How Much Is An AirAsia BIG Point Really Worth?

How Much Is An AirAsia BIG Point Really Worth?

AirAsia’s encouraging tagline, “Now everyone can fly!” may not be true anymore. With the rising cost of living, vacations are more of a luxury. We’re all looking for ways to cut down on expenses and save money, just to survive in today’s economic climate.

Of course, everybody needs a break once in a while. But with rising petrol prices, the days of scoring cheap flights are rare. Which is why more savvy consumers are going the Miles way, by accumulating Miles points through their various purchases in the hope of redeeming a flight ticket for free.

With the AirAsia BIG Loyalty Programme, consumers can spend and accumulate BIG Points to fly for free to any AirAsia destination. To make the most of this programme, you must know how it works:

How can I earn AirAsia BIG Points?

First of all, to earn AirAsia BIG Points, you’ll need to be a BIG Member. It’s free to sign up online. Once that’s done, there are a few ways you can earn BIG Points:

  1. Fly with AirAsia

To earn BIG Points when you fly with AirAsia, add your BIG Member ID when you book your flight. You will earn points based on:

  • Your base fare
  • Any add-on services (meals, baggage, travel insurance, etc.)
  • Your membership status (Red, Gold, Platinum, Black)
  • Your fare selections (Low Fare, Premium Flex, Premium Flat Bed)

This calculator is useful for estimating the number of points you’ll earn for each flight.

  1. Use the BigPay e-wallet

When you use the BigPay e-wallet (and its accompanying prepaid Mastercard), you’ll get 1 BIG Point for every RM10 spent.

You can use BigPay for the same things as a regular credit card. This means being able to earn points on groceries, dining, online purchases, etc.

  1. Use the AirAsia Credit Card from Hong Leong Bank

If e-wallets aren’t your thing, then there is the AirAsia Credit Card from Hong Leong Bank. This credit card allows you to earn BIG Points at a better rate than the e-wallet with:

  • Every RM1 AirAsia spend = 6 BIG Points
  • Every RM2 overseas spend = 1 BIG Point
  • Every RM3 local spend on Platinum Card = 1 BIG Point
  • Every RM5 local spend on Gold Card = 1 BIG Point

Plus, when you sign up and hit the minimum spend, you’ll get up to 25,000 BIG Points.

  1. Convert your bank and other loyalty points

Own a credit card or use petrol loyalty programmes? You can convert your loyalty points into BIG Points. Here’s how much you’ll need for 1,000 BIG Points.

Bank/partnerPoints needed for 1,000 AirAsia BIG Points
Alliance Bank Malaysia3,000 Timeless Bonus Points
Rakuten Trade1,000 Rakuten Trade Point
Citibank Malaysia15,000 Reward points
Hilton Honors5,000 Hilton Honors Points
AmBank7,000 AmBonus Points
CIMB Malaysia8,000 Bonus Points
Maybank7,000 TreatsPoints
Mydin4,000 MERIAH Points
Petron2,000 PETRON MILES Points
Public Bank Berhad5,000 Reward Points
RHB Bank Berhad6,000 Rewards Points
RHB TradeSmart3,000 SmartPoints
Standard CharteredWorldMiles Card: 2,000 Rewards Points
Visa Infinite: 7,000 Rewards Points
Other cards: 10,000 Rewards Points
UOB Malaysia7,000 UNIRinggit Reward Points
Toluna44,000 points
Tune Talk1,000 Tune Talk BIG Points
Affin Bank BerhadWorld Mastercard: 6,000 Affin Rewards Points
Other cards: 10,000 Affin Rewards Points
BSN Malaysia7,500 Happy Points
Hong Leong Bank Malaysia6,500 HLB Rewards Points
HSBC MalaysiaHSBC Premier Travel Credit Card: 1,000 Air Miles
Other cards: 12,000 Rewards Points
PETRONAS Malaysia8,000 PETRONAS Mesra Points
Samsung Rewards1,000 Samsung Points
  1. Shop with travel and lifestyle partners

You’ll also get rewarded when you shop online with partners like Zalora, Lazada, Agoda and Kinokuniya. Just remember to make your purchase via the AirAsia Big portal.

What can I use AirAsia BIG Points for?

Apart from AirAsia flights, you can use your points to redeem hotel stays and purchases with lifestyle partners:

  1. AirAsia flights (minimum of 5,500 points for one-way flights < 1 hour)
  2. Hotel stays (Tune Hotels, Rocketmiles, Kaligo, RED by Sirocco, Dewa Phuket Resort)
  3. Lifestyle rewards (pay with your BIG Points at Santan Café, T&Co Café, etc.)

How much are AirAsia BIG Points really worth?

The value of 100 BIG Points seem to be around RM0.80 for regular flights, although this will differ depending on your destination.

For example, here’s how much it costs for a one-way ticket from Langkawi to Penang:

CashBIG Points
Adult fareRM58.776,875 points
Service TaxRM3.53413 points
Passenger Service ChargeRM111,375 points
Regulatory Service ChargeRM1125 points
TotalRM74.308,788 points

Based on the fares above, 100 BIG Points is equivalent to RM0.85.

Here’s how much it costs for a one-way ticket from Kuala Lumpur to Gold Coast, Australia:

CashBIG Points
Adult fareRM1,174146,750 points
Passenger Service ChargeRM506,250 points
Regulatory Service ChargeRM1125 points
Arrival taxRM587,250 points
Malaysia departure levyRM202,500 points
Checked baggage 30kgRM176.4022,050 points
Pak Nasser's Nasi LemakRM151,875 points
TotalRM1,494.40186,800 points

In this example, the value of 100 BIG Points amounts to RM0.80.

Do AirAsia BIG Points expire?

Yes, they do:

  • BIG Points earned before 1 June 2019 are valid for three years
  • BIG points earned after 1 June 2019 are valid for two years

You can check your points’ expiry dates by logging into AirAsia BIG.

More ways to save on travel

Looking for other ways to save? Use your travel credit card to rack those air miles or get access to cool travel parks. Smart planning before embarking on your trip and during your trip can also help you stretch your travel budget.

This article was first published on September 10, 2014 and has been updated for freshness, accuracy and comprehensiveness.

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