American Express has launched a new welcome offer for the AMEX KrisFlyer Ascend, and unlike most offers, this one is specifically for existing AMEX cardholders.
Existing AMEX cardholders who apply via The MileLion and spend S$1,000 in the first 30 days of approval will receive up to 15,800 bonus miles + S$150 eCapitaVouchers.
After offsetting the value of the eCapitaVouchers from the S$340.20 annual fee, you’re effectively paying S$190 for 15,800 bonus miles, a free Hilton night certificate and four lounge passes.
AMEX KrisFlyer Ascend welcome offer
 AMEX KrisFlyer Ascend | |
| Apply Here | |
| Existing Customers | |
| First Spend | 5,000 miles |
| Spend S$1,000 (Mo. 1) | 10,800 miles+ S$150 eCapitaVouchers |
| Base Miles from S$1,000 (@ 1.2 mpd) | 1,200 miles |
| Total Spend | S$1K |
| Total Miles | 17,000 miles +S$150 eCapitaVouchers |
| S$340.20 annual fee must be paid | |
This offer is valid for existing AMEX customers who apply and receive approval for an AMEX KrisFlyer Ascend between 15 November and 13 December 2023.
| ❓ Definition |
Existing customers are defined as those who:
For example, someone who currently holds an AMEX KrisFlyer Credit Card and has not cancelled an AMEX KrisFlyer Ascend in the past 12 months would qualify as an existing customer. |
All first-time American Express KrisFlyer cobrand cardholders will enjoy 5,000 miles on their first spend of any amount. This is a once per lifetime bonus, so if you’ve held an American Express KrisFlyer cobrand card before, you won’t receive it a second time.
Cardholders who spend at least S$1,000 within the first month of approval (defined as 30 calendar days) will receive 10,800 bonus KrisFlyer miles and S$150 eCapitaVouchers.
To summarise the offer, by spending S$1,000 in the first 30 days of approval, you’ll receive 17,000 miles + S$150 eCapitaVouchers, broken down as follows:
- 5,000 bonus miles for first spend
- 10,800 bonus miles + S$150 eCapitaVouchers for meeting S$1,000 spend
- 1,200 base miles for spending S$1,000 @ 1.2 mpd
When will the bonuses be credited?
If you’re eligible for the 5,000 miles bonus for first-time AMEX Singapore Airlines cobrand cardholders, these will be credited to your KrisFlyer account after the month of approval and first spend.
The remaining bonus of 10,800 miles + S$150 eCapitaVouchers will be credited within 12 weeks of the date you meet the spend threshold.
All questions about fulfilment should be directed to American Express.
Terms & Conditions
What spending is eligible?
American Express provides a list of excluded spending categories here, but the key ones to take note of are:
- Donations
- Education
- GrabPay top-ups
- Insurance
- Public hospitals and polyclinics
- SPC transactions
- Utilities
CardUp, private and non-profit hospitals, and anything else not explicitly stated in the exclusion list will count as eligible spend.
All spending on supplementary cards will pool with principal cards when determining whether the minimum spend has been met.
Is it worth it?
The AMEX KrisFlyer Ascend’s S$340.20 annual fee must be paid, which is partially offset by the S$150 eCapitaVouchers (which I’d take at face value since they’re so liquid).
This means the nett annual fee is S$190, for which you receive:
- 10,800-15,800 bonus miles (worth S$162-237 at a value of 1.5 cents per mile)
- One-night stay at participating Hilton Hotels across Asia Pacific
- 4x Plaza Premium Lounge passes
It’s certainly a more attractive proposition then the current public welcome offer for existing customers, which awards 15,400-20,400 bonus miles for spending S$3,000 in the first 90 days of approval
Overview: AMEX KrisFlyer Ascend
| |||
| Apply Here | |||
| Income Req. | N/A* | Points Validity | 3 years |
| Annual Fee | S$340.20 | Min. Transfer | N/A |
| Miles with Annual Fee | None | Transfer Partners |
|
| FCY Fee | 3.25% | Transfer Fee | None |
| Local Earn | 1.2 mpd | Points Pool? | N/A |
| FCY Earn | 2 mpd (Jun & Dec) | Lounge Access? | Yes |
| Special Earn | 2 mpd on SIA and KrisShop, 3.2 mpd for Grab | Airport Limo? | No |
| *AMEX no longer publishes income requirements for the AMEX KrisFlyer Ascend. All applications are subject to internal review. For reference, the last published income requirement was S$50,000 p.a. | |||
| Cardholder Terms and Conditions | |||
The AMEX KrisFlyer Ascend has an annual fee of S$340.20 which must be paid in the first year (it can be waived from the second year onwards at AMEX’s discretion).
Cardholders earn 1.2 mpd on local spend, and 2 mpd on foreign currency spend in June and December (1.2 mpd otherwise). An uncapped 2 mpd is offered on Singapore Airlines and KrisShop transactions year-round, as well as 3.2 mpd on Grab, capped at S$200 per calendar month. These aren’t the best earn rates on the market, however, and can be easily bested by other alternatives.
Key card benefits include:
- 4x lounge passes to participating Plaza Premium Lounges worldwide
- One-night stay at participating Hilton Hotels across Asia Pacific
- Hilton Silver status (which allows you to enjoy the 5th night free on award redemptions- very valuable if you’re buying Hilton points)
Cardholders who spend at least S$15,000 on eligible Singapore Airlines tickets within the first 12 months of approval will be automatically upgraded to KrisFlyer Elite Gold. This upgrade is valid for one year, after which they will need to requalify through regular means.
Spending S$15,000 on eligible purchases on Singapore Airlines tickets between 1 July to 30 June of the following year also gives a double miles accrual voucher, which can be applied to a booking to earn up to 5,000 bonus miles.
Don’t forget to check out my full review of the AMEX KrisFlyer Ascend below.
Conclusion
| ||
| Apply Here |
American Express is running a new welcome offer for existing AMEX cardholders, which gives up to 15,800 bonus miles and a S$150 eCapitaVoucher with a minimum spend of just S$1,000. You will need to pay the first year’s annual fee, but between the welcome offer, free Hilton night stay and lounge passes, there should be enough in there to come out ahead.
Do remember that approval needs to be received by 13 December 2023, so if you plan to apply, don’t leave it till the last minute.
Correct to say that as an existing customer the 5k bonus miles spend won’t apply right? So the offer is actually 12k miles + voucher for $1k spend in 30days.
Existing customer can be the one who is AMEX Platinum holder. And if he/she never hold AMEX Krisflyer cobrand card before, he/she is eligible for 5,000 miles for the first spend.
I believe the 5k bonus miles for first spend is for first time AMEX Singapore Airlines cobrand cardholders. Meaning you can still be eligible despite being an existing AMEX cardholder – provided you only held non-Singapore Airlines cards such as the True Cashback card, AMEX Platinum card and AMEX CapitaCard.