Everybody loves credit card sign-up promotions, but not many of us realise the promotions don't end with a welcome gift. Banks actually shower us with tons of lifestyle deals and perks just for owning and using their credit cards or debit cards.

Once in a while, we even get super exclusive deals like priority early access to concert tickets. Remember the epic UOB pre-sale in 2023 that saw an bombardment of Swifties flood UOB? This year, UOB cardholders also got early access to Waterbomb Singapore 2024.

Here's a look at all the ongoing bank offers and deals in Singapore that you can enjoy with your credit card or simply with your banking app, including lucky draws, cashback or gift promotions, and flight deals.

Bank offers in Singapore: Lucky draws, giveaways and more

3% unlimited cashback at UltraLuxe 2024 with CIMB

Live up the luxury at UltraLuxe 2024, a 10-day luxury event in Singapore happening from Oct 4 to 13, 2024. Held at Ngee Ann City Civic Plaza, the event will showcase high-end fashion, jewellery, timepieces, and lifestyle brands. Expect runway shows, gourmet experiences, and exclusive exhibits — the perfect avenue for luxury lovers to indulge in niche offerings and network with industry experts.

At UltraLuxe 2024, CIMB World Mastercard cardmembers will enjoy three per cent unlimited cashback for all purchases. Since it's a luxury event, you can expect price tags to be hefty and unlimited cashback is a must.

If you don't have a CIMB World Mastercard yet, act fast. The first 10 new approved applications will receive one UltraLuxe VIP Pass worth more than $500, including a $500 Shopping Voucher, 5 Wine Vouchers, access to 1 Red Carpet Runway Show, an Ultimate LuxScape Experience, and more.

On top of that, new customers get $188 when they spend a minimum of $988 within 60 days.

Up to 15% off illumi tickets with DBS/POSB Cards

The world’s largest sound and multimedia show, illumi, is happening right here in Singapore, at the Bayfront Event Space. The spectacular event features the world’s tallest Tree of Lights, lifelike animatronics, and over 20 million LED lights.

If you’re a DBS/POSB cardmember, you get to enjoy exclusive perks. As the Official Bank Partner, DBS is offering its cardholders special discounts:

• 10% off Peak tickets
• 15% off Non-Peak tickets,

Plus, get an additional 10% discount on all merchandise and F&B at the event.

UOB: Save up and Cash in Promotion

Get ready to boost your savings with UOB’s Save up and Cash in Promotion. This year-end promotion offers incredible opportunities to grow your savings while earning up to S$940 in cash rewards.

Simply deposit new funds into an eligible UOB savings account*, such as the UOB One Account or UOB Lady’s Savings Account, and receive up to S$700 in guaranteed cash. The first 25 new-to-UOB savings customers who top up S$150,000 in new funds between Oct and Dec 2024 will also walk away with exciting rewards, including:

• October: 2D1N staycation at ParkRoyal Collection Marina Bay (worth S$600)
• November: Buffet dinner for 4 at Lime Restaurant, ParkRoyal Collection Pickering (worth S$500)
• December: Singapore Airlines return air tickets to Bangkok (worth S$800)

To participate, simply register by Dec 31, 2024, and deposit a minimum of S$20,000 in new funds, which must be set aside for five months.

Plus, don’t miss Flash Deal Fridays! The first 50 customers to apply for a UOB savings account online and deposit at least S$5,000 every Friday in October will receive a Harman Kardon Citation One MK3 speaker.

* Eligible UOB savings accounts: UOB One Account, UOB Stash Account, UOB Lady’s Savings Account, UOB Passbook Savings Account or UOB Uniplus Account.

Switch, Spend, and Get Up to S$500 with POSB

Earn up to S$500 in cash rewards when you switch to POSB from now till Oct 31, 2024. Simply credit your salary and spend with your POSB/DBS cards.

• Step 1: Get S$300 when you register and credit a minimum salary of S$1,600 via GIRO for 3 consecutive months
• Step 2: Enjoy an additional S$200 by spending at least S$500 monthly for three months on your POSB/DBS Credit or Debit Cards.

Win 1,500 ION+ Points monthly with American Express

Calling all shopping enthusiasts! If you love a good spree at ION Orchard, you won’t want to miss this promotion from American Express.

In celebration of ION Orchard’s 15th anniversary,  for 15 months, 15 winners every month will walk away with 1,500 ION+ Points if they spend a minimum of S$150 using an American Express Card at ION Orchard. Those points are equivalent to a whopping S$600 in e-vouchers!

You get extra bonus chances depending on which American Express credit card you pay with. If you go for the American Express® Platinum Reserve or Platinum Credit Card, you’ll score an additional 10 chances. 

Opt for The Platinum Card®, and you’ll get 20 bonus chances to win!

This fabulous opportunity runs from Jan 1, 2024 till March 31, 2025. Happy shopping!

POSB Work Permit Welcome Rewards 2024

Are you new to POSB and hold a Work Permit? Great news! POSB is rolling out the red carpet for you with their POSB Work Permit Welcome Rewards 2024. Get ready to treat yourself with up to S$20 in bonuses just for getting started with your banking essentials.

Here’s how to snag those rewards:

1. Open and Activate: Start by opening a POSB Payroll account and activate your new DBS Visa Debit Card — which, by the way, gives its credit card counterparts a run for their money.
2. Spend and Earn: Use your DBS Visa Debit Card for your purchases, accumulating at least S$200 in qualified spends each month for three months. You’ll earn S$5 cashback each month, adding up to a total of S$15.
3. Bonus Bucks: Haven’t tried PayLah! yet? Download and register on the PayLah! app using the promo code ‘FIVELAH’ to pocket an extra S$5.

Make sure to take advantage of these offers before they expire on Dec 31, 2024.

Bank offers in Singapore: Travel deals

There’s no shortage of airfare discounts from banks like DBS, Citibank, HSBC and more. I’ve trawled through their promotion pages to summarise them here.

Citibank flight promotions (2024)

Have a Citibank credit card? Here’s a summary of Citibank’s ongoing flight promotions in 2024 — there are plenty to choose from!

Book your flights with the Citi PremierMiles Card to earn Citi Miles that never expire.

Your Citibank credit card could also get you a discount on online travel booking sites for accommodation, flights, and more. Here’s a list of the ongoing offers:

HSBC flight and travel promotions (2024)

On top of these promotions, you can also take $50 off flights, hotels and more with HSBC when you book on Traveloka with a minimum spend of $500. Book from now to Dec 29, 2024 for any travel period with the promo code HSBCWEEKEND.

HSBC travel booking promotions (2024)

Don’t have an HSBC credit card? The HSBC TravelOne Card offers one of the highest miles earn rates for foreign spending, at 2.4 miles per S$1.

DBS flight promotions (2024)

From complimentary luggage bags to 10% off airfares, DBS credit cards have plenty of ongoing flight promotions:

DBS is also running a number of ongoing accommodation offers:

The DBS Altitude Visa Signature Card is a great travel buddy. Pay for your travel expenses with it  to earn up to 10 Miles per $1 in the form of Miles for Life! DBS Points that never expire.

UOB flight promotions (2024)

With a UOB credit card, you could get up to 10% off flights to various destinations around the world.

Although the UOB flight deals above don’t have any for Singapore Airlines, the KrisFlyer UOB Credit Card is a great way to earn KrisFlyer Miles on your Singapore Airlines, SilkAir, Scoot, KrisShop, and Kris+ purchases.

UOB credit cards will also come in handy when you’re booking your hotel stays:

OCBC flight promotions (2024)

OCBC credit cards don’t fall short on travel promotions. Check out these lists of flight and hotel promotions! 

View all OCBC travel promotions.

The OCBC 90°N Card is OCBC’s signature miles card that lets you earn up to 7 Miles per $1 spend on Agoda accommodations worldwide.

Maybank flight promotions (2024)

Charge your next flight to your Maybank credit card to enjoy up to 10% off.

 

Make the most of your travel spending by charging your air ticket to the Maybank Horizon Visa Signature card.

You’ll earn 3.2 air miles (8X TREATS Points) for every S$1 spent on air tickets and foreign currency transactions!

Credit card privilege programmes in Singapore

If you own a credit card, you're entitled to dining, travel, and other lifestyle offers you may not even know about.

Each bank has their own privilege programme or deals catalogue that makes claiming a deal as easy as applying a promo code or claiming a voucher on your banking app. 

These differ from rewards programmes that let you redeem gifts using points accumulated from your credit card spending-for example, redeeming a $5 NTUC voucher with 100 points.

Here, we're talking about catalogues of deals and promotions that you have the privilege of accessing simply because you have a credit card with that bank-for example, showing your credit card at a restaurant to enjoy a 1-for-1 offer on all main courses.

Here's a list of credit card promotion/privilege programmes in Singapore for UOB, DBS, and more. 

UOB: UOB Rewards+

UOB Rewards+ is the UOB rewards programme that all UOB Cardmembers are entitled to. It also claims to be the largest rewards catalogue in Singapore. So if you have a UOB card, make sure you download the UOB TMRW app to browse all deals. You can also view dining deals at The Dining Advisor.

Standard Chartered: The Good Life

The Good Life Privileges is a deals and rewards programme open to anyone with a Standard Chartered credit or debit card (or both).

Citibank: Citi World Privileges

Citi World Privileges is full of deals for not just the rest of the world while you’re on holiday, but when you’re back home in Singapore too.

DBS Privileges and Offers

DBS may not have a fancy schmancy name for their credit card offers programme, but they’ve still got a ton of good deals you should check out.

American Express: Love Dining and Chillax

Amex Platinum cards aren’t the most accessible, but give you access to tons of dining deals and privileges. Check out their Love Dining deals for offers at restaurants and hotels, and their Chillax programme 1-for-1 drink offers and welcome cocktails at bars around the island.

HSBC Credit Card Promotions and Deals

Like DBS, HSBC doesn’t have a dedicated name for their HSBC credit card promotions programme. An HSBC credit card also gives you access to standard offers on The Entertainer with HSBC, although only selected cards give you premium offers.

OCBC Credit Card Promotions

Another nameless programme, OCBC’s credit card promotions and deals span across food, fashion, health and many other categories.

Maybank Credit Card Promotions

The Maybank credit card promotions are all listed online, but don’t forget to change the filter to see the promotions you want. Categories include: dining, beauty, travel, wellness, shopping, and more. There doesn’t seem to be a way to see all categories at once.

CIMB Credit Card Promotions

Check out CIMB’s credit card deals across categories like dining, travel and lifestyle, e-commerce, and beauty and wellness. You can also select “near me” to see deals based on your location.

This article was first published in MoneySmart.