Is a premium card worth the fee?

Only if you use what it gives. Add up the miles, lounge visits and other perks you would really use, and compare that with the annual fee. Use the calculator above to see the rewards net of the fee.

Premium credit cards

Premium cards ask for a higher income or charge a higher annual fee, and give more in return: more lounge visits, higher miles rates, travel insurance and concierge services. Compare what each card gives against what it costs.

More lounge visits and travel perks
Higher miles or points rates
Welcome gifts for new cardmembers

Written by Vidhu BajajReviewed by Nilooka Dissanayake

Featured

American ExpressPlatinum

•••• •••• •••• ••••

Credit Card CompareAmerican Express

The American Express® Platinum Reserve Credit Card

27.8% p.a. purchase rate, below the 27.9% p.a. market median
2 Membership Rewards points per S$2 on everyday spend

Application

How many points could you earn?

Enter your monthly spend to see estimated annual points for each card below.

Compare 7 premium credit cards

Credit card comparison table with rates, fees, rewards and apply links.
Card	Name and rating	Rewards program	Earn rate	Sign-up bonus	Annual fee	Est. points / yr
	The Platinum Card®	Membership Rewards	2 Membership Rewards points per S$1.60Capped	100,000 pts	S$1,744	145,000 ptsWorth S$1,088	Application
	HSBC Premier Mastercard	HSBC Reward points	4.2 pts per S$1Uncapped	145,500 pts	S$708.50	296,700 ptsWorth S$1,780	Application
	Maybank World Mastercard	Maybank TREATS Points	10 pts per S$1Uncapped	—	S$0		Application
	Citi Prestige Card	Citi ThankYou Rewards	3.25 pts per S$1Uncapped	112,500 pts	S$651.82	229,500 ptsWorth S$1,377	Application
American ExpressPlatinum •••• •••• •••• •••• Credit Card CompareAmerican Express	The American Express® Platinum Reserve Credit Card	Membership Rewards	2 Membership Rewards points per S$1.60Uncapped	—	S$545	45,000 ptsWorth S$338	Application
	DBS Vantage Visa Infinite Card	DBS Points	1.5 pts per S$1Uncapped	—	S$599.50	54,000 ptsWorth S$810	Application
MaybankSignature •••• •••• •••• •••• Credit Card CompareVisa	Maybank Visa Infinite Card	Maybank TREATS Points	3 pts per S$1Uncapped	—	S$0	108,000 ptsWorth S$648	Application

Premium by the numbers

Cards compared

10 pts per S$1

Top earn rate

Maybank World Mastercard

119,333 pts

Average sign-up bonus

S$607

Average annual fee

S$0

Lowest annual fee

What is a premium credit card?

Premium cards sit at the top of a bank's range, such as Visa Infinite, World Mastercard and the American Express Platinum cards. They ask for a higher income or charge a higher fee, and give more travel perks in return.

We list cards here that charge an annual fee of S$500 or more (in year one or after), or that ask for an income of S$80,000 or more.

What to compare

Look at the earn rate on the spend you do most, the number of lounge visits and guests, travel insurance cover and any welcome gift. Then weigh them against the annual fee and whether the bank waives it.

If miles are your main goal, also compare miles cards. For lounge visits on a lower fee, see airport lounge cards.

Premium credit card FAQs

It depends on the card. Many premium cards in Singapore ask for an annual income of S$80,000 to S$150,000 or more, and some are offered only to the bank's priority or private banking customers. We list each card's income need where the bank states it.

Pros

Sign-up bonuses can be sizeable, often enough to cover a return flight or kick-start a rewards balance once you meet the spend.
Earn points on everyday spend, so the shopping you do anyway builds toward flights, gift cards or cashback instead of earning nothing.
Some cards keep purchase rates well below the market average, softening the cost in any month you carry a balance.
A generous interest-free period on some cards is a longer runway to clear the balance before interest kicks in.

Cons

Sign-up bonuses require hitting a minimum spend in a set window, so the points only land if you would spend that much anyway.
The premium cards here carry high annual fees, so they only pay off if you use enough of the perks to cover the cost.
Higher-end cards can ask for a substantial income, so not every card here suits every applicant.

Questions and answers

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Related card types

Rewards credit cards

Sources

Credit Card Compare: Credit card statistics for Singapore