UOB Visa Infinite

Average MPR: 0.6

Recommendation: Obtain

Annual Fee

RM600
Waived with RM50,000 Spend

Airport Lounge Access

12X Access
Regional Lounges

Annual Income

RM120,000 per annum

Airline Miles Earn Rate

Local: 1 Airline Mile = RM9.00

Dining: 1 Airline Mile = RM1.80

Overseas: 1 Airline Mile = RM1.125

Payment Network

Review | UOB Visa Infinite

The UOB Visa Infinite stands out as a versatile credit card offering from UOB Malaysia.

It features attractive airline miles accrual rates and a suite of compelling benefits, making it an essential choice for those integrated into the UOB credit card ecosystem.

Read on to discover why this card is a valuable addition to your wallet.

Air Miles Conversion

Starting with the accrual of airline miles through local expenditures, the UOB Visa Infinite presents a nuanced offer.

Although it provides a modest 0.11 miles per ringgit (MPR) on general local spend, it generously awards 0.55 MPR for dining, contingent upon a minimum monthly spend of RM1,000.

This feature is particularly advantageous, as I’ve noted in previous reviews, that credit cards favoring higher MPRs for e-wallet usage should be prioritized due to their widespread acceptance both locally and internationally. Following e-wallets, dining emerges as the next crucial category.

A credit card that rewards dining expenditures heavily deserves prime consideration, especially since dining out is one of the most frequent credit card uses today. This includes spending at cafes and coffee chains like Starbucks and Coffee Bean. With the UOB Visa Infinite, earning 5X UNIRM (equivalent to 0.55 MPR) on dining is indeed impressive.

Importantly, for business owners and client-facing consultants, it’s worth noting that the UOB Visa Infinite includes MCC 5813 under its dining category, which covers most bars, pubs, and drinking establishments. This feature allows you to accumulate a significant number of UNIRM, especially as expenditures on alcoholic beverages tend to be higher.

Furthermore, the RM1,000 minimum spend requirement is realistically attainable for most, as it can be easily met with your regular coffee and meal purchases alone, making this card an exceptional choice for those who frequent dining establishments.

Delving into specifics, the UOB Visa Infinite categorizes Dining under Merchant Category Codes (MCC) ranging from 5811 to 5814, encompassing caterers, restaurants, bars, and fast food outlets. However, it’s important to note that dining at hotel and resort venues usually falls under the MCC 7011, which differs from the typical dining codes, according to online research.

While it may not always be possible to know the MCC of every dining transaction, typical restaurant and café visits within malls should generally align with the designated dining MCCs. It’s crucial to highlight that the UOB Visa Infinite excels at accruing airline miles for dining-related expenses.

If dining out is not a regular part of your lifestyle, you might consider a credit card that offers superior miles per ringgit on grocery purchases.

For a detailed comparison of credit cards optimized for dining and groceries, be sure to refer to my newly published Ultimate Category-Specific Guide.

Turning our attention to overseas spending, the UOB Visa Infinite offers a robust airline miles accrual rate for international transactions, which is highly commendable.

Although it doesn’t match the overseas rate of its sibling card, the UOB PRVI Miles Elite, the provided 0.88 miles per ringgit (MPR) is exceptionally competitive. Indeed, this rate surpasses those of several leading credit cards focused on overseas spending, including the CIMB Travel World Elite and the Maybank Platinum Charge Card American Express.

It’s important to note that this same rate of 0.88 MPR also applies to online purchases made in foreign currencies, enhancing its appeal for those who shop internationally.

The UOB Visa Infinite is a breath of fresh air in the realm of credit cards, offering generous rewards on international expenditures alongside a sensible rate for local dining. While many cards geared towards airline miles accrual often feature higher overseas MPRs at the expense of local rewards, it’s refreshing to see a balanced approach with the UOB Visa Infinite.

Special Deep Dive: The Optimal UOB Strategy

The UOB Visa Infinite is a standout credit card in Malaysia, offering an excellent balance of 0.55 miles per ringgit (MPR) on dining and 0.88 MPR on overseas spending, positioning it as a rare find that delivers the best of both worlds.

By channeling your expenditures through the UOB Visa Infinite, you could amass a noteworthy tally of airline miles. A notable limitation, however, is its lack of additional rewards for consolidating spending onto a single card, which is understandable given the inherent benefits already provided by the UOB Visa Infinite itself.

For instance, while the UOB World Card offers a bonus of 125,000 UNIRM for an annual spend of RM48,000, and the UOB Zenith World Elite grants 250,000 UNIRM for RM240,000 spent annually, introducing similar incentives for the UOB Visa Infinite could potentially overshadow its siblings, such as the UOB Visa Infinite Metal Card and the UOB PRVI Miles Elite, which cater to distinct user thresholds with their own unique rewards.

In my reviews of other UOB credit cards, I often recommend using multiple cards to optimize airline miles accrual. For example, the UOB PRVI Miles Elite is renowned for its 1.11 MPR on international expenses, though it underperforms on local spending.

Similarly, while the UOB Zenith World Elite offers an impressive conversion of 6,400 UNIRM to 1,000 airline miles, its accrual rates for both local and overseas spending are less favorable. Beneficially, points within the UOB ecosystem are pooled (excluding the UOB Visa Infinite Metal Card), suggesting that the ideal strategy might be to acquire several UOB cards to fully leverage this shared ecosystem.

Undoubtedly, employing a combination of UOB credit cards, such as the UOB World Card and the UOB PRVI Miles Elite, will yield more airline miles than relying solely on the UOB Visa Infinite.

Yet, achieving such results represents an ideal scenario as I've presented in the table below.

It’s important to note that the UOB World Card’s full potential is realized by maximizing the monthly caps on e-wallets, which together amount to RM900 per month. To harness this benefit, meticulous management of your spending pattern is essential.

This approach may not be suitable for those who struggle with tracking their expenditures or cannot consistently optimize the use of the UOB World Card. However, for individuals with substantial disposable income, strategically using the UOB World Card and the UOB PRVI Miles Elite could potentially overshadow the benefits of the UOB Visa Infinite.

In conclusion, the UOB Visa Infinite alone may suffice for the average consumer to accumulate significant airline miles, which does not preclude the merits of pairing it with the UOB PRVI Miles Elite. This combination could exploit the UOB Visa Infinite’s local dining MPR along with the UOB PRVI Miles Elite’s superior overseas MPR, crafting a potent mileage-earning strategy.

As with any financial decision, there are trade-offs to consider. Although combining these cards can significantly boost your airline miles, it also means higher annual fees. Additionally, as noted in my review of the UOB PRVI Miles Elite, there are increased costs associated with foreign transactions.

Special Deep Dive: UOB Birthday Reward

The UOB Visa Infinite offers a lesser-known but valuable feature: the Birthday Reward. This benefit allows cardholders to redeem double airline miles during their birthday month. To qualify for the Birthday Redemption, cardmembers must submit a redemption request within their birthday month.

The Birthday Redemption is capped at a maximum of three units per cardmember annually. Any subsequent miles redeemed in the same request will be processed under the Normal Redemption rate.

One unit is equivalent to 9,000 UNIRM, which translates to 1,000 airline miles. Therefore, three units provide a total of 3,000 airline miles, offering significant value to cardholders.

Airport Lounge Access

I know how important it is to obtain information about lounge access at a glance, so if you're queuing up to enter a lounge in Malaysia, here's the important details about the UOB Visa Infinite credit card:

Number of Lounge Access Passes: 12X per year (Via Dragonpass)
Supplementary Access: No.
Spend Conditions: No spend conditions

I've compiled the list of eligible lounges you can access in Malaysia. Lounge Access List by UOB Visa Infinite credit card in Malaysia:

Plaza Premium Lounge KLIA Terminal 1 Main Terminal Building
Plaza Premium Lounge KLIA Terminal 2 (Gateway@klia2)
Plaza Premium Lounge Penang International Airport International
Plaza Premium Lounge Penang International Airport Domestic

UOB Malaysia may update its list from time to time, so be sure to check out their list here if you don't see your lounge on the list above.

Lounge access for UOB Malaysia’s Visa Infinite credit cards, including the UOB Privilege Banking Visa Infinite and UOB Visa Infinite Metal Card, is facilitated through DragonPass.

The primary distinction between the UOB Visa Infinite and its Privilege Banking counterpart lies in the scope of lounge coverage. The UOB Visa Infinite card offers access exclusively to lounges within the Asia Pacific region, whereas the Privilege Banking Visa Infinite provides global lounge access.

Nonetheless, both cards grant entry to UOB’s exclusive section at the Plaza Premium Lounge in KLIA Terminal 1, an upscale extension of the Plaza Premium First, designed specifically for UOB’s elite clientele. I have detailed these lounges in separate articles, which I have hyperlinked above.

The lounge access provided by the UOB Visa Infinite is satisfactory, though it does not extend to supplementary cardholders. For those requiring wider lounge access for family or team members, the UOB PRVI Miles Elite is a preferable option, as it offers each supplementary cardholder their own lounge access.

Considering the RM120,000 credit line, it would be advantageous for UOB to enhance lounge access privileges, particularly in key international hubs like London.

Final Thoughts

The UOB Visa Infinite is a compelling option for those seeking to balance local and international spending benefits effectively.

With its generous miles accrual rates for both dining and overseas expenses, it stands out as a robust choice for frequent diners and travelers alike. While the card does have limitations, such as its regional restriction on lounge access and lack of rewards for consolidating spend, its strengths in key spending categories make it a valuable contender in the crowded field of premium credit cards.

In conclusion, the UOB Visa Infinite may not suit everyone, particularly those who need comprehensive global lounge access or prefer a single card solution. However, for the discerning spender who can navigate its features to their advantage, it offers substantial rewards.

Coupling it with other UOB cards like the UOB PRVI Miles Elite could amplify benefits significantly, making it a strategic choice for maximizing travel perks and airline miles. Whether the UOB Visa Infinite is right for you will largely depend on your spending habits and lifestyle needs.

Be sure to check out my Enrich Ultimate Guide, KrisFlyer Ultimate Guide, Asia Miles Ultimate Guide, Airport Lounge Ultimate Guide and my newly published Ultimate Category-Specific Guide to compare the best credit cards in Malaysia for earning airline miles.