Best Travel Cards in Singapore (September 2026): Is Trust Bank's New Miles Mode Worth It?

Written by The Financial Coconut | Sep 24, 2026, 12:00:00 AM

 

The best travel cards in Singapore for September 2026 charge no foreign currency fee, and Trust Bank's Freedom Card just got more interesting. Since 21 September it can earn 1.3 miles per dollar overseas. But until 31 December, its 3% Stockback mode pays more on the same spend, as long as you are comfortable being rewarded in shares.

What changed with the Trust Freedom Card this week?

The Trust Freedom Card is the old Trust Cashback Card renamed. Its selling point is unchanged: no annual fee and no foreign transaction fee, at Visa's exchange rate. What is new is choice: cardholders pick one of four reward modes each quarter, and Trust Miles joined the menu on 21 September 2026.

Miles mode earns 1.3 Trust Miles per S$1 on both local and foreign spend, with no minimum spend and no cap, convertible 1:1 into KrisFlyer miles or HeyMax's Max Miles. For new Trust credit card customers who pick Miles by 31 October 2026, there is also a sign-up bonus of up to 100,000 Max Miles, though the top tier needs S$15,000 of spend within 31 days.

Existing cardholders should note a new mode only kicks in from their next membership quarter.

Which Trust reward mode is best for overseas spending?

Here is how the four modes treat foreign currency spend:

Reward mode Foreign spend earns The catch
Unlimited Cashback 0.5% Low, but it is cash
Bonus Cashback 0.5% The 15% bonus applies to one local category
Stockback 3% until 31 Dec 2026 Paid in US shares, capped at S$500 a quarter, drops to 0.5% overseas from 2027
Miles 1.3 mpd S$27.25 fee per conversion

On S$2,000 of spending in Tokyo, Stockback returns about S$60 in fractional shares, while Miles earns 2,600 miles. Which is worth more depends entirely on how you redeem the miles.

The overlooked cost is the conversion fee. Convert 2,600 miles after one trip and S$27.25 eats a sizeable chunk of their value, so Miles mode rewards those who convert in larger batches.

 

How do the best travel cards in Singapore compare right now?

  • Trust Freedom Card: 0% FX fee, Visa rates, with the reward mode of your choice. Weak for cash withdrawals.
  • Mari Credit Card: 0% FX fee, plus 1.5% cashback on the first S$1,500 of foreign currency spend each month until 31 December 2026, so up to S$22.50 a month.
  • YouTrip: a prepaid multi-currency wallet with 0% FX fees that lets you lock in rates for 12 currencies before you fly, and offers S$400 of free overseas ATM withdrawals a month (2% thereafter).
  • Most traditional bank cards: typically charge around 3.25% on foreign currency spend, so a general-spending miles card needs a strong earn rate just to break even.

Notice the pattern: two of the most generous overseas perks, Trust's 3% Stockback and Mari's 1.5% cashback, are promotions ending on 31 December 2026.

What is the catch with using Trust overseas?

Cash. From 1 February 2026, an overseas ATM withdrawal on a Trust card counts as a cash advance, with an 8% fee plus interest from the day it posts, at a personalised rate of 18.9% to 29.9% a year. Withdrawing the equivalent of S$300 in yen would cost S$24 in fees before interest. For cash, a multi-currency wallet is the far cheaper tool.

Also, always pay in the local currency when a terminal offers Singapore dollars, as that conversion rate is set by the merchant's provider, not your card. And Stockback is an investment, not a discount: its value moves with the market, so treat it like any other holding rather than a number to watch daily. TFC's look at how often you should check your investment portfolio is a useful read here. 

So which travel card should you pack?

For a trip before December, a sensible setup for many travellers is:

  • Trust Freedom on Stockback for card spend, if you are happy holding US shares
  • Trust Freedom on Miles if you fly often and will convert in bulk
  • Mari Credit Card for smaller trips under S$1,500 a month
  • YouTrip for cash and for locking in exchange rates

Our earlier guide to why UOB, Mastercard FX+ and Trust stood out as travel cards shows how quickly this market moves, and knowing why Singapore's digital banks are still losing money is a useful reminder not to assume today's perks will last.

In summary

Trust's Miles mode makes its no-FX-fee card a serious option for miles collectors, but for trips before 31 December 2026, Stockback pays more. Keep a separate wallet for cash, and revisit your setup in January when the promotions expire. This is general information, not financial advice.

For more no-nonsense breakdowns on spending, saving and investing smarter, follow The Financial Coconut Podcast and join the community via linkin.bio/thefinancialcoconut.

FAQ

  1. Does the Trust Freedom Card charge foreign transaction fees?
    No. Trust charges no foreign transaction fee and no annual fee, and converts overseas spend at Visa's exchange rate.

  2. How many miles does the Trust Freedom Card earn overseas?
    In Miles mode, 1.3 Trust Miles per S$1 on local and foreign spend, with no cap. They convert 1:1 to KrisFlyer or Max Miles for S$27.25 per conversion.

  3. Is it free to withdraw cash overseas with a Trust card?
    No. Since 1 February 2026, overseas ATM withdrawals are treated as cash advances, with an 8% fee plus interest from the posting date.

  4. What is the best travel card in Singapore for 2026?
    It depends on how you travel. No-FX-fee cards such as Trust Freedom and Mari suit card spending, while a multi-currency wallet like YouTrip suits cash withdrawals and locking in exchange rates.

References

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