When people hear about collecting airline miles, they usually assume you either travel frequently or spend a ridiculous amount on your credit cards. But over the past year, I’ve been collecting miles mainly through everyday spending, stacking rewards and being a little more strategic about how I pay.
On 30 October 2025, I applied for my first two credit cards: the Citi PremierMiles Card and the UOB Preferred Platinum Visa Card (now called the UOB Preferred Visa Card). With their first anniversary approaching, I thought it would be a good time to share my results.
The headline: I’ve accumulated the equivalent of 90,000 airline miles — 7,500 miles a month when averaged over 12 months.
And no, that doesn’t mean I personally spend like a CRAZY amount every month just to earn miles.
The Three Ways I Collect Miles
My setup is pretty simple. I use two credit cards, earn extra rewards through HeyMax, and collect yuu Points whenever it’s convenient.
1. Credit Cards: My Main Source of Miles
Credit cards contribute the biggest share of my miles, and I rely on just two cards rather than trying to juggle five or six.
UOB Preferred Visa Card — up to 4 miles per dollar (mpd)
Formerly known as the UOB Preferred Platinum Visa Card, this is my go-to card for eligible mobile contactless payments (Apple Pay / Google Pay) and selected online transactions.
The important catch is that 4 mpd isn’t unlimited or automatic for every purchase. Eligible transaction types, exclusions, S$5 rewards blocks and monthly bonus caps apply.
Citi PremierMiles Card — 1.2 mpd locally and 2.2 mpd on foreign-currency spending
I use Citi PremierMiles as a straightforward backup for eligible purchases that don’t qualify for UOB’s bonus rate. Its biggest advantage for me is flexibility: Citi Miles don’t expire while they’re in the Citi rewards programme, and I don’t need to think about special spending categories for every transaction.
If you’re deciding which cards to start with, I’ve written a separate guide with the 2 credit cards above: Best Miles Credit Cards for a Simple Setup.
2. HeyMax: Extra Miles on Purchases I’d Make Anyway
HeyMax is probably my favourite addition to this setup, because it lets me earn Max Miles on top of eligible credit-card rewards.
For example, I check HeyMax when buying Grab vouchers, shopping on Shopee or Lazada, or making travel bookings through merchants such as Trip.com and Klook, where eligible offers are available. Depending on the merchant, this might mean buying a voucher or starting the shopping journey through HeyMax.
The idea is simple: if I’m already going to spend the money, why not check whether I can earn an extra layer of miles?
I’ve explained how to use it here: HeyMax Basics: How to Earn More Miles.
3. yuu Points: A Small but Effortless Bonus
I don’t focus on yuu nearly as much, but I still collect points when I can. I link my account or use the required yuu checkout process for participating merchants such as foodpanda, CHAGEE and Gojek.
My Results: 90,000 Miles
Here’s where things stand as of 18 October 2026, just under a year after I applied for my first two credit cards.
| Source | Miles or equivalent earned |
|---|---|
| UOB Preferred Visa | 48,000 |
| Citi PremierMiles | 26,100 |
| HeyMax | 15,300 Max Miles |
| yuu Rewards | 2,160 yuu Points = 600 miles |
| Total | 90,000 miles equivalent |
That’s 90,000 miles in a year, or 7,500 miles per month when divided by 12.
One clarification: these rewards are held across different programmes; they aren’t necessarily 90,000 KrisFlyer miles sitting in one account. Combining them for a KrisFlyer redemption requires the relevant transfers, subject to each programme’s rules, minimums and fees.
So Am I Spending S$1,875 Every Month?
If every single mile came from a card earning 4 mpd, the maths would look like this:
7,500 miles ÷ 4 mpd = S$1,875 of eligible spending per month.
But that’s not how I earned all my miles. My strategy isn’t just about the amount spent. It’s about getting more rewards from eligible spending and paying for shared expenses when it makes sense.
Strategy 1: Stack Credit Card Miles With HeyMax
Here’s a hypothetical example of what stacking can look like:
| S$100 eligible purchase | Miles earned |
|---|---|
| Credit card at 4 mpd | 400 |
| HeyMax at an illustrative 2 Max Miles per S$1 | 200 |
| Total | 600 miles (6 mpd) |
If HeyMax offers 3 Max Miles per S$1 on an eligible purchase instead, that could bring the total to 7 mpd.
These are examples, not universal earn rates.
Strategy 2: Offer to Pay First for Group Expenses
This is probably one of my most useful habits.
When I’m out with friends, I’ll often offer to settle the bill first and have everyone PayNow me their share.
For example, imagine a S$300 group meal where my own share is only S$50. If the full S$300 qualifies for 4 mpd, paying the bill could earn 1,200 miles, even though my net personal cost is S$50 after everyone reimburses me.
I only do this with people I trust, within my credit limit, and when everyone agrees to reimburse promptly. I also pay my credit-card statement in full and on time.
Strategy 3: Have a Simple Default for Every Purchase
My routine is straightforward:
- Check whether the payment qualifies for UOB’s 4 mpd rate.
- Check HeyMax for a relevant voucher or shopping link that might add extra miles.
- Use Citi PremierMiles for eligible purchases where I don’t have a better option.
- Collect yuu Points when the merchant participates and the required linking or checkout steps are easy.
I don’t chase every last mile. I try to make the best choice that doesn’t add unnecessary fees, hassle or spending.
What Can 90,000 Miles Get You?
To put things into perspective, here’s what my 90,000 miles could be worth when compared against Singapore Airlines’ cash ticket prices.
Economy Saver — Return Flights
| Destination | Miles Required | Cash Ticket Price | Return Trips with 90K Miles | 90K Miles Cash Equivalent |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bangkok | 26,000 | S$338 | 3 | S$1,170.00 |
| Tokyo | 51,000 | S$1,008 | 1 | S$1,778.82 |
| London | 88,000 | S$1,188 | 1 | S$1,215.00 |
Business Saver — Return Flights
| Destination | Miles Required | Cash Ticket Price | Return Trips with 90K Miles | 90K Miles Cash Equivalent |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bangkok | 50,000 | S$1,108 | 1 | S$1,994.40 |
| Tokyo | 109,000 | S$3,848 | 0 | S$3,177.25 |
| London | 217,000 | S$6,288 | 0 | S$2,607.93 |
Cash ticket prices are historical Singapore Airlines promotional return fares from August–September 2026. Award flights require additional taxes and fees, and Saver seats are subject to availability.
My takeaway: The same 90,000 miles can have very different values depending on how they’re redeemed. Business Class can offer a higher cash-equivalent value, but I still need enough miles to book the full award ticket. That’s why I try to prioritise Saver redemptions rather than using my miles just because I have them.
You can always check the latest requirements using the official Singapore Airlines award chart.
How Much Are My 90,000 Miles Worth in Dollars?
This is probably the question most people care about: if I didn’t use these miles for flights, how much would they actually be worth?
There isn’t one fixed cash value for a mile. It depends on how you redeem it.
As a baseline, Singapore Airlines offers a miles-and-cash payment option at 100 KrisFlyer miles = S$1, or 1 Singapore cent per mile. At that rate, 90,000 miles would offset S$900 of a flight purchase, assuming the equivalent amount had been successfully transferred into KrisFlyer and was eligible for that redemption.
But a good award-ticket redemption can be worth more. Here’s the illustrative value of 90,000 miles at different redemption rates:
| Redemption value | Equivalent value of 90,000 miles |
|---|---|
| 1.0 cent per mile | S$900 |
| 1.5 cents per mile | S$1,350 |
| 2.0 cents per mile | S$1,800 |
| 2.5 cents per mile | S$2,250 |
These are valuation scenarios, not quotes or guaranteed resale values. The 1-cent figure is based on SIA’s miles-and-cash payment rate; the higher figures show what a flight redemption might be worth after comparing it against a cash fare.
A Few Things I Wish I’d Known Earlier
1. Never spend more just to earn miles. A S$100 purchase you don’t need is still S$100 spent, even if it comes with 600 miles. Rewards should be a bonus on spending you were going to do anyway.
2. Credit card interest wipes out the benefit. I pay my statements in full and on time. Collecting miles while carrying interest-bearing debt makes no financial sense.
3. Transfer miles only when there’s a reason to. Citi Miles do not expire while kept in the Citi programme, and HeyMax has its own validity rules. Ordinary KrisFlyer miles generally expire three years after accrual. Transfers can also involve fees or minimum amounts, so I prefer to check flight availability before moving a large balance into an airline programme.
4. Don’t ignore fees and exclusions. UOB’s 4 mpd has qualifying categories and limits; credit-card transfers, foreign-currency charges, voucher rules and redemption taxes can change the real value you receive.
Final Thoughts
When I applied for my first two credit cards in October 2025, I didn’t expect to be sitting on the equivalent of 90,000 miles before their first anniversary.
What worked for me wasn’t anything especially complicated: use the right card, check HeyMax, collect the occasional yuu Point, and volunteer to pay for shared expenses when everyone can settle up reliably.
I still have a lot to learn about redeeming miles efficiently, especially with other airline partners. But this first year has shown me that travel rewards don’t have to come from lavish spending. They can come from being a bit more deliberate about expenses you’re already making.
If you’re just starting out, my suggestion is to keep your setup simple and build good repayment habits first. The miles can follow.
Figures are my personal rewards snapshot as of 18 October 2026. Card benefits, merchant offers and airline award rates may change. This article is for informational purposes and isn’t an endorsement to spend or borrow more.
Useful references: UOB Preferred Visa · Citi PremierMiles · HeyMax voucher guide · yuu–KrisFlyer conversion · SIA KrisFlyer award chart