Best bank offers in Singapore (Aug 2024): American Express 30m miles giveaway, win a Mercedes-Benz EQB with HSBC, and more
PHOTO: MoneySmart
PUBLISHED ONAugust 18, 2024 1:30 PMByVanessa Nah
Everybody loves credit card sign-up promotions, but not many of us realise the promotions don't end with a welcome gift. Banks actually shower us with tons of lifestyle deals and perks just for owning and using their credit cards or debit cards.
Once in a while, we even get super exclusive deals like priority early access to concert tickets. Remember the epic UOB pre-sale in 2023 that saw an bombardment of Swifties flood UOB? More recently, UOB cardholders also got early access to Waterbomb Singapore 2024.
Here's a look at all the ongoing bank offers and deals in Singapore that you can enjoy with your credit card or simply with your banking app, including lucky draws, cashback or gift promotions, and flight deals.
Bank offers in Singapore: Lucky draws, giveaways and more
American Express 30 Million Miles Campaign
Can't wait for your next holiday? Amex is sending you off with 30 Million Miles! This mega pool of miles is to be shared amongst both new and existing Amex cardmembers who pay the annual fees and hit certain minimum spends.
You'll receive your miles in the form of Membership Rewards® ("MR") Points. Here's the maximum you can earn:
| Participating American Express card | New cardmembers | Existing cardmembers |
| The Platinum Card® | Up to 141,000 MR Points | Up to 130,000 MR Points |
| The American Express® Singapore Airlines KrisFlyer Ascend Credit Card | Up to 38,000 MR Points | Up to 28,000 MR Points |
| The American Express® Singapore Airlines KrisFlyer Credit Card | Up t0 18,000 MR Points | – |
The juiciest miles reward comes with the American Express The Platinum Card®. You'll receive up to 141,000 MR points (equivalent to 88,000 KrisFlyer miles):
- 40,000 MR Points: Pay the annual fee of S$1,744 (incl. of 9% GST) in the first statement
- 91,000 MR points: Spend $8,000 in 60 days from date of card approval
- 10,000 MR points: Earned from the $8,000 spend (based on 2 MR points for every $1.60 spent)
Valid till Sept 30, 2024, or until the miles run out. T&Cs apply.
Live Your Adventure Lucky Draw with HSBC
HSBC is going big with their latest Live Your Adventure Lucky Draw. Take part to win a brand‑new all‑electric Mercedes-Benz EQB or 86,000 KrisFlyer miles (worth a round-trip Economy class ticket to Paris)!
Here's how to earn chances:
- 20 chances: Sign up and activate the HSBC Live+ Credit Card
- 10 chances: Sign up and activate another HSBC credit card
- 5 chances: With every $500 spend on your HSBC credit card. Register your interest with gift code: ADVENTURE.
Check out our review of the brand new HSBC Live+ Credit Card.
Promotion ends Sept 23, 2024. T&Cs apply.
UOB: Win a Samsung Galaxy S24 daily with UOB TMRW
UOB is giving you the chance to win a Samsung Galaxy S24 daily when you bank with UOB TMRW. Chances reset daily, and you can earn an unlimited number! Here’s how:
| Number of chances | How you can win | How to register |
| 1 chance | Every S$10 payment via Scan to pay or PayNow UEN | Register with your details via 1. The form here, or 2. UOB TMRW app (Rewards+ tab) |
| 5 chances | Every S$100 top-up to your UOB Savings account | |
| 5 chances | Every PayNow registration on UOB TMRW (via NRIC or mobile number) | No registration is required. |
| 20 chances | Every UOB Savings account opened online |
Promotion ends Aug 31, 2024. T&Cs apply.
If you’ve been thinking about applying for a UOB savings account, this is your sign. From now till Sept 30, 2024, UOB’s Nation of Savers Promotion is offering you up to S$1,500 cash when you save with UOB:
- Register your participation by Sept 30, 2024.
- Deposit a minimum of S$20,000 in your eligible UOB savings account*. Do note that you can’t withdraw this amount for the next five months.
| New Funds Amount | Guaranteed Cash Credit Amount |
| S$20,000 | S$100 |
| S$50,000 | S$300 |
| S$100,000 | S$700 |
| S$150,000 | S$1,100 |
If you're new to UOB and don't have a UOB savings account, you can get up to an additional S$400 bonus cash reward. That comes up to a total of $1,500!
*Eligible UOB savings accounts: UOB One Account, UOB Stash Account, UOB Lady's Savings Account, UOB Passbook Savings Account and UOB Uniplus Account.
Promotion ends Sept 30, 2024. T&Cs apply.
Win 1,500 ION+ Points monthly with American Express
Calling all shopping enthusiasts! If you love a good spree at ION Orchard, you won't want to miss this promotion from American Express.
In celebration of ION Orchard's 15th anniversary, for 15 months, 15 winners every month will walk away with 1,500 ION+ Points if they spend a minimum of S$150 using an American Express Card at ION Orchard. Those points are equivalent to a whopping S$600 in e-vouchers!
You get extra bonus chances depending on which American Express credit card you pay with. If you go for the American Express® Platinum Reserve or Platinum Credit Card, you'll score an additional 10 chances.
Opt for The Platinum Card®, and you'll get 20 bonus chances to win!
This fabulous opportunity runs from Jan 1, 2024 till March 31, 2025. Happy shopping!
POSB's #FinFit Financial Planning Challenge for NSFs
You know that joke about how NSF (full-time national servicemen) actually stands for "not sufficient funds"? Well that could change with POSB's #FinFit Financial Planning Challenge for NSFs running from now till Sept 30, 2024.
Here's the deal: sign up by Sept 30, 2024, and take on various quests that'll teach you all about growing your savings, going cashless, investing wisely, and securing yourself with a DBS insurance plan.
In return for your efforts, you'll be rewarded with up to S$15,000 worth of prizes-not to mention the financial knowledge you'll gain.
The first 1,000 NSFs to register will snag a cool S$5 cash gift. Plus, all eligible participants will enter a lucky draw where 40 winners will each win a digiPortfolio investment worth up to S$1,000:
- $1,000 digiPortfolio: 6 winners
- $200 digiPortfolio: 15 winners
- $100 digiPortfolio: 20 winners
This promotion ends on Sept 30, 2024. The lucky draw will take place on Nov 6, 2024, and winners will be announced by Nov 30, 2024.
POSB Work Permit Welcome Rewards 2024
Are you new to POSB and hold a Work Permit? Great news! POSB is rolling out the red carpet for you with their POSB Work Permit Welcome Rewards 2024. Get ready to treat yourself with up to S$20 in bonuses just for getting started with your banking essentials.
Here's how to snag those rewards:
- Open and Activate: Start by opening a POSB Payroll account and activate your new DBS Visa Debit Card — which, by the way, gives its credit card counterparts a run for their money.
- Spend and Earn: Use your DBS Visa Debit Card for your purchases, accumulating at least S$200 in qualified spends each month for three months. You’ll earn S$5 cashback each month, adding up to a total of S$15.
- Bonus Bucks: Haven’t tried PayLah! yet? Download and register on the PayLah! app using the promo code ‘FIVELAH’ to pocket an extra S$5.
Make sure to take advantage of these offers before they expire on Dec 31, 2024.
Bank offers in Singapore: Travel deals
There's no shortage of airfare discounts from banks like DBS, Citibank, HSBC and more. I've trawled through their promotion pages to summarise them here.
Citibank flight promotions (2024)
Have a Citibank credit card? Here’s a summary of Citibank’s ongoing flight promotions in 2024 — there are plenty to choose from!
| Citibank airfare promotion | Departing from/Destination | Booking period | Travel period |
| Up to 10% off Qatar Airways (promo code: CITIQR24) | Singapore to selected destinations | Now till 31 Dec 2024 | Now till 31 Mar 2025 |
| EVA Air–NATAS Special: Up to 12% off airfares | From Singapore to: – Asia – Japan, South Korea and Taiwan – Europe – Amsterdam, London, Milan, Munich, Paris, and Vienna – North America – Chicago, Houston, Los Angeles, New York, San Francisco, Seattle, Vancouver and Toronto |
Now till 25 Aug 2024 | Now till 25 Aug 2025 |
| 6% off China Airlines | Selected destinations in North East Asia, Europe, North America, Oceania, South East Asia and more | Now till 31 Dec 2024 | Now till 31 Dec 2025 |
| Up to 10% off on Etihad Airways | Departing Australia, Indonesia, Malaysia, Philippines, Singapore, Thailand To: Athens, Barcelona, Brussels, Dublin, Frankfurt, Geneva, Istanbul, Lisbon, Madrid, Malaga, Manchester, Milan, Munich, Nice, Paris, Rome, Vienna, Zurich |
Now till 15 Nov 2024 | Now till 17 Dec 2024 |
Book your flights with the Citi PremierMiles Card to earn Citi Miles that never expire.
Your Citibank credit card could also get you a discount on online travel booking sites for accommodation, flights, and more. Here's a list of the ongoing offers:
| Citibank online travel booking site promotions | Valid till |
| Hong Thai Travel: Spend a minimum of $2,500 to get a New Yorker luggage | 30 Sep 2024 |
| Traveloka: $30 off with $400 minimum spend | 30 Sep 2024 |
| Traveloka: Up to $100 off flights, hotels, and Xperience products (promo code: CITIXPLORE) | 30 Sep 2024 |
| Trip.com: Up to $100 off flights and hotels | 30 Sep 2024 |
| Klook: $10 off min. spend $150 | 30 Sep 2024 |
| L.G.E. Travel Pte Ltd: Spend a minimum of $2,500 and get New Yorker Luggage | 30 Sep 2024 |
| Traveloka: Selected Royal Caribbean Cruises from $583/pax for 4-nights worldwide | 30 Sep 2024 |
| Trip.com: 50% off economy-class return flights every Friday (capped at $200) | 30 Sep 2024 |
| Booking.com: Up to 10% cashback on accommodation bookings with Visa | 31 Dec 2024 |
| L.G.E. Travel Pte Ltd: Up to $1,600 off per couple for selected packages to Finland/Sweden/Norway, Alaska and Princess cruise packages | 31 Dec 2024 |
HSBC flight and cruise promotions (2024)
| HSBC airfare promotion | Departing from/Destination | Booking period | Travel period |
| Up to 10% off Qatar Airways (promo code: HSBCQRSG24) | Singapore to selected destinations | Now till 31 Oct 2024 | Now till 31 Dec 2024 |
| Up to 12% off EVA Air | Singapore to selected destinations in Asia, Europe, and North America | Now till 25 Aug 2024 | Now till 25 Aug 2025 |
On top of these promotions, you can also take $50 off flights, hotels and more with HSBC when you book on Traveloka with a minimum spend of $500. Book from now to Dec 29, 2024 for any travel period with the promo code HSBCWEEKEND.
HSBC cruise promotions (2024)
| HSBC cruise promotions | Valid till |
| Royal Caribbean: Complimentary luggage + additional 5% off 1st and 2nd guests on any Balcony and Deluxe stateroom bookings | 31 Dec 2024 |
| Royal Albatross: 15% off Breakfast Cruise, Sunset Dinner Cruise and City Lights Dinner Cruise | 30 Jun 2025 |
Don’t have an HSBC credit card? The HSBC TravelOne Card offers one of the highest miles earn rates for foreign spending, at 2.4 miles per S$1.
DBS flight promotions (2024)
From complimentary luggage bags to 10% off airfares, DBS credit cards have plenty of ongoing flight promotions:
| DBS airfare promotion | Departing from/Destination | Booking period | Travel period |
| Up to 15% off flight bookings: Malaysia Airlines or Firefly Airlines (promo code: MCDBSSG) | Outbound flights from Singapore | Now till 30 Aug 2024 | Now till 30 Nov 2025 |
| Up to 8% off Japan Airlines | To Japan on selected flights from the following cities: Bangalore, Bangkok, Delhi, Hanoi, Ho Chi Minh City, Jakarta, Kuala Lumpur, Manila, Melbourne, Singapore, Seoul (Gimpo), Sydney |
Now till 31 Sep 2024 | Now till 31 Mar 2025 |
| Up to 8% off flight bookings: Japan Airlines | To Japan from various cities | Now till 30 Sep 2024 | Now till 31 Mar 2025 |
| Up to 10% off Qatar Airways (promo code: DBSQR24) | From Singapore to various destinations | Now till 30 Sep 2024 | Now till 31 Dec 2024 |
| Up to 20% off Etihad Airways | To Japan from various cities | Now till 15 Nov 2024 | Now till 17 Dec 2024 |
| AirAsia: $20 off flight bookings every Friday, Saturday & Sunday | From Singapore to various destinations in Asia and Australia | Now till 29 Dec 2024 | Now till 10 May 2025 |
| 6% off China Airlines | Selected destinations in North East Asia, Europe, North America, Oceania, South East Asia and more | Now till 31 Dec 2024 | No restrictions |
| 10% off Qantas or British Airways (promo code: FLYDBS) | Qantas operated flights from Singapore to Australia, New Zealand, London plus eligible British Airways flights from London to the United Kingdom or Europe. | Now till 31 Dec 2024 | Now till 31 Dec 2025 |
| $150/$100/8% off flight bookings on KLM | Discount varies by destination and plane seat classes. | Now till 31 Dec 2024 | No restrictions |
| $100 off Economy and Premium Economy/Comfort class flight bookings on Air France (promo code: AFKLXDBS24) | Singapore to Europe, USA, Canada, Central and South America | Now till 31 Dec 2024 | No restrictions |
| $150 off Business class flight bookings on Air France (promo code: AFKLDBSBIZ) | |||
| Up to 12% off EVA Air | Singapore to selected destinations in Asia, Europe, and North America | Now till 25 Aug 2024 | Now till 25 Aug 2025 |
DBS is also running a number of ongoing accommodation offers:
| DBS accommodation promotions | Booking period | Stay period |
| Booking.com: Up to 16% cashback on accommodation bookings | Now till 30 Sep 2024 | Now till 31 Dec 2024 |
| Agoda: 18% off hotel bookings (capped at $30 per booking) | Now till 31 Aug 2024 | Now till 30 Jun 2025 |
| Rakuten Travel: 10% off Japan accommodations | Now till 31 Jan 2025 | Now till 31 Jun 2025 |
| Hotels.com: 8% off hotel bookings with Visa (promo code: VISA8) | Now till 31 Dec 2024 | Now till 30 Jun 2025 |
| Hotels.com: 8% off hotel bookings with Mastercard (promo code: MCSG8) | Now till 31 Dec 2024 | Now till 30 Jun 2025 |
| Trip.com: Up to $100 off flights and hotels | Now till 31 Dec 2024 | Now till 31 Dec 2024 |
| Traveloka: Up to 6% off sitewide (promo code: DBSSPECIAL) | Now till 31 Dec 2024 | Now till 31 Dec 2024 |
The DBS Altitude Visa Signature Card is a great travel buddy. Pay for your travel expenses with it to earn up to 10 Miles per $1 in the form of Miles for Life! DBS Points that never expire.
UOB flight promotions (2024)
With a UOB credit card, you could get up to 10% off flights to various destinations around the world.
| UOB airfare promotion | Departing from/Destination | Booking period | Travel period |
| Up to 10% off Qatar Airways (Mastercard Exclusive; promo code: MASTERCARD) | From Australia, New Zealand, China, Hong Kong, Japan, South Korea, Cambodia, Indonesia, Malaysia, Philippines, Singapore, Thailand, Vietnam, Bangladesh, India, Nepal, Pakistan, Sri Lanka | Now till 31 Aug 2024 | Now till 31 Dec 2024 |
| 10% off Qantas or British Airways (promo code: FLYUOB) | Qantas operated flights from Singapore to Australia, New Zealand, London plus eligible British Airways flights to Europe when flying from Singapore to London | Now till 31 Dec 2024 | Now till 31 Dec 2025 |
| Up to 12% off EVA Air | Singapore to selected destinations in Asia, Europe, and North America | Now till 25 Aug 2024 | Now till 25 Aug 2025 |
| Up to 8% off China Airlines | From Singapore to selected destinations. | Now till 31 Dec 2024 | Now till 31 Dec 2025 |
| Up to 10% off on Emirates (promo code: SGUOB01) | From Singapore | Now till 30 Jun 2025 | Now till 31 Jul 2025 |
Although the UOB flight deals above don’t have any for Singapore Airlines, the KrisFlyer UOB Credit Card is a great way to earn KrisFlyer Miles on your Singapore Airlines, SilkAir, Scoot, KrisShop, and Kris+ purchases.
UOB credit cards will also come in handy when you're booking your hotel stays:
| UOB accommodation promotions | Booking period | Stay period |
| Agoda: 7% on Hotel Booking | Now till 31 Dec 2024 | Now till 31 Dec 2024 |
| Agoda: 7% off accommodation bookings | Now till 31 Dec 2025 | Now till 31 Mar 2026 |
| Rakuten Travel: 10% off Japan accommodations (promo code: UOBRAKUTEN10) | Now till 31 Jan 2025 | Now till 31 Jun 2025 |
| Hotels.com: 8% off hotel bookings with Visa (promo code: VISA8) | Now till 31 Dec 2024 | Now till 30 Jun 2025 |
| Hotels.com: 8% off hotel bookings with Mastercard (promo code: MCSG8) | Now till 31 Dec 2024 | Now till 30 Jun 2025 |
| Expedia: 8% off hotel booking / $15 off flight+hotel package booking (promo code: UOBSG8 / UOBPKG15) | Now till 31 Dec 2024 | Now till 30 Jun 2025 |
| Booking.com: Up to 10% cashback (promo code: UOBSG8 / UOBPKG15) | Now till 31 Dec 2024 | – |
OCBC flight promotions (2024)
OCBC credit cards don't fall short on travel promotions. Check out these lists of flight and hotel promotions!
| OCBC airfare promotion | Departing from/Destination | Booking period | Travel period |
| 10% off Qantas or British Airways (promo code: FLYOCBC) | Qantas operated flights from Singapore to Australia, New Zealand, London plus eligible British Airways flights from London to the United Kingdom or Europe. | Now till 31 Dec 2024 | Now till 31 Dec 2025 |
| Up to 10% off Emirates flights (promo code: SGOCBC1) | 10% off flights from Singapore to Melbourne; 5–10% off flights from Singapore to other Emirates destinations | Now till 31 Oct 2024 | Now till 30 Nov 2024 |
| Up to 8% off Japan Airlines | Round-trip flights to Japan | Now till 30 Sep 2024 | Now till 31 Mar 2025 |
| Up to 12% off EVA Air | Singapore to selected destinations in Asia, Europe, and North America | Now till 25 Aug 2024 | Now till 25 Aug 2025 |
| Up to 15% off Qatar Airways (promo code: PRMVISA24 for business class; SEAVISA24 for economy) | From Philippines to selected destinations. | 30 Sep 2024 | Now till 31 Dec 2024 |
| OCBC accommodation promotions | Booking period | Stay period |
| 8% off selected hotel bookings on Hotels.com with Mastercard (promo code: MCSG8) | Now till 31 Jan 2025 | Now till 30 Jun 2025 |
| 8% off selected hotel bookings on Hotels.com with Visa (promo code: VISA8) | Now till 31 Dec 2024 | Now till 30 Jun 2025 |
| Up to 10% Booking.com Wallet Credits on accommodation bookings | Now till 31 Mar 2026 | – |
| Up to 16% Booking.com Wallet Credits on accommodation bookings (capped at USD$50) | Now till 30 Sep 2024 | Now till 31 Dec 2024 |
| 10% off accommodation worldwide on Agoda (capped at $50 per booking) | Now till 30 Sep 2024 | Now till 31 Dec 2025 |
| 8% off selected hotel bookings on Expedia (promo code: VISAYRO) | Now till 31 Dec 2024 | Now till 30 Jun 2025 |
| $10 off on Klook with $150 minimum spend (promo code: OCBC<YR>10OFF<MTH> (e.g. OCBC2410OFFAUG) | Now till 31 Jan 2025 | – |
| 10% off on Klook with a min. spend of S$400 on hotel bookings (capped at S$50) (promo code: STAYOCBC2410) | Now till 31 Jul 2024 | – |
View all OCBC travel promotions.
The OCBC 90°N Card is OCBC’s signature miles card that lets you earn up to 7 Miles per $1 spend on Agoda accommodations worldwide.
Maybank flight promotions (2024)
Charge your next flight to your Maybank credit card to enjoy up to 10% off.
| Maybank airfare promotion | Departing from/Destination | Booking period | Travel period |
| Up to 8% off Japan Airlines | Flights to Japan | Now till 30 Sep 2024 | Now till 31 Mar 2025 |
| Up to 10% off Qatar Airways with promo code MBQR24 | From Singapore, Malaysia, Philippines, Indonesia or Cambodia to selected destinations | Now till 30 Sep 2024 | Now till 31 Dec 2024 |
| Up to 12% off EVA Air | Singapore to selected destinations in Asia, Europe, and North America | Now till 25 Aug 2024 | Now till 25 Aug 2025 |
| Maybank travel booking site promotions | Booking period | Stay period |
| Trip.com: Up to 7% off hotel and 2% flight bookings (promo codes: MBBSGHOTELS / MBBSGFLIGHT) | Now till 31 Dec 2024 | Now till 30 Nov 2025 |
| Booking.com: Up to 16% cashback on hotel bookings | Now till 30 Sep 2024 | Now till 31 Dec 2024 |
Make the most of your travel spending by charging your air ticket to the Maybank Horizon Visa Signature card. You'll earn 3.2 air miles (8X TREATS Points) for every S$1 spent on air tickets and foreign currency transactions!
Credit card privilege programmes in Singapore
If you own a credit card, you're entitled to dining, travel, and other lifestyle offers you may not even know about.
Each bank has their own privilege programme or deals catalogue that makes claiming a deal as easy as applying a promo code or claiming a voucher on your banking app.
These differ from rewards programmes that let you redeem gifts using points accumulated from your credit card spending-for example, redeeming a $5 NTUC voucher with 100 points.
Here, we're talking about catalogues of deals and promotions that you have the privilege of accessing simply because you have a credit card with that bank-for example, showing your credit card at a restaurant to enjoy a 1-for-1 offer on all main courses.
Here's a list of credit card promotion/privilege programmes in Singapore for UOB, DBS, and more.
UOB: UOB Rewards+
UOB Rewards+ is the UOB rewards programme that all UOB Cardmembers are entitled to. It also claims to be the largest rewards catalogue in Singapore.
So if you have a UOB card, make sure you download the UOB TMRW app to browse all deals. You can also view dining deals at The Dining Advisor.
Standard Chartered: The good life
The Good Life Privileges is a deals and rewards programme open to anyone with a Standard Chartered credit or debit card (or both).
Citibank: Citi World Privileges
Citi World Privileges is full of deals for not just the rest of the world while you're on holiday, but when you're back home in Singapore too.
DBS privileges and offers
DBS may not have a fancy schmancy name for their credit card offers programme, but they've still got a ton of good deals you should check out.
American Express: Love dining and chillax
Amex Platinum cards aren't the most accessible, but give you access to tons of dining deals and privileges. Check out their Love Dining deals for offers at restaurants and hotels, and their Chillax programme 1-for-1 drink offers and welcome cocktails at bars around the island.
HSBC credit card promotions and deals
Like DBS, HSBC doesn't have a dedicated name for their HSBC credit card promotions programme. An HSBC credit card also gives you access to standard offers on The Entertainer with HSBC, although only selected cards give you premium offers.
OCBC credit card promotions
Another nameless programme, OCBC's credit card promotions and deals span across food, fashion, health and many other categories.
Maybank credit card promotions
The Maybank credit card promotions are all listed online, but don't forget to change the filter to see the promotions you want.
Categories include: dining, beauty, travel, wellness, shopping, and more. There doesn't seem to be a way to see all categories at once.
CIMB credit card promotions
Check out CIMB's credit card deals across categories like dining, travel and lifestyle, e-commerce, and beauty and wellness. You can also select "near me" to see deals based on your location.
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This article was first published in MoneySmart.