The best credit card for overseas spending, on miles earned, is one that pays 2.4 miles per dollar on foreign currency: the UOB PRVI Miles Card and the HSBC TravelOne Card both state that rate as at November 2026. But every miles card here also charges a foreign currency fee of about 3.25%, so you are in effect buying those miles.
If you do not collect miles, the more useful measure is the fee itself. One card on our list, the Trust Link Credit Card, states that it adds no foreign currency fee.
How We Compared Overseas Cards
We read the card pages and fee schedules of the main Singapore issuers and kept general-spend cards with a stated higher rate on foreign currency, plus one that states no foreign currency fee. We compared:
- miles per S$1 on foreign currency spend, and any cap;
- the foreign currency fee, where the bank publishes it on a page we could read;
- annual fee, stated waiver and minimum income.
We did not rank the cards. Sign-up gifts and dated promotions are excluded. Several banks run time-limited bonus rates for overseas spend; check the bank’s page for what is current.
The Maths on $6,000 Spent Abroad
Take an illustrative traveller who charges the equivalent of $6,000 in foreign currency over a year, across two trips.
| Card | Miles earned | Foreign currency fee | Fee in dollars | Cost per mile |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| UOB PRVI Miles | 14,400 | 3.25% | $195 | about 1.35 cents |
| DBS Altitude | 13,200 | 3.25% | $195 | about 1.48 cents |
| Standard Chartered Journey | 12,000 | 3.5% | $210 | 1.75 cents |
| Trust Link | 300 Linkpoints (worth $3) | None from Trust | $0 | Not applicable |
The cost per mile is simply the fee divided by the miles. It tells you the price you paid for the miles compared with using a card that charges no fee.
So the question is whether a mile is worth more than 1.35 to 1.75 cents to you. If you redeem for flights you would otherwise have paid cash for, it may be. If your miles tend to sit unused, the no-fee route leaves about $195 to $210 in your pocket. Our cashback vs miles calculator helps you put a value on a mile.
Citi PremierMiles and HSBC TravelOne are not in this table because their card pages do not show the foreign currency fee; their fee pages do, and both are covered below. Their miles on $6,000 would be 13,200 and 14,400.
The short version: Overseas, a miles card earns about 2 to 2.4 miles per dollar and charges roughly 3.25% for it. That prices each mile at about 1.35 to 1.75 cents. Miles win only if you value them above that.
The Best Credit Cards for Overseas Spending, Compared
Figures are from each bank’s own pages, as at November 2026. “Not shown” means the card page does not state it.
| Card | Issuer | Foreign currency rate | Cap | Foreign currency fee | Annual fee | Minimum income |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| UOB PRVI Miles | UOB | 2.4 miles per $1; up to 3 in four countries | None stated | 3.25% | $261.60; first year waived | $30,000 |
| HSBC TravelOne | HSBC | Up to 2.4 miles per $1 | None stated | 2.25% plus up to 1% network charge (tariff) | $196.20; waived from year two above $25,000 annual spend | $30,000 or $65,000 |
| DBS Altitude | DBS | Up to 2.2 miles per $1 | None stated | 3.25% | $196.20; first year waived | $30,000 |
| Citi PremierMiles | Citibank | 2.2 Citi Miles per $1 | None | Up to 3.25% (fees page) | $196.20; first year waived | $30,000 |
| Standard Chartered Journey | Standard Chartered | 2 miles per $1 | None | 3.5% | $196.20; first year waived | $30,000 |
| Trust Link | Trust Bank | 0.05% in Linkpoints | None | None from Trust | None | Not shown |
What Each Card Pays, and the Catch
UOB PRVI Miles Card
UOB states 2.4 miles per $1 on overseas spend and up to 3 miles per $1 in Malaysia, Indonesia, Thailand and Vietnam. UOB’s fee document sets a 3.25% foreign currency factor for this card.
The catch: points are awarded per $5, so small purchases abroad lose out, and the annual fee is the highest here at $261.60. It does not suit travellers who seldom redeem miles.
HSBC TravelOne Credit Card
HSBC states up to 2.4 miles per $1 on foreign currency. Its tariff sets the foreign currency fee at 2.25% plus up to 1% charged by Visa or Mastercard, so the total can reach 3.25%.
The catch: most new customers need $65,000 of income; the bar is $30,000 only for salaried existing customers with a Total Relationship Balance of at least $50,000. It does not suit applicants below that bar.
DBS Altitude Card
DBS states up to 2.2 miles per $1 on foreign currency, and its overseas fees page sets a total foreign currency fee of 3.25%.
The catch: miles are awarded per $5 per transaction, which costs you on small purchases abroad. It does not suit frequent small-ticket spenders. See our DBS Altitude Card review.
Citi PremierMiles Card
Citi states 2.2 Citi Miles per $1 on foreign currency, with no cap. Citibank’s fees page states an administrative fee of up to 3.25% on foreign currency transactions.
The catch: at a fee of up to 3.25%, its 2.2 miles price each mile at about 1.48 cents, against about 1.35 on UOB PRVI Miles. It does not suit someone choosing purely on cost per mile abroad. See the Citi PremierMiles Card review.
Standard Chartered Journey Credit Card
The Journey card earns 2 miles per $1 overseas, uncapped.
The catch: the bank’s pricing guide shows a 3.5% foreign currency fee, the highest in this comparison, on the lowest overseas rate. It does not suit someone choosing a card mainly for foreign currency spend.
Trust Link Credit Card
Trust’s key facts sheet says foreign currency transactions are converted at the Visa rate “with no fee from Trust”, and the card has no annual fee.
The catch: foreign spend earns only 0.05% in Linkpoints, and dynamic currency conversion rates are still set by the merchant’s provider. It does not suit miles collectors.
Miles Card, No-Fee Card or Multi-Currency Card?
Abroad you have three broad choices, and the foreign currency fee decides between them.
- A miles card earns 2 to 2.4 miles per dollar and charges about 3.25%. It makes sense only if a mile is worth more to you than the cost per mile above.
- A card with no foreign currency fee, such as Trust Link here or the UOB EVOL Card, whose terms list 0% on overseas foreign currency spend, costs nothing extra but earns little or nothing. Our travel credit card guide sets EVOL beside cards with lounge access and travel insurance.
- A multi-currency card or wallet also avoids the card fee but usually earns no miles, and wallet balances are not bank deposits. Our multi-currency card comparison covers their fees.
A cashback card that charges the usual fee abroad leaves you ahead only if its overseas cashback rate is higher than that fee. Our cashback vs miles guide sets out the wider trade-off.
When the Overseas Rate Does Not Apply
- You pay in Singapore dollars abroad. The merchant’s rate applies, and you may still pay a 1% charge. Our guide to paying overseas, FX fees and DCC explains why.
- The transaction is excluded. UOB’s terms, for instance, exclude government services, hospitals and prepaid top-ups from points.
- You carry the balance home. DBS charges 27.8% a year on unpaid balances, and MoneySense notes the late fee is often a flat $100. A month’s interest on a $3,000 trip is about $70, more than the 6,600 miles it earned on that card are likely to be worth.
What To Do Next
- Find the foreign currency fee in your own card’s fee schedule before you travel.
- Work out your cost per mile: fee divided by miles earned.
- Choose the local currency at the terminal when asked.
- For miles per dollar at home and abroad, conversion fees and expiry, see the air miles credit card comparison. For booking flights and hotels, lounge visits and travel insurance, see the travel credit card guide. Or start from the credit cards overview.
