AMEX KrisFlyer Ascend(Mo. 1)
(@ 1.2 mpd)
Existing AMEX cardholders who apply via The MileLion and spend S$1,000 in the first 30 days of approval will receive up to 15,800 bonus miles + S$150 eCapitaVouchers. After offsetting the value of the eCapitaVouchers from the S$343.35 annual fee, you’re effectively paying S$193 for 15,800 bonus miles, a free Hilton night certificate and four lounge passes.
This offer was originally set to lapse on 15 January 2024, but has now been extended till 31 March 2024.
| AMEX KrisFlyer Ascend | |
| Apply Here | |
| Existing Customers | |
| First Spend | 5,000 miles |
| Spend S$1,000 (Mo. 1) | 10,800 miles+ S$150 eCapitaVouchers |
| Base Miles from S$1,000 (@ 1.2 mpd) | 1,200 miles |
| Total Spend | S$1,000 |
| Total Miles | 17,000 miles +S$150 eCapitaVouchers |
| S$343.35 annual fee must be paid | |
This offer is valid for existing AMEX customers who apply by 31 March 2024, with approval by 5 April 2024.
Existing customers are defined as those who:
For example, someone who currently holds an AMEX Platinum Credit Card and has not cancelled an AMEX KrisFlyer Ascend in the past 12 months would qualify as an existing customer.
All first-time American Express KrisFlyer cobrand cardholders will enjoy 5,000 miles on their first spend of any amount. This is a once per lifetime bonus, so if you’ve held an American Express KrisFlyer cobrand card before, you won’t receive it a second time.
Cardholders who spend at least S$1,000 within the first month of approval (defined as 30 calendar days) will receive 10,800 bonus KrisFlyer miles and S$150 eCapitaVouchers.
To summarise the offer, by spending S$1,000 in the first 30 days of approval, you’ll receive 17,000 miles + S$150 eCapitaVouchers, broken down as follows:
If you’re eligible for the 5,000 miles bonus for first-time AMEX Singapore Airlines cobrand cardholders, these will be credited to your KrisFlyer account after the month of approval and first spend.
The remaining bonus of 10,800 miles + S$150 eCapitaVouchers will be credited within 12 weeks of the date you meet the spend threshold.
All questions about fulfilment should be directed to American Express.
American Express provides a list of excluded spending categories here, but the key ones to take note of are:
CardUp, and private hospitals, and anything else not explicitly stated in the exclusion list will count as eligible spend. Do note there are certain restrictions on AMEX payments with CardUp, as summarised in the article below.
All spending on supplementary cards will pool with principal cards when determining whether the minimum spend has been met.
The AMEX KrisFlyer Ascend’s S$343.35 annual fee must be paid, which is partially offset by the S$150 eCapitaVouchers (which I’d take at face value since they’re so liquid).
This means the nett annual fee is S$193, for which you receive:
It’s certainly a more attractive proposition then the current public welcome offer for existing customers, which awards 15,400-20,400 bonus miles for spending S$3,000 in the first 90 days of approval.
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| Apply Here | |||
| Income Req. | N/A* | Points Validity | 3 years |
| Annual Fee | S$343.35 | Min. Transfer | N/A |
| FCY Fee | 3.25% | Transfer Fee | None |
| Local Earn | 1.2 mpd | Points Pool? | N/A |
| FCY Earn | 2 mpd (Jun & Dec) | Lounge Access? | Yes |
| Special Earn | 2 mpd on SIA and KrisShop, 3.2 mpd for Grab | Airport Limo? | No |
| *AMEX no longer publishes income requirements for the AMEX KrisFlyer Ascend. All applications are subject to internal review. For reference, the last published income requirement was S$50,000 p.a. | |||
| Cardholder Terms and Conditions | |||
The AMEX KrisFlyer Ascend has an annual fee of S$343.35 which must be paid in the first year (it can be waived from the second year onwards at AMEX’s discretion).
Cardholders earn 1.2 mpd on local spend, and 2 mpd on foreign currency spend in June and December (1.2 mpd otherwise). An uncapped 2 mpd is offered on Singapore Airlines and KrisShop transactions year-round, as well as 3.2 mpd on Grab, capped at S$200 per calendar month. These aren’t the best earn rates on the market, however, and can be easily bested by other alternatives.
Key card benefits include:
As a reminder, the AMEX KrisFlyer Ascend is currently offering a limited-time fast track offer to KrisFlyer Elite Gold.
Instead of having to spend S$15,000 on Singapore Airlines bookings, cardholders need only spend S$12,500 on any type of transaction (excluding, obviously, those on the general exclusion list), of which S$2,500 must be on Singapore Airlines bookings.
Cardmembers who meet the criteria will be upgraded to KrisFlyer Elite Gold within 8-10 weeks after the end of the offer period, i.e. by 9 August 2024.
Refer to the article below for the key details of this promotion.
This upgrade is valid for one year, after which they will need to requalify through regular means.
Spending S$15,000 on eligible purchases on Singapore Airlines tickets between 1 July to 30 June of the following year also gives a double miles accrual voucher, which can be applied to a booking to earn up to 5,000 bonus miles.
Don’t forget to check out my full review of the AMEX KrisFlyer Ascend below.
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| Apply Here |
American Express is running a new welcome offer for existing AMEX cardholders, which gives up to 15,800 bonus miles and a S$150 eCapitaVoucher with a minimum spend of just S$1,000.
You will need to pay the first year’s annual fee, but between the welcome offer, free Hilton night stay and lounge passes, there should be enough in there to come out ahead.
