Having offered its KrisFlyer co-brand credit card holders a 40% reduction in the minimum SIA Group spend required to trigger annual bonus miles during the COVID-19 pandemic, UOB has apparently now decided it’s “payback time”.
The bank recently restored its regular S$500+ SIA Group spend threshold for this benefit, applicable to those with card membership years ending from 1st September 2022 onwards, but is now raising the amount you’ll have to spend on these transactions by 60%, to S$800+, for those with a card membership year ending from April 2023 onwards.
Card recap
First let’s recap how the KrisFlyer UOB credit card usually works.
For general spend you’ll earn:
- 1.2 miles for every $1 spent locally or overseas
For SIA Group transactions, like those with Singapore Airlines, SilkAir or at the KrisShop, you’ll earn:
- 3 miles for every $1 spent
Finally for those who spend at least S$500 on SIA Group transactions in their card membership year, there’s a bonus rate on everyday spend categories like dining, online shopping, food delivery, transport and online travel spend, whereby you’ll earn:
- 3 miles for every $1 spent, comprising the basic 1.2 mpd earn rate plus a bonus component of 1.8 mpd awarded two months after the end of your card membership year
UOB calls the 1.8 mpd bonus element “Accelerated Miles” (yes, the irony of something that can take up to 14 months being portrayed as quick is not lost on us…).
See our review of this card for full details.
Increased SIA Group spend for Accelerated Miles
For cardholders whose membership year is ending from April 2023 onwards, you will now earn the Accelerated Miles on these dining, online shopping, online travel and transport card transactions only with an increased minimum of S$800 on SIA Group spend charged to your card in your membership year, instead of S$500.
That means your required spend at Singapore Airlines, Scoot or the KrisShop during the membership year is now hiked by 60%.