UOB PRVI Miles Card Review: Why you need to Be Getting This Popular Air Miles Card
The UOB PRVI Miles Visa card is among the most widely used air miles cards in Singapore. With a minimum income requirement of $30,000 per annum, anyone who qualifies for a credit card in Singapore will be able to understand this miles card when they want to.
Besides the low minimum income requirement, the UOB PRVI Miles Visa card also provides you with one of the highest ratio for miles earned per dollar spent – at 1.4 miles per $1 spent (local) and 2.4 miles per $1 spent (overseas).
This is higher than other popular air miles cards like the Citi Premier Miles and the American Express KrisFlyer Ascend, each of which would enable you to get 1.2 miles per $1 spent (local).
However, just like every other charge card available, there are some notable strength and weaknesses for this card that you ought to know about so that you can find out on your own whether this card would work for you.
UOB PRVI Miles Visa Card – Key Features
| Features | Analysis | |
| Miles Earned Per $1 Spent | 1.4 miles per $1 spent (local), 2.4 miles per $1 spent (overseas) | Excellent. One of the highest on the market. No minimum spent every month required. |
| Welcome and Spend Bonus | Earn *12,000 miles should you spend $4,000 within first 8 weeks of card approval (new UOB cardholder) or earn *2,000 miles (existing UOB cardholder)
*Valid from 15 March to 14 July 2021 (both dates inclusive) |
If it's your first UOB Card, the sale is good. If you are a existing UOB cardholder, the promotion is certainly not much to shout about. |
| Minimum Income Requirement | $30,000 p.a. | Good. |
| Annual Fee | $256.80 | First year fee waiver. For subsequent years, no perks that we understand off for paying the annual fee. So try to waive the annual fee for if you are able to. |
| Expiry For Miles | UOB miles, also known as UNI$, expire after two years. | This 2-year expiration means you have to convert your UNI$ into KrisFlyer/Asia miles at least once every 2 yrs. Each conversion costs $25 |
Notable Perks For that UOB PRVI Air Miles Card
At 1.4 miles per $1 spent (local), the miles earn rate for that UOB PRVI is very good.
As a reference, match it up towards the Standard Chartered Visa Infinite Card, which lets you earn 1.4 miles per $1 spent (local) but first requires you to spend at least $2,000 per month and have an income requirement of at least $150,000 per annum.
The UOB PRVI Miles Visa Card is a lot gentler on its requirements.
2-year expiry for UNI$
This is really a disadvantage because it means that you must do a UNI$ conversion to either KrisFlyer/Asia miles at least once every 2 yrs.
Assuming you redeem your miles for flights once every Three years, which means you will have to do at least 2 conversions, which may cost you $50 ($25 per conversion) in total. While the cost may not appear to be much, you should not neglected.
Strictly speaking, if you were to convert your UNI$ into KrisFlyer/Asia miles, you're going to get another 3-year extension since the miles are valid in their KrisFlyer or Asia Miles account for three years. This means that the miles you earn from the card may potentially be valid for approximately 5 years.
If you are not redeeming your miles for flights within Five years, you may be best utilizing a cashback card.
Our Verdict For that UOB PRVI Air Miles Card
The miles earn rate for this card are on their own an excellent reason to own this card. However, you have to pay attention to the 2-year expiration for the UNI$.
When compared to other popular miles card like the Citi Premier Miles and the American Express KrisFlyer Ascend which earns you 1.2 miles per $1 spent, the UOB PRVI Miles Visa card has a distinct advantage as it earns you 1.4 miles per $1 spent.
If you charge $12,000 each year to this card, this earns you 33,600 miles over a 2-year period, or 4,800 miles more compared to using either the Citi Premier Miles card and also the American Express KrisFlyer Ascend card.
The catch here is that UNI$ expire after 2 years, so always remember to transform your UNI$ to miles before they expire. And there are no perks for paying the annual fee so aim to get it waived if you can to.
You can apply for the UOB PRVI Miles Visa Card here.
