With the growing flock of Asia miles credit cards, finding your best one to sack some air Miles could be confusing. Each card offers a different mileage and cashback haul and an array of travel perks. So, which air miles credit card truly takes the cake for racking up flight miles? You can rest assured, as MoneySmart has got you covered.
We’ve summarized each card’s latest promotions and features and put the required amount for redeeming air tickets under the microscope. Whether you’re looking to earn from different air mileage programs like Asia Miles, Avios, KrisFlyer, or ANA, we’ve got the perfect mileage credit card for you!
Table of Contents: Best Air Miles Credit Cards
- Miles Program Overview: Asia Miles, Avios, KrisFlyer, ANA
- Air Miles Credit Card Overview
- Featured Air Miles Credit Card
- Best Air Miles Credit Card Options (For Fresh Graduates / Lower Income Requirement)
- Best Air Miles Cards for Advanced/High-Spending Individuals
- More Other Air Miles Credit Cards
Miles Programs Overview: Asia Miles, Avios, KrisFlyer, ANA
When is comes to air miles program, Asia Miles would probably be the first name comes to people’s mind. But in fact, Asia Miles is not the only miles program that offers free flight tickets, and there’s more, like Avios, KrisFlyer, Phoenix Miles, ANA, etc. Here is an overview of different air miles programs.
Asia Mile: Most preferred Cathay Pacific air miles program in Hong Kong
Even if you haven’t used Asia Miles before, you may have heard of this frequent flyer program. This is one of the well-known air miles programs in Hong Kong. Asia Miles is Cathay Pacific’s mileage program, and you can accumulate miles to redeem flights with Cathay Pacific (which accounts for 45% of flights departing form Hong Kong) and other partner airlines within the Oneworld alliance.
With many banks and institutions collaborating with Asia Mile, There are also a wide range of credit cards that allow you to earn Asia Miles, as well as various dining or retail spending promotions to earn miles, you may be able to find flight ticket at a redeem rate as low as HK$1/1 mile!
After the Asia Mile revamp in October 2023, the number of miles required for short-haul flights has decreased, but the number of available seats has also decreased, making it more difficult to redeem reward tickets. (Learn more about the Asia Miles Revamp here!)
Avios: Members of British Airways’ Executive Club
Avios is a flight mileage program launched by British Airways and is the second most popular air miles program in Hong Kong in redeeming short-haul flights. However, there are relatively few credit cards available in the market for accumulating Avios.
They offer a special feature “Cash + Miles” program for customers, which allows them to top up with cash if their mileage balance is insufficient to redeem the desired flight. As a part of the “Oneworld” alliance, British Airways allows you to redeem Avios not only for flights operated by British Airways but also for flights operated by other member airlines like Cathay Pacific and Japan Airlines. In other words, you can also earn Avios when flying with Oneworld member airlines!
Avios is the points system used by British Airways’ Executive Club to track flight miles. They have membership levels in British Airways’ Executive Club range from Blue, Bronze, Silver, to Gold. Your membership level depends on the number of flights and tier points you earn, excluding Rewards Flights and upgrading to higher tiers comes with privileges like priority boarding, lounge access, baggage upgrades, and more Avios when you fly with British Airways.
However, even with the basic Blue card, you can earn Avios for flight redemption. Additionally, the Avios program offers a Household Account feature, where up to 7 people can use the account along with the primary account holder, so you can earn miles quicker with the entire family. Moreover, Avios miles do not have an expiration date, no more sweating about the expiry date!
KrisFlyer: Singapore airlines flight mileage program
KrisFlyer is a flight mileage program under Singapore Airlines. As Singapore Airlines is a member of the Star Alliance, you can earn miles regardless of whether you fly on Singapore Airlines or other Star Alliance member airlines. These miles can be redeemed for flights across the entire alliance, including popular choices such as ANA and EVA Air, as well as other partner airlines like Virgin Atlantic.
KrisFlyer membership is divided into 3 tiers: KrisFlyer, KrisFlyer Elite Silver, and KrisFlyer Elite Gold. The more you fly, the faster you can progress through the tiers. Elite members not only earn miles at an accelerated rate but also enjoy benefits such as priority waitlisting and member service discounts. With the KrisFlyer Elite Gold card, you can also enjoy priority boarding, additional baggage allowances, and access to over 1,000 KrisFlyer lounges worldwide.
ANA: Japan airlines flight mileage program
ANA is a mileage program under Japan Airlines and is primarily applicable to the Star Alliance, including airlines like EVA Air, Avianca, and Lufthansa. However, what attracts Hong Kong residents the most is its flights to Japan. Round trips during the off-peak season only require 17,000 miles, and there are more available seats compared to Asia Miles.
Currently, the only credit card in the market that allows you to accumulate ANA miles is the Dah Sing ANA World Mastercard, which offers a cashback rate of HK$4 per mile. However, you can also open a household account that allows up to 8 people to share and earn miles together. One thing to take note on is that although ANA offers options like stopover or open-jaw redemption, it does not allow one-way redemptions.
Asia Miles Credit Card Overview 2024
The Standard Chartered Cathay Mastercard is the most popular choice for earning Asia Miles. If you’re a hotel enthusiast, the DBS BlackWorld Mastercard is perfect for you with its exclusive hotel accommodation offers. The HSBC EveryMile Credit Card boasts the lowest air miles rate of HK$2/mile for both local and overseas spending, making it easy to rack up air miles while you spend. Plus, you get to enjoy 6 free visits to the lounge every year with this card!
Check out more about the credit cards that you can earn with Asia Miles credit card:
Asia Miles Credit Card Overview 2024 | |||||
Credit Card | Local Spending | Overseas Spending | Minimum Annual Salary | Mileage Program | Other Rewards |
Citi PremierMiles Credit Card | HK$8/mile | HK$3/mile | HK$120,000 | 11 frequent flyer programs: Cathay Pacific, British Airways, Eva Air, Etihad, Flyingblue, Emirates Skywards, KrisFlyer, and more. | 12 times access to Plaza Premium Lounges every year; plus free travel insurance |
Standard Chartered Cathay Mastercard | HK$4/mile | HK$4/mile | HK$96,000 | Asia Miles | HK$4/mile on dining and online shopping; HK$2/mile on Cathay Pacific and HK Express |
Citi Prestige Card | HK$6/mile | HK$4/mile | HK$600,000 | Asia Miles, Krisflyer, Avios | Free access to lounges worldwide; plus complimentary travel insurance |
DBS Black World Mastercard | HK$3/mile | HK$3/mile | HK$240,000 | Asia Miles, British Airways, KrisFlyer, PhoenixMiles | Exchange DBS$ for air tickets, hotel accommodations on iGo Rewards. Also entitled to a wide range of travel offers on popular websites such as Agoda and Klook. |
American Express Explorer® Credit Card | HK$5/mile | HK$1.68/mile | HK$300,000 | Asia Miles, Avios, SkyMiles, 1 Skywards mile, Etihad Guest mile, KrisFlyer, and more. | 8 times free access to Plaza Premium Lounge worldwide; 5 Rewards points for every eligible HK$1 spent on airlines and selected merchants. |
HSBC EveryMile Credit Card | HK$2/mile | HK$2/mile | HK$240,000 | Asia Miles, Avios, Flyingblue, KrisFlyer, and more. | 6 Complimentary visits to the Plaza Premium Airport Lounge or free meals at selected airport dining outlets in Hong Kong and overseas each year |
Citi Rewards MasterCard | HK$3/mile | HK$15/mile | HK$120,000 | Asia Miles, Krisflyer, Avios | Earned rewards points never expire 8X points for birthday month |
DBS Black World Mastercard: Special offer for hotel discount
DBS Black World Mastercard is a real catch for air miles collectors. You can earn 3X points for overseas transactions with no conversion fee, which means you can redeem your points as Asia Miles, Avios, KrisFlyer and PhoenixMiles with no hassle. Plus, your points will never expire. The card gives you access to a wide range of travel offers on popular websites such as Agoda and Klook, etc. And to top it all off, cardholders can exchange DBS$ for air tickets and hotel accommodations on iGo Rewards.
Special welcome offer of 42,000 miles
If you’re a new customer applying for a DBS Black World Mastercard by October 3, 2024, you’re in luck! Make transactions for the first 2 months, register for a DBS Card+ account, and confirm your new physical card within the first month to enjoy a waived first-year annual fee, up to 42,000 miles, and/or $50 “InstaRedeem” amount. Don’t miss out on this amazing offer!
HSBC EveryMile Credit Card: the lowest local spending of HK$2/mile
HSBC EveryMile Credit Card offers the lowest spending requirement of HK$2 per mile. However, there are designated categories that offer HK$2/mile. What are they? Here is an overview:
Category | Merchants eligible for HK$2/mile |
---|---|
Public Transport | KMB, LWB, CityBus, First Bus and Taxi services |
Driving related expenses | Caltex, Esso, Shell, PetroChina, Sinopec, Carparks or Parking spaces and roal tunnel toll Plaza |
Café | %Arabica, APT. Coffee, BASAO Tea, Blue Bottle Coffee, Camellia, Chun Shui Tang, Cupping Room Coffee Roasters, Dazzling Café, FLIPPER’s, Green Common, HABITŪ |
Light meals | INN – I’m Not Nothing, Lady M, Mother Pearl, NINETYs, NOC, Pacific Coffee, Pret A Manger, sensory ZERO, Starbucks Coffee, Tea WG Salon & Boutique, Urban Coffee Roaster |
Online entertainment | Disney+, Google PlayTM, Netflix, Nintendo, PlayStation, Spotify, YouTube |
For other local spending and overseas spending, you can get the conversion rate HK$5/mile.
MoneySmart Tip: You can’t earn rewards if you’re using an e-wallet to make purchases at designated merchants, or reloading your fuel card or Autotoll.
Citi PremierMiles Card: 12 times access to lounge every year
Citi PremierMiles Card is the one of the top cards. With rates as low as HK$3/mile for foreign transactions and HK$8/mile for local purchases, you can easily save miles for your next trip with 12 preferential mileage programs, such as Asia Miles, Avios, and KrisFlyer. And you won’t be charged any fees for mileage conversion.
But wait, there’s more! The card grants you 12 times complimentary access to over 50 designated Plaza Premium Lounges every year and free travel insurance. So what are you waiting for, jet-setters?
Standard Chartered Cathay Mastercard: Most popular Asia Miles credit card
Standard Chartered Cathay Mastercard is one of the popular Asia Miles credit cards. You’ll earn HK$2 per mile for Cathay Pacific and HK Express transactions, and HK$4 per mile for dining, online, and overseas transactions. Plus, the card automatically deposits your miles into your Asia Miles account every month, with no mileage conversion fee required.
Standard Chartered Cathay Mastercard featured welcome offers
If you apply for a Standard Chartered Cathay Mastercard and spend the required amount within 2 months after receiving the card, you’ll be offered with a welcome offer of miles.
Required Spending within the first two months of approval: | Miles Earned |
---|---|
HK$1,000+ | 5,000 miles |
HK$5,000+ | 15,000 miles |
HK$40,000+ | 40,000 miles |
HK$100,000+ | 60,000 miles |
Citi Prestige Card: 12 times free access to airport lounge
If you’re longing free airport lounges access credit card, the Citi Prestige Card is the way to go. While it may not be the king of the hill when it comes to air miles rewards, it has an offer of 12 times free entry to airport lounges every year – That’s a perk that’s hard to beat.
Air Miles Dai Sing Credit Card Overview
In addition to the Asia Mile credit cards, there are other credit cards that allow you to earn miles through different mileage programs. Dai Sing banks have released a series of miles credit cards for all the travel lovers.
Air Miles Credit Card Overview 2024 | |||||
Credit Card | Local Spending | Overseas Spending | Minimum Annual Salary | Mileage Program | Other Rewards |
Dah Sing British Airways Platinum Card | HK$6/avios | HK$4/avios | HK$150,000 | Avios | HK$3/avios during birthday; HK$12/avios for reloading e-wallets. |
Dah Sing ANA World Mastercard | HK$8/mile | HK$8/mile | HK$150,000 | ANA Mileage Club | New cardholders can even enjoy up to 17,000 welcome miles (equivalent to an ANA round trip ticket to Japan) and HK$4/1 mile on overseas spending |
Dah Sing United MileagePlus World MasterCard | HK$8/mile | HK$5/mile | HK$150,000 | United Mileage Plus Mile | Eligible for free access to United Club, 15% off MileagePlus Miles Purchase |
Dah Sing British Airways Platinum Card: Best air miles credit card for Avios
The credit card allows cardholders to earn Avios easily with local spending at HK$6 = 1 Avios, overseas spending at HK$6 = 1.5 Avios, and booking flights online at British Airways website or at the British Airways Hong Kong ticket office at HK$6 = 2 Avios. The Avios earned will be automatically credited to the Executive Club account for free. And you can earn double Avios on your birthday month.
Dah Sing ANA World Mastercard: Best air miles credit card for ANA miles
The Dah Sing ANA World Mastercard is a credit card designed for earning ANA miles that can be redeemed for ANA flights within the Star Alliance. You can redeem flights from Hong Kong to Japan for as low as 17,000 miles for an economy class ticket, and even redeem tickets to Hokkaido. Business class tickets are also redeemable.
Dah Sing United MileagePlus World MasterCard: Air miles credit card for United Mileage Plus
Fly high with the United MileagePlus credit card! Not only can you enjoy a one-time electronic United Club pass for access to the United Club when you spend over HK$40,000 in the previous quarter , but you can also benefit from more flexibility in miles redemption with miles in your MileagePlus account that will never expire. And with a mile conversion rate as low as HK$5/mile.
Best Asia Miles Credit Card Options (For Fresh Graduates / Lower Income Requirement)
Having your first job does not guarantee you a high income. That is why it may be hard to be eligible for more advanced credit cards. But that does not mean that you cannot earn Asia Miles effectively. Below are some options with annual income requirement less than HK$150,000.
Credit Card | Annual Income Requirement | Local Spending | Overseas Spending | Online Shopping |
HSBC Visa Gold Card | HK$60,000 | HK$4.17/mile | HK$4.17/mile | HK$25/mile |
Standard Chartered Asia Miles Mastercard | HK$96,000 | HK$6/mile | HK$4/mile | HK$4/mile |
Citi Rewards Credit Card | HK$120,000 | HK$3/mile | HK$15/mile | HK$15/mile |
HSBC Red Credit Card | HK$120,000 | HK$10/mile | HK$10/mile | HK$2.5/mile |
Citi PremierMiles Credit Card | HK$120,000 | HK$8/mile | HK$3/mile | – |
HSBC Visa Gold Card: The lowest income requirement
The HSBC Visa Gold Card is a perfect for those who want to start earning air miles. With the lowest income requirement of HK$60,000 among all credit cards, you can enjoy up to a 2.4% RewardCash rebate at a wide range of merchants all year round and allocate your extra 5X RewardCash among your five preferred spending categories: Dining, Health & Leisure, Home, Lifestyle, and Overseas and Mainland China Spending.
To top it off, you can convert your RewardCash (RC) on the HSBC Reward+ app at a preferential rate of $1 RC = 20 miles or points at 15+ travel rewards programs, giving you a sweet deal of HK$4.17/mile.
Citi Rewards Card: HK$3/mile for local spending
The Citi Rewards Card really hits the spot for earning air miles. With 5X Points for local spending, you can earn HK$3/miles, and 8X Points during your birthday month, which gives you HK$1.875/miles.
You can also enjoy 5X and 8X Points when spending in department stores and telecom operators, respectively. By paying your mobile or broadband monthly charges could also give you extra Points that won’t expire.
Please note that a fee will be charged for converting miles. It is recommended that you convert all miles at once.
HSBC Red Credit Card: The entry miles credit card
HSBC Red Credit Card is a bargain for anyone who wants to start earning air miles. It offers a 4% rebate on online spending, which means you can earn up to HK$2.5/mile. And the income requirement is only HK$120,000, so it’s easily accessible for most people. Plus, there is no annual fee reuqired.
In short, if you’re a savvy spender looking to travel in style, this card is a great way to get started.
Best Asia Miles Cards for Advanced/High-Spending Individuals
You certainly get what you pay for, and these credit cards require a hefty income to be eligible. However, they come with some sweet perks, such as a low rate of miles conversion or fee exemption, that make them worth the application.
Air Mile Credit Card | Annual Income | Local Spending | Overseas Spending | Online Shopping |
HSBC Visa Platinum Card | HK$150,000 | HK$4.17/mile | HK$2.94/mile | HK$2.94/mile |
HSBC EveryMile Credit Card | HK$240,000 | HK$5/mile | HK$5/mile | HK$2/mile (designated category) |
DBS Black World Mastercard | HK$240,000 | HK$6/mile | HK$4/mile | HK$6/mile (only applicable to local store) |
American Express Platinum Credit Card | HK$300,000 | HK$5/mile | HK$5/mile | HK$5/mile |
HSBC Visa Signature Card | HK$360,000 or possess Assets of HK$400,000 | 5X Red Hot Rewards: HK$2.78/mile; Other spending HK$6.25/mile | 5X Red Hot Rewards: HK$2.78/mile; Other spending HK$6.25/mile | 5X Red Hot Rewards: HK$2.78/mile; Other spending HK$6.25/mile |
HSBC Platinum Card: 5X Reward Cash
HSBC Platinum Card: Enjoy 5X RewardCash with your online and overseas purchases. By allocating the 5X RewardCash multiplier of “Red Hot Rewards of Your Choice” to “China” or “World” categories and pay with RMB or foreign currency would give you 11X RewardCash. Noted that you would need to an accumulated transaction of HK$3,000 to enjoy the 5X extra RewardCash, which can be redeem miles for as low as HK$2.94.
HSBC Visa Signature Card
HSBC Visa Signature Card: Enjoy 3X extra RewardCash, which gives a maximum of 9X RewardCash or HK$2.78=1 Asia Miles; However, it is not easy to get the card. Applicants would need an annual income of HK$240,000 in order to be eligible.
More Other Asia Miles Credit Cards
CCB eye Card: Up to 7X points for spending
CCB (Asia) eye Card: Enjoy 5X Points with daily spending. You could earn at most 300,000 extra Points per year. For those who have registered Instant Fly Club and pay your travel expenses such as airfare or local tour with online booking or foreign currency online payments are eligible for 2X extra Points, which gives a total of 7X extra Points. The flight redemption rate can be as low as HK$3/mile.
Fubon Titanium Card: 4X points with overseas spending
Fubon Titanium Card: Enjoy 4X Points with your overseas spending, 8X Points with spending in Japan and Korea and 20X with spending in Taiwan. However, the points are only validated for one year which is quite short. This also means that the handling fees incurred would be higher.
Bank of Communications CUP Diamond Card: Octopus card automatic top-up
Bank of Communications CUP Dual Currency Diamond Card: Enjoy 2X Points with transactions of HK$300 or above. Double the offer by signing up the Octopus card automatic add value service and select the top up amount be HK$500 each time. Moreover, UnionPay offers the cardholders 3 times complementary lounge service in Hong Kong and Macau airports per year. But there are limited quotas and booking is required.
BEA Flyer World Mastercard: For paying utility fees
BEA Flyer World Mastercard: HK$5=1 Asia Miles, but this only include autopay or pay in person, since starting from 1st May 2018, no points will be credited from e-banking bill payment. You can also earn HK1 Mile for every HK$5 spending on other general transactions.
Frequently Asked Questions: Asia Miles Credit Card
What is the lowest income requirement for an air miles credit card in Hong Kong?
The HSBC Visa Gold Card has the lowest income requirement among all air miles credit cards in Hong Kong, at HK$60,000.
Which credit card offers the most complimentary access to over 50 designated Plaza Premium Lounges every year?
The Citi PremierMiles Card offers 12 times complimentary access to over 50 designated Plaza Premium Lounges every year.
Which credit card is the best air miles credit card for Avios?
The Dah Sing British Airways Platinum Card is the best air miles credit card for Avios, with a conversion rate of HK$6 = 1 Avios for local spending, HK$6 = 1.5 Avios for overseas spending, and HK$6 = 2 Avios for booking flights online at British Airways website or at the British Airways Hong Kong ticket office.
Related Article
If you’re interested in learning which credit cards can bring you the free access to airport lounge, check out our blog post Best Unlimited Free Airport Lounge Credit Cards in Hong Kong!
Do you know the banks can charge you up to HK$2,000 per year for your credit card annual fee? Wanna get rid of these bothering annual fees, check out Best Credit Cards With No Annual Fee in Hong Kong and How to Apply for a Credit Card Annual Fee Waiver.
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