Kris+ has a fantastic new bonus miles earning promotion running between now and 11th July 2021 at over 150 merchants across the city, including dining, wellness and retail outlets, with 3X the usual KrisPay miles rate on offer when you use in-app payment via Apple Pay or Google Pay.
In reality though you can pay however you want, including the old-fashioned way by the merchant scanning a QR code from your phone, then making card or cash payment directly, and still enjoy triple miles earning at these stores.
Enhanced earn rates with the 3X multiplier start at 1.5 mpd (for former 0.5 mpd outlets) but go right up to 15 mpd – which is worth up to 19 mpd in total when you use the right bonus miles earning credit card to pay.
Better still, you’ll also earn 3 Elite miles or 1 PPS Value per dollar spent at these merchants during the promotional period as part of KrisFlyer’s offer to unlock status credits without flying, to either retain or upgrade your membership tier for a year.
Two earn methods
Kris+ now has two distinct payment methods when you earn miles for purchases with a participating merchant.
Online method
(Apple / Google Pay)
- Scan merchant’s QR code
- Enter amount
- Select to pay via Apple Pay / Google Pay
- Click “Confirm”
- Miles earned and can be transferred to KrisFlyer
Offline method
(Card / cash)
- Tap “Earn” button
- Enter amount and click “Next”
- Merchant scans QR code on your device
- Miles earned and can be transferred to KrisFlyer
- Pay merchant directly by card or cash
The idea of this promotion is to encourage customers to use the new online method (i.e. via Apple Pay or Google Pay), with the terms and conditions document stating that only this earning method will be eligible for triple miles under the promotion.
To enable earning of KrisPay miles for the purposes of this Promotion, each Participant must first set up and enable Apple Pay (on iOS devices) or Google Pay (on Android devices) with a Visa or MasterCard debit or credit card linked as the primary card and must make payment for the Eligible In-App Payment Transaction via such card on Apple Pay or Google Pay only through the Kris+ App.
Kris+ 3X promo Terms and Conditions
It doesn’t actually matter how you pay!
Here’s the interesting thing about this promotion. It doesn’t seem to be necessary to make an in-app payment, or even have Apple Pay / Google Pay set up on your device, to get the 3X enhanced miles rate at these merchants.
This afternoon I went down to my local Cedele to test this, using the “offline method” to pay for my lunch (S$10) directly by credit card.
The server scanned the QR code on my iPhone, which doesn’t even have Apple Pay activated, and I also got 3 mpd (usual rate 1 mpd).
I transferred the miles immediately into KrisFlyer and they have already credited in full, along with the Elite miles too.
So while the promotion is designed to encourage the new (simpler) in-app payment method, and the terms and conditions state it as a requirement, the app isn’t actually enforcing this.
Why wouldn’t you pay in-app?
Surely if Apple Pay and Google Pay are simpler methods to earn KrisPay miles when making purchases at Kris+ merchants (which they are), there’s no reason not to do so?
Well there are two credit cards awarding bonus miles for contactless payment, for example, which exclude in-app payments made via Apple Pay and Google Pay from their bonus category, and that means earning 0.4 mpd, not 4 mpd, for the transaction.
- UOB PPV: Bonus rate only valid when you wave your mobile device against the Visa payWave reader
- UOB VS: Bonus rate only valid when tapping your card or waving your mobile device against the Visa payWave reader
In these cases you clearly want to be using the “offline method” to accrue the 3X miles, then tap your mobile device directly with the merchant (in the case of the PPV card) or tap either your mobile device or your physical card (in the case of the VS card), for the 4 mpd element from UOB.
Participating merchants
While most Kris+ merchants are participating in this 3X miles promotion, a whopping 153 in total, there are some notable exclusions from the list.
Examples include Harvey Norman and Simmons, since these merchants are not currently Kris+ Payment enabled, meaning only the “offline payment” method is available (not that this affects the earn rate, they just aren’t included in the promo).
We’ve split the participating merchants into five categories, then listed them best to worst in terms of promotional earn rate during this period.
The Merchant Category Code (MCC) is also shown, where known, to help you decide which credit card will offer bonus miles rates for the transaction itself, on top of the KrisPay miles.
Dining
| Merchant | MCC* | Usual rate | Promo rate |
| Arteastiq (Jewel Changi Airport) | 5812 | 9 mpd | |
| Arteastiq (Mandarin Gallery) | 5812 | 9 mpd | |
| Arteastiq Bistro | 5812 | 9 mpd | |
| Atrium | 7011 | 9 mpd | |
| Cajun on Wheels (Pasarbella) | 5812 | 9 mpd | |
| Cajun on Wheels (Plaza Singapura) | 5812 | 9 mpd | |
| Kim Choo Kueh Chang | 5812 | 9 mpd | |
| Mimi Restaurant | 5812 | 9 mpd | |
| Paper Rice | 5812 | 9 mpd | |
| Supresso | 5499 | 9 mpd | |
| UNA at Alkaff Mansion | 5812 | 9 mpd | |
| Xin Cuisine | 5812 | 9 mpd | |
| 25 Degrees Burger, Wine & Liquor Bar | 7011 | 6 mpd | |
| Anglo Indian Cafe & Bar | 5812 | 6 mpd | |
| atout | 5499 | 6 mpd | |
| Bacha Coffee | 5812 5814 |
6 mpd | |
| BAKALAKI Greek Taverna | 5812 | 6 mpd | |
| Delibowl | 5814 | 6 mpd | |
| Ginett Restaurant & Wine Bar | 7011 | 6 mpd | |
| L’Angelus | 5812 | 6 mpd | |
| Les Bouchons | 5812 | 6 mpd | |
| Lime | 5812 | 6 mpd | |
| Mellower Coffee | 5814 | 6 mpd | |
| Nuodle | 5814 | 6 mpd | |
| Perch | 5812 | 6 mpd | |
| Shin Kushiya | 5812 | 6 mpd | |
| Si Chuan Dou Hua | 5812 | 6 mpd | |
| Spice Brasserie | 5812 | 6 mpd | |
| The Horse’s Mouth Bar | 5812 | 6 mpd | |
| The Spot | 5812 | 6 mpd | |
| The Xiang Pavilion | 5812 | 6 mpd | |
| TONITO | 5812 | 6 mpd | |
| WAKANUI Grill | 5812 | 6 mpd | |
| Window on the Park | 3501 | 6 mpd | |
| Yoshi Restaurant | 5812 | 6 mpd | |
| Lobster Air | 5812 | 4.5 mpd | |
| 108 Matcha Saro | 5814 | 3 mpd | |
| Andersen’s of Denmark | 5499 | 3 mpd | |
| Azur, Crowne Plaza Changi Airport | 7011 | 3 mpd | |
| Bean’s Party Dessert | ????? | 3 mpd | |
| Ben’s Cookies | 5462 | 3 mpd | |
| Beppu Menkan | 5812 | 3 mpd | |
| Beurre | 5812 | 3 mpd | |
| Bread & Butterfly by Saveur | 5812 | 3 mpd | |
| Cedele | 5814 | 3 mpd | |
| Coffee@Works | ????? | 3 mpd | |
| EGA Juice Clinic | 5499 | 3 mpd | |
| Enjoy Eating House | 5812 | 3 mpd | |
| Georges | ????? | 3 mpd | |
| Gong Cha | 5814 | 3 mpd | |
| Greenhouse | 5812 | 3 mpd | |
| Hair of the Dog | ????? | 3 mpd | |
| Jarrel’s Bistro | 5812 | 3 mpd | |
| Kanada-Ya | 5812 | 3 mpd | |
| Knots Cafe and Living | 5992 | 3 mpd | |
| Krispy Kreme | 5462 | 3 mpd | |
| Legends Bar | 5812 | 3 mpd | |
| llaollao | 5814 | 3 mpd | |
| Maison de PB | 5812 | 3 mpd | |
| Maison Kayser | 5812 | 3 mpd | |
| MediumRare by Saveur | 5812 | 3 mpd | |
| Menya Kokoro | 5812 | 3 mpd | |
| MyEureka | 5441 | 3 mpd | |
| Niku Kappo | 5812 | 3 mpd | |
| Paris Baguette | 5462 | 3 mpd | |
| PASTAHOLIC | 5812 | 3 mpd | |
| Polar Puffs & Cakes | 5462 | 3 mpd | |
| Saveur | 5812 | 3 mpd | |
| Sushi Airways | 5812 | 3 mpd | |
| Tee Deck | 5812 | 3 mpd | |
| The Coffee Academics | 5814 | 3 mpd | |
| Toss and Turn | 5814 | 3 mpd | |
| TP Tea | 5462 | 3 mpd | |
| Tsuta Japanese Dining | 5812 | 3 mpd | |
| WATAMI Japanese Dining | 5812 | 3 mpd | |
| Workspace Espresso Bar | 5814 | 3 mpd | |
| Wursthans Switzerland | 5814 | 3 mpd | |
| Hudsons Coffee | 5942 | 2.25 mpd | |
| The Kitchen by Wolfgang Puck | 5812 | 2.25 mpd |
* MCC codes are subject to change and sometimes vary between the Visa and Mastercard networks, even for the same merchant. These are based on the best information we have at the time of writing.
Do be aware that a few of the dining merchants in this promotion code under MCC 7011 (Hotels) and most credit cards won’t accrue miles at their bonus rate in this case.
Activities
| Merchant | MCC* | Usual rate | Promo rate |
| Mega Adventure | 7999 | 3 mpd | |
| NERF Action Xperience | 7996 | 3 mpd | |
| Ola Beach Club | 5812 | 3 mpd | |
| Trapped SG | 7999 | 3 mpd |
* MCC codes are subject to change and sometimes vary between the Visa and Mastercard networks, even for the same merchant. These are based on the best information we have at the time of writing.
Retail
| Merchant | MCC* | Usual rate | Promo rate |
| Chagaan Cashmere | ????? | 15 mpd | |
| GROHE | 5722 | 15 mpd | |
| ipse ipsa ipsum | 5712 | 12 mpd | |
| Breitling | 5944 | 9 mpd | |
| HERA | 7230 | 9 mpd | |
| HoneyWorld | 5499 | 9 mpd | |
| PUMA | 5941 | 9 mpd | |
| Sulwhasoo | 5977 | 9 mpd | |
| Creative Jewellery Studio | 5944 | 6 mpd | |
| Nila Aromatherapy | 5122 | 6 mpd | |
| Perk by Kate | 5691 | 6 mpd | |
| RISIS | 5950 | 6 mpd | |
| The 1872 Clipper Tea Co. | 5499 | 6 mpd | |
| ALDO | 5661 | 3 mpd | |
| Bottles & Bottles | 5300 5921 |
3 mpd | |
| Bowers & Wilkins | 5732 | 3 mpd | |
| Bynd Artisan | 5948 | 3 mpd | |
| bYSI | 5621 5699 |
3 mpd | |
| Candy Empire | 5441 | 3 mpd | |
| Capitol Optical | 8043 | 3 mpd | |
| Dragon Brand Bird’s Nest | 5499 | 3 mpd | |
| Her Velvet Vase | 5621 5651 |
3 mpd | |
| In Good Company | 5621 | 3 mpd | |
| JVD | 5999 | 3 mpd | |
| KLARRA | 5621 | 3 mpd | |
| Klosh | 5947 | 3 mpd | |
| LEGO Certified Store | 5945 | 3 mpd | |
| Leong Poh Kee | ????? | 3 mpd | |
| Neal’s Yard Remedies | 5999 | 3 mpd | |
| Outdoor Life | 5941 | 3 mpd | |
| Prestige Affairs | 5712 | 3 mpd | |
| TWG Tea | 5812 | 3 mpd | |
| V-ZUG Singapore | 5722 | 3 mpd | |
| Xpressflower.com | 5992 | 3 mpd | |
| YACHT 21 | 5621 | 3 mpd | |
| Challenger | 5045 | 1.5 mpd |
* MCC codes are subject to change and sometimes vary between the Visa and Mastercard networks, even for the same merchant. These are based on the best information we have at the time of writing.
Services
| Merchant | MCC* | Usual rate | Promo rate |
| CARs | 7542 | 6 mpd | |
| EA Detailer | 7542 | 6 mpd | |
| For the Love of Laundry | 7210 | 6 mpd | |
| Jete Studios | 7911 | 6 mpd | |
| Jo Artysan | 7230 | 6 mpd | |
| The Little Gym | 8299 | 6 mpd | |
| The Ring Boxing Community | 5734 | 6 mpd | |
| The Working Capitol | 7399 | 6 mpd | |
| JDMIS | 8299 | 3 mpd | |
| LifeSpa | 7298 | 3 mpd | |
| Shunji Matsuo | 7230 | 3 mpd | |
| Sultans of Shave | 7230 | 3 mpd | |
| TONI&GUY | 7230 | 3 mpd |
* MCC codes are subject to change and sometimes vary between the Visa and Mastercard networks, even for the same merchant. These are based on the best information we have at the time of writing.
Wellness
| Merchant | MCC* | Usual rate | Promo rate |
| Isabella Aesthetics | 7298 | 15 mpd | |
| DrHair | 5977 | 9 mpd | |
| DrSpa | 5977 | 9 mpd | |
| La Source Spa | ????? | 9 mpd | |
| Mirage Aesthetic | 7230 | 9 mpd | |
| Skinlab The Medical Spa | 7298 | 9 mpd | |
| FE The Nail Lounge | ????? | 6 mpd | |
| Jyan Yoga Studio | 8299 | 6 mpd | |
| PHS Hairscience | 7298 | 6 mpd | |
| St Gregory Spa | 7011 | 6 mpd | |
| Sugar(ed) | 7298 | 6 mpd | |
| The Big Blow | 7230 | 6 mpd | |
| Devarana Wellness | 7298 | 3 mpd | |
| Erabelle | 7230 | 3 mpd | |
| Fusion AestheticSpa | 5977 | 3 mpd | |
| Ikeda Spa | 7298 | 3 mpd | |
| Jal Yoga | 7997 | 3 mpd | |
| JR Fitness, Yoga and Dance | 7997 | 3 mpd | |
| Kenko Wellness Spa & Reflexology | 7298 | 3 mpd | |
| Natureland | 8011 | 3 mpd | |
| The Posture Lab | 7297 | 3 mpd |
* MCC codes are subject to change and sometimes vary between the Visa and Mastercard networks, even for the same merchant. These are based on the best information we have at the time of writing.
Which card to use
As you probably already know, with Kris+ you’ll earn KrisPay miles for your transaction (which you then can and should convert into KrisFlyer miles), on top of the usual points you’ll get when using your best credit card to make payment.
Where possible, you’ll want to be using a credit card offering a 4 mpd bonus rate when making payment at these merchants, which you’ll then earn separately and in addition to up to 15 mpd through Kris+.
Whether you use Apple Pay, Google Pay or make a direct credit card payment to the merchant, Kris+ confirmed to us that the transaction will code under the applicable Merchant Category Code (MCC) for that outlet.
Simple option: Contactless
If you hold one of the following credit cards, your simplest option is to earn your highest bonus rate by making a contactless payment with the merchant, while also scanning to earn KrisPay miles through the Kris+ app.
Remember that’s the “old fashioned” way – not using the in-app Apple Pay / Google Pay function (except for the HSBC Revolution, where it makes no difference).
| Card | Earn Rate |
Notes / MCCs | ||
Offline method |
||||
 UOB PPV(see our review) |
0.4 mpd | 4 mpd | On mobile contactless transactions (don’t tap the physical card), capped at S$1,110 per calendar month. | |
 UOB Visa Signature(see our review) |
0.4 mpd | 4 mpd | On contactless transactions, subject to a minimum spend of $1,000 in local transactions per statement period, capped at S$2,000 per statement period. | |
 HSBC Revolution(see our review) |
4 mpd | On contactless or mobile wallet payments at specific outlets by MCC, capped at S$1,000 per calendar month. |
||
| MCC 3501 MCC 5045 MCC 5441 MCC 5462 MCC 5499 MCC 5621 MCC 5651 MCC 5661 MCC 5691 MCC 5699 MCC 5732 |
MCC 5734 MCC 5812 MCC 5814 MCC 5944 MCC 5945 MCC 5947 MCC 5948 MCC 5992 MCC 5999 MCC 7011 MCC 7997 |
|||
More complex: MCC-specific
The following cards have slightly more complicated MCC restrictions for in-store transactions, but all will award between 3 mpd and 4 mpd for spend in the specific MCCs listed (only those participating in the promotion are shown).
You can reference the participating merchant tables above to check the MCC before choosing which card to use.
For these cards, it doesn’t matter whether you use Apple Pay / Google Pay or the “offline method” when earning, the bonus rate will apply for payments in a valid MCC.
| Card | Earn Rate |
Notes / MCCs | |
 UOB Lady’s
|
4 mpd | Capped at S$1,000 per month (Lady’s) or S$3,000 per month (Lady’s Solitaire). Subject to your specified quarterly bonus category, including: |
|
| Dining: | MCC 5499 MCC 5812 MCC 5814 |
||
| Beauty: | MCC 5977 MCC 7230 MCC 7297 MCC 7298 |
||
| Fashion: | MCC 5621 MCC 5651 MCC 5661 MCC 5691 MCC 5699 MCC 5948 |
||
 Citi Rewards(see our review) |
4 mpd | On transactions at stores with shoes, bags and clothes as their main MCC, capped at S$1,000 per statement period. | |
| MCC 5621 MCC 5651 MCC 5661 |
MCC 5691 MCC 5699 MCC 5948 |
||
 OCBC TR(see our review) |
4 mpd | On shopping transactions in specific MCCs, capped at S$12,000 per card membership year. | |
| MCC 5621 MCC 5651 MCC 5661 |
MCC 5691 MCC 5699 MCC 5732 |
||
 Maybank Horizon VS(see our review) |
3.2 mpd | On all local dining transactions (single MCC only) with a total spend in any category of at least S$300 in the same calendar month. | |
| MCC 5812 | |||
 KrisFlyer UOB(see our review) |
3 mpd | On all dining transactions, with no cap, subject to S$500+ spend on SIA transactions in your membership year (bonus 1.8 mpd on dining credited after the end of your membership year). | |
| MCC 5812 | MCC 5814 | ||
UOB Lady’s SolitaireIf you’re making payment by Apple Pay or Google Pay with your Citi Rewards card, don’t make the mistake of thinking that since this will be considered an online transaction you will earn 4 mpd for any non-travel merchant (i.e. outside the shoes / clothes / bags category).
Online transactions using this card specifically exclude mobile wallet payments, so that strategy won’t work.
For the DBS WWMC card, awarding 4 mpd on up to S$2,000 of online spend per calendar month, the bonus miles should apply, in theory, when paying at a merchant using Apple Pay or Google Pay via the Kris+ app.
You may not wish to risk it at this stage, especially for a large payment, until we have some data points on this.
Still unsure?
If you’re still not sure whether your bonus miles credit card is eligible for the merchant of your choice, our advice is to use your best card for general spend miles accrual, especially if the transaction is substantial.
For smaller amounts you may wish to take the chance, but remember most bonus category spend credit cards earn just 0.4 mpd when you make transactions that the bank decides don’t qualify.
Don’t forget to transfer straight to KrisFlyer miles
KrisPay miles earned through Kris+ can only be transferred to your KrisFlyer account within 7 days of the transaction. To do so, simply tap on the “Transfer to KrisFlyer” button which will appear on the miles earned confirmation screen or transaction details screen.
You can do so later (within 7 days), but why wait?
Remember that KrisPay miles earned per transaction can only be transferred to your account in their entirety. If you earned 100 KrisPay miles from a single Kris+ transaction, for example, the full 100 KrisPay miles must be transferred to your KrisFlyer account. If you have already spent some of your KrisPay miles earned, a partial transfer option is not available.
We therefore recommend transferring to KrisFlyer immediately following any Kris+ earning transaction, in case you either forget or make a mistake later.
Summary
A fantastic offer from Kris+ over the next two weeks, with triple miles at over 150 merchants across Singapore, even when you don’t use the new in-app payment function.
For dining alone there are almost 80 options to choose from, with plenty of credit cards awarding 3 to 4 mpd rates for payment in this category (mostly MCC 5812).
Do be careful not to use Kris+ in-app payment via Apple Pay or Google Pay with the UOB PPV or UOB VS cards, since you’ll only earn 0.4 mpd, but instead revert to the “offline payment” method for 4 mpd, while still enjoying the 3X bonus miles earn rate under this promotion.
At retailers offering the top earn rate, you’ll pick up a total haul of 19 mpd including your credit card points, but even with a decent general spend card offering 1.2 mpd on local transactions you can still net a very attractive 16.2 mpd during this offer.
Remember to transfer your KrisPay miles immediately into the KrisFlyer programme after earning, since if they become partially used by mistake or you forget after 7 days, they’ll be stuck in the Kris+ app, where their value is dismal.
(Cover Photo: Perch)