💳 Flash deal: Get a S$100 Trip.com gift card and 30,000 bonus miles with a new Citi PremierMiles Card
Home Blog

How much does it cost to change a Scoot award flight?

1

Last week, Scoot published a new award chart, which allows KrisFlyer members to redeem fixed-priced awards starting from 1,500 miles each way. 

While it will still be possible to use the Miles + Cash option — which values a mile at a fixed rate of 1 cent each — the award chart should offer superior value in most situations. Moreover, it opens up the possibility of redeeming flights outside the Singapore Airlines network, including Chiang Mai, Jeju, Koh Samui, Okinawa and Phu Quoc.

I’ve already done a detailed run-through of the award chart and its various rules, but I want to tackle one question that wasn’t properly addressed at the time: how changes to Scoot award tickets will be handled.

What is the change policy for Scoot award tickets?

Award tickets on Scoot cannot be refunded, but can be changed for a fee

Just like commercial tickets on Scoot, award tickets are strictly non-refundable. There are only three categories of exceptions:

  • Medical reasons
  • Death of passenger or immediate family members
  • Schedule change or disruption with retiming of two hours or more
❌ Cancel Your Trip add-on

Scoot sells an add-on called “Cancel Your Trip”, which starts from S$20 and allows for a refund of any booking up to four hours before departure. However, the refund is given in the form of Scoot vouchers, with a 12-month validity.

This add-on is not available for award ticket redemptions.

Route changes are also not permitted, so a Singapore > Sydney ticket cannot be changed to Singapore > Melbourne, for example. 

However, changes can be made to dates or timings (e.g. if you want to switch to an earlier/later Scoot flight on the same day).

  • If you have booked a Saver award, and there are Saver awards available on the revised flight, no further top-up of miles is required
  • If you have booked a Saver award, and there are only Advantage awards available on the revised flight, you will need to top-up the difference
  • If you have booked an Advantage award, and there are Advantage awards available on the revised flight, no further top-up of miles is required
  • If you have booked an Advantage award, and there are Saver awards available on the revised flight, no refund of miles will be granted

Regardless of which of the four scenarios you’re in, a change fee will be applicable, which Scoot has told me will start from S$60 per passenger. I assume it will be more expensive on longer routes, but please contribute any data points you have (I’d be interested to see where it maxes out at).

It may surprise you to know that Scoot Saver and Scoot Advantage awards both incur the same change fee, because with Singapore Airlines, Advantage awards enjoy a waiver of change fees (see below). It makes a bit more sense if you think of Scoot as only having one type of award, with two levels of pricing (Saver and Advantage) depending on demand.

How can you avoid the change fee?

Fortunately, there are several ways to avoid paying this change fee.

Option 1: Elite status

Solitaire PPS Club, PPS Club, and KrisFlyer Elite Gold members enjoy a complimentary one-time change fee waiver, which applies to both commercial and award tickets.

This benefit applies alongside the rest of the usual Scoot privileges for Singapore Airlines elites, summarised below.

✈️ Scoot Privileges for SQ Elites
 
  KrisFlyer Elite Gold/Silver Solitaire PPS/PPS Club
Priority Check-in and Boarding
Extra 5kg Luggage Allowance^
(with min. purchase of 20 kg allowance)
Free Standard Seat Selection*
One-time Change Fee Waiver
KF Elite Gold only
SilverKris Lounge Access
Solitaire PPS Club only
^Only applies to the elite member, and not travelling companions
*Only applies to bookings made directly on the flyscoot.com website

Option 2: Buy Flex bundle or Change Your Flight

During the award booking process, passengers will have the option to purchase a Flex bundle, which includes:

  • Standard seat selection
  • 20kg check-in baggage
  • Change Your Flight

Change Your Flight allows for unlimited date or time changes, up to four hours prior to departure. You cannot change flights which you have already checked-in for, so if in doubt, you’d better hold off.

Alternatively, Change Your Flight can also be purchased as an a la carte add-on at the next booking step.

Now, it seems to me that for those without elite status, buying a Flex package or a la carte Change Your Flight add-on might be the safe option if you’re not 100% sure of your plans. In this particular scenario, making a single change for S$60 would already be twice the cost of an a la carte Change Your Flight add-on, and almost 70% of the cost of the Flex bundle!

Of course, the costs will differ depending on route, so you should make a point of checking this before deciding whether to purchase Change Your Flight.

Option 3: UOB KrisFlyer Thailand World Elite card

This option won’t be relevant to those of us based in Singapore, but for the sake of completeness I should mention that KrisFlyer UOB Thailand World Elite Cardholders (not the lower-tier World version) also enjoy a one-time date/time fee waiver.

The KrisFlyer UOB Credit Card in Singapore no longer offers this benefit, ever since June 2024, and in any case, its Scoot benefits do not apply to award tickets.

How does this compare to Singapore Airlines award tickets?

Changing the date of a Singapore Airlines award ticket costs a maximum of US$25

Scoot’s S$60 change fee stands in stark contrast to Singapore Airlines, where date and time changes cost a maximum of US$25 (~S$32), and can even be free. 

  Saver Advantage
Date or time change US$25 Free
Route, cabin class, award type change US$25 US$25
Cancellation of award US$75 US$50
Note: Promo awards (aka Spontaneous Escapes) cannot be changed or cancelled

On the other hand, Singapore Airlines elite members don’t enjoy any waiver of the change fees on award tickets, even if they’re Solitaire PPS (you can ask and maybe it’ll be granted, but it’s not official policy).

Conclusion

While award flights on Scoot cannot be refunded, you can make date and time changes for a fee starting from S$60 (and a top-up of miles, where necessary).

Solitaire PPS, PPS Club and KrisFlyer Elite Gold members enjoy one complimentary date or time change, or you can choose to purchase the Change Your Flight add-on for unlimited complimentary date or time changes. 

If you don’t have elite status and aren’t completely sure of your plans, it might not be the worst idea to check how much this add-on will cost for your flight.

Review: Maybank XL Rewards Card

0

Here’s The MileLion’s review of the Maybank XL Rewards Card, a visceral reminder that life does indeed go downhill after 40. Everything hurts, your back goes out more than you do, and you’re officially off the guest list for Maybank’s latest rewards card.

And with 4 mpd on all foreign currency (FCY) spend — even education, hospitals and utility bills — as well as dining, shopping, travel and entertainment, this is a party you might actually want to attend.

Maybank XL Rewards Card
🦁 MileLion Verdict
☑ Take It
☐ Take It Or Leave It
☐ Leave It

What do these ratings mean?
With 4 mpd on all FCY spend and a wide range of bonus categories, the Maybank XL Rewards Card is an easy card to recommend— provided you’re not a day over 40.
👍 The good 👎 The bad
  • 4 mpd on all FCY spend, dining, shopping, travel and entertainment
  • Still earns points for education, hospitals and utility bills
  • Amaze-compatible
  • 2-year annual fee waiver (and should be fairly easy to waive after that)
  • Not available to anyone 40 and older
  • Limited transfer partners
  • TREATS Points expire after 12-15 months
  • S$500 minimum spend required for bonus miles
  • No Google Pay support and clunky app ecosystem
💳 Full List of Credit Card Reviews

Overview: Maybank XL Rewards Card

Let’s start this review by looking at the key features of the Maybank XL Rewards Card.

Apply
Income Req. S$30,000 p.a. Points Validity 12-15 months
Annual Fee S$87.20
(F2YF)
Min.
Transfer
25,000 points
(10,000 miles)*
Miles with
Annual Fee
N/A Transfer
Partners
4
FCY Fee 3.25% Transfer Fee S$27.25
Local Earn 0.4 mpd Points Pool? Yes
FCY Earn 4 mpd
Lounge Access? No
Special Earn 4 mpd on dining, shopping, travel, entertainment Airport Limo? No
Cardholder Terms and Conditions
*For KrisFlyer; 5,000 miles for Cathay and Malaysia Airlines, 2,000 points for Air Asia

Do note that the XL Card comes in two flavours. In addition to the XL Rewards Card covered in this review, there is also the XL Cashback Card.

Both the Rewards and Cashback card have the same annual fee, bonus categories and minimum spend requirement, but instead of 4 mpd, the XL Cashback Card earns up to 5% cashback, capped at S$80 per month.

There is nothing stopping you from applying for both the Rewards and Cashback variants if you wish. In this case, you must meet the S$500 minimum monthly spend (more on that later) on both cards to enjoy 4 mpd or 5% cashback.

How much must I earn to qualify for a Maybank XL Rewards Card?

ocbc titanium rewards card income requirement

The Maybank XL Rewards Card has a minimum income requirement of S$30,000 p.a.

But the real hurdle isn’t income. It’s age.

Maybank will only accept XL Card applications from customers aged 21-39 years old; anyone 40 or older will be automatically rejected. Eligibility is based on age at the time of application, and you can submit an application so long as you’re 39 years and 364 days old or younger.

We can argue till the cows come home whether this counts as segmentation or discrimination (po-tay-to, po-tah-to?), but at the end of the day, Maybank isn’t breaking any laws. MAS guidelines stipulate a minimum age and income for credit card applications, not a maximum.

Singapore has no equivalent of the Equal Credit Opportunity Act (which in the US prohibits age-based discrimination when granting credit facilities), and if Maybank wants to issue this card only to left-handed Jedi knights who say “Ni”, then that’s their prerogative. 

OK Boomer: Can the Maybank XL Card really exclude applicants aged 40 and older?

For the avoidance of doubt, you can retain this card even after you turn 40 (it’s not like Maybank sends a collection agency to your house to confiscate it), and it will still be renewed every time the expiry date comes around. However, if you choose to cancel it, you will never be able to apply for an XL Card again!

How much is the Maybank XL Rewards Card’s annual fee? 

  Principal Card Supp. Card
First 2 Years Waived Free
Subsequent S$87.20 Free

The Maybank XL Rewards Card has an annual fee of S$87.20, which is waived for the first two years.

Subsequent years’ fees can be waived with a minimum spend of S$6,000 in a membership year. It remains to be seen how strictly Maybank enforces this rule, but given that this represents just 50% of the annual bonus cap, it shouldn’t be too hard for most cardholders to hit.

All supplementary cards are free for life.

What welcome offers are available?

Apply

Maybank is currently offering the following welcome bonus for the Maybank XL Cards.

  • First 2,000 new-to-bank customers: S$60 cashback upon activating the card and making a minimum spend of any amount
  • Subsequent new-to-bank customers: S$10 cashback upon activating the card and making a minimum spend of any amount

The 2,000 cap is shared between the XL Rewards and XL Cashback variants, and this offer is only available for new-to-bank customers, defined as those who:

  • Do not currently hold any principal Maybank credit cards or CreditAble accounts
  • Have not cancelled any principal Maybank credit cards or CreditAble accounts in the past 9 months

However, I would recommend applying for a different product as your first Maybank card.

Maybank is currently offering a Samsonite INTERLACE Spinner 67/24 Exp (worth S$520) for new-to-bank customers who apply for any Maybank card — except the XL Cards — and spend at least S$1,300 in the first two months of approval.

There is no eligibility cap for this offer, and if you’re thinking of getting a Maybank XL Rewards Card, then I’d highly recommend getting a Maybank Horizon Visa Signature or World Mastercard too.

The T&Cs for this offer can be found here.

How many miles do I earn?

🇸🇬 SGD Spend 🌎 FCY Spend ⭐ Bonus Spend
0.4 mpd 4 mpd 4 mpd on dining, shopping, travel, entertainment

The Maybank XL Card earns 10X TREATS Points per S$1 (4 mpd) on:

  • All online and offline FCY spending
  • Online and offline SGD spending in the following categories
Category MCCs Description
🍽️ Dine
5811 Caterers
5812 Restaurants
5814 Fast Food
5462 Bakeries
🛍️ Shop
5262 Marketplaces
5310 Discount Stores
5311 Department Stores
5331 Variety Stores
5399 Misc. General Merchandise
5621 Women’s Ready to Wear
5631 Women’s Accessory and Specialty
5651 Family Clothing
5655 Sports and Riding Apparel
5661 Shoe Stores
5691 Men’s and Women’s Clothing Stores
5699 Misc. Accessory and Apparel
5941 Sporting Goods Stores
✈️ Travel 3000 – 3299, 3300 – 3308, 4511  Airlines
4722 Travel Agencies
7011 Hotels and Lodging
📽️ Play 4899 Cable, Satellite, Pay Television and Radio
5813 Bars, Cocktail Lounges, Nightclubs
5815 Digital Goods: Books, Movies, Music
7832 Theatres
7993 Video Amusement Game Supplies
7994 Video Game Arcades

The 4 mpd earn rate requires a minimum spend of S$500 per calendar month, and is capped at S$1,000 per calendar month. If you fail to meet the minimum spend, or spend above the cap, you’ll earn just 0.4 mpd, so it’s crucial to track your spending accurately.

Monthly Spending
(assuming all on bonus categories)
Miles Earned
S$400 160 miles
(S$400 x 0.4 mpd)
S$600 2,400 miles
(S$600 x 4 mpd)
S$1,500 4,200 miles
(S$1,000 x 4 mpd + S$500 x 0.4 mpd)

The Maybank XL Rewards Card covers a wide range of bonus categories, and can be your daily driver for:

  • Air tickets
  • Agoda, Booking.com, Hotels.com, Traveloka, Trip.com and other OTAs
  • Amazon, Shopee, Lazada and other e-commerce websites
  • Disney+, Netflix, Spotify and other streaming services
  • Deliveroo, foodpanda, GrabFood and other food delivery platforms
  • Hotels (including Airbnb)
  • KKday, Klook, Pelago
  • Movie tickets
  • Restaurants, bars, cafes and fast food

The only major expense categories that aren’t covered are groceries, petrol and transport, but you could indirectly earn 4 mpd on these by buying vouchers from HeyMax, where all transactions code as MCC 5311.

Sign up here
  • Airalo
  • Amazon
  • Best Denki
  • Courts
  • Deliveroo
  • Foodpanda
  • Giant
  • Grab
  • IKEA
  • Klook
  • Lazada
  • Muji
  • Natureland
  • NTUC FairPrice
  • Oddle Eats
  • Pelago
  • Pupsik
  • Ryde
  • Shein
  • Shell
  • Sheng Siong
  • Sephora
  • TADA
  • TANGS
  • ZALORA
All voucher purchases code as MCC 5311 (Department Stores)

Maybank cards are also noteworthy for having far fewer exclusion categories than most other cards on the market. In particular, it’s still possible to earn rewards for education, hospitals and utility bills. These transactions, if charged in FCY, will even earn 4 mpd with the XL Rewards Card (in SGD, they’ll earn 0.4 mpd).

Maybank has an FCY transaction fee of 3.25%, so using the Maybank XL Rewards Card for FCY spend represents buying miles at 0.81 cents each, assuming you’re in the 4 mpd zone.

💳 FCY Fees by Issuer and Card Network
Issuer ↓ MC & Visa AMEX
Standard Chartered 3.5% N/A
American Express N/A 3.25%
Citibank 3.25% N/A
DBS 3.25% 3%
HSBC 3.25% N/A
Maybank 3.25% N/A
OCBC 3.25% N/A
UOB 3.25% 3.25%
BOC 3% N/A
CIMB 3% N/A

Does it work with Amaze?

The Maybank XL Card can be paired with Amaze. There are four scenarios to consider, based on currency (SGD or FCY) and whether the transaction falls under a whitelisted category (Dining, Shopping, Travel, Play).

  In SGD In FCY
Whitelisted categories XL Rewards
(4 mpd)
Amaze + XL Rewards
(4 mpd + 2% fee)
All other spend Use a different card XL Rewards
(4 mpd + 3.25% fee)

SGD spending, non-whitelisted category

Don’t use Amaze, or the XL Rewards Card for that matter. You’d earn only 0.4 mpd either way, but Amaze would make it even worse with its 1% admin fee for SGD transactions.

SGD spending, whitelisted category

Don’t use Amaze. Using a naked XL Rewards Card would be sufficient to earn 4 mpd, and again, we don’t want to incur the 1% admin fee for SGD transactions if we don’t have to.

FCY spending, whitelisted category

Use Amaze + XL Rewards to reduce the FCY fee to ~2%, while still earning 4 mpd.

FCY spending, non-whitelisted category

Use a naked XL Rewards Card to earn 4 mpd, with a 3.25% FCY fee.

If you brought Amaze into the picture, you’d earn 0.4 mpd with a ~2% FCY fee, because the transaction effectively becomes SGD spending in a non-whitelisted category.

Transaction date or posting date?

Technically speaking, Maybank tracks minimum spend and bonus caps by posting date, not transaction date.

In practice, however, all transactions charged in a given month and posted by the 10th of the following month are considered to be part of the month in which they were charged.

💳 Maybank XL Rewards Card
Transaction Date Posting Date Counts Towards
Month X By the 10th of Month X+1 Month X
Month X+1 By the 10th of Month X+2 Month X+1

In other words, you can comfortably spend up till the last calendar day of the month, and not have to worry about transactions “leaking” into the following month (it’s not impossible, but 10 days should be more than enough time for even the slowest of merchants to post).

Which cards track spending by transaction date vs posting date?

When are TREATS Points credited?

Points crediting with the Maybank XL Card works slightly differently from other Maybank cards. 

Both the 1X base and 9X bonus TREATS Points are credited on the 11th of the following calendar month, in one lump sum. In other words, you shouldn’t expect to receive any points from the XL Card in the month of spending.

How are TREATS Points calculated?

As the Maybank XL Rewards Card is new, I have yet to confirm the formula used to calculate points. I will update this section when we have more clarity, hopefully by mid-September 2025.

For the full list of formulas that banks use to calculate credit card points, do refer to these articles:

What transactions aren’t eligible for TREATS Points?

A full list of transactions that do not earn points can be found in the T&Cs at point 2.2. I’ve highlighted a few noteworthy categories below:

  • Betting and gambling transactions
  • Brokerage and securities transactions
  • Charitable donations
  • Government services
  • Insurance premiums
  • Prepaid account top-ups, e.g. GrabPay and YouTrip

As mentioned earlier, education, hospitals and utilities are not on the exclusion list, and you will earn 0.4/4 mpd for these transactions in SGD/FCY.

What do I need to know about TREATS Points?

❌ Expiry ↔️ Pooling 💰 Transfer Fee
No expiry Yes
N/A
⬆️ Min. Transfer  ✈️ No. of Partners ⏱️ Transfer Time
Varies 4 1-2 working days
(to KF)

Expiry

TREATS Points earned on the XL Rewards Card expire one year from the quarterly period in which they were earned, which means a validity of 12-15 months. 

Points Earned Points Expire On
1 January to 31 March 2025 31 March 2026
1 April to 30 June 2025 30 June 2026
1 July to 30 September 2025 30 September 2026
1 October to 31 December 2025 31 December 2026

If you spend at least S$24,000 in a membership year on the XL Rewards Card, you can qualify for a Rewards Infinite membership, which makes your TREATS Points non-expiring. However, this requires spending beyond the S$1,000 monthly bonus cap, and is not advisable. 

A simpler alternative is to hold a Maybank Visa Infinite or Maybank World Mastercard, since their complimentary Rewards Infinite membership also applies to TREATS Points earned on the XL Rewards Card.

How does the Maybank Rewards Infinite programme work?

Pooling

TREATS Points pool with other Maybank cards. If you have 20,000 TREATS Points on the Maybank XL Rewards Card, and 5,000 TREATS Points on the Maybank Horizon Visa Signature, you can redeem 25,000 TREATS Points at one go.

This also means that if you cancel your Maybank XL Rewards Card, you won’t lose your accumulated TREATS Points unless it happens to be your very last TREATS-earning card.

Transfer partners & fees

TREATS Points can be transferred to four airline partners at the following ratios.

Frequent Flyer Programme Conversion Ratio
(TREATS Points: Partner)
krisflyer logo 25,000 : 10,000
asia miles logo 12,500 : 5,000
12,500 : 5,000
4,000 : 2,000

Malaysia Airlines Enrich and AirAsia Rewards are close to worthless in my opinion, so that leaves Asia Miles and KrisFlyer as the only realistic options.

All conversions have an admin fee of S$27.25.

Transfer time

Conversions to KrisFlyer miles are generally completed within 1-2 working days.

Other card perks

Complimentary travel insurance

Maybank is offering the first 15,000 Maybank XL Rewards and Cashback Cardholders a complimentary Etiqa Trip XpLorer Protect policy, which offers coverage of up to S$5,000 for accidental injuries and illness during leisure trips.

This policy lasts for 12 months, and will not auto-renew. If you’re eligible to receive this policy, you’ll receive an email notification when your XL Card is approved.

Needless to say, this should not be taking the place of a comprehensive travel insurance policy, as there’s no coverage for accidental death or permanent disablement, travel inconvenience (e.g. delayed flights, lost luggage), personal liability or loss of personal belongings.

That said, it does cover so-called “adventurous activities” such as abseiling, bungee jumping, sky diving, hot air ballooning, rock climbing and skiing, which may not be covered by other policies. So you should see this as supplementary coverage for an otherwise comprehensive policy, not a replacement.

Terms & Conditions

Summary Review: Maybank XL Rewards Card

Maybank XL Rewards Card
Apply
🦁 MileLion Verdict
☑  Take It
☐ Take It Or Leave It
☐ Leave It

With 4 mpd on a wide range of everyday spending categories, including all FCY spend, the Maybank XL Rewards Card is an easy card to recommend. That’s especially the case if you’re already holding a Maybank Horizon Visa Signature, or better yet, a Visa Infinite or World Mastercard, since these unlock non-expiring points through Rewards Infinite. 

While I do wish its bonus cap were slightly higher, S$1,000 per month is in line with similar cards like the Citi Rewards, DBS Woman’s World Card and UOB Lady’s Card, so I can’t really complain.

The main drawback is its controversial age cap, and if you’re approaching the big 4-0, I’d highly recommend applying for an XL Rewards Card now, even if you have no immediate use for it. There’s no annual fee for the first two years anyway, and once you pass 40, the door closes permanently.

So that’s my review of the Maybank XL Rewards Card. What do you think?

AMEX My Travel Insurance: Get Samsonite luggage or up to S$150 eCapitaVouchers with new policy

7

If you’re shopping for travel insurance, American Express has renewed the welcome gifts for its My Travel Insurance plans. You can now receive up to S$150 in eCapitaVouchers (eCV) or a Samsonite luggage when you purchase a single-trip or annual policy.

On top of this, you’ll receive an extra S$5-20 in statement credits when you make the purchase via my referral link.

It’s worth noting that this isn’t nearly as generous as the previous referral programme—which offered up to 5,000 MR points, 2,500 miles, or S$25 eCV—but for better or worse, this is what’s being offered till the end of 2025.

AMEX My Travel Insurance offer

Apply here
Note: The referral link may expire from time to time. If it’s not working, please leave a comment and I’ll get it updated ASAP

From 1 July to 30 September 2025, customers who purchase a My Travel Insurance policy will enjoy the following sign-up gifts:

  Single Trip Annual Multi-Trip
Essential
Standard S$20 eCV^ S$80 eCV
Superior
(APAC)#
S$40 eCV^ S$150 eCV
Superior
(Worldwide)*
S$40 eCV^ S$50 eCV + Samsonite Cubuz Spinner 28″
^ Except for journeys which only include Malaysia
# APAC includes Australia, New Zealand, China, Taiwan, Hong Kong SAR, Macao SAR, Mongolia, Japan, South Korea, India, Sri Lanka, and Southeast Asia.
* Includes both Worldwide (ex USA, Canada and Cuba) and Worldwide (ex Cuba)

In addition to this, American Express cardholders who purchase their plans (whether single-trip or annual) via my referral link will receive the following additional gifts.

  • Single trip: S$5 statement credit
  • Annual multi-trip: S$20 statement credit

For the avoidance of doubt, you’ll receive one welcome gift and one referral gift per policy purchased, so for example, someone who buys 2x single-trip Superior plans will receive 2x S$40 eCV + 2x S$5 statement credits.

To ensure proper application tracking, every time you purchase a new policy, start a new session by closing your browser and reopening the referral link. 

How much coverage is provided?

In terms of coverage, the My Travel Insurance Superior plan offers up to:

  • S$2 million for overseas medical expenses
  • S$2 million for personal liability
  • S$1 million coverage for accidental death and permanent disablement
  • S$150,000 for legal expenses
  • S$50,000 of post-journey medical expenses
  • S$20,000 for travel cancellation or curtailment
  • S$8,000 for loss of personal property and baggage
  • S$1,000 of rental car excess

There is also coverage for COVID-19, travel delays, misconnections, baggage delays, flight diversions and overbooked flights.

Miles chasers will be pleased to know that the plan also offers up to S$20,000 coverage for the loss of frequent flyer points, in the event your inability to travel leads to them being forfeited (e.g. if you book a KrisFlyer Spontaneous Escapes award, which cannot be refunded, or if you’ve booked a hotel with points and are outside the free cancellation window).

Terms & Conditions

Below you’ll find links to the factsheet, policy wording, FAQs and T&Cs for this offer. 

Gifts from purchase of the policy will be fulfilled within eight weeks of purchasing the plan.

Gifts from the referral programme will take up to 10 weeks for fulfilment.

How to purchase a plan

When you click on my referral link, you’ll be prompted to enter your AMEX card number. The referral reward will be credited to that card.

After that, you’ll be able to select the plan you wish to purchase. Click on that and proceed as normal.

The promo code TRAVELASSURED should be automatically applied, which entitles you to the welcome gifts.

What card should you use for your purchase?

While American Express no longer awards points for insurance payments in general, there is an exception carved out for “payments made for insurance products purchased through American Express authorised channel”.

You can therefore use the following cards and enjoy the usual general spending rate, on top of the gifts.

Card Earn Rate
AMEX Solitaire PPS Credit Card
Apply
1.3 mpd
AMEX PPS Credit Card
Apply
1.3 mpd
AMEX KrisFlyer Ascend
Apply
1.2 mpd
AMEX KrisFlyer Credit Card
Apply
1.1 mpd
AMEX Centurion 0.98 mpd
AMEX Platinum Charge
Apply
0.78 mpd
AMEX Platinum Reserve
Apply
0.69 mpd
 AMEX Platinum Credit Card
Apply
0.69 mpd

Conclusion

Apply here
Note: The referral link may expire from time to time. If it’s not working, please leave a comment and I’ll get it updated ASAP

American Express is now offering a Samsonite luggage or up to S$150 in eCapitaVouchers for customers who purchase a My Travel Insurance plan, with an extra referral bonus of up to S$20 in statement credits.

This policy covers both COVID-19 and loss of miles and points, so if you’re in the market for a travel insurance plan, be sure to add this one to your consideration set.

2025/26 Edition: The Maybank Manchester United Card gamble

3

At the end of the last English Premier League season, Maybank had a conundrum on its hands: how could it realign the Maybank Manchester United Card with the club’s newfound ethos?

After all, with Ruben Amorim’s men winning just 11 out of 38 games, earning a meagre 42 points and finishing in 15th place — their lowest league position in decades — it was clear that the team was embarking in a bold new direction.

At Manchester United, everyone gets a chance to play!

I mean, how else can you explain such great acts of charity we witnessed over the course of the campaign, like when Diogo Dalot decided it would be unsporting to tap the ball into an open net, and opted instead to donate it to the underprivileged orphan seated in Row Z? Or the steadfast support of Rasmus Hojlund even after he was diagnosed with terminal goalzheimers? Or when Manchester United made it to the final of the Europa League, if only to show they could, before surrendering so tamely in a match The Guardian described as “a bout between a blind bear and a pair of three-legged badgers”?

It was plainly obvious that a new philosophy had taken hold at Old Trafford, one less obsessed with winning at all costs, and more dedicated to ensuring that everyone has fun and forms new friendships along the way. But how do you square that with a cobrand card that only rewards something as crass as *gasp* winning?

Why, you shift the goalposts of course, and that’s why the 2025/26 season introduces a kinder, gentler Maybank Manchester United Card, with an all-new rewards system that recognises the grit and pluckiness of grinding out a draw on a cold mid-week night at Rustbelt-upon-Bleakminster F.C.

Overview: Maybank Manchester United Card

Apply
Income Req. S$30,000 p.a. Points Validity 12-15 months
Annual Fee S$87.20
(2 year waiver)
Min. Transfer (KF) 10,000 miles
Miles with
Annual Fee
None Transfer Partners 4
FCY Fee 3.25% Transfer Fee S$27.25
Local Earn 1.12mpd Points Pool? Yes
FCY Earn 1.12mpd Lounge Access? No
Special Earn 1.6 mpd
(Man Utd draw)
2.8 mpd
(Man Utd win)
Airport Limo? No
Cardholder Terms and Conditions

It’s a whole new ball game this season for the Maybank Manchester United Card, with a new card face, revised earn rates, and a refreshed rewards mechanic which reminds us that life is not just a relentless zero-sum game.

Gone is the previous hybrid system of miles and cashback, replaced instead by a four-tiered scheme.

Event Earn Rate Remarks
Man Utd Win 2.8 mpd
SGD FCY
Capped at S$2,000 per win
Man Utd Draw 1.6 mpd
SGD FCY
Capped at S$2,000 per draw and 1 draw per month
Man Utd Loss or Regular Day 1.12 mpd
SGD FCY
No cap
Selected Category Spend
0.4 mpd
SGD
No cap
1.12-2.8 mpd
FCY
  • If Manchester United wins an EPL game, cardholders earn 2.8 mpd on all SGD and FCY spend that day, capped at S$2,000 per win
  • If Manchester United draws an EPL game, cardholders earn 1.6 mpd on all SGD and FCY spend that day, capped at S$2,000 per draw, and one draw per calendar month
  • If Manchester United lose an EPL game, or on non-match days, cardholders earn an uncapped 1.12 mpd on all SGD and FCY spend

However, if you’re spending on the following categories (which Maybank dubs “Selected Categories”), then special rules apply.

Category MCC
Real Estate Agents and Managers – Rentals 6513
Educational Institutions / Schools 8211, 8220, 8241, 8244, 8249, 8299
Hospitals, Medical, Pharmacies 8062, 4119, 5047, 5122, 5912, 5975, 5976, 8011, 8021, 8031, 8041, 8042, 8043, 8049, 8050, 8071, 8099
Business Services (Not Elsewhere Classified) 7399
Utilities 4900
Telecommunications 4812, 4814
  • Spending on Selected Categories in SGD will earn an uncapped 0.4 mpd.
  • Spending on Selected Categories in FCY will earn 1.12 mpd on a regular basis, 1.6 mpd when Manchester United draw, and 2.8 mpd when Manchester United win, with the latter two scenarios subject to the aforementioned S$2,000 spending cap and one draw per month

Here’s an illustration of how the Maybank Manchester United Card’s bonus mechanism works:

  • Manchester United play an EPL match on Sunday, 20 August 2025 (UK time) and win
  • The first S$2,000 charged to the Maybank Manchester United Card on Sunday, 20 August 2025 from 12.00 a.m to 11.59 p.m (Singapore time) receives a bonus 1.68 mpd (total 2.8 mpd)

And therein lies the gamble at the heart of the card. Because the UK is 7-8 hours behind Singapore, and most EPL matches take place in the mid to late afternoon, it’s rare that you’ll be able to confirm a result in advance of spending.

How’s the fixture list for this season?

Here’s the complete list of Manchester United’s EPL fixtures for the 2025/26 season (do remember that the fixture list is only provisional, and is subject to change). I’ve put a next to the matches which will conclude before the end of day in Singapore, based on a 90-minute match with a 15-minute break.

⚽ Manchester United 2025/26 Fixtures
Date Opposition K.O Time (UK)
17-Aug-25 Arsenal (H) 4:30 p.m.
24-Aug-25 Fulham (A) 4:30 p.m.
30-Aug-25 Burnley (H) 3:00 p.m.
14-Sep-25 Manchester City (A) 4.30 p.m.
20-Sep-25 Chelsea (H) 5.30 p.m.
27-Sep-25 Brentford (A) 12.30 p.m.
4-Oct-25 Sunderland (H) 3:00 p.m.
18-Oct-25 Liverpool (A) 3:00 p.m.
25-Oct-25 Brighton (H) 3:00 p.m.
 Clocks go back at 2 a.m on 26 Oct 2025
 Time difference with SG: +8 hours 
1-Nov-25 Nottingham Forest (A) 3:00 p.m.
8-Nov-25 Tottenham (A) 3:00 p.m.
22-Nov-25 Everton (H) 3:00 p.m.
29-Nov-25 Crystal Palace (A) 3:00 p.m.
3-Dec-25 West Ham United (H) 8:00 p.m.
6-Dec-25 Wolves (A) 3:00 p.m.
13-Dec-25 Bournemouth (H) 3:00 p.m.
20-Dec-25 Aston Villa (A) 3:00 p.m.
27-Dec-25 Newcastle United (H) 3:00 p.m.
30-Dec-25 Wolves (H) 8:00 p.m.
3-Jan-26 Leeds United (A) 3:00 p.m.
7-Jan-26 Burnley (A) 8:00 p.m.
17-Jan-26 Manchester City (H) 3:00 p.m.
24-Jan-26 Arsenal (A) 3:00 p.m.
31-Jan-26 Fulham (H) 3:00 p.m.
7-Feb-26 Tottenham (H) 3:00 p.m.
11-Feb-26 West Ham United (A) 8:00 p.m.
21-Feb-26 Everton (A) 3:00 p.m.
28-Feb-26 Crystal Palace (H) 3:00 p.m.
4-Mar-26 Newcastle United (A) 8:00 p.m.
14-Mar-26 Aston Villa (H) 3:00 p.m.
21-Mar-26 Bournemouth (A) 3:00 p.m.
 Clocks go forward at 1 a.m on 29 Mar 2026
 Time difference with SG: +7 hours
11-Apr-26 Leeds United (H) 3:00 p.m.
18-Apr-26 Chelsea (A) 3:00 p.m.
25-Apr-26 Brentford (H) 3:00 p.m.
2-May-26 Liverpool (H) 3:00 p.m.
9-May-26 Sunderland (A) 3:00 p.m.
17-May-26 Nottingham Forest (H) 3:00 p.m.
24-May-26 Brighton (A) 4:00 p.m.

Based on the current schedule, 11 out of 38 games (the same number Man Utd won last season; what are the odds?!) will conclude before midnight in Singapore.

True, some of them will end at 11.45 p.m, but no one’s saying you need to wait until the final whistle. If all signs point to a Manchester United win (e.g. the opposing team has been struck by blindness, leprosy, and also an asteroid), then why not go ahead and order those celebratory prawn sandwiches early? Or why not pay for overseas school fees (or goalkeeping lessons for Andre Onana), hospital bills (paging Luke Shaw), utilities, rent or phone bills?

What’s that, you say? Other Maybank cards, like the XL, Horizon, and World Mastercard would earn you the same or better, without having to rely on the vagaries of a Manchester United performance?

Sure, but where’s the fun in that? Do you really want to go through life with every outcome already foreknown? Are you really that averse to excitement and adventure? Is it truly worth trading the giddy thrill of watching your miles rise and fall with the scoreline, just for the cold, boring comfort of consistent earnings? 

I think you know what the answer is.

But fine. To satisfy the weak of faith, I plugged the fixtures list into ChatGPT, and the all-knowing AI has ordained the following.

Category Matches
Wins 15
Draws 9
Losses 14

Assuming no more than one draw a month, a cardholder who spends S$2,000 per match day will earn:

  • Wins: S$2,000 x 2.8 mpd x 15 = 84,000 miles
  • Draws: S$2,000 x 1.6 mpd x 9 = 28,800 miles
  • Losses : S$2,000 x 1.12 mpd x 14 = 31,360 miles

That’s 144,160 miles (enough for round-trip Premium Economy flight to Manchester) with a total spend of S$76,000, or an average earn rate of 1.9 mpd. 

Beat that, AMEX Centurion Card! 

How have previous seasons been?

The Maybank Manchester United Card debuted during the 2012/13 season, when Manchester United swept to the title by winning 28 out of 38 matches, an astounding win ratio of 74%. 

However, that also happened to be the swansong season for Sir Alex Ferguson, and the post-Fergie years have been…less single-mindedly fixated with winning. 

⚽ Manchester United EPL Performance
(since launch of Maybank Man Utd Card)

Season Win/Total   Manager
2012/13 28/38  74%  Alex Ferguson
2013/14 19/38  50 David Moyes
2014/15 20/38  53 Louis van Gaal
2015/16 19/38  50 Louis van Gaal
2016/17 18/38  47%  Jose Mourinho
2017/18 25/38  66 Jose Mourinho
2018/19 19/38  50%  Jose Mourinho / Ole Gunnar Solskjaer
2019/20 18/38  47%  Ole Gunnar Solskjaer
2020/21 21/38  55%  Ole Gunnar Solskjaer
2021/22 16/38  42%  Ole Gunnar Solskjaer/ Ralf Rangnick
2022/23 23/38  61 Erik ten Hag
2023/24 18/38  47%  Erik ten Hag
2024/25 11/38  29%  Erik ten Hag / Ruben Amorim

Conclusion

With another EPL season kicking off, it’s time once again for the Maybank Manchester United Card faithful to put their money where their mouth is, and strap in for another rollercoaster of misplaced passes, defensive calamities, and most importantly, moral victories. 

Sure, other Maybank cards might offer better, more consistent rewards, but are you really a fan if your miles account doesn’t reflect the team’s fortunes?

UOB PRVI Miles nerfs Expedia flight bookings to 3 mpd, buffs hotels to 8 mpd

2

The UOB PRVI Miles Card has an ongoing partnership with Expedia, which allows cardholders to earn 6 mpd on selected airline and hotel bookings made through the dedicated UOB x Expedia landing page.

This may not always be the best way of booking flights or hotels, but can be lucrative in certain situations. And with competing cards ending similar promotions, it’s always good to have the option.

However, UOB has sent out a notification that the Expedia partnership will be changing from 15 September 2025, and there’s good news and bad news.

 

UOB PRVI Miles Card Update: From 15 Sep 25 to 31 Mar 26, revised miles earn rates will apply for eligible travel bookings made via the UOB PRVI Miles Expedia website. This includes up to 8 miles per S$1 spent (UNI$20 for every S$5 spent) on eligible hotels and travel services, and up to 3 miles per S$1 spent (UNI$7.5 for every S$5 spent) on eligible flight bookings. T&Cs apply. Visit the UOB PRVI Miles Card website for full details.

-UOB

tl;dr: while the earn rate for hotels will be increased to 8 mpd, the earn rate for airlines will be slashed to 3 mpd going forward. There will also be a new bonus category for activities and car rentals, which will be rewarded at 8 mpd. 

Overall, I’d consider this more of a nerf than a buff, since airline bookings were typically the better deal. Hotel rates on bank x OTA (online travel agency, e.g. Agoda, Expedia) pages often come with markups, which can easily outweigh the extra miles.

UOB PRVI Miles revises Expedia earn rates

  Till 14 Sep 2025 From 15 Sep 2025
Hotels 6 mpd 8 mpd
Airlines 6 mpd 3 mpd
Activities and Car Rentals
New
8 mpd

UOB PRVI Miles Cardholders currently earn 6 mpd on selected airline and hotel bookings made through the UOB x Expedia landing page. There is no minimum spend necessary, nor cap on the miles that can be earned. 

From 15 September 2025 to 31 March 2026, the earn rates will be revised as follows:

  • 8 mpd for hotel bookings
  • 3 mpd for airline bookings
  • 8 mpd for activities and car rentals

Hotels

UOB PRVI Miles Cardholders will now earn 8 mpd on hotels instead of 6 mpd, but this is tempered by the fact that hotels booked through bank x OTA landing pages usually come with mark-ups, compared to the public OTA page. If that’s the case, then you’re basically paying extra for miles.

I’m not saying it will never be worth it — sometimes the mark-up is mild, or even non-existent — but you should always do comparison shopping (keeping in mind that Expedia might not offer the best rates to begin with). Ideally, you would compare the UOB x Expedia rate to the lowest possible price you can find on a competing OTA, stacked with extra ShopBack cashback or HeyMax miles.

As before, bonus miles will only be awarded when you make full upfront payment at the time of booking. “Pay later” bookings will not be eligible.

Airlines

UOB PRVI Miles Cardholders will now earn 3 mpd on flights instead of 6 mpd, and here’s where the real pain is.

Unlike hotels, air ticket prices through the UOB x Expedia page are usually much closer to the official website. Moreover, there’s less opportunity cost involved, because unlike hotels, air tickets booked through OTAs are still eligible to earn frequent flyer miles and elite status credits (all that matters is the fare class). 

For what it’s worth, there is no change to the list of participating airlines. Singapore Airlines or Cathay Pacific aren’t included, but EVA Air, THAI, Turkish Airlines and Qatar Airways might be useful for someone based in Singapore.

✈️ UOB x Expedia Participating Airlines
  • Cambodia Airways
  • China Eastern 
  • China Southern
  • EVA Air
  • Finnair
  • Garuda Indonesia
  • Gulf Air
  • Hawaiian Airlines
  • Korean Air
  • Myanmar Intl’ Airways
  • Qatar Airways
  • Royal Brunei Airlines
  • Sichuan Airlines
  • Sri Lankan Airlines
  • THAI Airways
  • Turkish Airlines
  • Xiamen Airlines

Activities and car rental

UOB PRVI Miles Cardholders will now earn 8 mpd on activities and car rentals, a newly-added category.

Honestly, I haven’t explored this enough to know whether Expedia offers competitive rates, so the same advice about comparison shopping applies here too. If Expedia’s rate is higher, then do the sums and see whether the extra miles are worth paying for.

When are miles credited?

According to the T&Cs, the bonus UNI$ will be credited when the Expedia transaction is posted on UOB’s systems.

I’m a bit surprised to read this, since I was under the impression that crediting would only happen after the stay, flight, activity or car rental is completed (as is the case for other similar bank x OTA partnerships).

I’m not sure if this is an oversight, so perhaps someone who’s tried it before can fill us in.

Terms and conditions

The T&Cs for the UOB x Expedia partnership can be found here, at point 2(B).

What other cards can you use?

If you don’t find the prices on the UOB x Expedia page to be competitive, you can always book flights and hotels through other channels, using the following cards to maximise your miles. 

2025 Edition: Best Credit Cards for Air Tickets

2025 Edition: Best Credit Cards for Hotels

Conclusion

From 15 September 2025, the UOB PRVI Miles Card will adjust the earn rates for its partnership with Expedia.

While hotels, car rentals and activities will now earn 8 mpd, those booking flights will see their earnings cut in half. If possible, you should try to lock your tickets in before the changes come into effect.

UOB Payment Facility offering unlimited miles at 1.6-1.8 cents each

0

UOB has launched a new promotion for its UOB Payment Facility, which allows cardholders to purchase unlimited miles at 1.8 cents each (1.6 cents for the UOB Reserve Card) for payment applications approved by 31 October 2025.

UOB Payment Facility

While platforms like Citi PayAll or CardUp may offer cheaper ways to buy miles, they require you to make actual bill payments. In contrast, the UOB Payment Facility is essentially unrestricted— you can purchase as many miles as your credit limit allows, without the need to submit supporting documents or invoices.

This is one of the more attractive UOB Payment Facility promos we’ve seen, and even cheaper than the ongoing DBS Elevate Your Escape promo, which sells miles at 1.83 cents each in fixed blocks. 

UOB Payment Facility promotion

From 15 August to 31 October 2025, UOB cardholders can purchase miles from 1.6-1.8 cents each through the UOB Payment Facility.

💳 UOB Payment Facility Rates
(One-time payment)
Card Old Promo
(ended 14 Aug 25)
New Promo
(from 15 Aug 25)
UOB Reserve Card 1.9%
1.7%
1.9%
1.6
%
UOB Privilege Banking Card 2.2%
2%
2.2%
1.8%
UOB Visa Infinite Metal Card 2.2%
2%
2.2%
1.8%

UOB PRVI Miles Card
(all versions)
2.3%
2.1%
2.3%
1.8%

KrisFlyer UOB Credit Card 2.3%
2.1%
2.3%
1.8%

All Other UOB Cards 2.4%
2.2%
2.4%
1.8%

Note: the UOB Payment Facility runs almost perpetual discounts, making the regular rates largely theoretical.

This promotion is only available for one-time payments, where the full amount is charged to your next monthly card billing statement, together with the admin fee. The associated UNI$ will also be credited in a single lump sum.

All payments made via the UOB Payment Facility earn a flat rate of UNI$2.5 for every S$5 approved, regardless of card. In other words, the UOB Payment Facility earns 1 mpd with all UOB cards, instead of the regular earn rate. 

Given a 1 mpd earn rate, the cost per mile is basically the admin fee, e.g. 1.8% means 1.8 cents per mile.

To illustrate, let’s say you hold a UOB PRVI Miles Card and want to buy 5,000 miles with the one-time payment option. Here’s how the process works:

1. Fill out the online application form for the UOB Payment Facility
2. UOB charges your card for S$5,000, plus an admin fee of 1.8% (i.e. S$5,090 total)
3. UOB deposits S$5,000 cash into your designated bank account. The bank account need not be with UOB; you can choose any bank in Singapore
4. UOB awards you UNI$2,500 (note that the admin fee does not earn UNI$), which is equal to 5,000 miles
5. Your net cost is the admin fee of S$90, for which you received 5,000 miles. Your cost per mile is therefore 1.8 cents

Applications are processed within six working days.

Terms and conditions

The T&Cs for this promotion can be found here.

This is better than DBS’s promo…

Details

DBS is running a similar miles purchase promotion called Elevate Your Escape, which allows DBS Altitude (both AMEX and Visa) and DBS Vantage Cardholders to purchase additional DBS Points at the following rates. 

  DBS Points
(Miles)
Cost CPM
Tier 1 75,000 DBS Points
(150,000 miles)
S$2,850 1.9¢
Tier 2 150,000 DBS Points
(300,000 miles)
S$5,500 1.83¢

Cardholders can register for both Tier 1 and Tier 2 to buy a maximum of 450,000 miles, at a cost ranging between 1.83 to 1.9 cents each. DBS Points will be posted by 29 November 2025. 

However, the UOB Payment Facility is clearly the superior option.

  • It’s cheaper at 1.8 cents per mile
  • You can purchase miles in any denomination you wish
  • You can purchase as many miles as you want
  • Your UNI$ will be credited as soon as the transaction is posted
  • It deposits cash into your bank account, which is effectively a free float of up to 52 days (assuming the transaction was processed on the first day of your statement cycle, with payment due 21 days from the statement date)

The good news is that you can withdraw from Elevate Your Escape, despite what the T&Cs say. That’s because of a DBS boo-boo, which mistakenly listed an Accor Plus Explorer membership as part of the inclusions when the promo first launched.

In light of this, DBS will be permitting withdrawals, which can be done by calling up customer service.

…but there are cheaper alternatives

Before you buy miles through the UOB Payment Facility, do make a point of checking whether you could potentially be paying less through alternative bill payment platforms like CardUp or Citi PayAll.

For example, a UOB PRVI Miles Cardholder could make the following bill payments via CardUp and earn 1.4 mpd, buying miles from as little as 1.17 cents each.

Category
(Promo Code)
Cost Per Mile
(UOB PRVI Miles Card @ 1.4 mpd)
Tax
MCTAX25
1.17¢
Tax
MLTAX25R
1.23¢
Recurring Payments
REC185
1.30¢
Other Payments
OFF225
1.57¢

CardUp’s full list of 2025 promotions can be found in the article below.

Full list of CardUp promo codes for 2025

Likewise, Citi PayAll is now offering 1.8 mpd on income tax payments, and 1.6 mpd on non-tax payments, with a minimum spend of S$6,000 on non-tax payments (waived for customers with a Citi banking relationship). This offers a cost per mile of 1.44 to 1.63 cents, depending on the overall mix of tax and non-tax payments.

Citi PayAll offering 1.8 mpd on tax & 1.6 mpd on non-tax payments

So why would anyone be willing to buy miles through the UOB Payment Facility? Well, both CardUp and Citi PayAll require that payments be associated with a genuine economic transaction, such as rent or a helper’s salary. Transferring money to yourself does not count.

CardUp also requires documentation for most payments. Citi PayAll is more lax with the documentation requirement, but still has rules against paying yourself or overpaying taxes just to generate miles (I’m sure there are people who get away with this, but if you get caught that’s your problem).

Now, realistically speaking, most people should be able to find some sort of bill to pay through either platform, given their wide scope of coverage.

💰 Citi PayAll: Supported Payments
  • Education Fees
  • Taxes
  • Rent
  • Insurance Premiums
  • Renovation Fees
  • Property Agent Fees
  • Wedding Expenses
  • Condo Management Fees
  • Child Care Services
  • Domestic Helper Service Fees
  • Donation or Charity Payment
  • Electricity Bills
  • Event Management Fees
  • Membership Fees
  • Maintenance Fees
  • Medical Services
  • Payment for Retail Goods and Services
  • Parking
  • Professional Services Fees
  • Storage
  • Travel Expenses
  • Transport Fees
  • Utilities
💳 CardUp Supported Payments
  • Car Loans
  • Condo & MCST
  • Education
  • Electricity (except SP Group)
  • Helper Salary
  • Insurance (except NTUC Income)
  • Miscellaneous
  • Mortgage Loans
  • Renovation
  • Rent
  • Season Parking (except HDB)
  • Taxes

But if you’re lucky enough to have no bills in your life, then the UOB Payment Facility would be the next best alternative.

Another scenario where the UOB Payment Facility could come in handy is topping up your account to the next transfer block of 5,000 UNI$. For example, if you have 23,500 UNI$ in your account, you could charge S$3,000 to the UOB Payment Facility to earn another 1,500 UNI$, allowing you to transfer out a total of 25,000 UNI$ and avoid orphan points.

What can you do with UNI$?

UNI$ can be transferred to three frequent flyer programmes (though it’s really two, because converting points to AirAsia is like throwing them away) at the following ratio:

Frequent Flyer Programme Conversion Ratio
(UNI$: Partner)
krisflyer logo 5,000 : 10,000
asia miles logo 5,000 : 10,000
2,500 : 4,500

Transfers cost S$25 each, regardless of how many points are transferred. However, if you hold a UOB Reserve, UOB Visa Infinite Metal, UOB Visa Infinite or UOB Privilege Banking Card, you will enjoy free conversions of all UNI$, including those earned on the UOB PRVI Miles Card. 

Conclusion

From now till 31 October 2025, UOB cardholders can purchase as many miles as they wish through the UOB Payment Facility at 1.6 to 1.8 cents apiece. While lower than the usual rates, this is not the cheapest way of buying miles, and those with legitimate bills to pay should be exploring CardUp and Citi PayAll instead.

However, it is superior to DBS’s Elevate Your Escape promotion, and those who opted in for that offer should check if they’re able to withdraw and take advantage of this instead. Also, if you simply crave convenience, or if you’re dealing with an orphan block of UNI$, then this might be worth a look.

Scoot SG60 promo: Earn 60% more KrisFlyer miles on flights

1

As part of Singapore’s SG60 celebrations, Scoot has launched a new promotion which offers 60% more KrisFlyer miles for flights booked during a 60-hour period, which began at noon on Friday, 15 August 2025.

While this promotion is valid for all destinations and fare classes, the travel period is extremely restrictive. Unless you’re able to fly in September 2025 — and haven’t booked your tickets already — this promotion won’t be of any interest. 

60% bonus miles for Scoot flights

KrisFlyer members who book Scoot flights during the promotional period will be entitled to a 60% bonus on KrisFlyer mileage accrual.

Here are the key details:

  • Valid for tickets purchased between 12 p.m on 15 August 2025 and 11.59 p.m on 17 August 2025 (SGT)
  • Travel dates of tickets must fall between 1-30 September 2025 (both dates inclusive)
  • All travel must be completed by 30 September 2025
  • All destinations and fare classes are eligible
  • Tickets must be purchased via flyscoot.com or Scoot Mobile App
  • Capped at 5,000 bonus miles per segment
  • Capped at one bonus miles credit per KrisFlyer member
  • KrisFlyer number must be provided at the time of booking

For the avoidance of doubt, bookings made through third-party OTAs like Expedia and Trip.com will not be eligible for the bonus miles.

Bonus miles may take up to four weeks to be credited to your KrisFlyer account, after travel on the eligible flight is completed. If the miles do not appear, you will have to make a retroactive claim request within six months of completion of travel. 

How many miles will you earn?

Earn a 60% accrual bonus on Scoot flights

Scoot customers earn KrisFlyer miles on base fare (excluding fees and taxes) and add-ons like meals, seat selection and baggage.

KrisFlyer miles are not awarded on taxes, infant tickets, credit card processing fees (yes, they’re back!) and amounts offset using Scoot vouchers or KrisFlyer miles.

The regular accrual rate is 1 KrisFlyer mile per S$1 spent, but Singapore Airlines elite members enjoy a 25% elite bonus.

Tier Earn Rate Per S$1
Solitaire PPS Club 1.25 KrisFlyer miles
PPS Club 1.25 KrisFlyer miles
KrisFlyer Elite Gold 1.25 KrisFlyer miles
KrisFlyer Elite Silver 1.25 KrisFlyer miles
KrisFlyer 1 KrisFlyer mile

As an illustration, consider the example of a KrisFlyer Elite Gold member who buys a S$300 ticket from Singapore to Bangkok. 

  • Base miles: 300 miles (S$300 @ 1 mpd)
  • Elite bonus: 75 miles (S$300 @ 0.25 mpd)
  • 60% promotional bonus: 180 miles (60% x 300 miles)

Note how the SG60 promotional bonus is applied to the 1 mpd that Scoot passengers usually earn. There is no further bonus on the elite bonus, and bonus miles do not count towards elite tier qualification.

While there is a cap of 5,000 bonus miles, you would have to spend at least S$8,333 to trigger it, and if you can, I’d sure love to see your routing.

Terms & Conditions

The T&Cs for this promotion can be found here.

How does this compare to the previous promotion?

The last time we saw a similar promotion was back in March 2025, when Singapore Airlines celebrated its 10 millionth KrisFlyer member with a 50% accrual bonus on SIA and Scoot flights, valid for travel between 1 April to 31 October 2025. 

While the current promotion is bigger in absolute terms, it’s arguably weaker because it covers travel on Scoot only. Moreover, the travel period is highly restrictive, and each KrisFlyer member is capped at 5,000 bonus miles for the entire promotion (versus 5,000 bonus miles per flight, as was previously the case).

But beggars can’t be choosers, and if you’re planning to travel next month and haven’t booked your flights yet, this might be something that tips the scales in favour of Scoot.

What card should you use to book Scoot tickets?

Scoot tickets code as MCC 4511, and you can use the following credit cards to earn the most miles on your ticket purchases.

Card Earn Rate Remarks
UOB Lady’s Card
Apply
4 mpd Max S$1K per c. month. Must choose Travel as bonus category
Review
UOB Lady’s Solitaire
Apply
4 mpd Max S$750 per c. month. Must choose Travel as bonus category
Review
DBS Woman’s World Card
Apply
4 mpd Max S$1K per c. month
Review
HSBC Revolution
Apply
4 mpd Capped at S$1.5K per c. month, ends 31 Oct 25
Review
Maybank XL Card
Apply
4 mpd Min. spend S$500 per c. month, capped at S$1K per c. month
KrisFlyer UOB Credit Card
Apply
3 mpd No cap
Review
Maybank Horizon Visa Signature
Apply
2.8 mpd Min. retail spend of S$800 per c. month, capped at S$10K of air tickets per c. month
Review

Conclusion

Scoot is celebrating SG60 with a 60% bonus on KrisFlyer miles for flights booked by 17 August 2025, and flown between 1-30 September 2025.

However, given the limited booking and travel period, my guess is that most people won’t be able to take advantage of the promotion. Hopefully there’ll be a more generous offer in the near future.

KrisFlyer Spontaneous Escapes for September 2025 announced

4

Spontaneous Escapes have been announced for September 2025, and to mark SG60, Singapore Airlines is offering a 40% discount on selected flights in Business Class, Premium Economy Class and Economy Class booked by 17 August 2025, 11.59 p.m SGT.

The discount will revert to the regular 30% after that, for bookings made till 31 August 2025. As before, all travel must take place from 1-30 September 2025.

If you’re new to all this, or simply need a refresher on the basics, be sure to check out my detailed guide to Spontaneous Escapes. Also be sure to check out KrisFlyer SEAT, a nifty tool that’s compiled every edition of Spontaneous Escapes to date- it’s useful when planning for future months!

Now live: KrisFlyer Spontaneous Escapes Analysis Tool (SEAT)

My picks for this month

Here’s my picks for the month (do remember that deals may only be available in one direction):

  • Bali for 12,600 miles in Business
  • Bangkok for 8,100 miles in Economy or 14,400 miles in Business
  • Taipei for 9,900 miles in Economy
  • Hong Kong for 20,400 miles in Business
  • Tokyo Narita for 16,200 miles in Economy
  • Tokyo Haneda for 16,200 miles in Economy
  • Male for 12,000 miles in Economy
  • Perth and Darwin for 12,900 miles in Economy
  • Perth for 24,300 miles in Business
  • Sydney and Brisbane for 18,300 miles in Economy
  • Brussels, Frankfurt, Milan, Munich, Paris, Zurich for 25,200 miles in Economy
  • Los Angeles, San Francisco, Seattle for 25,200 miles in Economy

Full list of Spontaneous Escapes

Business Class

Premium Economy Class

Economy Class

Spontaneous Escapes: Ground Rules

❓  Spontaneous Escapes
  • Tickets must be booked online at singaporeair.com or the SingaporeAir mobile app; no bookings via phone are permitted
  • Tickets cannot be changed or cancelled. Be sure about your travel plans, or buy a travel insurance policy that covers miles bookings
    • Refunds will only be granted if the flight is cancelled by SIA, or if a change in entry regulations makes travel impossible
  • Travel must be completed within the Spontaneous Escapes promotion period to qualify. For example, if you fly on the last day of the month but land on the first day of the following month, no discount applies
  • Awards must be ticketed within the Spontaneous Escapes promotion period
  • Waitlisting is not permitted for Spontaneous Escapes awards
  • Blackout dates apply. If you’re not seeing discounts, this may be why
  • Discounts may apply in one direction only e.g. SIN-BKK may be on discount but BKK-SIN may not. Be sure to read the offers carefully
  • You cannot combine Spontaneous Escapes awards and Saver/Advantage awards in the same booking. You will need to book separate one-way legs if the Spontaneous Escapes discounts do not apply to one or more of the flights in your itinerary

Singapore Airlines shows Spontaneous Escapes awards under a special Promo category. This is the one you should select when making your booking (and if it doesn’t appear, that means there’s no availability remaining- though that doesn’t preclude it from reappearing later, so check back often). 

Selecting a Spontaneous Escapes award

Prior to COVID, Spontaneous Escapes were a subset of Saver awards. This created a problem, namely that if you wanted to book a regular Saver award (because it comes with a cancellation option, unlike Spontaneous Escapes awards), you couldn’t actually do it!

Now that Spontaneous Escapes are a separate category unto themselves, you have the freedom to choose to pay regular Saver prices if you so wish (thereby enjoying additional flexibility).

To understand the differences between the three award types, refer to the article below.

KrisFlyer Promo, Saver and Advantage awards: What’s the difference?

Spontaneous Escapes awards are strictly non-cancellable and non-changeable. Since no concession is made for travellers who cannot fly due to illness, the onus is on you to purchase travel insurance that covers miles & points bookings.

What if you have an existing award?

If you’ve already holding on to a confirmed award on a flight that is now under Spontaneous Escapes, you will need to:

  1. Book the Spontaneous Escapes rate
  2. Cancel the existing booking and pay the redeposit fee (US$75 for Saver, US$50 for Advantage)

I strongly recommend doing it in this order, in case the Spontaneous Escapes award space disappears in the meantime. It does mean you’ll need sufficient miles on hand, of course. 

Depending on your luck, miles may be recredited immediately to your account, but can take up to 4-6 weeks. If you need them urgently, the CSO can put in a request to expedite the process, but YMMV.

Conclusion

Singapore Airlines Spontaneous Escapes for September 2025 are out, with a larger-than-usual 40% discount. 

However, you will need to make your decisions quicker this month, because the 40% discount only lasts till end of day on 17 August 2025. After that, it’s back to the regular 30% discount till the end of August. 

What will you be booking for Spontaneous Escapes? 

MileLion Weekly Deal Summary [9-15 Aug 25]

0
Welcome to The MileLion’s Weekly Deal Summary, a round up of all the latest deals and promotions for credit cards, airlines and hotels. Get these posts pushed to your phone by subscribing to our Telegram Channel.

Credit Card/Banking Deals

💳 HSBC Premier Mastercard offering 65,000 miles welcome bonus with min. spend of S$4,000, for both new and existing HSBC customers [Expires 15 Aug 25]

💳 HSBC Premier Mastercard offering uncapped 1.8 mpd on selected SGD spend, and uncapped 2.8 mpd on all FCY spend [Expires 15 Aug 25]

💳 [New] Get Apple iPad A16 11″ Wi-Fi 128GB, Dyson OnTrac headphones, S$420 Grab vouchers or S$390 cash with a new HSBC Advance, HSBC Live+, or HSBC Revolution and min. spend of S$500 by end of month after approval [Expires 31 Aug 25]

💳 Get up to S$270 vouchers with a new OCBC Infinity Cashback Card and one qualifying transaction of any amount [Expires 31 Aug 25]

💳 Get S$138 (S$88 from CIMB, S$50 from SingSaver) with a new CIMB Visa Signature, CIMB Visa Infinite, CIMB World Mastercard  and a minimum spend of S$108 [Expires 31 Aug 25]

💳 Get S$360 cash with a new StanChart Simply Cash Card and a min. spend of S$800, for new-to-bank customers [Expires 31 Aug 25]

💳 DBS Takashimaya AMEX offering S$80 welcome gift for existing DBS cardholders [Expires 31 Aug 25]

💳 UOB Visa Infinite Metal Card offering up to 80,000 miles for new sign-ups with S$4,000 spent within 30 days of approval and payment of S$654 annual fee [Expires 31 Aug 25]

💳 Get up to 33,600 bonus miles with a new HSBC TravelOne Card and a minimum spend of S$1,000 [Expires 31 Aug 25]

💳 StanChart Beyond Card offering 100,000 miles welcome bonus with payment of annual fee and S$20,000 spend in the first 90 days of approval [Expires 31 Aug 25]

💳 Buy unlimited miles from 1.7-2.2 cents each with the UOB Payment Facility [Expires 31 Aug 25]

💳 DBS Vantage Card offering 60,000 bonus miles with min. spend of S$4,000 in 30 days, for new-to-bank customers [Expires 31 Aug 25]

💳 DBS Altitude Cards offering 28,000 bonus miles with min. spend of S$800 in 30 days, for new-to-bank customers [Expires 31 Aug 25]

💳 Citi PayAll offering 1.8 mpd on tax payments and 1.6 mpd on non-tax payments, with a minimum spend of S$6,000 on non-tax payments (waived for customers with a Citi banking relationship) [Expires 31 Aug 25]

💳 Pay your income taxes with CardUp and Visa cards with a 1.75% fee using the code MLTAX25R [Expires 31 Aug 25]

💳 Pay your income taxes with CardUp and Mastercard with a 1.55% (new) or 1.67% (existing) fee using the code MCTAX25N or MCTAX25. Limited redemptions [Expires 31 Aug 25]

💳 Get 30,000 miles + S$100 Trip.com voucher when you sign up for a Citi PremierMiles Card as a new-to-bank customer and spend S$800 in the first 2 months [Expires 30 Sep 25]

💳 AMEX Platinum Charge offering 80,000 bonus MR points and 45,000 bonus MR points for new and existing AMEX cardholders respectively [Expires 30 Sep 25]

💳 AMEX Platinum Credit Card offering 23,750 bonus MR points and 15,000 bonus MR points for new and existing AMEX cardholders respectively [Expires 30 Sep 25]

💳 AMEX KrisFlyer Ascend offering 15,800 bonus miles and 15,000 bonus miles for new and existing AMEX cardholders respectively [Expires 30 Sep 25]

💳 Get 50,000 miles with a new StanChart Visa Infinite Card and a minimum spend of S$2,000 within 60 days of approval, for both new-to-bank and existing customers [Expires 30 Sep 25]

💳 Get up to 30,000 bonus miles & Samsonite Straren Spinner 67/24, 7,000 Max Miles, S$250 Shopee vouchers or S$180 cash when you sign-up for a StanChart Journey Card and spend S$800 within 60 days of approval. For new-to-bank customers only [Expires 30 Sep 25]

💳 DBS yuu Cards offering S$300 cashback to new-to-bank customers who spend S$800 within first 60 days of approval [Expires 31 Oct 25]

💳 HSBC Revolution restores bonuses for travel and contactless spending, raises monthly bonus cap to S$1,500 [Expires 31 Oct 25]

💳 CardUp offering 2% admin fee with promo code RENO25ONE for one-off renovation payments. Valid for Visa cards [Expires 26 Dec 25]

💳 OCBC Rewards Card offering 6 mpd on Watsons, Shopee, Lazada, TikTok Shop and Taobao, capped at S$1,000 per month [Expires 31 Dec 25]

💳 Citi Prestige Card offering 57,000 miles welcome bonus with min. spend of S$2,000 [Expires 31 Jan 26]

💳 CardUp offering 1.79% admin fee with promo code SAVERENT179 for all rental payments. Not valid for AMEX cards  [Expires 31 Jan 26]

💳 CardUp offering 2.25% admin fee with the promo code OFF225 for all payments. Not valid for AMEX cards [Expires 31 Jan 26]

💳 Get 16,000 miles with a new Citi Rewards Card and S$800 min. spend in the first 2 months. Must be new-to-bank [Expires 28 Feb 26]

💳 CardUp offering 1.55-2% admin fees for OCBC credit cards, buy miles from 0.95 cents each [Expires 31 Mar 26]

💳 UOB One Account offering 6% rebate on tax payments made through GIRO [Expires 31 Mar 26]

Airline Deals

✈️ Kris+ Miles Rush: Earn up to 10 mpd at 26 dining and retail partners [Expires 31 Aug 25]

✈️ Earn an extra 6 mpd on Pelago bookings (+2 mpd for experiences in Singapore) [Expires 31 Aug 25]

✈️ Get S$120 cashback on Singapore Airlines and Scoot tickets with DBS cards [Expires 31 Oct 25]

✈️ Save 20% off Pelago activities (capped at S$15) with a valid Scoot PNR [Expires 31 Dec 25]

✈️ Save 10% off Pelago activities (capped at S$50) with a valid Singapore Airlines PNR [Expires 31 Dec 25]

✈️ Kris+ offering extra 3 mpd at Esso, with 12% discount [Expires 30 Jun 26]

Hotel Deals

🏨 Hilton for Business offering 5,000 bonus points per stay, capped at 15,000 bonus points [Expires 27 Aug 25]

🏨 IHG One Rewards Pick Your Points promo: Choose between 2,000 bonus points per 2 nights, or 8,000 bonus points per 4 nights [Expires 31 Aug 25]

🏨 GHA DISCOVERY offering 3X D$ at Pan Pacific and PARKROYAL hotels worldwide [Expires 31 Aug 25]

🏨 [New] Buy GHA DISCOVERY D$ with a 15% discount [Ends 1 Sep 25]

🏨 World of Hyatt offering 16,000 bonus points for Hyatt Place, Hyatt House and Hyatt Studio stays [Expires 7 Sep 25]

🏨 Get an extra D$5 for booking stays via the GHA DISCOVERY app [Expires 30 Sep 25]

🏨 GHA DISCOVERY offering double D$ on all hotel stays [Expires 30 Sep 25]

🏨 Get S$70 back on a minimum spend of S$300 at participating Pan Pacific Hotel Group hotels, restaurants, bars and spas with AMEX cards [Expires 14 Nov 25]

🏨 Save S$60 on a S$300 minimum spend with AMEX Cards at World of Hyatt [Expires 30 Nov 25]

🏨 IHG One Rewards dining discount: Save 20% off F&B and earn bonus IHG points [Expires 30 Dec 25]

🏨 Hilton Dine Like a Member: Save 10-25% off F&B and earn 500 points per bill at participating restaurants [Expires 31 Dec 25]

🏨 GHA DISCOVERY Titanium status for all Visa Infinite cardholders [Expires 31 Dec 25]

🏨 World of Hyatt offering instant Explorer status for 90 days, with further upgrade to Globalist with 20 qualifying nights during this period. For employees of selected companies only [Expires 31 Dec 25]

🏨 Enjoy a 12-month upgrade to elite status with ONYX Rewards via Mastercard [Expires 31 Dec 25]

🏨 Mastercard offering fast track to Wyndham Rewards elite status [Expires 31 Dec 25]

🏨 Enjoy instant Brilliant by Langham elite status with Mastercard [Expires 28 Feb 26]

🏨 Mastercard cardholders get instant upgrade to CentaraThe1 elite status [Expires 31 May 26]

🏨 Enjoy a 12-month upgrade to elite status with MyMillennium via Mastercard [Expires 31 Oct 26]

🏨  Mastercard cardholders get upgrade to I Prefer elite status after completing just one stay [Expires 31 Dec 26]

🏨 Buy Hilton Honors points at 50% off, or 0.5 US cents each [No expiry]

🏨 Hilton status match: Get instant Hilton Gold for 90 days, with fast-track to Diamond. Status valid till 31 March 2026, existing status with competing chain required [No expiry] 

DBS Vantage Card ending S$60K spend path to annual fee waiver

7

While S$120K cards generally don’t offer annual fee waivers, the DBS Vantage is a notable exception. Cardholders who spend at least S$60,000 in a membership year receive an automatic waiver of the S$599.50 annual fee.

At the risk of stating the obvious, an annual fee waiver can change how you view the Vantage’s value preposition entirely. The benefits might not normally justify the annual fee, but free? Free is good (though there’s still an opportunity cost involved, to the extent you’re diverting spending from higher-earning cards).

Unfortunately, DBS has announced that this policy will be sunset in a year’s time.

DBS Vantage to end annual fee waivers in 2026

From 1 August 2026, the DBS Vantage Card will no longer offer an annual fee waiver upon meeting a minimum spend of S$60,000 in a membership year.

The T&Cs have been updated to reflect this change.

  With effect from 1 August 2026, the annual fee waiver eligibility upon meeting the retail spend of S$60,000 in the previous card year will be ceased.

If nothing else, DBS is at least providing a significant amount of advance notice, so that customers can factor this change into their spending decisions. Had the policy taken effect next month, for example, it would be grossly unfair to cardholders who had been diligently spending over their past membership year, in the belief they were on track for an annual fee waiver.

Still, this move will have a major impact on how the DBS Vantage Card is perceived. Its main draws are 25,000 miles, an Accor Plus Explorer membership and 10x Priority Pass visits. With Accor Plus set to get nerfed in the transition to ALL Accor+ Explorer, the further loss of the annual fee waiver is just salt in the wound.

I want to emphasise again that the change takes place from 1 August 2026, so anyone whose card is up for renewal prior to this date can still rely on S$60,000 spending in the previous membership year to get a fee waiver. In other words, existing DBS Vantage Cardholders will get one last shot at an annual fee waiver in their current membership year, before the policy is sunset for the next one.

Also, I don’t want to rule out the possibility of DBS still offering annual fee waivers to selected cardholders, though this would probably only happen for those with higher AUMs or some other special relationship with the bank.

What counts towards the S$60,000 spend for an annual fee waiver?

In the meantime, DBS Vantage Cardholders who charge at least S$60,000 worth of retail spend in the preceding 12-month membership year will receive an annual fee waiver. Both principal and supplementary cardholder spending will be included in the calculation.

“Retail spend” is generally understood to mean any transaction that is eligible to earn DBS Points, such as dining, shopping, taxi rides, air tickets, hotels, and CardUp (exclusions can be found in this document at point 2.6).

However, there have been anecdotal reports that even non-retail transactions such as education and insurance premiums count towards the minimum spend calculation. I cannot verify this officially, so proceed at your own risk. 

Cardholders who receive an annual fee waiver will not enjoy the 25,000 renewal miles (awarded in the form of 12,500 DBS Points), but will still receive an additional 10x Priority Pass visits, and a renewal of the Accor Plus Explorer membership.

Which other S$120K cards offer annual fee waivers?

As I mentioned at the start, it’s rare for S$120K cards to offer annual fee waivers, but in addition to the DBS Vantage Card, the OCBC VOYAGE and Maybank Visa Infinite have this option.

The OCBC VOYAGE Card offers an annual fee waiver with a minimum spend of S$60,000 in a membership year (if you have the OCBC Premier VOYAGE, the minimum spend required is S$30,000).

The annual fee cannot be waived in the first year of membership. 

Review: OCBC VOYAGE Card

The Maybank Visa Infinite offers an annual fee waiver with a minimum spend of S$60,000 in a membership year. Crucially, this does include insurance premiums, though limited to S$3,000 per calendar month.

The annual fee is automatically waived in the first year of membership.

Review: Maybank Visa Infinite Card

Conclusion

From 1 August 2026, the DBS Vantage Card will no longer offer an annual fee waiver to cardholders who spend at least S$60,000 in a membership year.

Fortunately, existing cardholders can continue to spend towards the S$60,000 threshold, and still receive a fee waiver provided their renewal takes place before the deadline.

I personally feel that the Vantage is already at a disadvantage (pardon the wordplay) compared to the rest of the S$120K segment, and taking away the possibility of an annual fee waiver will only make things worse.

(HT: Ryan)