Kris+ cuts earn rates for 28 merchants in Singapore

Singapore Airlines’ lifestyle rewards app Kris+ has cut the earn rates for 28 retail and activities merchants, in a series of changes that takes effect from 1 August 2024.

Among the bigger names impacted this time include Cole Haan, La Senza, Mayer and Superdry, though thankfully the dining merchants have emerged unscathed. 

This is the second set of rate cuts we’ve seen in 2024 so far, the previous round taking place in April when 27 merchants (15 initially, 12 belatedly) were also adjusted downward.

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

For the uninitiated, Kris+ is Singapore Airlines’ lifestyle rewards app that allows users to earn and redeem KrisFlyer miles at participating merchants in Singapore and Australia, as well as enjoy special discounts and privileges .

Miles earned on Kris+ can be transferred instantly to KrisFlyer at a 1:1 ratio with no conversion fees, so it’s an excellent way of topping up your account for an award redemption.

Kris+ revised earn rates from August 2024

Here’s an overview of how Kris+ earn rates have changed from 1 August 2024:

• 406 merchants are unchanged
• 7 merchants are cutting their earn rate from 9 mpd to 6 mpd
• 3 merchants are cutting their earn rate from 9 mpd to 4 mpd
• 18 merchants are cutting their earn rate from 6 mpd to 3 mpd

Following these changes, the average earn rate of all Kris+ merchants will drop to 5.4 mpd, which confirms what we probably already knew: as Kris+ becomes more established, the generosity of the programme will naturally wane.

For what it’s worth, Kris+ miles are still in addition to credit card miles, so unless there’s some other rewards or rebates programme you’re forgoing by using Kris+ (e.g. Love Dining), you’re still better off with Kris+ than without it.

Kris+ has published a PDF that summarises the revised earn rates, but this document is highly misleading. On first glance, you might be tempted to say “Yay! Everything’s going up!” 

On closer inspection, however, you’ll realise the “before” column shows the base rate, and not the actual rate you’re earning now.

For example, the way Breitling is shown in the table suggests it’s increasing from 3 mpd to 6 mpd, when in reality it’s decreasing from 9 mpd to 6 mpd!

Which merchants are changing?

Here’s a summary of the 28 merchants which have changed their earn rates from 1 August 2024.

The biggest cut here are the three 9 mpd merchants shifting to the 4 mpd bracket, an effective reduction of 56%. 

Fortunately, they’re rather niche (in my opinion at least; I’m sure you’ll feel different if you’re a regular patron!), and the bigger picture shows there are still 113 merchants offering the topmost band of 9 mpd, or more than 25% of all Kris+ participating merchants.

Earning miles via Kris+

To earn miles at Kris+ merchant, all you need to do is:

1. Scan the merchant’s Kris+ QR code
2. Enter the amount to be paid, and press “Pay” to pay via Apple/Google Pay

Don’t forget to transfer any KrisPay miles you earn to KrisFlyer within 21 days of the transaction, in their entirety. If you wait longer than 21 days, or spend any of the accrued miles, the balance will be stuck in Kris+ (where they expire after six months).

A big “Transfer to KrisFlyer” button appears after every transaction, so there’s no excuse!

What card should I use with Kris+?

In general, Kris+ retains the MCC of the underlying merchant (though there are some exceptions), so you can use whatever card you’d normally use for that particular merchant.

When in doubt, the following cards are the safest to use with Kris+, as they earn 3-4 mpd regardless of Kris+ merchant.

💳 Best Cards for Kris+ (All Categories)
Card	Earn Rate	Remarks
DBS WWMC Apply	4 mpd	Max. S$1.5K per c. month
Citi Rewards + Amaze Apply	4 mpd	Max. S$1K per s. month. Do not use Citi Rewards Card alone- no bonuses
KrisFlyer UOB Card Apply	3 mpd	No cap

However, there are also other cards you can use for dining or retail that will earn up to 4 mpd, such as the HSBC Revolution or UOB Lady’s Cards. Refer to the post below for more details. 

What’s the best card to use for Kris+?

Conclusion

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

Kris+ has cut the earn rate at 28 merchants from 1 August 2024, from either 6 or 9 mpd down to 3-6 mpd. This obviously makes the programme less generous than before, but is in line with the trend we’ve been seeing over the past 1-2 years.

But it’s not all bad news. You can continue to earn up to 13 mpd from Kris+ and the right credit card at many other merchants, providing a quick and easy way of topping off a KrisFlyer account for an award redemption.

As always, don’t forget to transfer any miles earned via Kris+ to your KrisFlyer account immediately, and pair the right card for extra miles.