UOB PRVI Miles Platinum American Express® Card

[eriond]

Be careful with this card - it has a double whammy on overseas charges. First, it converts all amounts to US dollars, then does another conversion to Sing$. Then it adds the Visa charge - 1%, and another FX fee of 2.5%.

Those are very expensive miles you are collecting.

I remembered that most Singapore-issued Amex cards also covert to USD before to SGD.

In Singapore, FX fees are usually 1+1.5% for Visa/MC cards and 1+2% for Amex cards.

[ginkoka]

25$ for every redemption request and 3 weeks to process.

Seems like the Amex PPS card is a better deal if you are crediting miles frequently - automatic transfer each month without charge.

[disclaimer] I do not have any relationship with a card issuer - just tend to read the fine print.

I like the annual krisflyer voucher, but:

1) you earn miles on overseas spending 50% slower than with maybank horizon and citi premiermiles
2) no higher tier earn rate like premiermiles or DBS altitude
3) transferred miles start their expiry countdown immediately

[demue]

But if I have Maybank Horizon VISA (5x points for overseas charges = S$1 = 2 miles), I would prefer to use Maybank because Maybank round up the points, anything greater than S$0.50 gets you 1x5 points.

Say the final S$ after conversion is S$9.50, for Citi PM, you get 18 miles, for Maybank Horizon VISA, you get 50 points = 20 miles!

I'm with you on that one.

Plus get Infinite Rewards and your EZlink card linked to your Maybank CC turns into a mileage maker with 10x treats points (1S$ = 10 treats = 4 KF mls). The only annoying thing seems to be that the Ezlink terminals at Cold Storage and Guardian don't seem to be able to trigger the auto-top up. Now I need to remember how much money is on my card (max. 50S$) and plan my purchases in smaller batches accordingly to maximize

[SQueeze]

I have already been encountering smaller merchants not accepting Amex here in Vietnam.

Maybank card is still indispensable.

[tategoi]

If you already have an UOB credit card, you can just call the card hotline and apply on the phone. But the thing I hate about UOB is the difficulties in getting through the hotline.

[MAN Flyer]

I have already been encountering smaller merchants not accepting Amex here in Vietnam.

I can only wish you the very best of luck using Amex in Vietnam!. It's was bad enough using Mastercard and Visa up until a few years ago.

[archie]

Be careful with this card - it has a double whammy on overseas charges. First, it converts all amounts to US dollars, then does another conversion to Sing$. Then it adds the Visa charge - 1%, and another FX fee of 2.5%.

Those are very expensive miles you are collecting.

All Singapore-issued credit cards (Visa, Mastercard or Amex) convert to USD first, then to SGD.

The bank commission is dependent on which bank issued the card. For Citibank, I believe it's 2.5% (which is inclusive of Visa's 1% commission). That is hardly the highest (eg. UOB PRVI Miles charges a total of 3.25%).

25$ for every redemption request and 3 weeks to process.

Seems like the Amex PPS card is a better deal if you are crediting miles frequently - automatic transfer each month without charge.

[disclaimer] I do not have any relationship with a card issuer - just tend to read the fine print.

Firstly, unless you have PPS, you can't get the Amex PPS card.

Secondly, you are earning less miles with the PPS card (0.2 miles per $ less for local charges, 1 mile per $ less for overseas charges).

Thirdly, your miles are credited each month, starting the three year countdown to expiry. With the Premiermiles, they don't expire. Transfer only when required.

The only on instance when the PPS card is better is when you buy tickets on singaporeair.com, where you earn 2 miles per $. But then again, I get that as well for Maybank Horizon card, which earns 2 miles per $ for all air tickets, not just from singaporeair.com.

The PPS Amex card (like it's Gold and PPS Solitaire versions) is really quite lacklustre...

[vsepr]

All Singapore-issued credit cards (Visa, Mastercard or Amex) convert to USD first, then to SGD.

The bank commission is dependent on which bank issued the card. For Citibank, I believe it's 2.5% (which is inclusive of Visa's 1% commission). That is hardly the highest (eg. UOB PRVI Miles charges a total of 3.25%).



Firstly, unless you have PPS, you can't get the Amex PPS card.

Secondly, you are earning less miles with the PPS card (0.2 miles per $ less for local charges, 1 mile per $ less for overseas charges).

Thirdly, your miles are credited each month, starting the three year countdown to expiry. With the Premiermiles, they don't expire. Transfer only when required.

The only on instance when the PPS card is better is when you buy tickets on singaporeair.com, where you earn 2 miles per $. But then again, I get that as well for Maybank Horizon card, which earns 2 miles per $ for all air tickets, not just from singaporeair.com.

The PPS Amex card (like it's Gold and PPS Solitaire versions) is really quite lacklustre...

EXACTLY!!

[Kyo]

But then again, I get that as well for Maybank Horizon card, which earns 2 miles per $ for all air tickets, not just from singaporeair.com.

Thanks - I found that useful. Does it have to be for ex-SIN only, or can it originate from elsewhere also?

[sabian]

Doesn't matter. As long as the merchant code is an airline or travel agency, you get 2 miles for each SG dollar equivalent of foreign currency transacted.

DCC type of transaction will not earn 2 miles.

[lingua101]

Al
The PPS Amex card (like it's Gold and PPS Solitaire versions) is really quite lacklustre...

Sorry for OOT

Just want to ask, is this because of Amex tight up with SQ that cause CX cannot launch their Amex card in SG? Been waiting for CX card after the Citi CX has been cancelled.

[aerosmith]

All Singapore-issued credit cards (Visa, Mastercard or Amex) convert to USD first, then to SGD.

The bank commission is dependent on which bank issued the card. For Citibank, I believe it's 2.5% (which is inclusive of Visa's 1% commission). That is hardly the highest (eg. UOB PRVI Miles charges a total of 3.25%).

Was in Malaysia during the past weekend, and I used the below 3 well known points-earning cards on separate occasions. Removing the fact it earns you the most points overseas at this juncture, conclusion is the UOB Privi Miles AMEX card charges you the most for your overseas spending with all the currency conversion plus commission fees. Below are the final MYR/SGD currency conversion rates (all inclusive):

UOB Privi Miles AMEX = 2.397
Maybank Horizon VISA = 2.420
Citibank PremierMiles VISA = 2.421

[archie]

Thanks - I found that useful. Does it have to be for ex-SIN only, or can it originate from elsewhere also?

No, I have bought domestic tickets in other countries on the card and have gotten the bonus points.

Doesn't matter. As long as the merchant code is an airline or travel agency, you get 2 miles for each SG dollar equivalent of foreign currency transacted.

DCC type of transaction will not earn 2 miles.

Well, to be completely accurate, a DCC type of transaction on an airline or travel agency will still earn you 2 miles per $. The 2 miles per $ for air tix is a seperate offer from the 2 miles per $ for foreign transactions.

Was in Malaysia during the past weekend, and I used the below 3 well known points-earning cards on separate occasions. Removing the fact it earns you the most points overseas at this juncture, conclusion is the UOB Privi Miles AMEX card charges you the most for your overseas spending with all the currency conversion plus commission fees. Below are the final MYR/SGD currency conversion rates (all inclusive):

UOB Privi Miles AMEX = 2.397
Maybank Horizon VISA = 2.420
Citibank PremierMiles VISA = 2.421

That's hardly surprising given that we already know that the UOB Amex charges a higher commission (3.25% vs 2.5% for Premiermiles).

On the other hand, consider that you are also earning more miles, you need to decide if the 0.5 miles per $ is worth paying that extra 0.75% (thereabouts) more.

[ginkoka]

On the PRVI card's free airport "limo", theoretically if I swipe the card today at an overseas hotel (physically) to pay for my stay, could I claim a trip to the airport for another trip subsequently? Would UOB be able to distinguish that transaction from an online prepaid booking for a "future" stay?

[lingua101]

I just signed up for the card today as there is roadshow nearby my office.....

Only give small bag as freebie leh