A bank that once made its customers' loyalty points flow to the national airline for free has, after years of charging for the privilege, quietly dropped the toll on most of its partners while keeping it on the one that matters most to Singapore travellers. The waiver is real but unannounced in its ending, arriving in a landscape where other issuers already offer what OCBC has only just relaxed. For those who hold these points, it is less a windfall than a reminder that the value of a mile depends as much on where it is sent as on what it costs to send.
OCBC Waives Points Conversion Fees for Most Airline and Hotel Partners, Except KrisFlyer
The one programme still charged is the one most people want.
Mark
So OCBC dropped its fee, but not for the programme people care about?
Mimi
Right. The S$25 fee is waived for every partner except KrisFlyer, which is probably the most wanted one.
Mark
Is this a fresh announcement?
Mimi
No. The writer says it has been running a while. He just hadn't covered it.
Luke
Worth noting the end date is unknown. It's called limited-time, but nothing has been stated, so nobody can say how long it lasts.
Mark
Does a free fee make every partner worth using?
Mimi
Not by his reckoning. Asia Miles yields 25 to 27.5 percent fewer miles than KrisFlyer, and British Airways and Etihad yield 10 percent fewer.
Luke
The cents-per-point values, like 1.5 for KrisFlyer, are the writer's own valuations. They're a judgment, not a fixed fact.
Mark
Which partners does he like?
Mimi
Flying Blue, because it matches KrisFlyer's rate, and Accor ALL, where 2,000 points buy €40.
Mark
And the transfer bonuses?
Mimi
The last one listed was about 20 percent to Asia Miles in November 2024. There's been nothing since, according to him.
Luke
Which only tells us what he has seen. It isn't a statement from OCBC that bonuses are over.
El Pulso
- OCBC's S$25 conversion fee has quietly vanished for most airline and hotel partners, yet KrisFlyer remains the notable exception.
- Cardholders who expected the familiar route to their most-wanted airline now face a fee that still stands in their way.
- The waiver has no stated end date, pushing anyone planning a transfer to decide quickly rather than wait.
- Conversions now must run through the OCBC app, since the desktop rewards portal has been retired.
- Value-conscious members are weighing Flying Blue and Accor as the only alternatives worth the move, while Asia Miles, British Airways and Etihad yield noticeably fewer miles.
A bank that once made its customers' loyalty points flow to the national airline for free has, after years of charging for the privilege, quietly dropped the toll on most of its partners while keeping it on the one that matters most to Singapore travellers. The waiver is real but unannounced in its ending, arriving in a landscape where other issuers already offer what OCBC has only just relaxed. For those who hold these points, it is less a windfall than a reminder that the value of a mile depends as much on where it is sent as on what it costs to send.
Open the OCBC app, tap through Rewards to Points Exchange, and choose an airline or hotel programme. For nearly every partner, the usual S$25 conversion fee is already gone, and the waiver applies automatically. KrisFlyer is the exception, and it is the programme most Singapore cardholders want.
The waiver covers 90°N Miles, OCBC$ and VOYAGE Miles. It has been running for some time, and it is described as limited, though no end date has been given. The backstory matters. OCBC once let holders of several premium cards convert points to KrisFlyer for free, until the fee arrived in early 2023 and was later applied to partners added that July.
Value varies widely. Asia Miles yields a quarter or more fewer miles than KrisFlyer, British Airways and Etihad a tenth fewer, while Flying Blue matches it. The writer sees a free fee as no guarantee of a good deal. He would consider only Flying Blue and Accor, whose Business Class awards and hotel values make a mile transfer worthwhile.
Other banks already do better. Amex, HSBC, DBS and several UOB and Citi cards offer free or near-free conversions, though many are harder to obtain. The waiver, the writer concludes, is most useful for small top-ups, and since its end is unknown, those planning a transfer have little reason to delay.
Open the OCBC app, tap Rewards, then Redeem, then Points Exchange, and pick an airline or hotel programme. For nearly every partner on the list, the usual S$25 conversion fee is already gone, and the app shows the waiver automatically. The one programme where it still applies is KrisFlyer, which is the one most Singapore cardholders want.
The waiver covers 90°N Miles, OCBC$ and VOYAGE Miles. It is not a new offer. The MileLion's writer says it has been running for some time, and he is only now covering it. It is positioned as limited-time, but no end date has been stated.
The backstory explains why this matters. OCBC once had some of the most generous conversion terms among Singapore banks. Holders of the OCBC VOYAGE, OCBC 90°N and OCBC Premier Visa Infinite cards could convert points to KrisFlyer miles for free. That ended in early 2023, when the S$25 fee was introduced. The fee was also applied to the eight airline and hotel partners OCBC added in July 2023.
The rates differ a lot by partner. Asia Miles gives 25 to 27.5 percent fewer miles than KrisFlyer. British Airways and Etihad Guest give 10 percent fewer. Air France-KLM Flying Blue matches KrisFlyer's rate. Conversions are instant everywhere except KrisFlyer, where they usually take up to 24 hours. All conversions must go through the app, since OCBC retired its desktop rewards portal late last year.
The writer's view is that a free fee does not make every partner a good deal. Moving to IHG or Marriott Bonvoy means giving up a KrisFlyer mile worth about 1.5 cents for an IHG point worth about 0.64 cents or a Bonvoy point worth about 0.90 cents. He would consider only two alternatives. Flying Blue has parity with KrisFlyer, and Business Class awards from Singapore to Europe start at 85,000 miles. Accor Live Limitless values 2,000 points at €40, so each KrisFlyer mile forgone returns roughly 1.5 cents, which he calls acceptable.
OCBC has also gone quiet on transfer bonuses. The most recent in the source's list was a roughly 20 percent bonus to Asia Miles in November 2024. Before that came a 70 percent bonus to Marriott Bonvoy in July 2024 and a 15 percent bonus to British Airways Executive Club in June 2024. In late 2023 there were three more: 15 percent to Asia Miles in November, 20 percent to Flying Blue in October, and 50 percent to IHG One Rewards in October.
Other issuers already skip the fee. American Express Membership Rewards and HSBC Rewards Points have no conversion fees. DBS yuu points convert instantly to KrisFlyer without a fee. The Citi ULTIMA, DBS Insignia and UOB Reserve Card offer free conversions, though they are not easy for the general public to get. So do the UOB Visa Infinite, Visa Infinite Metal and Privilege Banking cards. Citi Private Clients get two free conversions a year with the Citi Prestige Card. Cobrand cards, including the AMEX KrisFlyer Credit Card, AMEX KrisFlyer Ascend and KrisFlyer UOB Credit Card, deposit miles into KrisFlyer monthly at no cost.
The writer's conclusion is that the waiver is mostly useful for small top-ups of Accor or Flying Blue accounts. Because nobody knows when it ends, anyone planning such a transfer has reason not to wait.
Citas Notables
The waiver is probably most useful for small top-ups of Accor or Flying Blue accounts, and nobody knows how long it will last.— The MileLion
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