American Express cardholders in Singapore can finally tap their cards at MRT gantries and bus readers, since 15th May 2025, following the long-awaited rollout of Amex acceptance on SimplyGo across the country’s public transport network.
This now places Amex alongside Visa and Mastercard, which have supported contactless payments via SimplyGo since as far back as 2019. But while this update brings added convenience, it doesn’t necessarily allow you to earn miles – unless you’re holding one of only two specific Amex cards.
Amex cards now work on SimplyGo
As with Visa and Mastercard, no registration is required to use an Amex card for SimplyGo. Just tap your physical card or use Apple Pay, Google Pay, or other mobile wallets at the MRT fare gates or bus readers, and you’re good to go.
According to the joint announcement from the Land Transport Authority and American Express, Amex cardholders will also be able to use the SimplyGo mobile app to view trip details, track their fares, and receive transaction notifications.
Amex cards issued outside Singapore can also be used, and this update applies system-wide to all public buses and MRT/LRT trains across Singapore.
No rewards for most Amex cards
Unfortunately, most American Express cards will not earn any points or cashback for SimplyGo transactions. That includes those earning Membership Rewards or KrisFlyer miles – effectively making it a “convenience-only” feature for the bulk of Amex cardholders.
To that end, Amex has officially added SimplyGo transactions to its rewards exclusion list, a disappointing but unsurprising move in line with how many banks treat government services or transit fares.
Exceptions: Two Amex cards do earn miles
Despite the general exclusion, two Amex-issued cards do still reward you for SimplyGo rides:
| Amex cards earning miles for SimplyGo rides | ||
| Card | Earn Rate | Notes |
 DBS AltitudeAmerican Express |
1.3 mpd (local spend) |
Minimum spend per ride: S$1.54. Fares are accumulated daily, with transactions posted 3 days later. |
 UOB PRVI MilesAmerican Express |
1.4 mpd (local spend) |
Fares are accumulated monthly, and UNI$ are awarded on the 7th of the following month, based on total spend. |
If you’re holding one of these two cards, SimplyGo payments will be eligible for miles, just as they are with the Visa versions of the same products. That’s good news, especially for daily commuters who can clock up miles for their weekday routine.
Note that UOB calculates UNI$ on the total monthly spend for Amex cards, just as it does for Visa, so individual low-value transactions won’t fall below a per-ride minimum – helpful for frequent short trips.
Summary
While Amex’s long-overdue support for SimplyGo is a welcome enhancement in terms of convenience, it offers limited value from a rewards perspective – unless you’re holding the DBS Altitude Amex or UOB PRVI Miles Amex.
For most Amex cardholders, this change means they can now use the same card across restaurants, retail, and public transport, but without any mileage or cashback return on their commutes.
Still, the expanded acceptance does help close a long-standing gap in Amex’s local utility, and for those with the right card, there’s finally a way to earn miles on every tap to work.
(Cover Photo: Public Transport Council)
at least can still use overseas issued amex card and earn miles/points based on oversea spending