Mastercard & Singapore Airlines to enhance travel payments across SEA

By Gloria Mathias

Mastercard has announced a five-year strategic partnership with Singapore Airlines (SIA), appointing Mastercard as the preferred partner for SIA’s co-branded card programs across Southeast Asia, including Cambodia, Malaysia, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand, and Vietnam.

Supported by Mastercard, SIA will launch co-branded credit and debit card programs across Southeast Asia providing a range of attractive benefits to cardholders, such as the earning of KrisFlyer miles from everyday spends, and accelerated mile accrual and redemption opportunities that will count towards their KrisFlyer status upgrades.

The collaboration will also include extension of Mastercard’s Priceless platform to SIA’s KrisFlyer members, including special offers and global promotions as well as exclusive access to a suite of curated experiences that span dining, travel, sports, music, entertainment, and more around the world.

Ryan Pua, Divisional Vice President Loyalty Marketing, Singapore Airlines, said, “This exciting partnership combines the best of the Mastercard Priceless and the KrisFlyer Experiences programs. It offers our members access to a wider range of exclusive experiences across Southeast Asia, as well as attractive mile earn and burn opportunities in their everyday spend. This is part of our continuous efforts to enhance KrisFlyer’s value and give our members the best on-ground and in-flight benefits and experiences.”

This partnership will also create opportunities for card issuers in Southeast Asia to be part of a key strategic alliance in the travel and entertainment space, and bring the best benefits, experiences, and value to their customers.

Deborah Heng, country manager, Singapore, Mastercard, said: “Mastercard is excited to forge this strategic partnership with Singapore Airlines, one of the world’s leading airlines, to create co-brand programs that will meet the changing preferences and demands of consumers in Southeast Asia. With research from the Mastercard Economic Institute showing that consumers are increasingly prioritizing their travel spend on experiences over goods, Mastercard’s Priceless program aligns closely with the desires of SIA’s international audiences, giving them the opportunity to indulge in unique and exclusive experiences and create unforgettable memories.”

The partnership will also see SIA benefit from Mastercard’s suite of data and services capabilities.