Travelling could be counted as one of the things Singaporeans are really enthusiastic about. But, travelling abroad could sometimes drill a hole through your pockets. You have to strategiseyour travel and flying spend in order to avoid such instances.

There are several banks and financial institutions in Singapore that offer air miles credit card for you to save on your flight expenses. You can earn ‘miles’ every time you spend on flight bookings, which could be later redeemed for you to access free flight travels. Ideally, a person who’s travelling abroad more than 4 times a year should probably consider applying for a miles card.

What are airline miles?

Airline miles can be described as a loyalty programme associated with airlines or credit cards that entitle you to a fixed amount of points, depending on how far you fly or how much you spend on the flights using your credit cards. This is also known as frequent flyer miles, and the points accumulated could be utilised to buy tickets. Some of the miles cards could also be used towards shopping vouchers and cashback.

Perks of having an air miles card

There are several benefits of applying for a miles card. Some of them can be listed as follows:

● Air miles cards usually come with complimentary access to airport lounges.

● They also include check-in services at airports.

● You can earn discounts on flight tickets.

● These cards help you reduce your trip expenses overseas.

● Besides, they also furnish hotel benefits and other offers around the world.

● The miles can be used during flight bookings.

This is not all. Most of the air miles cards are also coupled with travel insurance, concierge services, hotel privileges, and more. Then there are cards that promise higher rewards on overseas spending.

Things to consider before getting an air miles card

To understand the aspects tied with getting an air miles card, it’s important we look at the following elements:

● Frequency of travel: Getting a miles card will work wonders for you, if you are a frequent flyer. Every time you use the miles card, points accumulate, which can be redeemed for your future travels. However, if you’re not much of a traveller, you might find a miles card useless, as there are costs associated with holding on to the card.

● Credit card’s compatibility with your opted airlines: Usually airlines have offers and loyalty programmes attached that help customers find value every time they make bookings. Miles card associated with airlines tend to reward those who choose to fly frequently with a particular airline. Ideally, you should apply for a miles card that provides more reward on the airline you choose most of the times.

● Income criteria: This is one of the most crucial elements that might affect your choice of card. Within Singapore market, the most reasonable rate for getting a card would cost you a minimum amount of S$50,000. Citi PremierMiles Card is a good example of one such card. On the other hands, miles card might cost as high as S$150,000. You have to analyse your income and choose card accordingly, so as to avoid any penalty later.

● Credit score: Another important aspect, credit score helps in determining how eligible you are to apply for a miles card. You must maintain a good or robust credit score, to easily get access to these cards.

How to decide on the right card to pick?

To kick off things, you should analyse your spending habits on airlines. You must know what kind of facilities or rewards would you ideally ‘fish’ for. Different cards have different types of rewards, depending on disparate customer requirements.

As discussed earlier, if you fly very often, and very frequently with a particular airline, you must consider applying for a card that is tied with that particular airline. This will help you earn significant amount of miles on all your flights.

Moreover, there are cards that help you accumulate significant amount of miles, on specific purchases, besides earning you miles on your flight bookings. So, you might want to double-check on the bonuses, so as to sense more worth of the card.