Looking for a credit card? A simple shortlist of the best credit cards in Malaysia by categories for cashback, air miles, balance transfer, insurance, and airport lounge access.

Updated: Jun 20, 2023

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Cashback

Air Miles & Lounge Access

Best Cashback Credit Cards

Maybankard 2 Gold/Platinum Credit Card

Pros

  • 2 cards AmEx & a Visa/MasterCard (at a single Government Tax of RM50).
  • AmEx 5% cashback on all categories including petrol (but excluding Utilities and Government Bodies) on weekends.
  • AmEx 5x Treats Points (~1.25% spending) on Petrol (Up to RM500 per calendar month) on weekdays.
  • AmEx 5x Treats Points (~1.25% spending) which you can change for vouchers etc  (no max limit) on weekdays.
  • AmEx 2x Treats Points (~0.5% spending) for Government Bodies, Education Institutions & Insurance Providers on weekdays.
  • Travel insurance up to RM700,000 when you charge your travel ticket in full using Platinum.

Cons

  • AmEx not accepted at all retailers
  • AmEx Wave (pinless feature) only available at selected terminals (more common in Singapore)
  • Visa/MasterCard gives you only 1x Treats Points (~0.2% spending)
  • AmEx no longer gives Treats Points on weekends (effective Jun 2019)
  • Maybank cards no longer give Treats Point or cashback for e-wallet top ups (effective Jul 2019)
  • Cashback capped at RM50 per month

Details

Affin Duo Credit Card

Pros

  • Visa: 3% cashback on e-wallet, online & auto-billing
  • MasterCard: 3x Affin Rewards Points on dining, groceries & petrol
  • Cashback capped at RM80 per month

Cons

  • Affin Rewards Points low redemption value of 450 points = RM1 makes rewards point equivalent 0.67%

Details

  • Annual fee: 3 years waived & subsequently 12 retail transactions (RM75)
  • Minimum annual income: RM24,000
  • More info on Affin Duo

Maybank FC Barcelona Visa Signature Credit Card

Pros

  • 1% cashback on all categories excluding Utilities and Government Bodies (all year long)
  • Visa Airport Speed Pass
  • Visa Signature Concierge Service
  • Up to RM500,000 Travel Insurance Coverage

Cons

  • Cashback capped at RM50 per month

Details

HSBC Amanah MPower Visa Platinum Credit Card-i

Pros

  • 8% cashback on eWallet, Groceries & Petrol (capped at RM15 per category)
  • 0.2% cashback unlimited on other eligible spending

Cons

  • Cashback capped at RM50 per month
  • Annual fee

Details

Public Bank Visa Signature Credit Card

Pros

  • 6% Cash Back on Grocery, Dining and Online Transaction
  • 1 VIP Point for every RM1 spend on other retail transactions
  • 2x complimentary access to any Malaysia Plaza Premium Lounge (25% off for subsequent)
  • Free Automatic Travel Insurance up to RM500,000

Cons

  • Cashback capped at RM38 per month (separate limits for primary and supplementary card)
  • Comparatively higher minimum annual income required to apply

Details

Public Bank Quantum Visa/MasterCard

Pros

  • 5% cashback on online transactions for MasterCard
  • 5% cashback for contactless transactions with min RM30 per transaction for Visa
  • 2x VIP Points for overseas retail spending
  • 1x VIP Points for local retail spending
  • 1% 12 months IPP with min purchase RM1,200 (Previously 0%)
  • e-Commerce Purchase Protection up to USD200 for incomplete/wrong/undelivered/damaged purchases (Mastercard only)

Cons

  • Cashback capped at RM30 per month (RM360 per year)
  • VIP points expire after 3 years

Details

CIMB Cash Rebate Platinum MasterCard

Pros

  • 12% cashback on weekend dining (until May 31, 2020)
  • 5% cash rebate on cinemas, groceries, petrol, mobile and utility bill payments with total card min spend RM3,000
  • 5% cash rebate on mobile & utility bill payments with standing instructions and total card min spend RM3,000
  • 0.2% unlimited Cash Rebate on other retail spend
  • 10% cash rebate on monthly interest paid (on outstanding balance charges)

Cons

  • Cashback capped at RM30 per month (RM360 per year) for online spending

Details

OCBC World MasterCard

Pros

  • 1.2% cashback on first RM1,000 monthly spending
  • 0.6% cashback on subsequent spending
  • Unlimited cashback limit at 0.6%
  • Complimentary travel insurance when you purchase airline tickets
  • 2X free access per calendar year to the KLIA Plaza Premium Lounge
  • No annual fee for the first 3 years

Cons

  • RM388 per annum annual fee (after first 3 years)

Details

Hong Leong WISE Credit Card

Pros

  • 8% cashback on weekends petrol, groceries and dining with min spend RM500/mth
  • 1% cashback on weekdays petrol, groceries and dining with min spend RM500/mth

Cons

  • 0.25% cash back for other transactions
  • No other reward points
  • Removal of all previous categories options of Pharmacies, Departmental, Book Stores, Utilities, Entertainment, Travel

Details

UOB One Credit Card

Pros

  • 1% weekday / 5% weekend cashback on Petrol up to RM200 spending (Platinum RM400)
  • 0.2% weekday / 5% weekend cashback on Groceries up to RM200 spending (Platinum RM400)
  • 0.2% weekday / 2% weekend cashback on Telco up to RM200 spending (Platinum RM300)
  • 0% interest 3-month easy-payment plan for overseas spending above RM3,000 and medical spending above RM1,000

Cons

  • Only 0.2% cashback on other merchants
  • Government transactions & utilities bills excluded from cashback
  • Lower cashback cap for classic card VS platinum card

Details

  • Annual fee waiver (Classic): Swipe min 60 times
  • Annual fee waiver (Platinum): Swipe minimum 1x per month AND spend RM36,000/RM60,000
  • Minimum annual income: RM24,000 (RM60,000 for Platinum)
  • More info on UOB ONE Card

Standard Chartered JustOne Platinum MasterCard

Pros

  • Cashback on auto bill payments (insurance, telco and utilities), online purchases, and petrol
    • Below RM1,000: 0.2% (max effective cashback: 0.2% / RM2)
    • RM1,000 – RM1,499: 5% (max effective cashback: 1.2% / RM12)
    • RM1,500 – RM2,499: 10% (max effective cashback: 1.8% / RM28)
    • RM2500 and above: 15% (max effective cashback: 2.4% / RM60)

Cons

  • Cashback capped monthly lowering actual effective cashback
  • Online transactions cashback capped at RM30
  • Only 0.2% cashback on all other spending
  • Tiered cashback whereby to maximize cashback you need to spend on qualified transactions RM2,500 monthly
  • No annual fee waiver (previously on spending RM20,000 annually)

Details

 

OCBC Cashflo MasterCard

Pros

  • 0.5% unlimited cashback
  • Auto-IPP on all purchases
    • Retail transactions RM500-RM1,000: 3 months IPP
    • Retail transactions above RM1,000: 6 months IPP
    • Great Eastern (Life & General) Insurance premium RM2,2000 above: 12 months

Cons

  • Cashback only at 0.5%
  • Useful only if you need the auto IPP services
  • Annual fee waiver only for first 3 years

Details

 

Best Credit Cards for Air Miles & Lounge Access

Air Miles: Maybank Singapore Airlines (SIA) Krisflyer American Express Platinum Card

Pros

  • 1 KrisFlyer mile for every RM1 spent on Singapore Airlines, Scoot & KrisShop website
  • 1 KrisFlyer mile for every RM2 spent on online and overseas transactions
  • 1 KrisFlyer mile for every RM 2.5 spent locally
  • 5X complimentary access to Plaza Premium Lounge per annum
  • Complimentary Travel Personal Accident coverage up to RM750k as well as Travel Inconvenience coverage for missed connections, luggage delay and luggage loss
  • 7k bonus KrisFlyer miles on first card spend (new to Maybank Credit Cards only)
  • Fast track to KrisFlyer Elite Gold status by charging RM35k on Singapore Airlines Group-related card transactions in 1st year

Cons

  • Only exchangeable for Krisflyer (Star Alliance) air miles

Details

Air Miles: Maybank 2 Cards Premier

maybank2cards-reserve-amex

Pros

  • AirMiles conversion rate RM1 for 1 Enrich / KrisFlyer miles
  • Overseas spending at 5x Treats Points
  • Local spending up to 5x Treats Points
  • Golfing privileges including international complimentary green fees
  • Travel insurance coverage up to RM2m death & travel inconvenience for flights fully charged to card
  • (Read above Maybank 2 Cards for more info)

Cons

  • (Read above Maybank 2 Cards for more info)

Details

Air Miles: Standard Chartered Journey Credit Card

(Formerly known as Standard Chartered WorldMiles World Mastercard)

Pros

  • RM1 = 1 SC air mile on dining, travel & overseas spending (Effectively RM2 =1 converted air mile)
  • Unlimited access to airport lounges in KLIA & KLIA 2
  • Up to RM65 cashback for airport transfer via Grab (requires min spending RM2.5k on travel expenses within prior 90 days)
  • Travel medical coverage of US$100,000 (inclusive of Covid-19 coverage)

Cons

  • RM5 = 1 SC air mile for all other spending (Effectively RM10 = 1 converted air mile)
  • Note: 2 SC air miles = 1 converted air mile

Details

Travel & Plaza Premium Lounge: Citi PremierMiles Visa

Pros

  • 8x access to selected international Plaza Premium Airport Lounges in Malaysia, Singapore, Hong Kong, and England with international flight
  • Conversion rate 1500 PremierMiles to 1000 Air Miles
  • 1x PremierMile for every RM3 local spending
  • 2x PremierMiles for every RM3 spending in foreign currency
  • Travel insurance
  • Limo transfer service from KLIA with 3x overseas spending per trip
  • 10k bonus PremierMiles on paying annual fee

Cons

  • Annual fee charges
  • Higher min annual income requirement

Details

 

 

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FAQ

Q: Are there any fees for a credit card application?
A: There are not credit card application. Do note however there is a mandatory government service tax of RM25 per credit card. Some cards may also have annual fees.

Q: How long will it take to receive my credit card?
A: Usually within 2 weeks from successful application.

 

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Any great Credit Cards to recommend? Any changes to any of the credit cards listed above for us to update?