Battle Of Miles Cards In Singapore: OCBC 90°N VS Citibank PremierMiles VS DBS Altitude
The charge card market in Singapore has a new entrant with the launch of the brand new travel card – the OCBC 90°N Card.
The card comes with privileges and promotional offers for mile-chasers, but how does it stack up against other existing miles cards?
We examine it today with two other popular air miles cards on the market – Citi PremierMiles Card and DBS Altitude Card.
Annual Fees And Income Requirements
| 90°N | PremierMiles | Altitude | |
| Annual Fees | $192.60 (waived for the first year)
Get 10,000 miles with annual fees paid from the second year |
$192.60 (choose from earning 30,000 miles by spending $7,500 within A few months and paying the annual fee, or earn 10,000 miles by spending $3,000 within 3 months with annual fee waived for the newbie)
Get 10,000 miles with membership fees paid from the second year |
$192.60 (waived for the first year)
Get 10,000 miles with annual fees paid in the second year Spend $25,000 every year and obtain fee waiver, conditions and terms apply |
| Income requirement | S$30,000 and above for Singaporeans and Singapore PRs
S$45,000 and above for foreigners |
S$30,000 and above for Singaporeans and Singapore PRs
S$42,000 and above for foreigners |
S$30,000 and above for Singaporeans and Singapore PRs
S$45,000 and above for foreigners |
The income requirement and annual fees between your three cards are largely identical, with S$30,000 income requirement for Singaporeans and PRs. Paying the annual fee in the second year onwards for all three cards will net an added bonus 10,000 miles.
With the exception of PremierMiles Card, which offers bonus miles with minimum spending within three months of card approval (either without or with paying the annual fee) for the newbie, the other two cards only offer annual fee waiver for the newbie.
Miles Accrual And Forex Fees
| 90°N | PremierMiles | Altitude | |
| Miles/Dollar – Local Spend | 1.2 | 1.2 | 1.2 |
| Miles/Dollar – Overseas Spend | 4 (until 29 February 2021)
2.1 (from 1 March 2021) |
2 | 2 |
| Miles Expiry | Not applicable | Not applicable | Not applicable |
| Currency Conversion Fee | 3% | 3% | 3% |
As we can see, the miles accrual for local and overseas spending (save for 90°N Card having a slightly higher 2.1 miles for each dollar spent) and foreign transaction fees for those three cards are largely exactly the same.
However, the 90°N Card sets the larger earning benchmark with 4 miles for each dollar on overseas spending throughout the promotional period. If you are a frequent traveller, you might wish to leverage on 90°N Card's promotional rates to earn more miles on your holiday shopping spree.
Airline Partners And Fringe Benefits
| 90°N | PremierMiles | Altitude | |
| Airline partners | Singapore Airlines | – Singapore Airlines
– Cathay Pacific – Malaysia Airlines – Qantas – Eva Air – British Airways – AirFrance / KLM – Qatar Airways – Turkish Airlines – IHG Hotels |
– Singapore Airlines
– Cathay Pacific – AirAsia – Qantas |
| Fringe Benefits | Not applicable | 2 free airport lounge visits every year with card membership | 2 free airport lounge visits each year with card membership |
The comparison of airline partners and fringe benefits between your three cards reveal significant differences.
For instance, the 90°N Card does not offer free lounge visits included in the package. Instead, cardmembers will need to enrol into the Mastercard Airport Experiences, that is fee-payable. This disappointment is probably offset by a slightly higher rate of two.1 miles for every dollar charged (4 miles throughout the promotional period) on overseas spending, as compared to 2 miles for every dollar alternatively two cards.
When it comes to miles redemption, it is a letdown that the 90°N Card only offers conversion to KrisFlyer miles because the only option for now.
On another hand, PremierMiles Card offers the most airline partners (and even a hotel partner) as compared to 90°N and Altitude Cards. As the most of Singaporeans may choose to fly with this flag carrier, PremierMiles Card's wide array of airline partners confer cardmembers greater choices and flexibility in redeeming miles along with other international carriers.
The Verdict?
Which card if you undertake? Our answer: it depends largely on your needs, lifestyle and preference.
If you prefer to make use of your card miles on other carriers (or perhaps on hotel stays) rather than Singapore Airlines' Krisflyer, Citi PremierMiles Card might be your best bet.
For a big spender who likes to have the ease of automatic fee waivers, the DBS Altitude Card may be your favourite pick.
However, if you're a loyal supporter in our flag carrier, and redeeming more miles for every dollar spent excites you more that other fringe perks, the OCBC 90°N Card appeals to you more.
Planning To Sign up For The 90°N Card? Here’s What you ought to Take Note Of
From now until 29 February 2021, simply employ the OCBC 90°N Card in your spending in the following merchants to savor 4 miles for each dollar spent:
– Overseas spend
– Flight bookings on selected airlines
– Netflix and Spotify subscriptions
– DFS Singapore and also the Shilla Duty Free
Get 8 miles for every dollar spent on accommodation booking via Airbnb, Agoda and Expedia, Mr and Mrs Smith and Millennium Hotels and Resorts.
In addition, non-existing OCBC cardmembers who make an application for the 90°N Card and also have their application approved by 31 October 2021 will receive S$50 cash rebate upon successful card approval. They will also earn an additional 7,000 miles by charging S$5,000 to the card inside the first three months of card approval.
If you want to maximise your paying for the 90°N Card throughout the promotional period, do take note the following (non-exhaustive) transactions are not eligible for awarding of miles:
– Bill payment via AXS
– Annual fees
– Balance transfer
– Charity / religious organisations
– Property agencies
– Utilities
– Trading platforms
– Government institution and services
– Insurance payments
– Prepaid accounts and cards
– Education
– Gambling
– Parking lots
– Non-durable goods
– Wire transfer money orders
– Financial institutions
– Political organisations
– Cash advance through banks
