The 'Best credit cards for air miles accrual' master thread

[revhappy]

I just came back from Giant at Tampines and saw some HSBC sales guys there with a banner of 80$ cash back. I have applied for a HSBC platinum card, lol.

So you see, how locals here end up with several cards in their wallet. Its the initial 80$ cash back that pulls you and one you have those cards, you are trapped and actually start frequenting places just because you have the cobranded card, lol. Like every since I got the PastaManiac card, I have frequenting there compared to Pizza Hut, for Pizzas, lol.

Ok, so I got the HSBC credit card and also got the 80$. I spent the 80$ and was planning to set card aside, but now I get a message that if spend 500$ between now and 31st Oct I will get additional 50$ cash back
Now I dont know what to spend 500$ on.

[JayCee]

Then don't, there's no law that says you have to try and take advantage of every single offer available

[nakatago]

I just came back from Giant at Tampines and saw some HSBC sales guys there with a banner of 80$ cash back. I have applied for a HSBC platinum card, lol.

So you see, how locals here end up with several cards in their wallet. Its the initial 80$ cash back that pulls you and one you have those cards, you are trapped and actually start frequenting places just because you have the cobranded card, lol. Like every since I got the PastaManiac card, I have frequenting there compared to Pizza Hut, for Pizzas, lol.

Ok, so I got the HSBC credit card and also got the 80$. I spent the 80$ and was planning to set card aside, but now I get a message that if spend 500$ between now and 31st Oct I will get additional 50$ cash back
Now I dont know what to spend 500$ on.

Plane tickets and hotel booking?

[JR8]

Ok, so I got the HSBC credit card and also got the 80$. I spent the 80$ and was planning to set card aside, but now I get a message that if spend 500$ between now and 31st Oct I will get additional 50$ cash back
Now I dont know what to spend 500$ on.

You feel obliged to spend $500 you don't need to, so that you can 'make' $50?


... er, run that one by me again!

[sundaymorningstaple]

Well, if he spends $500 on his grocery bill every month, he could pay by credit card to reach the monthly spend. He's spending the money anyway, so no additional cost to him, not even check charges like in the old days as he can make payments electronically.

But yeah, it does sound stupid on first hearing it.

[x9200]

Ok, so I got the HSBC credit card and also got the 80$. I spent the 80$ and was planning to set card aside, but now I get a message that if spend 500$ between now and 31st Oct I will get additional 50$ cash back
Now I dont know what to spend 500$ on.

You feel obliged to spend $500 you don't need to, so that you can 'make' $50?

That's exactly how it works. You feel like you are losing something so you escalate your spendings not to lose it. And as you can see it works perfectly. Now some of the people who are going to pick this offer will discover how easy and nice is to spend these $550 and will continue spending on the next suitable opportunity with no reward already. Judging from the amount of crap with similar rewards the banks sent with the statements every months it must work like a charm.

[revhappy]

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[revhappy]

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[sundaymorningstaple]

Can't you use V post to pay a lot of your bills and use your CC to pay them that way? Phone bills, utility bills, insurance bills all can with vPost I believe. I used to use them a lot before but with electronic bills pay with the banks online I don't bother anymore.

[revhappy]

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[zzm9980]

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Well since RevHappy gutted the thread, here is some new content for discussion

For American citizens or former residents (may be available in Canada also), apply for the Chase Sapphire Premiere as a travel card. Their point program is pretty simple, you get 1x per $ spent, 2x per "food" or "travel" $ spent. This can be anything from groceries to fine dining to Mc Donalds, and travel can be airfare, hotel, petrol, new tires for your car, etc. Anything "travel" related. Points can be cashed back into numerous mileage programs, or used as direct credit on anything you'd like. You can make travel purchases in direct mixes of points and dollars, no outrageous prices to buy the remaining points.

Anyway, the thing I really like which impresses me is the currency conversion rate. The Preferred version of the card has no foreign exchange fees, and the exchange rate is one of the best I've seen. I just checked a transaction I made in Beijing and this is how it worked out:

4127.50 RMB charged on 13 Oct (posted the 14th) = 654.06 USD on my statement.

According to Oanda for that date, I actually made 41 cents in the exchange.

This is my defacto travel card now for all personal expenses. Anything I can expense back to my company will still go on the Citibank SG Premier Miles since that will give a slightly better return to miles (and I can expense any differences lost in the currency conversion).

[alvissome]

Hi there,

Not sure anyone here can advise me whether which card is the best for my situation.

I'm on KrisFlyer FFP, and I normally travel once a month. This card will be use for all my business expenses oversea and I would like to convert to as much mileage as possible.

I have narrowed it down to Maybank Horizon, ANZ Travel Visa or Citi PremierMiles. Correct me if I'm wrong. I believe ANZ have the best conversion for miles on oversea spending 2.8miles = $1. Though I haven't check into details of the exact mileage conversion to KrisFlyer, also the length of expiration.

[zzm9980]

Hi there,

Not sure anyone here can advise me whether which card is the best for my situation.

I'm on KrisFlyer FFP, and I normally travel once a month. This card will be use for all my business expenses oversea and I would like to convert to as much mileage as possible.

I have narrowed it down to Maybank Horizon, ANZ Travel Visa or Citi PremierMiles. Correct me if I'm wrong. I believe ANZ have the best conversion for miles on oversea spending 2.8miles = $1. Though I haven't check into details of the exact mileage conversion to KrisFlyer, also the length of expiration.

Check the fees around foreign spend. Some of them are quite high IMO and not worth the bonus miles received. Also, I believe it was this thread (or perhaps a similar thread on FlyerTalk) were we discussed some of the problems with ANZ. For one, there is no online access or web interface to pay your bill or see current charges. If you have a bank account with them, you can retrieve previous statements, and that's it. To me, that's a deal breaker and something that should have been solved 10 years ago.

[Mi Amigo]

Hi there,

Not sure anyone here can advise me whether which card is the best for my situation.

I'm on KrisFlyer FFP, and I normally travel once a month. This card will be use for all my business expenses oversea and I would like to convert to as much mileage as possible.

I have narrowed it down to Maybank Horizon, ANZ Travel Visa or Citi PremierMiles. Correct me if I'm wrong. I believe ANZ have the best conversion for miles on oversea spending 2.8miles = $1. Though I haven't check into details of the exact mileage conversion to KrisFlyer, also the length of expiration.

I'm still using the KF Amex card, partly due to inertia, but also because I've yet to find an overriding reason to switch to another card. So you might want to include that one in your list too. I'll be interested to hear which card you end up taking, so perhaps you could keep this thread updated as you make the decision.

[alvissome]

Hi zzm9980, as I'll be only spending on business related oversea transaction, it doesn't matter on the exchange, in fact a worse rate is better to accumulate the mileage faster. But ya, the ability to view the bill online is crucial. If not I still believe it is the best rate. I sincerely hope that they have improved the system with so many 'noises', not sure anyone still hold a card with them and able to advise whether there is any changes?

Hi Amigo, I'm a holder of KF Amex, but the mileage conversion is not great if you're spending less than $12,000/year - which Horizon would be able to rival that card without reaching that spending amount. Applied the card for the bonus mileage, and just shelved it until it has other promotion IMHO.