In recent years, the Citi Rewards Card has been a top miles credit card for Singapore-based miles chasers and a key part of my miles and credit card strategy. Let’s find out if it is still the king in 2026. Here’s my complete analysis of the Citi Rewards Card.
Additional Note: There are two versions of the Citi Rewards Card:
- Mastercard
- Visa (no longer open for application since 2020)
Both versions have pretty much identical benefits, but only the Mastercard version can be paired with the Amaze card (more on this later). Holders of the legacy Visa version may still be able to get it replaced upon expiry to continue enjoying benefits on double the monthly cap, by having 2 versions of this card.
At a Glance: Citi Rewards Card Review
The Citi Rewards Card is still the best Miles credit card in Singapore for 2 key reasons:
- Earn 4 mpd on almost everything:
Covers a wide range of spending categories like online shopping (any currency), and with Amaze linkage, also great for overseas spending like dining and in-person shopping. - Superb flexibility:
Points expire in generous 5-year cycles and are transferable to 9 useful Frequent Flyer Programs (better award availability, more airlines, more destinations).
⚠️ However, be aware of the following quirks:
- Points expire in 5-year cycles, which means that points earned near the end of each cycle will have a very short expiry term.
- Amaze charges a 1% fee (min. 50 cents) on all card-linked SGD transactions. So, this may not be an ideal combo for in-person spending in Singapore Dollars.
Key information about the Citi Rewards Card
Here’s a quick rundown of the important details of the Citi Rewards Card.
Citi Rewards Card
Card tier
World Mastercard
Annual fee
S$196.20
(first year waived,
request for waiver every year)
Income requirement
S$30,000/year
(Singaporean, PR)
S$42,000/year
(Foreigner)
Foreign currency fee
3.25%
Points expiry
5 years + 3 months cycles
(from card opening date)
Transfer partners
9
(useful ones)
Transfer ratio
2.5 points = 1 mile
Min. transfer block
25,000 points
(10,000 miles)
Transfer fee
$27.25 per transfer
Points pooling
No
General earn rate
1X point per dollar
(0.4 mpd)
Bonus earn rate
10X points per dollar
(4 mpd)
Earning block
Every S$1
Calendar/Statement month
Statement
Transaction/Posting date
Posting
Lounge access
None
Sign-up promo
Check here
Pros and cons
Here are the pros and cons of the Citi Rewards Card, as compared to other Singapore credit cards.
✅ Great 4 mpd earn rate for online spending (except travel-related)
✅ Great 4 mpd earn rate and lower foreign currency fee for in-person spending in foreign currency (when paired with Amaze)
✅ No minimum spending requirement for bonus earn rate
✅ Access to 9 useful Frequent Flyer Programs
✅ 5 years points expiry cycles (from card opening date)
❌ 4 mpd earn rate capped to S$1,000 worth of monthly spending
❌ Poor 0.4 mpd earn rate on travel-related spending
❌ Poor 0.4 mpd earn rate on in-person spending (except with Amaze linkage)
❌ Using Amaze for in-person SGD spending now comes with a fee (1%, min. S$0.50, charged by Amaze)
❌ Points earned close to the end of the 5-year cycle have very short expiry term
❌ 3.25% foreign currency fee (save ~1% with Amaze linkage)
❌ Points transfers cost S$27.25 each time
❌ Annual fee payments do not come with miles
Annual fee
Like most other credit cards in Singapore, the Citi Rewards Card has an annual fee of S$196.20. This annual fee is automatically waived for the first year.
Is the annual fee worth it?
Although the Citi Rewards Card is one of the best miles credit cards out there, the annual fee is not worth it, especially as it does not come with any miles (unlike cards like Citi PremierMiles, HSBC TravelOne). In other words, the annual fee would negate some value that you get from the card throughout the year.
Cardholders are encouraged to keep track of the card anniversary date and request an annual fee waiver every single year.
Free Google Sheet Template: Suitesmile’s Credit Card Management Sheet
How to request an annual fee waiver?
Citibank credit card annual fee waivers can be done over the phone. Say something along the lines of “I saw the annual fee posted on my card. I am thinking of cancelling it, but can you waive the annual fee?”.
Guide: Citibank Credit Card Annual Fee Waiver
What if the annual fee waiver is rejected?
If/When an annual fee waiver is not granted, cardholders can attempt the following steps:
- Appeal the rejection via phone
- Still rejected? Redeem/Transfer out all remaining points immediately
- Wait for points transfer to complete
- Call to cancel the card
- If it was your only Citi credit card, apply for the card 12 months later to enjoy the bank’s consistently-superb sign-up bonuses
🙌 There are currently only 3 good credit cards in Singapore that do not come with any annual fee.
Earn rates
Citi Rewards cardholders earn 10 ThankYou points per dollar (equivalent to 4 miles per dollar) on:
- Online spending (except travel-related, mobile wallet)
- In-person shopping (at specific merchant categories only*)
*Officially, cardholders can only earn 4 mpd for in-person spending on the following MCCs: 5311, 5611, 5621, 5631, 5641, 5651, 5655, 5661, 5691, 5699, 5699. However, with an Amaze linkage (see below) cardholders can enjoy the great earn rate on almost all in-person spending that is not travel-related.
All other transactions earn just 1 point per dollar (0.4 mpd).
Enjoy this great earn rate for up to S$1,000 worth of eligible spending per statement month, with no minimum spending required. Depending on your expenditure, the monthly limit may be too low. For spendings beyond S$1,000/month, consider other great miles cards to continue earning 4 mpd.
Using the Citi Rewards Card with Amaze (caution for SGD spend)
Citi Rewards cardholders can link this card to the Amaze card to also earn 4 mpd on in-person spending like dining, groceries and shopping. This pairing effectively turns all your offline transactions “online” (to earn 4 mpd) and lowers your foreign currency charges by about 1%. To do so, simply spend with the Amaze card after you have linked the Citi Rewards Card to it via the Instarem mobile app.
From 10 March 2025, Amaze charges a 1% fee (min. S$0.50) on all card-linked SGD transactions. Because of the minimum fee of 50 cents, the Amaze – Citi Rewards pairing is now unattractive for SGD in-person purchases under S$50.
For larger SGD transactions (S$50 and above), using the Amaze + Citi Rewards combo is now a “pay-to-earn-miles” game. You are effectively buying miles at a rate of 0.63 cents per mile (when factoring in the opportunity cost of an “effortless” 1.5% cashback card). This can still be a worthwhile trade, especially if you value Citi’s flexible transfer partners.
Related: What’s the true cost of using Amaze for SGD spending?
Where the Amaze pairing still shines (no extra fees):
- Foreign Currency Spending: Linking your Citi Rewards to Amaze for overseas purchases in person or online spending in a foreign currency remains an excellent strategy. You will still earn 4 mpd on the Citi Rewards Card, while enjoying a lower foreign currency spread of ~2% (vs the usual 3.25% charged by Citibank).
Which merchants are eligible?
Citi Rewards cardholders can earn 4 mpd at any merchant that are not travel-related, mobile wallet transactions (Google Pay, Apple Pay) or excluded (more on this later), in any currency.
This covers a wide variety of eligible merchants, including those in the following categories:
- Online shopping (e.g. Shopee, Lazada)
- In-person shopping (with Amaze linkage, 1% fee if SGD)
- Dining (with Amaze linkage, 1% fee if SGD)
- Groceries (with Amaze linkage, 1% fee if SGD)
- Ride-hailing
- Food delivery
- Streaming services (e.g. Spotify, Netflix)
- Phone/Internet bills
- Fuel (with Amaze linkage, 1% fee if SGD)
- Private Hospitals
- Miles/Points purchases
What are the travel-related merchants to AVOID?
These popular merchants/categories have travel-related Merchant Category Codes (MCCs) that are NOT eligible for the 4 mpd earn rate:
- Hotels
- Airlines
- Klook
- Pelago
- Online Travel Agencies (e.g. Agoda, Expedia, Trip.com)
- Travel Agencies (e.g. Chan Brothers, WTS Travel)
For futher clarity: Generally, overseas transactions are not seen as “travel-related” transactions (even though you’re technically travelling). Continue earning 4 mpd on this card with Amaze linkage on in-person overseas shopping, dining and more, as long as they don’t fall under the excluded categories shared above.
Can I check the MCC before paying?
It requires a little trick, but you can! To do this, you’ll need an Amaze card to intentionally get a payment declined.
Here are the steps:
- Make sure that you have $0 or low balance in your Amaze wallet
- Link your Amaze card to the Amaze wallet (instead of a credit card)
- Next, attempt to pay for the online transaction using your Amaze card details
- The transaction will not go through (due to insufficient balance), but you can now check the MCC of the transaction in the ‘Activity’ tab in your Amaze app
Related: How to Check Merchant Category Code (MCC) Before You Pay
Calendar or statement month?
Bonus earn rates on credit cards typically have monthly caps, which come in two forms:
- Calendar month (ends on the last day of the calendar month)
- Statement month (ends the day before your statement date)
The Citi Rewards card’s bonus earn rate is capped at S$1,000 worth of spending per statement month. This translates to a total of 10k points (4k miles) that can be earned in every statement month.
Transaction date or posting date?
Credit card providers determine monthly qualifying spend based on either:
- Transaction date (date of the transaction, in Singapore time)
- Posting date (date when the transaction is posted in your credit card account, usually 1 to 3 days after the transaction)
The Citi Rewards Card considers the posting date. So, if you want the transaction to count for the current statement month, it is advisable to complete the purchase around 4 to 5 days before your usual statement date.
Citibank rewards exclusions
Citibank shares the list of transactions that are excluded from earning rewards points. Using the Citi Rewards Card for the following transactions will not earn any points:
tl;dr: There’s nothing out of the ordinary here. Most of these are also excluded from earning miles/cashback on other cards.
- AXS
- AMAZE* AXS
- BANC DE BINARY
- BUS/MRT^
- AMAZE* BUS/MRT
- EZ-link
- AMAZE* EZ-link
- OANDA ASIA PAC
- SAM
- Saxo Cap Mkts Pte Ltd
- SIMPLYGO*
- SPL AUTO*
- SPL ATU*
- SPL ONLINE*
- SKYFX.COM
- TL-ABT
- TRANSIT
- AMAZE* TRANSIT
- Transit Link
- Youtrip Singapore SG
| MCC | Description |
|---|---|
| 6529 | Quasi Cash – Remote Stored Value Load – Financial Institute |
| 6530 | Quasi Cash – Remote Stored Value Load – Merchant |
| 6534 | Quasi Cash – Money Transfer – Member Financial Institution |
| 6540 | Non-Financial Institutions – Stored Value Card Purchase/Load |
| 7349 | Cleaning and Maintenance, Janitorial Services |
| 7511 | Quasi Cash – Truck Stop Transactions |
| 7523 | Parking Lots, Parking Meters and Garages |
| 7800 | Government-Owned Lotteries (US Region only) |
| 7995 | Betting, including Lottery Tickets, Casino Gaming Chips, Off-Track Betting, and Wagers at Race Tracks |
| 4829 | Wire Transfer Money Orders (WTMOs) |
| 4900 | Utilities – Electric, Gas, Water, and Sanitary |
| 5199 | Nondurable Goods (Not Elsewhere Classified) |
| 5960 | Direct Marketing – Insurance Services |
| 6012 | Financial Institutions – Merchandise, Services, and Debt Repayment |
| 6050 | Quasi Cash – Financial institutions, Merchandise, Services |
| 6051 | Non-Financial Institutions – Foreign Currency, Money Orders (Not Wire Transfer), Stored Value Card/Load, Travelers Cheques, and Debt Repayment |
| 6211 | Securities – Brokers and Dealers |
| 6300 | Insurance Sales, Underwriting and Premiums |
| 6513 | Real Estate Agents and Managers – Rentals |
| 8211 | Elementary and Secondary Schools |
| 8220 | Colleges, Junior Colleges, Universities, and Professional Schools |
| 8241 | Correspondence Schools |
| 8244 | Business and Secretarial Schools |
| 8249 | Vocational and Trade Schools |
| 8299 | Schools and Educational Services (Not Elsewhere Classified) |
| 8398 | Charitable and Social Service Organizations |
| 8062 | Hospitals |
| 8651 | Political Organizations |
| 8661 | Religious Organizations |
| 9211 | Court Costs Including Alimony and Child Support |
| 9222 | Fines |
| 9223 | Bail and Bond Payments |
| 9311 | Tax Payments |
| 9399 | Government Services (Not Elsewhere Classified) |
| 9402 | Postal Services – Government Only |
| 9405 | U.S. Federal Government Agencies or Departments |
| 9754 | Quasi Cash – Gambling – Horse Racing, Dog Racing, State Lotteries |
| 5993 | Cigar Stores and Stands |
When are points credited?
Unlike most other credit cards with bonus earn rates, Citibank credits both base (1X) and bonus points (9X) immediately when a transaction is posted.
This totals up to 10 points per dollar spent, which converts to 4 miles per dollar when transferred to an FFP.
Not having to wait for bonus points is beneficial as:
- You’d be able to redeem them right away, if needed
- You can cancel the card comfortably (after transferring out all earned points), if/when an annual fee waiver is not granted
Points expiry
Points earned on the Citi Rewards Card expire 60 calendar months + 3 calendar months grace period, after the calendar month in which the card was approved. This fixed 5 yr 3 mths cycle continues until the card is cancelled.
This can get a little tricky to track when you are close to the end of the cycle, when points that are recently earned have a very short expiry term. So, be sure to mark your calendar and keep good records of the important dates of your credit cards.
Free Google Sheet Template: Suitesmile’s Credit Card Management Sheet
Here are some examples, for a Citi Rewards card that was approved on 17th March 2020:
| Points earned | Points expire (5 yr + 3 mths grace) |
|---|---|
| 20 May 2020 | 30 June 2025 |
| 12 Apr 2022 | 30 June 2025 |
| 5 Sep 2023 | 30 June 2025 |
| 22 Jan 2024 | 30 June 2025 |
| 3 Mar 2025 | 30 June 2025 |
| 5 Jun 2025 | 30 June 2030* |
*As the points were earned after the first 60-month cycle, these points will expire at the end of the next cycle.
How to check expiring Citibank points?
As mentioned earlier, Citibank points have a fixed expiry term, starting from the card approval date. If you’ve forgotten your approval month and year, try one of these methods:
- Call the bank to check
- Check your email inbox (see screenshot below)
Citibank points pooling
Points earned on the Citi Rewards card do not pool with those that are earned on other points-earning cards like Citi PremierMiles and Prestige.
Lack of points pooling gives you 2 key disadvantages:
- If/When an annual fee waiver is not granted, and you want to cancel the card, you can only transfer out Citi points in blocks of 25k points (10k miles). A balance smaller than this block can be used to redeem as cashback or for vouchers, although not ideal.
- If/When you need to transfer points from 2 or more Citi cards, you’ll need to pay the transfer fee of S$27.25 for each transfer.
This feature is lacking across all Citibank credit cards. While it’s unfortunate, I don’t see it as a dealbreaker, as Citi miles/points have far better flexibility, as compared to most miles/rewards credit cards in Singapore.
Citibank transfer partners
Points earned on the Citi Rewards Card can be converted to miles on the following FFPs.
Technically, this card has 12 airline/hotel transfer partners. However, due to a number of reasons like the usefulness of the loyalty programs, Citibank cards have 9 useful transfer partners. This makes Citibank points the most flexible in the Singapore market.
Related: Credit card transfer partners in Singapore (all banks)
0 Good conversion ratio, useful FFP
0 Good conversion ratio, poor FFP
0 Poor conversion ratio
0 Unlock useful FFP through an additional step*
*Related: How to transfer Avios from Qatar Airways to Finnair
| Frequent Flyer Program | Conversion Ratio & Block | Online Spending Earn Rate |
|---|---|---|
| Singapore Airlines KrisFlyer | 25k Citi points to 10k miles | 4 mpd |
| Cathay Pacific Asia Miles | 25k Citi points to 10k miles | 4 mpd |
| EVA Air Infinity MileageLands | 25k Citi points to 10k miles | 4 mpd |
| British Airways Club | 25k Citi points to 10k Avios | 4 mpd |
| Qatar Airways Privilege Club | 25k Citi points to 10k Avios | 4 mpd |
| Finnair Plus | Transfer via TBAC | – |
| KLM/Air France Flying Blue | 25k Citi points to 10k miles | 4 mpd |
| Qantas Frequent Flyer | 25k Citi points to 10k points | 4 mpd |
| Turkish Airlines Miles&Smiles | 25k Citi points to 10k miles | 4 mpd |
| Thai Airways Royal Orchid Plus | 25k Citi points to 10k miles | 4 mpd |
| Etihad Guest | 25k Citi points to 10k miles | 4 mpd |
| IHG One Rewards | 25k Citi points to 10k points | 4 ppd |
How to transfer Citibank points?
Citi cardholders can transfer credit card points to FFPs easily using the Citi mobile app. Here’s a quick guide:
1. Tap on the points balance that you want to redeem from
2. Tap on Points Transfer
3. Tap on Let’s Go
4. Tap on an FFP of choice
5. Choose the amount of frequent flyer miles to receive
6. Fill up your name and membership no. carefully (must match your FFP profile)
How long do Citibank points transfers take?
Points transfers to all useful FFPs typically take 2 to 3 days.
Additional note: Where the expiry term permits, cardholders are encouraged to keep their miles/points in the credit cards, instead of transferring to FFPs speculatively. This gives you the flexibility to only transfer the points to an FFP when making a booking, after checking award availability.
Best ways to redeem Citibank points
As mentioned earlier, Citibank miles give you superb flexibility when redeeming for an award ticket. Gain access to FFPs with better award rates to regions that are overdemanded (hence, overpriced) on KrisFlyer. These are:
- Japan
- South Korea
- Europe
Here’s a quick comparison of the number of miles required by other FFPs vs KrisFlyer:
| Destination (to/from SIN) | Cabin Class | Miles Required (Other FFP) | Miles Required (KrisFlyer) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Japan, S. Korea | Economy | 15.5k | 25.5k |
| Japan, S. Korea | Business | 25k | 54.5k |
| Europe | Economy | 25k | 44k |
| Europe | Business | 62.5k | 108.5k |
There are many other factors to consider, such as award availability, fuel surcharges and other taxes and fees. But the general takeaway is: Citibank miles give you choices and depending on where you are flying, possibly better award rates and availability.
Read more about the cheapest ways to fly to the following destinations using credit card miles:
Sign-up promotion
Over the years, new cardholders of Citibank can usually receive bonus miles, cash, vouchers and/or gadgets worth upwards of S$800 when applying for a new Citibank credit card.
Previous Citibank credit cardholders who cancelled their last card with the bank (as a principal cardholder) more than 12 months ago will also qualify as a new cardholder.
🎁 Check the latest sign-up promotion for the Citi Rewards Card
Citi Rewards Card’s competitors
As a reminder, the best miles credit cards in Singapore award 4 miles per dollar on your spending, albeit with monthly caps.
So, are there any alternatives to the Citi Rewards Card that offer a similar earn rate and annual income requirement (S$30k/annum)? Let’s see how this card compares against its key competitors:
| Card | Bonus Earn Rate | Min./Max. Spend (per month) | Bonus Categories | Transfer Partners (useful ones) | Miles Expiry |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Citi Rewards | 4 mpd | Max. S$1k | Online, In-Person Shopping | 9 | 5 yr 3 mths cycles |
 UOB Preferred Visa | 4 mpd | Max. S$600 (per category) | Mobile Contactless, Online | 2 | 2 years |
 Maybank XL Rewards | 4 mpd | Min. S$500 Max. S$1k | Online Shopping, In-Person Shopping, Flights, Hotels, Overseas | 3 | 1 year |
 DBS Woman’s World | 4 mpd | Max. S$1k | Online | 3 | 1 year |
 UOB Lady’s | 4 mpd | Max. S$1k | CHOOSE ONE: Travel, Dining, Fashion, Transport, Beauty, Family | 2 | 2 years |
 HSBC Revolution | 4 mpd | Max. S$1k | Contactless, Online | 7 | 3 years |
 OCBC Rewards | 4 mpd | Max. S$1k | Online Shopping | 2 | 2 years |
Should you get the Citi Rewards Card?
You absolutely should, if you want to accumulate miles for better/cheaper flying experiences. The Citi Rewards Card remains one of the best miles credit cards in Singapore, due to a number of key advantages that it has over other cards:
✅ Great earn rate on key categories: Earn 4 mpd on all online spending (except travel-related). For in-person spending, it remains great for foreign currency use with Amaze, while SGD use now comes with a fee.
✅ Access to 9 useful FFPs: No other Singapore cards offer better
✅ 5-year points expiry cycle: Gives you more than enough time to earn and plan, but take note of the card approval date
You should get the card if you:
- Want to accumulate miles for future travels
- Appreciate flexibility when searching for award flights (e.g. award rate, date, FFP, airline, destination)
- Want to take advantage of a great sign-up promo (e.g. get 40k points after spending S$800)
P.S. This card is part of my miles & credit card strategy for 2026.
You should NOT get the card if you:
- Perform in-person transactions mostly in Singapore Dollars (use the UOB Preferred Platinum card for this purpose)
- Don’t like to travel much
- Only want cashback
- Don’t want the trouble of requesting an annual fee waiver every year (consider cards with zero annual fee)
✍️ Apply for the Citi Rewards Card
Important documents
📄 Citi Rewards Card’s 10X Rewards Promotion Terms and Conditions
