UOB KrisFlyer Debit Card: Earn Miles From All of Your Spend
UOB KrisFlyer Debit Card: Earn Miles From All of Your Spend
ValueChampion Rating 
Pros
- Those looking to earn miles from their regular card spend
- People with at least S$1,000 in their KrisFlyer account
- Individuals who want to avoid conversion fees on their miles earned
Cons
- Individuals looking to earn other rewards (e.g. cashback)
- Those that would be better suited for a travel credit card
The UOB KrisFlyer Debit Card allows cardholders to earn 0.4 miles per S$1 spent on all types of transactions. For individuals who are looking to earn miles with no conversion fee, the KrisFlyer card directly converts your spend into miles free of charge. While it doesn't earn miles as fast as some credit cards, it is a great choice for those seeking a debit card that earns airline miles. Additionally, for cardholders who frequently fly, the card also offers discounts off Grab rides to and from the airport, along with discounted ChangiWifi access, benefiting any frequent traveler. Hence, the UOB KrisFlyer Debit Card is a great option for those seeking out great-value and the best debit cards in Singapore.
Table of Contents
- What Makes the KrisFlyer Debit Card Stand Out
- Annual Fee & Monthly Limits
- How to Redeem Miles
- How to Apply
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What Makes the UOB KrisFlyer Debit Card Stand Out?
The KrisFlyer DBS debit card is one of the only debit cards that offers miles rewards with spend. A cardholder can earn 0.4/S$1 on all spend, with the potential to earn 6 additional miles if they maintain a monthly minimum balance of S$1,000 and credit their salary (min. S$2,000). The bonus miles are capped at 5% of the average monthly balance of the account. There is no minimum spend required to start earning miles with the KrisFlyer debit card.
Additionally, an individual can earn 1,000 miles by simply signing up for a KrisFlyer debit card. Alongside Welcome Miles, a cardholder earns 200 miles with every FX conversion of S$1,000 (capped at 4 per year).
UOB KrisFlyer Debit Card Annual Fee & Limits
- S$2 fee if account balance goes below S$1,000
- S$53.50 annual fee (after first year waiver)
- S$30 for closing of account within 6 months from opening
- Overseas withdrawal from ATMs S$5 flat fee per withdrawal
Debit Card Rewards, Perks & Benefits
- 1,000 Welcome Miles
- 200 KrisFlyer miles with every conversion of S$1000 (4 per year)
- Convert FX and pay with KrisFlyer with no admin fees
- Enjoy exclusive perks from Scoot (including priority boarding, additional baggage allowance, standard seat selection and a booking flexibility waiver)
- S$10 off Grab rides to and from Singapore Changi Airport with promo code: KFUOB
- S$10 off ChangiWifi
- Earn 0.05% interest on your account balance above S$15,000
- Earn Bonus miles on spend (5.4 miles when balance is above S$1,000, 6.4 miles when you credit your salary. (bonus miles are capped at 5% of the average monthly balance in the KrisFlyer UOB Account)
How To Redeem KrisFlyer Miles
With the potential to earn 6.4 miles / S$1, cardholders who frequently spend will see their miles begin to pile up quickly. Redeeming your miles is a fairly quick and simple process. It is important to note that miles only cover airfare, all taxes and fees associated with the flight must be paid for by card. All miles earned from your KrisFlyer expire after 3 years, so it’s important to note when the miles are earned so that they do not go unused. To redeem and claim your KrisFlyer Miles, there are a few steps to follow.
- Log into your KrisFlyer account when you are on the Singapore Airlines website
- On the navigation bar, click “Miles”, then “How To Use”
- At the bottom of the page you can see all of the available locations you can fly to using the miles on your current account
- Select a location and the desired departure and return dates
- You will be presented with all of the available flights along with the amount of miles they require. Select your departing and arriving flights from the list presented
- Pick your seat
- Complete your booking by entering your card information (miles only cover airfare, taxes and fees are not covered by miles)
Miles are earned on all purchases that are made with your KrisFlyer debit card. For every S$1 spent using the card, a cardholder earns 0.4 miles. If the average monthly account balance is above S$1000, the cardholder earns an additional 5 bonus miles per S$1 spent. When the cardholder credits their salary of at least S$2,000 per month, they can earn an additional bonus mile. In total, an individual can earn a total of 6.4 miles per S$1 spend. Bonus miles are capped at 5% of the average monthly account balance. Below is an example of how mile earnings are calculated.
| Type | Calculation |
|---|---|
| Account Balance: | S$15,000 |
| Bonus Miles Cap: | S$15,000 * 5% = 750 bonus miles cap |
| Monthly Spend: | S$200 |
| Bonus Miles Earned: | 6 bonus miles * S$200 = 1200 bonus miles (capped at 750 miles) |
| Regular Miles Earned: | 0.4 miles * S$200 = 80 bonus miles |
| Total Miles Earned: | 750 + 80 = 830 miles earned |
How to Apply for a UOB KrisFlyer Debit Card
In order to receive your KrisFlyer debit card, you must be approved for a KrisFlyer Account. Below are the steps you need to apply.
If you have an existing UOB account
- Sign into your UOB account using their online form Fill out the form with your current information
- Submit (The account will be opened within 5 working days of submission)
If you do not have a UOB account
- Apply for a UOB bank account Enter your personal information
- Submit (applications that are submitted between 8:30am and 9pm will be opened instantly, applications submitted outside of these hours will be processed the next working day)
How to Cancel Your UOB KrisFlyer Debit Card
If you are looking to cancel your card, you must call UOB’s customer service center at 011-65-6222-2121.
Credit Card Alternative: DBS Altitude Visa Credit Card
- Pros
- Great for online travel bookings
- Cons
- Those willing to pay an annual fee for more bonus miles
- Affluent travellers who are willing to pay a high fee for luxury travel perks
- Annual Fee: S$192.6, waived for the first year, subsequently waived with S$25,000 annual spend
- Receive 10,000 bonus miles w/ payment of annual fee
- Earn 3 miles/S$1 for overseas spend (at point-of-sale), 2 miles for overseas spend made via online transactions, 1.2 miles for local spend
- Miles do not expire
- 0% interest installments when using DBS My Preferred Payment Plan
The DBS Altitude Visa Credit Card allows individuals to earn 3 miles for overseas spend (at point-of-sale), 2 miles for overseas purchases made via online transactions, and 1.2 miles for local spend. Additionally, miles earned have no expiry date, so cardholders do not have to worry about losing their miles if they do not use them in a given time frame.
When traveling, cardholders receive great perks including dining rewards with dining privileges, 2 annual lounge visits, free travel insurance and more. The annual S$192.60 fee, can be waived by simple spending S$25,000 in the calendar year. The DBS Altitude card is a great choice for individuals that want to earn miles for their everyday and travel expenses.