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Traveling to Singapore with points and miles in 2024

Jun 15, 2024 • 17 min read

Read on for our expert's top tips and tricks on traveling to Singapore with points and miles © Koh Sze Kiat / Getty

This series of articles about credit cards, points and miles, and budgeting for travel is brought to you in partnership with  The Points Guy .

Advertiser Disclosure:  This post contains references to products from one or more of our advertisers. We may receive compensation when you click on links to those products. Terms apply to the offers listed on this page. This relationship may impact how and where links appear on this site. This site does not include all financial companies or all available financial offers. All information about the Citi cards, the Alaska Airlines cards, the Barclays card, the World of Hyatt Credit Card, and the United Club Business Card have been collected independently by Lonely Planet. These cards are not available through Lonely Planet.  Terms apply to American Express benefits and offers. Enrollment may be required for select American Express benefits and offers. Visit  americanexpress.com  to learn more.

From its impressive hotels and gardens to the many sites and museums highlighting the area’s fascinating World War II history , Singapore has long deserved a spot on your travel bucket list. 

And don’t get me started on the food, with rich blends of local Peranakan, Malaysian, Chinese and other Southeast Asian cuisine found at hawker centers (food halls) all over the country. 

It’s easy to stick to your budget in Singapore , whether you’re relying on public transportation over ridesharing services and rental cars or using points and miles to score free flights and hotel stays, thus freeing up your funds for other fun activities, like visiting the Botanic Gardens or embarking on a night safari at the Singapore Zoo .

Here’s everything you need to know about traveling to Singapore with points and miles, whether it’s your first trip or you’re a repeat visitor.

How to get started with travel points and airline miles

The cheapest award flights to Singapore

Americans can visit Singapore visa-free for 90 days or less, making it a great jumping-off point for larger trips around Southeast Asia . You’ll also be flying into one of the greatest airports on earth, Singapore Changi, known for its style, ease of navigation and stunning artistic and natural features.

Nonstop flights from the U.S. to Singapore are some of the longest in the world — roughly 17.5 hours from the West Coast or 18.5 hours from the East Coast — so using points and miles to score a lie-flat business-class or first-class seat is ideal. That said, economy awards are much easier to find.

• Cheapest economy class ticket to Singapore: 55,000 to 70,000 ANA Mileage Club miles round-trip (on ANA metal, varies by season)
• Cheapest business-class ticket to Singapore: 100,000 to 115,000 ANA Mileage Club miles round-trip (on ANA metal, varies by season)
• Cheapest first-class ticket to Singapore: 195,000 to 210,000 ANA Mileage Club miles round-trip (on ANA metal, varies by season)

The best travel credit cards

Singapore Airlines KrisFlyer

While Singapore Airlines releases plenty of economy award seats to its many Star Alliance partners, the only way to redeem miles for its world-renowned business- and first-class products is through its KrisFlyer loyalty program. 

• Economy Class: 84,000 (West Coast) or 88,000 (East Coast / Houston) miles round-trip
• Business Class: 214,000 (West Coast) or 223,000 (East Coast / Houston) miles round-trip
• First Class: 293,000 (West Coast) or 297,000 (East Coast / Houston) miles round-trip

If you wanted to use KrisFlyer miles to book award tickets with Singapore Airlines’ Star Alliance partners, you’d need:

• Economy Class: 121,000 miles round-trip
• Business Class: 238,000 miles round-trip
• First Class: 335,000 miles round-trip

While it’s not the most affordable redemption, it’s still worthwhile if you have your heart set on experiencing the carrier’s premium-class seats long-haul. 

It’s also pretty easy to accumulate KrisFlyer miles since you can transfer points from Marriott Bonvoy at a 3:1 ratio or any of the major travel rewards programs — Chase Ultimate Rewards, American Express Membership Rewards, Capital One Rewards or Citi ThankYou Rewards — at a 1:1 ratio.

• Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card : Earn 60,000 bonus points after you spend $4,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening. That's $750 when you redeem through Chase Travel℠.
• Chase Sapphire Reserve® : Earn 60,000 bonus points after you spend $4,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening. That's $900 toward travel when you redeem through Chase Travel℠.
• Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card : Earn 75,000 bonus miles once you spend $4,000 on purchases within the first three months from account opening.
• Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card : Earn 75,000 bonus miles after you spend $4,000 within the first three months of opening your account.
• Citi Premier® Card: Earn 60,000 bonus miles once you spend $4,000 within the first three months of opening your account.
• The Platinum Card® from American Express* : Earn 80,000 bonus points after you spend $8,000 within the first six months of opening your account.
• The Business Platinum Card® from American Express* : Earn 150,000 Membership Rewards® points after you spend $20,000 in eligible purchases on the Card within the first 3 months of Card Membership.
• Marriott Bonvoy Bold® Credit Card : Earn 60,000 Bonus Points plus 1 Free Night Award after you spend $2,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening. Free Night is valued at 50,000 points. Certain hotels have resort fees.
• Marriott Bonvoy Boundless® Credit Card : Limited Time Offer: Earn 125,000 Bonus Points After you spend $5,000 on eligible purchases within the first 3 months from the account opening with your Marriott Bonvoy Boundless® credit card.
• Marriott Bonvoy Bevy™ American Express® Card* : Earn 155,000 Marriott Bonvoy bonus points after you use your new Card to make $5,000 in purchases within the first 6 months of Card Membership.
• Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant® American Express® Card* : Earn 185,000 Marriott Bonvoy® bonus points after you use your new Card to make $6,000 in purchases within the first 6 months of Card Membership.

How to make a travel budget using points and miles  

United Airlines MileagePlus

If you’re looking for a straightforward award redemption, even if it’s not the cheapest, MileagePlus miles are the way to go. Just be aware that the only nonstop flight from the U.S. is on United flights from San Francisco (SFO).

United’s dynamic rates can change based on availability and the season and have increased slightly thanks to a 2023 devaluation . A recent search for a March 2024 United flight from SFO to Singapore revealed the following:

• Economy Class: 110,000 miles round-trip
• Business Class: 200,000 miles round-trip

To quickly earn MileagePlus miles, transfer points from Marriott Bonvoy at a 3:1 ratio or from Chase Ultimate Rewards or Bilt Rewards at a 1:1 ratio. Or, maximize the generous welcome bonus from a United cobranded credit card, the Chase Sapphire Preferred or the Chase Sapphire Reserve.

• United Gateway℠ Card : Earn 20,000 bonus miles after you spend $1,000 on purchases in the first 3 months your account is open. Plus, 0% intro APR for 12 months from account opening on purchases. Learn more.
• United℠ Explorer Card : Earn 50,000 bonus miles after you spend $3,000 on purchases in the first 3 months your account is open.
• United Quest℠ Card : Earn 60,000 bonus miles and 500 Premier qualifying points after you spend $4,000 on purchases in the first 3 months your account is open.
• United Club℠ Infinite Card :  Earn 80,000 bonus miles after you spend $5,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening.
• United℠ Business Card :  Earn 75,000 bonus miles after spending $5,000 in your first three months of account opening.
• United Club℠ Business Card : Earn 50,000 bonus miles plus 1,000 Premier qualifying points after you spend $5,000 on purchases in the first three months your account is open.

The best credit cards for airport lounge access

All Nippon Airways (ANA) Mileage Club

Since ANA is part of Star Alliance, you can use Mileage Club miles to book flights with partners like United Airlines. Search for availability on United’s website first, then confirm it with ANA to snag a seat.

There are a few things to keep in mind. ANA only allows round-trip redemptions, so you can’t book one-way award flights. Besides that, you’re only allowed to book awards for you or your family (not friends) and redemption rates on its own aircraft vary by season (low, regular or high).

Here’s what you’ll need for a one-stop flight aboard ANA aircraft (with a layover in Tokyo, depending on the season):

• Economy Class: 55,000 to 70,000 miles round-trip
• Business Class: 100,000 to 115,000 miles round-trip
• First Class: 195,000 to 210,000 miles round-trip

Here’s how many you’ll need to fly with ANA’s Star Alliance partners:

• Economy Class: 80,000 miles round-trip
• Business Class: 136,000 miles round-trip
• First Class: 240,000 miles round-trip

The welcome bonus offered by The Platinum Card® from American Express or The Business Platinum Card® from American Express provides enough points to cover a round-trip flight.

To rack up more ANA Mileage Club miles, transfer points from Amex Membership Rewards at a 1:1 ratio or from Marriott Bonvoy at a 3:1 ratio.

• The Platinum Card® from American Express : Earn 80,000 bonus points after you spend $8,000 within the first six months of opening your account.
• The Business Platinum Card® from American Express : Earn 150,000 Membership Rewards® points after you spend $20,000 in eligible purchases on the Card within the first 3 months of Card Membership.

Best travel credit cards for hotels

Avianca LifeMiles

Avianca LifeMiles can be used to book flights on Star Alliance partners like United Airlines (though finding award space on Singapore Airlines is nearly impossible).

• Economy Class: 76,000 miles round-trip
• Business Class: 156,000 miles round-trip
• First Class: 198,000 miles round-trip

Avianca LifeMiles can be transferred from Marriott Bonvoy at a 3:1 ratio or from Citi ThankYou Rewards, Capital One Rewards or Amex Membership Rewards at a 1:1 ratio.

• Marriott Bonvoy Bevy™ American Express® Card : Earn 155,000 Marriott Bonvoy bonus points after you use your new Card to make $5,000 in purchases within the first 6 months of Card Membership.
• Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant® American Express® Card : Earn 185,000 Marriott Bonvoy® bonus points after you use your new Card to make $6,000 in purchases within the first 6 months of Card Membership.

Best credit cards for international travel

American Airlines AAdvantage

When it comes to the Oneworld alliance, it’s all about partners — AAdvantage miles can be used to book redemption flights with Cathay Pacific, which has one of the best premium products in the skies.  

• Economy Class: 75,000 miles round-trip
• Business Class: 140,000 miles round-trip
• First Class: 220,000 miles round-trip

While this isn’t the best redemption rate you’ll find, it’s pretty easy to rack up AAdvantage miles, especially if you maximize the welcome bonus from a cobranded credit card. You can also bump up your balance by transferring points over from Bilt Rewards.

• Barclays AAdvantage® Aviator® Red World Elite Mastercard®: Earn 60,000 bonus miles after making your first purchase and paying the $99 annual fee within the first 90 days of account opening.
• Citi® / AAdvantage® Platinum Select® Mastercard®: Earn 50,000 bonus miles after spending $2,500 within the first three months of opening your account.
• CitiBusiness® / AAdvantage® Platinum Select® Mastercard®: Earn 75,000 bonus miles after spending $6,000 within the first six months of account opening.
• Citi® / AAdvantage® Executive Mastercard®: Earn 70,000 bonus miles after spending $7,000 within the first three months of opening your account.

Should you book travel with cash or points?

Alaska Airlines Mileage Plan

Alaska Mileage Plan miles can be redeemed for one-stop flights to Singapore via Hong Kong on its partner, Cathay Pacific. Search for award availability on the British Airways website, then call Cathay Pacific to book your trip.

Starting in 2024, Alaska Airlines’ redemption rates will be slightly higher :

• Economy Class: 85,000 miles round-trip
• Business Class: 170,000 miles round-trip
• First Class: 260,000 miles round-trip

To accumulate Mileage Plan miles quickly, transfer points from Marriott Bonvoy at a 3:1 ratio or maximize the welcome bonus from one of the airline’s cobranded credit cards, listed below.

• Alaska Airlines Visa® card: Earn 60,000 bonus miles once you spend $3,000 within the first 90 days of account opening — and earn Alaska’s $99 Companion Fare (fare plus taxes and fees from $23) each year after you spend $6,000.
• Alaska Airlines Visa® Business Card: Earn 50,000 bonus miles, plus Alaska’s $99 Companion Fare (fare plus taxes and fees from $23), after spending $3,000 within the first 90 days of opening your account.
• Marriott Bonvoy Bold® Credit Card : Earn 30,000 bonus points after you spend $1,000 on eligible purchases within the first six months from account opening. Plus, earn up to 14X total points for every $1 spent at thousands of hotels participating in Marriott Bonvoy.

Singapore hotels you can book with points

You’ll find points properties all over Singapore from loyalty programs like World of Hyatt, Marriott Bonvoy, IHG One Rewards, Hilton Honors, Accor Live Limitless and Wyndham Rewards.

Most hotels are located in the southern half of the country or to the east, near the airport. Robertson Quay and Orchard Road are great areas for shopping and dining, while other popular spots include the Gardens by the Bay complex and Sentosa Island , home to Universal Studios Singapore .

For a real treat, stay in a historic neighborhood — like Katong, Geylang, Little India , Kampong Glam or Chinatown — full of hawker centers (food halls), beautiful temples and mosques and great restaurants to explore. 

To help cut costs, consider signing up for a cobranded hotel credit card so you can maximize the welcome bonus and put it toward a free night or two. 

Some credit cards go out of their way to help you save on resort fees and other hotel-related expenses. A $300 annual statement credit is included as a benefit of the Chase Sapphire Reserve card, while the Hilton Honors American Express Aspire card provides a $200 statement credit meant to cover on-property expenses twice per year when you stay at Hilton hotels.

How to use points and miles to save money on travel  

World of Hyatt

Enjoy epic city views from the infinity pool at Andaz Singapore, located in Kampong Glam, home of the magnificent Sultan Mosque . Rates start at 20,000 points per night.

Closer to Chinatown and the bustling business district, Hotel Telegraph offers old-world charm and a relaxing rooftop infinity pool retreat, with rates from 20,000 points per night. The Grand Hyatt Singapore, located near the Orchard Road shopping district, is also expected to reopen in 2024 after extensive renovations, with rates from 20,000 points per night.

The welcome bonus from the World of Hyatt Credit Card, the Chase Sapphire Preferred or the Chase Sapphire Reserve , offers enough points to pay for a three-night stay at either hotel. If your balance is low, transfer points over from Chase Ultimate Rewards or Bilt Rewards.

Best travel credit cards for foodies

Marriott Bonvoy

There are several Marriott Bonvoy properties to choose from, including two new hotels — the Singapore Edition (from 43,000 points per night) and the Aloft Singapore Novena (from 20,000 points per night).

Marriott’s Tribute Portfolio Hotel Collection includes The Serangoon House (from 31,000 points per night) and The Vagabond Club (from 30,000 points per night), both great options in Singapore’s lively Little India neighborhood.

The Marriott Bonvoy Boundless® Credit Card’s welcome bonus would be enough to cover a three-night stay at each of these hotels. Bump up your balance by transferring points from Chase Ultimate Rewards , Amex Membership Rewards or Bilt Rewards.

Traveling to Japan using points and miles

IHG One Rewards

Hotel Indigo Singapore Katong is known for its rooftop pool and centralized location, with affordable nightly rates from 27,000 points. Other notable properties include the InterContinental Singapore, with nightly rates from 50,000 points, the InterContinental in Robertson Quay, with nightly rates from 34,000 points and the Crowne Plaza Changi Airport, with rooms from 40,000 points per night.

The welcome bonus from either the IHG One Rewards Traveler Credit Card, the Chase Sapphire Preferred or the Chase Sapphire Reserve offers enough points to pay for one or two nights in any of these hotels. Boost your points balance by transferring some from Bilt Rewards or Chase Ultimate Rewards . 

10 incredible branded hotels that have boutique hotel vibes

Hilton Honors

The Conrad Singapore Orchard and the Conrad Centennial Singapore offer nightly rates from 70,000 points, while the Hilton Singapore Orchard’s start at 65,000 points and the Hilton Garden Inn Singapore Serangoon’s begin at 38,000 points per night.

The welcome bonus from the Hilton Honors American Express Surpass® Card or The Platinum Card from American Express provides enough points to cover one to four nights, depending on the hotel. You’ll also earn two Hilton Honors points for every Amex Membership Rewards point that’s transferred.

How to travel to Australia with points and miles

Activities and ground transportation

Renting a car means driving on the left side of the road from the right side of the car. The rideshare service Grab works the same way as Uber or Lyft. 

It’s also easy to get around via public transportation. Singapore Tourist Passes provide unlimited bus and metro rides for about $22 SGD, or $16 USD. Spend a day neighborhood hopping through Katong, Kampong Glam, Little India and Chinatown for the best sightseeing and food in Singapore.

Having the right credit card can make a difference if you’re traveling to Singapore on a budget . For instance, the Capital One Venture Rewards  and  Capital One Venture X  cards let members use the points they’ve earned to cover their travel expenses at a one-cent-per-point value.

You can also save on guided tours and car rentals by booking them through Chase Travel℠. With the Chase Sapphire Preferred card, your points are worth 1.25 cents per point, while they’re worth 1.5 cents per point with the Chase Sapphire Reserve card.

How to travel to Bali with points and miles

Bottom line

Whether you’re visiting for business, a family vacation , or as part of a larger Southeast Asia adventure, a trip to Singapore doesn’t have to break the bank. Having the right travel credit cards can help you save on flights and hotels and let you earn more points and miles toward future trips.

The best credit cards for airline miles

*Eligibility and Benefit level varies by Card. Terms, Conditions, and Limitations Apply. Please visit  americanexpress.com/benefitsguide  for more details. Underwritten by Amex Assurance Company.

Editorial disclaimer: Opinions expressed here are the author’s alone, not those of any bank, credit card issuer, airline or hotel chain, and have not been reviewed, approved or otherwise endorsed by any of these entities.

This article was first published Jan 19, 2024 and updated Jun 15, 2024.

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AMEX Travel Insurance Singapore Review: Platinum Card, KrisFlyer Card (2022)

If you’re an American Express credit card user, not only are you a relatively rare breed, but you might also already have used the famous free Amex travel insurance. (Technically, Amex travel insurance is actually Chubb travel insurance.)

So, why is Amex providing travel insurance? Well, these days, you don’t even have to approach an insurance company to buy a plan. You can get it instead from the nearest bank or credit card company. It’s like getting toys from HMV or a bicycle from Carrefour.

Back to AMEX’s travel insurance. It was previously known as American Express My VoyageGuard. That’s quite a mouthful, so it’s a good thing they’ve since decided to adopt a much simpler name—AMEX My Travel Insurance.

Buying travel insurance through your credit card company sounds extremely convenient, but what’s really in that plan, and is it adequate for your needs? Let’s have a look.

• AMEX Travel Insurance: Summary
• AMEX Chubb Travel Insurance Coverage
• AMEX Travel Insurance Covid-19
• AMEX Platinum Travel Insurance
• AMEX KrisFlyer Travel Insurance
• AMEX Travel Insurance: Extreme Sports
• AMEX Travel Insurance Promotion
• AMEX Travel Insurance Claim Review
• Should I buy AMEX Travel Insurance?

1. AMEX Travel Insurance Summary

AMEX My Travel Insurance comes in two iterations:

• AMEX My Travel Insurance Annual Multi-Trip – Gives you coverage for an entire year regardless of the number of trips you make, for up to 90 days per trip.
• AMEX My Travel Insurance Single Trip – Gives you coverage for one single trip of up to 90 days.

Furthermore, each plans has three tiers:

Note that these travel insurance plans are paid. If you are getting the travel insurance for free through your credit card, your insurance plan will come with less benefits than the paid version. We’ll talk about that later.

2. AMEX Chubb Travel Insurance Coverage

Here’s a quick summary of the three tiers of My Travel Insurance that can be purchased through AMEX.

Compared to DBS’s travel insurance (also by Chubb), AMEX’s is relatively generous thanks to its high coverage amounts for medical expenses.

It’s not as generous as Citibank’s in terms of coverage amounts, though. What’s more, while DBS offers coverage for outdoor adventure activities, Citibank does not.

3. AMEX Travel Insurance Covid-19 Coverage

AMEX’s travel insurance automatically includes Covid-19 cover. Here’s a summary of Covid-19 benefits and coverage:

In comparison, DBS’s travel insurance offers Covid-19 coverage but Citibank’s travel insurance does not.

4. AMEX Platinum Travel Insurance

If you book your originating and return trip using the AMEX Platinum Card, you will automatically be covered by free travel insurance, as well as your spouse and dependant children travelling with you.

Here’s what the free plan gets you:

The Platinum Card’s free travel insurance coverage is not too bad compared to DBS’s complimentary travel insurance, which only gives you up to $150 for travel delays and $500 for trip cancellation.

Meanwhile, Citibank’s only gives you $500 for trip cancellation and $40,000 for medical expenses.

5. AMEX KrisFlyer Travel Insurance

The blue AMEX KrisFlyer Credit Card also entitles you to free travel insurance when you charge you return trip to the card.

Here’s what you get:

As you can see, the Platinum Card’s complimentary travel insurance is shockingly bare bones, with coverage extending only to travel inconveniences and personal accident.

There’s no mention of overseas medical expense coverage.

This plan underperforms woefully compared to DBS and Citibank’s complimentary travel insurance.

6. AMEX Travel Insurance: Extreme Sports & Outdoor Adventure

When it comes to AMEX’s paid My Travel Insurance plans, extreme sports are not expressly excluded so long as you are not taking part in training in any speed contest or racing (other than on foot), or any professional competition or sports.

So, don’t try to be clever and enter drag races or something. Other than that, other sporting activities are not excluded, so you should be covered for expenses arising from them.

AMEX’s free travel insurance plans are completely silent on the subject of recreational or leisure activities.

In the absence of any exclusions, that means that you should be receiving coverage for expenses incurred while doing any sporting or leisure activities like scuba diving, 

7. AMEX Travel Insurance Promotion

Use the promo code TRAVELNOW and get a discount on your AMEX travel insurance policies purchased online.

American Express Singapore Airlines KrisFlyer Ascend Credit Card

Key features.

1.2 KrisFlyer miles = S$1 for all eligible card spend

2 KrisFlyer miles = S$1 in foreign currency spent overseas in June & December with no cap

2 KrisFlyer miles = S$1 for eligible purchases made on singaporeair.com, SingaporeAir mobile app and KrisShop with no cap

3.2 KrisFlyer miles = S$1 for eligible Grab Singapore transactions, capped at S$200 per month

Complimentary one night stay at particpating Hilton properties and 4 complimentary access each year to any participating SATS Premier Lounge in Singapore and Plaza Premium Lounge around the world.

Receive 5,000 KrisFlyer miles upon first spend on card, applicable for first-time American Express Singapore Airlines Credit Card applicants only

Spend S$15,000 or more on eligible purchases on singaporeair.com within the qualifying period to be rewarded with a Double KrisFlyer Miles Accrual Voucher

Spend S$15,000 or more on eligible purchases on singaporeair.com within first 12 months of Card approval and get an accelerated upgrade to KrisFlyer Elite Gold Membership

Up to S$1 million Travel Inconvenience & Travel Accident Benefits

At MoneySmart, we strive to keep our information accurate and up to date. This information may be different from what you see when you visit a financial institution, service provider, or specific product site. MoneySmart shall not be liable to compensate the Customer should the information is not as updated as our Partner.

8. AMEX Travel Insurance Claim Review

This is all hearsay on the internet, but there have been some complaints of people getting their travel insurance claims denied because the insurer was very stringent about technicalities. Not saying that will happen to you, but tread with caution

Chubb Travel Insurance Emergency hotline: Call the Chubb Assistance emergency hotline at +65 6836 2922

AMEX Travel Insurance hotline :  6299 0922 (9am to 5pm, Mondays to Fridays)

Online claims: Submit claims and supporting documents online through Chubb’s online portal . Alternatively, download the claims form PDF and email with documents to [email protected] .

AMEX Travel Insurance Claim Settlement Time : You’ll get an acknowledgement within 3 days.

Even though you buy this travel insurance from American Express channels, every aspect of the after-sales support is taken care of by Chubb Insurance.

Chubb has a very good international reputation for its emergency assistance, which is reassuring if your idea of a good time is trying to cheat death.

9. Should I buy AMEX Travel Insurance?

If you have the Amex Platinum Card, you can get okay complimentary travel insurance coverage by booking your trip on the card. However, the blue Amex KrisFlyer Credit Card’s free travel insurance coverage leaves much to be desired, so we would suggest not relying on this plan unless you like living life on the edge.

The paid AMEX My Travel Insurance plans, however, are actually decent and quite reasonably priced compared to competitors like DBS or Citibank.

Still shopping for travel insurance?  Compare the best travel insurance in Singapore here.

Related Articles

Travel Insurance Singapore Guide (2024): Must-Knows for Choosing the Best Travel Insurance

Airline Travel Insurance – What does SIA, Scoot, Jetstar travel insurance cover?

Best Travel Insurance Plans in Singapore [content outdated due to Covid]

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The Best Ways To Fly to Singapore With Points and Miles [Step-by-Step]

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Table of Contents

Nonstop flights between north america and singapore, best programs to use to book flights, final thoughts.

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Whether you want to experience Michelin-starred street food stalls that are cleaner than most American restaurants, see the futuristic Gardens by the Bay, or enjoy riverside life at Clarke Quay, we have the best ways to fly to Singapore with points and miles.

In this post, we’ll describe the best programs to book all 3 cabin classes: economy, business, and first.

We’ll also share a few stopover and open-jaw ideas, particularly for programs such as Cathay Pacific Asia Miles, Japan Airlines Mileage Bank, Alaska Airlines Mileage Plan, Asiana Airlines Asiana Club, and Air Canada Aeroplan.

While there are hundreds (if not thousands!) of ways to fly to Singapore on points and miles, there are only a few nonstop routes from all of North America , including flights from Los Angeles (LAX), New York (JFK), Newark (EWR), San Francisco (SFO), Seattle (SEA), and Vancouver (YVR).

Unless you fly out of these major airports, you will have at least 1 connection. Not to fret, however — there’s unlimited creativity in routes and airlines you can fly!

In the past, nonstop flights between North America and Singapore were difficult to find, simply because of the sheer distance between the 2 regions.

Today, with the advent of fuel-efficient aircraft, there are a handful of nonstop flights!

Specifically, there are 6 nonstop routes to Singapore aboard 2 airlines :

Singapore Airlines

• Los Angeles (LAX) – Singapore (SIN)
• New York (JFK) – Singapore (SIN)
• Newark (EWR) – Singapore (SIN)
• San Francisco (SFO) – Singapore (SIN)
• Seattle (SEA) – Singapore (SIN)
• Vancouver (YVR) – Singapore (SIN)

United Airlines

Singapore is, to put it simply, very far away from North America.

If you wanted to fly nonstop to Singapore in Singapore Airlines business class , redeeming Singapore Airlines miles is your only option.

To fly in economy aboard Singapore Airlines, though, you can shift your focus to other Star Alliance frequent flyer programs.

To try other quality airlines such as Cathay Pacific or Japan Airlines, you’ll have to stop in one of their hubs.

Even so, it might be worthwhile to look into 1-stop flights simply because some of these redemptions are too good to pass up.

We’ll be doing a deep dive on this topic, and we’ll point out some seriously valuable redemptions that at times may feel like a steal!

Rest assured, however, that the options we’re describing are tried and true methods for flying to Singapore.

Singapore Airlines KrisFlyer

Generally speaking, we would be remiss in creating a destination guide for Singapore without including one of the best airlines in the world: Singapore Airlines .

Singapore Airlines is an object of yearning — we all want it, but can’t always have it!

That’s because Singapore Airlines releases plenty of award availability to its partners…  for economy flights . This is great news for economy travelers, but somewhat discouraging for those who want to try its famous business or first class.

So if you want to fly nonstop from Los Angeles, Newark, San Francisco, Seattle, or Vancouver to Singapore in Singapore Airlines’ premium cabins, you’ll almost always have to use KrisFlyer miles .

There is a silver lining, however: Singapore Airlines will not levy fuel surcharges at all.

The bad news? Your awards are going to cost a pretty penny.

Since Singapore Airlines releases a lot of economy awards to partners on a regular basis and its economy rates aren’t terribly good, we wouldn’t suggest using them for economy awards.

Here’s the table for Singapore Airlines and Star Alliance redemptions using KrisFlyer miles (round-trip costs):

Here are some example route options you can book:

• Houston (IAH) – Manchester (MAN)   – Singapore (SIN) round-trip for 223,000 miles and $57 in business class
• Los Angeles (LAX) or San Francisco (SFO) – Singapore (SIN) round-trip for 214,000 miles and $57 in business class
• New York (JFK) – Frankfurt (FRA) – Singapore (SIN) round-trip for 297,000 miles and $106 in Singapore Suites
• Newark (EWR) – Singapore (SIN) round-trip for 223,000 miles and $57 in business class
• Seattle (SEA) – Singapore (SIN) round-trip for 214,000 miles and $57 in business class

For additional U.S.-based routes, check out our definitive guide to Singapore Airlines’ routes from the U.S ., including plane types and seat options.

If you’ve decided you want to take one of the only straight-shot routes to Singapore, look no further than Singapore Airlines. The booking process is straightforward:

• Go to the Singapore Airlines website and log into your KrisFlyer account.
• Click Redeem Flights.
• Choose your travel dates and destination/origin airports.
• Select Business or First/Suites as your cabin of choice.
• Hit Search.
• Choose your flight and pay for any miscellaneous fees.

Need help booking?  See our step-by-step guide for booking Singapore Airlines business class or first class .

Earning Singapore Airlines KrisFlyer Miles

You can earn Singapore KrisFlyer miles very easily.

Singapore KrisFlyer is an American Express transfer partner , Capital One transfer partner , Chase transfer partner, Citi transfer partner , and Marriott transfer partner .

This means your options to earn KrisFlyer miles are basically limitless!

American Express Membership Rewards, Chase Ultimate Rewards, Capital One miles, and Citi ThankYou Points all transfer at a 1:1 ratio, while Marriott Bonvoy transfers at a 3:1 ratio. All programs may take up to 2 business days to process transfers to Singapore KrisFlyer.

For every 60,000 Marriott Bonvoy points you transfer, you will receive 20,000 KrisFlyer miles plus a 5,000-mile bonus!

Singapore Airlines is almost like a rite of passage for travel enthusiasts; you haven’t really tried luxury travel until you’ve tried Singapore Airlines.

Recommended Chase Cards

A fantastic travel card with a great welcome offer, good benefits, and perks for a moderate annual fee.

The Chase Sapphire Preferred ® card is one of the best travel rewards cards on the market. Its bonus categories include travel, dining, online grocery purchases, and streaming services, which gives you the opportunity to earn lots of bonus points on these purchases.

Additionally, it offers flexible point redemption options, no foreign transaction fees, and excellent travel insurance coverage including primary car rental insurance . With benefits like these, it’s easy to see why this card is an excellent choice for any traveler.

• 5x points on all travel booked via the Chase Travel portal
• 5x points on select Peloton purchases over $150 (through March 31, 2025)
• 5x points on Lyft purchases (through March 31, 2025)
• $95 annual fee
• No elite benefits like airport lounge access or hotel elite status
• Earn 60,000 bonus points after you spend $4,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening. That's $750 when you redeem through Chase Travel℠.
• Enjoy benefits such as 5x on travel purchased through Chase Travel℠, 3x on dining, select streaming services and online groceries, 2x on all other travel purchases, 1x on all other purchases, $50 Annual Chase Travel Hotel Credit, plus more.
• Get 25% more value when you redeem for airfare, hotels, car rentals and cruises through Chase Travel℠. For example, 60,000 points are worth $750 toward travel.
• Count on Trip Cancellation/Interruption Insurance, Auto Rental Collision Damage Waiver, Lost Luggage Insurance and more.
• Get complimentary access to DashPass which unlocks $0 delivery fees and lower service fees for a minimum of one year when you activate by December 31, 2027.
• Member FDIC
• APR: 21.49%-28.49% Variable
• Foreign Transaction Fees:  None

Chase Ultimate Rewards

A top player in the high-end premium travel credit card space that earns 3x points on travel and dining while offering top luxury perks.

If you’re looking for an all-around excellent travel rewards card, the Chase Sapphire Reserve ®  is one of the best options out there.

The card combines elite travel benefits and perks like airport lounge access , with excellent point earning and redemption options.  Plus it offers top-notch travel insurance protections to keep you covered whether you’re at home or on the road.

Don’t forget the $300 annual travel credit which really helps to reduce the annual fee!

• 10x total points on hotels and car rentals when you purchase travel through Chase TravelSM immediately after the first $300 is spent on travel purchases annually
• 10x points on Lyft purchases through March 31, 2025
• 10x points on Peloton equipment and accessory purchases over $250 through March 31, 2025
• $550 annual fee
• Does not offer any sort of hotel elite status
• Earn 60,000 bonus points after you spend $4,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening. That's $900 toward travel when you redeem through Chase Travel℠.
• $300 Annual Travel Credit as reimbursement for travel purchases charged to your card each account anniversary year.
• Earn 5x total points on flights and 10x total points on hotels and car rentals when you purchase travel through Chase Travel℠ immediately after the first $300 is spent on travel purchases annually. Earn 3x points on other travel and dining & 1 point per $1 spent on all other purchases
• Get 50% more value when you redeem your points for travel through Chase Travel℠. For example, 60,000 points are worth $900 toward travel.
• 1:1 point transfer to leading airline and hotel loyalty programs
• Access to 1,300+ airport lounges worldwide after an easy, one-time enrollment in Priority Pass™ Select and up to $100 application fee credit every four years for Global Entry, NEXUS, or TSA PreCheck ®
• APR: 22.49%-29.49% Variable

Bottom Line: If your goal is to try Singapore Airlines or fly nonstop to Singapore and you have lots of transferable points, you should book through KrisFlyer. You won’t pay any fuel surcharges, and you won’t be disappointed by the stellar premium cabins. It will cost you more miles than a few of our other options, but it might be worth it for you!

Alaska Airlines Mileage Plan

Alaska Airlines Mileage Plan  presents a huge sweet spot for Cathay Pacific .

In addition to fantastic redemption prices, you’re allotted a free stopover on one-way tickets .

This means you can fly from the U.S. to Hong Kong on Cathay Pacific, spend a few days enjoying the Hong Kong hustle and bustle — and then fly to Singapore!

This stopover could net you an additional value of $2,000 if flying in business class. Best of all, you will not pay fuel surcharges !

Cathay Pacific’s footprint in the U.S. is generally much larger than Singapore Airlines’, so your departure airport choices are much more flexible.

In fact, Cathay Pacific operates flights from these airports in North America:

• Boston (BOS)
• Chicago (ORD)
• Los Angeles (LAX)
• New York (JFK)
• San Francisco (SFO)
• Toronto (YYZ)
• Vancouver (YVR)

Hot Tip: Alaska Airlines only allows 1 partner on award tickets. This means you must take Cathay Pacific throughout your journey to Singapore; you can’t switch to another airline. 

Here’s the chart for Alaska Airlines redemptions on Cathay Pacific Flights:

And here are some great example routes:

• Chicago (ORD) – Hong Kong (HKG) – Singapore (SIN)  round-trip for 140,000 miles and $19 in taxes and fees in Cathay Pacific first class
• Los Angeles (LAX) – Hong Kong (HKG) – Singapore (SIN)  round-trip for 100,000 miles and $19 in taxes and fees in Cathay Pacific business class
• New York (JFK) – Hong Kong (HKG) – Singapore (SIN) round-trip for 140,000 miles and $19 in taxes and fees in Cathay Pacific first class

Alaska Airlines does not  show Cathay Pacific award availability online.

In order to book Cathay Pacific flights with Alaska miles, you’ll want to search availability on British Airways before booking.

Here’s how:

• Visit  British Airways’ website and login.
• Select your route, travel dates, and class of service.
• Note the flight number, date, and time.
• Call Alaska Airlines at 800-252-7522 .
• Ask the agent to search for first class award space on Cathay Pacific for the appropriate date (you might have to provide the flight number).
• Provide all necessary info to complete the booking.

Need help booking?  See our step-by-step guide for  booking Cathay Pacific first class . If you want to fly business, check out our guide for  booking Cathay Pacific business class .

Earning Alaska Mileage Plan Miles

Sadly, Alaska Airlines only partners with Marriott Bonvoy, so you’ll either have to earn miles through its co-branded credit card or by transferring from Marriott Bonvoy credit cards .

You can earn Alaska miles in 3 main ways:

• Transferring from Marriott Bonvoy
• Earning directly with Bank of America co-branded credit cards
• Purchasing them

Marriott transfers at a 3:1 ratio with a bonus of 5,000 miles when you transfer 60,000 Marriott Bonvoy points to Alaska Airlines in a single transaction. Transfers take around 4 business days to process.

Sometimes, there are sales of up to 60% on buying miles. You’re limited to 60,000 miles per transaction, but you can buy an unlimited number of miles in separate transactions.

Our guide offers a deep dive into the many Marriott credit cards available.

Bottom Line: Alaska Airlines provides an amazing deal to fly to Singapore on Cathay Pacific. Although Alaska miles aren’t the easiest to earn, if you find yourself with a bunch of Alaska miles, you can plan a trip to Hong Kong followed by Singapore for 60,000 miles in round-trip economy, 100,000 miles in business, and 140,000 miles in first. To make things better, you’ll be paying around $20 total for the flight! Keep in mind that Cathay Pacific does not operate a first-class cabin from Hong Kong to Singapore. 

All Nippon Airways (ANA) Mileage Club

We’ve always been big fans of ANA. This airline has an amazing inflight product and its Mileage Club frequent flyer program is second-to-none.

Flights on its own metal often cost half of what other partners charge . The value of business class redemptions , in particular, is what makes this program one of the best in the world.

Keep in mind that on flights operated by ANA, seasonality rules will apply. What does that mean? The price you pay for awards will vary depending on your dates of travel.

Another thing to note is that round-trip itineraries are mandatory; you can’t book one-way award flights.

ANA does offer 1 free stopover and 1 open-jaw or 2 open-jaws on round-trip award bookings. You’ll most likely be flying to Singapore through Tokyo, which is what our stopover will be used for.

Here’s a summary chart of the season-based award prices for each class:

Hot Tip: As you can see, ANA business class awards are spectacular, while Star Alliance awards are significantly more expensive. As a result, you’ll gain the best value when flying on ANA metal and booking through ANA Mileage Club.

Here are some great example routes:

• Houston (IAH) – Tokyo (NRT) – Singapore (SIN) for 115,000 miles round-trip and $100 in taxes and fees for business class during high season
• Los Angeles (LAX) – Tokyo (HND) – Singapore (SIN) for 195,000 miles round-trip and $100 in taxes and fees for first class during low/regular season
• Newark (EWR)/New York (JFK) – Tokyo (HND) – Singapore (SIN) for 110,000 miles round-trip and $100 in taxes and fees for business class during regular season
• San Jose (SJC) – Tokyo (NRT) – Singapore (SIN) for 100,000 miles round-trip and $100 in taxes and fees for business class during low season

Taxes and fees on ANA flights will generally run about $50 to $100.

You can use United’s website to search for award space. Searching through ANA is also an option, but it has pros and cons.

The main benefit of looking for availability on ANA is that in rare instances, ANA shows exclusive award availability not seen on other partners.

The main drawback of looking for availability on ANA is that the website is clunky and difficult to navigate. Generally, United Airlines’ website is the easiest to use. Follow these instructions to book your flight:

• Perform your award search on United’s website .
• Visit ANA’s website and replicate the search.
• Redeem your ANA miles for the award flight and use a credit card to pay for taxes and fees.

Earning ANA Miles

ANA partners with Amex Membership Rewards and Marriott Bonvoy, and Membership Rewards points transfer to ANA at a 1:1 ratio.

For every 60,000 Marriott Bonvoy points you transfer, you will receive 20,000 ANA miles and a 5,000-mile bonus.

Amex transfers take 2 to 3 days, while Marriott Bonvoy transfers take up to 7 business days.

Recommended American Express Cards

The Amex Platinum reigns supreme for luxury travel, offering the best airport lounge access plus generous statement credits, and complimentary elite status.

Apply With Confidence

Know if you're approved with  no credit score impact.

If you're approved and accept this Card, your credit score may be impacted.

When it comes to cards that offer top-notch benefits, you’d be hard-pressed to find a better card out there than The Platinum Card ® from American Express.

Make no mistake — the Amex Platinum card  is a premium card with a premium price tag. With amazing benefits like best-in-class airport lounge access , hotel elite status, and tremendous value in annual statement credits, it can easily prove to be one of the most lucrative cards in your wallet year after year.

• The best airport lounge access out of any card (by far) — enjoy access to over 1,400 worldwide lounges, including the luxurious Amex Centurion Lounges, Priority Pass lounges, Plaza Premium Lounges, and many more!
• 5x points per dollar spent on flights purchased directly with the airline or with AmexTravel.com (up to $500,000 per year)
• 5x points per dollar spent on prepaid hotels booked with AmexTravel.com
• $695 annual fee ( rates and fees )
• Airline credit does not cover airfare (only incidentals like checked bags)
• Earn 80,000 Membership Rewards ® Points after you spend $8,000 on eligible purchases on your new Card in your first 6 months of Card Membership. Apply and select your preferred metal Card design: classic Platinum, Platinum x Kehinde Wiley, or Platinum x Julie Mehretu.
• Earn 5X Membership Rewards ® Points for flights booked directly with airlines or with American Express Travel up to $500,000 on these purchases per calendar year and earn 5X Membership Rewards ® Points on prepaid hotels booked with American Express Travel.
• $200 Hotel Credit: Get up to $200 back in statement credits each year on prepaid Fine Hotels + Resorts ® or The Hotel Collection bookings through American Express Travel using your Platinum Card ® . The Hotel Collection requires a minimum two-night stay.
• $240 Digital Entertainment Credit: Get up to $20 back in statement credits each month on eligible purchases made with your Platinum Card ® on one or more of the following: Disney+, a Disney Bundle, ESPN+, Hulu, The New York Times, Peacock, and The Wall Street Journal. Enrollment required.
• The American Express Global Lounge Collection ® can provide an escape at the airport. With complimentary access to more than 1,400 airport lounges across 140 countries and counting, you have more airport lounge options than any other credit card issuer on the market. As of 03/2023.
• $155 Walmart+ Credit: Save on eligible delivery fees, shipping, and more with a Walmart+ membership. Use your Platinum Card ® to pay for a monthly Walmart+ membership and get up to $12.95 plus applicable taxes back on one membership (excluding Plus Ups) each month.
• $200 Airline Fee Credit: Select one qualifying airline and then receive up to $200 in statement credits per calendar year when incidental fees are charged by the airline to your Platinum Card ® .
• $200 Uber Cash: Enjoy Uber VIP status and up to $200 in Uber savings on rides or eats orders in the US annually. Uber Cash and Uber VIP status is available to Basic Card Member only. Terms Apply.
• $199 CLEAR ® Plus Credit: CLEAR ® Plus helps to get you to your gate faster at 50+ airports nationwide and get up to $199 back per calendar year on your Membership (subject to auto-renewal) when you use your Card. CLEARLanes are available at 100+ airports, stadiums, and entertainment venues.
• Receive either a $100 statement credit every 4 years for a Global Entry application fee or a statement credit up to $85 every 4.5 years for a TSA PreCheck ® (through a TSA official enrollment provider) application fee, when charged to your Platinum Card ® . Card Members approved for Global Entry will also receive access to TSA PreCheck at no additional cost.
• Shop Saks with Platinum: Get up to $100 in statement credits annually for purchases in Saks Fifth Avenue stores or at saks.com on your Platinum Card ® . That's up to $50 in statement credits semi-annually. Enrollment required.
• Unlock access to exclusive reservations and special dining experiences with Global Dining Access by Resy when you add your Platinum Card ® to your Resy profile.
• $695 annual fee.¤
• Terms Apply.
• APR: See Pay Over Time APR

American Express Membership Rewards

This is the best card for food lovers who dine out at restaurants (worldwide), order take-out and want big rewards at U.S. supermarkets!

The American Express ® Gold Card  is a game-changer.

With this card, you can earn 4x Membership Rewards points at restaurants, up to $50,000 per calendar year, and you’ll also earn 4x Membership Rewards points at U.S. supermarkets on up to $25,000 per calendar year, then 1x.

There isn’t another card on the market that offers a 1-2 punch like this. Of course, there are several other benefits of the Gold Card as well, including extra monthly dining rewards and more.

• 4x points per dollar at restaurants worldwide, up to $50,000 per calendar year; then 1x thereafter
• 4x points per dollar at U.S. supermarkets, up to $25,000 per calendar year; then 1x thereafter
• 3x points per dollar on flights purchased directly from airlines or at AmexTravel.com
• $325 annual fee ( rates and fees )
• No lounge access
• Earn 60,000 Membership Rewards ® Points after you spend $6,000 on eligible purchases on your new Card in your first 6 months of Card Membership. Plus, receive 20% back in statement credits on eligible purchases made at restaurants worldwide within the first 6 months of Card Membership, up to $100 back. Limited time offer. Offer ends 11/6/24.
• Get the American Express ® Gold Card in either the Gold, Rose Gold or Limited-Edition White Gold metal design. White Gold design is only available while supplies last.
• Earn 4X Membership Rewards ® points per dollar spent on purchases at restaurants worldwide, on up to $50,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year.
• Earn 4X Membership Rewards ® points per dollar spent at US supermarkets, on up to $25,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year.
• Earn 3X Membership Rewards ® points per dollar spent on flights booked directly with airlines or on AmexTravel.com.
• Earn 2X Membership Rewards ® points per dollar spent on prepaid hotels and other eligible purchases booked on AmexTravel.com.
• Earn 1X Membership Rewards ® point per dollar spent on all other eligible purchases.
• $120 Uber Cash on Gold: Add your Gold Card to your Uber account and each month automatically get $10 in Uber Cash for Uber Eats orders or Uber rides in the U.S., totaling up to $120 per year.
• $84 Dunkin' Credit: With the $84 Dunkin' Credit, you can earn up to $7 in monthly statement credits after you enroll and pay with the American Express ® Gold Card at Dunkin' locations.
• $100 Resy Credit: Get up to $100 in statement credits each calendar year after you pay with the American Express ® Gold Card to dine at U.S. Resy restaurants or make other eligible Resy purchases. That's up to $50 in statement credits semi-annually. Enrollment required.
• $120 Dining Credit: Satisfy your cravings, sweet or savory, with the $120 Dining Credit. Earn up to $10 in statement credits monthly when you pay with the American Express ® Gold Card at Grubhub, The Cheesecake Factory, Goldbelly, Wine.com, and Five Guys. Enrollment required.
• Explore over 1,000 upscale hotels worldwide with The Hotel Collection and receive a $100 credit towards eligible charges with every booking of two nights or more through AmexTravel.com. Eligible charges vary by property.
• No Foreign Transaction Fees.
• Annual Fee is $325.

Bottom Line: If you don’t mind connecting through Tokyo (or possibly spending a short vacation there ), definitely give ANA some thought. It’s difficult to extract better value when flying to Singapore. You can visit Japan and Singapore on the same trip, save money on fuel surcharges, and maximize your points through ANA (particularly with business class awards). We would not advise booking Star Alliance partners, but even those can present very strong value. 

American Airlines AAdvantage Program

We included American Airlines AAdvantage here because it is a super-easy program to follow. The region definitions are simple, awards are priced reasonably to Singapore, and AAdvantage miles are easy to earn .

Here’s the award chart for using AA miles:

In this case, the most likely itineraries will be to Singapore via Hong Kong or London on Cathay Pacific or British Airways, respectively.

We do not suggest flying on British Airways due to $1,000+ in fuel surcharges that get passed onto you.

Hot Tip: AA will not pass on fuel surcharges on Cathay Pacific flights, which is a super-easy way to save hundreds of dollars! 

AA is a very simple program to use, though it doesn’t allow stopovers and is a far cry from Alaska’s costs of 60,000 miles in economy, 100,000 miles in business, and 140,000 miles in first.

It’s still worth doing, especially if you’re an AA loyalist looking for opportunities in the Oneworld alliance . Here are some great example redemptions to make:

• Boston (BOS) – Hong Kong (HKG) – Singapore (SIN) one-way in Cathay Pacific business class for 70,000 American Airlines miles + ~$54 in taxes and fees
• Chicago (ORD) – Hong Kong (HKG) – Singapore (SIN) one-way in Cathay Pacific business class for 70,000 American Airlines miles + ~$54 in taxes and fees
• New York (JFK) – Hong Kong (HKG) – Singapore (SIN) one-way in Cathay Pacific first class and business class for 110,000 American Airlines miles + ~$66 in taxes and fees

Here’s how you can book on American Airlines:

• Visit the  American Airlines website .
• On the homepage, enter your departure city, destination city, travel dates, and the number of passengers.
• Check off the box that says  Redeem miles .
• Click Search .
• Note the flight numbers, airlines, and times.
• Complete the reservation online by redeeming your AA miles and paying for taxes and fees using a credit card.

Earning American Airlines AAdvantage Miles

You can earn lots of AA miles quickly and easily with a suite of co-branded credit cards by Citi and Barclays .

If you’re still short a few miles, you can top off your AA balance by transferring Marriott Bonvoy points to AAdvantage at a 3:1 ratio. It can take up to 2 business days to transfer Marriott Bonvoy points to American Airlines.

Bottom Line: If you don’t have enough Alaska miles to book Cathay Pacific, American Airlines AAdvantage is a worthwhile program to explore: it’s easy to understand and you can book awards easily. Your out-of-pocket costs will be minimized when flying Cathay Pacific as no fuel surcharges are passed on. Lastly, AA miles are directly earned through co-branded credit cards, which makes having enough miles relatively easy. 

Cathay Pacific Asia Miles

Cathay Pacific’s Asia Miles employs a distance-based award chart and complicated routing rules.

If you’re able to decipher this crazily confusing program, you can get some great value — especially on one-way flights with its generous award routing rules.

Cathay Pacific has 3 award charts:

• Cathay Pacific Asia Miles (flying only on Cathay Pacific)
• Airline partners (flying 1 partner)
• Oneworld multi-carrier award chart (flying multiple partners)

There are different routing rules associated with every award chart (and it can even vary by airline!), so we’ll summarize some key rules below:

• For Cathay Pacific-operated flights and partner flights (only 1 partner!), you are allowed 1 stopover on one-ways and 2 stopovers on round-trips.
• For Oneworld multi-carrier award flights, you can fly a maximum of 2 partners  when Cathay Pacific is not included . If you include Cathay Pacific in your itinerary, you can fly any number of partners.
• The maximum distance for Oneworld multi-carrier awards is 50,000 miles.
• You can make a maximum of 5 stopovers, 2 open-jaws, and 2 transfers (layovers).

This might seem really confusing, but you could squeeze some  AMAZING value from these rules. Here’s an example of an itinerary that’ll let you try many great business class products:

• Los Angeles – Hong Kong (Cathay Pacific)
• Hong Kong – Singapore (Cathay Pacific)
• Kuala Lumpur – Osaka (Malaysia Airlines)
• Tokyo – Sydney (Japan Airlines)
• Sydney – Los Angeles (Qantas)

This entire itinerary includes 5 segments, 2 open-jaws, and 2 stopovers.

For a total flight distance of 24,248 miles, you would be in Award Zone 11 in the Oneworld multi-carrier award chart.  Flying this itinerary would only cost 185,000 Asia Miles! This is an absolutely killer deal! 

However, we understand that some readers are only interested in a simple itinerary — the simplest it gets is Singapore via Hong Kong .

Depending on which airport you depart from, round-trip flights to Singapore via Hong Kong can cost around 84,000 miles in economy, 120,000 miles in premium economy, 170,000 miles in business, and 250,000 miles in first.

As you can see, the difference between the complex itinerary above and the simple itinerary is only 15,000 miles in business class! To us, that’s a no-brainer.

We feel that Cathay Pacific Asia Miles presents the  best value when flying at least once with Cathay Pacific and building a complex itinerary involving a lot of segments! 

Hot Tip: You can play around with many various itineraries, but we would suggest using Great Circle Mapper  to figure out the flight distances between cities. 

Here’s what you need to know to book itineraries using Asia Miles:

• Use the British Airways website to find award availability for each segment you’re interested in.
• Write down all the flight details of each segment.
• Call Asia Miles at 866-892-2598 to book your multi-carrier award.
• Feed the agents all of your flight details and confirm your award ticket using Asia Miles and a credit card for taxes and fees.

Earning Cathay Pacific Asia Miles

Earning Asia Miles is pretty straightforward.

Cathay Pacific partners with American Express Membership Rewards, Brex Rewards , Capital One Miles, Citi ThankYou Rewards, and Marriott Bonvoy.

Amex, Citi, Brex, and Capital One all transfer at a 1:1 ratio. Amex, Brex, and Citi take around 1 business day, while Capital One takes around 5 business days.

Marriott transfers in 5 business days at a 3:1 ratio. You’ll also get an extra 5,000 Asia Miles when you transfer 60,000 Marriott Bonvoy points in a single transaction.

Synchrony Bank also offers a co-branded credit card that can earn Asia Miles. The historical best sign-up bonus was 75,000 miles, so it might be worth holding out for an offer close to that.

Recommended Citi Card

*The information regarding the Citi Premier card has expired, and the card is no longer open to applicants.

The Citi Premier ® Card is an excellent option for anyone looking for an all-around travel rewards credit card. The card helps you earn points fast with great 3x bonus categories such as restaurants, supermarkets, gas stations, airfare, and hotels. Plus, it offers access to airline and hotel transfer partners, doesn’t charge foreign transaction fees, and has a reasonable annual fee!

• 3x points at restaurants, supermarkets, gas stations, airfare, and hotel purchases
• Access to Citi transfer partners
• Annual hotel credit
• $95 annual fee
• Earn 60,000 bonus ThankYou ® Points after you spend $4,000 in purchases within the first 3 months of account opening. Plus, for a limited time, earn a total of 10 ThankYou ® Points per $1 spent on hotel, car rentals, and attractions (excluding air travel) booked on the Citi Travel℠ portal through June 30, 2024.
• Earn 3 Points per $1 spent at Gas Stations, Air Travel and Other Hotels
• Earn 3 Points per $1 spent at Restaurants and Supermarkets
• Earn 1 Point per $1 spent on all other purchases
• Annual Hotel Savings Benefit
• 60,000 ThankYou ® Points are redeemable for $600 in gift cards redeemable for $600 in gift cards or travel rewards at thankyou.com
• No expiration and no limit to the amount of points you can earn with this card
• No Foreign Transaction Fees on purchases
• APR: 21.24% - 29.24% Variable

Citi ThankYou Rewards

Bottom Line:  There’s a lot of value to be had when utilizing Cathay Pacific Asia Miles, particularly with the Oneworld multi-carrier award chart. There’s an infinite number of possibilities, amazing award prices, and plentiful ways to earn Asia Miles. Keep in mind that you’ll have to spend time familiarizing yourself with the award charts and routing rules, and you’ll also need to make phone calls when you are ready to book. For simpler itineraries, the prices aren’t as great, but it’s still a redemption worth considering. 

United Airlines MileagePlus

Similar to AA, United MileagePlus is excellent for those who are looking for a no-headaches process for flying to Singapore.

You’re going to have to pay a bit more miles, but it might be worth it to reduce your stress levels. Generally speaking, United Airlines has a very user-friendly website and award search engine, complete with a monthly calendar search.

You would do best with flying on United Airlines, as the cost of partner awards is higher. The route that makes the most sense would be the San Francisco nonstop flight to Singapore.

To be honest, the best Chase Ultimate Rewards redemption to Singapore is actually on this flight as well.

Note that round-trip awards with Star Alliance partners will run you around 10% more miles than United-operated flights. For this steep a price, you’d do better booking through Singapore Airlines to fly on the superior Singapore Airlines business class.

This United option is great if you have lots of United miles or Chase Ultimate Rewards points, don’t care too much about flying Singapore Airlines, or don’t have enough American Express Membership Rewards points to book through ANA.

Here are some great example routes to book:

• San Francisco (SFO) – Singapore (SIN) one-way in United Polaris class for 90,000 United miles + ~$5.60 in taxes and fees
• Seattle (SEA) – Seoul (ICN) – Singapore (SIN) one-way in Asiana Airlines business class for 99,000 United miles + ~$5.60 in taxes and fees
• Miami (MIA) – Zurich (ZRH) – Singapore (SIN) one-way in SWISS Air business class for 99,000 United miles + ~$5.60 in taxes and fees

To book a flight using MileagePlus, follow these steps:

• Visit United’s website .
• On the homepage, you will see a search box. In the search box, check off the box that says  Book with miles .
• Enter your search details and click  Find flights .
• Find a suitable flight option, redeem your United miles, and use a credit card to pay for taxes and fees.

Hot Tip: Even if you don’t use United to book your awards, search for Star Alliance awards using the award calendar. If you use United to book your awards, you won’t be paying fuel surcharges and you can complete your flight reservation 100% online! How easy is that? 

Earning United MileagePlus Miles

There are several United co-branded credit cards offered by Chase available to earn United miles .

Also, Chase Ultimate Rewards and Marriott Bonvoy are transfer partners with United.

Chase transfers at a 1:1 ratio almost instantly, and Marriott Bonvoy transfers at a 3:1.1 ratio in approximately 3 business days. Lastly, you’ll get a bonus of 5,500 United miles when you transfer 60,000 Marriott Bonvoy points in a single transaction.

BOTTOM LINE:  Using United miles is more convenient than almost any other frequent flyer program. The best value you can extract from Chase Ultimate Rewards to get to Singapore is with United. At 180,000 miles for round-trip business class on one of the world’s longest flights , United MileagePlus is definitely a program to consider. 

Avianca LifeMiles

Avianca LifeMiles is useful in this case for economy or first class on non-Singapore Airlines Star Alliance flights.

Additionally, there are a few cases in which transferring to Avianca instead of Cathay Pacific would make sense for travelers with lots of Citi ThankYou Rewards Points .

For example, if you were departing from an airport that doesn’t offer nonstop Star Alliance flights to Singapore on economy, you would have to transfer 110,000 points to Singapore KrisFlyer. However, Avianca only charges 78,000 miles for the same route.

This information is useful if you want to use as few points as possible. Keep in mind, however, that Singapore only charges 76,000 on West Coast flights with Singapore Airlines and 80,000 on East Coast flights, but you’d have to fly from one of the 4 airports that Singapore Airlines operates nonstops from.

If you don’t want to deal with the inconvenience of positioning flights, consider using Avianca LifeMiles to fly on Star Alliance economy for 78,000 miles roundtrip! 

Another good redemption for LifeMiles would be to use 198,000 miles for round-trip first class on partner airlines! That’s 7,000 miles cheaper than Asia Miles.

Hot Tip: Don’t have enough Citi ThankYou Points or Avianca LifeMiles? Consider purchasing miles when there are 125% to 200% bonus sales! You might still have to spend a bit of money (~$1,000), but you’ll come out way further ahead than if you paid cash! 

Here are some great example routes you can book:

• Chicago (ORD) – Frankfurt (FRA) – Singapore (SIN) one-way in Lufthansa first class for 99,000 Avianca LifeMiles + ~$51 in taxes and fees
• Houston (IAH) – Tokyo (NRT) – Singapore (SIN)  one-way in ANA business class for 78,000 Avianca LifeMiles + ~$51 in taxes and fees
• New York (JFK) – Frankfurt (FRA) – Singapore (SIN) one-way in Lufthansa first class for 99,000 Avianca LifeMiles + ~$51 in taxes and fees

To book, follow these steps:

• Go to LifeMiles’ website .
• Click Travel and log into your LifeMiles account.
• Enter your desired destination, origin, cabin class, and number of passengers.
• The next screen will ask you to select travel dates.
• Select your flight, redeem your LifeMiles, and use a credit card for taxes and fees.

Earning Avianca LifeMiles

You can earn LifeMiles by transferring points from Amex, Citi, Brex, Capital One, and Marriott Bonvoy.

Amex, Citi, Brex, and Capital One transfer at a 1:1 ratio almost instantly, while Marriott Bonvoy transfers at a 3:1 ratio in approximately 1 business day.

Banco Popular is the exclusive issuer of LifeMiles credit cards in the U.S.

You can also buy LifeMiles at a bonus of up to 200%, which could basically mean buying points for around 1 cent each!

Recommended Capital One Cards

Get 2x miles plus some of the most flexible redemptions offered by a travel credit card!

The Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card   is one of the most popular rewards cards on the market. It’s perfect for anyone in search of a great welcome offer, high rewards rates, and flexible redemption options.

Frequent travelers with excellent credit may benefit from this credit card that offers a lot of bells and whistles. And it offers easy-to-understand rewards earning and redemption.

• 5x miles per $1 on hotels, vacation rentals, and rental cars booked through Capital One Travel
• 2x miles per $1 on all other purchases
• Up to a $120 Global Entry or TSA PreCheck application fee credit
• $95 annual fee ( rates & fees )
• Limited elite benefits
• Enjoy a one-time bonus of 75,000 miles once you spend $4,000 on purchases within 3 months from account opening, equal to $750 in travel
• Earn unlimited 2X miles on every purchase, every day
• Earn 5X miles on hotels, vacation rentals and rental cars booked through Capital One Travel, where you'll get Capital One's best prices on thousands of trip options
• Miles won't expire for the life of the account and there's no limit to how many you can earn
• Receive up to a $120 credit for Global Entry or TSA PreCheck ®
• Use your miles to get reimbursed for any travel purchase—or redeem by booking a trip through Capital One Travel
• Enjoy a $50 experience credit and other premium benefits with every hotel and vacation rental booked from the Lifestyle Collection
• Transfer your miles to your choice of 15+ travel loyalty programs
• APR: 19.99% - 29.99% (Variable)

Capital One Miles

The Capital One Venture X card is an excellent option for travelers looking for an all-in-one premium credit card.

The Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card is the premium Capital One travel rewards card on the block.

Points and miles fans will be surprised to see that the Capital One Venture X card packs quite the punch when it comes to bookings made through Capital One, all while offering the lowest annual fee among premium credit cards.

Depending on your travel goals and preferences, the Capital One Venture X card could very well end up being your go-to card in your wallet.

• 10x miles per $1 on hotels and rental cars purchased through Capital One Travel
• 5x miles per $1 on flights and vacation rentals purchased through Capital One Travel
• $395 annual fee ( rates & fees )
• Does not offer bonus categories for flights or hotel purchases made directly with the airline or hotel group, the preferred booking method for those looking to earn elite status
• Earn 75,000 bonus miles when you spend $4,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening, equal to $750 in travel
• Receive a $300 annual credit for bookings through Capital One Travel, where you'll get Capital One's best prices on thousands of trip options
• Get 10,000 bonus miles (equal to $100 towards travel) every year, starting on your first anniversary
• Earn unlimited 10X miles on hotels and rental cars booked through Capital One Travel and 5X miles on flights and vacation rentals booked through Capital One Travel
• Earn unlimited 2X miles on all other purchases
• Unlimited complimentary access for you and two guests to 1,300+ lounges, including Capital One Lounges and the Partner Lounge Network
• Use your Venture X miles to easily cover travel expenses, including flights, hotels, rental cars and more—you can even transfer your miles to your choice of 15+ travel loyalty programs
• Enjoy a $100 experience credit and other premium benefits with every hotel and vacation rental booked from the Premier Collection

Bottom Line: Avianca LifeMiles can prove to be a lifesaver, especially if you’re short on points, thanks to fantastic mileage sales. The program doesn’t pass any fuel surcharges on, the economy and first class award redemption costs are very competitive, and you can fly all Star Alliance partners with this method! 

Air Canada Aeroplan

The very last frequent flyer program we’re going to be talking about is only good if you meet the following criteria:

• You wish to fly first class on Star Alliance, but not ANA
• You mostly have American Express Membership Rewards points, Chase Ultimate Rewards points, or Capital One miles
• You want to add a stopover on Star Alliance flights, even on a one-way flight (5,000 points extra)

This is a very intriguing sweet spot. Aeroplan uses a distance-based award chart for flights between the U.S. and Singapore:

For the most part, we’ll be focusing on the distance band from 7,501-11,000 miles.

For Star Alliance flights, you’ll pay 60,000 points in economy one-way, 85,000 points in business one-way, and 130,000 points in first class one-way.

For comparison, ANA charges 240,000 miles round-trip to fly first class on partners, Cathay Pacific charges approximately 205,000 miles round-trip for Oneworld partners, and Singapore KrisFlyer will charge 236,000 to 240,000 miles on its own flights and 270,000 miles on Star Alliance partners.

As you can see, Aeroplan isn’t the cheapest option, but it does not pass on fuel surcharges . Additionally, you can pay just 5,000 points to add a stopover for your trip, resulting in even more value!

Here are some example routes to try:

• Chicago (ORD) – Frankfurt (FRA) – Singapore (SIN) one-way for 135,000 points + $40 in taxes and fees for Lufthansa first class with a stopover in Frankfurt
• New York (JFK) – Beijing (PEK) – Singapore (SIN) one-way for 135,000 points and $40 in taxes and fees for Air China first class with a stopover in Beijing

Hot Tip: Air Canada has a generous routing policy: you can add a stopover to your itinerary for 5,000 extra points, even on one-way award tickets! 

We recommend searching for award availability on Aeroplan, and you can book flights there directly using your points. Here’s how:

• Visit Aeroplan’s website .
• On the top right, click  Sign in and enter your Aeroplan number and password.
• On the resulting page, you’ll see a search box — fill in the desired trip type, destination and origination airports, travel dates, and number of passengers (be sure to toggle the button that says Points instead of US $ ).
• Click  Find.
• Select your flight and pay for any taxes and fees.

Earning Air Canada Aeroplan Points

Aeroplan partners with American Express Membership Rewards, Chase Ultimate Rewards, Capital One Miles, and Marriott Bonvoy.

Amex, Chase, and Capital One transfer to Aeroplan at a 1:1 ratio almost instantly, while Marriott Bonvoy transfers at a 3:1 ratio in 5 business days.

If you transfer 60,000 Marriott Bonvoy points in a single transaction, you will receive 20,000 Aeroplan points plus 5,000 bonus points!

Bottom Line: If you want to fly on a Star Alliance first class flight that isn’t ANA and mostly have points with Amex, Chase, or Capital One, it’ll be hard to beat Aeroplan in this specific instance, especially with the generous stopover allowance for an additional 5,000 points. 

Other Options To Fly to Singapore

There are a number of other ways to fly to Singapore, including with Japan Airlines Mileage Bank , Malaysia Airlines Enrich , and Qantas Frequent Flyer , but we didn’t include those in our main analysis because the redemption rates aren’t very favorable.

For example, you can use Alaska Airlines miles at a better rate than Japan Airlines Mileage Bank.

There are countless ways to fly to Singapore on points and miles. In this guide, we examined 2 of the 3 major airline alliances: Star Alliance and Oneworld.

We did not include SkyTeam partners in this analysis because the award redemption rates for these carriers (with the exception of Korean Air) are sky-high. Plus, in most cases, you’ll have to pay huge surcharges.

Here are the key points to take away:

• Because Singapore Airlines rarely releases award availability on business and first class to partners, your options to fly these classes on Singapore Airlines are basically limited to Singapore KrisFlyer itself.
• Alaska Airlines is excellent for booking Cathay Pacific flights. You can fly business class round-trip for 100,000 miles, or first class for 140,000 miles.
• ANA’s superstar redemption is on ANA-operated flights, particularly in business class for 100,000 miles during low-season, 110,000 miles during regular season, and 115,000 miles during high season
• American Airlines AAdvantage is great because its program is super simple, and it has multiple co-branded credit cards you can earn points from.
• Cathay Pacific is a diamond in the rough. While it may look like the award rates are expensive, the real shining star is its Oneworld multi-carrier awards , which allow you to fly to many different countries on various airlines for amazing prices.
• Like AAdvantage, United MileagePlus is a straightforward way to book flights. It won’t cost you the least, but it’s an excellent option for those with Chase Ultimate Rewards points looking to fly on non-Singapore Airlines Star Alliance carriers.
• Avianca LifeMiles is great if you have Amex, Brex, Capital One, or Citi points and want to fly economy or first class on Star Alliance partners.
• Lastly, Air Canada Aeroplan is a reasonable redemption for those who want to add a stopover and want to book non-ANA Star Alliance first-class flights with lots of American Express Membership Rewards points and Capital One miles.

Overall, there are plenty of ways to fly to Singapore on points and miles — ANA, Singapore Airlines, Cathay Pacific, and Alaska each have their own sweet spots, benefits, and drawbacks.

Just remember: there’s so much value to be had when flying to Singapore since it’s about as far from America as you can fly nonstop! Now you have the full picture of the best ways to fly to Singapore with points and miles.

The information regarding the Marriott Bonvoy Bold ® Credit Card was independently collected by Upgraded Points and not provided nor reviewed by the issuer. The information regarding the Marriott Bonvoy Boundless ® Credit Card was independently collected by Upgraded Points and not provided nor reviewed by the issuer. The information regarding the Citi Premier ® Card has expired and the card is no longer open to applicants. The information regarding the Citi Rewards+ ® Card was independently collected by Upgraded Points and not provided nor reviewed by the issuer. The information regarding the Citi Double Cash ®  Card was independently collected by Upgraded Points and not provided nor reviewed by the issuer. The information regarding the Citi Custom Cash ® Card was independently collected by Upgraded Points and not provided nor reviewed by the issuer. The information regarding the United Club℠ Business Card was independently collected by Upgraded Points and not provided nor reviewed by the issuer.

For rates and fees of the Marriott Bonvoy Bevy™ American Express ® Card, click here . For rates and fees of the Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant ® American Express ® card, click here . For rates and fees of The Platinum Card ® from American Express, click here . For rates and fees of the American Express ® Gold Card, click  here .

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This bonus value is an estimated valuation  calculated by UP after analyzing redemption options, transfer partners, award availability and how much UP would pay to buy these points.

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Your 24-Hour American Express Platinum Guide To Singapore

When we first wrote this guide back in February 2020, the world was still indeed our oyster. Eighteen long months later and travel from Australia to the rest of the world is finally (slowly) opening back up. With the Singapore-Australia travel lane officially open – it brings us great pleasure to be able to share our Platinum Guide to Singapore, in partnership with American Express.

From world-class restaurants and bars to incredible hotels, hospitality, and experiences – Singapore really has something for everyone. Armed with an American Express Platinum Card , we set ourselves the challenge of spending 24 of the best hours possible in Singapore before jumping on our next flight – here’s our Platinum Guide to Singapore.

Learn more about the offer here , or apply now at americanexpress.com

16:45 – Touching down at Changi just before five in the evening, allows just enough time to breeze through customs and cab into town. Word of warning, make a point of asking if your cabbie takes card, the vast majority do but getting stung with no cash is a nightmare. The drive to the Fullerton Bay Hotel takes roughly 25 mins and passes a number of notable landmarks to get you excited. And if views of Marina Bay Sands don’t, walking into the Fullerton Bay lobby via the grand Clifford Pier certainly will. 

17:45 – The Fullerton Bay is one of many incredible hotels in Singapore represented by American Express Fine Hotels + Resorts, which offers Platinum Card Members a complimentary upgrade, when available if their accommodation is booked through the program. We booked a corner room for $1000 and were upgraded to one of the incredible waterfront suites, with unobstructed views of the bay, valued at roughly $1500. A sensational score. 

19:00 – The Singapore River dissects the action, lined with a bounty of bars, restaurants, clubs and pubs and is mere moments away from the Fullerton Bay. A casual stroll is a perfect way to get your bearings and take in some of the sights like the Merlion fountain, Anderson Bridge, which runs into turn 13 of the Singapore F1 circuit and the bustling eateries of Boat Quay.

20:30 – A short drive away, the charming neighbourhood of Keong Saik hosts a handful of the city’s favourite drinking and dining venues. Two of these, dumpling haunt Butcher Boy and tasting sensation Cure, no more than 100m apart, are operated by Irish chef Andrew Walsh. Those seeking a more distinguished meal will take to Cure, boasting a seasonal Chef’s menu of relaxed but intricate fare. 

22:30 – After an eight-hour journey and an entire evening of eating and drinking, you arrive at a fork in the road. Retire and rest ahead of your busy day tomorrow or continue into the thriving night? Spirited sojourns evolve within the dark corners of Employees Only or underground at innovative Operation Dagger. Alternatively, there’s a king-size bed awaiting you, in one of the ritziest hotels in the city. 

Day Two 

08:00 – The impeccable Fullerton Bay service climaxes at breakfast, with a bountiful buffet and a menu of delicacies that would give Bill Granger a run for his money. It’s worth noting that while our booking included breakfast, booking any room through Fine Hotels + Resorts provides complimentary daily breakfast for two. With the morning sun blessing the glass-walled brasserie and the scent of freshly brewed coffee kissing crisp warm pastries, it’s easy to get carried away. However, swimming on a full stomach isn’t recommended and it would be rude not to start the day in the Fullerton’s rooftop pool.  

10:00 – Thankfully, the post-swim freshen up isn’t followed by the mad runaround to checkout, because booking through American Express Fine Hotels + Resorts also entitles you to a 4 pm departure, leaving you all day to explore with the knowledge there’s a shower waiting for you on the other side. Now, off to Singapore’s glamorous ION shopping centre to do some window shopping. 

10:30 – As the APAC hub of virtually every watch manufacturer in the world, and more the location of monied buyers, Singapore has a lot of rare and wonderful brands on offer. ION is home to a handful of boutiques you don’t see elsewhere, as well as innovative new concept stores, changing the way we buy watches. Conveniently, putting large purchases on the Platinum Card is one of the quickest ways to earn Membership Rewards points – and with no pre-set spending limit, a minute repeater is just a chime away.      

12:00 – Tourists and locals alike flock to Chinatown to the original Hawker Chan for, what once was, the cheapest Michelin starred meal in the world. The line is long and the plates taste identical to every other serving of chicken rice in the city, but it’s all a bit of fun and an adequate portion before 9 holes at one of the most prestigious – and expensive – golf clubs in the world. 

13:00 – Membership at Sentosa Golf Club costs S$250,000 to get your foot in the door, so it’s not hard to understand why an 18-hole round for a non-member costs starts at S$350 on a weekday. To be fair, it’s the most immaculately maintained course you’re ever likely to play, and home to some of Asia’s premier professional tournaments, so if you’re into golf – it’s a must-do.

15:45 – After 9 holes in 33 degrees and 70% humidity, the joy of a 4 pm late checkout is quickly realised. A quick rejuvenating shower precedes a final pack, before checking out and climbing into another premium Grab for the ride out to Changi. 

16:45 – There’s no denying that Changi’s Jewel is a spectacle, we’ve told the locals love it so much they even drive out here to shop. Even if you’re not arriving or departing in Terminal 1, if you have the time, it’s worth a look. 

17:15 – Finally, the American Express Platinum Card’s most powerful perk comes into play, access to over 1200 airport lounges worldwide, so feel free to put your feet up at the Plaza Premium Lounge before you head off to your final destination. 

19:45 – Depart Singapore!

Learn more about the American Express Platinum Card here and apply below.

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Review: American Express Centurion Card (Singapore)

Meet the OG black card that turned credit cards into status symbols.

Of all the elite credit cards in Singapore, not one of them even comes close to matching the mythos of the American Express Centurion Card.

Colloquially known as the Black Card, the product was actually launched in 1999 in response to urban legends that circulated throughout the 80s and 90s about a super-exclusive card that American Express issued only to the wellest of the well-heeled.

Today, the Centurion is held by celebrities, CEOs, and crazy rich Asians the world over. It’s been featured in rap songs and novels , spawned shameless knock-offs , and entered the public consciousness as the ultimate status symbol.

But all that power doesn’t come cheap, and in Singapore, you’ll pay S$7,490 a year, every year, for the privilege of being a card-carrying member. Is it worth it? Let’s find out

How do you qualify for an AMEX Centurion?

Here’s a question as old as time immemorial. How do you get an invitation to join the ranks of the fabled Black Card? The qualification criteria is shrouded in secrecy, but from what I understand, successful applicants:

• Have an NOA showing more than S$1 million in income
• Spend at least S$300,000 a year on the AMEX Platinum Charge

Now, there’s some wriggle room here, and I have heard of people getting approved with lower incomes or spending. However, there’s also a hard cap on the maximum number of members in a given country at a time. That’s because AMEX is particular about service, and if they don’t have enough relationship managers at the moment, they won’t be able to take on additional members.

If you really want an AMEX Centurion invite, your best bet is to have a demonstrated history of six-digit spending on the AMEX Platinum Charge .

Or be a celebrity.

Not a YouTube celebrity .

AMEX Centurion Basics

Here’s a sobering thought: before you even spend the first dollar on your AMEX Centurion, you’ll be out of pocket S$14,980. In addition to the S$7,490 annual fee, all cardmembers pay a further S$7,490 initiation fee. It’s like hazing, but with more zeros.

For comparison, other top-tier cards like the Citi ULTIMA and the DBS Insignia will “only” set you back S$4,160 and S$3,210 respectively. Quite simply, the AMEX Centurion is in a league of its own when it comes to cost. Oh, and don’t even think of asking for an annual fee waiver- if Kayne West pays his annual fee, so do you.

Centurion members get two supplementary Centurion cards, and an additional two Platinum Charge cards free for whoever they wish.

It’s been rumoured that the Centurion card has no fixed credit limit. Whether that’s truth or urban legend I have no idea, but this I do know: if you’re hoping to rake up the miles quickly, this isn’t the right card to use.

That’s because the AMEX Centurion card is a benefits  card more than a miles card. You earn 2.5 Membership Rewards (MR) points per S$1.60 spent in Singapore or overseas, which works out to 0.98 mpd . I don’t need to tell you that’s way below every other miles card in Singapore .

On the bright side, the first S$16,000 of spending per calendar year at EXTRA partners earns 20.5 MR points per S$1.60, or 8 mpd . This includes merchants like American Tourister, Breitling, Fred Perry, Hublot, IWC, Lee Hwa Jewellery, Montblanc, and other chi chi places. Any spending in excess of S$16,000 earns 10.5 MR points per S$1.60.

Members who spend at least S$250,000 in a calendar year will receive a bonus of 100,000 MR points, or 62,500 miles . This represents an incremental 0.25 mpd, assuming you spend S$250,000 on the dot.

MR points never expire, and Centurion members can transfer them to eight different frequent flyer programs and two hotel partners at the following ratios (no conversion fees apply):

Welcome vouchers

Upon approval or renewal, Centurion members receive a pack of vouchers that includes the following:

• S$150 Tower Club F&B voucher
• Complimentary one night stay at St Regis Singapore/W Singapore
• 4 x S$50 St Regis Singapore dining voucher
• 3 complimentary spa treatments at Spa Rael, The Ultimate and Adeva Spa
• Buy one night get one night free at selected Mandarin Oriental hotels
• S$50 Marriott Tang Plaza Hotel (min S$100 spend)
• Assorted Love Dining vouchers
• Assorted upgrade and special rate vouchers at the Fairmont/Swissotel Stamford

This is largely similar to what AMEX Platinum Charge cardholders get, with a few exceptions. Platinum Charge cardholders…

• Receive a S$400 hotel and S$400 airline credit voucher
• Only get a S$100 Tower Club F&B voucher
• Don’t receive the buy one get one Mandarin Oriental hotels voucher

By the way, in case you were hoping that paying the S$7,490 initiation fee got you a second set of vouchers, don’t. You receive one set of vouchers per annual fee paid.

Extensive airport lounge access, with guests

Among the elite cards in Singapore, the AMEX Centurion’s lounge access is unrivaled.

The principal cardholder and one supplementary member each receive an unlimited-visit Priority Pass with two free guests (vs one for the AMEX Platinum Charge). On top of that, all AMEX Centurion cardholders (whether principal or supplementary) enjoy access to:

• Delta Sky Clubs (when flying on Delta Airlines)
• International American Express Lounges (guest allowance varies)
• The Centurion Lounges (+2 guests)
• Escape Lounges in the USA (+2 guests)
• Plaza Premium Airport Lounges (+2 guests)

Although some of these lounges could anyways be accessed via Priority Pass, this mechanic means you get a larger guest allowance. For example, a Centurion cardholder visiting a Plaza Premium lounge could bring two guests by virtue of the Centurion card, and a further two guests by virtue of the Priority Pass.

Complimentary airport limo + meet & greet service

Centurion members enjoy complimentary two-way limo transfers to and from Changi Airport when they book a First or Business Class ticket through The Centurion Concierge. Up to four guests can be accommodated in the same vehicle, and the benefit only applies to the principal cardholder.

In addition to this, principal Centurion cardholders receive complimentary meet and greet services at selected airports worldwide, provided they’re flying in First or Business Class and booked their tickets through The Centurion Concierge. When flying to/from Mainland China, however, Economy Class travel is also eligible (except on low cost carriers).

Instant hotel elite status with five chains

Centurion cardholders enjoy instant elite status with the following programs (normal qualification requirements in brackets)

• Hilton Honors Diamond (60 nights)
• Shangri-La Golden Circle Diamond (50 nights)
• IHG Platinum Elite (40 nights)
• Radisson Rewards Gold (30 nights)
• Marriott Bonvoy Gold (25 nights)

That’s an impressive list, and it’s noteworthy that they get top-tier status with both Hilton and Shangri-La. These can lead to some significant savings during the course of your stay, not to mention the occasional snazzy upgrade.

Hilton Diamond members enjoy:

• 100% points bonus
• Room upgrades
• Complimentary breakfast
• Complimentary high-speed premium internet
• Late check-out
• Guaranteed lounge access
• A welcome gift at check-in

Shangri-La Golden Circle Diamond members enjoy:

• 50% points bonus
• 8 a.m check-in
• 6 p.m check-out
• A choice of three welcome amenities, including wine, beer and mineral water

Shangri-La Diamond members are also eligible for a fast track to KrisFlyer Elite Gold under the Infinite Journeys partnership . All they need to do is make one eligible (non-award) flight within four months of registration. Even deep-discount Economy Class tickets qualify, so this is a veritable walk in the park.

Instant Emirates Skywards Gold

Centurion members get instant Emirates Skywards Gold status , the second highest status in the program. This normally requires 50,000 tier miles or 50 flights.

Skywards Gold members enjoy:

• 50% bonus miles
• Complimentary lounge access (including Qantas lounges)
• Complimentary seat selection
• Excess baggage allowance
• Priority baggage delivery
• Priority check-in and boarding
• Priority waitlisting

Anecdotally speaking, you’ll also have a decent chance of enjoying upgrades when you fly on Emirates- definitely more so than Singapore Airlines elite members.

Instant rental car elite status with Avis/Hertz

Centurion cardholders receive instant Avis President’s Club and Hertz President’s Circle status.

Avis President’s Club status is the second highest tier in the Avis program:

• Avis Preferred
• Avis Preferred Plus
• Avis President’s Club
• Avis Chariman’s Club

This tier doesn’t have a published qualification threshold, and is an invitation-only level. Benefits include two-class upgrades, along with guaranteed availability even without a reservation. There’s also a rental discount of up to 30%.

Likewise, Hertz President’s Circle is the second highest tier in Hertz program.

• Hertz Five Star
• Hertz President’s Circle
• Hertz Platinum

This tier normally requires 20 or more rentals per year, or at least US$4,000 in spending. Benefits include one-class upgrades, 50% bonus points and guaranteed vehicle availability.

Up to 50% off with Love Dining

This benefit isn’t exclusive to the AMEX Centurion, but it’s still worth mentioning since it can give fantastic value.

AMEX Centurion cardholders enjoy up to 50% off dining at selected restaurants and hotels through the Love Dining program. This includes places like Mikuni, Yan Ting, 15 Stamford, and SKIRT, and is easily one of the best dining privilege programs out there.

Needless to say, Centurion cardholders will also be able to get reservations at some of the most sought-after restaurants around the world. It’s supposedly the concierge’s forte, although apparently the “secret” is to buy a couple of tables in AMEX’s name at a given restaurant.

Discounted premium cabin tickets, private club access

Other benefits of the Centurion card include discounted premium cabin tickets through the International Airline Program , access to the Tower Club, access to special rates for private jets, cruise perks and complimentary golf.

Some of these benefits overlap with the Platinum Charge card , so I won’t go over them again here.

How does the AMEX Centurion compare to other elite cards?

If you just look at benefits alone, none of the Citi ULTIMA , UOB Reserve or DBS Insignia even come close to challenging the AMEX Centurion. Whether it’s lounge access, elite status, dining privileges or just that general feeling of superiority, the AMEX Centurion towers over the competition.

Unfortunately, so does its annual fee. The Centurion takes pay-to-play to new levels, with an annual fee that’s 2X everyone else’s (let’s not forget the initiation fee too). That’s why I feel it’s somewhat unfair to draw straight comparisons between the AMEX Centurion and other elite cards- how do you account for the gulf in cost?

I think the short answer is “you can’t”, so that’s just something that people will have to decide for themselves. That said, my guess is that most Cenutrion cardholders consider the annual fee ’tis but a scratch , and if you’re the sort for whom a S$7,490 annual bill would cause concern, you’re probably not the right profile anyway.

What I’ve listed here are the published benefits of the Centurion. It goes without saying that there may very well be a whole suite of unpublished perks that further sweeten the deal- but the only way you’ll find out is to get a foot in the door (some of the stuff that US cardholders get is listed here )

While it’s clear that the Centurion is not the right card for rapid miles accumulation (unless, perhaps, you’re shopping at EXTRA merchants), I don’t think it was created with the miles-chasing audience in mind. This is the card for the guy who drops $170M on a painting , or wants a concierge who knows what they need before they ask (check out some interesting stories here ), or simply loves the idea that they’re holding one of the most exclusive pieces of metal anywhere on the globe.

If you’re one of those folks, then you may very well find the AMEX Centurion right up your alley. Just promise me you won’t turn out like one of these guys.

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Citi premiermiles card: more miles for fcy spend, enhanced welcome offer, and 5 million citi miles giveaway, roundup: credit card sign-up bonuses (september 2024), 16 comments.

Bonvoy Gold is a typo error?

Yes bonvoyed another different way again. It’s really gold…..

i’m sure centurion cardholders are as surprised as you 🙂

Bonvoy Gold has really little value even if it is not the lowest tier……… But Centurion holders who are billionaires and Bill Gates who stay at penthouse and presidential suites won’t bother with Bonvoy, unlike majority of us

It’s about access. The discounts and upgrades don’t really matter for this group of people (but still nice to have). You’d have to be away from home a lot to make it up to 7.5-15k of discounts – this level of affluence usually allows a less peripatetic/nomadic lifestyle. And these people would already travel and stay as they wish without the potential hazard of maybe not getting an upgrade. Nope it’s about having access 365 days a year to a discrete Fixer/ top NYC hotel concierge/Clefs d’Or who can get spots for any event/venue/restaurant anytime. Not even the best PA’s …  Read more »

always find it is funny, the target client who earns over a million annually probably don’t need any lounge access or hotel elite membership, can’t imagine they are not taking Business or First, staying in a crappy hotel without an upgrade, can’t afford to pay the suite. Some of the benefits are really jokes. It is like laughing at them that they don’t have club membership, don’t have their own limo.

I got KrisFlyer Elite Gold by the Shangri-la diamond fast track last year, however this year downgrade to a normal member without receiving the extension letter.

Your fast track status is only valid for 1 year. Subsequently you will need to re-qualify through regular means.

I’m not sure if you’ve heard of this but some of the Amex’s Centurion lounges, have a ‘hidden’ Centurion member only space. Check-out this review of the AMEX Centurion Dining Room at HKG: https://www.executivetraveller.com/dining-at-hong-kong-s-invitation-only-amex-centurion-lounge-restaurant

They have indeed Centurion only member private lounge where you are served by personal waiters. For example in HK.Nothing to shout about but nice experience though.

I recall the days when the product and an annual card fees $2.5K and initiation fee $7.5K. The world is changing. I wonder if the product will appeal to the next generation.

I once ordered a unicorn from amex centurion concierge… all I got was horse with a rainbow colored paper horn on it. I paid for it of course…

Sorry I ordered the last 5 unicorns. You could have had a narwhal if you asked though.

The perfect card to have when the ego pays the bills!

Will you still get the diamond status and krisflyer gold if you renew the Amex Plat Charge ?

The service you get (good to excellent to near perfection) is highly dependent on your relationship manager.You will rate them every few months. The annual is steep but I consider this like joining a country club with local and international benefits. I use my investment profits and dividends to pay for this. Some recent perks you get include getting double and bonus reward points for all purchases (ceased on 20th July) and getting $750 rebate from certain purchase. There are some free hotel stays as vouchers and you will get invited to exclusive events and dinners where you will meet …  Read more »

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• The Promotion is open to individuals who hold personal basic and/or supplementary American Express ® Cards issued in Singapore by American Express International Inc. only (“Eligible Cards”), excluding American Express Corporate Cards and American Express Cards issued by DBS Bank Ltd and United Overseas Bank Limited (“Card Members”).
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