With a credit card designed specifically for travel in Malaysia, you can enjoy rewards and cashback with every swipe as well as exclusive perks such as complimentary lounge access. Choose an air miles credit card to turn your spending into air miles that can be redeemed for free flights, offsetting ticket costs or upgrading seat class.
1. Air Miles Accumulation
Are You Searching for Aeroplane Tickets with Reward Points or Simply Looking to Spend Abroad Without Concern for Foreign Exchange Rates? An Air Miles Malaysia Credit Card Could Be Just the Ticket
Credit cards that provide complimentary lounge access can help make the most of your airport time, letting you escape from crowds and relax before your flight.
Some cards offer flexible multi-currency accounts and debit cards, which enable you to hold, convert and send funds at mid-market rates.
2. Complimentary Lounge Access
Credit cards with lounge privileges provide an affordable and straightforward means of accessing these benefits when travelling.
The Standard Chartered WorldMiles MasterCard allows you to enjoy access to Plaza Premium Lounges at KLIA and KLIA2, plus redeem points for Malaysia Airlines Enrich Points, Air Asia BIG Points or Krisflyer Miles. Plus you could earn double miles when redeeming them!
AmBank Visa Signature Card is another credit card offering lounge access, giving you three complimentary passes to Plaza Premium Lounges both locally and overseas (T&C applies). In addition, this card also grants RM100 cashback per month on overseas spending.
3. Comprehensive Travel Insurance
Comprehensive travel insurance provides pay-outs for a range of risks related to traveling, such as lost baggage and flight delays. Unfortunately, credit card travel plans typically operate under one-size-fits-all arrangements that make it hard for individuals to tailor coverage specifically to meet their travel needs.
Citibank PremierMiles Visa Signature provides comprehensive travel insurance policies for both overseas and online travel transactions, double premiermiles that NEVER EXPIRE and access to Plaza Premium Lounges as well as preferential foreign exchange rates at domestic airports.
4. Competitive Foreign Exchange Rates
Dependent upon your travel destination, having a credit card that provides competitive exchange rates could prove advantageous. That way, any Voyage Miles you accumulate won’t be lost through currency markup fees.
Many local banks also offer foreign currency accounts with linked debit cards for travellers travelling overseas, though these often have high minimum balance requirements and may not provide the most competitive exchange rates.
Revolut and Wise offer alternative money transfer solutions, offering free global spending cards with low exchange rates, no foreign transaction fees and zero minimum balance requirements.
5. Local and International Discounts
Traveling overseas can be both exciting and costly; credit cards that offer discounts or cash rebates will help you cut costs during your next adventure!
Standard Chartered WorldMiles MasterCard provides one such benefit, providing access to Plaza Premium Lounges at KLIA and KLIA2 when presented with a valid international boarding pass, plus offering up RM80 cashback per ride home on both Airport Limousine Services and KLIA Ekspres!
To apply for a credit card in Malaysia, applicants typically need to meet minimum income requirements and be between 21-60 years old. Some cards also require you to leave a holding deposit.
6. Global Acceptance
Be it taking skyline pictures in Kuala Lumpur or sunbathing on Langkawi beaches, having multiple payment methods helps budget your spending and avoid fees and overdraft charges. Bringing cash can also make budgeting your spending easier while helping avoid fees associated with certain cards or transactions.
Before leaving home, it’s wise to evaluate the coverage of your preferred travel card, as not all destinations accept all cards. Furthermore, review any fees charged by your card provider on international transactions or ATM withdrawals that might include foreign exchange transaction or currency conversion costs.
7. Emergency Assistance
Malaysia is primarily a cash economy, so cash will be required for you to fully experience its culture. Credit cards provide an easy and convenient alternative way of paying for meals, souvenirs and other non-essential spending.
Some travel credit cards provide emergency assistance services that can assist in unexpected circumstances, including emergency message relay and medical referral assistance. This feature includes emergency message service that allows for relay of urgent messages home as well as medical referral assistance.
Many cards also waive ATM operator and currency conversion charges, helping to substantially cut down your overseas expenses.
