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Best Air Miles Credit Cards in Malaysia

CompareHero.my Team

CompareHero.my Team

Last updated 16 January, 2020

Earn free flights just by spending on an air miles credit card.

Air miles cards work by you collecting air miles as you spend money on your credit card. When you have enough air miles, you can use them to "pay" for flights and other services offered by an airline. Each credit card will earn you air miles for flights with a specific airlines.

Air miles credit cards are not the same as frequent flyer miles cards which only offer loyalty points when you fly with a particular airline.

What else can you use air miles for?

If your airline offers them, you could exchange your air miles for:

Flight upgrades Airport lounge access
Inflight entertainment Inflight shopping
Travel insurance Hotel stays
Airport transfers Car rentals
Travel attractions Lifestyle awards

Choose the right card.

If you know where you want to fly: If only one airline flies there pick a card that offers air miles for their scheme. Then choose the card that will earn you the most air miles, including any bonus air miles you could to earn.
If you are more flexible: Work out how far you could fly using the air miles you are likely to earn in your first year. Every scheme is different and points are not always worth the same amount, so avoid comparing how many you'll earn per ringgit.

Want to enjoy luxurious traveling perks such as access to Premium Lounge, exclusive deals at 5 Star hotels, free flight upgrades, and travel insurance without spending a fortune? With these air miles credit cards, it is almost too easy!

However, to select an air miles credit card that works best for you, you need to know the type of perks you want first. Most air miles credit cards offer these features: Rewards points conversion to air miles, travel insurance, exclusive deals with travel partners (hotels & airlines), airport lounge access and overseas spending special deals.

Now, are you ready to get the best travel experiences with just one credit card? We have listed out the 4 best air miles credit cards in the market for you.

Top 4 Air Miles Credit Cards in Malaysia

1. Maybank 2 Platinum Card

maybank 2 platinum

This credit card offers:

  • Free travel insurance
  • Rewards points conversion to air miles
  • Exclusive travel deals
  • Cashback

This credit card does not offer:

  • Free access to airport lounge

If you are a Maybank 2 Platinum Card holder, you get to enjoy complimentary insurance coverage up to RM1 mil involving death and total and permanent disability. This applies when you use this card to purchase your flight tickets in full.

You are also entitled to these travel inconveniences:

  • Lost Luggage (more than 48 hours) – up to RM2,500
  • Delayed Luggage (more than 6 hours) – up to RM800
  • Flight Delay (more than 6 hours) – up to RM800
  • Missed Connection (more than 4 hours) – up to RM800

On top of this feature, you can earn 5 x TreatsPoints with your American Express card by spending in Malaysia or overseas and get extra 5% cashback during the weekend. Check out the air miles you can convert into with the Maybank Treats Points you collected:

Air Miles

Treats Points (To Convert)
1000 AirAsia BIG Points

7,420

1000 Enrich Miles (Only For World Mastercard)

6,360
1000 Enrich Miles (Normal Visa, Mastercard & American Express Cards)

10,600

1000 Enrich Miles ( Maybank 2 Cards Reserve American Express, All Visa Infinite & Diamante Cards)

4,770
500 KrisFlyer Miles (Normal Visa, Mastercard & American Express Cards)

4,240

1000 KrisFlyer Miles ( Maybank 2 Cards Reserve American Express, All Visa Infinite & Diamante Cards)

4,770

 

You have the choice to select other items or vouchers available on Maybank Treats Points’ catalog too: Part 1 & Part 2.

Also, you can enjoy dining privileges at all SPG Hotels & Resorts in Malaysia:

  • 50% savings with two diners
  • 40% savings with three to 10 diners

Participating hotels:

  • Aloft Kuala Lumpur Sentral - Nook
  • Four Points by Sheraton Penang - The Eatery and The Best Brew only
  • Four Points by Sheraton Puchong - The Eatery only
  • Four Points by Sheraton Sandakan - All venues
  • Le Meridien Kota Kinabalu - Latest Recipe and Favola
  • Le Meridien Kuala Lumpur - Gastro(20% off on food for dinner only), Latest Recipe, Prime and Favola
  • Le Meridien Putrajaya - Latest Recipe and Le Mei
  • Sheraton Imperial Kuala Lumpur - Celestial Court, Villa Danielli and Essence
  • The Andaman, a Luxury Collection Resort Langkawi - The Restaurant, The Japanese Restaurant, Tepian Laut and Jentayu Lounge
  • The Westin Langkawi Resort & Spa - Seasonal Tastes, Breeze Lounge, Splash and Tide
  • The Westin Kuala Lumpur - The Living Room, Prego, Qba Bar & Grill and Five Sen5es
  • The St. Regis Langkawi - The St Regis Bar, L’Orangerie and Gourmand Deli
  • The St. Regis Kuala Lumpur - The Drawing Room, The Brasserie, Astor Bar and Crystal

The only drawback for this card is that it does not offer free access to the airport lounge. However, we still recommend this card for its package inclusive of cashback, rewards points, travel insurance, and exclusive dining & hotel deals.

Minimum Income: RM60,000 per annum /RM5,000 per month

Annual Fee: Free for life

maybank credit cards

If you apply for a Maybank credit card you stand a chance to receive the exclusive JBL gift offer applicable upon activation of your Maybank credit card and submission of documents within 5 days.

 

3X Timeless Bonus Points for Overseas spend

2X Timeless Bonus Points for Grocery, Petrol and Utility spend & 1X for Other Spend

cta-apply-now

2. HSBC Visa Signature

HSBC Visa Signature

This credit card offers:

  • Free travel insurance
  • Rewards points conversion to air miles
  • Exclusive travel deals
  • Free access to airport lounge

This credit card does not offer:

  • Cashback

When you charge your flight tickets to your HSBC Visa Signature card, you will also get up to RM750,000 of Takaful coverage. Here is a list of inconveniences you are covered for to protect you during your travel:

  • Lost Luggage (more than 48 hours) – up to RM1,000
  • Delayed Luggage (more than 6 hours) – up to RM250
  • Missed Connection (more than 4 hours) – up to RM250

This card will get you access to airport lounges and also earn more rewards for your overseas spending. You will enjoy 6x access to airport lounges at KLIA, Singapore, and Hong Kong.

As for its outstanding rewards program, you get to collect more points as per below:

  • 10x reward points on an overseas hotel room and dining
  • 8x reward points at Mid Valley and The Gardens Mall
  • 5x reward points on airline ticket purchases and 30 participating malls nationwide

With the HSBC rewards points collected, you can choose to convert into any of these air miles:

Air Miles

HSBC Rewards Points (To Convert)
1,000 Asia Miles

7,000

1,000 KrisFlyers Miles

8,500
1,000 Enrich Miles

10,500

AirAsia RM100 Voucher

30,000

Find out more on HSBC’s redemption catalog here.

If you are an HSBC credit card holder, you can also enjoy exclusive deals for travel, shopping, health and beauty products or services as well as online shops. For instance, you get to enjoy 10% off on your booking over Expedia, 18% off on Zalora for fashion clothing, and 30% off for spending in DoubleTree by Hilton Kuala Lumpur.

You can have 6 complimentary access to Plaza Premium Lounge in KLIA, Singapore Changi Airport, and Hong Kong Airport. Each visit is limited to 2 hours with a buffet spread and assortment of beverages, seating and resting area, shower facilities, TV and magazines, computers and Wi-Fi, international TV channels, international newspaper and magazines, and flight information.

Minimum Income: RM72,000 per annum /RM6,000 per month

Annual Fee: RM636

hsbc credit cards

 

3. Standard Chartered Worldmiles World Mastercard

Standard Chartered WorldMiles Card | CompareHero

This credit card offers:

  • Rewards points conversion to air miles
  • Exclusive travel deals
  • Free access to airport lounge
  • Limited cashback

This credit card does not offer:

  • Free travel insurance

If you have a Standard Chartered WorldMiles World Mastercard, first, you can easily collect 1 WorldMiles point by spending RM2 overseas or RM3 locally. Then you can choose to convert 2 WorldMiles points collected to one air mile of your preferred airline frequent flyer program including Asia Miles, KrisFlyer Miles, Enrich Miles, and AirAsia BIG Points.

As for exclusive deals, you can enjoy dining, travel, and shopping deals in more than 33 countries by spending at the selected merchants, under The Good Life Privileges program.

The best part about this card is the unlimited access to Plaza Premium Lounge in KLIA and KLIA 2 and this will make your flight waiting experience much better with food, beverages, couch, reading materials and anything you need.

There is a promotion of RM100 cashback for all new applicants for this credit card as long as you activate the card from approval date. Also, you can get up to RM80 cashback for your Airport Limousine or KLIA Express rides if you spent 3 times or more overseas in the past 30 days.

Minimum Income: RM90,000 per annum /RM7,500 per month

Annual Fee: RM636

standard chartered credit cards

 

10% Cashback for Dining, Grocery, Petrol & Grab spend

No minimum Cashback accumulation required 

cta-apply-now

4. Citibank PremierMiles Credit Card

Citibank PremierMiles credit card

This credit card offers:

  • Rewards points conversion to air miles
  • Exclusive travel deals
  • Free access to airport lounge
  • Free travel insurance

This credit card does not offer:

  • Cashback

Firstly, you get to earn 3 PremierMiles Points for every RM2 spent overseas and 1 PremierMiles Point for every RM3 spent locally. You are also allowed to have the flexibility to redeem your points for Asia Miles, Enrich Miles, KrisFlyer, PriorityClub Rewards & Hilton Hhonors. The most attractive feature about Citibank’s PremierMiles is that it never expires. So you can keep collecting PremierMiles without having to rush yourself into redemptions.

As for exclusive deals, Citibank also allows you to shop, dine, travel and fly better with more than 4,000 offers available over its selected merchants. Our advice? Do not waste this opportunity to scout for cheaper travel or hotel deals with your Citibank PremierMiles credit card!

On top of that, you also get to enjoy unlimited access to Plaza Premium Lounges in Malaysia, Singapore, Hong Kong & England and complimentary ride home from KLIA when you spend on your PremierMiles card overseas.

Lastly, you get to enjoy free travel insurance coverage up to RM300,000 and up to RM50,000 medical insurance coverage when you buy your travel ticket with your Citi PremierMiles Visa card. The travel insurance also covers these inconvenience:

  • Lost Luggage (more than 48 hours) – up to RM12,000
  • Delayed Luggage (more than 6 hours) – up to RM2,000
  • Flight Delay (more than 6 hours) – up to RM2,500
  • Missed Connection (more than 4 hours) – up to RM2,500
  • Home Away Burglary – up to RM15,000 per year
  • Compassionate Visit (when you need someone to take care of you during the trip due to injuries overseas) – up to RM5,000

Minimum Income: RM100,000 per annum /RM8,333 per month

Annual Fee: RM636

citibank credit cards

 

Want to find out more credit card deals that work best for your travels? Click here and compare now!

 

The CompareHero.my team is comprised of many talented individuals, sharing their knowledge, experiences and research to help others make better financial decisions.

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