While there is no one perfect travel-rewards card for any one person, there are some factors that make a travel card better than another. Choosing the best travel credit card is not just about how many reward points you can earn for every Ringgit you spend, but also what you can do with those points and how much they are worth. Figuring out exactly how much you are getting back for every RM1 you spent can be confusing. Most travel cards allow you to convert your points to Miles (win for cards that allow conversion to the most airlines). How much do you need to spend to get a free flight ticket to a holiday destination? By asking these questions, you will inevitable find the best travel card that fits your jetsetting needs.
How much do you need to spend to earn one point?
This is a no-brainer when getting a travel card. The less you need to spend to secure points the better! Some cards allow you a point for each Ringgit spent, and that will be the easiest for the cardholder to keep track of your points earned. However, it will all mean nothing if the conversion rate to Miles is high.
What can you convert your points to?
The ease in raking up points for your spending is only one small factor when it comes to choosing a travel credit payment card, or any card for that matter. The more important factor that will make or break a card for you is what can you use the points for? Can you convert it to the Miles from your preferred airlines? If you don’t have a preferred airline then it is best to get a card that allows you convert your points to most major airlines. Remember, to be able to convert the points you will need to sign up for the frequent flyer programme under your preferred airline.
How many points do you need to get 1,000 Miles?
The conversion rate is something that most people overlook when it comes to choosing a travel card. Even if you can earn more reward points for per Ringgit spent, it will all mean nothing if you need tens of thousands of reward points to convert to a mere 1,000 Miles. Having checked that your chosen card allows you to convert points to the Miles of the usual airline that you usually take, it is also important to compare with a few cards to see how many points equal to 1,000 Miles. If you often take Malaysia Airlines, then it makes sense to get a card with the lowest conversion rate for Enrich Miles. Currently, one of the lowest rate available for Enrich Miles is RHB Travel Money at 3,500 points for 1,000 Miles.
How long can you keep the points?
The expiry period of your points is essential. You want to have time to accumulate and save up your points to redeem your dream flight. Some cards offer a short period, at the end of which, your points earned will be forfeited. This will make redeeming a big ticket item quite difficult. However, another way around it is to convert the points to Miles before your expiry period ends, if you have a short use-by-date for your points. For example, if your card only allows you to keep your points for two years, then you can convert your points to Miles just before the two-year is up. Once converted to Enrich Miles, you can keep the Miles for up to three years – making your points last for five years in total!
How much do you need to spend to travel to Melbourne on Malaysia Airlines?
Where can 1,000 Miles bring you on a Malaysia Airlines Flight? You probably have to top-up with cash to be able to fly anywhere with just 1,000 Miles. For the sake of this article, how many Miles does one need to be able to fly to Melbourne for “free” (you will still have to pay for airport taxes as Miles are only redeemable for the actual flight). According to Malaysia Airlines, an Enrich member will need at least 22,500 Miles to redeem a one-way flight to Melbourne. That’s 78,750 reward points earned from the RHB Travel Money card – RM78,750 spent to accrue that amount. However, if we break it down further, that’s quite manageable, as you will only need to spend about RM3,282 a month on your card to be able to get that amount by the end of the two-year expiry period. A return trip from Kuala Lumpur to Melbourne on an economy MH Flex ticket can easily earn another one-way ticket to Melbourne! By doing the above assessment on any travel card before taking it up will save you a lot of trouble and money! Most people who have already gotten one would cringe at the prospect of cancelling it and applying for another one. Therefore it is imperative for everyone to thoroughly assess and evaluate the credit cards before making a decision. It’s not just the banks that need to vet through the applications, but the users should vet through what are offered before applying or accepting a new card. Armed with these questions, the power will once again lies in the hands of consumers.
