Miles Credit Cards in Hong Kong

Updated: 21 Feb 2024

Written bymoneyhero

Miles credit card in Hong Kong

In Hong Kong, there’s a wide selection of miles credit cards to choose from, and the options keep growing. Amidst this competitive landscape, banks are offering various deals like welcome offers, mileage redemption promos, cashback rewards and travel benefits like flight upgrades and hotel stays. Aside from popular Asia Miles credit cards, there are also other card options in Hong Kong, like getting points for Avios and ANA programmes. Feeling overwhelmed by all the choices and not sure which one’s right for you? No worries! MoneyHero breaks down each card’s offers and features, making it easier to compare the rates of miles accumulation, conversion fees and key features of each air miles credit card. 

What is a Miles Credit Card?

Miles credit cards offer cardholders the opportunity to earn travel rewards with every purchase. These cards reward users with a certain number of miles for each dollar spent, or with points that can be converted into miles within preferred mileage programmes. These miles can subsequently be redeemed for flights, hotel accommodation and other travel costs. Air miles credit cards are highly valued by frequent travelers and those seeking to enhance their travel experiences or to offset their travel expenses.

 

What Frequent Flyer Programme Points Can I Get from Credit Cards?

In Hong Kong, there are 3 major frequent flyer programmes: Asia Miles, introduced by Cathay Pacific, followed by Avios from British Airways, and ANA Mileage Club offered by All Nippon Airways (ANA). Each of the mileage programmes has its own strengths, catering to varying traveler habits and preferences. Generally, Asia Miles are preferred for redeeming long-haul flights to destinations like the United States and Europe, while Avios and ANA Miles are better suited for short-haul flights, such as those to Taiwan and Japan. Let’s break them down one by one for you!

Asia Miles

Cathay Pacific commands nearly half the flights departing from Hong Kong, naturally making its mileage programme highly sought-after by Hong Kongers. As a local mileage programme, it enjoys a wider range of promotions in the market, with numerous credit cards available for accumulating Asia Miles. Additionally, there are various dining and retail spending promotions that offer opportunities to earn miles, providing a more diverse earning option compared to its counterparts.

 

Despite facing competition from other mileage programmes, Asia Miles remains the most popular choice in Hong Kong, attributed in part to its flexibility in customising itineraries through open-jaw and stopover options. Additionally, members can use a combination of miles and cash to purchase tickets on Cathay Pacific’s website, further enhancing redemption flexibility. Flights purchased with a combination of miles and cash still earn miles according to the ticket price rules.

 

Avios

Avios is the mileage programme of British Airways and is also the second most popular one in Hong Kong. Its Household Account feature allows up to 7 individuals to pool their miles to enable faster accumulation. It should be noted that Avios does not allow open-jaw itineraries, nor does it offer any standby seats. That said, one of the biggest advantages of Avios lie in the absence of expiration date for its miles, allowing users to accumulate them at their own pace for redemption whenever desired. Additionally, redeeming flights on airlines other than Cathay Pacific is relatively cheaper using Avios.

 

ANA Mileage Club

ANA Mileage Club is the mileage programme of ANA, a member of the Star Alliance. As one of the best-rated airlines for service, it is highly favoured by Hong Kong residents. The ANA mileage programme is most suitable for trips to Japan, one of the top destinations among outbound tourists from Hong Kong. Off-peak round-trip flights require only 17,000 miles, and peak season flights cost just 23,000 miles. Even flights to North America only require 49,000 miles, making it relatively affordable. The key advantage of ANA lies in the abundant seat availability, minimising concerns about the inability to redeem flights using miles. Furthermore, it provides comparable flexibility to Asia Miles by allowing open-jaw and stopover options in different cities, although one-way redemption is not feasible. It is worth noting that in Hong Kong,  only the Dah Sing ANA World Mastercard allows you to accumulate ANA miles, and the miles rebate rate is only HK$8 per mile. However, ANA does have a family account feature, which allows you to save with up to 8 family members to expedite the mile accumulation process.

 

Miles Credit Card Overview

Credit Card

Local Spending

Overseas Spending

Other Rewards/Benefits

Mileage Programme

HK$6/mile
HK$4/mile
Dining and online spending: HK$4/mile
Spending on Cathay and HK Express: HK$2/mile
Asia Miles
HK$6/mile
HK$4.8/mile
8 times complimentary Plaza Premium Lounge access every calendar year
10 mileage programmes including Asia Miles and
Avios
HK$6/mile
HK$4/mile
Up to 45% discount on flight redemption with iGO Rewards
4 mileage programmes including Asia Miles and Avios
As low as HK$5/mile
HK$4/mile
Up to 20% off on regular-price movie tickets at designed cinemas
Asia Miles
HK$5/mile
HK$5/mile
Designated spending such as Disney+, bus rides and Ten Ren’s Tea: HK$2/mile
6 times complimentary Plaza Premium Lounge access every calendar year
12 mileage programmes including Asia Miles and Avios
HK$6/mile
HK$6/mile
Up to 50% savings at Cafe Deco Group
Buy-1-Get-1-Free movie tickets offer
Complimentary travel insurance
8 mileage programmes including Asia Miles and Avios
HK$3/mile
(Mobile payment)
$15/mile
Up to HK$3/mile for mobile payment
First year annual fee waiver 
12 mileage programmes including Asia Miles and Avios
HK$3/mile#
HK$4/mile#
SmartDelay™:
Complimentary airport lounge service in the event of flight delay
Annual fee waiver
Asia Miles
HK$6/mile
HK$4/mile
10% discount on round trip air tickets from Hong Kong purchased on British Airways official website
Avios
HK$8/mile
HK$3/mile^
12 times complimentary Plaza Premium Lounge access every calendar yea
12 mileage programmes including Asia Miles and Avios

^ Spending must exceed HK$20,000 in the current month, otherwise HK$4/mile

 

Best Miles Credit Cards

There are numerous types of air miles credit cards, and factors such as the rates and methods of miles accumulation, redemption fees, benefits, and special features, all play a role in choosing the right card. MoneyHero has picked four miles credit cards from Standard Chartered, HSBC, American Express and Citibank, ensuring there’s one that fits your needs!

 

Standard Chartered Cathay Mastercard: Best for Asia Miles

The Standard Chartered Cathay Mastercard offers competitive rates for miles accumulation, providing HK$4 per mile for dining, online, and overseas spending, and up to HK$6 per mile for other basic spending, as well as up to HK$2 per mile for Cathay Pacific and Hong Kong Express transactions. The earned miles are automatically deposited into the cardholder’s linked Asia Miles account each month without conversion fees. 

The card comes in 3 tiers, with the basic one featuring an annual fee waiver for the first year. Meanwhile, the Priority Banking and Priority Private versions offer an annual fee waiver if the cardholders use the corresponding tiers of banking services. The card features a generous welcome bonus of up to 100,000 miles with relatively small spending. Holders of Cathay Mastercard - Priority Banking enjoy 4 shareable lounge passes for Cathay Pacific’s business class lounge, whereas holders of Cathay Mastercard - Priority Private enjoy 2 shareable First Class and 8 Business Class lounge passes per year.

Standard Chartered Cathay Mastercard

Airmiles Dining
$ 4 per mile
Airmiles Overseas
$ 4 per mile
Airmiles Hotel Booking
$ 4 per mile
Airmiles Coversion Fee
Waived
MoneyHero Reward up to HK$4,288
Bank Gift - On Top of MoneyHero's
MoneyHero's take
Card Details

HSBC EveryMile Credit Card: Best for Flexibility

The HSBC EveryMile Credit Card operates on the Reward Cash system like other HSBC credit cards. Reward Cash can be redeemed for cash rebate, flight miles or gift vouchers, providing greater flexibility than traditional air miles cards. With EveryMile, cardholders can earn up to HK$2 per mile (1 Reward Cash = 20 miles) on designated everyday spend, standing out as one of the leading air miles reward cards. Cardholders can also enjoy benefits such as access to Plaza Premium Lounges and complimentary airport dining, with up to 6 complimentary visits/redemptions annually, as well as discounted lounge entry for accompanying guests.

The card’s Reward Cash can be easily converted into 12 different airline miles programs, including popular ones like Asia Miles and KrisFlyer, as well as less common ones like Aeroplan and Miles&Smiles. It provides an annual fee waiver for the first year. Moreover, new and existing HSBC credit card holders can enjoy welcome bonuses of up to 20,000 miles with a minimum spending requirement of HK$8,000 within the first few months of card issuance.

HSBC EveryMile Credit Card

Airport Lounge Access
6 times
Airmiles Local
$ 5 per mile
Airmiles Overseas
$ 5 per mile
Complimentary Travel Insurance
Yes
MoneyHero Reward up to HK$2,448
Bank Gift - On Top of MoneyHero's
MoneyHero's take
Card Details

 

American Express The Platinum Card: Best for Luxury Lounge Access

The Platinum Card offered by AMEX shines with exceptional privileges, particularly in luxury lounge access. Cardholders enjoy unlimited entry to several top-notch local and international lounges, including Plaza Premium Lounges (complimentary access for 2 guests) and the Centurion Lounge (complimentary access for 2 guests), with supplementary cardholders also benefiting from these perks. Additionally, primary cardholders can access Priority Pass lounges (complimentary access for 1 guest). Cardholders can also enjoy complimentary memberships to some of the best hotels in the world, such as Hilton Honors (Gold Status) and Marriott Bonvoy (Gold Elite Status).

Transactions made with the card are rewarded with AMEX Membership Rewards Points, which offer versatile redemption options including 10 types of flight miles (requiring 18 points per mile), cash vouchers or gifts. While the rate of miles accumulation is slightly lower compared to other cards, at HK$6 per mile for overseas/foreign currency spending and HK$9 per mile for local spending, the card offers annual cashbacks of HK$2,000 and HK$2,200 for dining and travel spending, respectively. 

The Platinum Card®

Airmiles Overseas
As low as $ 2 per mile
Local Dining
Up to 40 % off
Annual Fee
HK$
9,500
Cashback Overseas
Up to 3 %
Bank Gift - On Top of MoneyHero's
MoneyHero's take
Card Details

 

Citi Prestige Card: Best for Hotel Offers

The Citi Prestige Credit Card emphasises luxurious travel experiences. Cardholders can enjoy a complimentary 4th night’s accommodation when booking any hotel worldwide for a consecutive stay of 4 nights or more, with no date restrictions. Spending with the card earns Citi Points, which can be converted into miles for use across 12 mileage programmes. The card features rates of HK$4 per mile for overseas spending and HK$6 per mile for local spending, including automatic bill payments. Principal cardholders also gain complimentary access to over 1,300 Priority Pass lounges worldwide, though bringing guests along requires a fee of US$35 per person. Additionally, upon payment of the first-year annual fee (HK$3,800), cardholders receive 360,000 points as a welcome offer, equivalent to 30,000 miles. From the second year onwards, they receive an annual gift of 240,000 Points, equivalent to 20,000 miles.

Citi Prestige Card

Airmiles Overseas
$ 4 per mile
Airmiles Local
$ 6 per mile
Airport Lounge Access
Unlimited
MoneyHero Reward up to HK$7,818
MoneyHero's take
Card Details

 

How to Redeem Miles from Credit Card Points?

Some credit cards offer rewards in the form of points, allowing cardholders to easily convert them into cash backs, gifts, vouchers, or miles for their desired flyer programmes according to their needs. Most credit cards in Hong Kong require cardholders to manually convert their credit card points into miles on their respective credit card points conversion platforms or through online banking. While this method provides greater flexibility in obtaining the desired rewards and securing the preferred flights, it’s essential to consider the methods, fees, processing times, and types of miles exchangeable through credit card points conversion. Taking The Platinum Card as an example, while there is no expiration date on Membership Rewards Points, an administration fee of HK$400 will apply for each air mile conversion. 

 

Frequently Asked Questions for Miles Credit Cards

1. How do I earn air miles with a credit card?

To earn air miles with a credit card, you first need to have an account with a specific mileage programme, such as Asia Miles. Once you have an account, you can link it to your credit card and have the miles earned deposited directly into it. Alternatively, you can convert credit card points into miles under your desired mileage programme.

 

2. How do I decide which air miles credit card is right for me? What factors should I consider?

In choosing an air miles credit card, it’s essential to consider factors such as the miles accumulation and conversion rates, associated fees, and your individual spending and travel preferences. For instance, if you’re a frequent user of Asia Miles, the Standard Chartered Cathay Mastercard can be a good pick due to its competitive rates and seamless integration; if you prioritise premium lounge access, the Platinum Card or Citi Prestige Card could be the better choice for you.

 

3. Are there any fees associated with miles credit cards and flight redemption using miles?

Miles credit cards may come with an annual fee, foreign transaction fees, and charges for converting reward points into miles across different mileage programmes. It’s also important to note that when redeeming flights with miles, taxes and additional surcharges, such as fuel surcharges, are not typically included.

 

4. How long does it take to convert credit card points into miles?

The time it takes to convert credit card points into flight miles varies depending on the credit card, ranging from instant conversion to over a month.

 


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