Remember that this guide only shows you the optimum card within a category. Depending on your overall spending, it may make sense to stick to cards from only one bank as opposed to a best-of-breed strategy so as to avoid the problem of orphan points and multiple conversion fees. This also does not take into account occasional promotions that banks may run.
[Last updated: 1 Jan 2019]
Dining
- UOB Preferred Platinum AMEX- 4mpd (card is no longer available, capped at S$6K spend per calendar year)
- Maybank Horizon Visa Signature- 3.2 mpd (min $300 a month)
- HSBC Revolution– 2 mpd
- OCBC Voyage Card- 1.6 mpd
- Mileslife (not a credit card, but offers attractive bonus miles on dining)
Buying air tickets online
- UOB PRVI Miles– 6 mpd, only for air tickets on selected carriers booked through Expedia and UOB Travel. SQ not included
- UOB Visa Signature- 4 mpd, min $1K max $2K per statement period, if in foreign currency and payment processor located outside of Singapore
- DBS Woman’s World Card- 4 mpd, limit $2K per month
- DBS Altitude Visa + AMEX- 3 mpd, limit $5K per month
- BOC Elite Miles World MasterCard- 3 mpd, if in foreign currency
Booking hotels online
- Kaligo- 10 mpd for Citibank Premiermiles + DBS Altitude Visa + AMEX cards + UOB PRVI Miles
- DBS Woman’s World Card- 4 mpd, limit $2K per month (only works if your reservation is fully prepaid online)
- DBS Altitude Visa + AMEX- 3 mpd, limit $5K per month (only works if your reservation is fully prepaid online)
- BOC Elite Miles World MasterCard- 3 mpd, if in foreign currency
Petrol
- UOB Visa Signature– 4 mpd, min $1K max $2K petrol + Paywave spending per statement cycle (except Shell)
- Maybank World Mastercard- 4 mpd
- Maybank Horizon Visa Signature- 3.2 mpd (min $300 a month)
Anywhere that accepts Samsung Pay/Apple Pay/Google Pay
- UOB Preferred Platinum Visa Card– 4 mpd, limit $1K per calendar month, excludes merchants where SMART$ issued. MST excluded
Anywhere with Paywave
- UOB Preferred Platinum Visa Card– 4 mpd, limit $1K per calendar month, except where SMART$ are issued
- UOB Visa Signature- 4 mpd, subject to a minimum of $1K spending on petrol/contactless transactions in a statement period, capped at $2K per month
Offline shopping for electronics
- OCBC Titanium Rewards– 4 mpd, max $12K spending per card membership year
Offline shopping for bags, shoes and clothes
- Citibank Rewards Visa or Citibank Rewards Mastercard- 4 mpd, max $1K per month
- OCBC Titanium Rewards– 4 mpd, max $12K spending per card membership year
Overseas currency transactions
- UOB Visa Signature Card– 4 mpd, min $1K max $2K foreign currency spending per statement cycle
- Standard Chartered Visa Infinite– 3 mpd, min $2K spend per statement cycle
- BOC Elite Miles World MasterCard- 3 mpd
- UOB PRVI Miles– 2.4 mpd
- DBS Treasures AMEX- 2.4 mpd
- OCBC Voyage Card- 2.3 mpd
- DBS Altitude AMEX + Visa- 2 mpd
- Citibank Premiermiles – 2.4 mpd until 31 December 18, 2.0 mpd after
- Citi Prestige- 2 mpd
- HSBC Visa Infinite- 2 mpd
Groceries
- UOB Preferred Platinum Visa- 4 mpd (pay with Paywave, only for places that do not earn SMART$, eg NTUC), capped at S$1K per month
- UOB Visa Signature- 4 mpd, (pay with Paywave, subject to a minimum of $1K spending on petrol/contactless transactions in a statement period, capped at $2K per month)
GTM/EZ-link Top ups
- HSBC Revolution with EZ-Reload- 2.0 mpd, limit $200 per month
Public Transportation (ABT)
- BOC Elite Miles World Mastercard- 1.5 mpd
- UOB PRVI Miles Mastercard- 1.4 mpd
Other online transactions
- DBS Woman’s World Card- 4 mpd, limit $2K per month
- Citibank Rewards Visa or Citibank Rewards Mastercard 4 mpd, max $1K per month
- OCBC Titanium Rewards– 4 mpd, max $12K spending per card membership year
- UOB Preferred Platinum Visa Card– 4 mpd, limit $1K per calendar month
- BOC Elite Miles World MasterCard- 3 mpd, if in foreign currency
- HSBC Revolution-2 mpd
Note that the cards listed above have exclusion categories. You should refer to this spreadsheet to see if a particular merchant earns 10X points
General Spending
- BOC Elite Miles World Mastercard- 1.5 mpd
- UOB PRVI Miles– 1.4 mpd
- Standard Chartered Visa Infinite- 1.4 mpd (min $2K spend per statement cycle)
- Citibank Premiermiles AMEX- 1.3 mpd
- Citi Prestige– 1.3 mpd
- Citibank Premiermiles Visa– 1.2 mpd
- DBS Altitude- 1.2 mpd
- OCBC Voyage- 1.2 mpd (elite versions earn 1.6 mpd)
Note that you should always be on the lookout for opportunities to turn general spending into category spend, eg at merchants who accept Apple/Samsung/Google pay.
Hi Aaron, great site. I wanted to ask whether you know whether the DBS world woman’s card gives you the 4x mpd on international online spending? Because the card also gives 3x DBS points on overseas spend (6 miles per S$5 spend) and I wonder if this takes precedence when you buy off Amazon UK, US or use Uber overseas.
It would make sense for the banks to give you less and only give the 4mpd rate on Singapore-denominated online spend. I only ask because I used it to buy on Amazon UK a few months ago and I don’t think the 4mpd rate was credited. Thanks!
Hi Timmy, thanks for reading! You will get 10x points or 4mpd on international online spending, that takes precedence over the FCY. I have got it many times for Amazon, so you should call up DBS and check whether there is an error on their side. They can start an investigation.
Great, thanks Aaron!
So weird that OCBC’s “top card” (the Voyage card) seems to pale in comparison to it’s poorer cousin (the Titanium card) Is there any particular reason for this? Or am I missing something here?
you are confusing general spend vs category spend. the titanium rewards card will be useless for general spend at 0.4 mpd, the ocbc voyage would earn 1 mpd (which is still pretty crappy)
Hey Aaron, any idea what is the cap on spending for the Citi Rewards card?
Based on the Citibank website, it’s 120k points/year or $12k spend. However, I tried reading the T&Cs (https://www.citibank.com.sg/global_docs/pdf/rewards_2013.pdf) and it seems different. Pt 10 says there is a cap of 120k points/Citi Dollars Period, and pt 7 refers to “Citi Dollars Period” as 60 months. Does this mean a cap of 120k pts for every 60 months?
I have a feeling i’m just confusing myself here, but want to make sure before i sign up for the card.
Am comparing between this and OCBC Titanium – which would u recommend? Thanks!
Had the exact same question – it seems to me that they’ve changed the T&Cs to have a cap of 120,000 bonus citi dollars per 5 year / 60 month period, which works out to be S$12k per 5 years which would be a very low cap.
Does anyone know whether Redmart is categorised as online spend to earn the 4 mpd for DBS Woman’s World? Or is it categorised under groceries?
Use paypal when you are unsure. DBS WWMC always give 4x for paypal transactios.
Hey Aaron, what is the best card for medical expenses? Thanks! 🙂
Hi Aaron, realized you didn’t include the 10 mpd for UOB PRVI miles visa on Kaligo.
Also it can have some crazy ass promos, and get 50% bonus miles, so I hit 15 mpd instead. Pretty awesome considering its money you need to spend anyhow.
added, thanks!
Hey Aaron
Amazing blog and thanks for the many tips.
Just a quick question . I have school fees to pay (in gbp and can be paid through an online portal). Which would be the best credit card to use? Thanks in advance
Hi, do you know what will be the best card to use for online payment to overseas travel agency, specifically in this case, Oku Japan for a self guided walking trip. Not quite hotel, and I dunno if it qualifies as online retail spend under dbs woman’s world. Thanks.
Hi Aaron,
Great site! I have since embark on “refreshing” my cards drawing from what i’ve learnt here.
I have a question, I notice there doesnt seem to be a card thats useful when it comes to groceries (physically showing up at NTUC and paying with the card). Is there anything you would recommend considering thats a big bulk of my monthly expense.
Thanks!
uob prefrered platinum visa and paywave?
Aaron,
Thanks!
What would you say is the greatest difference between the UOB PPV vs UOB Visa Signature.
Hi Aaron,
Great site! I am doing my reshuffle of cards based on your website and my lifestyle needs.
One thought would be to perhaps better catergorise the sections more clearly as I nearly missed out on the Kaligo-UOB PRVI promotion as I didn’t know about the specific portal cause I didn’t read the T&C (oops!) and am too reliant on you.
EG:
Current:
Booking hotels online
Kaligo- 10 mpd for Citibank Premiermiles + DBS Altitude Visa + AMEX cards + UOB PRVI Miles
Proposed:
Booking Hotels Online
Kaligo:
UOB PRVI – https://www.kaligo.com/prvimiles (10mpd)
Citibank – https://www.kaligo.com/bonus-miles (10mpd)
DBS – https://www.kaligo.com/altitude (10mpd)
Hi Aaron,
Came to know about your site from a friend and it all looks really interesting. I use an Amex krisflyer PPScard and DBS platinum visa paywave n debit card. so all the spending I do gets me krisflyer miles. Not sure about the conversions though. mostly all my accounts are with DBS, be it savings, car loans, mortgage etc. just for the sheer of convenience of having it all at one place.
I want to follow your advice what would be your suggetion the credit cards I should switch to.
thanks
Ady
Hey Aaron,
What’s your take on the bank’s intransparent calculation of reward miles? How can we deal with it?
There is no per item reward balance change, only a statement at the end of the month. Sometimes I found big discrepancy (30%) compared to my estimation even with a very simple construct such as local vs overseas.
well honestly there’s not much we can do. all the power is with the banks here, consumers can make noise but getting anything beyond a form letter saying “we value your feedback” is wishful thinking.
Do any of the ‘online’ spend bonus cards count on PayPal transactions? Thanks
Just curious, is there any miles cards for payment of insurance premium or all insurance payment will result in none mileage/rebate payment?
What is the best card to use to pay Sp Services and Singtel?
If I make an online booking with Tokyo Disneyland Resorts, will it be considered an online purchase with the DBS Woman’s Card?
Yes
Hi there. I saw CITI premiermiles offering 10000 miles when we pay for recurring annual fee. Do you think it makes sense to pay that or any hacks around that?
u gain more paying for that If ur looking at exchanging for business or suite class
Hi,
I would like to ask if i book a travel package (hotel, air ticekts etc) from a travel agency eg: Chan Brothers at their shop, will i still earn bonus points if for example i use the DBS altitude card?
If not, then which credit card would you guys recommend? Thanks!
Cheers,
No unless the t&c says so. Try hitting sign up bonus to Amex KF Card, Uob or Citibank.
Hi Aaron
I think Citi Rewards is going to change its T&Cs – wef 4 Oct 2018, you only get 10X rewards points (i.e. 4 miles) per dollar for clothes bags and shoes up to a cap of 10,000 rewards points per month (i.e. you only get 10X rewards points / 4 miles on the first $1,000). Which is a pain if you are planning big ticket clothes bags and shoes purchases. :/
Hi,
Using the DBS WWMC – for online hotel purchases in foreign currency (fully pre-paid) is it fair to assume that this should result in 4mpd (so the online spend rate) rather than 2mpd (the foreign currency rate)? Obviously only up to $2k per calendar month.
Do readers find that DBS points for such transactions normally track accurately or that they need to chase DBS to get the right points to post?
Thanks,
S
DBS Worlds Mastercard had some issues in awarding point accurately according to one of my friend. Its better u track it urself and chase after If necessary
Hi Aaron,
I have a UOB Visa Signature prepared for the FCY hotel stay. However, any suggestion on the amount exceed 2K for the offline hotel spend? Any card can ear 4mpd?
Best regards,
PV
Use Bank of China Elite Miles instead
Does UOB PPV give 10X points for Klook in-app purchase (via ApplePay)?
Better to use DBS Woman World MC
hi, may i know which credit card to paid Sp service?
Hi,
Can I use UOB Visa Signatur/Preferred Platinum Visa for 4 mpd if the tuition fee can be paid by Paywave/contactless transaction?
If not, do you have any suggestion on this?
Many thanks and best regards,
PV
Anything, so long as contactless and not UOB Smart$ merchants, max $1k per calendar month.
Please can you add Grab and Groceries to the list? They are the two biggest spends after rent for most people