AMEX KrisFlyer Ascend extends welcome offer for existing customers: 15,800 bonus miles & S$150 eCapitaVouchers

We don’t often see very compelling offers for existing cardholders, but American Express is currently running one for the AMEX KrisFlyer Ascend.

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$343.35 annual fee, you’re effectively paying S$193 for 15,800 bonus miles, a free Hilton night certificate and four lounge passes.

This offer was originally set to lapse on 15 January 2024, but has now been extended till 31 March 2024.

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$1,000
Total Miles	17,000 miles +S$150 eCapitaVouchers
S$343.35 annual fee must be paid

This offer is valid for existing AMEX customers who apply by 31 March 2024, with approval by 5 April 2024.

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.

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, and private hospitals, and anything else not explicitly stated in the exclusion list will count as eligible spend. Do note there are certain restrictions on AMEX payments with CardUp, as summarised in the article below. 

Explained: American Express restrictions on CardUp payments

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$343.35 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$193, 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.

Terms & Conditions

• 5,000 bonus miles (first spend offer)
• 10,800 bonus miles + S$150 eCapitaVouchers

Overview: AMEX KrisFlyer Ascend

Apply Here
Income Req.	N/A*	Points Validity	3 years
Annual Fee	S$343.35	Min. Transfer	N/A
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$343.35 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)

As a reminder, the AMEX KrisFlyer Ascend is currently offering a limited-time fast track offer to KrisFlyer Elite Gold. 

Instead of having to spend S$15,000 on Singapore Airlines bookings, cardholders need only spend S$12,500 on any type of transaction (excluding, obviously, those on the general exclusion list), of which S$2,500 must be on Singapore Airlines bookings.

• This offer is available regardless of whether you’re still within the first 12 months of card approval, or have crossed that threshold
• No registration is required
• A minimum spend of S$12,500 must be charged to the card from 1 February to 31 May 2024
• Of this S$12,500, at least S$2,500 must be on Singapore Airlines flight bookings purchased directly from SIA through singaporeair.com, SingaporeAir mobile app or phone bookings

Cardmembers who meet the criteria will be upgraded to KrisFlyer Elite Gold within 8-10 weeks after the end of the offer period, i.e. by 9 August 2024. 

Refer to the article below for the key details of this promotion. 

AMEX KrisFlyer Ascend reduces minimum spend for KrisFlyer Elite Gold fast track

This upgrade is valid for one year, after which they will need to requalify through regular means.

Complete Guide: KrisFlyer Elite Gold benefits

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. 

Review: AMEX KrisFlyer Ascend

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.