How I plan to get the most out of the StanChart Journey Card

So, the StanChart X Card is dead. 

Replacing it is the Journey, an entry-level general spending card that might not set the world on fire, but is still a heck of a lot better than its predecessor (it’s amazing what cutting the annual fee from S$702 to S$194 does).

StanChart Journey Card
Apply
Card T&Cs
Income Req.	S$30,000 p.a.	Points Validity	No expiry
Annual Fee (Inc. GST)	S$194.40 (FYF available)	Min. Transfer	25,000 points (10,000 miles)
FCY Fee	3.5%	Transfer Fee	S$27
Local Earn	1.2 mpd	Points Pool?	Yes
FCY Earn	2 mpd	Lounge Access?	Yes
Special Earn	3 mpd on online groceries, food delivery, transport (SGD)	Airport Limo?	No

I did a brief review of the Journey Card’s features yesterday, but now that I’ve had time to digest the details, I want to lay out a game plan for extracting the most value from this card.

First of all, please forgive the fiction in the title. As an existing Standard Chartered cardholder, I don’t actually qualify for some of the things mentioned here. The Journey will be more lucrative for new-to-bank customers, defined as those who do not currently hold a principal Standard Chartered credit card, and have not cancelled one in the past 12 months. 

If you’re an existing StanChart cardholder, the value proposition becomes much more marginal. It might still be worth the effort if you plan to spend a large amount overseas during the zero FCY fee months, but otherwise there isn’t much to see here.

Get the acquisition gift

SingSaver is offering new-to-bank customers S$20 cash and a ReboundTAG when they apply  for a StanChart Journey Card by 31 May 2023 (with approval by 14 June 2023). No minimum spend is required, and it’s not necessary to pay the first year’s annual fee. 

To enjoy this offer, simply apply through any of the links in this article.

Do note that if you qualify as a new-to-bank customer, you could apply instead for a StanChart Smart Card and get S$300 cash with a minimum spend of S$500 within 30 days. That might sound like a better deal on the surface (especially if you don’t care for a ReboundTAG), but doing so would disqualify you from the 5 mpd offer mentioned in the next section.

Max out the 5 mpd welcome bonus 

New-to-bank customers who apply for a StanChart Journey Card by 30 September 2023 are eligible for an introductory earn rate of 5 mpd on the first S$5,000 spent within 30 days of approval.

Just like the acquisition gift, there is no minimum spend required, and it’s not necessary to pay the first year’s annual fee. 

This bonus 5 mpd is on top of the Journey Card’s regular earn rates of:

• 1.2 mpd for local spend
• 2 mpd for overseas spend
• 3 mpd for online grocery, food delivery, transport and cruise spend in SGD, capped at S$1,000 per statement month (valid till 31 December 2023)

The 5 mpd rate applies to all transactions, except those on the general exclusions list such as:

• Charitable donations
• Education fees
• Government transactions
• Insurance premiums
• Prepaid account top-ups

Utilities payments are not on the exclusion list, so this would be an opportunity to earn 6.2 mpd on your electricity bill- not bad, though you probably won’t hit S$5,000 on this alone!

CardUp is not on the exclusion list either, and Standard Chartered has been diligently rewarding CardUp transactions as per normal. If you feel uneasy, however, feel free to check with customer service first. 

What I propose is that you break down your spending as follows for a grand total of 36,000 miles:

• Spend S$1,000 on online grocery, food delivery and transport (SGD)
  • S$1,000 @ 3 mpd + S$1,000 @ 5 mpd = 8,000 miles
  • While the 3 mpd earn rate is valid till 31 December 2023, you’ll only be able to spend S$1,000 because 30 days is only enough to cover one statement month
• Spend S$4,000 on FCY transactions (FCY)
  • S$4,000 @ 2 mpd + S$4,000 @ 5 mpd= 28,000 miles

But wait- doesn’t StanChart have a hefty FCY transaction fee of 3.5%? Why should you be willing to spend S$4,000 in FCY?

That brings me to the next point…

Focus on FCY spending in June/July & November/December

Standard Chartered is running what I think is an excellent promotion for Journey cardholders: a rebate of the usual 3.5% FCY fee for overseas spend made and posted during:

• 1 June to 31 July 2023
• 1 November to 31 December 2023

No registration is required, and there is no cap on the maximum spend.

It’s true that you could earn more miles by using the pairing the right card with Amaze, but there’s an implicit fee of ~1.5% involved due to the spreads Amaze charges. Therefore, you’re effectively buying miles at the following rates:

💳 Amaze Pairings
Card	Earn Rate	Cost Per Mile (with 1.5% spread)
UOB Lady’s Card	6 mpd1	0.25 cents
UOB Lady’s Solitaire	6 mpd2	0.25 cents
Citi Rewards Card	4 mpd3	0.38 cents
OCBC Titanium Rewards	4 mpd4	0.38 cents
KrisFlyer UOB Credit Card	3 mpd5	0.5 cents
1. Pick 1: Beauty & wellness, dining, entertainment, family, fashion, transport, travel (T&Cs) 2. Pick 2: Beauty & wellness, dining, entertainment, family, fashion, transport, travel (T&Cs) 3. All transactions except travel (airlines, hotels, rental cars, tour agency, cruises etc.) (T&Cs) 4. Electronics, clothes, bags, shoes and shopping (T&Cs) 5. Dining, shopping, travel, transport. Must spend at least S$800 on SIA Group transactions in a membership year (T&Cs)

In contrast, the 2 mpd with the StanChart Journey Card is essentially free (well, technically there is a Visa spread, so you’d still be paying more than with Revolut or YouTrip). 

Moreover, if the StanChart Journey Card is a viable alternative for you, then the cost per mile with other cards essentially increases since there’s opportunity cost involved. For example, someone whose alternative is the Amaze + UOB Lady’s Card will be paying 0.38 cents per mile instead of 0.25 cents (since the real cost is 1.5%/(6-2 mpd)).

Grab promo code + lounge visits

And since we’re talking about squeezing every last drop of value, here’s a reminder that StanChart Journey Cardholders also enjoy:

• two complimentary lounge visits per membership year via Priority Pass
• a S$10 Grab promo code (SCCHANGI) for rides to and from Changi Airport (valid for the first 2,000 redemptions made by 31 December 2023, limit one per user)

Don’t forget to use these!

Mind those orphan miles

Standard Chartered has the following minimum conversion blocks:

Frequent Flyer Programme	Conversion Blocks (360° Rewards Points: Partner)
	25,000 : 10,000
	2,500 : 1,000
	2,500 : 1,000
	2,500 : 1,000
	2,500 : 1,000
	3,000 : 1,000
	3,500 : 1,000
	3,500 : 1,000
	3,500 : 1,000
	5,000 : 1,000

Assuming you’re interested in KrisFlyer, you need to make sure your 360° Rewards Points balance is in intervals of 25,000 points (10,000 miles).

The best way of doing this is to fine tune your FCY spend in June/July and November/December- easier said than done, however, and it’s probably inevitable that you will have at least some orphan miles. 

Don’t forget: the 3.25% FCY fee will be rebated as cashback according to the following timelines. Spending the cashback will itself create more orphan miles.

So there’s no perfect formula for this, and I’d recommend you monitor your 360° Rewards Points balance closely to get an idea of how much more spending you need to hit the new block.

Conclusion

StanChart Journey Card

Apply

To recap the game plan:

1. Apply for the StanChart Journey Card via SingSaver: S$20 cash + ReboundTAG
2. Spend S$5,000 in the first 30 days: 25,000 bonus miles + at least 6,000 base miles
3. Use Journey Card for FCY spend in Jun/Jul + Nov/Dec: Earn 2 mpd + 3.25% cashback, with no cap

By doing the above, a new-to-bank customer should be able to get very decent value out of the Journey Card- especially since there’s no need to pay the first year’s S$194.40 annual fee. The exact extent boils down to your ability to minimise orphan miles and max out the introductory 5 mpd earn rate.

For existing StanChart customers, the case is a lot more marginal. If you plan to spend big in FCY during the zero FCY fee months, then an uncapped 2 mpd would be very attractive. If not, then I don’t see much of a use case for this card.