CIMB has recently rolled out significant changes to its Visa Infinite and Visa Signature credit cards, aiming to enhance their competitiveness in the airline miles space.
Despite being on the market for years, these cards had lagged behind their counterparts. The latest updates promise to make them more attractive to frequent travelers.
Here's a comprehensive look at what's new.
Lower Annual Income Requirements
One of the most notable changes is the substantial reduction in the annual income requirements for both cards.
The CIMB Visa Infinite now requires an annual income of RM60,000, down from RM120,000.
The Visa Signature's requirement has dropped to RM36,000 from the previous RM60,000.
This shift positions the Visa Infinite card as a direct competitor to the Alliance Bank Visa Infinite in the airline miles market, which we will explore in detail later.
Revamped Bonus Points Structure
Visa Infinite
5X Bonus Points: For local dining and overseas spending, unchanged from the previous version.
1X Bonus Point: For local spending.
Tiered Bonus Points:
Spend RM3,000 per month to earn 7,500 Bonus Points.
Spend RM5,000 per month to earn 15,000 Bonus Points.
Visa Signature
2X Bonus Points: For overseas spending.
1X Bonus Point: For local spending.
Tiered Bonus Points:
Spend RM2,000 per month to earn 4,000 Bonus Points.
Spend RM3,000 per month to earn 7,500 Bonus Points.
These tiered bonuses are a strategic move by CIMB to encourage cardholders to consolidate their spending onto one card to maximize their points accumulation.
My Enrich MPR Calculations
With CIMB's new tiered bonus points system for the Visa Infinite card, there are several pathways to achieve the maximum rewards.
The screenshots below illustrate different spending scenarios and their respective Miles Per Ringgit (MPR) calculations, showing how efficiently you can earn Enrich miles.
Given CIMB's conversion rate of 12,500 Bonus Points = 1,000 Enrich Miles, the MPR calculations reveal the value you get from each Ringgit spent.
In these scenarios, the best case involves meeting the spending requirement through dining and overseas expenses, which earn 5X points.
Conversely, the worst case involves only local spending, earning just 1X points. The optimal and realistic cases represent balanced spending strategies, combining dining and local expenditures.
One thing to note is that specific merchant categories have a capping of RM2,500 monthly:
Supermarkets/Hypermarkets
Utilities
Professional Services
Insurance
Mail & Telephone Order
Telecommunication
Strangely, the "Mail & Telephone Order" MCC which has been highlighted in CIMB's Terms & Conditions also include merchants such as Lazada and Shopee. Full T&C.
By understanding these scenarios, you can strategically visualize whether the CIMB Visa Infinite is the right credit card for you. I've omitted any deep dive into the CIMB Visa Signature for now, as I'll do that in my full review of the credit card.
For now, I've updated my Enrich Ultimate Guide, Asia Miles Ultimate Guide, Ultimate Airport Lounge Guide and Ultimate Guide by Category Spend to reflect the new changes to these credit cards. Note that my Local MPR calculations are based on the "Realistic Case" set above.
Enhanced Lounge Access
Both cards offer airport lounge access, a key perk for frequent travelers:
Visa Infinite: Grants 8X lounge access per annum, with the requirement to spend RM100,000 annually to maintain access in subsequent years.
Visa Signature: Grants 2X lounge access per annum with similar spending requirements for renewal.
Full list of lounges: Click here.
Crucially however, I've noticed that both credit cards do not have access to the Plaza Premium First lounge in KLIA Terminal 1, which is a substantial benefit of the CIMB Travel credit cards.
Competing with Alliance Bank Visa Infinite
With the new income requirements and bonus points structure, the CIMB Visa Infinite is poised to compete directly with the Alliance Bank Visa Infinite, which has been a strong contender in the Enrich miles space.
The Alliance Bank Visa Infinite offers 8X Timeless Bonus Points (TBP) for online shopping and e-wallet top-ups, translating to a 0.53 MPR earning potential on local spend.
Visit my Enrich Ultimate Guide to compare other credit cards for earning Enrich miles.
However, CIMB's focus on tiered bonus points for spending could attract cardholders looking for a straightforward way to earn substantial points without having to navigate multiple categories.
As usual, I will dive in to compare both credit cards in the future. In fact, I'm patiently awaiting the official launch of Ambank's rumoured RM60,000 and RM100,000 annual income Enrich co-branded credit cards to do a three-fold comparison altogether.
Final Thoughts
CIMB's latest updates to the Visa Infinite and Visa Signature credit cards are a clear attempt to reclaim their standing in the competitive airline miles market. The reduced income requirements make these cards accessible to a broader audience, while the introduction of tiered bonus points is particularly noteworthy.
As illustrated in the provided MPR calculations, there are several pathways to achieve optimal rewards. I'll dive in deeper in my future review of these two credit cards.
Both the CIMB Visa Infinite and CIMB Visa Signature cards now offer competitive lounge access, although they lack access to the Plaza Premium First lounge in KLIA Terminal 1—a significant benefit of the CIMB Travel credit cards.
In comparison to the Alliance Bank Visa Infinite, the CIMB Visa Infinite is now positioned as a strong competitor, especially with its lower annual income requirement and tiered bonus points structure.
The Alliance Bank Visa Infinite offers a high MPR through 8X Timeless Bonus Points for online shopping and e-wallet top-ups, but CIMB's straightforward approach might appeal more to those who prefer a simpler rewards structure.
The competitive landscape will be further shaped by the rumored launch of Ambank's RM60,000 and RM100,000 annual income Enrich co-branded credit cards. This anticipated development will provide a more comprehensive basis for comparison in the near future.
For those looking to maximize their airline miles and enjoy premium travel perks, the revamped CIMB Visa Infinite and Visa Signature cards are worth considering. Keep an eye on how these changes unfold and compare them with other options in the market to make the best decision for your travel needs.
