Last Updated:
7 October 2024
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This guide is designed for Malaysian travelers aiming to maximize KrisFlyer miles—the reward currency of Singapore Airlines—through credit card rewards. With KrisFlyer miles, you can elevate your travel on one of the world’s top airlines, renowned for luxury and premium service.
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In this guide, we break down the best Malaysian credit cards for earning KrisFlyer miles, including essential details like Local Earn Rate, Overseas Earn Rate, and Average Earn Rate. This comparison helps you find the top cards for maximizing miles, aligning with your spending habits and travel goals
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Whether you’re planning a vacation, business trip, or luxury escape, this guide turns everyday spending into valuable KrisFlyer miles. Start unlocking premium travel opportunities with the best KrisFlyer credit cards in Malaysia.
Understanding Miles Per Ringgit: A Practical Guide
Miles Per Ringgit (MPR) simplifies the comparison of airline miles accrued per RM1 spent across various banks. This metric is vital because each bank offers distinct conversion rates for airline miles, making it challenging to assess which card offers the best return on spending. The MPR creates a standardized method to gauge the value of each ringgit spent in terms of miles earned.
The Local MPR focuses on everyday spending within Malaysia, reflecting a more realistic calculation by including points earned in specific categories like dining and groceries. These categories often have enhanced earning rates, which are factored into the average Local MPR, providing a comprehensive view of potential miles accumulation.
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Exclusions from Local MPR
Not all spending categories are relevant for the Local MPR calculation, especially those infrequently used in daily transactions. The following categories are excluded:
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Duty-Free Spend
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These exclusions ensure the Local MPR remains a practical and reliable metric for regular spenders, offering clarity on how to maximize airline miles from everyday purchases.
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Notes on Local MPR
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For a more holistic view on the Local MPR for each credit card, I have taken the approach of combining several categories of spend under "Local MPR". Only the following categories are considered under "Local MPR":
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Dining Spend
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Groceries Spend
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E-Wallet Spend
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For a breakdown of Local MPR calculations by category, please visit my Ultimate Category-Specific Guide instead.
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Notes on Additional Bonuses
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Some credit cards offer bonus points upon meeting a certain spend criteria or threshold. These have been omitted from the Ultimate Guide to offer a more holistic view for comparisons. Any bonuses can be viewed in my Ultimate Category-Specific Guide.
Priority/Preferred/Invitation-Only Credit Cards:
Image | Card | Local MPR | Overseas MPR | Average MPR | Annual Fee | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
UOB Visa Infinite Metal Card | 0.6* | 2 | 1.3 | RM3000 | *The average of dining (1) and local (0.2) is taken | |
UOB Privilege Banking Visa Infinite | 0.3* | 1 | 0.65 | RM600 | *The average of dining (0.5) and local (0.1) is taken | |
Ambank Signature Priority Banking The Metal Visa Infinite | 0.08 | 0.8 | 0.44 | RM0 | ||
Standard Chartered Priority Banking Visa Infinite | 0.14 | 0.71 | 0.43 | RM800 | ||
CIMB Preferred Visa Infinite | 0.29* | 0.53 | 0.41 | RM0 | *The average of dining (0.53) and local (0.06) is taken. | |
RHB Premier Visa Infinite | 0.08* | 0.57 | 0.32 | RM0 | *The average MPR of dining and local are taken. | |
HSBC Premier Travel Mastercard | 0.125 | 0.45 | 0.28 | RM600 | Capping of 10,000 and 15,000 KrisFlyer Miles for Overseas and Local spend respectively. | |
Ambank Signature Priority Banking Visa Infinite | 0.08 | 0.4 | 0.24 | RM0 |
Credit Cards with Annual Income Requirement > RM100,000:
Card | Card | Local MPR | Overseas MPR | Average MPR | Annual Fee | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
The Platinum Card Maybank | 0.71 | 0.71 | 0.71 | RM3250 | ||
UOB Visa Infinite | 0.24* | 0.83 | 0.53 | RM600 | *The average of dining (0.41) and local (0.08) is taken. | |
UOB PRVI Miles Elite | 0.08 | 0.83 | 0.45 | RM600 | ||
CIMB Travel World Elite | 0.13 | 0.66 | 0.39 | RM1250 | ||
Maybank World Elite Mastercard | 0.2 | 0.5 | 0.35 | RM800 | ||
Maybank 2 Cards Premier | 0.2 | 0.5 | 0.35 | RM800 | ||
CIMB Travel World Mastercard | 0.13 | 0.53 | 0.33 | RM554 | ||
Ambank Visa Infinite | 0.1 | 0.5 | 0.3 | RM0 | ||
UOB Zenith World Elite | 0.15 | 0.31 | 0.23 | RM1000 |
Credit Cards with Annual Income Requirement > RM60,000:
Card | Card | Local MPR | Overseas MPR | Average MPR | Annual Fee | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Maybank Singapore Airlines KrisFlyer American Express Platinum | 0.4 | 0.5 | 0.45 | RM300 | ||
Standard Chartered Journey Mastercard | 0.3* | 0.5 | 0.4 | RM600 | *The average of dining (0.5) and local (0.1) is taken | |
UOB World Card | 0.3* | 0.25 | 0.27 | RM600 | *The average of E-Wallet (0.62), groceries (0.25) and local (0.05) is taken | |
CIMB Visa Infinite | 0.19* | 0.33 | 0.26 | RM0 | *The average of dining (0.33) and local (0.06) is taken | |
HSBC Visa Signature | 0.12* | 0.32 | 0.22 | RM600 | *The average of E-Wallets (0.2) and local (0.04) is taken | |
HSBC TravelOne Mastercard | 0.12* | 0.32 | 0.22 | RM300 | *The average MPR of Dining (0.2) and Local (0.04) is taken.
^20,000 points cap per month. | |
UOB PRVI Miles Visa Platinum | 0.05 | 0.25 | 0.15 | RM198 | ||
Maybank Visa Signature | 0.02 | 0.25 | 0.13 | RM550 |
Credit Cards with Annual Income Requirement Below RM60,000:
Card | Card | Local MPR | Overseas MPR | Average MPR | Annual Fee | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Maybank Singapore Airlines KrisFlyer American Express Gold | 0.25 | 0.25 | 0.25 | RM100 | ||
CIMB Travel Platinum Mastercard | 0.13 | 0.33 | 0.23 | RM0 | ||
CIMB e Card | 0.2 | 0.2 | 0.2 | RM100 | Contactless spend only. Capped at 20,000 BP/month | |
CIMB Visa Signature | 0.06 | 0.13 | 0.09 | RM0 |
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
FAQ 1: What is KrisFlyer, and why should I collect KrisFlyer miles?
KrisFlyer is Singapore Airlines' loyalty program, offering members the ability to earn miles from flying, credit card spending, and other partnerships. Collecting KrisFlyer miles allows you to access premium travel experiences, including upgrades, award flights with Singapore Airlines and its partners, and other exclusive benefits. Our guide dives deep into maximizing your mile accrual through credit cards in Malaysia.
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FAQ 2: How can I earn KrisFlyer miles with Malaysian credit cards?
Many credit cards in Malaysia offer the ability to earn KrisFlyer miles directly or convert reward points to KrisFlyer miles. Our guide compares these cards based on earning rates, bonus mile opportunities, annual fees, and additional benefits, helping you choose the best card for your spending habits and travel goals.
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FAQ 3: Which Malaysian credit card offers the best earning rate for KrisFlyer miles?
The best credit card for earning KrisFlyer miles varies depending on your spending pattern, preferred categories, and card benefits. Our guide provides a comprehensive comparison to help you identify which card aligns best with your lifestyle and maximizes your KrisFlyer miles accrual.
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FAQ 4: Are there sign-up bonuses for credit cards that can boost my KrisFlyer miles?
Yes, many credit cards offer sign-up bonuses that can significantly boost your KrisFlyer miles balance. Be sure to check out each credit card page to see if there are any updated sign-up bonuses.
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FAQ 5: How can I use KrisFlyer miles for travel?
KrisFlyer miles can be redeemed for award flights, upgrades on Singapore Airlines and its partner airlines, and other travel-related rewards.
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FAQ 6: Can I transfer miles from other loyalty programs to KrisFlyer?
Certain loyalty programs and credit card rewards programs allow you to transfer points to KrisFlyer miles. Our guide details which Malaysian credit cards and programs offer this flexibility, including transfer ratios and how to make transfers effectively.
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FAQ 7: How can I keep my KrisFlyer miles from expiring?
KrisFlyer miles typically expire after three years, but there are strategies to extend their life. Our guide provides advice on managing your miles, including how to earn or spend miles to reset the expiration clock.
Final Thoughts
I've written substantially over the past few months that one should seriously consider redeeming your hard earned credit card points for something else other than Enrich Miles. Given that Singapore Airlines is our closest neighbour, it makes sense to take a look at KrisFlyer.
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Not only does Singapore Airlines have a wider network than Malaysia Airlines, but the hard product and soft product is miles ahead of Malaysia Airlines.
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Granted, perhaps the most difficult aspect of redeeming KrisFlyer flights is the availability. Saver awards are not easy to come by nowadays, and you'll find yourself having to book many months in advance to secure a Saver Award seat on Singapore Airlines, especially to popular destinations such as Tokyo and London.
