airlines or Scoot.
Status granted under this fast-track is only valid for 12 months, after which you will need to requalify by clocking the usual 50,000 Elite miles. You can only take advantage of this fast-track once per KrisFlyer account lifetime, even if you cancel and reapply for an Ascend card.
KrisFlyer Elite Gold isn’t quite the promised land of the Solitaire PPS Club or PPS Club, but members can still look forward to perks such as priority check-in and boarding, extra baggage, airport lounge access, and a 25% bonus on mileage accrual.
| ✈️ Overview: KrisFlyer Elite Silver & Gold | ||
 KrisFlyer Elite Silver |
KrisFlyer Elite Gold |
|
| Elite Miles Req. (in 12-mth period) |
25,000 | 50,000 |
| Mileage Bonus | 25% | 25% |
| Priority Waitlist | ✅ | ✅ |
| Free Seat Selection | ✅ (Standard) |
✅ (Forward and Standard) |
| Birthday Bonus | ✅ (1,500 miles) |
✅ (1,500 miles) |
| Discounted Service Fees | ✅ | ✅ |
| Extra Baggage | ✅ | ✅ |
| Priority Check-in | ✅ | ✅ |
| Priority Boarding | ✅ | ✅ |
| Priority Baggage | ✅ | |
| Lounge Access | ✅ | |
| Waived Service Fees | ✅ | |
| Shangri-La Jade Fast Track | ✅ | |
| Heathrow Express Upgrade | ✅ | |
I’ve written a detailed guide to all the perks, so be sure to refer to the post below for more information.
Complimentary travel insurance
| Coverage | Amount |
| Accidental Death | S$1,000,000 |
| Medical Benefits | N/A |
| Travel Inconvenience |
|
| Policy Wording | |
AMEX KrisFlyer Ascend Cardholders who charge their airfares to the card will receive automatic travel insurance coverage, underwritten by Chubb. For the avoidance of doubt, this applies both to cash tickets, as well as award tickets where the taxes and fees are paid for with the AMEX KrisFlyer Ascend.
Cardholders receive S$1,000,000 coverage for accidental death or permanent disability while traveling on a public conveyance. There’s also coverage for travel inconveniences like missed connections and bag delays.
However, there is no coverage for medical expenses, nor medical evacuation. This is something you can’t afford to miss, so a separate travel insurance policy is almost mandatory.
AMEX Offers
AMEX Offers are targeted deals pushed to AMEX cardholders, which can range from small savings like getting a few dollars back on contactless transactions, to much more substantial offers like S$790 worth of hotel credits at Four Seasons, Hilton, IHG, Marriott and other major chains. They can also take the form of bonus miles promotions, like a bonus 2 mpd on Deliveroo and foodpanda.
Some of the better offers we’ve seen recently include:
- S$60 back on S$300 spend with World of Hyatt
- S$3 back on every S$6 SimplyGo spend
- S$100 off S$500 spend with Cathay Pacific
- S$60 back on S$300 spend with Hilton
- S$80 back on S$400 spend with Shangri-La
AMEX Offers can result in excellent savings, but they’re not a unique feature of the AMEX KrisFlyer Ascend.
Terms and conditions
Summary review: AMEX KrisFlyer Ascend Card
|
|
| Apply |
|
| 🦁 MileLion Verdict | |
| First Year | Recurring |
| ☐ Take It ☑ Take It Or Leave It ☐ Leave It |
☐ Take It ☐ Take It Or Leave It ☑ Leave It |
The AMEX KrisFlyer Ascend might be worth getting for a year, when the welcome bonus and Hilton free night should more than cover the annual fee.
After that, however, it’s best discarded. The earn rates are terrible, the Miles Redemption Vouchers are restrictive and complicated to use, and with an annual fee of almost S$400, this card is nearly as expensive as some of the S$120K segment!
All things considered, I still believe the KrisFlyer UOB Credit Card is the superior cobrand option, given its uncapped 3 mpd on dining, food delivery, online shopping & travel and transport (not to mention its waivable annual fee).
So that’s my review of the AMEX KrisFlyer Ascend. What do you think?
Hi Aaron, just a data point, I applied for a fee waiver and also received my lounge vouchers and hotel voucher too. Just FYI!
Thanks! Yes, have heard of those cases but they’re the exception not the rule.
I also got the fee waiver with vouchers sent
how much did you guys spend? I didn’t get anything
I got fee waiver with 8,000 miles but no vouchers 🙁
If they include donation to charities under exclusion, I might cancel the card. The good thing is no need for KF miles transfer fees.
For many years, every annual family holiday includes 1 lounge access with the 4 vouchers. But the fee is higher now. Not sure if I will call to cancel in few months time when renewal rolls round.
I’ve been a loyal member for many years now. But the benefits for existing card holders are measly. I’ve mentioned this to their customer service before, but seems like the benefits and attractions come at the beginning when you apply for the card. SO I’m thinking cancelling the card, and then re-apply a year later.
Hi Aaron, would you be reviewing the AMEX Platinum Reserve Card any time soon?
unlikely. you can read this: https://milelion.com/2019/09/26/neither-here-nor-there-the-future-of-the-amex-platinum-reserve/
For the first year free waiver, do i get the benefits too?
Hi Aaron, you state the list of exclusions has utilities. In the next paragraph, you say utility transactions can earn miles. Could you reconfirm which type of utilities can earn miles?
Thank you.
fixed. utilities do not earn miles
Hi Aaron, there is an option for “consent for direct marketing” when applying for the card. If I do not want to consent for marketing, do I get all the benefits and bonus miles as stated?
no need to opt in
Hi Aaron, can i use ascend to pay for cardup? Does it count towards the 3K spend?
Will amex give silver status to an existing standard Hilton member and if so, how do you get that applied to your account?
You will provide your Hilton account number at the time of registration
Question: Is the Hilton 1 night voucher only awarded upon paying the annual fee? Does that mean I cannot apply for the card today and use it for a Hilton stay a few months down the road?
annual fees are paid upfront
Thanks Aaron.
One more questiom, is there a way to check for blackout dates for this particular voucher or should I email the hotel?
hey Aaron, I think there’s a slight error in your mile table calculation compared to PRVI miles. In Amex TNCs it states miles are awarded in whole and are rounded up if the resulting calculation is 0.50 miles and down if 0.49 miles and below.
which means a $9.99 transaction would accrue 11.98≈12 miles, $19.99 would be 28.78≈29 miles, $29.99 would be 35.98≈36 miles and so on.
good spot! have fixed that, thanks.
2021 I got Platinum concierge to waive fee and no vouchers or even renewal letter received. That’s ok.
2022 I was too busy and paid the fee without checking the card statement details. 3 months later (yes, 3 mths later) got the envelop this week with useless lounge vouchers + 1 hilton voucher.
And…bummer: http://apac.hilton.com/amexkrisflyer validates my card and voucher number and Singapore only has 1 hotel for selection (even before inputing arrival date): Hilton Garden Inn.
Unbelievable…..
Aaron….pls spread the word
AMEX KrisFlyer Ascend cardholders earn 2.0 mpd on all transactions made with Singapore Airlines and KrisShop, without cap.
Not exactly, only for flights originating from Singapore and paid in SGD. It is in TnC.
For anyone else who, like me, was curious to see how you could see miles earned for individual transactions, I found the answer in another blog (https://trevallog.com/amex-krisflyer-review/):
“Later, I found that I can actually see the miles earned in each transaction via mobile app. To do that, I need to open my Amex SG mobile app, select AMEX KrisFlyer Card, tap the Membership tab at the bottom of the screen, then tap View Activity button. Here, I can see my recent transactions and the number of points earned on each transaction.“
Hey Aaron, wondering if you know would supplementary amex ascend card be able to use the vouchers that come with Ascend, i.e. the lounge access voucher and the free night stay voucher
YMMV but after holding this card (or other Amex cards) for over 15 years, this year (2023) it was no dice on a fee waiver. I canx the card because the fee is just not competitive for what Amex are offering. They were surprisingly nochalant about losing a long-time customer.
Sadly, I’ll do the same!
Same experience, I been holding this card for 14 years.
Basically a pump and dump card!
I have a DBS Amex card. Will I still be qualified for the sign up miles ?
Hello Aaron, I am a ‘New to American Express Card Members’ and looking to apply for this KrisFlyer Ascend card, can I clarify/confirm on the requirements for the offers as listed below? Do I have to spend S$2,000 or S$3,000 within the first 2 months, to get both Milelion Offer and Amex Welcome Offer? TnC (https://www.americanexpress.com/content/dam/amex/sg/campaigns/pdfs/affiliates-milelion-tncs-5septo16oct23-kfa.pdf) Eligible New to American Express Card Members will receive: 2a. Milelion Offer: • Samsonite RED TOIIS C Spinner 75/28 Exp in Black – 387 (worth S$420) (the ‘Gift’) with annual fee payment and additional S$1,000 spend within first 2 months of Card approval on… Read more »
full details here: https://milelion.com/2023/09/05/new-amex-krisflyer-ascend-welcome-offer-28100-bonus-miles-samsonite-luggage/
Hi Aaron, I signup for this card last year and cancelled it recently but have not yet utilized the hotel voucher. I’m planning for my trip and realized on the tnc it says I must present the “valid” Amex card during check-in. Do you happen to know for such case, will I get rejected when I check in at the hotel because my AMEX card is not valid anymore? I called AMEX, and obviously, they asked me to reinstate (and pay the annual fee), which is not really an option for me coz I don’t want to pay the annual… Read more »
I’m curious to know what happened in your case as I might encounter the same very soon
Hi Aaron, I have a question regarding the KrisFlyer Elite Gold Status Accelerator benefit.
For an SQ flight booked and paid and reflected in ‘Manage Booking’ on SQ site.
Will the purchase of ‘TOP UP THE FARE DIFFERENCE’ of that booking via AMEX KrisFlyer Ascend card be eligible for KrisFlyer Elite Gold Status Accelerator program?
*The flight is paid in SGD
**The top up upgrade is paid in SGD
***Travel originating from Singapore
Hi Aaron, do you know if the 4x lounge access can be shared with friends/family that do not have the cc?
Yes, as long as you are there to bring them in
Hi, may I ask if the new-to-card offer (spend 3000 in first month to get miles) can be stacked with the 2.0 mpd for the SIA flight? Basically will my SIA purchase qualify for the $3000 spending requirement?
If you hold both Amex Platinum Charge and the blue Amex Krisflyer, does it make sense to apply to convert the blue Krisflyer to Ascend? Will you be asked to pay the annual fee, and will you get the welcome bonus?
You’ll probably need to pay first year fee if you’re trying to hit a welcome offer (don’t recall any for existing cardholders though); but I’ve never had trouble getting my annual fee waived for subsequent years.
Very informative.
I see that you have given UOB Preferred Platinum a higher rating “Take it”. In summary could you tell me why? I have both UOB PP and Amex Ascend but a recent incident made me feel that Amex has poor service recovery so I am thinking of supporting UOB. My intention is to generate Krisflyer points. Appreciate your advice. Thanks
Just asked for a fee waiver and they would do it if I chose to forgo the lounge passes and hotel voucher. Will be looking at cards with better earn rate.
Very underwhelming card.
someone said we will not be able to use the voucher for hilton orchard next year? not sure how true.
I was just trying to book Jan 2025, and unable to do so. I just called and they said they can’t confirm with the list until early December. It certainly is a disappointment!
I’ve had success in requesting a fee waiver. Could that be that limited to holders of Amex PC?