Best Premium Credit Cards in Malaysia
For most people, a premium credit card is almost always seen as a sign that you have made it in life. Imagine the thrill of swiping a black credit card when you’re shopping or travelling abroad.
If you’re thinking about applying for one, read on as we lay out the benefits offered by a range of premium credit cards, and everything in between.
What is a black credit card?
A premium or VIP credit card is catered to the mass affluent segment of society, with an annual income of more than RM100,000. It is more or less the same in terms of utilities and features as the lower to mid-range credit card.
The difference is that they usually come with a very expensive annual fee for the benefits and exclusive privileges they offer to cardholders. If you’re lucky, the bank will sometimes waive the annual fee for you, depending on your cumulative annual spending or personal discretion.
Interestingly, a premium credit card is packed with a list of exclusive benefits which you can’t get from a gold or platinum credit card suchlike personalised services, access to some of the prestigious golf courses around the world, complimentary travelling benefits plus more.
To add on, these special cards are often offered to high-net-worth individuals and in some cases, by invitation only.
Which credit card is the best for me?
Let’s take a look at selected premium credit cards with a range of splendid benefits offered by various banks that might come in handy for any unique individual’s needs.
Business Frequent Flyers
Always flying overseas for business? Well, if you spend half your life frequenting the airport to catch your next flight, these premium credit cards can be an awesome companion for you to get ahead and away from the busy and bustling crowd.
Disclaimer: Issued by UOB under license from Mastercard, using certain trademarks temporarily under license from Citigroup Inc.
Citi Prestige MasterCard offers an unrivalled experience and privileged access to elite travel. Do you know that Citi Rewards Points and Citi PremierMiles are evergreen? Meaning the points that you collected when you swipe will never expire!
There’s a lot that you can do with the rewards points; you can redeem merchandise and vouchers; you can shop and pay using the points that you have collected at Amazon (plus, get instant rewards too!), including transferring your points or air miles to a range of loyalty programmes from global airlines and hotels.
On top of that, you will also receive exclusive access to a variety of events, 24/7 concierge services and premium insurance protection while travelling.
Minimum income: RM192,000/year
Annual fee: RM1,000 (Primary Card), Free for Supplementary Card
| Travel Coverage | Rewards Points | Premium |
| Up to US$500,000 | ✔ 2x points on every RM1 when spend in foreign currencies ✔ 1x point on every RM1 on eligible local purchases |
✔ Personalised services such as Citi Prestige Concierge, Citi Prestige Priority Line, access to exclusive events by invitation ✔ Up to 12x complimentary airport lounge access through MasterCard Airport Experiences by LoungeKey ✔ Complimentary limo ride home from the airport when you swipe 3x overseas with valid sales receipts ✔ Free night stay at selected international hotels and resorts |
Upon UOB credit card activation, you will get to indulge in infinite travel experiences! Being a business frequent flyer, travelling back and forth can be arduous and we totally get that. With UOB Visa Infinite, this card works hard to ensure you get to enjoy the journey after your hard work.
Every time you swipe your card either globally or locally, up to 8x rewards points are yours to collect and spend. The more you spend, the more points you earn. So what to do with the points then? You can redeem air miles from several airlines to get free flight tickets. If you don’t like your designated seating, you can upgrade it too for free!
As a UOB credit card holder, you can apply for a 0% Instalment Payment Plan to convert your purchases into 12-month up to 36-month payment tenures at zero interest when you spend at any participating merchants.
Minimum income: RM120,000/year
Annual fee: RM600 (Waived when spending RM50,000 in a year)
| Travel Coverage | Rewards Points | Premium |
| Up to RM500,000 | ✔ 8x points on overseas purchases paid in Singapore Dollars, Thai Baht and Japanese Yen ✔ 5x points on overseas purchases paid in other foreign currencies ✔ 5x points on local dining spending (equivalent or more than RM1,000 of total dining spending each month) ✔ 1x point on local dining spending (less than RM1,000 of total dining spending each month) ✔ 1x point on other local retail spends (exclude cash advance, IPP, petrol, government bodies & charity organizations) |
✔ 4x complimentary limo rides from KL/PJ to KLIA/KLIA2 ✔ Access to UOB Infinite Private Lounge at EmQuartier Bangkok ✔ 4x complimentary airport lounges access in the Asia Pacific ✔ 20% off at over 200 airport dining outlets (via Dragon Pass mobile app) |
If you think that all premium credit cards come with a high-income requirement, think again.
This Affinbank World MasterCard offers a low monthly income requirement of RM6,666 compared to other black credit cards. That’s not all, Affinbank World MasterCard also offers FREE personal accident insurance of up to RM1,000,000 in the event of injury, disability, or death upon the cardholder.
Minimum income: RM80,000/year
Annual fee: RM500 (Free for the first year)
| Travel Coverage | Rewards Points | Premium |
| Up to RM1,000,000 | ✔ 3x points on overseas retail purchases ✔ 1x point on local retail purchases |
✔ 6x complimentary priority pass per year to participating Plaza Premium Lounges in Malaysia and selected countries ✔ 24 hours WORLD MasterCard concierge service ✔ Complimentary green fees in selected golf clubs in Malaysia and selected countries in Southeast Asia |
Hong Leong Emirates HLB World Elite Card
Emirates, the renowned airline has partnered with Hong Leong Bank in offering this premium Hong Leong credit card for avid travellers. Live like the king or queen that you are and enjoy worldwide recognition or acceptance with this premium credit card.
When you activate your Hong Leong Emirates HLB World Elite card, you will stand a chance to receive a complimentary flight to Europe and Skyward Miles Welcome Bonus worth 10,000 miles. You can shop with peace of mind knowing that each time you swipe your premium card, the items that you have purchased will get automatic purchase protection.
Additional perks include FREE limousine service, golf privileges, overseas travel and medical insurance with this exquisite Hong Leong Emirates HLB World Elite Card.
Minimum income: RM250,000/year
Annual fee: RM1,800
| Travel Coverage | Rewards Points | Premium |
| Up to RM2,000,000 | ✔ 2.5x points every RM4 on Emirates transaction ✔ 1.75x points every RM4 on overseas transaction ✔ 1x point every RM4 on a local transaction ✔ 150,000 Skyward Miles + 10,000 Skyward Miles (Anniversary Bonus) with RM300,000 spends in a year ✔ Extra 10,000 Skywards Miles (Welcome Bonus) for the first retail transaction (45 days from approval date) |
✔ Free golf privileges, airport lounges membership, limo and WiFi services worldwide ✔ 4x complimentary Emirates KLIA Lounge Access and airport transfers ✔ Overseas medical and travel insurance, plus automatic purchase protection ✔ Get Skyward Miles Welcome Bonus and Anniversary Bonus of 10,000 Miles each |
Influencers
Being an influencer is not as easy as it may seem. An influencer’s job requires hard work and dedication and it takes every inch of passion within them to provide top-notch content for their audiences. A part of their job requires constant travel.
We have a list of premium credit cards that work super hard in ensuring your travelling or shopping experience is the best that it can be.
Standard Chartered WorldMiles World MasterCard
Who says only high-income earners can apply for a premium credit card? Standard Chartered offers a rather low monthly income requirement of RM7,500 for their World MasterCard credit card application. Exclusive for avid travellers, there are awesome travel perks with this Standard Chartered WorldMiles World MasterCard.
As a Standard Chartered credit card holder, you get to enjoy special 1-for-1 dining deals at over 200 restaurants, cafes and bars via The Entertainer (MY) App. Plus, earn cashback rewards, get cash or redeem gifts at various merchants with the collected points via 360 Rewards.
Minimum income: RM90,000/year
Annual fee: RM600 (Free for the first year for new customers only)
| Rewards Points | Premium |
| ✔ Use WorldMiles Points to redeem Malaysia Airline Enrich Miles, AirAsia BIG Points, Singapore Airlines KrisFlyer Miles and Cathay Pacific Asia Miles for cheaper flights ✔ 4.5x points every RM3 on overseas expenses ✔ 1x point every RM3 on local expenses |
✔ Over 700 Good Life dining deals nationwide ✔ Great discounts on shopping and dining ✔ Unlimited free access to KLIA and KLIA2 Plaza Premium Lounge ✔ Save RM80 on Airport Limousine or KLIA Ekspres (ERL) |
CIMB Bank offers low minimum income requirements for their Infinite credit card application. When you apply for this Visa Infinite credit card, you don’t need to pay an annual fee for a lifetime.
It gets better though; you will also receive free travel insurance coverage of up to RM1 million when you charge your flight tickets to this premium card. Apart from that, you can relax and unwind before boarding your next flight as you get complimentary access to the airport lounge too.
It is impossible to not shop while travelling. With this CIMB Visa Infinite credit card, you will earn cash rebates for every retail transaction you made. Exceeded your credit card limit? Fret not! With CIMB CashLite, you can apply from as low as RM1,000 up to your available credit limit at a flat interest rate of 9.88% per annum.
Minimum income: RM120,000/year
Annual fee: Free for life
| Travel Coverage | Rewards Points | Premium |
| Up to RM1,000,000 | ✔ 5x points on overseas dining spends ✔ 5x points on overseas retail spends ✔ 1x point on local spends |
✔ Access to exclusive worldwide events ✔ Premium airport ride at an exclusive price ✔ Shopping and dining promotions ✔ 8x complimentary access to selected Plaza Premium Lounge a year ✔ Travel assistance via the CIMB Premier travel desk |
Don’t miss the chance to travel in style with this sleek black premium OCBC World MasterCard, offering you travel perks such as 2x access in a year to the KLIA Plaza Premium Lounge and 24/7 concierge service.
With an annual fee of only RM388, this credit card is quite the catch. First-time OCBC credit card applicants also get their first 3 years' worth of annual fee waiver. Additionally, you can earn up to 1.2% cash rebates monthly when you spend the first RM1,000 on all retail purchases with your credit card.
Minimum income: RM100,000/year
Annual fee: RM388 (Free for the first 3 years for first-time OCBC credit card applicants)
| Travel Coverage | Premium |
| Up to RM2,000,000 |
✔ 2x complimentary access in a year at KLIA Plaza Premium Lounge ✔ 24 hours concierge service ✔ No cap on cashback ✔ 1.2% cash rebate on the first RM1,000 spent on all retail purchases monthly ✔ 0.6% rebate on the subsequent RM1,001 spending on all retail purchases monthly |
Golfers
Golf is a recreational sport that is loved by the elites. It may cost a fortune when you take into account the cost of the gear, equipment, green fees and golf clubs membership fees. With these premium credit cards, you can get discounts and complimentary access to perfect your swing.
This RHB Visa Infinite comes with several great benefits that you surely wouldn’t want to miss. Once you activate your premium credit card, you don’t have to worry about expensive green fees anymore as RHB Golf Privileges grants you ZERO green fees at selected golf clubs in Selangor.
Additional travel perks are yours to use as well such as endless air miles redemption and unlimited airport lounge access in Malaysia and Singapore.
Rejoice if you’re a fan of IKEA as you get to apply for RHB Smart Instalment of IKEA at a 0% interest rate whenever you make a purchase of a minimum of RM500 in a single receipt.
Minimum income: RM150,000/year
Annual fee: Free for life
| Travel Coverage | Rewards Points | Premium |
| Up to RM2,000,000 | ✔ 5x points on every RM1 on overseas retail spends ✔ 1x point on every RM1 on all local retail spends |
✔ Zero green fees by RHB Golf Privileges at selected golf clubs in Selangor ✔ Free unlimited airport lounge access in Malaysia and Singapore (for the first 1,000 customers per month) |
Maybank Islamic Ikhwan Visa Infinite Card-i
Indulge yourself with this Maybank Islamic Ikhwan Visa Infinite Card-i as its premium perks include travel benefits and significant golf privileges within Malaysia.
Maybank is also known for its awesome Treats Fair whereby cardholders can redeem accumulated points which will expire after 3 years with any products or services you prefer. Plus, you’ll get 10,000 TreatsPoints upon Maybank Islamic Ikhwan Visa Infinite Card-i activation.
So what to do with that many points? You can convert your TreatsPoints to Enrich Miles, KrisFlyer Miles, or Asia Miles at special low rates. In addition, you can exchange 5,000 TreatsPoints for 1,000 Air Miles and book a flight ticket to your favourite destinations.
Minimum income: RM100,000/year
Annual fee: RM800 (Free for the first year)
| Travel Coverage | Rewards Points | Premium |
| Up to RM2,000,000 | ✔ Get 10,000 TreatsPoints on card activation and your first purchase ✔ 5x points on overseas retail spends ✔ 2x points on local retail spends ✔ 1x point on petrol, utilities, education, insurance and EzyPay Instalment |
✔ Complimentary green fees at 14 premium clubs in Malaysia with unlimited rounds ✔ Up to 40% off dining at Marriott Bonvoy participating hotels & resorts in Malaysia (until 31 December 2022) ✔ 5x access to selected Plaza Premium Lounge ✔ Convert TreatPoints to Enrich Miles, KrisFlyer Miles or Asia Miles at low rates ✔ Exchange 5,000 TreatPoints for 1,000 Air Miles & book a flight to your favourite destinations |
Choosing the right black card for you
Choosing the right premium credit card can be tricky, considering each one of them comes with an enticing benefits package that is hard to ignore. Sometimes the benefits of a premium card can also be found in a lower-end credit card too. These are the key points that you can consider before applying for a premium credit card:
Annual fee
The annual fee for premium cards can reach up to thousands of Ringgit. You may be able to enjoy an annual fee waiver but with conditions as set out by the bank.
Outsized privileges
From travel benefits, and golf privileges to complimentary airport lounges access all over the world, a premium credit card has a lot to offer. However, if you don’t really use these benefits on a regular basis, you will pay a hefty annual fee for nothing.
Credit score
Premium cards are usually offered to high-income earners and those with excellent credit scores. If you’re eligible, don’t hesitate to apply for a premium credit card and enjoy the benefits to your heart's content!
