While Esso was one of the launch partners of Kris+ (then called KrisPay) back in 2018, the partnership always seemed kind of half-baked.
You could burn KrisFlyer miles at Esso, yes, but you couldn’t earn them. And with the default value for burning miles a mere 0.67 cents apiece, there was very little reason to do so.
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| 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 |
It’s taken nearly six years for that to change, but Kris+ has finally added miles earning for Esso petrol purchases. The rate is on the low side at 0.5 mpd and the Kris+ discount is lower than the banks, but the ability to earn extra miles from your credit card may make up for it.
Kris+ offering extra 0.5 mpd at Esso
Kris+ users can now earn 1 KrisPay mile per S$2 spent (0.5 mpd) at Esso, as well as a 12% upfront discount if they’re a member of the free-to-join Esso Smiles programme.
Kris+ can only be used to pay for fuel purchases, so items from the mini-mart will need to be paid for separately.
Depending on which card you use to pay, you can earn an extra 3-6 mpd on top of the Kris+ miles.
| ⛽ Best Cards for Kris+ Petrol Spend |
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| Card | Earn Rate | Remarks |
 UOB Lady’s Card |
6 mpd* | Max. S$1K per c. month, must choose Transport as bonus category |
 UOB Lady’s Solitaire Card |
6 mpd* | Max. S$3K per c. month, must choose Transport as bonus category |
 Amaze + Citi Rewards Mastercard |
4 mpd | Max. S$1K per s. month |
 DBS WWMC |
4 mpd | Max. S$2K per c. month^ |
 Maybank World Mastercard |
4 mpd | |
 KrisFlyer UOB Credit Card |
3 mpd | |
| C. Month= Calendar Month, S. Month= Statement Month *Ends 31 Mar 24, after which 4 mpd ^Cut to S$1,500 per c. month from 1 Mar 24 |
||
Don’t forget that there’s a triple dip opportunity here, because Esso Smiles points can be converted into KrisFlyer miles.
Every 1 litre of Esso petrol gives you 1 Smiles point, and Smiles points can be converted to KrisFlyer miles at the following rates.
| Scheme | Rate |
| Flexi | 150 points = 100 miles |
| Auto | 100 points = 100 miles |
However, since 1 Smiles point can be worth up to 4 cents of petrol, the opportunity cost of redeeming miles is very high. You might be better off passing on this and using your Smiles points for petrol instead.
| Smiles | Redeem for petrol | Redeem for miles (CPM) |
| 180 points | S$5 | 180 miles (2.78 cents) |
| 300 points | S$10 | 300 miles (3.33 cents) |
| 750 points | S$30 | 750 miles (4 cents) |
| *Conversions must be in blocks of 100 points, so these exact amounts would not be possible | ||
The exception is if you pump Synergy Supreme+, because in that case you earn both Smiles points and KrisFlyer miles.
So a driver pumping Synergy Supreme+ could earn:
- 0.5 mpd from Kris+
- 3-6 mpd from credit cards
- 2 miles per litre of Synergy Supreme+ (assuming he converts Esso Smiles points into miles)
Is it worth it?
The 12% discount that is offered to Kris+ users is smaller than the 14% that Citi, DBS and OCBC cardholders can expect to receive. Do note that even if you pay on Kris+ with a Citi, DBS or OCBC card, you won’t be entitled to the bank discount. You’ll receive a 12% discount when using Kris+, end of story.
| Pay with | Esso Smiles | Additional Discount |
|
+10% | +2% |
 |
+10% | +4% |
 |
+10% | +4% (+8% for Insignia and Vantage) |
 |
+10% | +4% |
Even though the discount is lower, the number of miles you’ll earn from your credit card via Kris+ will be higher.
With Citi, DBS and OCBC cards, the best you’d be earning on petrol is 1.6 mpd. With Kris+, you can earn up to 6 mpd. Therefore, your choice is between
- Kris+: Up to 6.5 mpd and 12% discount
- Citi, DBS and OCBC cards: Up to 1.6 mpd and 14-18% discount
Using the example of Kris+ with the UOB Lady’s Card versus a DBS Insignia Card, so long as you value a mile at more than 1.22 cents, Kris+ can be the better deal.
What card should you use for petrol?
Esso is just one of several petrol chains, of course, and if you’re pumping elsewhere, here’s my guide to navigating the tradeoff between miles and discounts.
I personally default to Sinopec and pay with the UOB Lady’s Card (with Transport as my bonus category), giving me a 23% discount and 6 mpd.
Conclusion
Kris+ users are now able to earn miles at Esso, and even though the default rate of 0.5 mpd is a marginal reward at best, the ability to earn up to 6 mpd from your credit card with Kris+ as opposed to your credit card at the petrol station can make it worthwhile.
Let’s hope Kris+ has some promotions planned for this enhanced partnership.
How do u pay using amaze master card paired with citi rewards via Apple Pay via Kris+ app?
Are you sure about the WWMC? I can’t see any reference to it in your master article Which Card do I use for Petrol…
that’s because this is kris+ with petrol.