Nerfed: DBS Vantage Ending Fee Waiver, Free Hotel Night to Require Paid Stay
DBS Vantage will see a couple of changes that likely diminishes its value proposition over the next year.
Firstly, there would be changes to the complimentary Accor Plus membership it provides, with the free hotel night benefit requiring a paid stay from 1st October 2025 onwards. This will affect new and existing cardholders alike.
Next, the fee waiver that the card has been providing for cardholders who meet at least S$60,000 of spend within their membership year will cease from 1st August 2026. This should only affect new cardholders who signed up from August 2025 onwards.
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1-night complimentary stay doubled, requires paid stay
From 1st October 2025, the complimentary Accor Plus membership given by DBS Vantage will see some changes, and that in turns affects the free hotel night (Stay Plus). When the changes kick in, Stay Plus bookings will require a stay of at least 2 consecutive nights, with at least one paid night. The free night will cover the cost of the higher-priced night.
On the bright side, there will be 2 complimentary nights now instead of just 1, and each free night will require the same minimum 2-night booking.
If you book by 30th September 2025, the complimentary Stay Plus night works as usual with no minimum stay required. You can book a one-night staycation if you wish.
| By 30th September 2025 | From 1st October 2025 |
|---|---|
| 1 Free Night | 2 Free Nights |
| No minimum stay required | Each free night requires minimum 2-night stay with at least one night paid |
To be fair, this is not a complete nerf if you don’t mind booking hotels from Accor’s portfolio since you now get an additional free night. I’m more of a Marriott and Hilton person, and so far have only been using my free nights from my DBS Vantage for one-night stays. It would be better for me to consume my free night by end of September.
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S$60,000 spending for fee waiver to cease from 1st August 2026
Early this month, DBS has also announced that DBS Vantage cardholders will no longer get a fee waiver upon hitting S$60,000 of spend in the previous card year from 1st August 2026 onwards.
Existing cardholders should still be able to get their next annual fee waived as long as their next annual fee is charged before 1st August 2026 and they reach S$60,000 of spend.
As a reminder, the waiver of annual fee means that the renewal points of 12,500 DBS Points (or 25,000 miles) will not be given. Cardholders will still enjoy 12-month ALL Accor+ Explorer upon renewal as well as 10 Priority Pass lounge visits.
Not so Vantage now
DBS Vantage has always been a great card to pick up given the right sign-up promo to procure miles at a reasonable price, and I did so when it first launched back in 2022.
Thereafter, given its relatively high 1.5 miles per dollar earn rate, I have found it a great card to use for my ipaymy or CardUp transactions. Getting annual fee waivers also greatly improved the card’s value proposition since I essentially get a free hotel night and 10 additional Priority Pass visits each year.
I will still be able to qualify for a fee waiver come June 2026, and any thought of cancellation would only come about in mid-2027. That is plenty of time for things to change, but if there aren’t any new… advantages added to having this card, it would likely end up in the cancellation heap.
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Seth Wee was a licensed financial adviser representative from 2009 to 2025, with over 16 years of experience in Singapore’s financial advisory industry.
He started Sethisfy.com in 2019 to share practical insights on credit cards, banking products, and miles strategies, helping readers identify financial products that deliver the best value. Seth has been featured in CNA, Channel 8, Today, and a host of other publications. In 2025, he was also part of a panel at CPF’s Ready For Life festival.
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