Best American Express Credit Cards in Singapore – Credit Card Reviews 2020

So, maybe someone sold you on how great American Express’ customer service is – no more “to speak to a customer service officer, please hold”! Or maybe you saw that Amex has the only official Singapore Airlines KrisFlyer credit cards in Singapore.

Whatever the reason, Amex credit cards do have some outstanding benefits, despite the fact that they’re not as widely accepted as Visa and MasterCard. Here, have a look at the 6 best Amex credit cards in Singapore and judge for yourself.

 

Best American Express credit cards in Singapore 2020

American Express credit card	Key benefits
Amex KrisFlyer	$1 = 1.1 KrisFlyer miles (local) / 2 miles (overseas)
Amex KrisFlyer Ascend	$1 = 1.2 KrisFlyer miles (local) / 2 miles (overseas)
Amex Platinum Card	50% off at restaurants under Love Dining programme + 1-for-1 drinks at bars
Amex True Cashback	1.5% unlimited cashback
Amex CapitaCard	Earn CapitaLand vouchers + free parking at CapitaMalls
Amex Rewards Card	24,000 rewards points with $1,500 spent (first 3 months)

 

Amex KrisFlyer Card – easy-to-use miles card for beginners

The Amex KrisFlyer card is probably the best-known of all American Express credit cards in Singapore, thanks to it being the official co-branded credit card of Singapore Airlines.

The main benefit is that you earn KrisFlyer miles directly with everything you charge to this card, unlike other miles cards, where you earn in the bank’s rewards points, which then take money and time to convert to actual miles. Very hassle-free.

The trade-off is that the Amex KrisFlyer’s earn rates are really low: 1.1 miles per $1 spent locally, compared to as much as 1.5 miles with other credit cards. And their 2 miles per $1 spent overseas is valid only in June & December.

See this article for the full review of the Amex KrisFlyer card.

Key features:

• Earn 1.1 KrisFlyer miles per $1 spent locally
• Earn 2 KrisFlyer miles per $1 spent overseas or in foreign currency in Jun & Dec
• Earn 3.1 KrisFlyer miles per $1 spent on Grab, up to $200/month
• Welcome bonus: Spend a minimum of S$5,000 on eligible spend categories within the first 3 months of Card approval and receive 8,000 KrisFlyer miles in the 4th to 6th month of Card Membership. Valid till 30 Apr 2020
• Miles are credited straight into your KrisFlyer account, no conversion fee or lead time needed

Essential info:

• Minimum income: $30,000 (Singaporean & PR) / $60,000 (foreigner)
• Annual fee: $176.55 (waived for first year)

 

Amex KrisFlyer Ascend Card – higher-income miles card

The Amex KrisFlyer Ascend Credit Card is essentially the Amex KrisFlyer’s big brother, with a higher income requirement ($50,000 instead of $30,000) and slightly better earn rates. Apart from that, the mechanics of earning KrisFlyer miles are the same.

Note that there’s no annual fee waiver for the Ascend card, and the fee itself is also much higher. But in return, you do get some nice perks like a free night’s stay at a Hilton hotel and 4 airport lounge access passes.

See this article for the full review of the Amex KrisFlyer Ascend card.

Key features:

• Earn 1.2 KrisFlyer miles per $1 spent locally
• Earn 2 KrisFlyer miles per $1 spent overseas or in foreign currency in Jun & Dec
• Earn 3.2 KrisFlyer miles per $1 spent on Grab, up to $200/month
• Welcome bonus: Spend a minimum of S$10,000 on eligible spend categories within the first 3 months of Card approval to receive a 28,000 KrisFlyer miles. Valid till 30 Apr 2020. For new AMEX Card members only 
• Miles are credited straight into your KrisFlyer account, no conversion fee or lead time needed

Essential info:

• Minimum income: $50,000 (Singaporean & PR) / $60,000 (foreigner)
• Annual fee: $337.05

 

Amex Platinum Card – 50% off with Love Dining

A must-have credit card for anyone who likes to drink, dine and party in Singapore, the Amex Platinum credit card is basically a passport to all the places you want to see and be seen at.

Instead of offering cashback or rewards points, it gives you up to 50% off at various atas restaurants in Singapore under the Love Dining programme. Plus, you get complimentary green fees at premier golf and country clubs and and 1-for-1 drinks at fancy cocktails bars and stuff.

The catch? There’s a big fat annual fee of $321 attached to this card. In return, you get a free night’s stay at Swissotel when you pay the fee.

See this article for the full review of the Amex Platinum card.

Key features:

• Get up to 50% at fancy restaurants around town under Love Dining programme and with free Far Card membership
• Get free or 1-for-1 drinks at bars under the Chillax programme
• Discounts at several spas and golf courses

Essential info:

• Minimum income: $50,000 (Singaporean & PR) / $60,000 (foreigner)
• Annual fee: $321

 

Amex True Cashback Card – 1.5% unlimited cashback

With an unlimited cashback credit card like the Amex True Cashback Card, you can get rebates on massive, money-haemorrhaging events in life, like getting married or moving house, which would otherwise burst the cap on most cashback credit cards.

It’s really, really simple to use, with no minimum spend requirements to meet. Cash rebates are credited very quickly too – no need to wait months and months.

See this article for the full review of the Amex True Cashback card.

Key features:

• Get 3% cashback for the first 6 months up to $5,000 spend
• 1.5% cashback thereafter, no minimum spend, no cap

Essential info:

• Minimum income: $30,000 (Singaporean & PR) / $60,000 (foreigner)
• Annual fee: $171.20 (waived for first year)

 

Amex CapitaCard – earn CapitaLand vouchers while you spend

Singaporeans are like homing pigeons. We may travel far and wide, but we always end up in the same few shopping malls again and again. If your roost happens to be a CapitaMall, hey, here’s a credit card just for you.

Key features:

• Receive an American Tourister Hypebeat 79/29 Spinner Exp TSA Luggage (worth S$239) when you spend S$3,000 in your first 3 months.
• Earn 3X rewards points when you spend at CapitaMalls and 13X at Star-Xtra merchants
• Exchange your points for CapitaLand vouchers
• Spend $1,200 a month to get free parking at CapitaMalls 

Essential info:

• Minimum income: $30,000 (Singaporean & PR) / $60,000 (foreigner)
• Annual fee: $171.20 (waived for first year)

 

Amex Rewards Card – the Amex card no one knows about

It’s a shame the American Express Rewards Card is so under the radar. While its regular earn rates aren’t much compared to the best rewards cards in Singapore, it does have a very generous welcome bonus for the first $1,500 you spend.

Amex’s rewards catalogue has an excellent travel section with both frequent flyer programmes and hotel loyalty programmes.

Key features:

• Spend $1,500 in first 3 months to get 24,000 rewards points (equivalent to $110 rebate)
• Subsequently, earn 1X rewards point with each $1 spent
• Earn 1.5X rewards at your 5 Favourite Places
• Redeem rewards (including air miles and hotel stays) through American Express reward catalogue

Essential info:

• Minimum income: $30,000 (Singaporean & PR) / $60,000 (foreigner)
• Annual fee: $53.50

 

Other American Express credit cards

Amex Platinum Reserve Credit Card: Higher tier version of Amex Platinum card, for $150,000 p.a. and up

Amex Singapore Airlines PPS Club Credit Card: For SQ PPS Club members only

Amex Singapore Airlines Solitaire PPS Club Credit Card: For SQ Solitaire PPS Club members only

Amex Personal Card: Charge card with no pre-set credit limit

Amex Gold Card: Higher tier charge card

Amex Platinum Card: By invite only charge card

Do you use American Express credit cards? Tell us why or why not in the comments!