This article is brought to you by UOB Cards.
The UOB Visa Infinite Metal Card, the bank’s premium credit card, has recently undergone some enhancements, bringing more value to cardmembers. It now comes with improved overseas earn rates and an array of enhanced travel benefits.
Let’s have a closer look at what it has to offer and how cardmembers can make the most of this card and enjoy exceptional travel and fine dining experiences.
Earn Rates
Receive strong, uncapped earn rates of 1.4 miles per dollar on local (SGD) spend and 2.4 miles per dollar (previously 2 mpd) on foreign currency spend.
Take note that Miles are awarded as UNI$, and 1 UNI$ is equivalent to 2 miles.
Earn Miles on typically-excluded transactions
Education and Hospital transactions are excluded from earning miles/points/cashback from most Singapore cards. But not this one!
Click here to view the list of exclusions in the terms and conditions.
Free Conversion to Miles
Cardmembers get to enjoy unlimited free conversion of UNI$ to miles in the following frequent flyer programs:
- Singapore Airlines KrisFlyer
- Cathay Pacific Asia Miles
This is a fantastic benefit, as most banks charge at least S$25 per conversion.
UNI$ can be converted in blocks of 5,000 UNI$ (10,000 miles).
Convert UNI$ earned on other UOB Cards for free too
As UNI$ earned across all UOB Cards are pooled together, cardmembers of the UOB Visa Infinite Metal Card can convert UNI$ earned on other UOB Cards for free too.
This benefit makes other great UOB Cards like the UOB Lady’s Card and UOB Preferred Platinum Card even better!
Miles Expiry
UNI$ expire 2 years after they are earned. As cardmembers are entitled to free unlimited conversions, I recommend converting them to a frequent flyer program close to the expiry date, if you are not ready to redeem them. This would extend your miles’ validity to at least 5 years!
Here are the miles expiry terms of both frequent flyer programs:
| Frequent Flyer Program | Miles Validity |
|---|---|
| Singapore Airlines KrisFlyer | 3 years1 |
| Cathay Pacific Asia Miles | 18 months2 |
1 A one-time extension of 6/12 months is allowed, with a fee.
2 Asia Miles do not expire, as long as a minimum of 1 mile is earned, converted or redeemed at least once every 18 months.
Complimentary Airport Lounge Access
One of the notable enhancements is that cardmembers can now enjoy unlimited airport lounge access (via DragonPass) at over 1,300 lounges worldwide, plus the added perk of bringing along a guest. This is a significant improvement from the previous benefit, which only allowed access four times a year.
Having airport lounge access can greatly improve your pre-boarding experiences, especially when there is a lengthy transit period before the connecting flight.
To register for this privilege, simply download the Airport Companion App (available on Apple App Store and Google Play Store) and sign up for the programme.
To access a participating airport lounge, simply present your DragonPass membership on the App, along with a same-day boarding pass. It does not matter which airline or cabin class you are flying in!
Other Card Benefits
Here are other key benefits that come with the UOB Visa Infinite Metal Card.
Complimentary GrabGifts Vouchers Monthly
Cardmembers receive two complimentary S$5 GrabGifts vouchers monthly, with a total annual value of S$120! These vouchers can be used for Transport, Food, Mart or Express services by Grab.
Complimentary Travel Insurance
Book your flights with the card to automatically qualify for complimentary travel insurance with a total personal accident coverage of up to US$1,000,000 for you and your spouse.
It also covers travel inconveniences like flight delays and loss of luggage.
📝 Travel Insurance Terms and Conditions
Complimentary Purchase Protection
Purchases made with the card qualify for purchase protection. This covers purchases (made locally or overseas) that are lost or damaged, up to S$10,000 per purchase.
📝 Purchase Protection Terms and Conditions
Pan Pacific DISCOVERY Platinum Membership
Cardmembers can get a complimentary fast track upgrade to the Pan Pacific DISCOVERY Platinum Membership status till December 2023. If you do not already have a Pan Pacific DISCOVERY membership, sign up here.
Pan Pacific DISCOVERY Platinum members get to enjoy perks like a room upgrade and late check-out (up till 3pm) at GHA DISCOVERY properties like Pan Pacific, PARKROYAL, Anantara, Kempinski and Capella.
Complimentary welcome drinks at a curated list of Michelin-starred and fine dining restaurants
Get a complimentary glass of wine (per set menu ordered) at selected Michelin-starred and fine dining restaurants locally and overseas such as Braci, GEMMA, Sommer and 80/20, Bangkok, Thailand.
Up to 50% off dining bill at selected hotel restaurants
Enjoy exclusive discounts of up to 50% at participating restaurants from Pan Pacific Hotels Group, The Fullerton Hotels Singapore, The Ritz-Carlton Millenia Singapore and Sheraton Towers Singapore
UOB Visa Infinite Concierge
Making a luxury purchase or booking a table at a Michelin-starred restaurant? Cardmembers can contact UOB Visa Infinite Concierge for assistance at the following hotlines:
Local: 1800 253 2288
Overseas: +65 6253 2288
Sign-Up Bonus
From now to 31 August 2023, you can receive up to 80,000 bonus miles (equivalent to a First/Suite Class one-way ticket to Japan) and $200 worth of Grab vouchers when you sign up for the UOB Visa Infinite Metal Card.
Here’s a breakdown of the sign-up bonus:
| Requirement | New UOB Cardmember | Existing UOB Cardmember |
|---|---|---|
| Payment of Membership Fee (S$648 inclusive of GST) | 25k miles (12.5k UNI$) | 25k miles (12.5k UNI$) |
| Spend at least S$4,000 within 30 days from card approval date | 55k miles (27.5k UNI$) + S$200 worth of Grab vouchers | 15k miles (7.5k UNI$) + S$200 worth of Grab vouchers |
| Total | 80k miles (40k UNI$) + S$200 worth of Grab vouchers | 40k miles (20k UNI$) + S$200 worth of Grab vouchers |
📝 Sign-Up Bonus Terms and Conditions
How Fast can you Accumulate Miles?
As there is no minimum spending required, with an uncapped earn rate, cardmembers can expect to accumulate miles consistently, no matter how much is spent in a particular month.
Here’s an example of how much miles a cardmember can accumulate in 6 months:
| Month | Total Spending | Miles Earned* | Cumulative Miles Balance |
|---|---|---|---|
| July | S$7,000 (in SGD) | +9,800 | 9,800 |
| August | S$6,200 (in SGD) S$5,500 (in EUR) | +8,680 +13,200 | 31,680 |
| September | S$8,100 (in SGD) S$2,300 (in USD) S$1,800 (in MYR) | +11,340 +5,520 +4,320 | 52,860 |
| October | S$4,100 (in SGD) S$4,600 (in AED) | +5,740 +11,040 | 69,640 |
| November | S$5,500 (in SGD) S$6,300 (in USD) | +7,700 +15,120 | 92,460 |
| December | S6,200 (in SGD) | +8,680 | 101,140 |
*As a reminder, transactions in SGD earns 1.4 miles per dollar spent, while those in foreign currency are rewarded with 2.4 miles per dollar spent.
Best Ways to Redeem Miles from UOB Cards
After conversion from UNI$, cardmembers can redeem miles from Singapore Airlines KrisFlyer and Cathay Pacific Asia Miles for flights to almost any region in the world, even on partner airlines like Japan Airlines, Finnair, ANA, Turkish Airlines and SWISS.
However, because of the low amount of miles required to travel to/from the following cities, I see these “sweet spots” as some of the best ways to redeem miles earned from UOB cards. In other words, you can’t go wrong with any of these high-value redemptions!
Singapore Airlines KrisFlyer
Singapore Airlines publishes an award chart that shows the amount of miles required for travel to/from each region.
Here are some of the best ways to redeem your KrisFlyer miles (on Singapore Airlines, at Saver rates):
| Region (one-way, to/from Singapore) | Economy Class | Premium Economy | Business Class | First Class |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Zone 10: Istanbul, Dubai, Johannesburg, Cape Town | 29k miles | 43k miles | 56.5k miles | – |
| Zone 9: Auckland, Christchurch, Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane, Adelaide | 30.5k miles | 51k miles | 68.5k miles | 93.5k miles |
| Zone 8: Perth, Darwin | 21.5k miles | – | 40.5k miles | – |
| Zone 6: India, Maldives, Sri Lanka, Nepal, Bangladesh | 20k miles | 34.5k miles | 43k miles | 58.5k miles |
Key points to note about KrisFlyer miles:
- KrisFlyer miles can be redeemed at “Saver” or “Advantage” rates (as shown in the award chart). Aim to redeem your miles at the Saver rate for better value.
- Around the middle of every month, Singapore Airlines shares a list of last-minute destinations for you to redeem KrisFlyer miles at a 30% discount.
Cathay Pacific Asia Miles
Miles earned from UOB cards can be converted to Cathay Pacific Asia Miles too, occasionally, with a bonus of 10% to 20%!
Here are some of the best ways to redeem your Asia Miles:
| Region | Airline | Class | Miles* |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hong Kong |  | Economy | 10k |
| Business | 25k | ||
| Milan, Zurich, Frankfurt | | Economy | 30k |
| Business | 65k | ||
| Europe |  | Economy | 35k |
| Business | 70k | ||
| Perth |  | Economy | 15k |
| Business | 30k | ||
| Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane | | Economy | 27k |
| Business | 61k |
Eligibility and Fees
As a premium card, the UOB Visa Infinite Metal Card has a higher minimum annual income requirement of S$120,000 (previously S$150,000).
The card’s annual membership fee is S$648 (inclusive of 8% GST). Cardmembers can also apply for a supplementary card for a loved one, which will be free for life. Subsequent supplementary cards come with an annual fee of S$290.69 (inclusive of 8% GST).
Is the annual fee worth it?
The annual fee may sound steep, but to me, it is well-justified, considering the generous sign-up bonus (up to 80,000 miles and S$200 worth of Grab vouchers) for the first year.
Renewing the card membership for subsequent years also comes with 25,000 miles, plus 15,000 additional miles upon spending a minimum of S$100,000 in a membership year (total 40,000 miles).
Other great benefits like unlimited airport lounge access for you and your partner, complimentary S$10 worth of GrabGifts vouchers every month (S$120 annually) and dining benefits further improves the value proposition!
Bottom Line
The UOB Visa Infinite Metal Card has undergone significant enhancements, providing cardmembers with a strong local (SGD) earn rate of 1.4 miles per dollar and an enhanced foreign currency earn rate of 2.4 miles per dollar.
Travel and dining benefits of this premium card have been enhanced too, as cardmembers now get unlimited airport lounge visits (+1 guest), up to 50%-off dining bills at selected fine dining restaurants in Singapore and the valuable concierge service, among others.
Click here to find out more about the UOB Visa Infinite Metal Card!