Back in April last year, just as COVID-19 had put a stop to almost all leisure travel, DBS launched what might have been considered an ill-timed partnership with online travel site Agoda, offering between 4.4 mpd and 8 mpd on bookings made using your Altitude or WWMC credit cards until 30th September 2020.
It’s probably fair to say there was little interest given the lack of travel opportunities and the uncertain timescales for trips to resume, especially as stays also had to be completed within the offer window.
Things changed in July 2020, when Singapore staycations became possible, with a range of hotels now being the only getaway option for most of our readers to this day.
DBS and Agoda rebooted the deal by increasing the earn rate to a competitive 10 mpd for staycation bookings through to the end of 2020.
Offer extended to June 2021
This offer has now been extended and is valid for bookings and stays by 30th June 2021, which is great news since staycations remain the primary option for leisure stays while international borders are still largely closed.
If you hold the DBS Altitude (Visa or Amex), DBS Woman’s World Mastercard or DBS Woman’s Platinum Mastercard, you’ll be entitled to 10 miles per dollar in total spent on local hotel stays completed by the end of June 2021.
There’s a monthly upper spend limit for each card, after which the rate drops to between 6.4 mpd and 8.2 mpd, depending on which card you hold.
Let’s take a look at how it works.
Staycation offer
For bookings made at hotels in Singapore via the dedicated Agoda / DBS landing page between now and 30th June 2021, which are also completed by 30th June 2021, here are the earn rates applicable depending on which DBS credit card you use.
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DBS Altitude Visa / Amex |
| Qualifying Spend (per calendar month) | Staycation Miles Earned |
| First S$5,000 |
10 mpd total |
| S$5,001 onwards |
8.2 mpd |
As you can see for the DBS Altitude cards this taps in to the bonus 3 mpd earn rate (capped at S$5,000 spend per month) when calculating the 10 mpd total for staycation bookings through this special site.
After that the rate drops to 8.2 mpd, still a generous miles-earning level. See the full T&Cs for the DBS Altitude offer here.
Note that if you have already used some of the S$5,000 monthly allowance on other flight and hotel transactions with your DBS Altitude card, only the amount remaining in that category for the month will earn 10 mpd for staycation bookings using the Agoda dedicated link.
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DBS Woman’s World |
| Qualifying Spend (per calendar month) | Staycation Miles Earned |
| First S$2,000 |
10 mpd total |
| S$2,001 onwards |
6.4 mpd total |
For the Woman’s World card it’s only the first S$2,000 of accumulated spend per calendar month that’s eligible for the 10 mpd rate for staycation bookings through Agoda, thereafter a 6.4 mpd rate applies.
Note that if you have already used some of the S$2,000 monthly allowance on other eligible online transactions with your DBS Woman’s World card, only the amount remaining in that category for the month will earn 10 mpd using the Agoda dedicated link.
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DBS Woman’s Platinum |
| Qualifying Spend (per calendar month) | Staycation Miles Earned |
| First S$1,000 |
10 mpd total |
| S$1,001 onwards |
8.4 mpd total |
For the Woman’s Platinum card it’s only the first S$1,000 monthly spend via the dedicated link that’s eligible for a 10 mpd total earn rate on staycation bookings, though after that it’s still a competitive 8.4 mpd for any additional local bookings through Agoda, the highest ‘uncapped’ rate among these cards.
Note that if you have already used some of the S$1,000 monthly allowance on other eligible online transactions with your DBS Woman’s Platinum card, only the amount remaining in that category for the month will earn 10 mpd using the Agoda dedicated link.
How to book
Bookings must be made via the dedicated landing page:
Payment must be made using one of the four DBS credit cards listed above to qualify for the bonus points. You must also provide your bank registered mobile number as per DBS’ records at the time of booking, as registration with incorrect information may result in you not qualifying for the promotion.
Important: Only rates where the payment is made directly to Agoda are applicable, so this won’t work for rates where you pay directly to or at the hotel itself. Look for the “Promo Eligible” tag on the room types search results page.
Taxes and service charges are included in the total cost assessed for the bonus miles, however no other incidental room expenses will qualify.
When do the bonus miles credit?
Assuming you remain within the higher bonus spend level each calendar month (e.g. first S$5,000 of travel transactions for the DBS Altitude card):
- For the DBS Altitude cards you’ll initially earn at the 1.2 mpd (SGD) rates for staycation transactions.
The first bonus, rounding this up to 3 mpd, will be credited in the middle of the following month.
The 7 mpd Agoda bonus will be credited within 2 calendar months after the end of the promotion period (i.e. by 31st August 2021). - For the DBS Woman’s World card you’ll initially earn at the 0.4 mpd (SGD) or 1.2 mpd (FCY) rates for these transactions.
The first bonus, rounding this up to 4 mpd, will be credited at the end of the following month.
The 6 mpd Agoda bonus will be credited within 2 calendar months after the end of the promotion period (i.e. by 31st August 2021). - For the DBS Woman’s Platinum card you’ll initially earn at the 0.4 mpd rate for these transactions.
The first bonus, rounding this up to 2 mpd, will be credited at the end of the following month.
The 8 mpd Agoda bonus will be credited within 2 calendar months after the end of the promotion period (i.e. by 31st August 2021).
As you can see whichever card you use, you’ll potentially be waiting until the end of August 2021 for at least half of the points you would earn from this campaign, so it’s certainly not a fast way to rack up the miles balance.
Note: If you took advantage of this 10 mpd offer for a booking and stay before 31st December 2020, don’t worry. You’ll still get your Agoda bonus miles by 28th February 2021 in line with the previous terms and conditions.Which hotels?
You can check out which hotels in Singapore are currently taking staycation bookings at our dedicated and continually updated page, with new properties being continually added to the list.
The wide range of options now includes 38 luxury hotels across the city, including the Shangri-La, the Pan Pacific, the Westin and the Conrad Centennial.
Do remember that for the purposes of the DBS 10 mpd Agoda deal, you’ll have to choose a “Promo Eligible” property.
Staycation deals
Most of the hotels now open for staycation bookings in Singapore have some form of deal on offer when you book direct. You won’t necessarily get the best rate, nor the additional staycation perks, if you book through Agoda.
While 10 mpd is a very attractive deal, make sure you’re not paying over the odds for the miles (not too much anyway) and not losing out on benefits you would value more, like dining credits, free parking, etc., which may outweigh the miles value for your chosen property if a good staycation deal is on offer when booking directly or through another site.
Overseas offer
While it seems a little irrelevant at the moment, DBS and Agoda have also extended the bonus miles offer for their previous earn rates on worldwide hotel bookings (i.e. outside Singapore).
For bookings made via the same dedicated Agoda / DBS landing page between now and 30th June 2021, which are also completed by 30th June 2021, here are the earn rates applicable for overseas (non-Singapore) hotels, depending on which DBS credit card you use.
DBS Altitude Visa / Amex
- First S$5,000: 7 mpd
- S$5,001+: 5.2 mpd (S$) / 6 mpd (FCY)
DBS Woman’s World
- First S$2,000: 8 mpd
- S$2,001+: 4.4 mpd
DBS Woman’s Platinum
- First S$1,000: 6 mpd
- S$1,001+: 4.4 mpd
Which loyalty schemes can I transfer into?
DBS Points can be transferred into:
- Singapore Airlines KrisFlyer miles
- Cathay Pacific Asia Miles
- Qantas Frequent Flyer Points
Those three open up a wide range of redemption options across Star Alliance and oneworld alliance airlines.
You can also transfer your DBS Points to Air Asia BIG Points, however the value in this programme is extremely poor in comparison.
Card reviews
We’ve got full reviews of the DBS Altitude and DBS Woman’s World cards (men can get the latter one too!). Check them out for a detailed look at their other features.
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$300 cashback sign-up offer
Better still, if you successfully apply for either of these cards as a first-time DBS/POSB credit card holder between now and 10th January 2020, you’ll be eligible for S$300 cashback when you make your first transaction of any amount.
See our article if you’re interested in that offer, which is the highest-ever cashback promotion the bank has offered for new credit card sign-ups.
Summary
It’s great to see this generous 10 mpd staycation promotion from DBS extended for the next six months, given that we’re unlikely to see many international travel opportunities until the second half of 2021.
If you are looking to book a staycation be sure to check out the rates for your preferred properties under the ‘Promo Eligible’ tag via the dedicated DBS x Agoda booking link, but do make sure to compare with best available rates directly with the hotel or through other sites (as always).
Additionally, consider the benefits of any staycation packages on offer, most of which won’t apply unless you book directly. If you are paying more and/or losing some benefits, make sure the miles you’re getting instead are worth the difference.
(Cover Photo: MainlyMiles)
DBS points earned on DBS Altitude also do not expire, unlike those earned on the WWMC card. Something else to consider given that most of us won’t be making redemptions any time soon.