January 7, 2025

For most travelers, flying business and first class, especially on international flights, is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity.

Business class tickets on Singapore Airlines can be five times more expensive than economy class tickets, while first class tickets are up to 13 times more expensive.

As a result, these cabins are often booked by large business travelers or wealthy individuals, including – to borrow the movie’s title – Crazy Rich Asians.

Economy-class tickets from Singapore to London on Singapore’s flag carrier are booked about six months in advance and cost S$1,700 (US$1,303.68) round-trip. Business class fares rise to S$6,300 and first class fares are just over S$13,000.

Granted, the difference may be smaller on short-haul flights. For example, a flight from Singapore to Tokyo Haneda Airport under the same conditions costs about SGD 1,300 for economy class, more than SGD 4,200 for business class and SGD 7,600 for first class.

“You don’t have to be rich to enjoy these things,” said Aaron Wong, who travels in first and business class.

Source: Aaron Huang

However, Singaporean Aaron Wong, a former management consultant, quit his job in 2015 to start the travel website Lion of Milessaid he flies about eight to nine business and first class flights a year.

Some are regional flights and some are long-haul flights. but The best part? He flies almost for free.

“Best Miles Card”?

The key, Huang said, is to maximize your credit card purchases to earn points and then convert them into airline miles. However, it’s not as simple as picking up a miles-earning credit card and spending a bunch of money, he said.

First, “there is no best hand,” he said. “it depends.”

Instead, Huang said, so-called “mileage chasers” should sign up for credit cards that match their spending habits.

He recommends having several credit cards that award “bonus” miles to cover your major spending categories. One card offers bonus miles for online purchases; different cards can be used for dining. Others may award extra miles for groceries or transportation.

Aaron Wong, at Singapore Airlines’ private “First Class Check-in” at Changi Airport in Singapore.

Source: Aaron Huang

This can make a huge difference, he said, as the typical “rewards” rate in Singapore is 4 miles per dollar spent, which is higher than the 1.2-1.4 miles for other credit cards.

“It’s kind of like different tools in a toolbox, right? You wouldn’t use a beer opener to open wine. So if people just want a card… it’s kind of like trying to use a beer opener Come open every beer and drink there is.

Wong said spending $30,000 on a credit card would earn 1.4 miles for every dollar, and flying Singapore Airlines would earn about 45,000 miles – enough to buy a return economy class ticket to Perth.

However, if one deposits the same $30,000 on several cards that offer “bonus” miles, one can get 120,000 Singapore Airlines miles, which can be used to fly business class to and from Cape Town.

If someone pays for a meal with a card that earns 1.3 miles per dollar instead of a card that earns 4 miles per dollar, You have 2.7 miles left, right? That’s free value that you’re not taking away,” he said.

“nature”

Wong acknowledged that the miles game can be “substantial” unlike holding a cash-back card, which allows credit card holders to earn rebates on a percentage of their purchases.

Miles card users need to keep track of which cards earn the most miles and understand the fine print: factors like bonus categories, exclusions and point totals from different cards from the same bank.

For example, in Singapore, points earned with DBS credit cards can be combined, but this cannot be done with Citibank Singapore credit cards.

Huang said he would not pay to fly business or first class. “But because the miles are there, I don’t have to pay.”

Source: Aaron Huang

Some credit card points never expire, while others have expiration dates. Some cards automatically convert spending into miles, while others offer bank points that must be redeemed for miles.

“I know a lot of people are a little scared,” he said, adding that many people think you need at least 10 credit cards to get the maximum points. “Honestly, three cards, maybe four cards is enough for most people unless you spend a lot of money every year.”

In Singapore, most cards that offer bonus miles have a cap on the amount of money you can spend to accumulate bonus miles. For example, Citi’s Rewards card in Singapore only rewards 4 miles per US$1 when you spend US$1,000 per month.

But despite the difficulties, Huang says it’s worth it: “The rewards are great. I think that’s why people are willing to invest so much time (and) mental ability.”

He added that he would not spend S$6,000 to S$7,000 to fly business class. “But because of the miles, I don’t have to pay… to unlock this experience.”

For aspiring “mileage chasers,” Huang advises against spending more just to get more miles. “For some people, they can try to justify spending more money to get more rewards, but I wouldn’t advocate that,” he said.

Instead, his view is that miles are just a reward a person earns for the initial purchase—a reward that, he says, can “deliver a five-star experience on a one-star budget.”

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