What is KrisPay?
For anyone looking to earn extra KrisFlyer miles through everyday purchases, the KrisPay app is a good option worth considering. Provided by Singapore Airlines, the app was launched in July 2018, and is available for both Apple and Android phones.
Credit: Singapore Airlines https://www.singaporeair.com/en_UK/sg/ppsclub-krisflyer/use-miles/krispay/
At first, the original KrisPay app did not appear to have a clear purpose. It allowed KrisFlyer members to pay for their everyday purchases with their phone, which obviously was fairly handy, but by no means innovative. It appeared mostly useful for members who wanted to leave the programme and spend any of their remaining miles before doing so.
But since 2019, when KrisPay rolled out the option to earn and redeem miles with everyday purchases, the app has suddenly become a whole lot more valuable for KrisFlyer members. App users can earn up to two miles per $1 on selected merchants, then redeem them on Singapore Airways flights.
How Does It Work?
The KrisPay app has three main functions: Top Up, Use Miles, and Earn Miles.
Credit: Singapore Airlines https://www.singaporeair.com/en_UK/sg/ppsclub-krisflyer/use-miles/krispay/
Top Up
Top Up allows you to top up your KrisPay miles and convert points to miles. A relatively new feature enables app users to convert their DBS Points to miles, providing they have a minimum of 100 DBS Points. There is a specific DBS Points icon on the app, which you can click on, then select the amount of DBS Points you want to convert to KrisPay miles. You will need to log into your DBS account to do this.
You can then transfer your KrisPay miles into your KrisFlyer account at a rate of 1 KrisPay mile for 1 KrisFlyer mile. If you prefer, you can also choose to leave your KrisPay miles in your account to use on future everyday purchases.
KrisPay miles are valid for 6 months after top-up. This means that, for example, if you topped up 100 KrisPay miles to your app on January 1, by July 31, any unused miles would no longer be available.
You can check how many miles you have expiring in the current month by visiting the KrisPay app’s homepage.
Use Miles
Use Miles lets you use your KrisPay miles to make purchases in select retail stores. There are currently a number of merchants that you can spend your KrisPay miles at, including fashion stores, gift and souvenir outlets, food merchants, electronics and technology stores, and entertainment venues. You can use your phone to pay using a scannable QR code, and the equivalent KrisPay miles will be taken from your account as they would from a debit or credit card.
You can make either a full or a partial payment with the KrisPay app. You can also use the app to redeem privileges with certain online merchants. You will receive a payment confirmation when payment has gone through successfully.
Earn Miles
Earn Miles is the most useful and interesting feature of the KrisPay app. In this case, you don’t need to pay with the KrisPay app – you just need to make a payment at one of the participating stores.
Credit: Singapore Airlines https://www.singaporeair.com/en_UK/sg/ppsclub-krisflyer/use-miles/krispay/earn-krispay/
Simply make a purchase as you usually would, using your credit or debit card. Then, after you have made the payment, log into the KrisPay app and visit the “Earn” page. Record the amount of money you have spent instore, then hand your phone to the cashier at the till. There will be a QR code on-screen that they will need to scan in order for the KrisPay miles to be credited to your account. Make sure you remember to do this at the time, as you can’t return to the store to redeem your points as a later date.
Note that at this point, the miles will be sat in your KrisPay app and can’t be redeemed on Singapore Airlines flights. But all you need to do to make this possible is convert your KrisPay miles into Krisflyer miles by tapping on the "Transfer to KrisFlyer" button, which you can find on the top-up confirmation screen.
The transaction may take up to 7 days to go through. You also need to transfer the KrisPay miles to KrisFlyer miles within 7 days of earning the KrisPay miles. After this time, you won’t be able to convert them. It’s unclear why this rule is in place, but it’s worth remembering if you’re keen to make the most of the KrisFlyer miles conversion feature.
Credit: Singapore Airlines https://www.singaporeair.com/en_UK/sg/ppsclub-krisflyer/use-miles/krispay/earn-krispay/
You’re probably wondering why you can’t just automatically be credited with KrisFlyer miles, but Singapore Airlines evidently created the KrisPay app with the idea that some people may prefer to spend their KrisPay miles at selected stores (we’d imagine that the majority of people don’t).
Your KrisPay miles are converted to KrisFlyer miles at an equal ratio. Keep in mind that if you attempt to partially convert your KrisPay miles earned, you won’t be able to – so if you plan to spend your earned KrisPay miles on in-store purchases, you will need to spend them all.
Merchant Earning Amounts & Privileges
Not all KrisPay merchants offer the exact same earning amounts. In fact, some outlets within a specific partner might offer differing earn rates, so it’s worth checking before you purchase.
You also can’t earn KrisPay miles at specific partners: M1, Presto Drycleaners, and Shangri-La Hotel Singapore.
If you want to know exactly which merchants offer which earning amounts in 2020, the easiest way to do so is by visiting the KrisPay app. Here, you can view all of the KrisPay partners and learn about their earn rates. You can also view the partners on the KrisPay area of the Singapore Airlines website, but only basic information about the partner can be found here, and it’s unclear whether the merchants allow for miles conversion from purchases at their outlets or not.
Credit: Singapore Airlines https://www.singaporeair.com/en_UK/sg/ppsclub-krisflyer/use-miles/krispay/krispay-partners/
At the moment, the earn rate for each participating merchant is one of the following:
- 3 miles per S$1 spent – equivalent to 3 mpd
- 2 miles per S$1 spent – equivalent to 2 mpd
- 3 miles per S$2 spent – equivalent to 1.5 mpd
- 1 mile per S$1 spent – equivalent to 1 mpd
- 1 mile per S$2 spent – equivalent to 0.5 mpd
- 1 mile per S$10 spent – equivalent to 0.1 mpd
Late in 2019, more merchants were added to the KrisPay programme, and the new top earning rate (3 miles per dollar) was also introduced. This rate may only currently be for one store, but we would imagine this will expand in the future.
Some of the newest and/or most notable participating merchants are:
| Merchant | Description | Rate |
|---|---|---|
| iFly Singapore | One of the largest wind tunnels in South East Asia for indoor skydiving. | 3mpd |
| CARs International | Offers car grooming, washing and polishing services. | 2mpd |
| Krispy Kreme | American doughnut company and coffeehouse chain serving doughnuts and coffee. | 1mpd |
| TP Tea | One of the top bubble tea chains in Taiwan; has now expanded across Asia. | 1mpd |
| Mellower Coffee | Serves an extensive range of coffee products including coffee beans, coffee drip bags, convenience mugs and sachets. | 2mpd |
| Franck Muller | One of the most acclaimed independent watch companies in contemporary watchmaking. | 1mpd |
| llaollao | A brand of healthy natural frozen yogurt from Alicante, Spain. | 1mpd |
| Kenko Wellness | One of the largest Foot Reflexology and Spa chains in Singapore. | 1mpd |
| L’éclair Patisserie | Singapore’s first specialty éclair brand. | 1mpd |
| Sultans of Shave | The quintessential male barbering destination. | 1mpd |
| Candy Empire | A gourmet store filled with novelty chocolates, cookies, candies and confectionery treats. Candy Empire was previously a partner that didn’t award miles, but after the 2019 update, it now does. | 1mpd |
| Birkenstock | A well-known German footwear brand that stands for excellent comfort and quality. | 1mpd |
| Gong Cha | Bubble tea retailer from Taiwan. | 1mpd |
| Wings of Time | Singapore’s award-winning outdoor night show that combines water, laser, and fire effects. | 0.5mpd |
| LEGO Store | Oldest and largest specialist LEGO® retailer in Singapore. | 1mpd |
| Greenwood Fish Market | Seafood market restaurant with retail options. | 1.5mpd |
| Singapore Cable Car | Gondola lift providing transportation from Mount Faber Singapore to the resort island of Sentosa. | 0.5mpd |
| Sketchers | A global leader in lifestyle and performance footwear and apparels. | 1mpd |
| Bottles & Bottle | A homegrown wine retailer since 2004, offering a wide variety of the finest wines worldwide. | 1mpd |
| Xcape | First reality room escape game in Singapore with Hollywood’s touch and feel. | 2mpd |
Cards for Earning Maximum Points
You can use any card to make purchases with KrisPay merchants, but making smart choices about the credit card you use will help you to earn maximum points while using the app.
Some of the best cards for earning KrisFlyer miles are:
1. KrisFlyer UOB Credit Card
2. American Express KrisFlyer Credit Card
3. HSBC Visa Infinite Credit Card
Earning and Redeeming KrisFlyer Miles
There are plenty of other ways to earn KrisFlyer miles aside from using the KrisPay app. These include signing up to high-earning credit cards and programmes, as mentioned above, as well as rewards points conversion, staying at partner hotels and much more. You can check out our guide to the 12 best ways to earn KrisFlyer miles in 2020 here.
You can also redeem miles and points from other programmes to KrisFlyer miles, including Citi miles. More information on how to redeem can be found here.
To redeem your KrisFlyer miles on travel with Singapore Airlines, download the KrisFlyer app or redeem directly through the Singapore Airlines website. You will be able to select the flight option that suits you – but remember, the closer you are to your flight date, the less chance that your flight will be available. Our Citi miles guide also discusses the miles redemption process in more detail.
Credit: Singapore Airlines https://www.singaporeair.com/en_UK/sg/ppsclub-krisflyer/use-miles/redeem-miles/
Conclusion
Now that the KrisPay app offers the option to earn miles through spending at Singapore Airlines’ partners, there is a strong incentive to use it whenever you go shopping. The app offers a really simple way to earn up to 3 mpd at a variety of merchants. It’s certainly worth downloading KrisPay to give it a try if you haven’t already. Just be sure to spend wisely, and don’t forget to convert your KrisPay miles to KrisFlyer miles within the 7-day period so you don’t miss out.
