For years I have reiterated over and over again that Credit Card Issuers inflate their Reward Redemption Programs in addition to airlines inflating their Frequent Flyer Programs. As such I have told My Air Miles Disciples that they must redeem Singapore Airlines Suite Class and not stupidly burn their air miles on Business Class because soon most of us will only get to redeem Economy Class tickets from our credit card points!

And only recently I published My Air Miles Disciples’ report where those who did report and became My Air Miles Disciples prior ro 2021 (pre-covid), 94.5% of them have experienced Singapore Airlines Suite Class 🙂

Click here to read my article titled Penang & KL Gatherings 2023 and My Air Miles Disciples’ Report On Their Experience With Various Airlines Classes Plus Review of Etihad First Class “The Apartment”

Only last year 2022, Maybank inflated their redemption reward program where we need 40% more Treats Points to redeem Air Miles. But with us earning 5X TP with the Maybank 2 Cards Premier AMEX Reserve, it was still the best FREE FOR LIFE credit card (if you spent RM80K) to earn KrisFlyer Miles from Local Spending.

Well, above will soon be history because Maybank just announced that effective 1st December 2023, the Maybank AMEX Reserve will only earn us 2X TP for Local Spending.

Now above is for Local Spending and we still earn 5X TP for overseas spending, which means that the AMEX Reserve will earn exactly the same as the Maybank Visa Infinite. So what is the point of having the Maybank 2 Cards AMEX Reserve? Hahaha.

Seriously, when overseas, the Visa Infinite is more useful than AMEX. Also we get to enter Airport Lounge for FREE with the Maybank Visa Infinite but not the AMEX Reserve!

A Bro, asked me if I will cancel my AMEX Reserve? Of course not because it is part of Maybank 2 Cards Premier Visa Infinite plus AMEX Reserve. Therefore the annual fee is auto waived with RM80K combined spending. And I do use my Maybank Visa Infinite when I am overseas sometimes.

Now why did I mention above that I use my Maybank VI overseas sometimes only despite the fact we do earn 5X TP? Reason being until end of this year, my UOB VI actually earns me more air miles!!! However the UOB 9X UNIRM for overseas spending with my UOB PVI is a promo and unless they extend the promo again next year, I will be earning less air miles from my overseas transactions with the UOB PVI come 1st January 2024.

Want to know a joke? Unless the Entry Level Maybank 2 Card Gold/Platinum 5X TP with the AMEX for Local Spending is revised by Maybank, the Entry Level AMEX will earn us more air miles compared to the Premier AMEX Reserve come 1st December 2023, hahaha.

Maybe the revision of TP with the AMEX Reserve come 1st December is a tactic by Maybank to force their high value customers to switch to the American Express Platinum Charge Card where we need to pay annual fee.

Anyway come 1st January 2024, there will be many changes again and one thing for sure is that the Maybank 2 Cards Premier will be close to as good as useless for Local Spending as there are better credit cards out there which earns us KrisFlyer Miles. I am not referring to Enrich Points which we can earn more with the Alliance Banks’ credit cards and Malaysia Airlines Business Class is nothing compared to Singapore Airlines Suite/First Class.

Oh yes, before I forget, come 1st December 2023, the Maybank Amex Reserve is also kind of useless for Lazada and Shopee.