Last Updated:
7 October 2024
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Navigating the world of credit cards to maximize airline miles can often feel like an overwhelming task. Each card offers its own perks, rewards, and often, complexities.
Recognizing the need for a clear and comprehensive overview, we've crafted the Ultimate Category-Specific Miles Guide—your definitive resource for comparing credit cards based on their ability to earn you the most miles across various spending categories.
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Why This Guide?
The key to optimizing your spending for maximum airline miles lies in understanding which cards perform best in the categories you spend the most. Whether it's dining, groceries, hotel bookings, or direct airline spend, each category can significantly influence your miles accrual rate.
Our guide breaks down these categories meticulously, ensuring that you can make an informed decision tailored to your spending habits.
How This Guide Helps You
By consolidating the most relevant and up-to-date information into one place, this guide serves as your all-in-one resource to navigate the complexities of credit card rewards effectively.
You'll find detailed comparisons that not only highlight the best credit cards for each category but also explain why they outshine others. This means you can strategize your card usage to optimize every ringgit spent towards your next free flight or upgrade.
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 Most Comprehensive of All Our Guides
Among all our "Ultimate Guides," the Category-Specific Ultimate Miles Guide stands out as the most thorough and detailed.
I've tried my best to ensure that no stone is left unturned, providing a panoramic view of the credit card landscape in Malaysia as it pertains to earning airline miles. It’s designed not just to inform but to empower you to make choices that align perfectly with your financial and travel goals.
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Whether you are a seasoned miles collector or just starting out, this guide promises to enhance your understanding and utilization of credit cards in a way that maximizes your travel benefits. It's more than just a guide; it's a pathway to smarter, more rewarding travel experiences.
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Note: All tables are sorted based on Enrich MPR by default, followed by KrisFlyer MPR.
Dining Spend
Card | Card | Enrich MPR | KrisFlyer MPR | Asia Miles MPR | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
UOB Visa Infinite Metal Card | 1.00 | 1 | 1 | Minimum spend of RM1,000 monthly required. | |
CIMB Preferred Visa Infinite | 0.92 | 0.76 | 0.76 | Minimum spend of RM10,000 monthly required. | |
CIMB Visa Infinite | 0.64 | 0.53 | 0.53 | Minimum spend of RM5,000 monthly required. | |
Standard Chartered Journey Mastercard | 0.5 | 0.5 | 0.5 | ||
UOB Privilege Banking Visa Infinite | 0.5 | 0.5 | 0.5 | Minimum spend of RM1,000 monthly required. | |
UOB Visa Infinite | 0.41 | 0.41 | 0.41 | Minimum spend of RM1,000 monthly required. | |
Hong Leong Sutera Visa Platinum | 0.33 | - | - | ||
Alliance Bank Visa Infinite | 0.33 | - | - | ||
UOB Preferred Mastercard | 0.25 | 0.25 | 0.25 | Capped at RM1,000 monthly. | |
HSBC TravelOne Mastercard | 0.23 | 0.2 | 0.2 | Capped at RM2,500 monthly. | |
Affin Duo Mastercard | 0.21 | - | - | ||
RHB Premier Visa Infinite | 0.20 | 0.13 | - | ||
Alliance Bank Visa Platinum | 0.20 | - | - |
Airlines Spend
Card | Card | Enrich MPR | KrisFlyer MPR | Asia Miles MPR | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Ambank Enrich Visa Infinite | 1.00 | - | - | ||
CIMB Travel World Elite | 0.88 | 0.66 | 0.66 | ||
CIMB Travel World Mastercard | 0.64 | 0.53 | 0.53 | ||
Standard Chartered Journey Mastercard | 0.5 | 0.5 | 0.5 | ||
Ambank Enrich Visa Platinum | 0.5 | - | - | ||
UOB PRVI Miles Elite | 0.41 | 0.41 | 0.41 | ||
CIMB Travel Platinum Mastercard | 0.4 | 0.33 | 0.33 | ||
UOB PRVI Miles Visa Platinum | 0.25 | 0.25 | 0.25 | Airlines/Hotels/OTA has a combined capping of RM5,000 monthly. | |
HSBC TravelOne Mastercard | 0.23 | 0.2 | 0.2 | Airlines/Hotels/OTA has a combined capping of RM2,500 monthly. | |
Maybank Singapore Airlines KrisFlyer American Express Platinum | - | 1.00 | - | Applies to Singapore Airlines and Scoot. | |
Maybank Singapore Airlines KrisFlyer American Express Gold | - | 0.25 | - | Applies to Singapore Airlines and Scoot. |
Online Spend (in MYR)
Card | Card | Enrich MPR | KrisFlyer MPR | Asia Miles MPR | Capping | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
CIMB e Card | 0.96* | - | 0.8* | 20,000 Bonus Points per statement cycle. | *Only valid on 28th of each month. Other days 1/4 of MPR. | |
Alliance Bank Visa Platinum | 0.53 | - | - | RM3,000 monthly | ||
Alliance Bank Visa Infinite | 0.53 | - | - | RM3,000 monthly | ||
HSBC Premier World Mastercard | 0.33 | 0.33 | 0.33 | RM1,000 monthly. | ||
Hong Leong Sutera Visa Platinum | 0.33 | - | - | |||
HSBC Visa Signature | 0.23 | 0.2 | 0.2 | RM3,750 monthly. | ||
HSBC Visa Platinum | 0.23 | 0.2 | 0.2 | RM750 monthly. | ||
RHB Premier Visa Infinite | 0.20 | 0.13 | - | |||
RHB Rewards Credit Card | 0.12 | 0.08 | - | |||
Maybank Singapore Airlines KrisFlyer American Express Platinum | - | 0.5 | - | |||
Maybank Singapore Airlines KrisFlyer American Express Gold | - | 0.33 | - |
Note: The credit cards included here explicitly state in their terms and conditions that online foreign transactions in another currency other than MYR are given additional points.
Card | Card | Enrich MPR | KrisFlyer MPR | Asia Miles MPR | Capping | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
UOB Visa Infinite Metal Card | 2 | 2 | 2 | |||
HSBC Premier Travel Mastercard | 1.11 | 0.45 | 0.45 | 10,000 Airline Miles per month. | ||
RHB Premier Visa Infinite | 1.00 | 0.57 | - | |||
Ambank Enrich Visa Infinite | 1.00 | - | - | |||
UOB Privilege Banking Visa Infinite | 1 | 1 | 1 | |||
UOB Visa Infinite | 0.83 | 0.83 | 0.83 | |||
UOB PRVI Miles Elite | 0.83 | 0.83 | 0.83 | |||
CIMB Travel World Elite | 0.8 | 0.64 | 0.64 | |||
CIMB Travel World Mastercard | 0.64 | 0.53 | 0.53 | |||
CIMB Preferred Visa Infinite | 0.64 | 0.53 | 0.53 | |||
Maybank World Elite Mastercard | 0.5 | 0.5 | 0.5 | |||
Maybank 2 Cards Premier | 0.5 | 0.5 | 0.5 | |||
Ambank Enrich Visa Platinum | 0.5 | - | - | |||
CIMB Visa Infinite | 0.4 | 0.33 | 0.33 | |||
CIMB Travel Platinum Mastercard | 0.4 | 0.33 | 0.33 | |||
HSBC TravelOne Mastercard | 0.38 | 0.32 | 0.32 | 20,000 points monthly. | ||
HSBC Visa Signature | 0.38 | 0.32 | 0.32 | 15,000 points monthly. | ||
Alliance Bank Visa Infinite | 0.33* | - | - | *Payment in MYR offers 0.53 MPR. | ||
UOB Zenith World Elite | 0.27 | 0.27 | 0.27 | |||
UOB PRVI Miles Visa Platinum | 0.25 | 0.25 | 0.25 | |||
UOB World Card | 0.25 | 0.25 | 0.25 | RM24,000 yearly. | ||
Alliance Bank Visa Platinum | 0.2* | - | - | *Payment in MYR offers 0.53 MPR. | ||
Maybank Singapore Airlines KrisFlyer American Express Platinum | - | 0.5 | - | |||
Maybank Singapore Airlines KrisFlyer American Express Gold | - | 0.25 | - |
Groceries/Supermarkets/Hypermarkets
Card | Card | Enrich MPR | KrisFlyer MPR | Asia Miles MPR | Capping | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
American Express Platinum Credit Card | 0.5 | 0.5 | 0.5 | RM500 per transaction. | ||
HSBC Premier World Mastercard | 0.33 | 0.33 | 0.33 | RM1,000 monthly. | ||
Hong Leong Sutera Visa Platinum | 0.33 | - | - | |||
Alliance Bank Visa Infinite | 0.33 | - | - | |||
UOB World Card | 0.25 | 0.25 | 0.25 | RM3,000 monthly. | Combined capping of groceries, departmental stores and hypermarkets. | |
UOB Lady's Solitaire | 0.25 | 0.25 | 0.25 | RM4,000 monthly. | ||
UOB Lady's Platinum | 0.25 | 0.25 | 0.25 | RM3,000 monthly. | ||
UOB Preferred Mastercard | 0.25 | 0.25 | 0.25 | RM1,000 monthly. | ||
HSBC Visa Platinum | 0.23 | 0.2 | 0.2 | RM750 monthly. | ||
Affin Duo Mastercard | 0.21 | - | - | |||
Alliance Bank Visa Platinum | 0.2 | - | - |
Hotels/Online Travel Agencies
Card | Card | Enrich MPR | KrisFlyer MPR | Asia Miles MPR | Capping | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Standard Chartered Journey Mastercard | 0.5 | 0.5 | 0.5 | |||
RHB Premier Visa Infinite | 0.37 | 0.21 | - | |||
UOB PRVI Miles Visa Platinum | 0.25 | 0.25 | 0.25 | RM5,000 monthly combined cap for airlines, hotels & OTA. | ||
HSBC TravelOne Mastercard | 0.23 | 0.2 | 0.2 | RM2,500 monthly cap. |
E-Wallets (Note: I have only included cards that explicitly state they provide points for E-Wallets)
Card | Card | Enrich MPR | KrisFlyer MPR | Asia Miles MPR | Capping | TNG | Boost | Grab |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
UOB World Card | 0.62 | 0.62 | 0.62 | RM300 per E-Wallet | Yes | Yes | No | |
Alliance Bank Visa Infinite | 0.53 | - | - | RM3,000 monthly. | Yes | Yes | Yes | |
Alliance Bank Visa Signature | 0.53 | - | - | RM3,000 monthly. | Yes | Yes | Yes | |
HSBC Premier World Mastercard | 0.33 | 0.33 | 0.33 | RM1,000 monthly. | No | No | Yes | |
Hong Leong Sutera Visa Platinum | 0.33 | - | - | Yes | No | Yes | ||
HSBC Visa Signature | 0.23 | 0.2 | 0.2 | RM3,750 monthly. | No | Yes | Yes | |
HSBC Visa Platinum | 0.23 | 0.2 | 0.2 | RM750 monthly. | No | No | Yes |
Shopping/Fashion
Card | Card | Enrich MPR | KrisFlyer MPR | Asia Miles MPR | Capping | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
UOB Lady's Solitaire | 0.5 | 0.5 | 0.5 | RM2,000 monthly | ||
UOB Lady's Platinum | 0.5 | 0.5 | 0.5 | RM1,500 monthly | ||
UOB World Card | 0.25 | 0.25 | 0.25 | RM3,000 monthly | Combined capping of groceries, departmental stores and hypermarkets. | |
HSBC Visa Signature | 0.23 | 0.20 | 0.20 | RM3,750 monthly |
General Local Spending (Spend RMXXX to earn YYY points/Annual Fee Payment)
Card | Card | Minimum Spend | Extra Points Earned | Timeframe | MPR (Best Case) | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
UOB Visa Infinite Metal Card | RM3,000 | 300,000 UNIRM | - | 22 | Annual fee payment. | |
UOB PRVI Miles Elite | RM600 | 60,000 UNIRM | - | 11.1 | Annual fee payment. | |
UOB PRVI Miles Visa Platinum | RM30 | 2,000 UNIRM | 1 month | 4.4 | ||
CIMB Preferred Visa Infinite | RM10,000 | 35,000 BP | 1 month | 0.92 | Caps apply on certain MCCs. | |
CIMB Visa Infinite | RM5,000 | 15,000 BP | 1 month | 0.64 | Caps apply on certain MCCs. | |
UOB World Card | RM48,000 | 125,000 UNIRM | 1 Year | 0.6 | ||
UOB Zenith | RM240,000 | 250,000 UNIRM | 1 Year | 0.31 | ||
CIMB Visa Signature | RM3,000 | 7,500 BP | 1 month | 0.28 | Caps apply on certain MCCs. |
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
1. What’s the best credit card for earning air miles through dining spend?
The UOB Visa Infinite Metal Card stands out with an impressive 1.11 Miles Per Ringgit (MPR) for dining, applicable to Enrich, KrisFlyer, and Asia Miles. It requires a minimum monthly spend of RM1,000.
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2. Which credit card offers the highest miles for grocery shopping?
Several credit cards listed above earn you airline miles for grocery spending. The guide will highlight which cards offer the best MPR rates for earning Enrich, KrisFlyer, and Asia Miles when you do your grocery shopping. Be wary of capping limits.
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3. How do I maximize my airline miles for hotel bookings and OTAs?
Our Ultimate Category-Specific Miles Guide will include detailed comparisons of credit cards tailored for hotel bookings and online travel agencies (OTAs), helping you identify the top cards for maximizing your miles in this category. However, keep in mind the differences between booking with the hotels directly or with the OTAs. Different credit cards have different rules on this. Some credit cards do not earn you any points when booking through third-party online travel agencies (OTAs) like Booking.com, Agoda and Expedia.
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4. What's the best credit card for earning airline miles through online spending?
Different credit cards offer varied MPR rates for online spending. Here's a pro-tip: most credit cards offer lower MPR on online spending but higher MPR on foreign currency transactions. If you feel that it's worth to pay a small fee on foreign transactions, you can actually pay in a different currency when doing online shopping.
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5. How can I choose the best credit card for direct airline spend?
For those who frequently purchase airline tickets directly, certain credit cards offer enhanced miles accrual rates. Our guide will detail the best options for direct airline spend, ensuring you maximize your rewards. Again, please be mindful of booking flights through OTAs, as there's a good chance you won't earn any points.
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6. What does Miles Per Ringgit (MPR) mean and why is it important?
Miles Per Ringgit (MPR) is a metric that indicates the number of airline miles earned per RM1 spent. This standardization helps compare the value of each credit card across different spending categories, making it easier to choose the best card for your needs.
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7. Are there any minimum spend requirements to earn the best MPR rates?
Yes, many credit cards have minimum spend requirements to unlock their best MPR rates. For example, the UOB Visa Infinite requires a minimum monthly spend of RM1,000. Our guide will outline these requirements for each card.
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8. Can I use one credit card to maximize miles across all spending categories?
While some credit cards offer competitive miles across multiple categories, the optimal strategy often involves using different cards for different spending categories. Our guide will help you create a strategy that leverages the best cards for each type of spend. Some cards such as the revamped CIMB Visa Infinite and CIMB Preferred Visa Infinite actually reward you when you consolidate all your spending into one credit card.
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9. How often is the Ultimate Category-Specific Miles Guide updated?
We strive to keep our guide updated with the latest information on credit card offers, rewards programs, and changes in airline miles accrual rates. Regular updates ensure that you always have access to the most current and accurate data.
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10. What should I know about leftover points that I can’t transfer?
When using credit cards to accumulate airline miles, it’s important to be aware of the issue of leftover or stranded points that don’t meet the minimum conversion threshold. For example, if the bank requires a minimum block of 10,000 points for conversion, but you only have 8,000 points after spending a lot on groceries, you then face a choice: waste those leftover points, use them for less valuable rewards like shopping vouchers or cash rebates, or spend additional money to reach 10,000 points, potentially incurring an opportunity cost. Being mindful of this issue can help you plan your spending and conversions more effectively to minimize wasted points.
Final Thoughts
Navigating the world of credit cards to maximize your airline miles can be complex, but with the right information, it becomes much simpler.
Our Ultimate Category-Specific Miles Guide aims to provide you with clear, comprehensive insights to help you make informed decisions about which credit cards will best serve your travel goals.
By understanding the Miles Per Ringgit (MPR) for various spending categories, you can strategically plan your card usage to optimize every Ringgit spent towards your next adventure. Remember to consider factors like minimum spend requirements and the potential issue of leftover points to ensure you're getting the most value from your rewards.
Whether you’re a seasoned traveler or just starting your miles journey, this guide is designed to help you unlock smarter, more rewarding travel experiences. Happy travels!
