The question of which credit card is best for earning airline miles through food delivery platforms such as GrabFood, FoodPanda, and ShopeeFood is one I’ve been asked frequently.
However, there isn't a simple answer. Earning airline miles via food delivery can be quite complex, and I’ll explain why shortly. I’ll do my best to break down the details, but please note that my analysis is based on the research available at the time of writing.
To simplify things, I’ve categorized the strategies into two main types:
Co-Branded Cards
Direct Earning (Cards that offer points for e-wallet top-ups)
Co-Branded Cards
Let’s start with co-branded cards. Currently, only GrabFood has a co-branded credit card: the Maybank Grab Mastercard Platinum.
However, with Grab discontinuing the option to convert GrabRewards points to KrisFlyer miles as of September 2024, this card should be considered one of the least attractive options, especially since GrabRewards have significantly devalued and are now worth almost nothing.
Direct Earning Cards
Next, we have direct earning credit cards—those that reward you either for transactions made directly on food delivery platforms or for reloading the wallets embedded within these platforms (e.g., using GrabPay to pay for GrabFood).
At the moment, the only credit card that appears to offer airline miles directly for these transactions is the Singapore Airlines KrisFlyer American Express Platinum and Gold Credit Cards.
Although Maybank has officially stated that none of its credit cards offer points or cashback for e-wallet reloads, there have been reports on forums suggesting that KrisFlyer miles can still be earned via these Amex cards. Since these are co-branded cards with direct conversion capabilities, they may indeed bypass some restrictions, but this remains a grey area due to the lack of specific terms.
When it comes to credit cards that offer points or airline miles for reloading e-wallets like GrabPay or ShopeePay, there are several options. The Alliance Bank Visa Infinite and Visa Platinum cards are popular choices, offering 8X TBP (equating to a 0.53 Enrich MPR) for e-wallet reloads. However, the downside is that you can only earn Enrich Miles, which may be a dealbreaker for many of my readers.
Alternatively, the HSBC Premier World Mastercard and HSBC Visa Signature cards also allow you to earn airline miles for GrabPay reloads, with the added benefit of converting to KrisFlyer or Asia Miles. This addresses the limitation of the Alliance Bank cards but comes with the caveat of HSBC’s general capping on rewards.
Lastly, the Hong Leong Bank Sutera Visa Platinum offers a respectable 0.33 MPR for e-wallet reloads with no capping, but like the Alliance Bank cards, it only supports conversion to Enrich Miles.
A Non-Honorable Mention
I must also mention the UOB World Card, given its popularity and its 12X UNIRM for Grab reloads. However, due to the recent UOB devaluation and the RM300 capping, this card is no longer competitive and should be at the bottom of your list.
Final Thoughts
As I hinted at the beginning of this article, navigating the landscape of earning airline miles through food delivery platforms is a tricky endeavor. These platforms represent a niche spending category, so banks typically don’t prioritize rewards here as they do with dining or groceries.
For those who spend a significant amount on food delivery each month (say, RM3,000 or more), the Alliance Bank Visa Infinite and Visa Platinum cards provide a solid 0.53 MPR, though you're limited to earning Enrich Miles.
If your spending is more diversified—covering food delivery as well as dining and groceries—the CIMB Visa Infinite and Preferred Visa Infinite cards might be a better fit due to their tiered bonus structure, which awards a lump sum of bonus points when a minimum spending threshold is met.
The Singapore Airlines KrisFlyer American Express Platinum is an outstanding option if it is indeed possible to earn KrisFlyer miles from GrabFood, FoodPanda, or ShopeeFood transactions. However, more information is needed to confirm this. If you hold this card and have experience with it, I’d love to hear from you so I can update this article with accurate information.
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