I don’t normally write about lucky draws, but DBS is running one that made me sit up and take notice.
From now till 31 January 2024, DBS customers who charge their overseas and travel spend to their cards can win one of 475 prizes, split into:
- 5x prizes of 150,000 DBS Points (300,000 miles)
- 470x prizes of 25,000 DBS Points (50,000 miles)
That’s 25 million miles up for grabs, and to the extent you’d be using your DBS credit card anyway, is basically icing on the cake.
DBS 25 million miles giveaway
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| DBS 25 Million Miles Giveaway |
No registration is required for DBS’s 25 million miles giveaway, which is open to holders of the following cards:
- DBS Altitude American Express
- DBS Altitude Visa
- DBS Insignia Card
- DBS Treasures Black Elite
- DBS Vantage Card
- DBS Woman’s Card
- DBS Woman’s World Card
Supplementary cardholders are not eligible to win, but their spending will be pooled with that of the principal cardholder when awarding chances.
Cardholders will automatically earn chances by spending on their DBS cards from 1 September 2023 to 31 January 2024:
| Spend | Chances |
| Every S$100 spent on Travel Spend (see next section for definition) |
1X |
| Every S$100 spent overseas | 10X |
For example, a S$250 local hotel transaction would earn two chances, while a S$430 overseas meal would earn 40 chances.
I’ve confirmed with DBS that if a transaction falls under both “travel spend” and “overseas”, chances will stack. For example, a S$500 overseas hotel transaction would earn 5 chances under Travel Spend and 50 chances under overseas spend, for a total of 55 chances.
Moreover, lucky draw chances can be accumulated across cards, so you don’t need to focus on just one.
What counts as eligible spend?
DBS defines “Travel Spend” as transactions in following categories:
| ❓ Definition of Travel Spend | |
| Category* | Examples |
| Airlines (MCC 3000-3299) |
Air Asia, Air New Zealand, British Airways, Cathay Pacific, Emirates, Jetstar, Qantas, Qatar Airways, Scoot, Singapore Airlines |
| Hotels (MCC 3500-3999, 7011) |
Accor, Ascott Group, Hilton, Marriott, Pan Pacific |
| Tour Agencies (MCC 4722) |
Agoda, Booking.com, Expedia, KKday, Klook, Traveloka, Trip.com |
| *Both online and in-person spend is eligible. DBS does not provide explicit MCC ranges in its T&Cs; these are my best guess based on how the DBS Altitude used to define travel | |
Do note that fuel, public transport and car rental are explicitly excluded from travel spend.
Overseas spend refers to in-person card transactions made in foreign currency, excluding the following:
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a) card transactions made overseas but effected or charged in Singapore dollars; |
When will winners be announced?
The lucky draw will take place on 8 March 2024, and winners announced by 15 March 2024 on this page.
The DBS Points will be credited to the smallest card number among the cards you hold (as of 31 March 2024). That means you could end up with just one year validity (in the event said card is the DBS Woman’s World Card) or unlimited (if said card is the DBS Altitude).
What DBS cards should you use?
If I were making online flight, activity or hotel bookings, I’d certainly default to the DBS Woman’s World Card, with or without this lucky draw.
| Card | Earn Rate | Remarks |
 DBS WWMCApply |
4 mpd | Max S$2K per c. month Review |
This earns 4 mpd on up to S$2,000 of online spend each calendar month, though you need to exercise caution with hotel bookings (since you’ll only earn the 4 mpd if they’re charged online at the time of booking; using your card as a security guarantee and paying at the counter doesn’t count).
Sadly, the DBS Altitude Card no longer earns bonuses for online flight and hotel bookings, ever since 1 September 2023. That said, you could use it for overseas spend, where it’ll earn 2.2 mpd along with the DBS Vantage Card.
| Card | FCY Earn Rate | Remarks |
 DBS Treasures Black EliteApply |
2.4 mpd | No cap |
 DBS VantageApply |
2.2 mpd | No cap Review |
 DBS Altitude AMEXApply |
2.2 mpd | No cap Review |
 DBS Altitude VisaApply |
2.2 mpd | No cap Review |
As a reminder, DBS is currently running a separate promotion called Power Up Your Travels that awards an additional 2 mpd for in-person overseas spend from now till 31 January 2024. Refer to the post below for more details.
What can you use DBS Points for?
Remember: even though DBS uses KrisFlyer miles in their illustration, the award is really given in the form of DBS Points.
That’s a good thing, because it gives you additional options such as Asia Miles or Qantas Frequent Flyer.
| Frequent Flyer Programme | Conversion Ratio (DBS Points: Miles) |
 |
5,000: 10,000 |
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5,000: 10,000 |
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5,000: 10,000 |
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500: 1,500 |
A S$27 fee applies per conversion, but DBS also offers automatic conversions to KrisFlyer for a 12-month period with a S$43.20 annual fee.
Terms & Conditions
DBS Altitude sign-up offer
From now till 30 November 2023, the DBS Altitude Cards are offering a sign-up bonus of up to 25,600 bonus miles, depending on which card you apply for and whether you’re a new or existing DBS/POSB customer.
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| DBS Altitude AMEX | DBS Altitude Visa | |
| New Customers | 25,600 bonus miles (+10,000 miles with AF payment) |
22,600 bonus miles (+10,000 miles with AF payment) |
| Existing Customers | 11,600 bonus miles (+10,000 miles with AF payment) |
N/A |
| ❓ New-to-bank |
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DBS defines “new-to-bank” as customers who do not:
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On top of the bonus miles, an additional 10,000 miles will be granted if you choose to pay the first year’s S$194.40 annual fee.
Refer to the tables below for the promo code you’ll need to enter to enjoy these offers.
| New-to-bank customers | ||
| DBS Altitude AMEX Apply |
||
| Promo Code | ALTMEX | ALTMEXW |
| Bonus Miles | 25,600 | 25,600 |
| Base Miles From S$2,000 Spend (@ 1.3 mpd) | 2,600 | 2,600 |
| Miles From S$194.40 Annual Fee | 10,000 | Fee waived |
| Total Miles | 38,200 | 28,200 |
| New-to-bank customers |
||
| DBS Altitude Visa Apply |
||
| Promo Code | ALTVIS | ALTVISW |
| Bonus Miles | 22,600 | 22,600 |
| Base Miles From S$2,000 Spend (@ 1.3 mpd) | 2,600 | 2,600 |
| Miles From S$194.40 Annual Fee | 10,000 | Fee waived |
| Total Miles | 35,200 | 25,200 |
| Existing customers | ||
| DBS Altitude AMEX Apply |
||
| Promo Code | ALTMEXA | ALTMEXAW |
| Bonus Miles | 11,600 | 11,600 |
| Base Miles From S$2,000 Spend (@1.3 mpd) | 2,600 | 2,600 |
| Miles From S$194.40 Annual Fee | 10,000 | Fee waived |
| Total Miles | 24,200 | 14,200 |
Conclusion
From now till 31 January 2024, travel and overseas spending on your DBS cards will earn lucky draw chances for a shot at a 25 million miles prize pool.
I don’t think I’d divert my overseas spending to DBS cards just for this (the StanChart Journey and its 3.5% FCY fee rebate for November/December 2023 is just too enticing), but if you’re planning to charge your flight, hotel and activities bookings to the DBS Woman’s World Card anyway (as you should), then it’s something to keep at the back of your mind.
