CIMB Offers Up to 50% Cashback on Flights

Initially launched on 1 July 2025 with a select list of eligible airlines, CIMB has now broadened the promotion as of 1 August 2025 to include all airlines, as long as transactions are made directly with the airline and billed under a qualifying merchant category code.

This enhancement applies to both the CIMB Preferred Visa Infinite and the CIMB Travel World / World Elite Mastercard, making it one of the most powerful cashback campaigns currently available to date, well, assuming you meet the minimum requirements.

That's right. In typical CIMB fashion, these promotions generally come with several requirements, so let’s break it down.

How It Works

The campaign runs from 1 July 2025 to 31 March 2026, and cardholders can get up to 50% cashback on flights, depending on their total foreign spend or asset balance with CIMB.

To qualify, you’ll need to meet two conditions:

1. Spend a minimum of RM1,500 on flights (direct bookings only).

2. Either:

   1. Accumulate a specific foreign spend across the campaign period, or

   2. Maintain a designated quarterly average balance in your CIMB CASA (Current or Savings Account).

What Counts as an Eligible Flight Transaction?

The good news? Starting from 1 August 2025, any flight transaction charged directly with any airline is eligible for the cashback campaign—as long as it is processed under the following Merchant Category Codes (MCCs):

3000 to 3303, 3308, and 4511.

This means you’re no longer restricted to just Malaysia Airlines, Singapore Airlines, Qatar Airways, or Cathay Pacific. Fancy a long-haul escape with Emirates? As long as the charge is made directly with the airline, it qualifies.

However, flights booked through travel agencies, online platforms, or aggregators like Expedia, Traveloka, or Google Flights are excluded. Only direct bookings count.

Also, CIMB will recognize any flight spend made between 1–31 July 2025 under the old terms if it meets the RM1,500 minimum spend and MCC conditions. So if you booked earlier, you’re not missing out.

Which Cards Are Eligible?

This promotion is open to principal cardholders of the following cards:

• CIMB Preferred Visa Infinite / Visa Infinite-i

• CIMB Travel World Mastercard

• CIMB Travel World Elite Mastercard

Supplementary cardholders’ spend will count toward the principal cardholder’s total, but the cashback will only be credited to the principal cardholder.

In short, this promotion is targeted towards CIMB's customers holding top tier credit cards. The CIMB Visa Infinite, which I have talked about much lately, is notably an exclusion.

Only CIMB Travel Mastercards earn you points for airline spend

It's extremely important that you use your CIMB Travel World Elite or CIMB Travel World Mastercards to book your airline flights and NOT your CIMB Preferred Visa Infinite credit cards to essentially double-dip and earn Bonus Points on airlines spend.

Cashback Cap Alert

As generous as this campaign sounds, it’s important to note that cashback is not unlimited.

The campaign is subject to a Quarterly Cashback Pool cap of RM125,000, with a Total Campaign Cashback Pool capped at RM375,000.

In other words, redemptions are on a first-come, first-served basis—so if you're planning to book flights, don’t wait until the final weeks of each quarter or you might miss out.

Final Thoughts

In a market where banks are cutting perks left and right—be it miles, lounge access, or conversion partners—CIMB’s new flight cashback campaign stands out like a beacon. It’s rare to see a promo that rewards both spenders and savers alike, but CIMB has managed to strike that balance.

In fact, if you’re already using the CIMB Travel World Elite for overseas spend, this campaign makes it even more attractive. Not only are you earning 10X Bonus Points (0.66 MPR on KrisFlyer, Asia Miles) on airline transactions, but you now stand to get back up to half your flight ticket’s cost in cashback—a double dip that few cards in Malaysia currently offer.

Add to that CIMB’s robust airline transfer partners (Qatar Airways and British Airways Avios, KrisFlyer, Asia Miles, and more), and you’ve got a genuinely competitive card ecosystem.

Yes, their redemption mechanics still leave room for improvement—particularly the steep Bonus Points-to-miles thresholds—but for those who can plan strategically, this campaign offers real, tangible value.

Whether you're planning a family holiday or a solo escape, getting 30–50% of your flight spend refunded in cold hard cash is no small perk. Just make sure you book directly with the airline and keep an eye on your foreign spend or CASA balance.

With this promo running until 31 March 2026, it might be time to start figuring out your summer 2026 travel plans!