Kris+ May 2023 Updates: Reduced Check-in Bonus, 20% Miles-Back, Get $15 For $50 Spend

May is here and Kris+ has some updates – and they’re mostly pretty bad news.

Good: S$15 for S$50 spend

The good news is that this month sees a continuation of a Mastercard spend challenge – simply spend at least S$50 via Kris+ in a single transaction with a Mastercard debit/credit card and you can get S$15 of rebates. It’s credited in the form of 2,250 Krispay miles which you can use during miles-back promos for greater value.

It’s a good deal that would make a nice meal cheaper, and it’s great that this monthly challenge is still around until 31st May 2023.

Tap here for the terms and conditions.

Nerfed: current miles-back promo is at 20% with bonus S$5 FairPrice voucher

Speaking of miles-back promos, there is currently one from 1st to 14th May 2023 and it is only for voucher redemption at FairPrice Finest. You get 20% miles-back which is a significantly reduced rate from the 30 to 35% we have been getting over the past year.

This time, however, there is a S$5 return voucher when you redeem at least S$80 worth of FairPrice vouchers in a single transaction. The return voucher is only usable for transactions of at least S$80 in a single receipt which does diminishes its value, and only the first 200 redemptions at each FairPrice Finest store would get this voucher.

Please note that this promo is not applicable at Balmoral Plaza and The Woodleigh Mall, and do read through the terms and conditions within the app.

Nerfed: weekly check-in bonus

Weekly check-in bonus has fallen from 75 KrisPay miles (S$0.50) to just 30 KrisPay miles (S$0.20). Given it was once 150 miles or S$1 per week, this bonus is now a shell of its former self.

Getting a dollar or fifty cents × however many Kris+ accounts you have amongst your family members each week was worth the slight hassle to check in the app thrice a week, but now I’m not sure anymore.

I guess Singapore Air is exploring the equivalent to an oft-asked question of how much money would people not bother to pick up from the ground. Would you still be checking in? Answer the poll in our Telegram group!

Nerfed: earn rates for some merchants

As announced last month, lower earn rates have kicked in for some Kris+ merchants this month.

Booking a taxi through Kris+ has also seen a drop in earn rates from 3 miles per dollar to just 0.33. You have to pay a S$0.30 surcharge per booking, and it’s a pretty bad deal now – a S$30 cab ride would earn you bonus 10 miles per dollar, meaning to say you have paid 30 cents for 10 miles per dollar. That’s a miles buy rate of 3 cents per mile which is way too expensive.

Aaron from The Milelion has a pretty comprehensive write-up on why this isn’t something you should bother with anymore.

Kris+ is still pretty good

While the nerfs sting a fair bit, they are nowhere near apocalyptic and Kris+ remains a very good wallet app for many merchants and retailers that accept it. Unfortunately, no wallet app can keep throwing goodies at users perpetually, and for now Kris+ still gives enough such that it is a compelling payment method to use.

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