If you’ve been looking to sign up for an AMEX KrisFlyer Ascend, American Express has just launched a new welcome offer for new-to-AMEX customers.
New applicants who spend at least S$1,000 within the first 30 days will receive up to 38,800 bonus miles, along with the regular AMEX KrisFlyer Ascend benefits such as an annual free Hilton night certificate and four airport lounge passes.
There’s also an ongoing KrisFlyer Elite Gold fast-track offer which reduces the minimum spend necessary to upgrade, so read on for the full details.
AMEX KrisFlyer Ascend welcome offer
 AMEX KrisFlyer Ascend |
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| Apply Here | |
| New-to-AMEX Customers | |
| First Spend | 5,000 miles |
| Spend S$1,000 (Mo. 1) |
33,800 miles |
| Base Miles from S$1,000 (@ 1.2 mpd) |
1,200 miles |
| Total Spend | S$1,000 |
| Total Miles | 40,000 miles |
| S$343.35 annual fee must be paid | |
This offer is valid for new-to-AMEX customers who apply by 31 March 2024 and receive approval by 5 April 2024.
| ❓ Definition |
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New-to-AMEX customers are defined as those who:
For avoidance of doubt, there is no “timeout period” for a customer with a recently-cancelled card to be considered new (provided that card is not an AMEX KrisFlyer Ascend). However, all approvals are subject to internal review. The AMEX KrisFlyer Ascend is a distinct product from the AMEX KrisFlyer Credit Card, AMEX PPS Club Card and AMEX Solitaire PPS Club Card. |
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 33,800 bonus KrisFlyer miles.
To summarise the offer, by spending S$1,000 in the first 30 days of approval, you’ll receive 40,000 miles, broken down as follows:
- 5,000 bonus miles for first spend
- 33,800 bonus miles 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 33,800 miles will be credited within 10 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.
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, but in return for that you get:
- 38,800 bonus miles (worth S$582 at a value of 1.5 cents per mile)
- One-night stay at participating Hilton Hotels across Asia Pacific
- 4x Plaza Premium Lounge passes
For perspective, 40,000 miles would be enough for a round-trip Economy Class to the Maldives, or a one-way Business Class ticket to Hong Kong or Taipei. During Spontaneous Escapes, you can stretch your miles even further- last month’s edition featured Johannesburg (39,550 miles in Business), Fukuoka and Nagoya (36,400 miles in Business).
Terms & Conditions
AMEX KrisFlyer Ascend fast-track offer
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| Details |
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
Hilton free night certificate
AMEX KrisFlyer Ascend cardholders receive an annual Hilton free night voucher, valid at participating Hilton properties across Asia Pacific.
The list of participating hotels for 2024 features 208 hotels, including the Waldorf Astoria Chengdu, Hilton Garden Inn Kyoto Shijo Karasuma, and Conrad Bangkok. Obviously, you want to get maximum value from your voucher by redeeming as expensive a property as you can find!
The free night stay does not include breakfast, but it is usually refundable at least 24-48 hours before check-in.
AMEX KrisFlyer Ascend releases Hilton free night properties for 2024
Overview: AMEX KrisFlyer Ascend
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| 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. Frankly speaking, these aren’t the best earn rates on the market, and can be easily bested by other alternatives. This is a card you get for the welcome offer and hotel/lounge perks, not so much for day-to-day spend.
Key card benefits include:
- 4x lounge passes to participating Plaza Premium Lounges worldwide (including SATS Premier Lounge in Singapore)
- 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)
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
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| Apply Here |
American Express is now offering 38,300 bonus KrisFlyer miles for new-to-AMEX applicants who spend at least S$1,000 within the first 30 days of approval. Together with the annual Hilton free night certificate and four lounge passes, you should be able to cover the first year’s S$343.35 annual fee, and then some.
However, if you would rather not pay an annual fee, do consider the AMEX KrisFlyer Credit Card and its 29,450 miles welcome offer, available with a minimum spend of just S$500.
Hi Aaron, Would I qualify if I’m holding the platinum charge card? It’s not a co-brand Amex card.
read the new-to-AMEX definition box in the article carefully. it talks about consumer cards, not cobrand cards.
Argh I see
Hi Aaron – if i’ve not previously held any Amex Consumer card that was cancelled in the last twelve months, do you know if I can sign up and enjoy BOTH the Singapore Airlines KrisFlyer Credit Card and the Singapore Airlines KrisFlyer Ascend Credit Card?