The right piece of plastic gets you more for your dollar, offers great deals on dining, and chalks up air miles super fast. These are the 10 best cards you need to have in your wallet.
The right piece of plastic gets you more for your dollar, offers great deals on dining, and chalks up air miles super fast. These are the 10 best cards you need to have in your wallet.
BEST BEAUTY AND WELLNESS CARD
CIMB Platinum Mastercard
• 10 percent cash rebates at health, beauty and wellness merchants
• 10 percent cash rebates on medical-related expenses around the world
This card gives you 10 percent cash rebates on a wide range of health, beauty and medical services when you spend $500 or more in a month. That encompasses spending on spas, doctors, dentists, chiropractors, hairdressers and more – a greater variety than most cards have to offer. What’s more, these benefits aren’t only applicable in Singapore. You get rebates in Malaysia, Indonesia and Thailand too. Plus, the card offers 10 percent cash rebates on air tickets and hotel stays. Get ready to pamper yourself thoroughly.
BEST SHOPPING CARD
Citibank Rewards Card
• Best rewards rate
• Rewards points redeemable at more than 900 merchants islandwide
• Instant rebates at retail outlets
The Citi Rewards Card really stretches your dollar during big shopping sprees. Get 10 Rewards points for every $1 spent locally or overseas on retail (stuff like shoes, bags, and clothes) – more than any other card. After chalking up those points, redeem them for shopping vouchers and cash rebates instantly by presenting your card at more than 900 participating merchants islandwide, including department stores such as Isetan and Tangs; fashion and lifestyle brands like Lancome, Zara, Calvin Klein and Balenciaga; and malls.
Even better, your Rewards points can also be used to redeem flight tickets, hotel stays and car rentals. Plus, when you sign up for the card, you’ll get welcome discount vouchers for selected retailers like Hipvan, True Religion and Zalora.
BEST ONLINE SHOPPING CARD
Standard Chartered Singpost Platinum Visa Credit Card
• 7 percent cashback on online purchases
• 20 percent off shipment of items
• Free insurance coverage of up to US$250 (S$345)
This card makes retail therapy in your PJs even better than it already is. Get 7 percent cashback, capped at $60 a month, on all your online shopping with this card – as long as you spend at least $600 a month. There are shipping perks too: 20 percent off shipping fees with Vpost (valid until Sept 30, 2017), 10 percent off Singpost Speedpost Priority courier service, and insurance coverage of up to US$250 – in case your packages get lost. And because nobody likes buyer’s regret, a unique characteristic of this card is that if you buy an item only to find it sold at a lower price on another online platform, you’ll get a 50 percent refund on the difference. The only caveat: the price difference has to be at least $50; the maximum refund is $250.
MAYBANK HORIZON VISA SIGNATURE CARD: WINNER (BEST AIR MILES CARD)
THE SKY IS THE LIMIT
The Maybank Horizon Visa Signature Card rewards you with the most air miles every time you dine and travel in style.
If you are an avid traveller planning on conquering the world, the Maybank Horizon Visa Signature Card is the card of choice as a primary credit card. The Card offers one of the highest earn rate on air miles whenever you charge your restaurant dining, travel-related expenditure and overseas indulgences to it.
DINE AND EARN AIR MILES
A smart way to earn miles is to use a Card that offers the highest miles earning rate for daily expenses. Dining in local restaurants earns 3.2 air miles or 8X TREATS Points (TP) per dollar while dining overseas earns you 2 air miles or 5X TP per dollar.
EARN AIR MILES ON THE ROAD
Accelerate your savings when you drive or take a cab. Be rewarded with 3.2 air miles per dollar when you fill up at any petrol station in Singapore, or book a cab and charge to your Maybank Horizon Visa Signature Card.
EARN AIR MILES ON YOUR NEXT VACAY
Besides getting around, Cardmembers enjoy 3.2 air miles per dollar spent on hotel bookings (via http://agoda.com/horizon) and 2 air miles per dollar on air tickets from any airlines and travel packages from any travel agencies.
INDULGE OVERSEAS
This Card rewards you with 2 air miles per dollar spent in foreign currencies, opening up the opportunity for you to pay for anything, from shopping to entertainment while vacationing overseas, or even shopping at international online stores.
ENJOY VIP TRAVEL PERKS
Escape the crowds with complimentary access to selected airport lounges. There is no fixed number of lounge access per year, which means you can travel and relax in comfort as long as you fulfill an easily achieved spend requirement. Cardmembers also get complimentary travel insurance coverage up to S$1,000,000.
A REWARDING PRIMARY CARD
Other than air miles, any TREATS Points accumulated can be redeemed for shopping, dining vouchers or cash credits to offset your bills, making the Maybank Horizon Visa Signature Card the card of choice.
BEST DINING CARD
American Express Platinum Credit Card
• Up to 50 percent off at more than 60 popular restaurants
• Up to 50 percent off your total food bill at hotels like Raffles Hotel, The St Regis and more
Hands down, the best card for foodies. Under the Love Dining by Platinum programme, get 50 percent off when you dine with one guest at participating eateries, including The Clan Restaurant, Lawry’s The Prime Rib and The Song of India. Enjoy discounts of 20 to 35 percent if you bring more than one guest, or 15 percent if you dine on your own. The discounts extend to partner hotels like Raffles Hotel, W Singapore Sentosa Cove and The St Regis, with up to 50 percent off your dining bills. And expect exclusive perks like invitations to Michelin-starred guest chef dinners.
BEST FAMILY CARD
Bank of China Family Card
• 5 percent cash rebates on electrical appliances, personal care and other selected family-related retailers
• 5 percent rebates on hospital bills and online purchases, and at supermarkets
Whether it’s the latest widescreen TV for Dad from Best Denki, supplements from Unity pharmacy for Mum or Lego sets for the kids from Toys “R” Us, you’ll get 5 percent cash rebates when you spend at least $500 within a month. The card covers your family needs with 5 percent rebates on hospital bills, online purchases, supermarket buys and your first four top-ups using Nets Flashpay Auto. It also gives a 1 percent cash rebate on telco bills, and an additional 2 percent cash rebate on other buys when you charge $200 or more to your supplementary card.
BEST PETROL CARD
UOB One Card
• Discounts of up to 24 percent on petrol
• 7 percent cash rebates at all Shell petrol stations
The savings for drivers add up with this card, which promises discounts of up to 20.8 percent at Shell, and 24 percent at SPC stations. It also offers generous instant Smart$ rebates of 7 percent at Shell stations. Get up to 5 percent cash rebates on all other spending, provided you spend more than $2,000 each month for three consecutive months, capped at $300 each quarter. Otherwise, you still get 3.33 percent cashback with a minimum of $500 spent a month. To top it off, you receive up to 10 percent additional Smart$ rebates at more than 400 participating merchants like City Tours, Epicentre and World of Sports.
MAYBANK WORLD MASTERCARD: WINNER (BEST GOLF CARD)
LIVE THE HIGH LIFE
Want delectable dining perks, shopping, travel benefits and amazing golf deals? The newly enhanced Maybank World Mastercard has it all.
For three years running now (2015-2017), the Maybank World Mastercard has won Best Golf Credit Card, and for good reason. It offers a slew of incredible golf deals as well as dining, shopping and travel privileges. The newly enhanced Card also boasts more perks than before, including 10X TREATS Points (TP), equivalent to 4 air miles, for every dollar spent – one of the highest in the market.
As an added feature, the convenient, contactless-enabled Maybank World Mastercard lets you breeze through payments with a simple wave, including payment on all modes of public transport.
For those who demand the world, only one Card truly delivers.
TEE OFF IN STYLE
Enjoy complimentary greens fees at 79 golf clubs across 15 countries, including Orchid Country Club in Singapore, Horizon Hills Golf, Johor and Bali National Golf Club, Bali, with a minimum spend of S$1,000. Then practise your swing at The Els Club Malaysia where Cardmembers can enjoy special perks.
GET 10X DINING REWARDS
Receive 10X TP for every dollar spent at a wide range of fine dining restaurants. Satisfy gourmet tastebuds at the Les Amis Group and Crystal Jade, as well as new partners Paradise Group and Imperial Treasure Group. Bon appetit!
SHOP FOR 10X REWARDS
Get 10X TP for every dollar spent at Club21 and T Galleria by DFS, Singapore, when you shop for your favourite brands such as Bulgari, Cartier, Tissot, Gucci, Tory Burch, Michael Kors, Godiva, and TWG.
FILL UP WITH 10X FUEL PERKS
Drive and save when you fill up at any petrol station in Singapore. You’ll enjoy 10X TP in addition to the station discounts, or get 19.1% savings with the Corporate Fuel Card Program.
ENJOY ACCESS TO JETQUAY
Begin your journey of comfort and luxury at the private terminal at Singapore Changi Airport. Simply charge a minimum of S$1,000 in a single transaction on air tickets or travel packages, and receive VIP treatment. Enjoy fast-track immigration clearance, before being chauffeur-driven to your boarding gate in a buggy.
DELIGHT IN SUMPTUOUS DEALS
Hungry for more? Cardmembers enjoy up to 30% savings at SPG Hotels and Resorts. Just dine at participating eateries such as Brasserie Les Saveurs at St Regis Singapore, Li Bai at Sheraton Towers, Le Méridien Jakarta, and more.
Visit http://maybank.sg/wmc for details.
BEST AIR MILES CARD
Maybank Horizon Visa Signature Card
• Fastest air-mile earn-rate on everyday spending
• Points redeemable as air miles or shopping and dining vouchers
If you’re a frequent traveller, you’ll love this card because its Treats points system helps you rack up air miles fast. Earn up to 3.2 air miles for every dollar spent locally on dining, petrol, taxi expenditure and hotel bookings via http://agoda.com, as well as two air miles on travel-related spending. Enjoy complimentary access to selected VIP airport lounges across Asia with a minimum of $400 spent on air tickets or travel packages in a single transaction. You also get 50 percent off all rooms and services at The Haven by Jetquay, at Singapore Changi Airport Terminal 3. Charge your travel fares in full to your card and complimentary travel insurance coverage of up to $1,000,000 will be thrown in.
We also like that this card is pretty flexible – if you don’t want to convert your points into air miles, you can exchange them for entertainment, shopping and dining vouchers, or even home and lifestyle products.
BEST GOLF CARD
Maybank World Mastercard
• Complimentary green fees at 79 fairways across 15 countries
• 10 percent savings on walk-in rates
Greener pastures literally await you with this card’s golf privileges. Skip that pricey golf club membership, and enjoy complimentary green fees at Sembawang Country Club, Raffles Country Club, Orchid Country Club and Keppel Club, as well as 75 other golf clubs around the world, as long as you spend $1,000 or more within the month. Your guests also get 10 percent on walk-in rates. At certain golf clubs, like The Els Club Desaru Coast – Ocean Course and The Els Club Teluk Datai – Rainforest Course in Malaysia, the fourth person in your party plays free.
SINGAPORE’S MOST REWARDING FAMILY CARD
The Bank of China Family Card comes with one of the highest cash rebates on your daily necessities and purchases for everyone at home.
Family comes first and no card answers that call better than the Bank of China Family Card that rewards you every time you charge your expenses to the card. From restaurants and pharmacies to toy stores, supermarkets, and even hospitals as well as telecommunications companies, you can now stretch your money further. Here are some of the benefits you will enjoy with the Bank of China Family Card:
CASH REBATES OF UP TO S$1,440 A YEAR
Enjoy 7% cash rebate on everyday dining, locally and overseas. Now you have even more reason to take your family out to their favourite restaurants more frequently.
Get 5% cash rebate on Online purchases, at Supermarkets, Hospitals, Selected merchants, including BEST Denki, BIG BOX, Unity Pharmacy, Watsons and Toys “R” Us, and even with NETS FlashPay Auto Top-Ups (first four top-ups)!
Enjoy 1% cash rebate on your telecommunications bills.
Enjoy 0.5% cash rebate on all other purchases.
MORE REASONS TO SPEND
Receive an additional 2% cash rebate as the Principal Cardholder when there is a minimum spend of S$200 on all other purchases with your Supplementary Card.
OTHER BENEFITS
Stand a chance to win an all-new Mercedes-Benz C-Class Cabriolet and dream holidays when you charge to your BOC Family Card!
BEST GROCERIES CARD – TIED WINNER
POSB Everyday Card
• Up to 5 percent cash rebates on groceries at Sheng Siong, personal care store Watsons and recurring utilities and telecommunication bills with no minimum spending
• 14 percent cash rebates on Ubereats
• All-in-one card: can be used as a credit card, ATM and EZ-link card
This card’s a jack of all trades – especially for the single girl who’s got lots to do throughout the day. Get 5 percent cashback at Sheng Siong supermarket outlets when you’re grocery shopping, 3 percent at Watsons when you’re picking up essentials, 14 percent on food deliveries using Ubereats and up to 9 percent on dining out – for the days when you don’t feel like cooking for one, and 1 percent on recurring utility and telco bills.
You also get discounts of up to 20.1 percent off petrol at SPC petrol stations. On all other spending, you get 0.3 percent cashback too. The best part? No minimum spend required. Plus, this doubles as an ATM and EZ-link card.
BEST GROCERIES CARD – TIED WINNER
UOB Delight Credit Card
• Up to 8 percent cash rebates at participating supermarkets
• Discounts of up to 10 percent on house-brand products at Cold Storage, Giant and Guardian
Perfect for the needs of a bigger household. This card lets you earn 8 percent cash rebates (the highest rate among all cards) at supermarkets like Cold Storage, Market Place, Jasons, and Giant as well as at all Guardian outlets, when you charge a minimum of $800 a month to the card. Even if you can’t hit that amount, a $400 receipt will get you a 3 percent cash rebate.
Other perks include getting 10 percent off more than 4,000 house-brand products at Cold Storage, Giant and Guardian, rebates of up to 3 percent for selected recurring bills from telcos and Prudential insurance, and on all contactless transactions, including those done with Apple Pay, Visa Paywave and Nets Flashpay. You’ll be saving big on your daily spending in no time.
