Travel Season is here! How to maximise your spend?

School holidays are coming, parents are starting to clear leave. Already have plans to travel or planning to travel? Before you start burning holes in your pockets, let's explore how to burn them strategically and get the most value back.

Travel spend can be broken into 3 categories:

1. Air Tickets

2. Accommodation

3. Overseas Expenses

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AIR TICKETS

If you have not bought your air tickets for travel in the next 2 months, you are probably looking to outlay a couple of thousand dollars here. So, what's the plan since most cards have spending caps?

Less than SGD1.5k?

DBS Woman's - 4mpd on online transactions, capped at SGD1.5k per calendar month

Less than SGD2k?

UOB Lady's - 4mpd when "travel" category is selected, capped at SGD2k per calendar month

More than SGD2k?

Maybank Horizon Visa - 3.2mpd on airline transactions, min SGD800, capped at SGD10k per calendar month

UOB Prvimiles - 6mpd on selected airlines on Expedia

I suggest using the Maybank Horizon Visa Card as I anticipate that most families will exceed SGD2k in total airline spending. I also prefer booking directly with the airline in case you need to cancel or reschedule. By using this card, you can also "free up" the DBS Women's and UOB Lady's cards for accommodation-related bookings! However, please note that the Maybank Horizon Visa only offers 3.2mpd when booking directly with the airline (i.e., booking air tickets on Trip.com or Expedia will not work).

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ACCOMMODATION

Generally there are 2 options here - book via an OTA or direct with the hotel.

If you are choosing the former, then your options are:

Citi Premiermiles - 10 mpd on Kaligo, 7.2 mpd on Agoda

6.6 mpd on Agoda, 6 mpd on Expedia

Less than SGD1.5k?

DBS Woman's - 4mpd on online transactions, capped at SGD1.5k per calendar month

Less than SGD2k?

UOB Lady's - 4mpd when "travel" category is selected, capped at SGD2k per calendar month

If you are choosing the latter and paying upfront,

Less than SGD1k?

HSBC Revolution - 4mpd on online transactions, capped at SGD1k per calendar month

Less than SGD1.5k?

DBS Woman's - 4mpd on online transactions, capped at SGD1.5k per calendar month

Less than SGD2k?

UOB Lady's - 4mpd when "travel" category is selected, capped at SGD2k per calendar month

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OVERSEAS EXPENSES

In this section, it applies to anything you are paying outside of Singapore, INCLUDING your accommodation if you choose to pay at the hotel instead of paying upfront.

DBS Altitude - 5mpd on foreign transactions, capped at SGD1k per calendar month for November and December 2024 and you have to register on your DBS Paylah! before spending

UOB Visa Signature - 4mpd on foreign transactions, capped at SGD2k per calendar month

Amaze x Citi Rewards Mastercard - 4mpd on foreign transactions, capped at SGD1.1k per calendar month but..DONT USE THIS for hotel transactions

Maybank Horizon Visa - 3.2mpd on foreign transactions, min SGD800 spend per calendar month

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That wraps up my handy guide for the next 2 months! Keep in mind to make the most of your expenses, and you might accumulate sufficient miles for your future trips!