With the AMEX KrisFlyer Ascend on the receiving end of a major nerf last year, the AMEX KrisFlyer Credit Card has arguably become the more attractive option. Not only does it receive the same AMEX Offers and free miles conversions, it also features an easily waivable annual fee and more lucrative welcome bonuses.
On that note, American Express has now launched a new welcome bonus for the AMEX KrisFlyer Credit Card, which offers new-to-AMEX cardholders a choice of:
- 21,900 bonus miles
- 15,900 bonus miles + S$50 eCapitaVoucher
This is 1,000 fewer miles than the offer that ran in January 2025, but it is the biggest welcome offer for this card at the time of writing.
AMEX KrisFlyer Credit Card welcome offer
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Offer 1 | Offer 2 | |
First Spend | 5,000 miles | 5,000 miles |
Spend S$1,000 (First 30 days) |
16,900 miles | 10,900 miles+ S$50 eCV |
Base Miles from S$1,000 (@ 1.1 mpd) |
1,100 miles | 1,100 miles |
Total Spend | S$1,000 | S$1,000 |
Total Miles | 23,000 miles | 17,000 miles + S$50 eCV |
This offer is valid for new-to-AMEX customers who apply for and receive approval for an AMEX KrisFlyer Credit Card between 11-31 March 2025.
❓ New-to-AMEX definition |
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 Credit Card). However, all approvals are subject to American Express’ internal review. The AMEX KrisFlyer Credit Card is a distinct product from the AMEX KrisFlyer Ascend, AMEX PPS Club Card and AMEX Solitaire PPS Club Card. |
All first-time American Express KrisFlyer cobrand cardholders will enjoy 5,000 bonus 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.
New-to-AMEX customers who spend at least S$1,000 within the first month of approval (defined as 30 calendar days) can choose between 16,900 bonus miles or 10,900 bonus miles and a S$50 eCapitaVoucher.
Unless your valuation of a mile is very low (in which case, why are you even applying for this offer?), you should probably take the 16,900 bonus miles. Keep in mind, the S$50 eCapitaVoucher also entails some opportunity cost, since you could have used a 4 mpd card on that expenditure instead.
To summarise the offer, by spending S$1,000 in the first 30 days of approval, you’ll receive either 23,000 miles or 17,000 miles + S$50 eCV, broken down as follows:
- 5,000 bonus miles for first spend
- 16,900 bonus miles or 10,900 bonus miles + S$50 eCV for meeting S$1,000 spend
- 1,100 base miles for spending S$1,000 @ 1.1 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 16,900 miles or 10,900 miles + S$50 eCV 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 counts as eligible spend?
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?
Since there’s no need to pay the AMEX KrisFlyer Credit Card’s first year annual fee, the bonus is essentially offered at no cost. You’ll earn a ratio of 23 miles per S$1 on the first S$1,000 spent, assuming you take Offer 1.
This is currently the most generous offer on the market for the AMEX KrisFlyer Credit Card, and if all you want is a no-annual-fee card to enjoy AMEX Offers, this could be it.
Terms & Conditions
Overview: AMEX KrisFlyer Credit Card
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Income Req. | N/A* | Points Validity | 3 years |
Annual Fee | S$179.85 (FYF) |
Min. Transfer |
N/A |
FCY Fee | 3.25% | Transfer Fee | None |
Local Earn | 1.1 mpd | Points Pool? | N/A |
FCY Earn | 1.1 mpd | Lounge Access? | No |
Special Earn | 2 mpd on SIA, Scoot & KrisShop | Airport Limo? | No |
*AMEX no longer publishes income requirements for the AMEX KrisFlyer Credit Card. All applications are subject to internal review. For reference, the last published income requirement was S$30,000 p.a. | |||
Cardholder Terms and Conditions |
The AMEX KrisFlyer Credit Card has an annual fee of S$179.85, waived for the first year.
Cardholders earn 1.1 mpd on local and FCY spend. An uncapped 2 mpd is offered on Singapore Airlines, Scoot and KrisShop transactions. Frankly speaking, these are poor earn rates that can be easily outperformed by other alternatives. You’re better off getting this card for the welcome offer, and putting your day-to-day spend elsewhere.
In terms of benefits, the main one of note is that cardholders who spend at least S$12,000 between 1 July 2024 and 30 June 2025 will receive S$150 cashback for use on their next Singapore Airlines booking. Keep in mind that given the low earn rates of this card, however, there will be a significant opportunity cost incurred, which could more than outweigh the S$150.
Conclusion
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The AMEX KrisFlyer Credit Card is now offering 21,900 bonus miles or 15,900 bonus miles+ S$50 eCapitaVoucher for new-to-AMEX cardholders who spend at least S$1,000 in the first 30 days of approval.
This offer isn’t nearly as generous as the one that ran in January, however, which offered 22,900 bonus miles with the same spend.
With a waiver of the first year’s annual fee, it’s basically free miles for those who meet the eligibility criteria. That said, you’d ideally be diverting your post-bonus period spend to other cards with higher earn rates.
does this mean if I cancelled my Amex ascend card 2 months ago and never held a krisflyer credit card before, will I be eligible for the new welcome bonus for 16.9k miles?