Nerfed: AMEX KrisFlyer Ascend boosts earn rate to 1.5 mpd, but removes Hilton free night voucher

American Express has announced some changes to the AMEX KrisFlyer Ascend’s earn rates and benefits, and unfortunately, it looks like the final nail in the coffin for this card. 

Cardholders now earn 1.5 mpd on both local and overseas spend, and receive a 15,000 miles redemption discount for renewing the card each year. 

However, these marginal improvements are overshadowed by the loss of the annual Hilton free night voucher, and Hilton Honors Silver status. What’s worse is that AMEX is giving cardholders just two months — or possibly even less — to use their existing Hilton vouchers before they’re invalidated.

Talk about a rug pull…

AMEX KrisFlyer Ascend boosts earn rates to 1.5 mpd

From 1 November 2026, the AMEX KrisFlyer Ascend will earn 1.5 mpd on local and overseas spend, a 25% increase from the current 1.2 mpd.

Here’s how the revised earn rates compare to the competition (AMEX has also boosted the earn rates for the AMEX Solitaire PPS Card, PPS Card and KrisFlyer Credit Card, which I’ll cover in separate articles).

💳 Earn Rates for General Spending Cards (Income Req: S$30K)
Cards	↓ Local Spend	FCY Spend
AMEX KrisFlyer Ascend Apply	1.5 mpd	1.5 mpd
AMEX Solitaire PPS Card Apply	1.5 mpd	1.5 mpd Up to S$3,800 2.4 mpd S$3,801 onwards
AMEX PPS Card Apply	1.5 mpd	1.5 mpd Up to S$3,800 2 mpd S$3,801 onwards
UOB PRVI Miles Card AMEX MC Visa	1.4 mpd	3 mpd IDR, MYR, THB, VND 2.4 mpd All Others
BOC Elite Miles Card Apply	1.4 mpd	2.8 mpd
DBS Altitude Card AMEX Visa	1.3 mpd	2.2 mpd
OCBC 90°N Card MC Visa	1.3 mpd	2.1 mpd
AMEX KrisFlyer Credit Card Apply	1.3 mpd	1.3 mpd
HSBC TravelOne Card Apply	1.2 mpd	2.4 mpd
Citi PremierMiles Card Apply	1.2 mpd	2.2 mpd
StanChart Journey Card Apply	1.2 mpd	2 mpd
KrisFlyer UOB Credit Card Apply	1.2 mpd	1.2 mpd

Credit where it’s due: 1.5 mpd is the highest rate offered for local spend by a general spending card in the S$30,000 income segment. However, is it really worth paying S$397.85 a year for an incremental 0.1 mpd over the competition — especially with the removal of the Hilton free night voucher? I doubt it. 

Besides, a better question is whether you should be spending with the AMEX KrisFlyer Ascend in the first place. Given the abundance of 4 mpd alternatives such as the HSBC Revolution or UOB Preferred Visa, and the ability to earn an uncapped 2.4 mpd on dining, food delivery, online shopping, travel and transport with the KrisFlyer UOB Credit Card, spending on the AMEX KrisFlyer Ascend should only be a last resort. 

The only situation where the AMEX KrisFlyer Ascend would be the first choice is when paying for government services or charitable donations (which were supposedly excluded in October 2023, but still earn rewards in my experience), where other cards don’t earn miles.

Local spending aside, 1.5 mpd is a terrible earn rate for FCY spend, and under no circumstances should you be using the AMEX KrisFlyer Ascend while abroad. 

Miles redemption discount for card renewal increased to 15,000 miles

The AMEX KrisFlyer Ascend offers a Renewal Miles Redemption Voucher (MRV) to cardholders each year they renew their card and pay the S$397.85 annual fee.

This was originally 10,000 miles, but has now been increased to 15,000 miles. That may sound impressive on paper, but given the annual fee, you’re basically paying 2.65 cents per mile — way too expensive.

Besides, an MRV is not the same as receiving 15,000 miles in your account. Instead, MRVs come with some very finicky and restrictive rules.

First, MRVs can only be used to offset the cost of a redemption booking or redemption upgrade on flights operated by Singapore Airlines. They cannot be used for awards with Scoot, or any of SIA’s Star Alliance or other redemption partners. 

Second, to redeem an MRV, your KrisFlyer account must have at least 50% of the KrisFlyer miles required to cover the full cost of the redemption booking or upgrade.

Third, MRVs can only be applied to the first eligible passenger in the booking or upgrade. Any unused amount is forfeited. 

Fourth, you can’t use more than one MRV per booking, which prevents you from combining the Renewal MRV with the Foreign Spend MRV (awarded for spending at least S$10,000 in FCY from 1 November to 31 October of the following year).

I assume some of these are the result of technical limitations rather than any actual malice, but it just goes to show how silly MRVs are as a concept — the problem could have been avoided by just crediting miles to the cardholder’s account!

I’ve written a separate article for those who want to learn more about MRVs, but long story short, they’re annoying to use and expensive to earn (in terms of the cost per mile, as well as opportunity cost).

How do the AMEX KrisFlyer Ascend’s Miles Redemption Vouchers work?

Free Hilton night voucher removed

From 2 November 2026, the AMEX KrisFlyer Ascend will no longer issue a complimentary one-night Hilton stay voucher for new card applications or renewals. 

Make no mistake, this is a huge loss. The free stay voucher was undoubtedly the star attraction of the AMEX KrisFlyer Ascend, because — redeemed at the right property — it could help cover a significant portion of the S$397.85 annual fee.

For example, you could redeem the voucher at the Waldorf Astoria Bangkok in November, when room rates cost 15,542 THB after taxes, or ~S$592.

Alternatively, you could redeem the voucher at the SAii Lagoon Maldives, where room rates cost US$580.60 after taxes, or ~S$743 during the same period. 

Granted, not every redemption would lead to such eye-popping value, but even a more conservative use would go a long way to justifying the annual fee. 

What makes this even worse is how American Express is handling the transition. Cardholders with existing vouchers must redeem them by 31 December 2026 or the expiry date printed on the voucher, whichever is earlier. That gives them less than two months to act, and remember, stays must be completed by this date, not just booked. 

It’s even worse if you were recently approved for the card, or recently renewed it. Cardholders who paid their renewal fee in September or October 2026, and those who were approved on or before 2 November 2026 will receive their complimentary voucher by 30 November 2026. They could have as little as one month to make use of it!

The full list of participating Hilton hotels for 2026 can be found here. I’ve also mapped them below for easy reference. 

If you’re unable to travel overseas during this period, then three staycation options are available: the Conrad Singapore Marina Bay, Hilton Singapore Orchard and Hilton Garden Inn Singapore Serangoon. I probably shouldn’t have to tell you that the Conrad offers the best value of the trio! 

For a detailed guide to this year’s participating hotels and how to book them, refer to the article below.

AMEX KrisFlyer Ascend Hilton free night: My pick of the 2026 hotels

No more Hilton Honors Silver status

The AMEX KrisFlyer Ascend will also be losing its complimentary Hilton Honors Silver status.

Most Silver benefits are fairly unexciting, such as two free bottles of water per stay and a 20% bonus on points earned. However, the real draw was the fifth night free on award stays. Unlike Marriott, which offers this to all Bonvoy members, Hilton only extends it to Silver members and above.

This came in especially handy when buying Hilton points, since you’d need 20% fewer points for a five-night stay than you otherwise would.

Cardmembers can continue to enrol for Hilton Silver status until 31 December 2026, and existing status will continue until its original expiry date. In general, Hilton status expires on 31 March, two years after it was earned. Therefore, if you enrolled for Hilton Silver status in 2026, it will be valid until 31 March 2028.

What now for the Ascend?

Truth be told, the AMEX KrisFlyer Ascend has been on a downward trajectory for some time now — descending, if you will.

The rot started back in November 2024, when American Express “refreshed” the card by removing its airport lounge vouchers, nerfing its Grab and FCY earn rates, and increasing the annual fee by 16% to the current S$397.85. Of course, it spun this as an enhancement, but anyone with half a brain could see that they were being asked to pay more for less. 

Even so, the value of the Hilton free night voucher, stacked with the right welcome offer, could make it worthwhile getting the AMEX KrisFlyer Ascend for just a single year. In fact, last month’s welcome offer was a great example — a new cardholder could get at least S$675 of value in the first year, taking a very conservative valuation of S$200 for the Hilton free night.

With the Hilton free night voucher out of the picture, and no more S$100 eCapitaVoucher welcome gift this month, I don’t see any reason to bother getting an AMEX KrisFlyer Ascend, even for one year, let alone renew it.

Conclusion

The AMEX KrisFlyer Ascend’s new 1.5 mpd earn rate may be the best for local spending in the S$30,000 income segment, but an incremental 0.1 mpd is hardly worth paying nearly S$400 a year — and most of your spending should go on 4 mpd cards anyway. Likewise, the Renewal MRV is poor value, given the hefty cost per mile and the restrictions on its use.

With the Hilton free night voucher gone, the Ascend has lost the one benefit that could justify its annual fee. And with existing vouchers invalidated after the end of the year, cardholders don’t have much time to act.

So, if you have an AMEX KrisFlyer Ascend, prepare for an orderly scuttling. Redeem your voucher (hopefully at the most expensive property you can find), enrol for Hilton Silver status, and when the annual fee comes around, abandon ship.