Subscription Modal Banner
Weekly newsletter subscription
Get SingSaver’s top tips and deals, plus an exclusive free guide to investing, sent straight to your inbox.

I agree to the terms and conditions and agree to receive relevant marketing content according to the privacy policy.

Success Tick Icon
Congratulations on successfully joining Singsaver Newsletter

Metal Credit Cards With The Best Perks (2023)

Denise Bay

Denise Bay

Last updated 24 May, 2023

Metal credit cards offer more than just a status symbol, but with hefty annual fees are they worth it? Here, we pit them against each other to help you find the best.

Best Metal Credit Cards on SingSaver

After all, the first-ever metal card was the American Express Centurion Card, issued in 1999 and held by celebrities and ultra-high net worth individuals. To own one was a statement in itself, and a symbol of the holder’s status and wealth. 

Today, though, the metal card trend has diffused downwards. It’s not quite mass market territory, but a number of high-end credit cards have switched to metal cardstock, providing a way for affluent-but-not-quite-loaded individuals to get in on the action too.


Looking for the best credit cards to complement your spending patterns and expenditure in 2023? Check out our Ultimate Credit Card Guide that covers all things credit cards in Singapore – from choosing between a cashback, miles, or rewards credit card to planning your credit card strategy.


Metal cards you can apply for in Singapore

Metal Card
Annual Income Requirement
Annual Fee
DBS_Vantage_Card_(with_chip)
Welcome Gift: Receive 80,000 miles upon card approval. T&Cs apply.
S$120,000
S$588.50
image
S$120,000
S$540
S$120,000
S$492.50 or S$3,240
S$150,000
S$648
AMEX Platinum Charge Card
image

SingSaver Exclusive Promotion: Receive 20,000 Membership Rewards® points when you make a min. spending of S$2,000 and annual fee payment within the first month of card approval. Valid till 14 June 2023. T&Cs apply.

Plus, get up to 93,750 Membership Rewards points when you make a min. spend of S$15,000 and annual fee payment within 3 months of card approval date. Valid till 14 June 2023. T&Cs apply.


S$200,000
S$1,728

CITI_PREMIERMILES_BLOGARTICLE

 

CITI_BLOGARTICLE

 

SingSaver Exclusive Offer:

For Citi PremierMiles Card: Receive a Nintendo Switch OLED (worth S$549)Apple iPad 9th Gen 10.2 Wifi 64GB (worth S$503.65) or S$400 CapitaVouchers or S$300 cash via PayNow upon activating and spending (min. S$500 spend) within 30 days of card approval. Valid till 15 June 2023. T&Cs apply.

For Citi Cashback+ Card, Citi Cashback Card and Citi Rewards Card: Receive a Hinomi H1 Pro Ergonomic Office Chair (worth S$599) or Nintendo Switch OLED (worth S$549) or $400 CapitaVouchers or S$300 Cash via PayNow upon activating and spending (min. S$500 spend) within 30 days of card approval. Valid till 15 June 2023. T&Cs apply.

Plus, enjoy up to 2% cashback on all qualifying spend and up to S$656 cash when you apply for the Citi Cash Back+ card and join Citi PlusT&Cs apply.

*Other metal cards in Singapore include the UOB Lady’s Solitaire Metal Card, Citi ULTIMA, American Express Centurion, DBS Insignia and UOB Reserve. However, since these are invite-only offerings, we won’t cover them in this article.

If you want to learn more about these cards, you can read this article

At the time of writing, the metal cards with the lowest income requirement and annual fee is the OCBC VOYAGE (S$492.50 a year). Remember that, unlike regular plastic cards, it’s almost impossible to get an annual fee waiver on a metal card – the annual fee is part of the cost of entry. 

So there are more than a few options for metal cards. But how do they measure up in terms of features?


Ready to level up? Find out how you can make your money work harder and smarter for you. Enjoy your own dedicated relationship manager and privileged access to a whole suite of preferential rates with Priority Banking. Compare your options.


Which metal card should you get? 

With options comes the need to take your pick. While these metal credit cards are all fancy to look at and packed to the brim with exclusive perks befitting those who enjoy the finer things in life, they aren’t created the same. Your wallet will thank you if you take the effort to pick one that best suits your lifestyle. 


DBS Vantage: Best earn rate with no minimum spend

DBS_Vantage_Card_(with_chip)

In terms of flexibility, DBS Vantage allows cardholders to switch flexibly between 2.2 miles per S$1 or 2.2% cashback (for overseas spending). 

With an S$120,000 annual income requirement, this card may not be for everyone but consider getting this lifestyle travel card if you appreciate the finer things in life. 

For instance, apart from the exclusive DiningCity perks at 50 restaurants including Michelin-awarded restaurants, there is also a complimentary Accor Plus Explorer Membership which gifts you 1 hotel night stay. 

Car owners can also save up to 19% off on fuel spending at Esso. 

For avid travellers who relish planning your trips online, you'll earn up to 6 miles per S$1 on Expedia bookings. 

New cardmembers will also receive 80,000 miles upon card approval and activation.

 


Citi Prestige Card: Best for avid travellers and Citigold/ Citigold Private Client customers

As its name may suggest, the Citi Prestige Card offers spectacular travel and lifestyle perks that could possibly pay for itself in no time. Just to highlight a few, cardmembers can enjoy benefits such as unlimited airport lounge access worldwide, unlimited complimentary 4th night free hotel or resort stay globally, complimentary golf games, annual renewal bonus of 25,000 miles and more. 

While its miles earning rate stands at 1.3mpd for local spend and 2mpd for overseas spend, Citi banking customers with Citigold/Citigold Private Client relationship can receive up to 30% additional ThankYou Points, depending on their spending and depth of relationship with the bank. 

Another point to note? You can earn unlimited, flexible, expiry-free ThankYou Points with the Citi Prestige Card. 

CITI_PREMIERMILES_BLOGARTICLE

 

CITI_BLOGARTICLE

 

SingSaver Exclusive Offer:

For Citi PremierMiles Card: Receive a Nintendo Switch OLED (worth S$549)Apple iPad 9th Gen 10.2 Wifi 64GB (worth S$503.65) or S$400 CapitaVouchers or S$300 cash via PayNow upon activating and spending (min. S$500 spend) within 30 days of card approval. Valid till 15 June 2023. T&Cs apply.

For Citi Cashback+ Card, Citi Cashback Card and Citi Rewards Card: Receive a Hinomi H1 Pro Ergonomic Office Chair (worth S$599) or Nintendo Switch OLED (worth S$549) or $400 CapitaVouchers or S$300 Cash via PayNow upon activating and spending (min. S$500 spend) within 30 days of card approval. Valid till 15 June 2023. T&Cs apply.

Plus, enjoy up to 2% cashback on all qualifying spend and up to S$656 cash when you apply for the Citi Cash Back+ card and join Citi PlusT&Cs apply.


CITIGOLD_37_BLOGARTICLE

SingSaver Exclusive Offer: Get an Apple iPhone 14 128GB (worth $1,311.10) or a Bowers & Wilkins Px8 McLaren Edition ANC Headphones (worth S$1,299) or S$1,000 Cash when you apply for Citigold and deposit a min. of S$250,000 in fresh funds by 31 July 2023. Valid till 2 July 2023. 

In addition, receive S$300 cash when you hold a valid Primary Citibank Credit Card + S$500 cash when you apply for a Citibank Mortgage loan with min. loan size of S$800,000 within 3 months of account opening. Valid till 30 June 2023. T&Cs apply.

Also, receive up to S$74,000 cash upon fulfilling Citigold's Investment and Insurance promotion criteria. Valid till 30 June 2023. T&Cs apply.


OCBC Voyage Card: Most affordable metal card

Want to dip your feet into the world of metal cards but aren’t quite ready to splurge on it just yet? Consider the OCBC Voyage Card. All you have to do is pick the S$492.50 annual fee option, which comes with 15,000 VOYAGE miles. The S$3,240 option comes with a whopping 150,000 VOYAGE miles! 

​​Apart from being the most affordable metal card in this crowd, the OCBC Voyage Card offers the most generous miles earning rate for overseas spend: it lets you earn 2.2mpd on foreign currency spend and 1.3mpd locally. OCBC Premier, OCBC Premier Private Client and Bank of Singapore VOYAGE Card will earn 1.6mpd locally and 2.3mpd on foreign currency spend. 


UOB Visa Infinite Metal Card: Best for concierge and support services 

Among the slew of benefits you can enjoy with the UOB Visa Infinite Metal Card, you can count on top-notch concierge and support services anywhere, anytime. Your dedicated UOB Visa Infinite Concierge is available 24/7 no matter where you are to assist you from reserving seats at Michelin-starred restaurants to purchasing luxury items. 

The UOB Travel Concierge can help you with anything travel-related while the UOB Medical Concierge offers 24-hour toll-free access to premier medical concierge services supported by Parkway Hospitals Singapore. Say hello to fast-tracked appointment scheduling, finding proper medical specialists and more. 

You can even consult a doctor without leaving the comfort of your home via the WhiteCoat app whenever you are feeling under the weather. How does this work? You’ll be connected to an in-house Singapore-registered GP in no time. The convenience doesn’t stop there. Within 90 minutes, you can expect to receive your prescribed medication at your doorstep. If that’s not impressive, I don’t know what else is. 

UOB Credit Card Welcome Gift: Receive an Apple Watch SE 2nd Gen (worth S$382) or up to S$350 worth of Grab vouchers or up to 50,000 miles if you are a new UOB card member and fulfil the respective min. spend requirements. T&Cs apply.

 


AMEX Platinum Charge Card: Best for tangible, money-saving luxury perks

The AMEX Platinum Charge Card is undeniably the priciest metal card in this bunch but this charge card is one to consider if you are on the lookout for tangible, money-saving luxury perks. 

For starters, it’s hard to beat the S$800 travel credits* you’ll receive yearly, Fine Hotels & Resorts benefits worth S$750, and complimentary elite status for Hilton Honors, Marriott Bonvoy and Radisson Rewards hotel loyalty programs. Its free airport lounge access perk is one of the most generous on the market, too. 

Apart from exclusive golf privileges and complimentary access into the elite, members-only Tower Club Singapore and 67 Pall Mall in London, the AMEX Platinum Card also lets you enjoy all-day free parking at Great World City from Friday to Sunday.

Besides 1-for-1 drinks with the Chillax programme, you can also look forward to saving up to 50% on your food bills with the Love Dining programme.

[ UPDATE ] 

Starting from early 2023, Platinum cardholders stand to earn new benefits up to S$1,200 a year, in addition to existing privileges.

Some perks to expect in 2023 include:

  • S$400 Global Dining Credit: Access to over 2,000 restaurants in 20 countries
  • S$204 Entertainment Credit: For music streaming and news subscriptions
  • S$200 Airline Credit
  • S$400 Lifestyle Credit: Access to a slew of lifestyle experiences and services e.g. wine and spa services

*However, do note, the current S$800 Travel Credits consisting of S$400 Air Travel Credit and S$400 Lodging Credit will cease activity from 31 January 2023. AMEX Platinum cardholders are encouraged to redeem their credits for flight and accommodation bookings through American Express Travel Online before then.

Moreover, those bookings are eligible for a one-time bonus of 5,000 Membership Rewards points. T&Cs apply. 

Otherwise, all in all, the new roster of AMEX Platinum privileges is valued at over S$7,400, with no change to the annual fee. Being spoilt for choice is an understatement.

SingSaver Exclusive Promotion: Receive 20,000 Membership Rewards® points when you make a min. spending of S$2,000 and annual fee payment within the first month of card approval. Valid till 14 June 2023. T&Cs apply.

Plus, get up to 93,750 Membership Rewards points when you make a min. spend of S$15,000 and annual fee payment within 3 months of card approval date. Valid till 14 June 2023. T&Cs apply.

Back to top


Mile earning rates

Let’s first look at how many miles each of these cards earns for local and overseas spending. The numbers are quite tight here (except for the AMEX Platinum Charge, which clearly isn’t a miles-earning powerhouse), with local earn rates between 1.2-1.4 mpd, and overseas rates between 2.0-2.2 mpd. 

Metal Card Local Miles per Dollar Overseas Miles per Dollar
Citibank Prestige 1.3 2.0
OCBC Voyage 1.3 2.2
UOB Visa Infinite Metal Card 1.4 2.0
AMEX Platinum Charge Card 0.78 1.95 (if you spend on SQ or Scoot)

Miles with annual fee

In addition to earning miles from your everyday spending, you can also receive miles by paying the annual fee on most of these cards.

Metal Card Annual Fee (Miles) Cents per Mile
Citibank Prestige S$540 (25,000) 2.14
OCBC Voyage S$492.50 or S$3,210 (15,000 or 150,000) 3.25 or 2.14
UOB Visa Infinite Metal Card S$642 (25,000) 2.57
AMEX Platinum Charge Card S$1,712 (None. Spend S$20,000 in the first 6 months to get 46,875 bonus miles) N.A

The Citi Prestige and OCBC Voyage offer the lowest cost miles at about 2.14 cents per mile. This is followed by the UOB Visa Infinite Metal Card at 2.57 cents per mile. 

It’s worth mentioning that the AMEX Platinum Charge doesn’t actually offer miles with the payment of the annual fee. Instead, you’ll be able to earn 46,875 bonus miles (75,000 MR points) when you spend S$20,000 in the first six months of card membership approval.

Back to top


Airport lounge access and limo benefits

Complimentary airport lounge access can be a great perk, especially when you’re flying economy or on a budget airline. But again, not all metal cards are made equal in this respect. Some offer extremely anemic benefits, while others offer access to multiple lounge networks, complete with guest privileges.  

Metal Card Lounge Network Free Lounge Visit
Citibank Prestige Priority Pass Unlimited + 1 guest
OCBC Voyage Plaza Premium Unlimited
UOB Visa Infinite Metal Card DragonPass 4
AMEX Platinum Charge Card  - Priority Pass
- AMEX Lounges
- Centurion Lounges
- Delta SkyClub
- Plaza Premium
Unlimited + Supplementary Member + 1 guest each 

The strongest card here is undoubtedly the AMEX Platinum Charge card. Cardmembers get to enjoy unlimited Priority Pass lounge visits as well as access to American Express and Centurion airport lounges, and Delta SkyClubs when flying on Delta Air Lines. What’s more, supplementary cardholders (the first two supplementary cards are free) enjoy the same lounge benefits. 

Complimentary airport transfers are another useful perk, although only two metal cards offer them at the moment – the Citi Prestige and OCBC VOYAGE.

Metal Card Free Limo Rides Spending Requirements
Citibank Prestige 2 per quarter S$12,000 per quarter
OCBC Voyage 2 per month S$5,000 per ride
UOB Visa Infinite Metal Card 0 N.A
AMEX Platinum Charge Card 0 N.A

CITI_PREMIERMILES_BLOGARTICLE

 

CITI_BLOGARTICLE

 

SingSaver Exclusive Offer:

For Citi PremierMiles Card: Receive a Nintendo Switch OLED (worth S$549)Apple iPad 9th Gen 10.2 Wifi 64GB (worth S$503.65) or S$400 CapitaVouchers or S$300 cash via PayNow upon activating and spending (min. S$500 spend) within 30 days of card approval. Valid till 15 June 2023. T&Cs apply.

For Citi Cashback+ Card, Citi Cashback Card and Citi Rewards Card: Receive a Hinomi H1 Pro Ergonomic Office Chair (worth S$599) or Nintendo Switch OLED (worth S$549) or $400 CapitaVouchers or S$300 Cash via PayNow upon activating and spending (min. S$500 spend) within 30 days of card approval. Valid till 15 June 2023. T&Cs apply.

Plus, enjoy up to 2% cashback on all qualifying spend and up to S$656 cash when you apply for the Citi Cash Back+ card and join Citi PlusT&Cs apply.


Back to top

Dining benefits

Dining benefits can take the form of discounts on F&B or outright dining credit through vouchers. 

Metal Card
Dining Benefits
OCBC Voyage
Visa Infinite dining privileges
UOB Visa Infinite Metal Card
Visa Infinite dining privileges
 
Up to 50% off dining at Grand Hyatt Singapore
 
Clink Clink's private wine concierge service
AMEX Platinum Charge Card
American Express Selects dining offers
 
Up to 50% off dining with Love Dining benefits
 
1-for-1 drinks with Chillax

Cardmembers can enjoy up to 50% off dining at selected hotels and restaurants with Love Dining benefits. This includes A-list restaurants like Brasserie Les Saveurs, SKAI Restaurant, Lantern, The Landing Point, Basilico, Yan Ting and Wooloomooloo Steakhouse.

To cap it off, they can get complimentary drinks under the Chillax program at Botanico, Club 5, Portman's Bar, Smoke & Mirrors, Horse’s Mouth Bar, Monti and other drinking holes. 

Back to top


Other card benefits

All cards offer complimentary travel insurance (although the quantum and scope of coverage can differ significantly, so be sure to read the T&Cs!), but some go beyond that by offering unique perks. 

For example, the Citi Prestige gives you the fourth night free on hotel stays, which can potentially help to pay for the annual fee. The OCBC VOYAGE allows you to redeem VOYAGE miles for any cabin on any flight at a fixed cash value. The UOB Visa Infinite Metal Card offers preferential yacht chartering packages with Valencia Yachts.

Metal Card
Other Benefits
Citibank Prestige
4th night free on hotel stays
 
Exclusive relationship bonus of up to 30% additional ThankYou Points
 
Preferential rates for luxury tours and cruises, private jet charters and chauffeured car services
OCBC Voyage
Redeem miles for any cabin on any flight
 
Complimentary travel insurance
 
eCommerce purchase protection
 
HealthPass health and wellness deals
 
Instant 19% off on Caltex fuel spend
 
S$25 KrisFlyer Miles redemption admin fee waiver
UOB Visa Infinite Metal Card
Priority booking and complimentary wine at global top restaurants
 
Clink Clink's private wine concierge service
 
Visa Luxury Hotel Collection privileges
 
Up to additional 6 bonus KrisFlyer miles with KrisFlyer UOB Account
 
Preferential Valencia Yachts charter rates
 
Complimentary travel insurance
 
UOB medical concierge
AMEX Platinum Charge Card
S$800 hotel and airline credit
 
Complimentary elite gold status with Marriott Bonvoy, Hilton Honors and Radisson Rewards
 
Up to 50% off dining with Love Dining benefits
 
1-for-1 drinks with Chillax
 
AMEX Fine Hotels & Resorts program
 
Tower Club access
 
Exclusive AMEX events
 
Complimentary travel insurance

But it’s hard to compete with the AMEX Platinum Charge card, which offers S$800 of airline and hotel credits, Fine Hotels & Resorts benefits worth S$750, elite status with hotel chains like Hilton and Marriott, complimentary green fees, complimentary access into the elite, members-only Tower Club and much more.

The S$1,728 annual fee is the most expensive of all the metal cards here, almost three times as expensive in some cases. But if you’re willing to shell out that money, you’ll find the benefits to be pretty substantial — especially if you're looking forward to regular leisure travel again.  

If you choose to get a metal card, always remember the hefty annual fees that it comes with. This means it’s a good idea to do an analysis of the costs and benefits of owning one. A metal card is meant to make your pocket heavier, not lighter after all. 

Thinking of applying for a Premium Credit Card? Click below to compare and learn more about them!


Read these next:
Premium Credit Cards: Which Gives High Income Earners The Best Value?
The Four Most Exclusive Credit Cards in Singapore
Top Credit Card Promotions And Deals On SingSaver
What Really Happens If You Skip Credit Card Bills, Loan & BNPL Payments
Type Of Credit Card For You

While Denise has a thing for travel, K-dramas, 0% sugar bbt (with boba!), Japanese cuisine and flat white, her curious nature means all sorts of random tabs are open on her phone 24/7. She doesn’t like to pay full price for anything, too.

FINANCIAL TIP:

Use a personal loan to consolidate your outstanding debt at a lower interest rate!

Sign up for our newsletter for financial tips, tricks and exclusive information that can be personalised to your preferences!