Best for Air Miles and Oversea Travel
DBS Altitude Miles Credit Card
per S$1 spend
Sign-up Gift
if Pay Annual Fee
Point Expiration
The DBS Altitude Card is one of the most popular miles cards in the market. With its easily attainable S$30,000 p.a. minimum income requirement, it’s an attractive option for young working adults. Best of all, this credit card allows you to earn 1.2 miles per S$1 local spend and 2 miles for overseas spend.
DBS Altitude card is best for average spenders seeking miles rewards and travel perks, such as free airport lounge visits, travel insurance, and more.
DBS Altitude Miles Credit Card Rewards
Key Features
- Earn up to 3 miles per S$1 spend on online shopping, online flight, and hotel transactions
- Get 1.2 miles per S$1 for local spend
- Get 2 miles per S$1 overseas spend
- Miles never expire
- Earn 10,000 bonus miles when you pay the annual fee
Air Miles
- DBS points and airline miles never expire
- Accelerated earn rates when you book your travels with exclusive travel partners
- 10 miles per S$1 spent on hotel transactions at Kaligo
- 6 miles per S$1 spent on flight and hotel transactions at Expedia
International Spending
- Earn 2 miles per S$1 overseas or foreign currency spend
Online Shopping
- Earn up to 3 miles per S$1 when you shop online. Valid till 30 September 2021
- Apply for complimentary Priority Pass membership to enjoy 2 airport lounge access worldwide every year
Transportation
- Earn up to 1.2 miles per S$1 spent when you use the DBS Altitude Visa Signature Card for your bus/train rides.
Pros & Cons
Pros
- Offers competitive miles rewards for overseas and online travel spend
- Great for travel and hotel bookings online
- No annual fee
- Miles rewards don’t expire
Cons
- Not suitable for those willing to pay an annual fee for high bonus miles rewards
- High spenders and frequent travelers willing to pay a high fee for luxury travel perks
How to Apply
Age Requirement
21 years old and above
Minimum Annual Income
Singapore and Permanent Residents
S$30,000
Foreigners
S$45,000
Fees and Charges
| Annual Fee | S$192.60 |
| Fee waiver | Waive for First Year |
| Annual Interest Rate | 26.8% p.a. |
| Late Payment Fee | S$100 |
| Cash Advance Fee | $15 or 8%, whichever is highest |
| Minimum Monthly Spend: | S$2,500 |
| Minimum Monthly Payment: | $50 or 3%, whichever is highest |
| Foreign Currency Transaction Fee | 3.25% |
Income Documents
Existing DBS Credit Card Member
- There is no additional requirement required. You can log into your DBS Internet Banking to apply.
New DBS Credit Card Member (Singaporean/Permanent Residents)
- A copy of your NRIC (front and back)
- Latest 3 months payslips or 3 months CPF Contribution History Statement
- Latest 1-year Income Tax Notice Assessment
- Proof of residences such as utility bill
- For employees with less than 3 months service: a copy of Staff Pass and latest computerized payslips
Disclaimer: This information may differ from what you see when you visit other financial service websites or the product’s official site, but Loan Advisor continues to keep every detail updated and accurate. This site may be compensated through third-party advertisers. However, the results of our comparison tools which are not marked as sponsored will always be based on objective analysis.
How Does It Compare With Other Credit Cards In Singapore?
| Minimum Income | Interest | Cash Back | Minimum Spend | Rewards | |
| DBS Altitude Visa Signature Card | Singaporean/PR: S$30,000 Foreigner: S$45,000 | S$192.60 | S$2,500 | S$1= 1.2 miles on local spend S$1= 2 miles on overseas spend $1=3 miles online shopping, online flight, and hotel transactions S$1= up to 10 miles staycation bookings (partnered sites) | |
| Citi Cash Back Card+ Mastercard | Singaporean/PR: S$30,000 Foreigner: S$42,000 | 26.90% | 1.6% cashback on eligible spend Unlimited cashback cap | S$0 | |
| HSBC Visa Platinum Credit Card | Singaporean/PR: S$30,000 Foreigner: S$40,000 | 25.90% p.a. | 5% cashback on Dining, Groceries, & Petrol Cashback capped at S$250 | $600 | |
| Citi Cash Back | Singaporean/PR: S$30,000 Foreigner: S$42,000 | 26.90% p.a. | Up to 8% cashback on dining, groceries, and petrol Up to 20.88% savings from Shell & Esso Cashback capped at S$80 per category per month | S$800 | |
| Standard Chartered Unlimited Cashback Credit Card | Singaporean/PR: S$30,000 Foreigner: S$60,000 | 26.90% p.a. | Up to 1.5% cashback on eligible spend Unlimited cashback cap | S$0 | |
| American Express Singapore Airlines KriFlyer Credit Card | Singaporean/PR: S$30,000 Foreigner: S$60,000 | 26.90% p.a. | N/A | S$0 | S$1=1.1 Miles on local spend S$1=2 miles on overseas spend S$1= 3.1 miles on Grab rides |
Benefits and Challenges
The DBS Altitude Card may not be the most competitive miles card on the market when it comes to earning miles through daily expenses. However, when it comes to online shopping, as well as travel bookings through partner sites, the DBS Altitude Visa Signature Card has some of the best miles rewards.
Here are some of its pros:
- Welcome offer: They offer S$200 cashback or up to S$38,000 miles when you apply online via Myinfo with Singpass. This promo is valid till 30 Sep 2021.
- Bonus Rewards: Get up to 3 miles per S$1 when you shop online. Valid from 1 June to 30 September 2021. Additionally, you can earn 10 miles per S$1 hotel transaction at Kaligo and 6 miles per S$1 flight and hotel transaction at Expedia.
- High Bonus Rewards Upon Renewal: Receive 10,000 bonus miles (5,000 DBS points) when you pay the annual fee of S$192.60.
- Miles never expire: With the world as it is, we don’t know when borders will open up again. So it’s great to know that DBS miles will never expire. You don’t have to worry about using them up before a certain date.
- Complimentary Travel Insurance: When your travel fare is charged to your DBS Altitude Card, you will automatically enjoy complimentary cover under the Travel Insurance Program by DBS Bank Ltd.
On top of this, if you use the DBS Altitude Visa Signature Card, you’ll enjoy exclusive offers, including Visa eCommerce Purchase Protection. This provides coverage for potential losses of up to USD$200 per claim per annum.
Plus, with DBS Altitude Visa Signature Card, you’ll enjoy Visa Concierge service for seamless reservations, virtual events, and outdoor experiences.
So what’s the catch?
Despite all these attractive bonus rewards, the DBS Altitude Visa Signature Card lacks features that other miles cards have. For instance, it only offers 2 miles per S$1 overseas spend which is considerably lower than other travel cards.
Additionally, it’s also not an attractive card for everyday transactions. You’ll only earn 1.2 miles per S$1 local spending. Take these factors into consideration if you’re looking for a credit card with flexible miles rewards.
Our Verdict
Those looking for affordable miles cards won’t go wrong with the DBS Altitude Card. It has a considerable minimum income requirement and an affordable annual fee.
In fact, you can get an annual fee waiver if you have an annual spend of S$25,000. This amounts to at least S$2,000 spend per month, perfect for average spenders. But if you choose to pay for the annual fee, you’ll get 10,000 bonus miles (5,000 DBS points).
If you compare it with American Express Singapore Airlines KriFlyer Credit Card, they have similar features. Both offer 2 miles per S$1 overseas spend and offer travel and airport lounge perks. But the DBS Altitude Card stands out for its promotions of up to 10 miles for staycation bookings, plus the miles never expire.
Is DBS Altitude Card A Good Option?
With the DBS Altitude Card, you’ll earn miles through DBS Points. You can earn these points from online shopping, groceries, movies, staycations, and more. Once you’ve earned your DBS Points, you can convert them into air miles.
The baseline miles earn rate when you use your DBS Altitude Card is 3 DBS points for every S$5 spent which is basically 1.2 miles per S$1 spent locally. This is a competitive earn rate compared to other miles cards in the market.
Additionally, since you’ll be earning DBS Points, you can also use the rewards to redeem cash rebates or vouchers. It is not restricted to travel.
That said, the DBS Altitude Card is worth considering. But of course, you still need to take into account your spending habits and the kind of rewards that are relevant to you.
See also our credit card reviews for Citi Cash Back and DBS Black Visa
DBS Altitude Card Frequently Asked Questions
How Do I Check The Status of My Application?
- Login to Internet Banking
- Go to Apply then tap “More Application Services”
- Select “View Application Status”
Another option is to talk to a Virtual Assistant or Live Chat agent. Simply go to dbs.com.sg.
Note: Application processing takes about 7 working days. Additionally, make sure to provide complete information and all the required documents during the application. Failing to do so may result in delays.
How Do I View the Updated Credit Card and Unsecured Credit Rules?
To view the updated Association of Banks in Singapore’s (ABS) credit card and unsecured credit rules, click here.
What Can I Do With My DBS Points?
The DBS Altitude Card has baseline miles earn rate of 3 DBS points for every S$5 spent or up to 1.2 miles per S$1 spent locally.
That said, you can exchange your DBS Points for different rewards. Whether you want to exchange it for dining vouchers, movie tickets, to air miles, DBS has a whole range of catalogs to choose from.
Is There A Way To Accelerate Points?
Some DBS credit cards earn more points than other types of credit cards.
For instance, with a DBS Black Card, you can earn 3 DBS points for every S$5 spent on Visa contactless transactions.
On the other hand, the DBS Altitude card allows you to earn 3 DBS points for every S$5 spent locally. Additionally, you have the option to earn more miles if you choose to pay an administrative fee of 2% for your retail spend.
Take a look at the illustration below:
| Amount Spent | Base Miles Earned | Additional Miles Earned | Total Miles Earned | 2% Admin Fee Charge | |
| Local Spend | S$2,000 | 2,400 miles | 2,000 miles | 4,400 miles (2.2 miles/S$1) | S$40 |
| Overseas | S$3,500 | 7,000 miles | 3,500 miles | 10,500 miles (3 miles/S$1) | S$70 |
| Online flight & hotel transactions | S$1,500 | 4,500 miles | 1,500 miles | 6,000 miles (4 miles/S$1) | S$30 |
| 20,900 miles | S$140 | ||||
What Is Considered As Local Spend or Overseas Spend?
Local spend is credit card transactions posted in Singapore dollars. Overseas spending, on the other hand, is credit card transactions posted in foreign currencies.
Note: Transaction Fees and Currency Conversion Fees may apply when buying in foreign currency.
Is KrisFlyer Miles Auto Conversion Program Applicable To DBS Altitude Card?
KrisFlyer Miles Auto Conversion Program is applicable to the following cards:
- DBS Insignia Card
- DBS Black Treasures Elite Card
- DBS Altitude Card
How Do I Redeem DBS Altitude Card Rewards?
As previously mentioned, you’ll be rewarded in DBS Points. These points can be redeemed as miles, vouchers, or as payment for the annual fee.
To redeem your DBS Altitude Card Rewards:
- You can redeem points for KrisFlyer Miles or Asia Miles in blocks of 5,000 DBS Points for 10,000 air miles through the DBS Rewards Frequent Flyer Program.
- A redemption fee of S$26.75 will be charged for each miles redemption.
- You can also automatically convert points to KrisFlyer Miles every 10th day of each quarter through the KrisFlyer Miles Auto Conversion Program.
Conclusion
Key Takeaways:
- DBS Altitude card is best for average spenders seeking miles rewards and travel perks
- Earn up to 3 miles per S$1 spend on online shopping, online travel bookings, and hotel transactions
- The DBS Altitude Card currently offers accelerated earn rates of up to 10 miles when you book your travels with exclusive travel partners.
What makes the DBS Altitude Card stand out is its bonus miles on online shopping and online travel bookings. Plus, since the miles rewards never expire, you can take your time to accumulate miles for that airline ticket.
That said, be smart in using your DBS Altitude Card. Take note of payment schedules and make sure to pay your bills on time. Failing to do so can lead to interest charges and late fees.
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