Collecting Krisflyer points - anything better than Westpac's Krisflyer card?

[Pollywaffle]

I am doing a credit card stocktake and wanted your advice re: collecting Singapore Krisflyer points.

I currently have a Westpac Platinum Krisflyer card which earns me 1.5 points (Amex) and 0.5 points (Visa) per $ spent on domestic transactions.

It's been a no-brainer to keep these as my main credit cards as they come annual fee free (ex-staff perk). I am not fussed about interest rates as I always pay off my cards each month.

Can anyone recommend a better card for accumulating points?

Thanks, pw.

 

[Cruiser Elite]

pw the WSQPlat has lost a lot of it's gloss since first launched - mostly through the halving of the Visa earn rate from 1:1 to 0.5:1 - Amex earn rate 1.5:1 not changed since first 6mths when it earnt 3:1.

AMEX component 1.5:1 about as good as it gets - cept pts swept direct to KF - you cannot warehouse pts in AMEX then trsfr if any bonii floating around.

Visa component now very ordinary earn rate - personally I am currently using CitiBusiness Gold that earne me .833/$ compared to WSQPlat at .5/$ - however I am attempting to follow lead given by cove etc with Citi Select at 1.33/$.

But Visa does get you 1.5:1 for each $1 spent internationally - this I like.

Now one + often overlooked with WSQPlat cards is double pts earn for both AMEX and Visa components on ALL SQ purchases - in fact if you purchase MEL-SIN-PVG ret flt in J thern purchase with WSQAmex card will earn you more KF pts than actual flights do - SQ earn rate 1.25/mile in J very ordinary.

This aspect of WSQ cards does help - but overall WSQPlat cards not that appealing anymore.

 

[cove]

It is a $700 jump to Citi Select that requires you to be a hurdler.
You need $120k tax assessment and deal with the Citi back office.
You then earn a net 1.333 points on Visa domestically and 3.333 points internationally that you can warehouse and then transfer to Kris Flyer with a phone call.

 

[Deewhy]

The only other points thing I can suggest is if you do a lot of petrol and supermarket shopping, sign up for an Amex Platinum edge. 3 points at s/mkts and 2 points for petrol. Using Amex Membership rewards, direct 1:1 transfer to KrisFlyer. So that will earn you more than the 1.5 on WBCAmex but just on those purchases. Plus you can take advantage of any bonuses on eg 5pts/$ at BP til end of this month, or 5000 points/ transaction of $500 or more at Bing Lee.

 

[Pollywaffle]

$700 for a card does not sit well with me but the Platinum edge sounds promising.

Thanks for the info, everyone.

 

[burmans]

$700 for a card does not sit well with me but the Platinum edge sounds promising.

Thanks for the info, everyone.

What these comments indicate is there is no one great card for Krisflyer points, I have three (actually 4 but am giving up my Citibank Plat).

Amex Edge for supermarkets, petrol (BP) and some bonus partners
WBC Krysflyer Amex for other Amex purchases (negotiated annual fee down to $125)
A Citibank Visa Card (I have both Citbusiness and Plat - will give up Plat shortly rather than pay annual fee and having got the 60K signon bonus last year). Citi Select or Sinature have higher earn rates but then cost more. I would be tempted if could reduce the fee and or get a better signon bonus but just can't quite justify the $700/year for Select. Use Visa where Amex can't be used and for overseas purchaes 3.25 pts per $ and their exchange rates are low.

 

[albatross710]

I am doing a credit card stocktake and wanted your advice re: collecting Singapore Krisflyer points.

I currently have a Westpac Platinum Krisflyer card which earns me 1.5 points (Amex) and 0.5 points (Visa) per $ spent on domestic transactions.
.

The Visa earn rate on WSQvisa is quite a downer. I have moved some of those transactions to the Woolies EDR card. OK, the points go to Qantas but that will give me my domestic requirements for the year.

For foreign transaction I have come to realise that the foreign fees on the WSQ are quite significant, possibly worth more than the miles.

As Cruiser Elite SQ tickets and taxes purchased on the card score double miles. Note this is only when charged in AUD so if you purchase one way tix, then only the outbound leg scores the bonus miles.

Also, if you travel, the Plat card still includes travel insurance and buyer protections.

I tried the CitiSelect process and they wore me down and I withdrew...

I think it is time we saw a new card on the Australian credit card landscape.