The UOB Visa Signature is one of the oldest UOB cards. It launched in 2006 with a striking purple design. Today, it still offers one of the most versatile ways to earn miles in Singapore. You can earn 4 mpd on local and overseas spending, but the caps and minimum spend can trip you up if you are not careful.
This card is no longer heavily promoted, but it still works well for those who want to earn miles quickly. It also pools points with other UOB cards, making redemptions easier.
Changes to the Card
Recent changes have affected how you can earn with this card. SimplyGo is now treated as contactless spending, so you can earn 4 mpd when you use it. The monthly bonus cap has also been raised from S$2,000 to S$2,400, which means you can now earn more miles every month.
However, the cap is now split. You get S$1,200 for overseas spending and S$1,200 for local contactless and petrol spending. If you do not spend overseas often, you may not hit the second cap. This makes it harder to earn the full potential of this card.
Income, Fees and Validity
The income requirement is S$30,000 a year. If you do not meet this, you can place a S$10,000 fixed deposit to get a secured version of the card.
The annual fee is S$218, waived for the first year. The first supplementary card is free, while the second card onwards costs S$109 per year.
UOB will deduct UNI$ for the annual fee unless you ask for a waiver. You need 6,500 UNI$ for a full waiver or 3,250 UNI$ plus S$109 for a half waiver. If you have less than 3,250 UNI$, the fee is charged in cash. If your waiver request is approved, the reinstated UNI$ will have a fresh 2-year validity.
Points (UNI$) are valid for 2 years from the quarter in which you earned them.
Earning Miles
The UOB Visa Signature earns 4 mpd on overseas, petrol, and contactless spending when you spend at least S$1,000 in that category each statement month.
For overseas spending, you need S$1,000 in foreign currency in a statement month. For local contactless and petrol, you need S$1,000 in Singapore dollars in a statement month.
If you do not meet the minimum spend, you only earn 0.4 mpd on your transactions.
Spend is tracked by statement month, not calendar month. Check your statement date to plan your spending.
Caps and Spending Rules
The monthly bonus cap is S$2,400, but it is split into two sub-caps of S$1,200 each. One cap is for overseas spending, the other for local contactless and petrol.
Overseas spending means transactions charged in a foreign currency and processed through a payment gateway outside Singapore. Using the card in person overseas will always count, but be careful with dynamic currency conversion — always choose to pay in foreign currency.
Contactless spending means paying by tapping your card or using a digital wallet at the counter. Online or in-app payments are not counted as contactless.
Overseas and local contactless spending do not mix. Hitting the overseas requirement will not help you earn 4 mpd for local contactless. Each category must meet its S$1,000 minimum separately.
Points and Transfers
Base UNI$ are credited when the transaction posts. Bonus UNI$ are credited in the following statement period.
UNI$ pool across UOB cards. This makes it easy to combine points for a larger redemption without paying multiple conversion fees.
The minimum transfer is 5,000 UNI$ (equal to 10,000 miles). Transfer partners are KrisFlyer and Asia Miles. The transfer fee is S$25 per programme.
Transfers to KrisFlyer usually take 48 hours. There is also an auto-conversion option for KrisFlyer, which costs S$50 a year, but it requires you to keep at least 15,000 UNI$ in your account.
Pros and Cons
The card earns 4 mpd on many types of spending and has one of the highest monthly bonus caps. Points pool with other UOB cards, and transfers are simple and fast.
On the other hand, the bonus cap split into two sub-caps makes it less flexible. The S$1,000 minimum spend in each category can also be hard to hit, especially if you are not travelling or spending in foreign currency every month.
Final Thoughts
The UOB Visa Signature card is still a good card for miles. If you meet the minimum spends in both categories each month, you can earn up to 115,200 miles in a year, enough for a one-way Suites or First Class ticket from Singapore to Australia.
But if you only spend in one category, your earnings will be much lower than before. For those who use other UOB cards like the Preferred Platinum Visa or Lady’s Card, this card still fits well as part of a larger miles strategy.
