Local Spend Guide
| Category | Monthly $ | Best — Now | mpd | After HSBC | mpd | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| ONLINE & IN-APP — CITI REWARDS EARNS 4 MPD DIRECTLY (NO AMAZE NEEDED) | ||||||
| Grab rides & GrabFood app | Varies | CITI REWARDS saved card · NO Apple Pay | 4 mpd | HSBC REV | 4 mpd | Save CR card number in Grab payment settings. Do NOT use Apple Pay button in-app. |
| Tada & Gojek | Varies | CITI REWARDS saved card | 4 mpd | HSBC REV | 4 mpd | Card number directly saved in app. Not Apple Pay. |
| Foodpanda, Deliveroo | Varies | CITI REWARDS saved card | 4 mpd | HSBC REV | 4 mpd | Food delivery MCC qualifies. Save card directly. |
| McDonald's app | ~$35 | CITI REWARDS saved card | 4 mpd | HSBC REV | 4 mpd | MCC 5814. Save CR card number directly. Verify 4 mpd after first order in Citi app. |
| Shopee, Lazada, Taobao | Occasional | CITI REWARDS | 4 mpd | CITI REWARDS | 4 mpd | Online retail — CR earns 4 mpd directly. No Amaze needed (Amaze adds 1% SGD fee for zero benefit here). |
| iHerb (every ~2 months) | Varies | CITI REWARDS | 4 mpd | CITI REWARDS | 4 mpd | Online international purchase. CR earns 4 mpd. No Amaze needed. |
| Claude subscription ~$30/mo | ~$30 | CITI REWARDS | 4 mpd | HSBC REV | 4 mpd | Online subscription MCC 5818. CR earns 4 mpd. |
| PHYSICAL IN-STORE — AMAZE RECODES TO ONLINE FOR 4 MPD (USE ABOVE $15) | ||||||
| Restaurants, family dinners | ~$60 | CITI REWARDS+ AMAZE tap Amaze | 4 mpd −1% fee | HSBC REV | 4 mpd | Each visit ~$60 — above $15. Net ~3% return vs 1.56% Citi PM. Worth using Amaze. |
| Cigarettes — 7-11, NTUC, Giant | ~$300 | CITI REWARDS+ AMAZE | 4 mpd −1% fee | HSBC REV | 4 mpd | Individual buys ~$16–19 = above $15 threshold. Use Amaze tap. Dedicated tobacco shops (MCC 5993) = 0 mpd on all cards. |
| KTV (if card terminal) | ~$300 | CITI REWARDS+ AMAZE | 4 mpd −1% fee | HSBC REV | 4 mpd | $400 KTV = huge Amaze win. $400 × 4mpd – 1% = ~$16.80 value vs $6.24 Citi PM. Always use Amaze for large spend. |
| Petrol — Caltex / Sinopec SG | ~$70 | CITI REWARDS+ AMAZE | 4 mpd −1% fee | HSBC REV | 4 mpd | Tap Amaze at pump terminal. $70 × 4 mpd – 1% = net 3% return vs 1.56% Citi PM. |
| Mall shopping, retail | ~$100 | CITI REWARDS+ AMAZE | 4 mpd −1% fee | HSBC REV | 4 mpd | Department stores + clothing earn 4 mpd on CR direct. All other retail: use Amaze. |
| TRANSPORT | ||||||
| SimplyGo MRT & Bus | ~$50 | CITI PM Apple Pay | 1.2 mpd | HSBC REV + HEYMAX | 4 mpd + Max Miles | Amaze $0.50 min fee on $1.50 fare = terrible. Use Citi PM direct now. Never mix Apple Pay + physical card same journey. |
| Anytime Fitness — $110/mo | $110 | CITI REWARDS set as billing card — VERIFY | 4 mpd? ⚠ AUDIT | HSBC REV | 4 mpd ✓ | AUDIT NOTE: Citi Rewards earns 4 mpd on online/e-commerce MCCs. AF is MCC 7997 (health clubs) — not explicitly listed. Community reports mixed. Set CR as billing card, check Citi app after first charge. If 1X points: switch to Citi PM (1.2 mpd confirmed) until HSBC arrives (HSBC = 4 mpd confirmed). |
| ZERO EARN — STRUCTURAL (NO WORKAROUND ON ANY CARD) | ||||||
| Hawker / kopitiam (PayNow) | $400–600 | PAYNOW = 0 MILES | 0 | PAYNOW = 0 MILES | 0 | Buy Grab/NTUC vouchers via HeyMax with CR card for partial conversion on planned orders. |
| Insurance, telco, season parking, NETS cashcard | ~$239 | 0 MILES — ALL EXCLUDED | 0 | 0 MILES | 0 | MCC 6300/4813/9311 + NETS all excluded. Keep on existing autopay. |
Overseas Spend Guide
| Category | Est. $ | Option 1 — Best | mpd + FX | Option 2 — Fallback | mpd + FX | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| JB — REGULAR TRIPS | ||||||
| JB restaurants, cafes, massage | ~$150 MYR | CITI REWARDS+ AMAZE | 4 mpd no Amaze fee ~2.1% FX | CITI PM | 2.2 mpd 3.25% FX | Tap Amaze (Apple Pay or physical card) at terminal. No 1% fee overseas. Best JB combo. |
| JB Shell petrol | ~$60 MYR | CITI REWARDS+ AMAZE | 4 mpd ~2.1% FX | CITI PM | 2.2 mpd | Shell JB excluded on UOB cards. Amaze or Citi PM only. |
| JB 7-Eleven cigarettes | ~$30 MYR | CITI REWARDS+ AMAZE | 4 mpd | CITI PM | 2.2 mpd | 7-Eleven = MCC 5912 (not 5993). 4 mpd via Amaze. Dedicated tobacco shops = 0 mpd. |
| JB hawkers, cash-only | ~$30 MYR | YOUTRIP | 0 mpd 0% FX | CASH MYR | 0 | No terminal. YouTrip for best FX on cash needs. |
| JB highway tolls (2nd Link / Causeway) | Varies | TNG RFID | 0 | TNG RFID | 0 | RFID mandatory. Top up TNG via DBS debit. E-wallet top-ups = 0 miles on all cards. |
| TRAVEL BOOKINGS (ONLINE) | ||||||
| Flights — direct airline (SQ, Scoot, AirAsia) | Per trip | CITI PM | 2.2 mpd FCY | HSBC REV (when ready) | 4 mpd | Citi Rewards excludes travel MCC — Amaze cannot bypass. Citi PM best now. HSBC when available. |
| Hotels — direct hotel website | Per trip | CITI PM | 2.2 mpd FCY | HSBC REV (when ready) | 4 mpd | HSBC earns 4 mpd on MCC 7011. Until HSBC: Citi PM. |
| Agoda, Booking.com, Trip.com, Expedia | Per trip | CITI PM | 2.2 mpd FCY | CITI PM | 2.2 mpd | HSBC excludes MCC 4722 (OTAs). Citi PM is best for OTAs regardless of what other cards you have. |
| Klook | Per trip | CITI PM | 2.2 mpd FCY | CITI PM | 2.2 mpd | Klook = MCC 4722 — 0.4 mpd on HSBC. Always use Citi PM for Klook. |
| Airbnb | Per trip | HSBC REV (when ready) | 4 mpd | CITI PM | 2.2 mpd FCY | Airbnb = MCC 7011 (lodging) — earns 4 mpd on HSBC. Use Citi PM until HSBC arrives. |
| OVERSEAS GENERAL — BKK, JAPAN, BALI ETC | ||||||
| Restaurants, shops with Visa terminal | Per trip | CITI REWARDS+ AMAZE | 4 mpd ~2.1% FX | CITI PM | 2.2 mpd FCY | Amaze overseas = always best for in-store retail. No fee + lower FX + 4 mpd. |
| Local transport, cash needs | Per trip | YOUTRIP | 0% FX | CASH LOCAL | — | YouTrip for ATM + transit. Never credit card cash advance (27.9% p.a. interest immediately). |
Apple Pay Rules
❌ In-App Apple Pay Button = 0.4 mpd on Citi Rewards
Tapping the "Pay with Apple Pay" button inside an app routes through Apple's wallet layer. Citi Rewards explicitly excludes in-app mobile wallet payments from the 4 mpd bonus. You earn 0.4 mpd. Waste of a card.
✓ Physical Terminal Tap via Apple Pay = Works (depends on MCC)
Tapping your phone at a physical checkout terminal = Apple Pay works fine on Citi Rewards. The merchant's MCC determines earn rate. Department stores / clothing = 4 mpd. Restaurants = 0.4 mpd normally. That's why you use Amaze instead of Citi Rewards direct for most physical taps.
✓ Amaze via Apple Pay at Physical Terminal = 4 mpd
Add Amaze virtual card to Apple Pay. Tap Amaze (via Apple Pay) at any physical terminal → Amaze recodes the MCC → Citi Rewards sees it as online → 4 mpd. The in-app Apple Pay exclusion does NOT apply here.
Loyalty Stack — All Points to Miles
HeyMax (Max Miles)
Stacks on top of card miles via portal shopping, voucher purchases, and Visa Card Maximiser (when HSBC Revolution arrives). Transfers FREE to KrisFlyer 1:1 instantly. Best transfer route — always use HeyMax over Citi's $27.25 fee.
Atome+ Points
Earned on every Atome BNPL purchase. Best route: convert via HeyMax (1.6 Atome+ = 1 Max Mile = 1 KrisFlyer mile, free). Direct to KrisFlyer is worse (2.4 Atome+ = 1 KrisFlyer mile).
Yuu Points (POSB Passion)
You have ~6,000 Yuu points accumulated. Convert FREE: 3.6 Yuu = 1 KrisFlyer mile. Your 6,000 points = ~1,667 free KrisFlyer miles. Do this now if not done.
Citi Miles (Both Cards)
Citi PM = 1.2 mpd local, 2.2 mpd FCY. Citi Rewards = 4 mpd on eligible online + in-store via Amaze. Both earn Citi Miles / ThankYou Points. Transfer to KrisFlyer via Citi direct ($27.25/transfer) or accumulate in Citi and transfer via HeyMax (free).
| Spend Type | Card Miles | Atome+ | HeyMax | Yuu |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Grab app (CR saved card) | 4 mpd | No | Portal if available | No |
| Shopee / Lazada via HeyMax portal | 4 mpd (CR) | No | Yes — Max Miles ✓ | No |
| Secretlab chair via Atome (ongoing instalments) | 4 mpd (CR) | Yes — Atome+ ✓ | No | No |
| iPhone 17 via Atome (Sept plan) | 4 mpd (CR) | Yes — Atome+ ✓ | No | No |
| HeyMax voucher purchase (Grab, NTUC) | 4 mpd (CR online) | No | Yes — Max Miles ✓ | No |
| 7-Eleven cigarettes (POSB Passion debit) | Yuu points only | No | No | Yes — ~5 mpd equiv ✓ |
| NTUC FairPrice (POSB Passion debit) | Yuu points only | No | No | Yes — Yuu merchant ✓ |
Atome Guide
Secretlab Chair — 6 Instalments (from 5 July 2026)
iPhone 17 via Atome — After Mid-September 2026
Plan: buy iPhone 17 after iPhone 18 Pro launches (mid-Sept 2026), likely at reduced price or via authorised reseller. Use Atome 3-month split to stay under $1,000/month cap per instalment.
Atome app → My Purchases → find the instalment → Pay Now. Do this 2–3 days before due date. Auto-payment may not register as an online transaction on Citi Rewards and could earn 0.4 mpd instead of 4 mpd.
Not Apple Pay. Not Google Pay. The card number saved directly in Atome ensures the transaction routes correctly for online rewards.
1.6 Atome+ = 1 Max Mile → 1 KrisFlyer mile (free). Direct route = 2.4 Atome+ = 1 KrisFlyer mile. HeyMax saves 33% more points per mile.
Verify 10X points (4 mpd) posted. If only 1X: your manual trigger may have gone through the wrong MCC. Contact Citi Rewards customer service to investigate.
Miles Tracker
BOTH CITI CARDS
CURRENT PHASE
BOTH CARDS
OR AFTER NOA 2027
Monthly Breakdown
ALL 3 CARDS
ZERO AMAZE FEE LOCALLY
Lounge Access
RESETS 22 MAY ANNUALLY
AFTER FREE 2
Register Priority Pass Now If Not Done
Download "Priority Pass" app → register Citi PM card number. Cannot register at the airport. Do it at home. Takes 5 minutes.
Changi Lounges Covered
Annual Fees & Key Dates
Call 1800 225 5225 ~2 weeks before anniversary. Say: "My annual fee of $196.20 is due. I'm reviewing whether to keep the card. Is there anything you can do about the fee?"
~70% chance they waive it outright. If not: ask if renewal miles are offered. 10,000 renewal miles (~$130 value) vs $196 fee = net $66 cost. Usually worth it if using the card actively.
🚨 Before Cancelling ANY Citi Card
Transfer ALL Citi Miles / ThankYou Points to KrisFlyer first. Forfeited instantly on cancellation — no grace period, no recovery.
Three hard CBS inquiries in May–June 2026 (HSBC rejected + Citi PM + Citi Rewards). Applying again in November 2026 gives 5 months of CBS settling + 6 months of clean Citi payment history. However, if NOA for full $66k+ salary year is only filed in mid-2027, waiting for that NOA may give a significantly higher approval chance. Decision: apply November 2026 OR after 2027 NOA — evaluate situation then. Call HSBC 1800 227 8889 informally before applying either way.
Setup & App Guide
| App | Card to use | How | Earn | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Grab | CITI REWARDS | Saved card directly — NOT Apple Pay | 4 mpd | ✓ DONE |
| Tada | CITI REWARDS | Saved card directly | 4 mpd | ✓ DONE |
| McDonald's SG | CITI REWARDS | Saved card directly. Verify after first order. | 4 mpd | ✓ DONE |
| Shopee | CITI REWARDS | Saved card at checkout | 4 mpd | ✓ DONE |
| Taobao | CITI REWARDS | Saved card at checkout | 4 mpd | ✓ DONE |
| Foodpanda / Deliveroo | CITI REWARDS | Saved card directly | 4 mpd | ⚠ Verify done |
| Lazada | CITI REWARDS | Saved card at checkout | 4 mpd | ⚠ Verify done |
| Atome | CITI REWARDS | Card linked directly in Atome. Manual payments only. | 4 mpd + Atome+ | ✓ DONE |
| Instarem / Amaze | CITI REWARDS | Citi Rewards MC linked in Instarem app | 4 mpd (via Amaze) | ✓ DONE |
| SimplyGo | CITI PM | Apple Pay tap at gantry. No app needed. | 1.2 mpd | ✓ DONE |
| Anytime Fitness | CITI REWARDS | Set as recurring billing card ~19 July. Verify 4 mpd after first charge. | 4 mpd (VERIFY) | ⚠ ~19 JULY |
| Physical tap (in-store) | AMAZE → CITI REWARDS | Tap Amaze card (physical or Apple Pay) at terminal. Min $15 transaction. | 4 mpd – 1% | ✓ DONE |
| Where | Fee | Earn | Use? |
|---|---|---|---|
| JB / overseas (FCY) | No fee ✓ | 4 mpd | Always ✓ |
| SG physical > $15 per txn | 1% (min $0.50) | 4 mpd net ~3% | Yes ✓ |
| SG physical < $15 per txn | $0.50 min = >3.3% fee | Kills value | No — use Citi PM ✗ |
| In-app purchases (Grab, Shopee) | 1% + no benefit | CR earns 4 mpd directly | No — use CR directly ✗ |
| SimplyGo taps | $0.50 min on ~$1.50 fare | Terrible | No — use Citi PM ✗ |
| Travel bookings (flights, OTAs) | — | CR excludes travel MCC | No — use Citi PM ✗ |