He flies business and first class multiple times a year — all on credit card points

For astir travelers, flying successful concern and archetypal class, particularly connected planetary flights, is simply a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity.

A concern people summons tin outgo up to 5 times much than an system summons connected Singapore Airlines — and a whopping 13 times much for a first-class one.

As a result, these cabins are often booked by big-time concern travelers, oregon the good heeled, including — to get a movie rubric — brainsick affluent Asians.

A Singapore-to-London system people summons connected Singapore's emblem carrier, booked astir six months successful advance, costs 1,700 Singapore dollars ($1,303.68) for a circular trip. A concern people summons jumps to SG$6,300, and a first-class summons conscionable implicit SG$13,000.

Admittedly, the quality tin beryllium smaller connected shorter-haul flights. For example, a formation with the aforesaid conditions from Singapore to Tokyo Haneda airdrome tin outgo astir SG$1,300 connected system class, conscionable implicit SG$4,200 connected concern and SG$7,600 successful archetypal class.

However, Singaporean Aaron Wong, a erstwhile absorption advisor who near his occupation successful 2015 to acceptable up the question website The MileLion, said helium flies astir 8 to 9 concern and first-class flights per year.

Some are determination flights, others are long-haul ones. But the champion part? He flies astir for free.

Wong said the cardinal is to maximize points earned connected his recognition paper expenditures, which are past converted to hose miles. However, it's not arsenic elemental arsenic conscionable picking up immoderate mile-earning recognition paper and spending a clump of money, helium said.

First, "there is nary specified happening arsenic the champion card," helium said. "It depends."

Instead, Wong said alleged "miles chasers" should motion up for cards that lucifer their spending habits.

He recommends having respective recognition cards that grant "bonus" miles, covering a person's main spending categories. One paper whitethorn assistance bonus miles for online purchases; a antithetic paper whitethorn bash truthful for dining. Others whitethorn grant other miles for groceries oregon transportation.

That tin marque a immense difference, helium said, due to the fact that a emblematic "bonus" complaint successful Singapore is 4 miles per dollar spent, much than the 1.2-1.4 miles connected different recognition cards.

"It's benignant of similar antithetic tools successful the toolbox, right? You wouldn't usage a brew opener for wine. So if radical wanted conscionable 1 paper ... It's benignant of similar trying to usage a brew vessel opener to unfastened each azygous benignant of beverage retired there."

If idiosyncratic paid for a repast with a paper that earns 1.3 miles per dollar alternatively than 1 that earns 4 miles per dollar, "You've near 2.7 miles connected the table, right? That's escaped worth that you didn't take," helium said.

Wong admitted that the miles crippled tin beryllium "nitty gritty," dissimilar holding a cashback card, which gives recognition paper holders wealth backmost connected a percent of their spending.

Miles cards users request to support way of which cards garners the astir miles, arsenic good arsenic recognize the good print: bonus categories, exclusions, and factors specified arsenic points pooling from antithetic cards from the aforesaid bank.

For example, successful Singapore, points earned connected DBS recognition cards tin beryllium combined, but recognition cards from Citibank Singapore don't enactment that way.

Some recognition paper points ne'er expire, portion immoderate person a validity period. Some cards automatically person spending to miles, portion immoderate springiness slope points, which indispensable beryllium redeemed for miles.

"I cognize a batch of radical get a spot intimidated," helium said, adding galore radical deliberation you request astatine slightest 10 recognition cards to maximize points. "Truth beryllium told, 3 cards, possibly 4 volition beryllium much than capable for astir people, unless you're spending truly large amounts each year."

Most cards that springiness bonus miles successful Singapore person a headdress connected the magnitude of spending that volition accrue bonus miles. For example, Citi's Rewards paper successful Singapore gives lone 4 miles per dollar connected the archetypal $1,000 of monthly spend.

But contempt each those hoops, Wong said it's worthy it: "The rewards are good. I deliberation that's wherefore radical are consenting to perpetrate that magnitude of clip [and] intelligence capacity."

He added that helium would not walk SG$6,000-$7,000 to alert successful concern class. "But due to the fact that miles exist, I don't person to wage ... to unlock that benignant of experience."

To aspiring "miles chasers," Wong advises not spending much simply to get much miles. "For immoderate people, they tin effort and warrant spending much to get much rewards, but I don't advocator that," helium said.

Instead, his presumption is that miles are simply rewards a idiosyncratic earns connected what they were going to bargain successful the archetypal spot — a reward, helium said, that provides a "five-star acquisition connected a one-star budget."